After reporting the situation to his director, Nick Fury, Coulson didn't receive any specific instructions.
However, before hanging up, Fury hinted at one thing:
If absolutely necessary, Coulson had permission to approach Anton for assistance.
The mention of a "Godkiller" weapon and the concept of Ares, the God of War, was deeply unsettling.
Based on the Wonder Woman movie directed by Anton, WWI was incited by Ares.
If such a scenario were real, S.H.I.E.L.D. could not tolerate Ares' appearance.
Preventing war was a core tenet of S.H.I.E.L.D., especially with Earth already facing threats from alien civilizations. Humanity needed to unite more than ever.
On this point, Anton agreed.
However, Anton was far more at ease than S.H.I.E.L.D. officials. Knowing the general trajectory of future events, he was confident that internal warfare on Earth was highly unlikely given the looming threats from alien civilizations.
In a few decades, a united Earth under a global human alliance would be inevitable.
But that was a concern for the future.
For now, Coulson felt like he was carrying a heavy burden, unable to find answers and overwhelmed by pressure.
"Still no breakthroughs in the investigation?"
He glanced at the agent beside him. "That hammer… no one can lift it, no matter what?"
"Correct," the agent replied, nodding helplessly. "We've tried everything, but we can't move the hammer at all.
Even digging out the surrounding soil doesn't work—the hammer just sinks further into the ground, staying completely immobile."
"Then stop trying to move it. Seal off the area, and don't let anyone else near it except our team."
Coulson thought for a moment.
"Get me all the books you can find on Greek mythology, as well as experts who specialize in the subject. I have some questions for them."
"Understood."
The agent immediately got to work.
He had spent an entire day watching Wonder Woman alongside Coulson and had picked up on some unusual elements in the film.
The God of War, Ares.
The Godkiller weapon.
His thoughts aligned with Coulson: this event, and the hammer that fell from the sky, might truly be tied to the myths passed down through the ages.
Though science reigned supreme in modern times, the principle of eliminating all impossible options to arrive at the truth remained valid.
A short while later…
Coulson stared at a pile of Greek mythology books the agents had purchased from the local bookstore, feeling a headache coming on.
He was reminded of the time he had locked himself at home to marathon all of DC productions.
At least DC works had strong narrative structure.
These Greek myths, while engaging in their own way, felt like a slog for someone as purpose-driven as Coulson.
"Why is it always me who has to read?"
He sighed, grabbed a book at random, and settled in for some late-night study.
Days later…
Coulson felt he had gained a solid understanding of Greek mythology.
Meanwhile, the experts called in to study the hammer had made an exciting breakthrough.
Thor?
Mjolnir!
After decoding the ancient inscriptions, Coulson finally gained some clarity.
The hammer was identified as the weapon of Thor, known as Mjolnir—the legendary hammer of the God of Thunder.
"Zeus?"
Coulson took a sharp breath.
It was becoming increasingly evident that this hammer was the weapon of the God of Thunder.
In Greek mythology, Zeus, the King of the Gods, was widely regarded as the God of Thunder, wielding lightning as his weapon and symbolized by the bull and the eagle.
But how did this hammer fit into the picture?
There was no mention in mythological accounts of Zeus wielding a hammer as his weapon.
As Coulson pondered, the expert beside him spoke up, offering an explanation.
"This is from Norse mythology," the expert said. "The God of Thunder in Norse mythology, Thor, wields a hammer as his weapon."
"But how does Greek mythology tie into Norse mythology?"
Coulson was dumbfounded.
His knowledge of Greek mythology was superficial, and he couldn't grasp the deeper connections. He had to rely on the expert for answers.
"Around the 1st century CE, Thor was held in higher regard than even Odin," the expert explained. "In the main sanctuary at Uppsala in Sweden, Thor statue stood prominently in the center of the temple, flanked by Odin and Freyr. Because of this, Thor was sometimes equated with Zeus from Greek mythology."
