Thor
Thor Odinson
Character profile
Beta Ray Bill
Beta Ray Bill
The alien who lifted Mjolnir first, and made Odin forge a second hammer.
Biography
Walter Simonson opened his legendary Thor run with the single most audacious beat available: a skeletal alien cyborg picks up Mjolnir on page one and it works. Beta Ray Bill was the champion of the Korbinites, engineered to protect a refugee fleet fleeing a dying galaxy, and his fight with Thor ended in a draw that forced Odin to intervene and forge Stormbreaker so both warriors could keep a hammer.
He has been Marvel's most honourable cosmic warrior ever since. Bill fought through Annihilation, served with the Annihilators, romanced Lady Sif, and lost Stormbreaker when Thor destroyed it, a wound the character has spent years processing. He remains the definitive answer to the question of whether worthiness has anything to do with being Asgardian.
Vital statistics
- Real name
- Beta Ray Bill
- Also known as
- Bill, Champion of Korbin
- Species
- Korbinite
- Place of origin
- Korbin, the Burning Galaxy
- First appearance
- Thor #337 (November 1983)
- Created by
- Walter Simonson
- Affiliations
- Asgard's allies, Annihilators, Korbinite fleet
- Groups
- Heroes Cosmic Characters
Power grid
Intelligence4
Strength6
Speed5
Durability6
Energy5
Fighting5
Rated 1–7 on the classic Marvel power-grid scale.
Powers
- Korbinite Physiology
His engineered body grants strength and durability on an Asgardian scale.
- Stormbreaker
His Odin-forged hammer channels weather control, energy blasts and dimensional travel.
- Flight
He flies by hurling his hammer and holding on, exactly as Thor does.
- Enhanced Endurance
Bill fights for extended periods without fatigue and recovers rapidly.
- Master Combatant
He was created and trained as a civilisation's sole champion.
Abilities
- Bonded to the sentient starship Skuttlebutt
- Fleet defence tactics and command
- Absolute personal honour, acknowledged by Asgard itself
Weaknesses
- Deep grief over his lost people and homeworld
- Separation from his hammer reduces his effectiveness
- Rigid honour code exploited by dishonourable opponents
Comics history
Thor #337 in 1983 is one of the most famous first issues in Marvel history: Simonson introduced Bill, had him lift Mjolnir, and reset expectations for the entire title. Odin resolved the resulting crisis by forging Stormbreaker, and Bill became a permanent fixture of Marvel's cosmic roster.
He fought through Annihilation, joined the Annihilators alongside the Silver Surfer and Rocket, and had his hammer destroyed by Thor in Jason Aaron's run, which sent him on a long quest for a new weapon and a new sense of purpose in his own 2021 miniseries.
Allies
- Thor
- Lady Sif
- Silver Surfer
- Rocket
- Groot
Enemies
- Surtur
- Annihilus
- Galactus' heralds
- Skurge
Weapons & equipment
- Stormbreaker
- Skuttlebutt, his sentient starship
Trivia
- He is the first being other than Thor shown lifting Mjolnir, in Thor #337 in 1983.
- Odin forged Stormbreaker specifically so Bill and Thor could each hold a hammer without one giving his up.
- His sentient ship Skuttlebutt is a character in her own right across Simonson's run.
- He served in the Annihilators, a cosmic strike team including the Silver Surfer, Rocket and Groot.
- Thor destroyed Stormbreaker during Jason Aaron's run, and Bill's 2021 miniseries is about what he becomes without it.
Famous quotes
I lifted the hammer of Thor. Do not tell me what a Korbinite cannot do.
My people are ashes. My honour is not.
Timeline
- 1983
Debuts in Thor #337 and lifts Mjolnir on his first appearance.
- 1983
Odin forges Stormbreaker for him after his duel with Thor.
- 2006
Fights through Annihilation as one of the cosmic front line.
- 2011
Joins the Annihilators with the Silver Surfer, Rocket and Groot.
- 2021
Headlines his own miniseries after losing Stormbreaker.
Gallery
Poster art is generated from each character’s signature palette. Drop official art into assets/images/ and set the img field to swap it in.
Related characters
Frequently asked
How did Beta Ray Bill lift Mjolnir?
Because he was worthy, which is the only requirement. Simonson used him in Thor #337 to prove the enchantment has nothing to do with being Asgardian: Bill is a cyborg alien champion whose sacrifice for his people meets Odin's standard exactly.
What is Stormbreaker?
The hammer Odin forged for Bill from the same Uru metal as Mjolnir, so both warriors could be armed. It grants comparable powers, including weather control, energy projection and flight. The MCU gave the name to Thor's axe in Avengers: Infinity War instead.