Heimdall carefully reviews recent plot points for readers who came in late while ostensibly paying homage to the All-Mother. Asgard was rebuilt on Earth; the World Tree was split, opening gateways to all Nine Worlds; refugees filled Asgard; The Serpent tried to destroy everything; he was slain and Odin abdicated with his corpse in favor of the All-Mother. Got it? Let’s move on. As the new queen surveys the chaos of the city, Volstagg gives unwanted advice to the builders. Suddenly, the scaffolding gives way beneath his excessive weight and the workers take a tumble, but Tanarus, God of Thunder arrives in the nick of time to rescue them from serious death! Tanarus, mighty hero to gods and men alike! Avenger, oath-brother to Beta Ray Bill, champion who defeated the Serpent, lover of Sif, celebrated in song and story! But only the young Loki senses something wrong. He confronts Tanarus but is unable to verbalize his misgivings, so he flees to the desert where he seeks out the Witches. He accuses them of being behind the mystery but they deny it and send him off….
Meanwhile, the All-Mother assembles the refugees from the nine Worlds and proclaims Asgardia a republic, replacing the failed monarchy of Odin. They seek Tanarus as the representative between the gods and men but he is nowhere to be found. Turns out he is in the wilderness fighting a huge monster. In the thick of combat he is suddenly drawn away to the land of the Trolls, where he faces their King Geirrodur—and Tanarus is revealed to be the troll champion Ulik disguised. This is part of the plot that Geirrodur, teamed up with Karnilla the Norn Queen whose magic has spread the illusion that Tanarus is the only Thunder God, are pursuing to destroy Asgard….
In Broxton, the Silver Surfer, now in human form and wishing to rekindle his compassion, is hired as a cook at the local diner. At the medical offices of Foster and Blake, Jane Foster is having a brief romantic interlude with her boyfriend—Eric Solvang—while Don Blake tries to make himself scarce. Suddenly Loki arrives and appeals to Don, asking if he also remembers Thor….
So what of Thor? He awakens a confused prisoner in a brightly colored cell with a pair of unfamiliar beings. They inform him they are all dead and they are going where all dead gods go—into the maw of the monstrous Demogorge….