The Dark Wars, Part I of III

The winged and rhyming Dark God named Tokkots has returned to captured Asgard to inform Perrikus that Thor is still alive and on Earth.[1] Seeking to destroy the thunder god, Perrikus goes to Adva and orders them to use their control over the Continuum Gate to search for him on Earth. When Adva does her scan of the planet’s population, they cannot find Thor.

This is because the thunder god has returned to Earth and returned to his mortal guise of Jake Olson. As he does so, he is visited by the astral projection of Marnot, the being responsible for his new double-life.[2] Marnot tells Thor that he will need allies in the coming war against the Dark Gods but also reminds him that he is duty bound to continue living Jake Olson’s life. Thor isn’t happy about it and argues with Marnot all the way to the hospital where he works as Jake Olson. He ends up bumping into his partner Demitrius Collins and Jake’s his fiancée Hannah Fairmont and tells them both that he is taking the day off to handle some personal business, but is candid about what that is. Moments after “Jake” leaves, Detective Brady O’Neil comes by and asks Dimitrius and Hannah that he is investigating the theft of drugs from the hospital and asks if they know anyone who has been acting strangely of late.[3]

Meanwhile, back in Asgard, Majestron Zelia, Perrikus, and Tokkots confront Odin about the revelation that Thor is still alive. This comes as just as much a surprise to the All-Father as it did them, as he was certain that his son had died some time ago. Furious that the thunder god has evaded them for so long, Zelia orders Perrikus to do whatever it takes to bring Thor to them.

By this time, “Jake Olson” is leaving the hospital and on his way out he runs into Doctor Jane Foster. She has been suspicious of “Jake” since first meeting him and tells him how she recently treated Seth Sykes and recounts the youth’s encounter with Thor.[4][5] “Jake” instantly knows about Syke’s android, Replicus, making Jane even more suspicious. Overhearing all this, Marnot warns Thor that she is getting close to figuring out his secret identity and reminds him that nobody is to know about it. However, before she can press him for more answers, Perrikus appears as a massive astral projection in the sky. He challenges Thor to return to Asgard to fight him and in order to apply pressure, the Dark God shows the battered and beaten body of Thor’s beloved Sif. This causes Jake Olson to bolt for a nearby alley to change back into the thunder god and meet this challenge.

After he departs, both Hannah and Dimitrius come outside looking for him. Jane tells them that “Olson” left to deal with some family business. When Hannah makes an offhand comment about Jane seeming to know more about Jake than she does, Foster suggests they talk more about that over coffee.

Meanwhile, Thor uses Mjolnir to transport himself back to Asgard, finding that the barrier that prevented him from doing so in the past has now been removed.[6] Thor is horrified to see that the Dark Gods have rebuilt Asgard into an obscene parody of its former glory.[7] Upon the Bifrost bridge, Thor is guided into the city by a beckoning hand made of mist. Inside Asgard proper he is revolted to see that the place is covered in filth and waste. The hand lures him into a grand arena where Majestron Zelia and her followers are waiting for him. Also there is Odin who is shackled to a huge death trap and chained to that are Balder and Sif.

Angered by this latest blaspheme, Thor vows to rescue his father and his people. Zelia scoffs at this and orders Perrikus to deal with the thunder god. What follows is a titanic battle where Thor discovers that Perrikus is insanely powerful. The battle takes a turn for the worse when the Dark God’s scythe is able to cleave through Mjolnir. He then pummels Thor for a full minute. Separated from his enchanted hammer for over sixty seconds triggers the enchantment that starts reverting Thor back into Jake Olson. Since this would be an instant death sentence, Thor flees the battle and — thanks to Olson’s smaller size — he is able to crawl into a culvert into the sewers below. Seeing their foe flee fills the Dark Gods with glee and Perrikus vows that if Thor doesn’t return and finish their fight he will begin torturing those he cares for most.

Recurring Characters

Thor, Jake Olson, Dark Gods (Perrikus, Majestron Zelia, Tokkots, Adva, D’Chel) Marnot, Odin, Sif, Balder, Jane Foster, Hannah Fairmont, Demitrius Collins, Brady O’Neil

Continuity Notes

1. The general belief at this time was that Thor perished in Onslaught: Marvel Universe #1. However, he was actually living for some time in a pocket dimension with the Avengers and Fantastic Four. They had returned in Heroes Reborn: The Return #1-4. Tokkots learned that Thor was still alive in Thor (vol. 2) #8/Peter Parker: Spider-Man #2.

2. Both Thor and Jake Olson were killed during a battle with the Destroyer. Thor cheated death by making a deal with Marnot, but in order to do so he had to pledge to take over Jake’s life as penance for not preventing his death, as seen in Thor (vol. 2) #1-2. It’s later revealed in issue #13 that Marnot is actually Odin’s raven Hescamar and that they are acting as a contingency plan against the Dark Gods, and the adoption of the Jake Olson persona is a way to hide Thor from their view.

3. In Thor (vol. 2) #14-15 it is revealed that, prior to his death, Jake Olson was the on responsible for stealing these drugs. It also turns out the Collins is an undercover cop investigating the thefts.

4. Jane Foster has suspected that Jake Olson is the new mortal identity of Thor since Thor (vol. 2) #5. This is because she has a long history with Thor and his past mortal alter-egos that dates back to Journey into Mystery #84.

5. Seth Sykes used the Replicoid to go on a rampage in Thor (vol. 2) #9. He got the android and parts from his grandfather’s old warehouse. Slugger Sykes used the original Replicus against Thor back in Thor #141.

6. The Dark Gods put up a barrier around Asgard to prevent anyone from traveling there back in Thor (vol. 2) #8.

7. The Dark Gods captured the Asgardians back in Journey into Mystery #513. After Perrikus accidentally freed by Thor in issue #1, they set up shop in Asgard in issue #5.