The God in the Jewel

After a long search, Thor has finally found the missing Sif and Karnilla. However, they are prisoners inside a massive scarlet jewel that possesses a powerful intelligence. It warns the thunder god and his allies that Sif and Karnilla are feeding it with their energies and it will soon use its power to conquer the entire universe.

Three minors, Kaag, Quellor, and Rothgar, who sought the so-called God-Jewel now warn them to not defy their master. When Mercurio the Fourth-Dimensional Man balks at this, everyone is rocked by a massive earthquake created by the Jewel.[1] When they wake up, they find themselves in an underground cavern. There, Mercurio tries to suggest an alliance since they have intersecting goals. However, Thor refuses to ally himself to Mercurio if it means putting Sif at risk. The alien insists that they must deal with the God-Jewel together as it is a risk of all life in the universe.

Elsewhere, Sif and Karnilla are still trapped inside the God-Jewel. As the two women struggle against their plight, the God-Jewel — called Xorr — decides to explain its origins to the two Asgardians. It explains that once, six million years ago, there lived an advanced alien race that was responsible for spawning many of the various races in the universe, including the Kree, the Skrulls, and humanity.[2] Eventually, the sun around their world was about to go nova, threatening all life on the planet. In order to protect themselves the Xorrians built a massive machine that erected a massive forcefield around their world. When their native star finally exploded, the planet was pushed out of its orbit and the caused the forcefield to contract condensing the planet and all its people into the jewel it is today. Then, a million years ago, Xorr the God-Jewel crashed onto this meteor where in the Dark Nebula where it has remained ever since. It now intends to use the energies taken from Sif and Karnilla to become the ruler of the universe.

Meanwhile, Thor and his fellow Asgardians have made an uneasy alliance with Mercurio and are now searching for the God-Jewel. They eventually run into Kaag and his minors and a battle breaks out. Although the Fourth-Dimensional Man blasts them all aside with his thermoptic powers, they are too late to stop Kaag and his minions from escaping in a ship carrying the Xorr. Racing back to the Starjammer, Thor and the others give chase out of the Dark Neubla. A fire-fight in space ensues until Thor uses Mjolnir to shatter the outboard weapons on Kaag’s ship. Before the other minors can respond, Thor and his fellows board the alien ship. While the others are locked in battle, Thor races to the God-Jewel to try and free Sif and Karnilla. However, Xorr responds by shaping a humanoid form on the surface of the God-Jewel. The entity warns Thor against shattering the crystal as the lifeforces of the two imprisoned women are tied to Xorr.

By this time, Odin has begun to regain his full strength and easily trounces Kaag and his forces. When they catch up to Thor, they are shocked when the thunder god refuses to allow them to interfere any further even though Xorr has threatened to destroy the whole universe and remake it in his image.

Recurring Characters

Thor, Odin, Heimdall, Hildegarde, Fandral, Sif, Karnilla, Mercurio, Xorr the God Jewel, Gramosians, Tana Nile, Silas Grant, Kaag, Quellor, Rothgar

Continuity Notes

1. The identity of the alien race which Mercurio and his minions are part of is not identified here. Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe #4 identifies them as the Gramosians.

2. Xorr’s claims to his people creating some of the major races in the Marvel Universe has never been confirmed or denied, although reference to this claim was made in the Skrulls! Handbook.