Thor (vol. 2) #21
As Turnith the Tide
Thor has encountered Jake Olson, something that should be impossible since Thor took over his life.[1] Now, the other Jake Olson has disappeared, leaving Thor more confused than ever. He decides that the only place where he can find answers will be in Asgard. However, before he can teleport from the roof of Olson’s apartment building he is met by Jane Foster and Amanda Fairmont. Amanda pleads with Thor not to send the Avengers after Jake, and the thunder god assures her that he is actually trying to help Jake, not harm him. This bring joy to Hannah who races off to tell the police that the Avengers think Jake is innocent, thinking this will help fix the situation.
Once she is gone, Jane scolds Thor for making the situation worse, telling him about the the video footage of Jake trying to smother Detective Brady O’Neil. Thor realizes the situation is much graver than he thought and begins spinning Mjolnir to transport himself to Asgard. However, Jane Foster refuses to be left behind this time and leaps into the vortex as Thor teleports away. When they arrive, Jane finds herself in awe over the sight of Asgard, even though she has been here before.[2] That’s when they notice that someone has knocked out Heimdall, a sign that Asgard is under attack. Within the kingdom’s walls, Thor discovers that whoever has attacked has also defeated the Warriors Three and Sif.[3] As he tries to get Sif to tell him who attack Asgard, Thor is ambushed from behind by Mangog, the one responsible.[4] As the two brawl, Jane Foster carries Sif to some place safe in order to treat her wounds.
As the battle rages, Mangog’s master meets with Terakis, his operative within Asgard. Having secured the role of Odin’s advisor, Tarakis was able to slip the All-Father potions that have left him weak and vulnerable, making him incapable for stopping the master from obtaining that which he seeks. They find Odin sitting on his throne but his vow to never surrender is all talk when he sees who he is facing. He knows that they have come for the Map of All-Ending, which Odin has hidden in his scepter for years. When the master takes it he is pleased, as it will lead him to someone called the Designate. The master removes his cloak, revealing that he is none other than Thanos, who boasts that he will soon have the power over life and death.[5] Thanos thinks it is poetic that he has taken the map in light of his last defeat at Odin’s hands.[6]
Outside, the battle between Thor and Mangog rages on. When Thor is knocked down, Mangog then turns his attention to Jane and Sif. Luckily, Thor recovers and staggers the monster with a bolt of anti-force energy from Mjolnir. Mangog then downs Thor again with a single blow. However, he is stopped short of killing Thor by Thanos who orders Mangog to return to him as they have the Designate to find. Thanos, Mangog, and Tarakis then teleport away.
Moments later, Odin arrives and revives his son and warns him that Thanos is on the cusp of wiping out all life in existence. With the stakes never higher, Thor needs to sort out his mortal affairs once and for all so he can deal with Thanos uninterrupted.
Recurring Characters
Thor, “Thanos”, Mangog, Tarakis, Jane Foster, Hannah Fairmont, Heimdall, Warriors Three (Fandral, Hogun, Volstagg), Sif, Odin
Continuity Notes
The real Jake Olson was fatally injured during a battle between Thor and the Destroyer in Thor (vol. 2) #1. In an attempt to save his life, Thor was merged with the mortal and took over his life. Over the next 18 issues, it was learned that Olson was under investigation for the theft of drugs from the hospital where he worked. Loki, seeking to make Thor’s life more difficult used his magic to resurrect the real Jake Olson in Thor (vol. 2) #19 to make his life more difficult.
Jane mentions how she witnessed Asgard after she was merged with Sif, that happened in Thor #236. This remained the status quo for a time until Jane was freed in Thor #335. However, Jane had been to Asgard in person prior to that, in Thor #136.
Thor wonders if the Dark Gods have returned for revenge. The Dark Gods previously controlled Asgard from Journey into Mystery #513 until Thor liberated his people in Thor (vol. 2) #12.
Mangog won’t let anyone (including the reader) forget that he has the anger of “a billion, billion souls”. This is in reference to the fact that Mangog was the combination of an entire race of aliens who dared to war with Asgard, as explained in Thor #154-156. Later, it’s explained that the infraction may have been a minor insult and Odin overreacted, as detailed in Mighty Thor #701.
This isn’t the real Thanos, but one of the Thanosi, clones that were created to carry out their master’s biddings. See Infinity Abyss #1-6.
Thanos — the real Thanos that is — previously fought and lost against Odin in Warlock and the Infinity Watch #25.
