Chapter 153: What Does It Mean to Have a Pure Heart?
"Does justice mean absolute fairness and impartiality?" Jane ventured carefully from the side, after pondering the concept.
"That can't be it. I'm far from perfectly fair or impartial, but I still managed to lift the hammer with no effort at all," Tony immediately shook his head, dismissing her idea.
"But according to Google, that is what justice means," Darcy chimed in, her phone outstretched toward Tony, displaying a definition she'd just looked up, taking the conversation quite seriously.
"I can't explain it," Tony replied, raising his hands as if surrendering. "I can't reveal who gave me this information, but I was told that I could lift the hammer because I had a pure heart. And believe me, I've got no reason to lie to you, Thor. I'm desperate for you to take Mjolnir back."
Thor nodded slowly, his mind working through Tony's words. Indeed, Tony had no reason to deceive him—he'd handed the hammer over without any hidden agenda or demands. If Thor could have lifted it, he would have reclaimed it on the spot. Now, with Tony sharing this information, it only made sense that it was true.
The part about brute force still made no sense to Thor, though. Mjolnir was enchanted by his father, Odin, the All-Father. For as long as he could remember, the hammer's weight had crushed anyone unworthy. He had even used it to subdue enemies and never had anyone stood under its weight—until now. Tony's words implied there was someone out there, strong enough to bypass his father's magic. If this mysterious individual wasn't his father, they must be immensely powerful.
Still, there was one lingering question: what exactly is a pure heart?
"Justice doesn't only mean fairness and impartiality," Tony mused aloud, shifting gears as if speaking to himself. "Sometimes, it's about standing up for the weak, defending those who can't protect themselves. People might call that just too."
"Mr. Stark," Jane spoke up again, her tone thoughtful, "you built the Iron Man suit, giving yourself technology that's decades ahead of anything else on Earth. You've got power few people could ever imagine, and yet, you never used it for personal gain or to start wars. Instead, you've saved lives. People see you as a hero, someone they look up to. Maybe that's what it means to have a pure heart?"
Tony raised an eyebrow, clearly impressed with Jane's reasoning. "I'd love to tell Thor the secret behind all this," he replied, looking toward Thor, "but honestly? I don't know why I was able to wield Mjolnir."
"True, you may not know exactly," Jane nodded, "but perhaps if we understand what was going through your mind when you first lifted the hammer, we'll be closer to figuring out what it means to have a pure heart."
Tony pondered her words for a moment. "Alright," he sighed, finally relenting, "but first, you two need to sign some NDAs." He glanced between Jane and Darcy, his tone half-joking, half-serious.
"Of course," Jane agreed without hesitation. "It's your business—we wouldn't dare share it."
Tony nodded, then turned to Darcy, who also nodded enthusiastically. "I'll sign! I'll sign!" she blurted out.
Tony leaned back in his chair, settling in. "Okay. It's all in the past now, so I guess there's no harm in talking about it. Let's see, where to begin. Maybe I'll start with the events that shaped the way I think.
"It was 2008, three years ago. I was kidnapped in Afghanistan, and held hostage by terrorists. We played a deadly game of cat and mouse, and I was forced to build the first Iron Man suit in one of the most dangerous places on Earth, racing against time and death itself.
"I saw firsthand what terrorists were doing with my weapons, how they used them to fuel war and suffering. It was brutal and eye-opening. When I finally escaped and got home, the first thing I did was shut down Stark Industries' weapons division…"
As Tony recounted these events, Jane and Darcy listened intently, connecting dots they hadn't before. They remembered seeing news reports about Tony Stark's disappearance years ago, but hearing it directly from him now gave them a new perspective.
Thor, standing nearby, was also drawn into Tony's story. He watched Stark closely, his eyes flickering with emotion. Tony had faced death and come out the other side with a greater understanding of the world. And yet, it was someone else who Tony mentioned that caught Thor's attention, someone who had changed Tony's entire outlook on life.
"But, if I had to name the person who truly influenced me to turn things around, it would be someone else. Someone who made me realize how small I was in the grand scheme of things."
Tony's voice lowered, growing more reflective. "This guy showed me that the universe is much bigger than we could ever imagine. He introduced me to the idea that humanity isn't alone in the cosmos. That gods like Odin, Thor, and the others aren't just legends—they're real.
"That's why, when you showed up, Thor, I knew you were the real deal."
Tony trailed off, leaving many of the details unsaid, but even the hints he dropped sent shivers down Jane and Darcy's spines. They could tell they were brushing up against something far beyond their understanding.
Thor, for his part, remained quiet, his mind turning over what Tony had shared. Whoever this mysterious person was—someone strong enough to lift Mjolnir, knowledgeable enough to open Tony's eyes to the wider universe—they had just become a key player in Thor's journey to reclaim his power.