Thor (vol. 2) #18
The Deadly Living Tailsmans!
The Warriors Three, Detective Brady O’Neil, Dimitrius Collins, and Hannah Fairmont are fighting for their lives against civilians transformed into monsters by the Enchanter’s Enrakt. They are starting to wear down when Thor finally arrives to lend a hand after dealing with the Exemplars.[1] Thor is able to use the magic of Mjolnir to revert their attackers back to normal. However, this is not before O’Neil has his throat slashed open by one of the creatures.
With Brady dying, Thor quickly changes back into his mortal identity of Jake Olson so he can perform some live saving first aid. However, because “Olson” has been accused of trafficking drugs, Dimitrius Collins tries to arrest him. Thankfully, Volstagg gets in his way when “Jake” runs off. This allow Thor the opportunity to get away and change back into his true form.[2]
Needing to figure out where the Enchanters have taken Odin, Thor returns to Avengers Mansion to get assistance from the Scarlet Witch. Wanda is able to use her hex powers to find the dimension where Odin is still fighting for his life. When the Witch offers to join Thor in battle, he declines, saying that this is a matter between gods. Thor then uses Mjolnir to open a portal to the Enchanter’s domain.
Meanwhile, this is all being observed by Loki who has been posing as Odin since the All-Father was kidnapped by the Enchanters.[3] The trickster recalls how he visited Odin in his astral form during the time when he was a prisoner of the Dark Gods.[4] At the time, Odin pleaded with Loki to save him, but the trickster refused. Odin then swore that once he got free he would see his step-son punished for not helping his people. Now witnessing Odin in a life-or-death battle with the Enchanters, Loki begins his master scheme, which begins by summoning Mephisto to Asgard.[5]
In the Enchanters dimension, Odin is faring poorly against the sorcerers as he is still recovering from his captivity at the hands of the Dark Gods. That’s when Thor arrives and pulls his father to safety. As they two retreat in the hopes of regrouping, Enrakt warns them that this entire dimension is theirs to shape to their whims. With that, he casts a spell to create a monster out of the very ground which swallows Thor and Odin whole.
Recurring Characters
Thor, Jake Olson, Warriors Three (Fandral, Hogun, Volstagg), Scarlet Witch, Odin, Loki, Mephisto, the Enchanters (Bona, Magnir, Enrakt), Hannah Fairmont, Demitrius Collins, Brady O’Neil
Continuity Notes
Thor was dealing with Ernakt in Thor (vol. 2) #14-16. He got distracted trying to stop the Exemplars from fullfilling the Eighth Day prophecy that would have allowed them to conquer the world See Iron Man (vol. 3) #21-22, Thor (vol. 2) #17, Peter Parker: Spider-Man #11, and and Juggernaut: The Eighth Day #1.
The whole Thor and Jake Olson situation is complicated:
Both Thor and Jake Olson were killed during the Avengers battle with the Destroyer. In order to cheat death, Thor agreed to take over Jake Olson’s life to atone for not saving his life, as seen in Thor (vol. 2) #1-2.
Soon after, in Thor (vol. 2) #5, an investigation was started when drugs started going missing at Memorial Hospital, where Olson works as an EMT. All the evidence pointed to Jake Olson who has had a warrant out for his arrest since Thor (vol. 2) #14-15.
The Enchanters kidnapped Odin in Thor (vol. 2) #15, prompting Loki to take his place in the following issue.
Odin and the majority of the Asgardians were captured by the Dark Gods in Journey into Mystery #513. They were later rescued by Thor in Thor (vol. 2) #10-12.
Loki’s summoning of Mephisto is to claim the soul of Jake Olson as seen in Thor (vol. 2) #19. He will use the real Olson to make life more difficult for Thor in Thor Annual 2000.
