Ragnarok & Roll

Asgard

Preparing for the inevitable battle with Surtur the fire demon, Odin has used his power to summon Beta Ray Bill and Sif from deep space to join the ranks of the growing Asgardian army. Thor is pleased to see them both and Bill is quickly introduced to Balder and the Warriors Three.[1] After exchanging pleasantries, Odin orders everyone to join the other soldiers in the Battle Plain of Vigrid. Odin calls everyone to attention and asks who will fight on his side. Nearly every able bodied Asgardian has shown up to lend their swords to battle including some foes to the kingdom including the Enchantress, the Executioner, and Tyr, the god of war.

Odin tells the assemblage that they are to defend the kingdom from Surtur, who is attempting to reach it through Midgard. He warns them that the fire demon intends to use his sword, Twilight, to snuff out the Eternal Flame and plunge the universe into darkness. To lead the armies, Odin has put Thor in charge with Beta Ray Bill as his second-in-command. As they prepare for the journey to Earth, Bill tries to convince Sif to stay behind. However, she is a warrior in her own right and flat out refuses but is touched by Bill’s concern for her well being.

As Thor leads the armies of Asgard across the Bifrost Bridge, Heimdall tells him that if there is any trouble on the home front he will blow the Gjallerhorn to raise the alarm. As they make their way to Earth, Thor instructs Beta Ray Bill to lead the warriors into battle while he goes to recruit his teammates in the Avengers.[2]

With the warriors all gone, Odin asks Frigga to take the children up to a chalet in the mountains where they will be safe. The children don’t like being taken away from their homes, but Odin convinces them that he wants the children to look after his wife. After some tender parting words, Odin sends Frigga and the children off. He then turns to Balder and sends him on a mission to recruit Karnilla and her armies to assist in the coming battle. Balder accepts this task reluctantly and leaves at once.[3]

New York

The city, like the rest of the world, has been caught in a freak blizzard following the destruction of the Casket of Ancient Winters. Suddenly, a horde of demons from Muspelheim begin swarming the city. Luckily, Thor arrives with his fellow Avengers — the Wasp, Scarlet Witch, Captain Marvel, and Starfox — to defend the people of the city. After dealing with the first wave of demons, Surtur appears before the thunder god and warns him that his day of reckoning has finally arrived.

Asgard

Balder has just arrived at the castle of Karnilla, Queen of the Norns. He petitions her to help assist the armies of Asgard in their fight against Surtur. While she doesn’t owe anything to Asgard, she only agrees to aid if Balder vows his eternal allegiance to her.

New York

Back on Midgard, the battle rages on and as the Avengers begin to falter they are joined by Beta Ray Bill and the legions of Asgard. Still, the demonic armies are greater than their numbers and the Enchantress decides to try and recruit others to help in battle. She teleports to the penthouse apartment where her sister, Lorelei, has been living and asks for her aid. Lorelei refuses as she is more focused on beating her sister at winning the heart of Thor. The Enchantress cannot believe her sister is so focused on such a petty goal when all existence is at stake and warns her that when the battle is over she will be back to undo her sister’s schemes.

By this time, the battle has cause massive fires all over the city. Seeing this as big a threat as Surtur’s legions, Thor summons a powerful rainstorm to put out the fires. Once the flames are extinguished the storm is ended allowing the sun to come out and forming a rainbow. Thor Then tries to attack Surtur directly but is quickly swatted aside. Surtur then suddenly vanishes and moments later, Thor hears the bellows of the Gjallerhorn. He then realizes, to his horror, that the rainbow he created opened a path to Asgard for Surtur to travel on and potentially bring an end to all life in the universe.

Recurring Characters

Thor, Beta Ray Bill, Surtur, Sif, Odin, Warriors Three (Fandral, Hogun, Volstagg), Balder, Tyr, Heimdall, Hermod, Avengers (Wasp, Scarlet Witch, Captain Marvel, Starfox), Executioner, Karnilla, Haag, Lorelei, Gunnhild, Silverhoof

Continuity Notes

1. Mention is made of how Bill held his own against Thor and even lifted Mjolnir. See Thor #337-340.

2. Thor’s recruitment of the Avengers is documented in Avengers #250.

3. Balder mentions how the last mission he went on for Odin went sideways. This was in Thor #344 when he was sent on a mission to deliver a message to Loki. The trickster forced Balder to compromise his vow of pacifism and Balder decapitated him in a fit of rage.