Thunderstrike I
Eric Kevin Masterson

Powers

Equipment

• Eric may inflict up to Shift-X Blunt damage with Thunderstrike
• Eric can throw the hammer up to 10 areas away with the hammer returning the following round.
• Thunderstrike may fly up to Class 1000 speeds space and Incredible maximum in atmosphere
• Deflection: Eric can spin Thunderstrike in front of him to providing a shield of Remarkable protection from physical, energy, and magical attacks.
• Plasma Generation: Monstrous, 10 areas, Due to the unique nature of this Power, it does damage on two levels:
• The primary level is brute force (the field does Monstrous physical damage). There are also side-effects of: Light: Incredible illumination and Incredible electrical damage.
• Dimensional Travel: By spinning the hammer, Thunderstrike may move into adjacent dimensions with Monstrous ability.
• Weather and Air Control: Eric has all associated power stunts and can shoot lightning bolts from Thunderstrike without summoning a storm. He does these at Monstrous rank.
• Absorption: The hammer can absorb blasts of up to Class 1000 intensity which must be redirected the following round, in any direction.
• Light Emission: Incredible
• Alter Ego: When Thunderstrike is struck against a hard surface, Eric Masterson may change forms. In his mortal identity, the Mallet appears as a walking stick. If separated from the mallet for more than 1 minute, Thunderstrike returns to his mortal form and has the following.
  

  Fighting	Typical
  Agility	Poor
  Strength	Typical
  Endurance	Good
  Reason	Excellent
  Intuition	Excellent
  Psyche	Good
  Health	26
  Karma	50

Talents

Weapon Specialist: Thunderstrike, Marksmanship, Engineering, Architecture

Contacts

Avengers, Captain America, Hercules, Asgardians, Jerry Reece (construction foreman), Stellaris, Code Blue

History

Not much is known of the early life of Eric Kevin Masterson. In recent years, Masterson made his living as an architect and was the single father of his son, Kevin, having remained divorced for some time. At one point, Masterson and his son became acquaintances of the thunder god Thor. At one point, Masterson was kidnapped by the mysterious Mongoose, who had previously attacked Thor several times, trying to gain a cell sample from the god of thunder.

Thor followed Mongoose's trail to Wundagore, the High Evolutionary's home. Thor saved Masterson and the two learned from the High Evolutionary's New Men that the god Hercules and the High Evolutionary had been missing after evolving to a higher state. Masterson accompanied Thor and helped him free Hercules and the High Evolutionary from Celestials holding them prisoner in the Black Galaxy. They returned to Earth, where they were viciously attacked by Mongoose using weapons he had stolen from Wundagore. Mongoose almost killed Thor using a powerful energy beam. Masterson took a killing blow for Thor, giving Thor and Hercules a chance to defeat Mongoose. Unfortunately, Masterson was dying from his wounds. Thor used his hammer to contact Odin, and begged Odin to spare Masterson at any cost. Odin reluctantly agreed, merging Thor and Masterson together, body and soul. They began to share the same life, with Masterson transforming into Thor should Thor's heroic identity be needed on Earth.

While Thor and Masterson dealt with their new condition, more problems arose. Masterson's private life suffered from his time away as Thor. Masterson eventually gave up custody of his son, Kevin, to his ex-wife Marcy. While Eric thought it was best, his secretary, Susan Austin, disagreed, as she had come to love Eric and Kevin. Thor and Masterson became plagued by more problems, which Thor soon found were caused by Loki. Thor and Masterson were briefly separated by a Celestial while they were involved in the birth of a new Celestial in the Black Galaxy. After this they journeyed to Asgard with the help of Sif. At the time, Asgard was the scene of a tremendous battle between the fire elemental Surtur and the ice elemental Ymir. This battle signaled Ragnarok, the end of the universe. Following Odin's plan, Thor recovered Surtur's sword from the Sea of Eternal Night. He then confronted the two elementals. Unfortunately, he was weakened by his separation from Masterson, and was easily stopped by the two creatures. Masterson willingly merged with Thor again, even though it meant giving up part of his life.

While Ymir and Surtur fought over the sword that would light the Eternal Flame of Destruction, Thor opened a dimensional rift that sucked them both into the Sea of Eternal Night, placing them both in suspended animation forever. Thor then returned to Earth and found himself once more plagued by Loki and his evil designs. Loki kidnapped Masterson's son, and then stole the Wrecker's Asgardian-given powers. More powerful than ever before, Loki attacked Thor when he came to rescue Kevin. After Kevin was taken out of harm's way, Thor beat Loki but could not bring himself to kill his step-brother. The arrogant Loki surrendered and then shot a magical blast at Kevin and Marcy on the streets below. The Enchantress, Loki's ally, feared Odin's wrath for her aid to Loki and she mind-controlled Susan Austin to make her take the blast. Susan saved Marcy and Kevin, but she died from the blast. The enraged Thor drew out all of Loki's life force with his hammer, destroying the evil god forever. This broke Odin's sacred rule forbidding Asgardian gods to kill each other. Foreseeing this, Loki had previously entered into an alliance with the demon Mephisto. As Loki perished, his own soul displaced that of the sleeping Odin to Mephisto's realm. Then Loki, who now inhabited Odin's body, awoke and declared to Heimdall that Thor should be banished. Heimdall argued against it, but was compelled to obey. Thor begged that Masterson be spared and that Earth not be left unprotected. Heimdall agreed, and then Thor's soul was eternally banished. On Earth, Masterson soon discovered that he could now assume Thor's mighty form by striking his cane on a hard surface. Masterson took on Thor's heroic identity, including his membership in the Avengers, and engaged in many heroic endeavors. Eventually, Odin awakened from his Odin-sleep, but remained controlled by Loki. He banished Heimdall and began a reign full of rash judgements and actions, including the persecution of the Warriors Three. Mephisto then betrayed Loki, giving the soul of Odin over to Masterson/Thor, Sif, and Balder the Brave. Masterson promptly battled Loki, who was slowly absorbing Odin's power.

Defeated by Loki and left near-death, Masterson was saved by Balder, Sif and the Warriors Three, and together the heroes released Odin, who went on to defeat Loki and thus regain his own body. Loki, for his troubles, was then claimed by Mephisto, who claimed this as his true goal all along. Odin then went on to reveal that Thor's soul wasn't truly banished, but resided within Masterson's own mind. Masterson freed the thunder god, leaving them separate beings once more. However, in return for his heroic service, Masterson was given an enchanted mace which mimicked the powers of Thor's hammer Mjolnir, including the ability to transform Masterson into a version of Thor. Masterson created a new heroic identity as Thunderstrike, named after the magic mace.

As Thunderstrike, Masterson adventured for many months, often as an associate of the Avengers and a partner to Thor. On a later adventure, Masterson engaged the villain Bloodaxe, who was possessed by the weapon of the same name-- the former weapon of the Asgardian Skurge a.k.a. the Executioner. Masterson took the Bloodaxe for himself, hoping to contain its evil. Instead, the Bloodaxe possessed him. Masterson managed to slay the god Seth, who was engaged in another scheme of annihilation, and the confronted the Avengers in the hopes that the Avengers or Thor could stop him in his possessed state. Masterson pleaded for the heroes to kill him, but was eventually drawn into his own subconscious mind and forced to pit his own avatar against the Axe's influence with Skurge's help. Masterson used the Thunderstrike mace against the Bloodaxe and was destroyed in the cosmic backlash.