Thor vol. 2 #22Thor vol. 2 #22
Title: “Tears of the Gods”
Writer: Dan Jurgens
Penciller: John Romita Jr.
Inker: Klaus Janson
Colors: Wright & Bernardo
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Thanos stands wearing a gem around his neck
and holding the Chalice of Ruins. He says that at last their
journey is over and their quest is completed. Thor hangs from his
cape on a stalactite. The Recorder lies half destroyed on the
ground, and Mangog holds a young girl in his hand. Thanos says
that he has the Chalice of Ruins, the Map of All-Ending, the
Illumination Stone, and the Designate. Thanos says that all he
needs now is her tears. The Designate says that she will never
give them to him. Thanos tells Mangog to make her weep. Mangog
says that it will be a pleasure “to indulge the whelp no
longer!” Mangog throws her into a stalactite. The Designate
says that she didn’t cry when they exterminated her people,
and that they won’t make her cry now. Thanos grabs her
throat and says, “Really? The Asgardian, your protector and
champion. Break him, Mangog. Mangog says that he finally gets the
order. Mangog hits Thor so hard that it shatters the stalactite
Thor was hung on. Mangog tells Thor that it is he, his father,
and Asgard that he hates the most. Thanos holds the Designate by
the throat and says that Thor is the embodiment of purity and
bravery. He says that he is going to fight to the last breath,
his final heartbeat, for her. He asks if she will not even shed a
single tear for him. Mangog continues pummeling Thor. The
Designate says that she will never fill Thanos’ chalice.
Thanos says that Thor’s death is on her conscience then.
Thanos turns to Thor and starts blasting him. As the torment goes
on and on, the Designate’s eyes begin to moisten. She tries
to resist, but as Thor’s lifeless husk lies on the ground
she begins to cry. Thanos says that finally her will weakens.
Mangog picks the Designate up off the ground and tells Thanos
that she cries. Thanos takes one tear off of her face and drops
it into the Chalice as the tear glistens with power. The power
begins to flow out of the chalice. Thanos drinks the tear down
and begins radiating with power. 
Thanos says,
“It’s… working! I feel it! My will is death! I am
Death!” A burst of power flows forth and destroys. “The
legends are true! Drink from the Chalice of Ruins a single tear
of the Designate’s and you will have the power to loosen
wave after wave of unimaginable death that shall sweep the
cosmos, planet by planet, until not a shred of life
remains.”
Odin stands with the Orikal and Ulik. Odin asks Orikal if this future he reveals will come to pass. Orikal says that it will as nothing exists that might change it. Ulik tells Odin that his son is going to fail and that all they know will soon be gone. Odin says that it is unthinkable that with his greatest challenge ever that Thor will taste defeat. Odin says that he has an idea though, and that maybe with Balder’s help catastrophe might be averted.
Thor and Recorder arrive on M’Haas. Recorder says that this planet is perfect for victimization by Thanos. Thor says that if the smoke they see is any indication that he fears Thanos is already there. One of the planet’s natives comes up to Thor and starts to speak. Thor cannot understand him and asks Recorder to translate it for him. Recorder says that he is describing a raid by a powerful pair that seeks their most religious artifact. Recorder says that his descriptions of the attackers sounds like Thanos and Mangog, and that the object they seek is the Illumination Stone. Recorder says that the stone is housed in the distant collection of pyramids. Thor says that they must go there then, and that is where Thanos will fall.
Thanos tells Mangog to hurry up as Mangog
continues ravaging the world’s people. Mangog says that it
is a good thing that he shares Thanos’ vision because he
would take orders from no other. Mangog smashes through the wall
of the pyramid revealing the location of the Illumination Stone
within. The natives within start attacking. Mangog says that they
are fighting as if they had any chance of defeating him, and that
he finds it quite annoying. Thanos says that Mangog can grind
them into powder if he wants, and that their only concern is the
Illumination Stone. Suddenly Mangog is hit in the back of the
head by Mjolnir. Thor says that what Mangog is doing is
unthinkable. As Mjolnir returns to Thor’s hand, Thor leaps
towards Mangog and hits him in the face. Thor says that it is
only fitting that he should feel Mjolnir’s justice and his
wrath. 
Thor spins
Mjolnir around and around and hits Mangog so hard that he sends
him flying through a wall. Thanos unleashed eye beams of power at
Thor and says that he would tolerate the Thunder God no longer.
Thor tells Thanos to unleash his energy in whatever quantity he
wishes because his hammer will just absorb it and return it back
to him a hundred fold. The power flows over Thanos, but Thanos
just stands there. Thor says that he is aware of the scope of
Thanos’ power and his ability to withstand the greatest of
punishments. Thor tells Thanos that he also unleashed the most
powerful winds and lightning against him, but that he knows that
might not be enough either so he is unleashing a bolt of
anti-force. The bolt of anti-force blows Thanos clear off his
feet. Thor says that Thanos’ unthinkable plan of evil dies
there. Recorder thinks that Thor must be victorious as nothing
that lives could have survived that.
Thor picks up the Illumination Stone.
Recorder says that it is said that the stone is capable of
revealing the true nature of any who look into it. Thor figures
that Thanos must have wanted it to identify the Designate.
Recorder says that it is believed that no one knows the
Designate’s true appearance. The Stone says to Thor,
“Thou art a god, Asgardian born, son of Odin, champion of
the oppressed and revered for thy honor and courage.”
Suddenly Thor feels the ground beginning to shake. Mangog’s
hands break through the ground and grab Thor by the leg. Mangog
lifts Thor off the ground and into rocks above him. Mangog then
whips Thor around and into a wall. Mangog then places Thor’s
head within his mouth as power pours out onto Thor.
Mangog says,
“I look forward to the moment when I might dance upon your
corpse!” Mangog starts biting Thor. Thanos reappears. He
tells Mangog that he is forgetting their purpose here. Thanos
says that Thor is not their concern. Thanos says that what
concerns them is the Illumination Stone, and that now it is
theirs. Thanos tells Mangog to come and drop Thor. Thanos says
that they go now to embrace their destiny. Thanos and Mangog
disappear.
Balder walks along in Svartalfeim, the forest of the Dark Elves . He says that he has never heard such fear and urgency in Odin’s voice before. Balder says that he must gird himself because the ground reeks of evil. Balder approaches the encampment of Jagrfelm. He says that it is not his place to question Odin, but he can’t fathom what they would need from an ugly little elf. Suddenly the trees seemingly come alive and grab Balder. Jagrfelm steps forward with an axe and introduces himself as Jagrfelm, devourer of men.
Lightning Crashes rating: 8.5 out of 10
The story continues to flow along. We get to see what the end result of this storyline would be. Thor actually gets to beat on Thanos and Mangog until their superior numbers overcomes Thor. I’m really enjoying the cosmic scope of this storyline. It’s both vast in scope and has a mythological feel to it as Thor should have. I still love the teaming of Thanos and Mangog, but you do have to feel bad for the hardcore Thor fans as Thor seems to be getting beaten worse than a government mule.