Chapter 177: Chapter 177: Showdown
"So, this whole mess is Helmut Zemo's conspiracy?" Sharon asked, her tone laced with frustration and disbelief.
Thor nodded, leaning back in his chair with a contemplative expression. "Yes. Zemo knows he doesn't have the power to take on the Avengers directly. Instead, he's orchestrated a scheme to make us destroy ourselves."
Sharon furrowed her brow, still puzzled. "But why didn't you say anything? Surely the council knows an ordinary soldier can't apprehend Captain America, and they'd likely order Iron Man to intervene. That would escalate everything."
Thor shrugged, his calm demeanor betraying a deeper calculation. "Bucky was framed, but the ideological rift between Tony and Steve is genuine. Zemo didn't create the conflict; he merely exploited it, amplifying existing fractures. The bill's passage was inevitable, and Bucky is just the spark. If it hadn't been him, it would've been something—or someone—else."
Sharon frowned, trying to make sense of his cryptic reasoning. "But if you already knew this, why not stop it before it escalated?"
A sly smile played on Thor's lips. "Because there are things I want to remove. Letting them fester only makes my goals easier to achieve."
Peggy's eyes widened, her sharp instincts catching the weight behind Thor's words. "You're planning something big, aren't you?"
Thor's grin widened slightly, but he offered no direct answer. Instead, he turned the conversation. "Don't worry about me. Right now, the other Avengers are preoccupied. It's convenient for both the council and for me. As for you, stay here. Trudheim Manor is the safest place on Earth, especially with politicians desperate enough to try anything."
Peggy sighed but nodded. "Just… be careful. Crazy people do crazy things when they feel cornered."
Thor stood, his commanding presence filling the room. "Careful?" he scoffed. "I'm counting on them to act. But I'll add fuel to the fire, just to speed things along."
Later that day, Thor held a press conference addressing the SOKOVIA Act. As one of the Avengers' most prominent figures—and undoubtedly the most powerful—his stance drew the world's attention. Reporters descended on the manor like a swarm of ravenous sharks, desperate for a scoop.
Standing tall before the cameras, Thor exuded a mix of regal authority and calculated defiance. His gaze swept across the sea of flashing lights before he began, his voice firm and deliberate.
"By now, you're all aware of the results of the Vienna conference. One hundred and seventeen nations have passed the Sokovia Accords unanimously. Effective immediately, the Avengers will operate under the supervision of the United Nations Security Council—or not at all."
He paused, letting the weight of his words settle before continuing. "In other words, the Avengers must now wear collars like dogs, trained to heel at their masters' command."
The sarcasm in his tone was unmistakable, and murmurs rippled through the crowd. Thor's smirk grew sharper as he leaned into his next words.
"Ah, yes. The council claims this leash ensures order and stability. But let's call it what it is—a desperate attempt by small-minded men to control the world's most formidable force. You invoke fear, dress it as law, and call it justice."
He gestured grandly, his voice rising with passion. "For years, humanity has survived near-extinction because of those willing to risk everything to protect it. Time and again, the Avengers have stood as your shield. Yet now, instead of gratitude, you demand obedience. You blame us for the collateral damage, but never ask yourselves—who stands between you and annihilation?"
Thor's expression hardened, and his voice dropped to a cold, cutting tone. "Asgard has protected this realm for millennia. My father, Odin, defeated the Frost Giants of Jotunheim over a thousand years ago to save this Earth, sacrificing his own eye in the process. Without his victory, this planet would be a frozen wasteland."
"And now," he continued, his eyes blazing with defiance, "you dare attempt to enslave the future king of Asgard? My response is simple: No."
The room erupted in murmurs and flashes of cameras. Thor raised his hand, silencing the crowd with an imperious glare.
"Let me make this clear," he said. "I will abide by your laws. If you believe the Avengers have caused harm to your world, then fine. The next time a crisis threatens your borders, your cities, or your people, I will step aside. Protect yourselves. Let your politicians, with all their wisdom, handle it."
A reporter shouted, "Is that a threat, Mr. Thor?"
Thor's gaze bore into the reporter, his smirk cold and humorless. "A threat? No. It is a promise. If you think you can wage war against superpowered beings, then try. But remember this—the consequences of such arrogance will be yours to bear, and you cannot afford them."
Another reporter interjected, "Do your statements reflect the position of the Avengers as a whole?"
Thor laughed, his voice sharp and mocking. "The Avengers? Do you think all of us are united on this? This bill has already sown discord, and it is no secret that opinions are divided. But let me tell you this—your so-called 'half the world,' these 117 nations? They are nothing but the United States and its lapdogs, bowing to a master's whim."
His tone turned scathing. "A pack of sycophants trying to muzzle those who protect them, afraid of what they cannot control. This is not law—it is fear masquerading as governance."
Thor's final words reverberated through the room like thunder. "You fear us because we are different. And you should fear us. Not because we wish you harm, but because we can bring it. You want to control the gods who have saved your world? Good luck. When the next threat arrives, I suggest you ask your precious leaders for help—because you will find none from me."
With that, Thor turned and walked away, leaving the press in a frenzy. Reporters shouted over one another, desperate for answers, while the world braced for the fallout of his defiance.
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