Thor #230
The Sky Above… The Pits Below!
Some unknown entity is making people around New York spontaneously commit suicide, prompting an investigation by Thor and Hercules. Hercules has already had a run in with this mysterious entity and has been driven mad.[1] With Hercules passed out, Thor carries him back to Avengers Mansion where. There he asks Iron Man’s assistance with a mind probe device to find out who or what attacked Hercules and why.[2]
As before, the device does little to unlocked Hercules’ memories. Instead he wakes up in an angered state and — seeing Thor and Iron Man as demons — begins attacking them. That’s when Jarvis brings Sif and Krista into the room. While the two Avengres fail to restrain the Olympian, Krista is able to calm Hercules down with a simple touch and a loving glance. Hercules collapses as his sanity is restored and once he has composed himself, tells Thor and the others about his encounter with an entity shrouded in darkness and the ambush in the sewers. Hearing the story, Thor decides they should go into the sewers to find their mysterious foe.
Meanwhile, in Asgard, Hildegard seeks an audience with Odin. However, the guards refuse to let her pass. She is concerned for the All-Father and forces her way into Odin’s inner chambers. There she only finds his loyal vizier, who tells her that Odin has left Asgard and he has no idea where he has gone or why.[3]
Back on Earth, Thor and Hercules have ventured in the sewers where they are taunted by their shadowy foe. Although the creature appears before them it melts into the shadows whenever they try to attack them. They are then swarmed by a demonic horde that swarms Thor. Hercules realizes that these attacks are meant to fill them with despair and correctly deduces that the creature is vulnerable to light. Picking up a boulder, the prince of power tosses it through the ceiling, smashing a way to the surface, allowing the daylight into the sewers. The light drives the demons away. Spotting their master, Thor and Hercules tries to chase after it, however the creature fades into nothingness in the light. Hercules muses that now that they know the creature relies on fear as a weapon they will be ready to defeat it next time.
Recurring Characters
Thor, Dweller-in-Darkness, Sif, Krista, Hildegarde, Hercules, Iron Man, Edwin Jarvis
Continuity Notes
The entity causing the suicides in this story is never identified by name. The demon entry in Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe #3 reveals that he is the Dweller in Dark.
It’s mentioned here that this device was used on Hercules once before and that it wasn’t very effective. This is reference to Avengers #99 when Hercules was stricken with amnesia. His mind was later restored in issue #100 of that series.
Thor #233 reveals that Odin had gone to Earth in a mortal guise so that he might learn a lesson in humility.
