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Since Odin enchanted the mighty Mjolnir to only be wielded by the worthy, that very concept has become fascinating. Who is worthy? Are you? Am I? What characters are? One such individual is Beta Ray Bill. Who is this scary horse faced being? How did he prove to be worthy? Let’s find out!

Beta Ray Bill was once a normal Korbinite of the planet Korbin, from the Burning Galaxy. Then came Surtur and his fire demons, destroying the whole galaxy. Thankfully, Korbinites were very advanced technologically, they were able to build ships to escape their destruction, lead by the flagship, Scuttlebutt. They would also need a champion to protect them from threats while the rest were in stasis for their travels to a new home. Bill would be the only survivor of the experiments to make a super soldier.

Gone was his plain Korbinite looks, now, he had the visage of a deadly beast of Korbin, but was strong enough to protect his people. The Korbinites took to space and flew off with Bill protecting them from any trouble that could come there way. This was very true as it came near Earth’s S.H.I.E.L.D. sensors, Nick Fury asked Thor of Asgard and the Avengers to investigate. Thor’s Asgardian energy signatures is similar to Surtur’s Muspelheim energy, activating the security of the Scuttlebut.

Bill would face off against the son of Odin and prove victorious, but he wouldn’t kill his opponent. Instead, he’s intrigued by the hammer he wielded and finds out that when he picks it up, he is worthy. Transformed once more, Bill becomes Thor, gaining even more power on top of those he already have. This grabbed the attention of Odin, impressed by someone, other than his son, was worthy of Mjolnir. Odin held a competition between Thor and Bill to see who would wield the hammer.

Once more, Bill proved he was not only worthy, but capable of going toe-to-toe with Thor. He would spare his life again, Odin was thrilled by this new hero, deciding that Mjolnir would be returned to his son but Bill would be given his own hammer. Stormbreaker, made from the same dwarf star Mjolnir was and with the same abilities and Thor granting abilities. Bill was now more powerful than ever before and would use it to help his people and the Asgardians.

Feeling indebted to them, Bill would aide in Asgardian and Earthly endeavors when Thor asked of him. This lead to tension with the Kenobites who had finally found a new planet to settle on and were hoping to have their champion to protect them at all times. Things would at least have a glimmer of hope, he was able to fight alongside Thor and the Avengers to finally stop Surtur.

Becoming a cosmic hero as well as Korbin’s champion, Bill would have many adventures in space. So many, that when he returned home at one point, he would learn that his predecessor in the Ray program, Alpha Ray, was ruling over. Bill would have to fight him and while he stopped him, it was just as Galactus arrived to eat New Korbin. Many Korbinite souls were lost, despite all Bill tried to do, the Skuttlebutt saved him and was able to recover an orb that housed the some of the souls of the Korbinites, for Bill to find a way to resurrect them.

While Bill sought to revive his people and find a new home for them, he was mortally wounded in combat. His life force would be stored in the body of a dead human war veteran, Simon Walters, giving him the body as alive once more. This was done by sacrificing the orb of Korbinite souls, unfortunately. Bill tried to make something of his new life, still being a hero, just now Earthbound, teaming up with Omega Flight, a government backed team of heroes from the U.S. and Canada.

Eventually, Bill was able to return to his Beta Ray form. This was around when the Skrull invasion of Earth was being discovered and he had to prove his worthiness to the Asgardians who feared he could be a fake. Deciding that to stop Galactus from ever doing what he did to the Korbinites again, he would destroy planets before Galactus could eat them, starving him. This lead to Bill being unworthy and losing Stormbreaker. It would take rescuing Galactus to gain the worthiness once more and Galactus would resurrect one female member of the Korbinites, Ti Asha Ra, to allow them to repopulate their species.

This new relationship was weird for both Korbinites, having no connection before their meeting here, but they decided to travel space together to figure things out. Bill would join the Annihilators, to fill in for the missing Guardians of the Galaxy. He would once again work with the Asgardians from time to time. When Thor found himself unworthy for Mjolnir, Bill was able to help him realize that he truly was if he accepted the truth of his deeds. Even joining the Guardians of the Galaxy to aide in stopping the resurrection of Thanos.

There you have it! Beta Ray Bill is one of the more unique and interesting heroes to come from the cosmic side of things. One of the handful of individuals who can wield Mjolnir and was so worthy he got his own hammer. He’s been animated and almost appeared on the big screen and may yet still. Where Bill goes next is anyone’s guess, exciting any way it goes. See you next time!

Suggested Reading
Thor #337
Stormbreak: The Saga of Beta Ray Bill
Omega Flight
Annhilators
Guardians of the Galaxy

Dr. Bustos
drbustos@comicattack.net