Winter’s Eternal Moon

Thor has returned to Earth after a recent mission in space.[1] He is eager to get the the Memorial Hospital in New York City to check on his friend, Hogun, who was recovering from life threatening injuries.[2] When he lands outside the hospital he makes his way past some rubber-necking tourists to get inside the hospital.

Before he can get to Hogun’s room, Thor is stopped by the hospital chaplen. The priest has noticed that Thor looks troubled. He tells him to ease his worry because God is with him. Thor thanks the priest for his kindness, saying that it is rare for someone to say something like this to an Asgardian due to the fact that they themselves are also gods.

When Thor gets to the front desk, he asks Hannah Fairmont to tell him Hogun’s state. She is shocked by the thunder god’s sudden entrance. Thankfully, Doctor Jane Foster is there to tell Thor that his friend is fine and was discharged from the hospital the day before. That’s when Thomas Ryan — the hospital manager — comes barging into the room demanding to know where EMT Jake Olson is, as he hasn’t shown up for work in days. Olson is Thor’s mortal alter ego and seeing that his job is on the line, Thor tells Ryan that Olson was using his medical skills to assist the Avengers during the recent alien invasion of Earth. Hearing that one of his employees was helping the Avengers awes Ryan that he forgets about firing Jake. Thor then makes a hasty departure so he can change into his mortal form and report in. Sure enough, when Thomas Ryan sees Jake he commends him and offers to give him a raise. When Thomas leaves, Jane tells Jake that Hogun is doing well, but her own husband is still in a coma.[3] She also tells him that an old friend is waiting for him at Jake Olson’s apartment, and that he’ll see who it is when he gets there.

When Jake Olson leaves the hospital he notices that it has started snowing. However, he doesn’t notice the cold for the threat that it is. Instead he races back to his apartment where the Warriors Three — Fandral, Hogun, and Volstagg — have made themselves at home. Jake is surprised to see that his old ally Beta Ray Bill has returned. Bill explains how he was brought to Earth during the recent invasion.[4] Bill asks if he can see Asgard again before heading back to his home world. Jake agrees to do so and changes back into Thor, then uses Mjolnir to create a vortex that teleports Thor and his allies back to Asgard.

However, when they arrive on the Bifrost Bridge, Thor and the others are shocked to discover that the entire golden realm has been covered in ice. This is particularly of concern because Odin is still in the Odinsleep.[5] Inside the royal palace Balder the Brave is fending off an invasion by Malekith and his army of the Dark Elves. Malekith is the one responsible for Asgard being covered in ice thanks to the Cask of Ancient Winters.[6] He leaves Pentigaar — a warrior that is the embodiment of ice and cold — to deal with Balder while he goes to Odin’s sleeping chamber. Luckily, Thor, the Warriors Three, and Beta Ray Bill arrive in time to save their friend.

Thor smashes past Pentigaar and attacks Malekith in Odin’s room. However, the Dark Elf has yet another ally present to help him. Thor is blasted with the Cask and send crashing outside. There, in the court yard surrounded by frozen Asgardians, is Thor attacked by Malekith’s new ally, Kurse!

Recurring Characters

Thor, Malekith, Kurse, Pentigaar, Beta Ray Bill, Warriors Three (Fandral, Hogun, Volstagg), Balder, Sif, Hannah Fairmont, Jane Foster, Thomas Ryan, Crimson Hawks

Continuity Notes

1. At the time of this story, Thor was involved in two cosmic scale threats. First he helped the Avengers defeated the Infinities in Avengers: Infinity #1-4 and then helped liberate Earth from becoming an intergalatic prison planet in Maximum Security #1-3.

2. Hogun was seriously injured by the Wrecking Crew in Thor (vol. 2) #28. Unknown to Thor, he was healed last issue.

3. Jane’s husband Keith Kincaid was wrecked by the Absorbing Man back in Thor (vol. 2) #26 and has been in a coma ever since.

4. Thor is pleased to see that Beta Bay Bill has been restored to normal. He is referring to the fact that Bill was stripped of his Asgardian powers during the last Ragnarok cycle in Thor #491-494. He had been endowed with cosmic powers since Silver Surfer (vol. 3) #111 until last issue when we saw his original powers had returned. It’s never clearly explained how Bill’s powers came back, but presumably he got them back when Asgard was restored in Thor (vol. 2) #12.

5. Thor entered the Odinsleep in Thor (vol. 2) #26 a state he will remain in until issue #35.

6. The Cask of Ancient Winters was revitalized in Thor (vol. 2) #24 and opened last issue.