Thor is thunderstruck (pun intended) by the proposal of newsman Harris Hobbs to film a documentary about the Norse Gods in Asgard itself. As a curious crowd gathers to see the God of Thunder, Thor suddenly carries Hobbs off for a private confab. There Hobbs explains how the hidden memories of his previous visit to Asgard returned in his dreams and now his job at the network depends on completing this project. Thor can only offer to ask Odin about it next time he’s in Asgard, and flies off to another mission, leaving the disappointed reporter behind. Hobbs is then approached by a mysterious stranger who believes Hobbs’ story about visiting Asgard but asks if there is anything the reporter did not tell Thor. Hobbs describes a dream wherein Thor went out fishing with the giant Hymir and hooked the Midgard Serpent; the giant panicked and cut the line, sending Thor into a rage. After he finishes his story, the stranger reveals himself as Loki who offers to take Hobbs and his crew to Asgard….
Thor arrives at Stark Industries where he is met by staffer Wilson Travers who leads the God of Thunder to the dormant adamantium hardware of the villainous computer FAUST (from #270-271). Thor is to take the machine to Asgard for safekeeping as suggested by Tony Stark; as he hoists it up on one shoulder suddenly there appears the Midgard Serpent threatening the city. Thor puts down the device and hurls himself at his foe but the Serpent turns out to be an illusion. Continuing his mission, he soon crosses the Rainbow Bridge into Asgard. While he is greeting his friends, a panel in FAUST opens to reveal Harris Hobbs and his crew, Red and Joey. Loki appears and explains how he conjured up the illusion of the Midgard Serpent to distract Thor while he secreted the three humans inside. But how did Loki regain his powers after being exiled to Earth in #167? It was via the prophecies of Volla the seer who foretold the coming of Ragnarok when the gods would die. Loki claims that Hobbs dream of Thor fighting the Midgard Serpent is a sign that Ragnarok is almost here—and he wants the news crew to film the end of the universe….