Thor and Loki have been summoned to Asgard to take part in the Trial of the Gods to determine which one is lying about having brought Jane Foster to Asgard (last issue). Odin orders the antagonists to the deadly land of Skornheim where they will have to endure a series of hardships which can kill even an immortal; the first one back to Asgard will be adjudged the victor. They are transported to a high and narrow mountain in the grim land and Thor discovers that, despite a ban on weapons, Loki has smuggled the magic Norn Stones to the trial. The trickster uses one to show Thor Jane Foster on Earth—as she is suddenly confronted by the Enchantress and the Executioner. The mountain then turns to quicksand around them; Loki uses the Norn Stone to solidify a path while the frantic Thunder God must rely on his strength to fight his way through the muck. The next obstacle is a forest of thorny plants which Loki easily passes through by becoming intangible while Thor must batter then down using his helmet as a gauntlet. Thor catches up to his opponent but they then come face to face with the giant warrior Yagg, who can shoot lightning bolts out of this electrode-like hands….
In Asgard, Balder interrupts Odin’s bath to inform him that Loki has placed Jane Foster in danger to distract Thor from the rigors of the trial. Ascertaining the truth of this, Odin dispatches Balder to Jane’s aid….
Loki easily escapes Yagg by using a Norn Stone to give him the power of flight, while Thor must stand his ground against the warrior's electrical attacks, eventually using a rock to knock his opponent out. Meanwhile, Loki has surrounded himself with a whirlwind to pass through a deadly desert and uses the magic stone to repel a patch of carnivorous plants….
In New York, the two villains have caught up with Jane as she fled though the streets but a crowd attempts to come to her rescue. The Executioner easily holds them off with strength while the Enchantress casts a sleep spell. This is witnessed by one of Rick Jones’ Teen Brigade who contacts Rick for help—but Rick is busy at a meeting of the Avengers (who are worried by Thor’s absence, but decide against further involvement); the Teen Brigader then spots Daredevil passing by his window, but the Man without Fear is on his way to battle the Sub-Mariner and can’t stop (DAREDEVIL #7). He then calls the Baxter Building but the Fantastic Four are not to be found—the Frightful Four, however, are attempting to seize control of the building when a sudden ball of fire lands on the roof. Assuming it is the Human Torch, the villains flee. The fireball turns out to be Balder who disguises himself as a human and goes to confront the two Asgardean marauders….
Following Loki’s trail, Thor can only depend on his superhuman endurance to cross the burning desert, and his strength to tear apart the carnivorous plants. He comes to a river and swims to where Loki is about to cross the fiery chasm which is the last obstacle. As the God of Mischief levitates across, Thor seizes him and is carried over the chasm as well. Loki can then knock down the fatigued Thor and pass through the dimensional barrier to Asgard, winning the Trial of the Gods….