Mortal Thor, The (2025 series) #6

The dead Thor looks down on Sigurd Jarlson, advising him to not let the Serpent kill him, he must survive and as his highest self….

Drugged by Blake last issue, Sigurd awakens in the Reptile House at the zoo, staring at a king cobra; he hurls his hammer so that the snake bits it and he swings it by the bungee, hitting a wall and killing the snake. The villain called Cobra appears, introducing himself as an employee of Blake and presenting the hero with a test. He gives him the cap of security guard Arnold Dourif, who is a prisoner elsewhere in the exhibit, with the venomous reptiles freed. Sigurd has the choice: he can risk danger while freeing Dourif or he can leave, saving his own skin. Sigurd hurls his hammer at Cobra’s face but the villain quickly vanishes and reappears, telling the hero he won’t see him coming next time and then he dives out of a window….

Sigurd explores the Reptile House, encountering a deadly coral snake and killing it. He is then seized by a boa constrictor and rendered helpless. Elsewhere, Odin looks on and tells him that the evil Blake serves Odin’s will, in three judgments. Trapped, Sigurd hurls his hammer, smashing the glass of the crocodile pen. The croc bites the boa’s tail and the two reptiles fight one another and Sigurd escapes. Sigurd then comes upon the bound Dourif, surrounded by deadly serpents. But then the Cobra appears, hurling a gas bomb and slashing Sigurd with his fangs (mounted on his hands). Cobra suggests that Dourif is safe…unless he has a coughing fit and he tosses another gas bomb at him. Sigurd leaps and catches the bomb, hurling it back at the villain. But the Cobra is immune to his own gas—but Sigurd took advantage of the fog it created to seize the baddie from behind and choke him out with a cord. He then frees Dourif and they try to leave but the guard warns Sigurd that the doors are electrified—too late. Sigurd is shocked and realizes that if he had chosen to run earlier, he would have been killed and “made lesser.” What is Blake planning?

Sigurd goes home and is met by Kris, who was worried about him. He offers to tell her everything….

And across the street, watching with interest, is Mister Hyde….