Thor #396
Into the Realm of Death
After coming out from surgery, Hogun is given a much needed blood transfusion from Thor. This gets the warrior back on his feet and it’s then that Thor notices a strange snake-shaped mark on his cheek and asks what it signifies. It is a mark of death put upon Hogun by Seth, the Egyptian god of death, but he decides not to tell his friend this.[1]
This scene is observed by a minion of Seth, the Egyptian god of death, from a view screen in his dimension. When the minion reports this latest development, Seth kills him for the interruption. That Thor will learn that he is attacking Asgard means nothing to the death god, who is certain that his victory is assured thanks to a being he has imprisoned in a sphere above his head.[2]
Back on Earth, Thor has just learned of the threat to Asgard and wants to return home as quickly as possible. He and Hogun are then visited by the members of Earth Force. Having realized that they have been duped by Seth in exchange for their powers, they want to help since their lives are also on the line.
While in Asgard, the kingdom is still under siege from the forces of Seth and their ability to teleport in and out of Asgard gives the invaders an edge against them. With things getting dire, Balder decides that if they cannot get Thor to return home, he will have to recall his power to help them in battle as a last resort. Fandral, Volstagg, and Sif protest this because it would leave Thor powerless, but Balder insists it is necessary and gets the Grand Vizier to prepare the power transfer device.
Back on Earth, Thor has returned to Avengers headquarters to procure a Quinjet for travel. Joining him on his mission is the Black Knight, who is currently being rendered immobile by the blood curse on his Ebony Blade, requiring him to wear an exo-skeleton to be able to move.[3] They head to the Vault super-prison to meet with Grog the God-Slayer, a minion of Seth who has been imprisoned since his defeat at the hands of Thor.[4] As Thor planned, as soon as the power dampeners are shut off, Grog tries to flee through a dimensional portal allowing Thor and his allies to follow him back to Seth’s realm.
Thor, Hogun, the Black Knight, and Earth Force soon find themselves surrounded by Seth’s armies and a massive battle breaks out. Wind Warrior, who was just a simple house wife before she got her powers, starts to fear for her life and flees while the others fight for their lives.
When news of Thor’s arrival reaches Seth decides that this is the perfect opportunity to mount his final assault against Asgard and begins sending his massive army through a dimensional portal. With news of the invasion and how the forces of Asgard are starting to fall under the pressure, Balder decides that there is no other choice and orders the Celestial Siphon be activated. Balder uses the device to absorb the power of Thor and the influx of power causes his white hair to change brown.[5] Back in Seth’s dimension, Thor suddenly feels his power leave him, putting him at a disadvantage against Grog and Seth’s legions there. While Balder leads the forces in Asgard into battle with the thunder god’s power, Thor and his allies in Seth’s dimension are swarmed in battle. Despite these impossible odds and without his power, Thor intends to continue fighting to the death.
Recurring Characters
Thor, Black Knight, Seth, Grog the God-Slayer, Warriors Three (Fandral, Hogun, Volstagg), Sif, Balder, Grand Vizier, Heimdall, Earth Force (Earth Lord, Skyhawk, Wind Warrior), Bes (unidentified)
Continuity Notes
Hogun was sent to Earth to tell Thor he is needed back in Asgard. The trip made him suffer a blow to the head that made him insane. He was then shot by a SWAT team and hospitalized. It was while he was undergoing surgery that Hogun was visited and marked by Seth. See Thor #391-393 and 395.
This prisoner is Bes, the Egyptian god of luck and probability, as we’ll learn in issue #398.
The Black Knight awoke the blood curse after he used his Ebony Blade to slay Marrina in Avengers #293. He will eventually get cured of this condition in Black Knight (vol. 2) #1-4.
Grog was defeated and incarcerated in Thor #390.
Balder’s hair had gone white after his spirit was trapped in Hel and witnessed the horrors there between Thor #274 and 301.
