This page is for the original Thena, Azura.

For the second Thena, see: Princess Thena

Origin

Thena is a female Eternal and the daughter of Zuras and Cybele. The name that was originally given to her at birth was Azura however, she was renamed in honor of Athena, an Olympian Goddess, after Zuras formed a truce with Zeus. She served as representative of the latter to humanity and the city of Athens was actually named after Thena.

Creation

Thena was created by Jack Kirby, the King of Comics. Thena first appearance in the Eternals vol 1 #5 (11/1976). In 1998, a story arc in Marvel Universe #4-7 retconned the history of Thena. This retcon revealed that a goddess who appeared in Red Raven Comics #1 (8/1940) was Thena using a different alias.

Major Story arcs

Thena met Kro, a rare Deviant the Immortal, while they were both active in ancient Babylon. They fought each other several times in the intervening millennia but have spared each others lives on many occasions. Later it was found that the two were actually attracted to each other and mated during the Vietnam War. They are the parents of two hybrid Eternal-Deviant children, Donald and Deborah Ritter. Thena typically serves as second-in-command of her father and has acted as Prime Eternal (the Eternal's leader) following the apparent death of her father. She later stepped down in favor of Ikaris, however, with the recent revival of Zuras, Thena can be expected to return to her second-in-command role.

Powers and Abilities

Strength: Thena possesses superhuman strength, able to lift roughly 25 tons without using additional powers and can lift enormous amounts using her telekinetic abilities (telekinesis section below). When engaged in combat Thena uses cosmic energy to enhance her physical strength, enough to overpower Karkas, fight Gilgamesh and Athena evenly, as well as impress Exodus with her physical strength.

Durability: As an Eternal, Thena boasts a total/nigh-unbreakable mental control over her molecular structure. Given that her molecules are reinforced by cosmic energy, Thena is classified as Class 7 durability or invulnerable/virtually indestructible and can live thousands of years while completely immune to disease and aging effects. Thena's durability also extends to temperature extremes, controlling her molecules enough to withstand insta-freezing cold and heat enough to overwhelm Thor ("lowliest" Eternal would be no-sell this heat). If someone actually manages to injure Thena, anything less than dispersion of her molecules will result in the organic tissue rapidly being healed. (Other Eternals have the same Invulnerability status: Consistently Described |as | virtually | indestructible)

Energy Potency: Thena is stated to be one of the most powerful Eternals, in large part due to her energy projection. Thena is a perfect 5/5 energy manipulator allowing her such feats as:

• Producing heat up to at least 3,500°(F) and projecting that heat 250ft for a maximum of 12 hours
• Producing cosmic based concussive force so strong it nearly kills Human Torch (says he's outclassed)
• Generating light and manipulating electromagnetic energy. She advanced enough in this skill to overpower Ironman's systems.

Psionic Blasts: Thena is extremely developed in this skill, able to rival both Man-beast and Exodus in pure force. Her feats are as follows:

• Psionically shuts down Jim Hammond (1 - 2)

• Exodus compliments her, and then gets knocked back

• Man-beast is impressed by Thena's psionic ability

• Fabian Cortez calls her abilities formidable and explains Exodus only edges Thena out in power due to confidence amp. Even when Exodus gets confidence amped, Thena holds off his attempt at killing everyone else

• Thena's psionics evenly clash with Exodus' output, stalemates him

• The combined power of Man beast/Thena/Exodus can put down amped High Evolutionary (more power than he ever had/more powerful): (1 - 2 - 3 - 4)

• Keeps Exodus Comatose

Telekinesis: Thena has proven to be a substantial telekinetic, able to hold people, small scale buildings (Small /Building) and create shields capable of resisting crushing waves that Crystal the Inhuman couldn't control. (For context- size of the waves)

Transmutation Abilities: Thena is of 3/5 mastery when it comes to transmutation. This ranking places her above Ikaris (2/5 mastery, can rearrange 990 pounds of matter temporarily/create powerful-barriers 1 - 2 - 3) and on the level of Ajax (3/5 mastery, created/dispersed living stone warriors). At the vey least, Thena can manipulate the molecular matter of an object with significant finesse (but not multiple targets or permanent changes like Sersi).

Telepathy (low level): Thena can communicate with other minds in her vicinity and scan the surface thoughts of beings less adept than her own. She can alter the perceptions of other persons in her immediate vicinity, granting the Eternal a minor illusion casting ability.

Flight: Thena has the ability to fly faster than most of her fellow Eternals, Mach 1.1 (850 mph).

Teleportation: As with all Eternals, Thena has the option to teleport herself and others over vast distances. However, after the first time Thena risks disorienting herself doing so again.

Weapons

Thena is an immortal scholar with over 4000 years of studies in various fields. She also has excelled in battle for the same duration, although the spear and crossbow remain her favorite weapons.

Unarmed Combat

Thena is an accomplished athlete and a competent hand-in-hand-combatant. Her physical abilities are superior to the average female Eternal with little to no combat experience.

Other Versions

Other Media

Film

• Thena appears as one of the central characters of the 2021 live-action Eternals movie, portrayed by Angelina Jolie. This version of the character is an exiled Eternal warrior alongside her partner, Gilgamesh. It is revealed that after defeating the Deviants many thousands of years ago, she became afflicted with a mental illness called the Mahd Wy'ry, which caused her to violently attack her teammates. This led to her leaving the group, with Gilgamesh following to look after her.

Video Games

• Then appears in Marvel Super War.
• Thena appears in Marvel Future Revolution.

Merchandise

• Thena was featured in the HeroClix figure game.
• Thena was featured in Hasbro's Marvel Legends line as a Target exclusive.
• Thena was featured in Lego's product line for the Eternals film.
• Thena was featured in Funko's Pop! line of bobbleheads.
• In 2021, it was announced that Hot Toys was making a figure of Thena.