This explanation was supported by historical accounts.
"I see."
Coulson nodded, suddenly enlightened. "So, Zeus and Thor might be the same entity, which would mean this hammer is indeed Zeus weapon."
As they continued discussing, their excitement grew. What they didn't realize was that their initially misguided speculations had somehow looped back to align with the actual truth.
"It possible," the expert replied cautiously. He didn't want to overstate his conclusions. How Coulson and the others interpreted his findings wasn't his concern.
At that moment, the expert attention remained fixed on the hammer before him, his eyes alight with wonder.
After days of attempts, he understood the gravity of the event he was part of—this was nothing short of a "divine miracle."
No one could lift the hammer, as though it were waiting for its rightful owner.
It was like the legendary Sword in the Stone from Arthurian lore, where only the true king could draw the blade.
Here, the hammer of Thor seemed to await its own "King Arthur."
"This is a monumental discovery!"
The expert grew increasingly animated, his entire body trembling. "A miracle—this is undoubtedly a miracle! In ancient times, thousands, even tens of thousands of years ago, perhaps gods really did walk this earth."
"Sir, I think you need a rest."
Coulson narrowed his eyes. Such statements couldn't be allowed to spread unchecked. Without hesitation, he gestured to a nearby agent. "Take him away to rest."
"No, you can't do this! You can't let Thor hammer remain hidden forever!"
The expert protested vehemently.
"Don't forget—you signed a non-disclosure agreement," Coulson replied, his expression unchanging.
Moments later, the hastily constructed base returned to calm.
Coulson stood in the crater, staring at the hammer of Thor. His thoughts raced to Zeus, to Thor, and to the unsettling truths he was uncovering.
The more he learned, the closer he felt to a startling and unbelievable reality.
Gods might actually exist in this world!
Bzzt, bzzt!
Suddenly, the communicator on his chest sounded an urgent alarm.
"Sir, an agent is down, the perimeter has been breached! Someone broken in!"
The urgent report snapped Coulson back to reality, filling him with a sense of foreboding.
Having practically memorized Wonder Woman from his repeated viewings, Coulson immediately suspected that this was a "god" coming to claim the hammer.
This "god" was here for Mjolnir.
"Stop them!"
Coulson ordered coldly, "Don't let them near the crater."
"Understood!"
Minutes later, the chaotic scene at the crater base left Coulson utterly frustrated.
The intruder was clearly more formidable than anticipated.
"Coulson, I'm in position," Hawkeye reported calmly, his bow drawn and arrow aimed at the figure rampaging near the crater.
"Wait!"
Coulson halted him. "There an electromagnetic anomaly around Mjolnir. This person might actually be Thor..."
"Should I stop him? Or just let him beat up more of our agents?"
Hawkeye voice was steady, his arrow tracking the target movements. "He doesn't look like a god to me—just a very strong ordinary guy."
Given how many agents the man had taken down, Hawkeye had to admit the intruder combat skills were impressive.
"Let him through," Coulson decided after a moment of hesitation. "If he really a god, we can't stop him. But if he not... he might know something."
"Got it."
With that, the figure reached the crater and came face-to-face with his long-desired "dream partner."
Behind him, Coulson watched intently, gripping his communicator.
"All teams, stand by," Coulson ordered. "Barton, ready your most powerful arrow."
"Understood."
As Coulson spoke, the figure below approached Mjolnir.
"Mjolnir, we meet again!"
Thor smiled as he confidently grasped the hammer handle with both hands and pulled.
The hammer didn't budge. It remained immovable, as steady as a mountain.
Thor froze.
"No!!"
"Father, why would you do this?!"
He collapsed in the pouring rain, his voice filled with anguish and despair.
"Well," Coulson said, ignoring the man lamentations as he breathed a sigh of relief. "Looks like he not Thor."
As soon as he spoke, agents swarmed in, easily subduing the now-powerless Thor, who had fallen into a daze.
