Characters: Thor, Hrinmeer The Flame, Pluto, Loki, Sigyn, Cerberus, the High Evolutionary, Blitziana, Odin, Heimdall
Synopsis:
In Hades, Pluto discusses a previous bargain with the astral projection of Loki, in which Pluto was to kill Thor in return for Loki slaying Hercules (in the concurrent AVENGERS ANNUAL). Pluto is dissatisfied that Loki broke some of the terms of the deal by releasing more prisoners from Pluto’s realm than they had agreed upon. Still, it is Pluto’s turn to keep his end of the bargain. To help him defeat Thor, Loki grants Pluto permission to use his agent, Hrinmeer the Flame. Pluto summons Hrinmeer to Hades, then sets him on his mission astride Cerberus, the three-headed hound of the underworld.
Meanwhile, Loki sends his astral form to visit his wife, Sigyn. He cannot visit her in person because he is being held prisoner by Mephisto. Loki informs Sigyn of his plan with Pluto, and asks her to keep an eye on what transpires in Asgard since he cannot be there in person. At that moment on Earth, Thor is at the base of the High Evolutionary and the Godpack (this issue takes place during the events of THOR #475). When their base is hit by a tremor, Thor senses something supernatural and goes to investigate. He finds a cavern in the Earth, from which he smells the stench of Hades. Wanting to learn more, Thor enters the chasm.
Inside the cavern, Thor is attacked by Hrinmeer and Cerberus. As Thor battles Hrinmeer, they fall deeper into the pits of Hades. Eventually, the combined force of Hrinmeer and Cerberus overpower Thor. Just as Hrinmeer is about to strike the killing blow, however, an image of Pluto appears and tells Hrinmeer to take Thor to Asgard and slay him at the feet of Odin. Hrinmeer fastens Thor to the back of Cerberus with magical fetters that sap him of his godly strength and sets off for Asgard.
In Asgard, Hrinmeer is confronted by a patrol of Asgardians. After he kills the patrol, he sees that Sigyn is with them. Loki, watching magically from Mephisto’s realm, sees this too. Pluto reveals that his plan was to send Hrinmeer to Asgard to kill Sigyn, as well as Thor, as a way to get back at Loki for his earlier breach of their contract. Loki knows that to save Sigyn, he must help Thor defeat Hrinmeer. Loki sends his astral projection to Thor and convinces him to let Loki’s spirit enter his body. Together, they have enough strength to break the magical bonds that hold Thor down. Thor quickly defeats Cerberus, but when he begins fighting Hrinmeer, he realizes that having Loki’s spirit within him is slowing him down since Loki is not a warrior.
After he convinces Loki to remove his spirit from his body, Thor fights and handily defeats Hrinmeer. Sigyn begs Thor not to reveal that Loki has been interfering in Asgard, but Thor replies that as far as he is concerned, Loki acted heroically by helping him defeat Hrinmeer. Then, Thor leaves Asgard before either Odin or Heimdall can detect that he was in the realm.
Title: “Estranged Relations”
Credits:
Writer: Glenn Greenberg
Letterer: John Workman
Artist/Colorist: Lou Harrison
Characters: Thor, Danny Walker
Synopsis:
Thor stands upon a peak in the Rocky Mountains, where the solitude helps him contemplate his decision to abandon Asgard for Earth. Thor sees a young man walking alone on the road below. A sudden rockslide begins threatens to kill the young man. Thor flies down and saves the youth from the rockslide, who introduces himself as Danny Walker. Danny explains that he ran away from his home in Pennsylvania after a fight with his father, and now he wants to go back home but has no way to get there. Thor says that he can relate to Danny’s situation, and flies him back to his home. When he rushes inside to make up with his father, however, the maid reveals that Danny’s father fell ill and died while Danny was gone. Danny tells Thor that he wants to be alone, so Thor leaves him and returns to the Rockies. There, Thor sees images that foretell the coming Ragnarok.