Thor 2000Thor 2000
Title: “Final Confrontation”
Writer: Dan Jurgens
Penciller: Jerry Ordway
Inker: Jerry Ordway
Colors: Moose Baumann
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Thor tells everyone to stand back, and that though honor demands that he follow Thanos and Mangog that it is also urgent that he returns to Midgard and end the guise of his mortal guise as Jake Olsen forever. Jane Foster says that Thor can’t do that. Thor says that he doesn’t have time for it anymore because they are faced with a threat so large that he must shun the affairs of mortal man. Thor says that Mangog and Thanos are both evil personified, and that they have the Map of All-Ending and the Chalice of Ruins. Odin agrees and says that they are now after the Designate. He says that if they should harness the power of the Designate they will unleash wave after wave of death across the universe. Jane Foster says that so many people depend on Jake like Hannah, her daughter, and the lives that Jake saves as a paramedic. Thor says that it is a life rooted in falsehood and failure. Thor says that from day one he has been plagued with problems and false accusations. Thor says that even now the police are seeking to arrest Jake Olsen. Jane Foster tells Thor to go back and fix those problems instead of running away. Odin tells Jane Foster to watch it and that to even suggest that Thor is a coward is blasphemy. Jane apologizes, but says that Thor’s decision is so rash. Thor says that this might be for the best, and that Jane spoke of another Jake Olsen that walks among them. Jane says that Jake is a murderer, a product of some kind of trick or illusion. Thor says that all life in the cosmos depends on him right now, and that it is to them that he must be true. Thor says that he is going to go turn Jake Olsen into the authorities. He spins his hammer and leaves for Earth leaving Jane Foster behind.
Jane says that Thor is off to make a mess and she is stuck in Asgard. Odin tells Jane not to worry about it and that he knows her and will be kind to her. Jane asks if Odin will stop Thor from doing this and go after Thanos instead of Thor. Odin says that he is still weakened from Tarakis’ potions, and that Thor is going to have to do this. Odin says that he would happily return her to Midgard if she wants though. Jane says that she understands that Thor is up against something big, but that it doesn’t mean that he has to burn any bridges. Sif begs Odin to listen to Jane Foster. She says that it wasn’t so long ago that they shared one body as Thor and Jake Olsen do now. She says that they are not unlike sisters. Jane says that she is sure that Odin remembers times when she has questioned his wisdom. Odin tells her to watch it. Jane says that Jake is a part of Thor right now much the same way that his hammer or his right arm is. Odin says that he doesn’t want to hear anymore of this. Jane says that is sort of the problem. She says that Odin supports Thor’s commitment to the cosmos, but he is always ready to let Thor dump on the mortals that depend on him. Odin says that his patience is at an end. Jane says that she meant no disrespect, but that she only wanted him to understand. Jane says that there is a woman in love with Jake that doesn’t deserve to have him taken away from her, and that there is also something sinister going on there. Odin is interested by the idea that something sinister is involved. Jane says that someone is messing with Thor. She asks that if Jake Olsen really did die then how can there be two of them and one of them is so evil. Odin’s raven Hescamar says that the true Jake Olsen did die, and that for there to be two means that someone must have raised him from the dead. Odin leads everyone to the Flame of Truth to find out what is going on. The Flame reveals Jake Olsen pulling a gun out of his jacket. A voice is telling Jake that it is time to do the robbery. Odin hears the voice and knows that some guides Olsen to evil. Odin overcomes the invisibility of the spell and causes Loki to be seen by him. Jane says that Loki must have brought Jake back from the dead to bedevil Thor. Jane says that they have to tell Thor so he can stop Loki. Odin says that they don’t have the time. Jane says that Thor saved all of Asgard from the Dark Gods, and that Odin owes him one. She asks if an hour is too much to ask “to end Loki’s miserable interference once and for all”. Sif and Balder apologize for Jane Foster, but both say that Odin should consider what she said. Odin asks if they are taking her side over his wisdom. Balder says that he is ever Odin’s humble servant, but that he asks on bended knee that he consider what she says. Odin thinks for a moment and then says that it should never be said that he is without compassion even on the brink of doom. Odin sends a message to Thor.
Thor is flying along when he feels a sensation coming from Odin. Odin tells Thor that before he goes ahead with what he is doing that he should know that the trouble with Jake Olson was designed by Loki. Odin shows Thor an image of Jake Olson about to enter a liquor store to rob it. Thor says that even though Thanos is a huge threat that an affront to the Odinson must not go unchallenged.
