Thor #226
The Battle Beyond!
Having tracked down Thor, Firelord the most recent herald of Galactus, summons his master to Earth. Fearing that Galactus will come to consume the Earth, Thor and Hercules try attacking Firelord anew, but the herald fends them off. Little caring for the fate of Earth, Firelord takes off as his task has been completed. With their foe now gone, all the two gods can do is wait for the impending arrival of the world devourer.
This scene is witnessed by a reporter for the Daily Bugle who rushes home to write the story. In that time, Thor and Hercules have returned to the hospital where Krista is recovering following her surgery.[1] Changing back his mortal form, Don Blake hears a commotion in the hallway. Rushing out he finds the hospital staff crowded around a television reporting about the impending arrival of Galactus, raising the question if his arrival will herald the end of humanity. Hercules doesn’t know much about Galactus, so Don Blake sits down and tells about the first time the world devourer came to Earth and how he was defeated by the Fantastic Four.[2]
A few days later, Galactus arrives on Earth where he is confronted by both Thor and Hercules. Thor is willing to battle Galactus again if he has come to threaten the Earth.[3] However, Galactus has not come to consume the Earth, but seeks Thor’s aid in stopping a menace to the entire universe, Ego the Living Planet. Galactus explains that he returned to the living world not long after Thor prevented him from consuming Ego.[4] This time he discovered that something had driven Ego mad and the living planet had aspirations to destroy the universe. After surviving Ego’s onslaught, Galactus retreated once he realized that he needed allies to assist him in stopping the mad planet.
Hearing this, Thor and Hercules agree to assist in stopping Ego’s mad schemes. When they return to Galactus’ ship, they are joined by Firelord. As they head to confront Ego, Thor theorizes that Ego must have been driven mad when Tana Nile removed a portion of Ego’s bio-matter to create that later became the mad Ego-Prime.[5] When they arrive, Ego blasts the ship causing metallic creatures grow out of the wall to attack them. While Thor and Hercules put up a good fight, ultimately Firelord destroys these creatures by incinerating them with his flame powers. In the aftermath of this opening salvo, Thor and his allies are convinced that Ego is mad and must be stopped. Galactus then points his ship to Ego’s surface, telling them all to prepare for the battle which lays ahead.
Recurring Characters
Thor, Hercules, Galactus, Firelord, Ego the Living Planet
Continuity Notes
Krista is a goddess that was seriously injured after being kidnapped by Pluto. See Thor #221-223.
Blake recounts the events of Fantastic Four #48-50. The news anchor states that Galactus has menaced Earth twice before. It’s actually been three times. The second was in Fantastic Four #74-77 and the third in Fantastic Four #120-123. Although his appearance in FF #48-50 is referred to as the “first” time Galactus came to Earth here, S.H.I.E.L.D. #1 reveals that Galactus has come to Earth previously during the Renaissance and was defeated by Leonardo Da Vinci.
Thor mentions his previous battle with Galactus. Also mentioned is his previous battle with Ego. See Thor #160-169.
Topical References
Out dated technology: The reporter for the Daily Bugle writes his story on a typewriter, also the doctors are watching the news on an old CRT television.