Thor #470
Ruins
This story continues from Warlock and the Infinity Watch #24…
Enhanced by the Power Gem, Thor and Valkyrie — the personification of his madness — have come to Asgard to raze it to the ground.[1]
Meanwhile, the Infinity Watch — Warlock, Gamorra, Pip the Troll, Drax the Destroyer, Moondragon, and Maxam — and their allies the Silver Surfer and Doctor Strange are hot on the thunder god’s trail. They had been detained in Geirrodur’s domain until now and hope they can stop Thor before it is too late.[2] With Moondragon’s mental powers, they are able to locate Thor’s position and confront them. However, the thunder god is waiting and tosses Mjolnir at the group when they arrive.
Taking evasive maneuvers to avoid getting struck, the Watch and the Silver Surfer all pile on Thor at once. On the sidelines are Doctor Strange and Adam Warlock who wait until the right moment to strike with a two pronged attack consisting blasts from Adam’s Soul Gem and Doctor Strange’s magic. Unfortunately, thanks to the Power Gem augmenting his own abilities, Thor is able to shrug off this attack and knock the pair out before turning his attention back to the Surfer and the others.[3]
Elsewhere in Asgard, Beta Ray Bill has fully recovered from the injuries he sustained in battle against Thor. When he suggests they go after Warlock and his team — as last they he saw they were being taken prisoner by the Rock Trolls — Sif turns down this idea, saying that their primary concern is curing Thor. With that, she pulls out some Norn Stones so they can teleport to the thunderer’s location.
Back at the scene of the battle, everyone has fallen except for Gamora and Moondragon. While they battle Thor and Valkyrie, Pip recovers the Silver Surfer to help with his next plan. As Sif and Beta Ray Bill arrive on the scene, they witness as the Surfer gets Pip close enough to Thor and Valkyrie to teleport them all away. They then all appear in the sanctum of Thanos, who demands to know what they are doing intruding on his domain.
… This story continues in Silver Surfer (vol. 3) #88.
Recurring Characters
Thor, Silver Surfer, Doctor Strange, Infinity Watch (Adam Warlock, Gamora, Moondragon, Pip the Troll, Drax the Destroyer, Maxam, Thanos), Sif, Beta Ray Bill, Valkyrie
Continuity Notes
Thor has been hallucinating the existence of Valkyrie since Thor #460. Last issue it was revealed that she was a figment of Thor’s imagination. 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.
It should also be noticed that Valkyrie was pulled from Thor’s mind and made flesh last issue as well. It was also the same issue where Thor took the Power Gem.
Our heroes were captured and made prisoners in Geirrodur’s domain. See Warlock Chronicles #7 and Warlock and the Infinity Watch #24.
Here Thor mentions how the Silver Surfer needed to be saved the last time they fought. See Silver Surfer (vol. 3) #86 and Warlock Chronicles #6.
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