Thor #224
No One Can Stop… The Destroyer!
The goddess named Krista is on the edge of death and in order to save her life, Thor must once again resume his mortal guise of Doctor Donald Blake.[1] Once Krista is at the hospital, Thor makes the transformation by tapping Mjolnir on the ground. Back in control for the first time in months, Don once again begins questioning the true nature of his double life.[2]
He puts these concerns aside in order to calm down Hercules who demands the doctors to help Krista. The doctors are relieved to see Doctor Blake as he has been missing for months. As they rush Krista to be prepped for surgery, Don pulls Hercules aside and implies that he is also Thor. Hercules is amazed to learn the thunder god masquerades as a mortal and agrees to go on the town while Krista undergoes surgery.
Elsewhere in the city, a scientist named Clement Holmes has obtained the long lost Asgardian Destroyer armor and intends to learn its secrets to restore his lost fame. His assistant, Otto, is finally convinced that his colleagues were right, that Clement has gone insane. Wanting no part in whatever Holmes plans on doing, Otto takes off. Moments later, the Destroyer’s visor rises up allowing the armor to absorb Professor Holme’s soul and giving it life. Recalling its last battle with Thor, the Destroy smashes its way out of the building and goes out looking for the thunder god or someone that matches his strength.[3] At that moment, Hercules has wandered into a fancy night club. Although the places is high class, he pushes past the usher and has a seat and starts partying.
By this time, Don Blake has finished his life saving surgery on Krista. As he contemplates his current identity crisis, Blake is approached by Doctor Lois Reddy. She was impressed with the skill in the operating room and mentions all the good Don could do if only he was more readily available. Thinking of how his alter-ego keeps pulling him away from his mortal identity, Don understands what she means and wishes there was more he could do.
Meanwhile, Hercules’ partying is interrupted by the Destroyer when it comes by and starts trashing the building. Unaware of the nature of his foe, Hercules tries to battle the Destroyer. However, the enchanted armor easily overpower the prince of power and throws him into a nearby building. While Herc is stunned, the Destroyer lowers its visor and begins charging up a disintegration blast. Not far away, Don Blake looks over the sleeping Krista and once again thinks of how much good he could do if he devoted more time as Don Blake. That’s when he sees a glow of energy that he recognizes as the power of the Destroyer. Resigned to change back into Thor, Don Blake taps his cane on the floor to change forms. Once the thunder god is back, all the doubts and questions melt away.
Thor quickly arrives on the scene and saves Hercules from certain death. With a number of rapid blows, Thor knocks the Destroyer into the harbor nearby. While the creature is distracted, Thor sends Hercules to try and find the human whose soul powers the Destroyer. When Thor catches up with the Destroyer, it has already pulled itself out of the harbor. In the ensuing struggle, the Destroyer manages to wrest Mjolnir from Thor’s hands. Without his enchanted weapon, Thor will change back into Don Blake in sixty seconds and certain death.
Recurring Characters
Thor, Destroyer, Hercules, Krista
Continuity Notes
At the time of this story, Thor had not been Don Blake since Thor #209.
Previously, in Thor #159, Don Blake learned that he is a mortal guise created by Odin years ago when Thor was exiled to Earth to learn humility. Thor (vol. 3) #1 goes a step further to reveal that Don Blake — although a mystical construct — is a unique and separate identity that shares it existence with Thor.
The Destroyer previously fought the thunder god in Thor #151-152.
