The Trio Triumphant

Thor, Sif, and Balder had just returned from a quest in time to stop an invasion of Asgard. However, in celebrating their victory, Thor is fatally struck down by an arrow fired by Karnilla, the Norn Queen. With the young godly down, Karnilla decides to finish the work she came to do before Odin finds out what she has done.

She enters the royal throne room where she finds Odin himself. He is furious that she dared to invade her kingdom. She responds by saying she has come for his death. Armed with Mjolnir, Odin fights Karnialla who defends herself with a mystic staff. Odin easily overpowers her with the enchanted hammer. With the Norn Queen at his mercy, Odin tells her that he will make her suffer unless she begs to be spared. Karnilla refuses, saying she’d rather die.

Odin strikes her with Mjolnir again, sending her flying out of the royal castle. He is about to finish her off once and for all until he is stopped dead in his tracks when he sees Thor lying on the ground. Odin races to his son’s side and cradles his lifeless body. He laments that he sent his son on a quest that ended his life. He is even more sorrowful when he opens the bag of dust from the dried out Lake of Lilitha, causing its contents to spill on his chest. When Sif begins to openly weep over Thor, her tears land on the sand and it suddenly turns into water. Then, astonishingly, the water is soaked into Thor’s body, healing his wounds. Unaware of his brush with death, Thor pulls the arrow out of his chest and asks what is going on. Odin explains how Thor was killed but brought back, explaining that love’s tears could turn the sands of Lilitha into healing water that brought him back from the brink.

Thor, Sif, and Balder all celebrate over the fact that they completed their quest after all. While everyone is distracted, Karnilla manages to get to her feet and grab Loki as a hostage. Putting a knife to the trickster’s throat. When Thor and his allies come to his defense, Karnilla questions why they would help him when he was trying to make them fail their quest. Balder steps forward and tries reason rather than conflict. He points out how Loki managed to escape her clutches and alert them of the impending invasion. As far as he is concerned, these are not the actions of someone who truly wanted them dead. Balder then offers himself in exchange for Loki. Karnilla cannot believe that someone would be foolish enough to offer his life up in exchange of that of an enemy. Balder retorts by saying that he does not see anyone as his enemy. not even Karnilla. After processing this for a moment, Karnilla is shocked by what she feels towards Balder and vows to get her revenge against him and then teleports away empty handed.

When Balder returns to his friends they don’t understand what he could have told her to make her flee. Odin tells the children that he made her see something about herself that she never felt before and given her much to ponder about for some time to come.[1] The All-Father then thanks the trio for collecting the mystical items he needed. He will send a soldier to bring them to King Sidri, of the Dwarves, to be forged into a powerful sword. In one months time, when the weapon is brought to Asgard, Odin will bestow it upon a warrior who has proven worthy to wield it.

One month later, Thor, Sif, and Balder are attending the banquet where the sword will be given away. They all wonder who will be the lucky warrior to get this new enchanted weapon. Odin then gets up and gives a speech, revealing the new weapon which he has called Svarden. Everyone is surprised when Odin bequeaths the blade to Balder. Once in his hand, Balder and his friends lead on cheers for the golden realm of Asgard.

Recurring Characters

Thor, Sif, Balder, Loki, Odin, Karnilla

Continuity Notes

1. Namely, that she has fallen in love with Balder, as we’ll see in Journey into Mystery #106-107.