Thunder Struck

So I'm watching The Avengers again last night, and something occurred to me— why is Thor called the God Of Thunder?

Thunder god? Some hero! What the hell good is thunder? I suppose he could use it to startle his enemies, make the Dark Elves' windows rattle or cause Loki's pet Pomeranian to hide under his bed. Other than that it doesn't seem like much of an offensive weapon. Might as well be the God Of Static Electricity or the God Of A Stack Of Books Suddenly Dropped On A Tile Floor.

This is probably why the so-called Thunder God is generally seen doling out intense lightning, which seems like a much more formidable power to me. Maybe the ancient Norsemen should have laid off the mead for a night or twelve and named him the God Of Lightning.