Thor #383
The Secret Love
The Present[1]
Dallus the Daring has fought his way to the castle of Lorelei to learn if the legends of her beauty are true. These stories turn out to be true and, smitten by Lorelei, Dallus devotes his entire life to her. She rewards him with a kiss that turns him into stone.
She is then visited by her sister, the Enchantress, who tries to warn her that her wicked ways will prevent her from ever finding true love. This moves to the subject of how Amora always sought to enchant Thor and make him fall in love with her.
The Enchantress goes on to explain how her recent participation in the Secret Wars made her change her outlook and reform.[2]
Months Ago[3]
An assembly of heroes and villains from across the galaxy were gathered by the Beyonder who told them to fight to the death and the victor would get what they desire most. To facilitate this battle, the omnipotent being created Battleworld and the two factions began fighting with one another. In one of the early battle, the Enchantress was captured along side Kang the Conqueror and the Wrecking Crew and contained at the hero’s headquarters. There, Amora was placed in stasis while her injuries were healed.
While the other heroes were busy dealing with her allies, Amora was awoken by Thor who decided that they should talk about their role in the contest as they were the only gods of Asgard present. Amora agreed, but insisted that they go somewhere other than her prison to have this discussion.
Teleported to a nearby forest, Thor tells the Enchantress that this is her opportunity to redeem her past evils by joining forces with Thor and his allies. This insulted Amora who is angered that Thor is more interested in glory than loving her and she uses her magic to animate some trees.
While Thor fights this threat, Amora channeled all her mystical powers into her lips so that she could make Thor his slave once kissed. However, a sea monster emerges from a nearby lake and began terrorizing Amora, prompting Thor to save her life. When she tried to kiss him as a way of saying thanks, Thor refused suspecting that her “gift” will have grave repercussions. Amor then continued to tempt Thor by telling him that she could become any woman he ever desired and that she could also bend the elements to create other women to pleasure him. Thor firmly rejects this offer as he desires to remain virtuous to keep his strength. He then tells her that the only way that there could ever be love between them is if she gives up her wicked ways.
With that, the pair head back to the hero’s headquarters. However, by this time, the legion of villains led by Doctor Doom had launched an attack on the base. Forced to flee, the gathered heroes were then seemingly slain when the Molecule Man dropped a massive mountain on top of them.
That’s when Thor and the Enchantress arrive and although he is outnumbered thirteen to one, refuses to surrender. Doom orders his minions to kill the thunder god and a battle breaks out. Despite the impossible odds, Thor is able to hold his own against the villains. However, when he calls out to the Enchantress for help, she cannot bring herself to join him in battle. With the battle taking longer than it should, Doctor Doom then had Ultron use his newly built disintigration ray on the thunder god, seemingly slaying him and leaving behind nothing but Thor’s helmet and scraps of his cape.
This upsets the Enchantress but when Doom asked her if she questioned his wisdom, the Enchantress cowardly turned away.
The Present
Concluding her story, the Enchantress explains that Thor and the heroes managed to survive and they eventually won the Secret Wars and were returned to their home. She explains to Lorelei that she had failed herself and she realized that she couldn’t force someone to love her and that her evil ways might mean she could never find her one true love.
Finishing her story, Amora points to Dallus and tells her sister that this man could be the one she truly loves in the end, something she is denying herself by keeping him trapped in stone. With that, the Enchantress leaves to let her sister reflect on her words. Unfortunately, when Lorelei examines Dallus and considers things for a moment all she can do is laugh and walk away.
Recurring Characters
Thor, Enchantress, Lorelei, Absorbing Man, Wrecking Crew (Wrecker, Thunderball, Piledriver, Bulldozer), Ultron, Kang, Molecule Man, Doctor Octopus, Volcana, Titania
Continuity Notes
A footnote states that the present day portions take place after the events of Thor #377.
Mention is made how Lorelei tried to enthrall Thor herself. This was a long winding scheme that ran from Thor #340 until issue #359. Also mentioned is how Amora has been romancing Heimdall, something that has been on going since issue #360.
The flashback in this story takes place around the events of Marvel Super-Heroes Secret Wars #4 and recaps the events of the first four issues of that series.
