Regarding Rowan's diary, Gwen mostly used it as a way to pass the time during moments of leisure.
It was full of Rowan's mockery and sharp commentary. His sarcastic takes on many events were frequent, and the insights he inadvertently revealed about the essence of the world opened Gwen's eyes in a way nothing else had.
We're not even talking about the early revelations—like the first appearances of Iron Man, Spider-Man, and Spider-Woman—but later information about various timelines, Thor, Loki the trickster god, Odin the king of the gods, and Captain America.
All of this was information she'd never have been exposed to under normal circumstances. It made Gwen feel like she was peeking into an entirely new and unprecedented world.
Of course, as sharp as Gwen was, she also knew how to protect herself.
In this dangerous world, even someone like Rowan had moments of fear. Whether it was that purple guy who snapped his fingers and wiped out half the universe, or Loki's invasion of Earth—these weren't small things.
These were global, even cosmic-level events.
If someone like her—a regular teenage girl—got involved recklessly, the result would be simple: she'd die. No other ending.
Yes, the world behind the world was thrilling. It opened her mind to how vast and wild things really were. But it was also incredibly dangerous. In some timeline, even Thor had been shot and killed by a simple arrow. That kind of shocking event really happened.
If Thor could be killed by surprise, what chance did someone like her stand?
To make things more complicated, Rowan had even mentioned her in his diary. Apparently, in some parallel universe, she had been the girlfriend of that Peter Parker kid, only to die in his arms.
Or the roles were reversed—she became Spider-Woman, and Peter died in her arms. Either way, any entanglement with these otherworldly people always ended in tragedy.
So, she carefully disguised her awareness, never mentioning any of this to Rowan.
As long as he was just a charming, handsome Asian teacher, she would treat him normally. No matter what thoughts swirled inside her, she would never show it.
This peaceful status quo could continue—unless, of course, one day she became Spider-Woman herself.
Then, and only then, would she have a chance to step into the deeper world.
Meanwhile, Rowan had boarded a plane and transferred through several stops before finally arriving in a small town in New Mexico. It was a long journey.
But having spent so much time soaking up the sun's energy, Rowan didn't feel tired at all.
"Energy?" Rowan looked out over the town from a distance and sensed it—an immensely powerful energy emanating from it.
It was magical in nature, charged with thunderous power.
This was something an ordinary person would never notice, but Rowan wasn't ordinary.
After so many days absorbing solar energy, his perception had evolved to a staggering level. Combined with the magical enhancements to his body, his sensitivity to magical energy had increased dramatically.
Even from far away, he could detect the surge of power as if it were a massive searchlight cutting through the darkness.
"That must be Mjolnir," Rowan muttered.
He was curious—could he lift Mjolnir?
In his previous life, there had been endless debates about Mjolnir. Why could some lift it while others couldn't? Rowan had his own analysis.
First and foremost, it came down to authority. Mjolnir was forged by Odin using dwarven craftsmanship. Therefore, the hammer's primary user permissions belonged to Odin.
It was like a computer with different levels of access. Thor obviously had permission to use it, but Odin had revoked that privilege with a single decree—until Thor demonstrated the qualities Odin deemed worthy.
So, while Mjolnir bore Thor's name, the original owner and primary access rights belonged to Odin.
In fact, the hammer wasn't even forged for Thor—it predated his birth. It was initially meant for Odin himself.
That's why Odin remained the primary authority.
This idea was reinforced in Thor: Ragnarök, where Hela was shown wielding Mjolnir in an ancient mural. She too once had authority over it.
But after Odin turned against Hela, he likely revoked her access, sealed the hammer, and then passed its authority to Thor.
…to be continued…
At the same time, it was clear that Thor's authority over Mjolnir eventually surpassed Hela's.
Otherwise, when Hela re-emerged later, she wouldn't have destroyed the hammer outright—she would have tried to reclaim it. Her decision to shatter it suggested she no longer had any standing claim.
Rowan deduced that after Odin's death, Mjolnir's primary authority defaulted to Thor automatically.
Hela's access, likely stripped by Odin, couldn't be restored—hence no struggle for control.
Later, Thor even granted partial access to others—such as Jane Foster—transforming her into a temporary female Thor. Even the Thor suit activated automatically.
This suggested that the Thor suit was essentially linked to Mjolnir—whoever had permission to use the hammer could don the suit as well.
As for why Captain America, Steve Rogers, could lift Mjolnir?
Rowan theorized that it was related to Thor himself. Odin once declared, "Whosoever holds this hammer, if he be worthy, shall possess the power of Thor."
It wasn't a metaphor—it was a literal authorization, spoken directly to Mjolnir, similar to Tony Stark giving a voice command to J.A.R.V.I.S. It transferred permission.
Obviously, the conditions for that permission included possessing exceptional virtue—like Steve Rogers, a man of noble character and selflessness.
Even in Rowan's previous life, some people were cynical about the so-called ideals of "freedom and democracy" often touted by America. Many felt that their own government had long since abandoned those principles, using them merely as tools for propaganda.
But Steve Rogers was different. He truly believed in those values—and lived by them.
In the language of China, he was someone who embodied the "unity of knowledge and action"—a person with unwavering integrity and spirit.
Of course, Captain America: Civil War left some disillusioned, making people question his infallibility. But that didn't negate the fact that Steve Rogers had always been, at his core, a man of outstanding character.
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