Thor #469
Absolute Power
This story continues from Warlock and the Infinity Watch #23…
With Thor suffering the Warrior’s Madness, Pip the Troll has returned to Monster Island to try and convince the rest of the Infinity Watch to leave and help Adam Warlock stop the thunder god’s rampage.[1] However, the rest of the team are still following Adam’s original orders to stand-by until he calls for them. When everyone else nopes out on disobeying these orders, Pip turns to Drax. The simple minded warrior at first doesn’t understand what he is being asked.[2] When Pip explains that Thor was the guy Drax fought in the Infinity Crusade, it sends the green skinned brute into a rage and he attacks Pip. As the rest of the Infinity Watch — Gamora, Moondragon, and Maxam — try to pull Drax off of Pip, they are suddenly teleported away.[3]
While in deep space, the battle against Thor was going nowhere, forcing Adam Warlock and the Silver Surfer to retreat. While the Surfer was unharmed in the clash, he is disturbed that Warlock was able to command his board.[4] As Thor vows revenge against his two attackers, he is ambushed by Drax after he and the rest of the Infinity Watch arrive on the planetoid. The thunder god easily trounces Drax in a brawl and begins ranting and raving about how he will destroy all his enemies as well as Asgard.
Seeing how disturbed the thunder god is, Moondragon uses her Mind Stone to probe his mind. She is able to see that Thor is talking a woman — Valkyrie — who is all in his head. She deduces that this figmentary woman is the personification of Thor’s madness.[5] Seeking to cure Thor of this madness, she uses her mental powers. While trying to purge Valkyrie from the thunder god’s mind, Moondragon accidentally causes the delusion to manifest in the flesh. Despite the fact that she has been freed from Thor’s mind, she is still in control of him and convinces the warrior to join her in battle against the Infinity Watch.
Despite the Infinity Watch’s superior numbers, both Thor and Valkyrie are able to hold their own. When Drax finally recovers from his first beating he tries to fight Thor again. This time, the thunder god strikes the Destroyer with sufficient force to make him spit up the Power Gem that he had long since swallowed.[6] The gem is quickly recovered by Thor, prompting Pip to teleport the rest of the Watch away because they’ll need back-up against a thunder god powered by one of the Infinity Gems.
Sensing the great power coming from Drax’s gem, Thor places it on his brown and feels a sudden surge of infinite power. He is convinced that the Power Gem will give him the power to go to war against Asgard and bring it down by himself!
… This story continues in Silver Surfer (vol. 3) #87.
Recurring Characters
Thor, Valkyrie, Infinity Watch (Adam Warlock, Gamora, Drax the Destroyer, Pip the Troll, Moondragon, Maxam), Silver Surfer
Continuity Notes
Thor has been suffering from the Warrior’s Madness since Thor #460. Last issue he finally went over the edge. Adam Warlock arrived to stop Thor in Silver Surfer (vol. 3) #86/Warlock Chronicles #6 and the battle has been waged in Warlock and the Infinity Watch #23.
In case you’re wondering why Drax the Destroyer is a jibbering idiot in this story, this was his status quo for a while. See, Drax was killed by his own daughter Moondragon back in Avengers #219-220. He was later resurrected by Kronos to face the renewed threat from Thanos in Silver Surfer (vol. 3) #35. What he didn’t take into account that Drax suffered brain damage and had been reduced to a moron that switched between child-like whimsy and violent rage. Drax will be restored to his full mental capacity in Cosmic Power Unlimited #4.
Pip reminds Drax of how he recently fought Thor. This was during the Infinity Crusade, as seen in Infinity Crusade #4, Thor #466 and Warlock and the Infinity Watch #21.
Adam explains that he is able to control the Silver Surfer’s board because they once shared souls. This is because the Silver Surfer once ventured into Soulworld, a dimension that exists inside the Soul Gem that Adam Warlock is currently wearing. See Silver Surfer (vol. 3) #46-50.
Thor has been hallucinating the existence of Valkyrie since Thor #460. Last issue it was revealed that she doesn’t really exist in the physical world, now we know why. The reason why he was going mad was due to all the years he has had been merged with others or had others copy his powers and abilities such as:
When Thor needed a lesson in humility, Odin banished him to Earth in the mortal guise of Donald Blake for years until he learned his lesson. Thor was able to regain his powers but limitations to them had to juggle his life with that of Don Blake for years. Ultimately, he broke free of this cycle when the enchantment that allowed him to change into Blake was transferred to Beta Ray Bill’s hammer, Stormbreaker. See Journey into Mystery #83, Thor #159 and 339.
Beta Ray Bill was not only able to lift Thor’s hammer and obtain his power, but as I said above, he was also given his own hammer and similar powers. See Thor #336-339.
More recently, Thor was bonded to Eric Masterson and had to share a life with him from Thor #408 until issue #432 when the thunder god was banished to Eric’s subconscious. He was finally freed and separated from Masterson in issue #457.
After stripping Thanos of the Infinity Gauntlet (in Infinity Gauntlet #1-6, natch) Adam Warlock realized that no one individual could possess all the Infinity Gems. He then formed the Infinity Watch, charging each member to protect a single gem. When Drax as given his, he promptly swallowed it thinking it was candy. See Warlock and the Infinity Watch #1-2.
Blood and Thunder Reading Order
Thor #468, Silver Surfer (vol. 3) #86, Warlock Chronicles #6, Warlock and the Infinity Watch #23, Thor #469, Silver Surfer (vol. 3) #87, Warlock Chronicles #7, Warlock and the Infinity Watch #24, Thor #470, Silver Surfer (vol. 3) #88, Warlock Chronicles #8, Warlock and the Infinity Watch #25, Thor #471