In Norse mythology, Thor (from Old Norse) is a hammer-wielding god associated with thunder, lightning, storms, oak trees, strength, the protection of mankind, and also hallowing, healing and fertility.
The cognate deity in wider Germanic mythology and paganism was known in Old English as Þunor and in Old High German as Donar (runic þonar), stemming from a Common Germanic Þunraz (meaning "thunder").
In 1962, American comic book writer Stan Lee and his brother Larry Lieber, together with Jack Kirby, created the Marvel Comics superhero Thor, which they based on the god of the same name.
This character stars in the 2011 Marvel Studios film Thor and the 2013 film Thor: The Dark World and also appears in the 2012 film The Avengers and its associated animated series.