Thor (1998 series) #48

On the streets of New York, Jake Olson now transformed into a weakened version of Thor is torn between two more powerful enemies: Grey Gargoyle and Desak the God-Slayer, demanding to know the whereabouts of Tarene the Designate. Grey Gargoyle boasts that he killed her and has now becomes a god; that last word leads Desak to blast him. Thor tries to restrain the God-Slayer and is clobbered. GG and Desk slug it out, the former armed with Tarene’s hammer but Desak knows GG is no true god. Desak tells Jake/Thor that he senses a slight spark of life in Tarene nearby. So Thor attacks him and a major battle breaks out. Desak calls Thor the number two name on his list of gods to slay, Zarrko having revealed to him that Thor will destroy Earth and many other worlds now that he is Asgard’s ruler….

In the frozen wastes near Asgard, Balder and Hogun do battle with the Frost Giants; Hogun protests that this is a suicide mission while Balder defends Thor’s commands. Not far away, Amora tries to persuade Thor to avoid the battle for his own safety but the God of Thunder leaps into he fray, claiming that his years on Midgard had tamed him but now he has reclaimed his true self, and he kills one of the giants with a blow of Mjolnir. Yet as more giants attack, Thor still feels his strength ebbing so he uses his hammer to transport the giants to another dimension. Thor believes that the solution to his weakening is to be found in Midgard so he teleports there…

…where Jake/Thor seizes the opportunity during a lull in the battle with Desak to flee, carrying the sack full of Tarene parts. But Desak pursues him and they come crashing down into an alley. As they continue to brawl, the Spirit of the Jewel appears to them, a naked blonde woman wrapped in a sheet to cover the naughty bits, to tell Desak that the time has come to remove the greatest of all threats. So Desak gives Jake/Thor a quick goodbye and a blast that apparently kills him before departing with the Spirit….

Characters: AFairmount, Balder, Jake Olson Dup, Jarvis, Thor, Thor Girl, Warriors Three