Thor #339
Something Old, Something New…
Asgard
To determine who was worthy to carry Mjolnir, Thor and Beta Ray Bill were ordered to fight to the death in the fiery domain of Skartheim. Although Bill ended up the victor, he went out of his way to save Thor’s life. Brought back to the royal palace, Bill passes out and Odin orders that both get immediate medical attention.
The women of Asgard find Bill a most intriguing individual. However, Lorelei finds the horse-faced cyborg hideous. This is overheard by Sif who uses the opportunity to mock Lorelei. Sif is still bitter after walking in on what appeared to be Thor making out with Lorelei, unaware that this was a trick orchestrated by Loki. This is overheard by Odin who tells Sif not to mind Lorelei, telling her that every dog has her day.
Odin then goes to see his son Thor, who is shamed that he lost his battle with Bill and is ready to renounce his godhood and go into exile forever. Odin assures his son that things won’t be that dire and goes to see Bill next. Bill is grateful that the Asgardians are caring for him but admits that he feels uneasy about his victory since his body was built to withstand extreme heat, giving him an edge over Thor when they fought in Skartheim and it was this unfair advantage that convinced Bill to spare Thor rather than slay him. This pleases Odin, who has determined that Bill is indeed an honorable person. As Bill was merely seeking a powerful weapon to defend his people from the demons that pursue them across space, Odin decides that he will do what he can to help the alien warrior.[1]
To this end, Odin travels out to Nidavellir, the domain of the Dwarves, where he meets with Eitri. Eitri was the dwarf that created Mjolnir and Odin asks him to construct a similar weapon. Eitri reminds Odin that he banished the dwarves to the land below and that some have long memories. He tells Odin that if he can send a woman to defeat the most powerful dwarf, Throgg. If she wins Eitri will forge a new hammer, if she falls she will be bound to marry Throgg and live among the dwarves forever.
Later, Thor and Bill are back on their feet but still recovering from their battle. Looking out from the House of Healing, Thor sees Sif riding away on horseback and wonders why she is armed for battle. He is shocked when one of the maids tells him that she has been selected to battle Throgg at the request of Odin.
Sif accepted the assignment because she has felt a void in her life after she and Thor ended their courtship.[2] She is lost in thought as she rides into the mountains of Nidavellir where she is ambushed by Throgg who has been waiting in the snow for her arrival.
Elsewhere in the kingdom, Volstagg has pinned down Agnar of Vanaheim with his massive girth. Agnar had come to challenge Balder the Brave in a duel to the death. Balder, who has sworn off the ways of the warrior would not indulge the youth. Volstagg then dragged Agnar away to tell him of Balder’s bravery. He recounts how, in the recent past, Loki had conspired to kill Balder and trigger Ragnarok.[3] During that time, his soul wandered Nefflehim, the realm of the dead where he saw many horrors.
Somewhere Beyond the Fields we Know
A horde of demons have gathered around their master, a gigantic creature that has been working at a forge. Again and again he pounds at red hot metal, the sound of his banging hammer reverberating across the universe louder and louder with each blow.
Earth
René Baroque, a lighthouse keeper from Quebec, complains about a recently purchased food processor when suddenly the ground begins to shake. Moments later the lighthouse is shattered as a massive dragon breaks free from the Earth. After being trapped for so long, the monster is finally free and it vows that vengeance will be his.[4]
Asgard
Sif’s battle against Throgg comes to a quick end as she is a much more skilled warrior than the massive dwarf. In the aftermath of the battle, Eitri explains that he set Throgg up for defeat as he had been using his massive size and strength to bully the other dwarves. Asking Odin to send his greatest female warrior to defeat Throgg was a way to humiliate him so thoroughly that he will leave the rest of his people alone.
When Sif returns to the kingdom, she meets with Bill and they have a heart-to-heart talk. Bill is worried about his people and wants to return to them as quickly as possible. Sif discovers that she has growing feelings for the alien and tries to put her hand on his, asking if he will ever return to Asgard. Bill pulls his hand away, telling her that the process that turned him into a cyborg stripped away every vestige of his humanity and admits that he is not sure he could ever come back to such a perfect place as Asgard, no matter how much he’d want to.
Soon, in the furnaces of Nidavellir, Eitri remains true to his word and begins forging a new hammer for Beta Ray Bill. As molten Uru metal is poured into a mold, Odin charges it with enchantments. Bill is then given a protective glove to wear so he can pull the white-hot weapon out of the forge at the right moment. The instant that Bill raises the newly crafted hammer above his head the enchantment takes hold. As lightning rumbles, Bill’s clothing transforms into clothing similar to that of Thor. With the creation as complete success, Odin christens the new weapon with the name Stormbreaker. Now that Bill has the weapon he needs to defend his people, Odin tells him that he must return quickly as the demons who pursue them are gaining ground. The All-Father allows Thor to accompany Bill as he wishes to learn where these demons have come from and what their purpose is. To carry them on their journey, Thor summons his chariot which is pulled by two goats named Toothgnasher and Toothgrinder.
As they mount up to leave, Sif insists on accompanying Thor and Bill on their mission and will accept not protests. Surprisingly, Thor is more than happy to have Sif accompany them and soon they are on their way.
Recurring Characters
Thor, Beta Ray Bill, Sif, Odin, Volstagg, Balder, Agnar, Lorelei, Surtur, Loki, Garm, Fafnir, Eitri, Hugin, Munin, Toothgnasher, Toothgrinder
Continuity Notes
Bill’s race is not identified in this story. The alien appendix in Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Deluxe Edition #15 identifies them as the Korbinites.
Sif ended their courtship when Thor refused to abandon his mortal guise and return with her to Asgard. See Thor #336 and Marvel Graphic Novel #33.
Balder hovered between life and death from Thor #274 and 301.
This is Fafnir the Dragon, his claim that he has been imprisoned for centuries is referring back to the time he was defeated by Thor centuries earlier in Thor #134-136. He seems to forget that he was recently re-awoken in Thor #287-288, 291 as well as Thor #318. However, he was re-imprisoned after all of those battles, so we’re really just splitting hairs at this point.
Topical References
When René Baroque complains about his food processor he says it was sold to him by a door-to-door saleswoman. See, back in the dark ages before the internet, there were people that would go door-to-door selling products. This has become a dying profession since the advent of online shopping and as such, this reference should be considered topical.
