John had once met a woman.
Back then, he had not yet known that someone named Tony Stark also existed in the world he was in.
He and the woman had enjoyed their conversation.
Or rather, they had shared something in common.
A reverence for power.
That woman was named Hela.
Her father had banished her to the world of the dead.
She was also Thor's elder sister.
After realizing he was in the Marvel universe, John had remembered that woman.
Strictly speaking, Hela was John's friend, and so was Thor.
A struggle for the throne would eventually erupt between those two.
Yet when Thor heard John's question, he thought of Loki.
Thor said, "Only someone who can protect Asgard and safeguard the Nine Realms deserves to sit on the throne."
"An interesting answer." John smiled. "Then what counts as safeguarding the Nine Realms?"
"Keeping the Nine Realms safe from war and preventing evil from invading," Thor answered without hesitation.
But John said, "Evil exists within the Nine Realms, too."
"When war breaks out between the Nine Realms, how do you decide which side is evil?"
Thor paused, then said, "The invaders."
"You're straightforward." John shook his head. "Someone else would choose conquest."
"Loki?" Thor offered a rare compliment to his brother. "He certainly is cunning, but I don't think he would become a conqueror."
"No, not him." John looked up. "But I know you won't let this go, Thor."
He meant the matter of the Dark Elves.
"Asgard's defense system has been damaged," Thor said gravely. "If we keep fighting the enemy here, we'll suffer heavy losses."
The Aether was currently in Asgard, and the Dark Elves would not pass up this opportunity.
Odin had shut down the Bifrost to prevent the Dark Elves from entering.
But the Dark