Thor and his pals are gambling at a tavern when Thor makes a
joke about “cringing mortals;” Loki calls him on it, saying that mortals show
extraordinary courage to struggle against overwhelming odds and claiming that
Thor could not live the life of a mortal without his divine powers. Thor
insists he could and Loki challenges him to a wager. Thor will be stripped of
his powers and sent to join an expedition to the New World; he will have Mjolnir
but be forbidden to use it and should he at any time use his powers under any
circumstances he will lose and be exiled to Midgard, forfeiting his claim to
the throne of Asgard; if Thor succeeds, Loki will be banished to Jotunheim. Thor
is forced to accept the wager or lose face, so…
…Thor goes to Norway circa A.D. 1000 and joins the expedition
under the name Sigurd. Loki, meanwhile, is setting a trap in an Atlantean temple
in the New World. The adventure goes well, Thor making a friend of a warrior
named Baldric, until Loki whips up a storm to wreck the ships and drown some
warriors with Thor unable to do anything about it lest he forfeit the wager. The
band lands on a shore where they can see the ancient temple (and Loki’s trap) before
them and decide to explore….
Thor’s pals (Balder, Hogun, Volstagg, Fandral) go to Odin
telling them of their suspicions that Loki is cheating. Odin responds that Thor
knew what he was getting into and drives them from his presence….
Thor joins several of his companions in exploring the temple
to look for treasure; suddenly doors slam shut, cutting the group in two; they
are attacked by giant rats and suffer losses until Thor detects a cistern and
floods the chamber, washing away the vermin. The wounded stay behind while
Thor, Baldric and two others search for an exit. They enter a room full of
mummified warriors that come to life and attack them. In the fray, Baldric is
slain, spurring the others to fight harder. Loki, watching from a distance, transforms
a small lizard into a dragon—but Thor clearly sees Loki’s hand in this and so
whips out Mjolnir and destroys the monster then heads back to Asgard to
confront Loki…
…whom he finds with Odin. He tries to kill Loki for his treachery but
Odin tells him he brought it on himself, threatening the future of Asgard for a
stupid wager. Thor realizes Odin is right but also that mortals are better than
he thought and deserving of respect and protection. He comforts himself knowing
that Baldric is now in Valhalla….