Once, Skurge
the Executioner gave his life at the Bridge Gjallerbru, taking Thor’s death and
becoming a hero, but over the years, he has been called back and forth from
Valhalla until his death is gone. Skurge visits Odin, asking for his death back
from Thor who has vowed victory against Utgard. Odin rebukes him, saying he
will not take Thor’s impending death away from him. Odin warns him that taking
Skurge’s death from him will lock him out of both Valhalla and Hel, leaving him
in the endless sleep called Vidblainn. Skurge agrees to it….
And now at the
gate to Utgard, Skurge faces Thor wielding his new Bloodaxe…as Thanos awaits on
the other side. The two fight while Thanos taunts Thor in his mind. Thor
commands Skurge to stop fighting but he is unwilling to allow Skurge to
accompany him. But Skurge will have his death that day, whether slain by Thor
or wounded and the Bloodaxe taking his life. He speaks of glory but to Thor,
glory is beside the point, all that matters is the mortals he must rescue. But
Thanos continues to taunt him, pointing out that the human race is not worthy
of his attention; Thor responds that if only one human were worthy, he would
still fight. So Thor hands Mjolnir to Skurge and bids him come along. Skurge
balks, having intended to kill Thor and go alone...but he changes his mind,
hands Mjolnir back, and they walk through the gate, Thanos having vanished. Thor
is ready to face his fate. The landscape changes, turning to a foggy emptiness.
And Thor knows they are already at their destination as Utgard-Loki awaits….