The Reigning, Part 5: The Betrayed

2170 AD

New Asgard, Lord Thor has summoned Fandral and Hogun to answer for the situation in Spain.[1] Thor wanted minimal violence and instead he got a full on riot. Hogun explains that the humans had artillery of forbidden weapons. This annoys the thunder god as Loki — being the head of security — should have ensured all human weapons were taken and destroyed. Loki reminds his liege that while he got rid of most weapons he always reminded Thor that some might still be hidden someplace.

Loki uses this recent episode to convince Thor to allow him to expand his re-education facilities. Thor, who has never been comfortable with them isn’t certain. That’s when his son, Magni, enters the room and tells everyone gathered that magical lobotomies will not quell the humans who stand against them. Thor turns to his son and scolds him for sparing the humans who used forbidden weapons, as the law dictates that Asgardians are supposed to respond to such force in kind.

This angers Magni who is about to start an argument with his father when Thialfi stops him. Thialfi then speaks in a respectful tone, first thanking the king for all his hospitality before saying that what they did was the right thing. He assures Thor that he is not questioning his law, but suggests a lighter hand might be best. He explains that the majority of humans accept their rule, using excessive force against those who rebell could turn otherwise loyal subjects into more rebellion. He suggests just ignoring the dissenters as their own words will be their undoing. When Loki scoffs at this, as this recent uprising harmed their followers. Thialfi agrees that they have to protect innocent people, but other than having forbidden weapons there was no reason for these mortals to die.This gives Thor a lot to think about, and as his father always placed trust in Thialfi’s words in the past, he will do the same to consider them now and dismisses everyone so he can ponder on it.[2]

This leaves Loki and Amora the Enchantress to conspire together. Loki doesn’t like the newly arrived Thialfi. He doesn’t see this as a mere disagreement in Asgardian policy, but something more and he intends to find out the truth. Thialfi and Magni also have private council of their own. Thialfi warns Thor’s son about Loki, who was always known as the great trickster back in the day. He explains that Loki never really wanted to rule Asgard, all he sought was what Thor had, the love, trust, and respect of Odin. With Odin gone and Thor in charge, Loki has finally gotten what he wanted by finally becoming close with the brother he fought for centuries. Thialfi says that this not the central issue, both of them know that what is happening to Midgard. When Magni mentions that this is treason, Thialfi tells him that if he feels that strongly to turn him in. Magni doesn’t say anything else and rides off into the night sky on his chariot.

The Past

In the early days of Thor’s rule of Midgard, his former allies had come to the conclusion that he had gone too far. One night, they gathered outside of royal palace, which was still under construction at the time. Leading this team is Captain America and he, Wolverine, and Doctor Strange come knocking at the front door.[3] Balder answers the door and while he agrees with the mortals that Thor has indeed gone too far but he doesn’t know how to do it. Doctor Strange says that the only way to stop the thunder god is to depose him. That’s when Loki appears and reveals that he has captured Quicksilver and Warbird when they tried to sneak in through the back door. Loki summons the guards, prompting Doctor Strange to toss the Orb of Agamotto across the room. When it shatters on the ground, it transports the Thing, the Hulk, and the Vision to their location. As the Vision tries to free Quicksilver and Warbird, Loki uses magic to incinerate all three. As the Warriors Three arrive on the scene, Captain America tells Wolverine and Doctor Strange to push on ahead while the rest remain behind. Fandral and Hogun can hardly believe that Balder is aiding the mortals. Balder tells them that this is not the way.

Not far ahead, Lord Thor and the Enchantress are putting their son, the infant Magni, to bed for the night. They are completely unaware of the battle going on until Wolverine slices his way through the bedroom door. Wolverine manages to slack Thor’s left eye and seriously slice his arm before his flesh is blasted off the bone with the Odinpower. While Thor is distracted, Doctor Strange manages to get a magical talisman around his neck that stops Thor from using his godly powers. The thunder god can’t believe a mortal could have the power to do this, and Strange explains that he got it from the Council of Godheads. That’s when the Thing and the Hulk arrive and bum rush Thor. Although their pummeling manages to rip the rest of Thor’s left arm off, the thunder god is able to kill them both in battle.

