Thor vol. 2 #41Thor vol. 2 #41
Title: “Taking Charge part 1 of 3”
Writer: Dan Jurgens
Penciller: Stuart Immonen
Inker: Scott Koblish
Colors: Avalon’s Studios’ Dave Kemp
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Everyone stands stunned as they stare at the destroyed chariot and charred bones of Toothgnasher and Toothgrinder. Thor says that it doesn’t necessarily mean what they all fear, but then Balder spots Odin’s body. Thor runs to Odin’s partially buried corpse and quickly digs him out. Thor says that Odin lies so still. Balder says that they are lost. Thor says that he is well versed in the ways of medicine and that Odin must be saved. Hogun tries to tell Thor that the time has come to accept the inevitable. Thor shouts at Hogun, “I… SAY… THEE… NAY! ODIN IS… FORE’ER!” Thor goes to Tarene and beseeches her to use her unlimited power to save Odin. Tarene is weakened from fighting Surtur, but she tries to revert to her true form. Tarene passes out from the effort. Thor tells Balder to take care of Tarene and he teleports away to Asgard.
In Asgard, Neffethesk is talking about treatments with Cyra. Suddenly Thor arrives and tells them to fetch their potions because the need for their talents has never been more dire.
Back on Earth, Hercules says that Tarene is just unconscious. Balder says that seeing the light of Asgard lying there so exposed is wrong. Balder asks Odin’s forgiveness as he takes his cape and covers Odin with it. Beta Ray Bill asks Balder who he is to declare Odin dead when Thor himself won’t. Balder says that Thor just doesn’t want to admit it because of grief. Hercules tells them to knock it off and Bill and Balder agree and shake hands.
Thor returns with the healers and tells them to revive the sovereign. Thor spots Odin covered up and asks who declared Odin dead. Balder says that he couldn’t bear to look at Odin that way. Thor tells Balder to use his cape to warm Odin not to cover him. Neffethesk lifts the cape and says that he will exhaust all measures. Cyra gives Tarene an elixir that revives her. Tarene asks if Odin lives. Hercules tells Tarene to worry about her own health. Volstagg says that at least the Designate lives, but Cyra says that isn’t exactly true. Cyra uses the Horns of Revelation to determine that the energy used in defeating Surtur has caused her to be trapped in her current form. Cyra says that she can no longer become her Designate form and that she is now simply an Asgardian goddess. Tarene tries to prove her wrong but cannot. Hercules consoles Tarene and says that he too has lost power. Hercules says that she must accept her new state. Neffethesk says that Odin is beyond help. He tells Thor that Asgard’s beacon is gone. They carry Odin back to Asgard.
Everyone watches as Thor climbs the steps to the Flame Eternal. Thor holds in his hand the Ring Imperial that Odin wore everyday of his ruling life. Thor casts it into the flame. Thos says that war is never without cost. Thor says that they should mourn all those killed against Surtur, Odin first among them. As the ring burns a message of Odin’s passing is sent out across the universe. Orikal and Ulik witness it. Dr. Strange views the news as a tragedy while Mephisto sees it as an opportunity. To Zarrako it signals an eventual calamity. The Living Tribunal barely registers the passing.
On Earth, Keith
Kincaid is revealed to be Skurge the Executioner. Enchantress
asks how he is alive since he died fighting Hela’s forces.
Skurge says that Hela dragged him from Valhalla and promised him
renewed life if he did her bidding. Amora asks what her bidding
is. Skurge says that it is the same as ever… she wants Thor.
Enchantress asks if Skurge craves life so much that he would
strike a deal with his own murderer. Skurge says that it is not
only life he craves but Amora as well. Skurge starts to advance
on Amora, but then the message of Odin’s passing reflects in
Amora’s mirror. She says that it can only mean that Odin is
no more.
Elsewhere, Desak is telling more people that he has slain their false gods. The people say that Desak has condemned them, but Desak says that he has liberated them. Suddenly Desak receives the message of Odin’s passing , but he also receives notice that perhaps his greatest threat Tarene has been weakened. Desak says that the opportunity to strike is at hand.
Back in Asgard, the Rainbow Bridge is packed
with a multitude that have come to pay their respects to Odin.
Jane Foster tries to tell Jake Olsen that she knows how weird
this must be for him. Tarene says that this is her fault as her
power is what destroyed Odin. Beta Ray Bill says that if it were
not for Tarene empowering Odin that they would all be dead
because of Surtur. Thor addresses the crowd. He says that they
are all less than they were for losing Odin. Thor says that they
begin the days of mourning and observance. Loki asks if they
would do so without him. Hogun asks Loki how he dares come there.
Loki says that Odin was his father as well as Thor’s, and
that he would grieve with them. 
Fandral is
about to attack, but Thor tells him to stop. Thor says that Loki
is his brother, and that this is a time to put aside differences
in respect for the dead. Thor, Loki, and Frigga stand by
Odin’s casket.
Thor says that Asgard’s walls even seem weaker. Balder asks Thor if he thinks Asgard is in decline. Thor asks how it could not be so when their reason for being is gone. Thor says that they are weakened to the point of dissolution. Thor says that none of them could achieve even a fraction of Odin’s magnificence. Loki says Thor speaks too soon. Sif says that Loki had better not b there to take Odin’s throne. Loki says that he wishes to lead, but knows that nobody would follow. Balder says that there is only one who could lead them and Loki agrees. Thor tells them not to say it. They say that Thor is the prince and must lead them. Thor says that he is unfit. Balder says that Odin groomed him, and even Loki says that he knew early on that Odin had picked Thor as his successor. Thor says that Odin was always testing him trying to teach him to lead. Thor says that his devotion to Midgard always disappointed Odin, and now with Odin’s passing Thor’s spirit is weakened. Thor says that until another is found that Odin’s throne must remain empty.
Lightning Crashes rating: 8 out of 10
Very nice story. The tribute to Odin was touching and Thor’s reaction to Odin’s death feels right. Thor refuses to accept Odin’s passing, and when he does accept it he is too emotionally distraught to accept his destiny. Real good feel to the book. I love that Skurge is back to life and nasty. This is long overdue in my opinion. I liked Desak so I’m happy to see him back. Along those lines I enjoyed the foreshadowing from the reactions of Odin’s death. Mephisto vs. Asgard would be classic. I’d also like a better effort from Ulik against Asgard. The only real question I have left is whether the Odinforce is gone or in waiting for Odin’s successor.
Immonen’s heavily inked pencils fitted the dark mood of the book. Don’t think that I gave him a four out of five because of my appreciation of his talents individually. It just worked very well in this issue of mourning.