Thor #331 — Nick Peron

Sep 28

Sep 28 Thor #331

Holy War!

While receiving the key to the city of Chicago, Thor has been challenged by the Crusader a Christian warrior who sees the thunder god as an affront to his faith. To Thor’s surprise, the Crusader has proven powerful enough to hold his own and is even able to draw blood when he slashed Thor across the face with his sword. Angered by this affront, Thor vow not to hold back and and is willing to fight the Crusader to the death if need be.

With the battle being broadcast on live television, it is witnessed by Sif who is watching from Don Blake’s apartment. Seeing that Thor has been wounded in battle, Sif races out to fight by his side.

As the battle rages on, a group that came out to protest Thor’s award cheer the Crusader on. Peleus — the Crusader’s squire — uses the camera crew on site as a soapbox to spout the Crusader’s violent brand of Christianity to the television audience.

Meanwhile, Thor continues to hold his own, refusing to surrender to a mortal. As the thunder god begins to tire, the Crusader manages to slash his arm open as well. However, his invulnerability seems to be waning when Thor strikes the Crusader’s shield and this time it buckles under the blow. Watching from the sideline is Father William, who recognizes the Crusader as Arthur Blackwood, a seminary student he recently expelled. Although he is bleeding profusely, Thor refuses to give up the fight and lands another blow onto the Crusader’s shield, rendering it useless. Tossing it away, the Crusader manages to run the thunder god through with his sword. Sif arrives just as Thor collapses to the ground and, fearing for her lovers life, uses her sword to teleport them back to Asgard to get him help. Considering Thor vanqished, the Crusader tells the gathered crowd that this proves the superiority of his own faith over so-called Pagan gods.

When Sif materializes on Asgard, she rushes Thor’s wounded body to the royal palace. There, Odin is going over plans for a new palace that is slated to be constructed. Seeing his son near death, Odin uses his great power to heal Thor’s injuries and restore him to full health. The grateful thunder god then asks his father how the Crusader was able to seriously injure him in battle. The All-Father explains to his son that they were engaged in a battle of faith and that when Thor’s faith in himself began to falter he was able to be hurt by his foe as the Crusader had the utmost belief that his cause was just. Odin points out that this doubt was created when Thor discovered worshipers among the people of Midgard and tells his son that while he is duty bound to serve mortals he must not accept worship from them as their time has long passed. Thor thanks his father for his wisdom and he and Sif return to Earth.

The flash of light caused by their appearance in Don Blake’s apartment catches the attention of a private eye who has been waiting outside the building for Blake to return home for some unknown reason. Dismissing the flash of light as a trick of the eye, the PI hopes that Blake returns home soon because he doesn’t want to make a night of it.[1]

Inside the apartment, Thor tells Sif that he needs to be alone with his thoughts before his next battle with the Crusader and goes up to the roof to think. Sif accepts his request but she is still deeply unhappy about Thor’s desire to remain on Midgard. On the roof, Thor is well aware of Sif’s desire and has himself wondering if there is any purpose to maintain his mortal identity of Donald Blake. Still, he reminds himself that he must have faith in his mission on Earth, to aid the mortals in any way possible, and reminds himself to be true to this faith when he faces off against the Crusader next.

At dawn, the Crusader appears at a mass gathering of Thor’s worshipers who are mourning his apparent passing. Father Williams is there to offer his condolences angering the Crusader as he sees the priest as hypocrite and traitor to their shared faith. That’s when Thor arrives to stop the Crusader from getting violent with the gathered crowd. This time around, the Crusader doesn’t have people cheering him on and as his faith begins to falter, Thor gains the apprehend. The battle reaches its tipping point when a strike from Mjolnir shatters the Crusader’s blade. Thor explains that the Crusader’s brand of faith is based on cruelty and violence and after slapping the religious zealot around a bit, Thor tosses him into a lamp post. Utterly defeated, the Crusader is helped back to his feet by Peleus, his squire, and they both flee the scene.

In the aftermath of the battle, Thor tells his gathered worshipers that he is not fit for worship and that they should seek moral understanding and spiritual guidance from those wise enough to instruct people of this age. With this out of the way, Thor and Sif head back home so that the thunder god can carry out his duties as Doctor Donald Blake. When Don arrives at his medical practice he finds the private investigator who has been looking into him waiting with the police. When Blake demands to know what’s going on, he is asked to come down to police headquarters so he can be questioned about the murder of Jane Foster.

Recurring Characters

Thor, Sif, Crusader, Peleus, Odin, Heimdall, Hogun, Volstagg, Caryn Wise, William Boylan

Continuity Notes

We will learn next issue that this private investigator was hired by Keith Kincaid in the hopes of finding Jane Foster. The Foster woman went MIA after Sif merged with her in order to save her life in Thor #236. It will be later revealed in Thor #334-335 that Jane is actually trapped in the Runestaff of Kamo Tharnn.