The Hammer and the Holocaust!

While trying to free the Warriors Three from their stone prison, Thor is ambushed by Mangog. The demonic entity is seeking to bring about Ragnarok, but wants to enjoy killing the son of Odin first. As he pummels Thor, Mangog explains how he is the personification of an alien race that Odin wiped out a long time ago.[1] Thor fights back the best he can but he is overpowered by the monster. That’s when Fandral starts calling Mangog a coward. Infuriated by this insult, the creature then frees the Warriors Three so they might battle him as well.

Back in the kingdom of Asgard, Loki continues to sit on the throne and do nothing. This is because he hopes that Mangog kills all his enemies, even if it means risking Ragnarok to do so. Loki is confident that when the time comes he can combine his mystical powers with that of Karnilla, the Norn Queen, and defeat Mangog. That’s when a number of injured warriors arrive and demand that Loki do something about Mangog right away. Loki, realizing that things are much more dire than he thought, tells them that he needs time to think.

Back at the scene of the battle, Thor recovers from Mangog’s opening attack. Seeing the Warriors Three in trouble, the thunder god summons a massive hurricane to try and stop the creature. Mangog shrugs off this latest attack. When Thor tries to blast the demon with lightning, it has little effect on him as well. the heat of the lightning causes the ground to burst into flame and turn into molten lava. Thor and the Warriors Three retreat in the hopes the molten lava will stop Mangog.

At this same time, the Rigellian Recorder arrives at the foot of the Bifrost Bridge. There he is greeted by Heimdall, who has heard about the Recorder from Thor. Since the robot has come to record what may be the end of the universe, Heimdall allows the automation to into Asgard.[2] Back at the scene of the battle, Mangog fights free from the molten lava. Thor changes tactics by summoning a massive storm that floods the region. While the rapids flush Mangog away, Thor knows that this will only be a temporary victory, leaving him to wonder how they will defeat such a powerful foe.

While in the kingdom of the Norns, Balder’s battle the Legion of the Lost rages on. Karnilla asks Balder to surrender and become her consort. Balder, on the otherhand, refuses to give up the fight. Meanwhile, in Asgard itself, the Recorder is brought into the room where Odin continues his Odinsleep. The robot tells Sif about how his masters detected the universe may be coming to an end. Fearing that Ragnarok may be upon them, Sif goes to the chamber where the Odinsword is kept to be the last line of defense against oblivion. Back at the scene of the battle, Thor and the Warriors Three scan the flood waters for their foe. When Mangog emerges from the water unscathed, Thor fears that for better or worse, the coming battle will be the end.

Recurring Characters

Thor, Mangog, the Warriors Three (Fandral, Hogun, Volstagg), Heimdall, Balder, Sif, Odin, Karnilla, the Recorder, Loki, Toag

Continuity Notes

1. As detailed in Thor #154, this alien race was wiped out for attempting to invade Asgard. However, we’ll learn that Mangog was created by Odin merging all these aliens into a single entity at the end of next issue. Mighty Thor #701 suggests that instead of an invasion, this alien race may have offended Odin instead. Which is not impossible, Odin is kind of a dick.

2. The narration mentions how the Recorder and Thor previously met Thor #133.