Thor #337
Doom
Far Beyond the Fields we Know…
The core of an ancient galaxy explodes and from the molten star-stuff an ingot is plucked out of space in a set of tongs by the entity responsible. They slam it down with enough force that the reverberations can be heard across billions of worlds.
Chicago
Doctor Donald Blake is taking a stroll in the park, enjoying the nice weather when, suddenly, he is grabbed by men in suits who shove him into a nearby car. These turn out to be SHIELD agents and the driver of the car is none other than Director Nick Fury. Fury knows that Blake is secretly Thor and needs his help and quickly rushes the doctor to the SHIELD helicarrier for a briefing. Thor agrees to come along and listens as Jasper Sitwell provides reports of a distant star that recently exploded. From it, an alien ship of unknown origin is now making its way to Earth and SHIELD doesn’t know if it is friend or foe. Fury asks Thor to head out into space to investigate and defend the planet if need be. Agreeing that this is a potential threat, the thunder god quickly departs to intercept the alien ship.
Asgard
Sif has paid a visit to Balder the Brave, who has taken to binge eating with Volstagg as a way of coping with his recent brush with death.[1] She has come for Balder’s support because she is still dealing with her and Thor’s recent split.[2] Unfortunately, Balder has little interest in hearing her pain while he wallows in his own misery.
Sif then goes to her brother, Heimdall, who ever stand at the gates of the Bifrost Bridge. Heimdall is well aware of his sister’s pain but tells Sif that there is nothing he can do, suggesting that only Odin can help her now.
Space
Thor has just intercepted the alien ship and it begins opening fire on him. Evading the energy blasts, he smashes a hole through the hull with Mjolnir and goes inside. There he finds a strange stasis pod carrying an occupant inside. When the thunder god goes up for a closer look the occupant of the pod smashes his first through the glass lid and grabs Thor’s face.
Asgard
Loki sits on the throne in his castle on the edge of Asgard. He is bored out of his mind after being banished from Asgard in exile.[3] He soon becomes aware of an army trespassing on his domain. They are hunting a lone troll but lose the hunt to Lorelei, sister of the Enchantress, who uses her charms to catch their quarry. When Loki arrives, the warriors suggest that Lorelei leave with them, however when Loki makes her a proposition, she opts to stay instead.
En Route to Earth
Thor has been attacked by the ship’s occupant, a horse-faced cyborg who calls himself Beta Ray Bill.[4] Thinking Thor is one of the demons that has been pursuing his ship, Bill attacks Thor with a savagery the thunder god has never experienced before. As the battle rages the alien ship — named Scuttlebutt — sets course for Earth so that it can begin repairs to the damage done from the battle. By this time, Thor has been separated from Mjolnir for more than sixty seconds and reverts back into Don Blake.
Seeing the enchanted hammer change into a walking stick, Beta Ray Bill is confused and strikes it against a wall. Suddenly, there is a flash of lightning and Beta Ray Bill’s clothes are changed to that of Thor with Mjolnir in hand. Seeing someone else wielding Mjolnir comes as a shock to Don who, up until that moment, thought such a thing would be impossible.
As the alien ship touches down on Earth, a battalion of SHIELD tanks arrive to meet it. Nick Fury is shocked when Beta Ray Bill emerges from the ship and tosses Mjolnir at them. However, before the alien can lay waste to the Fury and his agents, Odin appears in the sky demanding that Thor return to Asgard for an urgent matter. Unaware of what has just transpired the All-Father teleports Beta Ray Bill away.
Witnessing this, Don Blake pleads with his father not to leave him behind and pleads for Odin to come back.
Recurring Characters
Thor, Beta Ray Bill, Surtur, Loki, Odin, Sif, Volstagg, Balder, Heimdall, Lorelei, Loki, SHIELD (Nick Fury, Dum Dum Dugan, Jasper Sitwell)
Continuity Notes
Balder had been hovering between life and death between Thor #274 and 301. His spirit roamed the realm of the dead and what he saw there horrified him so much that he has refused to ever fight again.
Thor and Sif broke up after Thor refused to return to Asgard with her. See Thor #336 and Marvel Graphic Novel #33.
Loki was forced into exile in Thor #307 as an alternative to Odin’s original punishment: being shackled to his wife Sigyn circa Thor #302. These punishments stem back further to when Loki attempted to kick off Ragnarok in Thor #273-278.
Bill’s race is not identified in this story. The alien appendix in Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Deluxe Edition #15 identifies them as the Korbinites.
