Thunderstrike #24
The Storm and the Sacrifice!
In the realm of Valhalla, all of the honorable dead carry on their eternal reward of endless combat, all except for one. He is Skurge the Executioner and he does not fight this day as there is a soul on Earth that needs saving and he is the only one who can do it. Casting his gaze down to the Earth, he sees that Thunderstrike is completely lost to the influence of the Bloodaxe, the Executioner’s former enchanted weapon. The hero is now locked in a life or death battle with his comrade in arms, Thor, the god of thunder.[1]
Also watching the battle are the Avengers who have just narrowly survived Thunderstrike’s attack on them.[2] With members of the media arriving on the scene, Captain America orders Quicksilver to keep them away from the fight.
While in New Jersey, Hercules pulls himself out of a hole in the ground after being tossed all the way there by Thunderstrike. Back on his feet, the demigod fears that he may not be there for his friend during his time of greatest need.
Back in the city, Jackie Lukas is in police custody and has to be restrained by three grown men. She has gone berserk since being separated from the Bloodaxe. Observing from another room are Captain Shelly Conklin of the NYPD and Doctor Gary Paretsky. Paretsky is continuing to plead on behalf of the Lukas woman, explaining that her murder spree as Bloodaxe was due to the influence of the enchanted weapon she wielded, likening it to a powerful drug addiction. However, Jackie doesn’t care about her own fate, all she knows is that Eric Masterson is sacrificing his life to the Avengers and wants someone to do something to save him.
Meanwhile, the battle rages on and when Thor suggests that they take their fight to another dimension, Thunderstrike flat out refuses. It’s at this moment that the Executioner appears in Eric Masterson’s mind and tries to reach to the part of him that is not influenced by the Bloodaxe. Masterson can hardly believe what’s going on but realizes that he’s in his own mind when he is visited once again by his inner child, Sparky the Lightning Kid.[3] That’s when they are attacked by the embodiment of the Bloodaxe. Masterson is ill equipped for such a fight without his powers, so the Executioner creates a distraction so Eric can try and wrest the enchanted mace from Bloodaxe’s grasp. One of Skurge’s blows shatters Bloodaxe’s skull mask revealing his own face underneath. Skurge realizes that this is the embodiment of his own evil that has been trapped within the axe for centuries.
While Bloodaxe is distracted, Eric Masterson manages to wrest the Thunderstrike from his hands and makes a run for it. Unfortunately, this doesn’t work out so well as Bloodaxe can extend his reach and grabs Eric and absorbs him into his body in an attempt to completely consume his personality. When all seems lost, there is a sudden flash of light that erupts out of the dark void that is Bloodaxe’s body.
In the physical world, Thor had been battered aside by Thunderstrike. The Avengers then watch in awe as energy forms of Bloodaxe and Thunderstrike emerge from the two enchanted weapons and clash with one another. Eric Masterson’s final words are “hoo-boy!” before the two forms collide and cause a massive explosion. Across the city, Jackie Lukas suddenly screams in pain and sorry and tells everyone in the room that Eric Masterson is dead.
Thunderstrike soon wakes up and discovers that he is in Valhalla. There he is greeted by the Executioner and Thor. Thor explains that he brought Eric’s spirit here as he earned the right to live among the honored dead. However, Masterson doesn’t want to spend eternity in Valhalla, reminding Thor that he’s just a regular guy and he deserves his own afterlife. That’s when Odin arrives and tells his son that Masterson is correct. The thunder god reluctantly accepts Eric’s wishes. Suddenly, the clouds over Valhalla part letting sunlight shine through. When the rays of light touch Thunderstrike he reverts back to plain old Eric Masterson. Moments later, Eric vanishes in a flash of light. Thor bids his friend a fond farewell, telling him that he has earned his eternal rest.[4]
Sometime later, Kevin Masterson comes to visit his father’s grave along with his mother Marcy Steele and her husband Bobby. Kevin tells his father about how great things are going for him in California and how much he misses his father.[5] When Marcy comes to tell her son that Eric would be proud of him, it uplifts his spirits and he thinks that he’d be proud of both of them as well. As they head back to the car where Bobby is waiting, Kevin hugs his step father and tells him the he loves him. After a moment’s hesitation, Kevin calls Bobby “dad” for the first time. After the Steele family has left, Thor comes to his old friend’s grave and summons a storm to mourn his friend’s loss. As he leaves, a bolt of lightning strikes Masterson’s grave stone inscribing the words “The world still needs heroes” under “Beloved Father”.[6] When the storm subsides, Jackie Lukas comes by to deliver some flowers. She tells Eric that her legal troubles are over and she is a free woman. She thanks him for everything he has done for her and all the sacrifices he made. Leaving the flowers by his grave, Lukas tells him that she’ll never forget him and that he’ll always be in their hearts.[7]
Recurring Characters
Thunderstrike, Thor, Executioner, Avengers (Captain America, Giant-Man, Quicksilver, Black Widow, Crystal), Marcy Steele, Bobby Steele, Kevin Masterson, Samantha Joyce, Jackie Lukas, Gary Paretsky, Shelly Conklin
Continuity Notes
The Bloodaxe has changed a few hands over the years before it ended up being in the possession of Eric Masterson. Here’s the chain of evidence:
The Executioner used to wield the Bloodaxe for centuries until his death in Thor #362. It ended up in the possession of the Enchantress…
It was then found by Jackie Lukas in Thor #450. She was transformed in to the vigilante Bloodaxe and used the weapon to kill criminals until her true identity was exposed.
Jackie’s unmasking happened in Thunderstrike #22. After she was stripped of her power Thunderstrike claimed the weapon so he had enough power to stop Seth from snuffing out all life on Earth. Although Thunderstrike seemingly destroyed Seth last issue, he had completely succumbed to the Bloodaxe’s influence.
In case you’re wondering why Captain America is wearing a suit of armor here… At the time of this story, Captain America’s Super Soldier Serum had started deteriorating in Captain America #425. This would cause his body to become fully incapacitated requiring him to wear a suit of armor to keep moving, as seen in Iron Man #314/Captain America #438. This will remain the status quo until Captain America is cured of his affliction in issue #445 of his own series.
Eric Masterson has had a previous encounter with his inner child, Sparky, back when he quested into his own mind to free Thor who was trapped deep in his subconscious as seen in Thor #457.
Thunderstrike won’t rest easy. He’ll be brought back as an undead ghoul in the Grim Reaper’s Legion of the Unliving in Avengers (vol. 3) #10-11 and again as an undead zombie in Strange (vol. 3) #1-2.
Bobby and Marcy Steele have been planning to move to California since Thunderstrike #12, which would separate Kevin from his father. Kevin isn’t phased by his father’s no show as Eric revealed that he was Thunderstrike to his son in issue #21. From here, we won’t see Kevin and his family until Thunderstrike (vol. 2) #1-5.
“The world still needs heroes” were the words inscribed on the Thunderstrike mace. You wouldn’t know it unless you read Thor #459, which was like the only time they showed it say that.
As of this writing in November, 2022, Jackie Lukas has not been seen since. Her current activities are unknown.
