Superman in Marvel – Chapter 31: Gods and Beasts
The Thunder God Falls
The sky cracked.
Not with lightning.
But with something falling.
Ethan had been sitting on the porch, lost in thought, when he felt it—an impact so powerful that the very air trembled. His enhanced senses locked onto the source instantly.
A fiery object crashed into the nearby forest, sending a shockwave that flattened trees and sent birds scattering into the sky.
Without hesitation, Ethan took off.
In seconds, he arrived at the impact site.
Amidst the smoke and broken trees, a massive figure lay crumpled in the dirt.
Thor.
His armor was cracked, his red cape torn, his body covered in wounds. Blood dripped from deep gashes along his arms and chest.
And his hammer—Mjolnir—was nowhere to be seen.
Ethan landed beside him, heart pounding. "Thor?"
The Asgardian barely stirred. His breathing was ragged, his golden hair matted with dirt and blood.
Ethan knelt, carefully lifting him. "Hang on. I've got you."
Thor groaned, his swollen eyes struggling to open. He managed a weak smirk despite his pain.
"You… are not mortal." His voice was hoarse, laced with exhaustion.
Ethan's expression remained unreadable. "No."
Thor let out a weak chuckle before slipping into unconsciousness.
Bringing a God Home
Ethan didn't take Thor to his parents' farmhouse. That place had already been thrown into chaos once. He had another place—one that was his alone. A house on the outskirts of town, quiet, secluded. A place where he could think.
He carried the unconscious god inside, laying him gently on the couch before grabbing a first-aid kit—not that it would do much for an Asgardian.
A knock at the door.
Ethan sighed. He already knew who it was.
When he opened it, Tony Stark stood there, holding a coffee and a small scanner. "Heard there was a thunder god in need of some TLC."
Ethan didn't bother asking how Tony found out. The guy had satellites everywhere.
Tony stepped inside, taking one look at Thor's battered form and whistling. "Damn. Someone really did a number on him." He activated his scanner, reading the Asgardian's vitals. His smirk faded.
"His life signs are weak. Whatever hit him? It wasn't just strong. It was designed to hurt someone like him."
Ethan clenched his fists. Someone had done this to Thor.
And he needed to know who.
But before he could dwell on it—
A scream.
High-pitched, terrified.
A child's scream.
Ethan's head snapped toward the window. A mile away. A little girl, running for her life.
And behind her?
Gunfire.
The Hunted
Ethan didn't leave in his Superman suit.
He had seen the military nearby, their vehicles stationed just outside town. That changed things. If they were involved, charging in as Superman would only make things worse.
So he went as Ethan Carter.
No cape. No emblem. Just a man moving silently through the night, unseen, unheard.
The screams led him to a dark alley.
A young girl, no older than ten, stumbled as she ran, her sobs echoing off the brick walls.
Behind her, soldiers moved with precision, closing in fast.
"Cut her off! We don't have all night!" one of them barked.
Ethan tensed. They're after her.
But before he could step in—
Someone else moved first.
A blur dropped in front of the girl, landing in a low stance.
A woman.
Dark hair. Fierce eyes.
Then—
SNIKT!
Claws extended from her hands, gleaming under the streetlights.
The soldiers froze.
"Oh, sh*t—it's her!"
The woman charged.
Ethan watched, impressed. She moved like a beast—pure instinct, raw aggression. A blur of slashes, cutting through their ranks with terrifying efficiency.
The soldiers tried to fight back, but they never stood a chance.
Then—an order came through their earpieces.
"Fall back. Now."
They hesitated, but the retreat command was absolute.
Without another word, the remaining soldiers fled into the darkness.
Ethan frowned. Someone just called them off.
Laura stood still, breathing heavily, her claws retracting with a soft snikt. She glanced at Ethan, wary but not hostile.
Their eyes met.
Ethan studied her. Her stance was tense, like she was waiting for him to attack.
Instead, he simply asked, "You okay?"
She hesitated, then gave a small nod.
Ethan's gaze flicked to the little girl, still curled up against the alley wall. He knelt beside her, his voice soft. "You're safe now."
The girl sniffled, then slowly reached for Laura.
Laura didn't pull away.
Ethan looked at her again. "Do you have somewhere to go?"
Silence.
Laura's expression didn't change, but her hesitation said everything.
She had nowhere.
No home.
No safety.
Ethan exhaled. "Come with me."
Laura's eyes narrowed. "Why?"
Ethan met her gaze evenly. "Because you need a place. And I have one."
For a moment, it seemed like she would refuse.
Then—she nodded.
A New Connection
They walked together through the empty streets.
Laura carried the girl. Ethan walked beside her, hands in his pockets, mind racing.
Finally, he spoke. "Those soldiers… They were after you."
Laura exhaled. "Yeah."
Ethan frowned. "Why?"
She hesitated. Then, softly—
"Because they made me."
Ethan's jaw clenched.
Experimented on. Created. Used.
She wasn't just being hunted. She was someone's property.
His gaze flickered to her hands. "The claws… They hurt, don't they?"
Laura's expression darkened.
"…Every time."
For some reason, that hit him harder than he expected.
They walked in silence a moment longer before Laura muttered, "Thanks."
Ethan glanced at her.
She wasn't the type to ask for help.
But something about him—**about the way he fought, the way he protected the girl—**had made her trust him.
Ethan smiled softly. "Anytime."
And somehow, he knew—
This wasn't the last time their paths would cross.