Coulson questioned Thor, but the man remained silent, his eyes vacant and unfocused.
With no useful information gained, Coulson left to report the situation to headquarters and discuss with others how to handle the intruder.
During the lull, Thor sat alone in the glass-walled interrogation space, consumed by despair.
Shhht!
As Thor wallowed in his hopelessness, a figure suddenly appeared before him.
"Loki?"
Thor vacant eyes lit up with a glimmer of hope as he saw the figure before him. "What are you doing here?"
"Father is dead," Loki said flatly, his words hitting like a thunderclap.
Meanwhile…
"He definitely knows something," Coulson was saying as he reported to Nick Fury over the phone.
Hawkeye stood nearby, arms crossed, listening silently.
On this mission, Hawkeye had no autonomy. Coulson was in charge, and all actions followed his directives.
Hawkeye had witnessed everything that had just transpired and, like Coulson, found the situation increasingly suspicious.
"...We'll extract the information from him as soon as possible," Coulson concluded before ending the call.
He then returned to the sealed room with Hawkeye to confront Thor.
"I'll ask you again," Coulson said calmly,
"Who are you? What are you trying to do? And what is your connection to that hammer… to Mjolnir? I overheard you calling it by name, so you clearly know it well."
"You know Mjolnir?"
Thor dejected expression shifted slightly. He raised his head, and a faint spark returned to his once-empty eyes. "It seems you've already learned quite a bit."
"Of course," Coulson replied, nodding. "That Mjolnir, the weapon of Thor, the God of Thunder—or perhaps I should call him Zeus. Am I correct?"
"Zeus?"
Thor blinked in surprise, then chuckled faintly. "It been a long time since anyone called me that."
In this unique Marvel world, the idea of Thor being equated with Zeus had a certain logic to it.
After all, Loki, the God of Mischief, existed in both Greek and Norse mythology.
Furthermore, Thor close ally Hercules, also known as Heracles, was one of the greatest heroes in Greek mythology and the son of Zeus.
In this world, Hercules was "Zeus" loyal friend.
"You?"
Coulson frowned, piecing together the implications of Thor words.
"You're claiming to be Thor?" Coulson asked skeptically. "But you couldn't even lift Mjolnir just now."
"That because I've lost my godly power!" Thor retorted.
"Wait a second," Hawkeye interrupted abruptly, glancing around the room with a sharp gaze. His expression turned serious. "Has someone been here recently?"
"What do you mean?" Coulson asked, startled. "No one been here except me. Without my orders, no one could have entered."
"No," Hawkeye insisted, his tone grave. "Someone was here. An outsider—not one of us. Coulson, are you absolutely sure no one else came in?"
"I'm absolutely sure," Coulson said, his gaze shifting to Thor.
Hawkeye did the same.
The truth was becoming increasingly apparent.
"Fine," Thor admitted. "My brother was here just now."
"Your brother?"
"Loki. Loki, the God of Mischief!"
At these words, both Coulson and Hawkeye fell silent, exchanging uneasy glances.
Their eyes were filled with concern, their expressions growing grim.
Gods!
They're real gods!
The implications were staggering.
Someone had infiltrated a S.H.I.E.L.D.-secured perimeter, bypassing layers of surveillance and armed agents, to interact with their prisoner—a depowered Thor.
Such a feat was nothing short of extraordinary.
If not for Hawkeye keen instincts, they wouldn't have even known that Loki had been there.
"This situation is getting worse," Coulson muttered, his expression darkening as he turned to Hawkeye. "We need external support."
"Support?" Hawkeye raised an eyebrow. "You mean Batman?"
"No, Batman isn't the right fit for this," Coulson replied.
"Then you mean… Anton?"
"Exactly. Anton isn't just a core member of the Justice League he also the director and writer of the Wonder Woman movie.
He more connected to this situation than Batman. Most importantly,"
Coulson added, "he easier to manage than Batman."