| Thor |  Get thee hence, fair Sif! For, though thy heart is gallantry itself... still art thou merely a woman!  |
| Sif | I say thee nay, God of Thunder! Though my form be female, I do fight for Asgard... and if need be, so shall I die! |
Appearing in "To Die Like a God!"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
Other Characters:
Races:
- Elder God/Asgardian Hybrid
- Human
- Extradimensional being
- Asgardians
- Rock Trolls
Locations:
Items:
- Mjolnir
- Ulti-Force Cannon (First appearance)
Synopsis for "To Die Like a God!"
Thor's hammer has been separated from him by Rock Trolls, trapping both he and Sif in the New York City subway system. As the seconds before Thor transforms back into Donald Blake tick by, Thor plans to step in front of an oncoming subway train just as he transforms so that, when he is killed as Blake, he might end up in Valhalla as Thor. Unwilling to accept such a risky plan, Sif instead calls upon her own power to bypass space and time to transport them both to Asgard where Thor will not lapse back to his human form even without his hammer. Her plan succeeds, and the two return to Asgard but continue on to the home of the Rock Trolls. There they stumble upon the fact that the Rock Trolls seek to make a replica of Thor's hammer so that they might better crush the Gods and take over Asgard.
While in the city proper, Odin and his forces continue to try and defend the city. However, they are easily fought back by the Rock Trolls and their advanced weaponry, which they forced Orikal to build for them. Believing that he has been abandoned by his son, Odin enters the fray with his Scepter of Power but finds his plan thwarted when the Rock Trolls arrive with an Orikal-created weapon, an Ulti-Force Cannon that drains the scepter of its power, rending it useless. Unwilling to accept defeat, Odin tosses the useless weapon aside and orders his warriors back into battle.
While back in the underground cavern of the Rock Trolls, Thor and Sif find Ulik who has had Orikal create a duplicate hammer. Thor reveals himself to Ulik and uses the enchantment that pulls the hammer back into his possession to divest Ulik of one of the hammers in his hands. Although both have an equal weapon, Thor is able to gain the advantage in combat. Witnessing Ulik's failing performance in battle, Geirrodur grabs a Menti-Horn and commands Orikal to destroy the Thunder God. In response, an enchantment lifts Thor and Sif off the ground and holds them in the air, helpless targets for the javelins of their enemies. Needing to escape, Thor smashes a hole in the nearby wall and he and Sif pass through into another chamber where they find Orikal who explains to them that he only fights for Geirrodur because the King of the Rock Trolls has him enslaved with mystical flames. As Thor tells Orikal that there is another way, Ulik enters but, overcome by his hatred of Orikal, he doesn't even see the Asgardians, so focused is he on killing his rival. Once Thor seals off the cavern from any other pursuers, he and Sif watch as Ulik goes to the switch that controls the flames and turns it so full heat, something that will almost instantly kill Orikal. Thor quickly knocks Ulik out before he can throw the switch and then offers to free Orikal instead. Once Orikal reveals that the weapons he had been forced to provide to the Rock Trolls will become eternally useless after he leaves, Thor turns off the flames which quickly grow cold. Now free, Orikal transforms into an aura of shimmering, glowing energy which immediately departs.
As Geirrodur arrives to discover that Orikal is gone, the tide of battle turns and the Rock Trolls are sent fleeing back to their domain. Realizing that, without Orikal's power, they no longer have any chance of victory, Geirrodur agrees to surrender and complies with Thor's demand that the Rock Trolls return to their home. Thor then uses the Rock Trolls' tunnel to return to the city of Asgard where he is reunited with his father and hailed as a hero once more by the people of Asgard.
Appearing in "Tales of Asgard: The Secret of the Mystic Mountain!"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Mogul
- Jinni Devil
- Abu Dakir (First appearance)
Races:
- Elder God/Asgardian Hybrid
- Asgardians
- Djinn
Locations:
- Zanadu (First appearance)
Items:
Synopsis for "Tales of Asgard: The Secret of the Mystic Mountain!"
Sending away his evening entertainment, Mogul learns from his adviser that Thor and the Warriors Three are seeking out the location of Mystic Mountain so that Hogun may get revenge against Mogul for killing his people. Mogul scoffs at this foolishness, confident that his Jinni Devil will be adequately powerful to stop them from achieving their goal.
Meanwhile, Thor and the Warriors Three arrive at the location where the Wazir told them that Mystic Mountain can be found, however all they find is a barren clearing. This upsets Hogun who believes that they have been tricked, however Thor does not believe so. Thor quickly strikes the ground with his hammer, cracking open the ground and revealing the location of Mystic Mountain's central city (Zanadu) is actually hidden beneath the ground.
Breaking the glass barrier around the city, Hogun leads the others towards the newly made opening, however before they can enter the city of Zanadu, they are confronted by the Jinni Devil who welcomes the heroes to their doom.
Notes
- The fact that the Rock Trolls were able to drain Odin's Scepter of its power is in direct contradiction of a previous story in which Odin explains that the power from the Scepter originates from his own Odin Power.
- This issue features the debut of a new cover image logo that will remain in use until issue Vol 1 171. It's recycled Jack Kirby and Chic Stone art from the splash page of Journey Into Mystery Vol 1 105.