Everything Old is New Again

Thor has returned to Earth and is now looking for his lost people, who have apparently been cast down to Earth in the aftermath of Ragnarok.[1] Thor has decided to start his search in New Orleans, which is still recovering from a hurricane and flooding. Looking around at all the destruction and human misery, Thor wonders where the world’s heroes where while this disaster was happening, as it could have easily been avoided.

His presence comes to the attentions of the locals. A man begins yelling at Thor to get lost, saying that they don’t need them superheroes butting their noses in while they grieve and recover. When asked where he was when this happened, Thor says he was dead. The man says a lot of people died on Thor’s watch and says that if he couldn’t save the past, he needs to save the future. The man then leaves Thor alone to ponder his words.

The thunder god doesn’t get much time to ponder this when Iron Man (Tony Stark) arrives at the scene and says that they need to talk. He is glad to see that Thor is alive and well, but says things have changed. Thor stands silently eyeing his former comrade as Tony explains that the sudden appearance of Asgard has people up in arms.[2] He also tells Thor that he will have to register with the government and work from them from now on and hopes that won’t be a problem. When Thor finally responds, it is in anger. He heard all about the Superhuman Registration Act, and the ensuing Civil War and how Iron Man hounded and arrested former friends and comrades. But this isn’t even the worst insult to Thor, that is saved for the fact that Iron Man took Thor’s DNA and — without Thor’s permission — used it to create a clone of him. The very idea is a ghoulish insult to Thor. He summons a storm and strikes Stark, knocking him back.[3]

Deciding that they have to do things the hard way, Iron Man tries to fight back. However, Thor stops holding back and quickly incapacitates Tony’s armor with a powerful blow and a blast of lightning. Thor pulls off Iron Man’s helmet and tells Tony to go back to his masters and say that he will work for none of them. He also wants them to give a warning that if they come uninvited to Asgard, Thor will show them what true power is by creating powerful storms around Washington, DC, flooding the entire city and using lightning to prevent anyone from escaping. Thor says that now that the Civil War is over, he has no interest in getting involved in either side for the moment and he can be considered a neutral party for the time being.

Stark offers a compromise, he can convince his superiors to make Asgard an exempt domain, much like a diplomatic mission or embassy. This will give Thor and anyone else who choses to live in Asgard diplomatic immunity. Thor says that will be sufficient for his purpose and begins to walk away. Tony then asks if he can get some help getting back to base since his armor has been fired. Thor suggest he start walking. However, before he leaves, he tells Stark that he is preoccupied with other priorities but assures him that there will be a very serious discussion about the unauthorized use of his genetics and walks away.[4]

This encounter has caused it to start raining, and the man who cussed out Thor earlier is watching it all on the flooded streets from a pedestrian bridge. When he sees Thor approach, he starts cursing at him again. That’s when a young girl comes up and pleads with Thor to leave her Uncle Ezra alone as he hasn’t been the same since the flooding took his wife. He said the experience was like watching the end of the world. All of this makes Thor wonder if this man might be a host to one of the missing Asgardians. When Thor reaches out to touch Ezra, he stops being antagonistic and his eyes begin to glow. This confirms that one of his people is inside. Thor begins whirling Mjolnir in order to summon the magic needed to separate the Asgardian trapped inside Ezra’s body. In a matter of moments the two are separated, revealing the freed warrior to be Heimdall, the former guardian of the Bifrost Bridge.[5]

Back at SHIELD HQ, Tony Stark has finally returned from his encounter with Thor. He is given an update from one of his aides who tells him that satellite imagery has detected another life sign appearing in Asgard. Looking at the imagery, Tony says that they’ll do nothing for now. What he sees is Heimdall, who has taken up his post guarding the gates of Asgard once more.

Recurring Characters

Thor, Heimdall, Iron Man

Continuity Notes

1. Asgard was completely destroyed in Ragnarok in Thor (vol. 2) #80-85, killing everyone. Thor was restored to life in Thor (vol. 3) #1, and began looking for his lost people last issue.

2. They have good reason to be concerned since things didn’t go very well that last time Asgard was brought to Earth. See Thor (vol. 2) #50-79.

3. This is of course in reference to the then recent Civil War even which primarily took place in the pages of Civil War #1-7. The clone they are referring to was first seen in Civil War #3.

4. This promised reckoning never really comes to pass as the events of Secret Invasion, Dark Reign, and Siege force the pair to put aside their differences.

5. Heimdall was reported to have been killed during Ragnarok in Thor (vol. 2) #82.

Topical References

• This story is framed around the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, which struck New Orleans in 2005. The powerful storm destroyed the levees that kept back sea water and a much of New Orleans was flooded. The recovery effort can be charitably be called a shitshow, with efforts still on going when this comic was published in 2007. That said, any references to the flooding in this story being caused by Hurricane Katrina should be considered topical. Modern readers should assume that New Orleans was struck by a hurricane unique to the fiction prior to this story.