Before Thor can take off the talisman, Captain America attacks him next. He manage to knock Thor to the ground and raises his shield up for the finishing blow.[4] That’s when Balder reveals that he nabbed Magni and threatens to harm the boy if Thor doesn’t surrender. However, before he has a chance to call his friend’s bluff, Loki fatally stabs him through the chest with a sword and takes the child.[5] Loki then uses his magic to remove the talisman from Thor’s neck as he restrains Captain America. The thunderer then unleashes a blast of the Odinpower that punches a hold in Cap’s shield and incinerates the hero.

2170

Thor wakes up from a nightmare where he relives those long ago events. His waking scream rouses the Enchantress, who is sleeping next to him. He tells her about his dream, and how it was a minute-to-minute re-enactment of that bloody night. When Amora says that dreams often tell something about the person having them, Thor thinks this wasn’t a mere dream, it was a warning from the Odinpower. When Amora asks who would threaten their rule in such a way, Thor has no answers.

At that very moment, Thialfi has returned to the secret hideout of the resistance to speak with their leader, the mutant sorceress known as Kya. When she asks Thialfi what he wants, he tells her that he has seen the truth about Asgardian rule and wishes to join the fight to take down Thor.

At that same time, Magni has arrived back at the home of Jordhal, a young mortal girl he had taken a liking too only to find her home in ruins. When he asks the locals what happened, they fearfully tell him that he had taken Jordhal and her mother and to one of the reconditioning centers.[6] This comes as shock to Magni until he realizes that Loki was the one responisble.

Recurring Characters

Thor, Fandral, Hogun, Enchantress, Thiailfi, Magni, Loki, Kya

Continuity Notes

1. From the “Shit You Need to Know Off the Top Dept.”:

   • The events of this story take place in a possible future that now exists in another reality. Per Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A-Z #2, it has been desigated as Reality-3515. It was to be the future of Reality-616 until a divergence in Thor (vol. 2) #79 changed the course of history.

   • Thor took over the world in the present day after Asgard was destroyed, as seen in Thor (vol. 2) #67. In that same story, Thialfi got sucked into a time portal and arrived in the year 2170 in issue #69. Since then, he has been shown by the human resistance that eveything isn’t all rainbows and sunshine on Earth.

   • When a rebellion of humans formed in Spain, the Warriros Three, Magni, and Thialfi were sent to quell it. While everyone was willing to slaughter the humans, Magni and Thialfi stopped them. See last issue.

2. The events of Reality-3515 mirror that of Reality-616 (the Prime Marvel Universe) up to the point of divergence. As seen in Thor (vol. 2) #52, Thialfi was a mortal child whose parents were slaughtered by Vikings. Odin took pity on the orphan and brought him back to Asgard to be raised. Odin told Thor to take the youth under his wing once he reached maturity and Thor ruled Asgard. In the present day, Odin died fighting Surtur as seen in Thor (vol. 2) #40.

3. Here, Doctor Strange is depicted wearing his original purple cape and the Amulet of Agamotto that he wore between Strange Tales #110 he would later go on to earn his trademark Cloak of Levitation and Eye of Agamotto in Strange Tales #128. He’s not wearing those here because Loki stole them from him in an as yet unrevealed clash.

4. What would the edge of Cap’s shield do? Why don’t you ask Baron Blood when Cap lopped his head off with his shield in Captain America #254.

5. According to Journey into Mystery #106-107, the only thing that should be able to harm Balder is mistletoe. My presumption is that Loki’s powers had increased thanks to the Eye of Agamotto that he was able to negate the spell or something.

6. Jordhal was the one that found Thialfi in Thor (vol. 2) #69. Loki tried to punish her in the following issue, but Magni helped her escape. Loki paid a visit to her disguise as Magni last issue.

Topical References

• This story is stated as taking place in the year 2170. Given how far into the future this date is, it could be considered a factual reference.

• It also states that the scene where Earth’s heroes are massacred takes place in the year 2020 AD. As this date has already come and gone it should be considered topical. Modern readers should interpret this to mean that the events depicted take place some 16 years in the future of the Modern Age as opposed to a specific date.