GRUENHILDA

Real Name: Gruenhilda

Identity/Class: Extradimensional being (Asgardian)

Occupation: Asgardian warrior

Group Membership: The Valkyrior (trainee)

Affiliations: Avengers (Hawkeye/Clint Barton, Iron Man/Tony Stark, Steve Rogers, Spider-Man/Peter Parker, Spider-Woman/Jessica Jones, Thor, Wolverine/Logan), Hecara, Sif, Bobby Steele, Thunderstrike (Kevin Masterson)

Enemies: Mangog, Adam Mann, Rhino (Aleksei Sytsevich)

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: Hilda Grune, "Grunny" (Kevin's nickname for her)

Base of Operations: Asgard

First Appearance: Thunderstrike II#1 (January, 2011)

Powers/Abilities: Gruenhilda is an excellent hand-to-hand fighter and swordswoman. She usually wears full armor when in battle (with a large pauldron on her left shoulder) and she frequently wields a two-hand sword with a blade nearly 6' long that can easily slice through steel. Her sword is enchanted and can alter her clothing to disguise her as a human; while in her human disguise, the sword takes on the appearance of a guitar. The sword also permits her to teleport. As an Asgardian, she is stronger than an average human and has enhanced durability and stamina. She has even used her helmet as a thrown projectile, as she can throw it with terrific speed and force.

Height: Unrevealed (approximately 6')
Weight: Unrevealed (approximately 420 lbs.)
Eyes: Green
Hair: Red

History:

(Thunderstrike II#1/2) - Hecara of the Valkyrie assigned Gruenhilda to provide training and support to the teenager Kevin Masterson, who had just claimed the power of the enchnated Asgardian mace Thunderstrike. When Gruenhilda wondered why they should take such an interest in a young human, Sif explained to Gruenhilda how Kevin's father Eric Masterson had been bonded to Thor and served as the previous wielder of Thunderstrike. Gruenhilda set out to Earth to begin training Kevin.

(Thunderstrike II#2) - Gruenhilda arrived in Manhattan just as Kevin and his stepfather Bobby Steele were being menaced by underlings sent by Adam Mann who wanted to capture the Thunderstrike mace from Kevin. As Gruenhilda began fighting off the underlings she had to remind Kevin that he should activate the mace's power so he could fight back properly. Kevin did so, but complained that he didn't like how the mace transformed him into a body identical to the one his father had when he was Thunderstrike. Kevin wanted to call Gruenhilda "Grunny" but she rejected the nickname. Gruenhilda directed Kevin to use the mace in battle, reminding him that it could return to his hand when it was thrown. However, one of the underlings outmaneuvered Kevin and captured the mace. Bobby Steel was about to be crushed by a collapsing wall and Kevin went to save him, although Gruenhilda warned him that 60 seconds after being separated from the mace he'd become human and wouldn't be able to support the falling wall.

(Thunderstrike II#3) - As Kevin returned to his human form before Bobby could be freed, Gruenhilda saved them both, then complained to Kevin that he was clumsy and incompetant for having lost his mace. Gruenhilda insisted they should pursue the underling who stole the mace but Kevin insisted in ensuring Bobby received medical attention. Gruenhilda decided to puruse the mace on her own and used her sword to teleport away, telling Kevin she'd return.

    After Bobby received medical care, Gruenhilda met up with Kevin again. Kevin reiterated his complaint about the mace making him look like his father but Gruenhilda informed him the mace could make his appearance be whatever he liked and demonstrated how her own enchanted sword could make her appear to be a normal human. In her human guise, Gruenhilda took Kevin to a diner and encouraged him to attempt to reach out to the mace to find its location. Kevin successfully identified it as being in the Pallisades, which surprised Gruenhilda as she didn't think he'd be able to accomplish the task. As they leaving the diner they encountered Kevin's classmates Rakesh Vanamala and Keiko Levine. Gruenhilda claimed to be "Hilda Grune" and they excused themselves, claiming they needed to see Bobby at the hospital.

