Thor vol. 2 #23Thor vol. 2 #23
Title: “Beyond Reason’s Edge”
Writer: Dan Jurgens
Penciller: John Romita Jr.
Inker: Dick Giordano
Colors: Gregory Wright
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Firelord flies along having been sent by the Seers of the Universe to help Thor against Thanos and Mangog. He says that the universe trembles as never before. Firelord thinks about the impending death, and that even though he struggles against it he fears that the means to stop it may not exist. Firelord says that there is only one hope and that hope is Thor.
Thor is fighting a giant stone creature that Thor calls the “Guardian of Stone”. Thor tells the guardian to step aside or his hammer might shatter him beyond recognition. Firelord lands next to Recorder and says that he is there to offer them his assistance. Recorder says that the guardian of the Millennium Monarch seems formidable, but that he thinks that Thor is mightier. Thor tells the guardian that he doesn’t blame him for trying to protect its mistress, since Thanos recently left their world in ruins, but that the demands of the moment outweighs her desire not to avoid the questions of Thor. Thor says that the guardian must fall. Thor smashes the guardian with his hammer on the guardian’s head and causes him to drop over. Thor lands and greets Firelord as a friend and ally. Firelord says that the Seers of the Universe have sent him to help. Thor says that he gladly accepts as Thanos has taken the Illumination Stone.
Suddenly the Millennium Monarch appears. She says that this world answers to her, but that recent events dictate that she now answer to Thor. Thor says that he only wants information. Firelord says that they know of a tragedy of cosmic proportions that is about to occur. Thor asks how they might avert it. Millennium Monarch says that she doesn’t know if such a thing is possible. She says that Thanos seeks control of the Final Death and has very nearly found it thanks to the Illumination Stone. She says that her tale begins long ago before time was measured. Back then life was little more than a notion to most of the universe, but there was X’Hoss. X’Hoss was a wizard that could see tomorrow as clearly as she can see Thor now. Because of that he knew that the Designate would one day emerge from the basket of life. The Designate is known as “Tarene, and she will one day change the landscape of all we know, gathering all that’s diverse into one single, unified force.” X’Hoss knew that Tarene’s followers would need a means to find her, and so with the Fires of Creation he brought forth the Illumination Stone, the Map of All-Ending, and that Chalice of Ruins. X’Hoss’ motives were pure, but they had disastrous results. From the mists of evil his enemies came to take possession of the items. Before succumbing X’Hoss managed to dispatch the talismans to unknown places, but they were corrupted with the taint of darkness. Millennium Monarch says that throughout all time many have tried to collect the creations, but none were ever able to do it until Thanos. Thor asks if she is saying that all is lost. She says that as the items are corrupted yes. She says that they were intended to help, but now they will be used to identify her and mutate her power for evil. Thor says that he would go to fight Thanos, but that he doesn’t know where he has gone. Recorder says that since it is his job to chronicle significant events that he attached a microtrack unit to Mangog. Millennium Monarch fades and tells Thor to hurry as time is short. Thor, Firelord, and Recorder fly into the air. Thor says that if Thanos and Mangog are to be defeated that only they have the power to do it. Recorder says that he has the position of his tracker. Firelord says that they had better hurry.
Orikal tells Odin that Thor is trailing behind Thanos by a great margin. Odin says that just hearing Thanos’ name enrages him, and that if Tarakis’ potions hadn’t left him so weak that he would be going after him as well. Orikal says that Thanos and Mangog are close to the Designate, and that time grows short. Odin says that he shares Orikal’s fear, but that if Balder should succeed in his task in Svartalfheim that there might be a glimmer of hope.
Jagrfelm sharpens his axe and tells Balder to think of his loved ones. He says that Balder will never see them again because he is now hungry. Balder says that if Jagrfelm hurts him that he is sealing his own doom. Jagrfelm asks Balder if he thinks that he is afraid of Odin’s vengeance. Balder says that it isn’t Odin he needs to fear, but a far greater threat. Jagrfelm asks Balder if he wants to be cooked on an open fire or boiled. Balder says that Odin needs Jagrfelm’s help. Jagrfelm says that Balder is funny, and that it is almost a shame to kill him. Balder says that if Jagrfelm grants Odin his wish that Odin will grant him any boon that he desires. Jagrfelm thinks about that as he thinks about the wrapped box on his floor.
In a world hidden within a cluster of worlds and nebulas, the people run. For the first time ever they have been discovered. Tranquility and peace have been swept away forever by terror. A giant building falls to the ground. Thanos tells them to hand the Designate over to him or they will exist as nothing more than memories. Mangog tells Thanos not to bargain and that he will gladly tear them apart limb from limb. The people say that they can’t give him what he wants. They say that the Designate has never been identified and that even they do not know which among them is the one. Thanos says that sadly he does not have time for large scale violence. He says that the Illumination Stone will tell him what they will not. Thanos uses the stone to scour the entire planet until the Designate is revealed to him.
In space, Recorder says that he isn’t
sure how to explain this. He says that this is where his tracker
is supposed to be with Mangog, and yet there is no planet there.
Thor says that he thinks that it is a trick, but Firelord says
that he senses something different. He says that the world of the
Designate is a special place, and that those not born there were
never meant to see it. Firelord creates a flash of light and
reveals the planet before them. They hurry down to the
planet’s surface before Thanos can succeed. They get to the
planet to find that Thanos had already been there. Thor tells
Recorder to use his senses to locate Mangog and Thanos. Recorder
says that he has found his tracking device cast aside. Firelord
says that not only has Thanos left, but every living being there
breathes no longer.
Thor says that
Thanos has crossed every line, and that he is going to fight to
his last breath to make sure that Thanos is stopped.
Lightning Crashes rating: 7.5 out of 10
Bit of a drag in the story here. Thanos and Mangog destroy Tarene’s people (which I question later because Odin says that when she is no longer the Designate that she is just a normal Asgardian. How did she become an Asgardian?) I really dig Jagrfelm, but I can’t remove my disappointment with how he is dealt with in upcoming issues. Romita’s art is still impressive, but I really dislike his version of Firelord.