A radiant beam of prismatic light descended from the distant void beyond the stars, streaking through the atmosphere until it touched down in the heart of Mexico.
Only a select few individuals sensed the arrival of this celestial guest, but none dared to speak of it.
To perceive the Rainbow Bridge, one had to be at least of sub-Skyfather level. At such a realm of existence, these beings understood the nature of the rainbow-hued transmission, and knew better than to speak recklessly of it.
In the sanctum atop the roof of the world, the Ancient One tread silently.
"Sorcerer Supreme, how shall we deal with this being? Do you plan to imprison him on Earth?"
Mordo asked with respectful caution.
The Ancient One shook her head slowly and chuckled softly.
"Odin already contacted me. This time, he's sending Thor here purely to get beaten up, and learn a lesson."
"Beaten up?"
Mordo blinked, visibly confused.
"Mordo," the Ancient One intoned,
"Earth is an exceptionally unique planet. One day, when you reach my level, you'll begin to see the hidden truths buried beneath the surface. Though this world may seem technologically backward, it hides beings so terrifying that a single misstep could invite catastrophe."
Mordo, however, remained bewildered.
The Ancient One did not elaborate further. Some truths, once known, are irreversible. And for those not yet ready, there is no need to force awareness. Mordo simply hadn't reached that level yet.
Earth, indeed, was no ordinary planet.
Two of the Three Prime Forces of the Multiverse had chosen successors here. Jean Grey, bearer of an incomplete Phoenix Force, and the Scarlet Witch, wielder of an imperfect Chaos Force.
These Prime Forces were raw, primal powers capable of allowing lifeforms to touch the threshold of multiversal might, energies so intoxicating that even the eldest gods had pursued them in obsession.
And beyond those, Earth remained a nexus for many critical convergences, such as the scrutiny of the Celestials.
"Hmph, those so-called 'Ancient Pantheons of the World Tree'… Cast out tens of thousands of years ago by the Deviants and the Eternals, only to return and lord over humanity a few millennia later. A thousand years ago, they were defeated by the Celestials' Fourth Host. Add to that the continual efforts of successive Sorcerer Supremes, and finally, we exiled those damned deities from Earth…"
Mordo sneered bitterly, his voice thick with disdain.
His hatred for the godly pantheons was palpable, but not unexpected. Anyone familiar with Earth's true history, not the sanitized version known by mortals, but the secret history spanning back millennia, would likely harbor similar sentiments.
The grudge between Kamar-Taj and the god pantheons ran deep. Given the opportunity, neither side would hesitate to annihilate the other.
"Mordo," the Ancient One said gently,
"Don't let hatred blind you. Odin may be a prideful war god, but in recent years, he's slain countless alien demon-lords. Without that, Earth would not know its current peace. Remember, the Kree have never stopped coveting the Inhumans."
She smiled slightly. She knew her disciple's temperament all too well.
Reality, she believed, was far more important than ancient grudges.
"New gods are rising on Earth. Everything is shifting. Those who ride the tide may not find glory, but those who try to stop it will be crushed."
She left those words hanging in the air and turned to walk away, hands clasped behind her back. The Time Stone glimmered on her chest, releasing subtle pulses of light. Countless possible futures danced across her vision.
Mordo, of course, could not see them.
"What if Thor's in danger? Are we going to just let him die?!"
Mordo called after her.
"Then we'll calmly watch him die," came the Ancient One's serene reply.
"We are the guardians of Earth. As long as Earth remains unharmed, we do not interfere. The death of a few so-called great beings… is hardly unusual."
...
Thor strode boldly through the bustling streets, his massive frame resembling a grizzly bear crossed with a demigod, turning heads wherever he passed. The God of Thunder clearly reveled in the attention of these fragile mortals.
With grand gestures and louder footsteps, Thor pushed open the door to a… boutique pet shop.
"Shopkeeper! I demand your finest and sturdiest warhorse!" he declared, slamming a hand on the counter with thunderous pride.
The owner blinked in stunned silence at the towering blond man, a dazed expression spreading across his face.
"Uh, sir? We've got alpacas… but no warhorses."
Outside, a car horn honked. Jane Foster stuck her head out the window and called out:
"Need a ride?"
Thor emerged from the shop, eyeing the pitiful vehicle with an unimpressed scowl. He looked at Jane, then nodded with haughty approval.
"You're not bad, woman. I like you."
"Excuse me?"
Jane arched an eyebrow.
"To be praised by me is the greatest honor of your life. You should write this tale into your myths, pass it to your descendants, as your ancestors did centuries ago."
Thor raised his chin nobly.
Jane just shook her head, clearly developing a headache.
"First mutants and superpowered freaks… now a creature that creates silicon-based lifeforms… and to top it off, Norse mythology is walking around like it owns the place…"
Jane muttered to herself, visibly drained.
As a brilliant astrophysicist and a die-hard believer in science, Dr. Foster firmly upheld that everything could be explained rationally.
But this boisterous idiot who called her "mortal" and claimed to be the God of Thunder? He defied all explanation, especially considering he'd recently been knocked out by a taser and some tranquilizers.
"Once I reclaim Mjolnir, you'll understand. I saw my hammer on TV!"
Thor laughed heartily, utterly unfazed by Jane's skepticism.
Together, they approached the S.H.I.E.L.D. encampment where Mjolnir had landed.
Thor leapt from the car, rolled up his sleeves, and prepared to storm the camp by force. Even without his godly powers, his Asgardian physiology far exceeded that of any ordinary human. He could easily outmatch elite agents with sheer brute strength alone.
But then he stopped dead in his tracks.
Because someone had beaten him to the punch.
And they were much more dramatic about it, rolling in with a deafening roar of transforming mechs, engines blaring, and metal titans in tow.
----
AN:
In the MCU films, the Eye of Agamotto serves as a containment vessel for the Time Stone, much like the Tesseract houses the Space Stone, and has no powers of its own.
However, in the comics, the Eye is a powerful artifact crafted by the first Sorcerer Supreme, Agamotto himself. Agamotto was no ordinary being, his mother, Oshtur, was one of the second-generation Four Elder Gods. After stepping down as Sorcerer Supreme, Agamotto joined Oshtur and a tiger-headed deity to form the Vishanti Trinity, one of Marvel's ultimate magical pantheons. Their power rivals even the Five Cosmic Entities.
So yes, the Ancient One was absurdly powerful. Don't be misled by her relatively quiet death in the MCU. She herself was Skyfather-level, capable of going toe-to-toe with Odin, backed by multiversal deities like the Vishanti, and loaded with ancient gear. Her Cloak of Levitation are just one example, she had a blue cloak that could shield an entire planet, and the red one later worn by Doctor Strange could wrap the entire solar system.
After stepping down as Sorcerer Supreme in the comics, she just casually roamed the multiverse in spiritual form.
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