    Heading to Kevin's home, he donned athletic gear and Gruenhilda suggested he could've been a member of the Scarlet Stalwarts - a team of pre-adolescent girls. Gruenhilda teleported them both to the Pallisades but they arrived at the foot of a cliff, while the facility containing the mace was at the top. Gruenhilda climbed up the cliff with Kevin clinging to her neck, then they broke into Adam Mann's facility, where they found the mace had been hooked up to a device called the Mysticator which Mann wanted to use to open a portal to the realms of the gods. While Kevin reclaimed the power and identity of Thunderstrike, altering his appearance as Gruenhilda had guided him and fought Mann, Gruenhilda tried to determine what the Mysticator was doing. The Mysticator suddenly opened a portal from which the Mangog started to emerge and grabbed Gruenhilda.

(Thunderstrike II#4) - Gruenhilda pulled free from the Mangog's hand and warned Adam Mann's forces to fight back against it, as the Mangog had sufficient power to threaten the Earth. The Mangog recognized Gruenhilda as Asgardian and she informed it that it was on Earth. Mangog wanted revenge on Thor and went after his scent but was drawn first to Kevin because Thunderstrike's scent was so similar to Thor's. When Mangog grabbed Thunderstrike, Gruenhilda advised him to become human again; by doing so, Mangog lost interest in Kevin. After slaying Adam Mann, Mangog set out to find Thor. Kevin contacted Sharon Carter to alert the Avengers of Mangog's threat and Gruenhilda assumed Kevin intended to stay out of the fight but instead Kevin told her he'd finally come to understand the responsibility he'd been given. Gruenhilda and Thunderstrike headed to Manhattan to face Mangog alongside the Avengers.

(Thunderstrike II#5) - Gruenhilda attacked the Mangog again but the creature flung her away; Spider-Woman caught Gruenhilda and returned her to the fight. Steve Rogers insisted only Thor had the power to face Mangog but Gruenhilda and Thunderstrike insisted on remaining in the fight. Thor, Thunderstrike and Gruenhilda finally joined the powers of their respective enchanted weapons together to form a triangle around Mangog then generate a portal that Thunderstrike knocked Mangog through, sparing the Earth. Gruenhilda and Thunderstrike helped perform some of the clean-up after the Mangog's fight, then went to see Bobby at the hospital. When Kevin introduced her to his friends and family as Hilda Grune he added, "she really likes being called Grunny." Bobby didn't seem to recognize Gruenhilda, but might have been pretending in order to keep Kevin's secret identity.

    Soon after, Steve Rogers alerted Kevin that the Rhino was trying to escape from the USA at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. Gruenhilda accompanied Thunderstrike as he went to fight Rhino at the Navy Yard.

Comments: Created by Tom DeFalco and Todd Nauck.

    Gruenhilda was named in honor of DeFalco's friend Mark Gruenwald.

    As the nine Valkyrior had already been identified when Gruenhilda debuted, our own Loki checked with DeFalco about her status in the Valkyrior; DeFalco told him, "she can be a relatively new Valkyrie or one in training." The Handbook entry confirms Gruenhilda to be a trainee, a replacement ready to step in should one of the nine active Valkyries die or retire. - Loki

    This profile was completed on 11/24/2025 but its publication was delayed, as it was intended for the Appendix's 25th anniversary celebratory event.

Profile by Prime Eternal.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Gruenhilda should not be confused with:

images: (without ads)
Thunderstrike II#2, page 21, panel 4 (main)
Thunderstrike II#2, page 14, panel 4 (face)
Thunderstrike II#2, page 12, panel 2 (in action)

Appearances:
Thunderstrike II#1/2 (January, 2011) - Tom DeFalco (writer), Todd Nauck (artist), Tom Brennan (editor)
Thunderstrike II#2-5 (February-June, 2011) - Tom DeFalco (writer), Ron Frenz (co-plotter, penciler), Sal Buscema (inker), Tom Brennan (editor)

First posted: 09/15/2026
Last updated: 02/20/2026

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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