Thor #157
Behind Him… Ragnarok!
Thor and the Warriors Three are locked in battle against the Mangog, a monster that wishes to avenge its people by bringing about Ragnarok.[1] Elsewhere, Balder continues to battle the Legion of the Loss as he refuses to become Karnilla’s consorts. She gives him one last chance to join her and when he refuses she orders her legion to kill him. That’s when, suddenly, the Legion of the Lost stop fighting as the order to kill had broken the spell she had over them. With an army of men standing against her, Karnilla is deeply hurt to by the rejection. Using a spell to teleport them away, she banishes them from her kingdom.
Balder and the other warriors appear in the middle of Asgard. When Balder learns about the current threat to the kingdom, he rallies the troops to fight back against Mangog.
By this time, Mangog has grown tired of his battle with Thor and the Warriors Three and burrows into the ground so he can dig his way to Asgard without further interruption. When the creature arrives at the gates of Asgard, it is Balder who is leading the charge. Thor quickly arrives to lend a hand. However, Balder tells Thor that he is needed to defend the Odinsword and send on his way. While in the throne room, Loki watches as Mangog continues to press closer. Starting to panic, he races to Odin’s bedchamber in the hopes of waking his step-father from the Odinsleep. When he is refused access, Loki decides to flee while he still can. He passes Thor in the hall, who calls his step-brother out for being a coward before joining Sif and the Recorder into the chamber where the Odinsword is kept.
Soon, Mangog comes crashing into the chamber and fights through everyone to get to the Odinsword. Grabbing the massive weapon by its hilt, Mangog begins pulling it from its scabbard causing great storms as the world starts entering its death throws. However, at the last possible moment, Odin arrives and banishes Mangog with a spell. Odin then pulls up a visi-screen and shows Thor and the others that Mangog was actually the amalgamation of the alien race he punished centuries ago.[2] With Mangog destroyed, the aliens are being restored on their homeworld, their punishment having passed. With the danger over, and the Odinsword back in its place, Odin is celebrated by his people.
Recurring Characters
Thor, Mangog, Warriors Three (Fandral, Hogun, Volstagg), Odin, Balder, Sif, the Recorder, Karnilla, Loki, Toag
Continuity Notes
As detailed in Thor #154, Mangog’s people failed to invade Asgard and were seemingly decimated by Odin. The truth is revealed later this issue. However, Mighty Thor #701 suggests that these aliens didn’t actually invade but instead did something to insult Odin. That tracks when you consider how much of a dick Odin can be sometimes.
Although Mangog is seemingly destroyed here, the creature will return in Thor #195-198.