Jake Olson tells the man at the counter to back up. The old man says that he doesn’t want to do this. He points out the camera and says that his face is going to be plastered all over the place. Loki watches and says that this is the perfect plan. He says that man’s technology will capture the merchant’s death and then Thor will be arrested for sure. Loki is stunned, as he watches the surveillance screen, while “Jake Olson” walks in. He tells the real Jake to give him the gun, and that he knows that he does not belong there. Jake says that the only thing he is going to give him is a slug because he did this to him and stole his life. “Jake” says that someone stole his peace, but that is wasn’t him. He says that he doesn’t belong here and that he has to go back. Loki tells Jake not to listen and that only by killing the impersonator will he have his life back. Jake agrees and “Jake” realizes that Loki is there talking to him. Donald P. Stuvig, the man behind the counter, draws his own gun. Jake reacts and shoots him. “Jake” tackles the real Jake. Loki tells Jake to shoot again because if Thor’s mortal form dies then his immortal form will die as well. “Jake” wants to know why he shot that man, but Jake just says that the voice told him to. “Jake” says that Jake is scum, a thief, a drug dealer, and a user. He says that he used Hannah and that he will see that he pays for that. “Jake” punches Jake. Loki says that he isn’t going to let Thor snatch victory from him. “Jake” turns to Donald and starts steadying him for the EMT’s to arrive. Loki tries to yell at Jake to get up, but Jake is unconscious. Loki enters Jake’s body and animates it. Loki/Jake picks up the gun and points it to the back of Thor/Jake’s head.
Balder tells Odin that the depths of his eldest son’s evil knows no bounds. Balder begs Odin’s forgiveness for questioning him, but he asks if he isn’t sure that he shouldn’t step in on the conflict between siblings. Odin says that Thor is renown as a warrior is sung far and wide, and that “for a father to interfere in the business of brothers would be unseemly! And yet… ne’er before hath the stakes been so high… the consequences so dire!” Odin says that it is time for him to intercede, and that there shall come a reckoning.
Odin appears before Loki/Jake and tells Loki that he dares too much. Odin says that Loki is evil, but that he is still subject to the will of his father and liege. Odin tells him to drop his weapon and kneel before him. Loki says that he will not when victory is so close at hand. Odin does not appear on the security camera’s footage. Loki/Jake is seemingly talking to no one. Odin says that if Loki uses that weapon that he will banish him from Asgard forever. Loki starts to object, but Odin says that it is not Loki’s place to question his will. Odin punishes Loki and confines him within the mortal body of Jake Olson and strips him of his Asgardian power. Odin says that Loki will be “unable to depart until thou hast earned thy freedom!” Loki drops to his knees and says that he is mortal.
At the police station, Matt Murdock stands with the two Jake Olson’s, Hannah, and Jane Foster. Demetrius is watching the tape from the attempted robbery. He says that the fact that Jake Olson has a twin brother is news to him. Murdock says that very few knew of it as “Loren” is considered the black sheep of the family (the evil twin). Murdock says that the tape clearly shows Loren as the guilty part, and that a fingerprints examination will prove that Loren has been using Jake’s apartment for months and is the sole guilty party of stealing the drugs from the hospital. “Loren” steps forward and says that it is time for him to come clean. He says that he wouldn’t want to disappoint their father any longer by lying. Loren says that until Jake came back to New York that he didn’t know that he was using his apartment. Demetrius asks if that means that he couldn’t tell the difference between the two brothers when he started riding with the real Jake. Hannah asks why Jake didn’t tell him that he had a twin. Jake says that even he didn’t know what was happening until very recently. Demetrius says that he is going to keep investigating, but that for now Jake goes free and Loren goes into lock-up. Demetrius says that he is glad that it worked out this way and that he always wanted him to be innocent. Jake says that he is glad to know that they are friends again.
As they walk out of the station, Jake shakes Murdock’s hand and thanks him for his work. Jane tells Hannah and Jake that she will leave them to talk, but that if Jake sees his father to say “hi” for her. Hannah asks Jake if she is engaged to him or to his brother. Jake says that in truth it was Loren. Hannah says that she is going to be sick. Jake says that he didn’t even live in New York when the two of them met. Jake says that he was shocked to find Loren there using his name. Hannah guesses that he arrived after that business with the Destroyer and Avengers. She says that he seemed different after that. Jake says that the only way that he could catch him was to assume his life the way that he had done to him. Jake says that she might not believe him, but that he has her best interests at heart. Hannah says that she does believe him and asks where he is going now. Jake says that he is going home to deal with some family business. Hannah asks if he will be back. Jake says that he will return to keep the paramedic job to make up for what Loren did. Hannah tells Jake to call her when he returns. She kisses him and goes.
Jake runs into an alley, changes into Thor, and flies off into the sky.
Elsewhere, in a place of golden harmony, Jake Olson’s spirit asks Odin if he is God. Odin says that he just wishes to balance the cosmic scales. Odin says that Jake was a criminal in life, but that his life was sullied by another in death. Odin says that no man should suffer that. Jake begs Odin not to send him back to Mephisto. Odin says that there is a power far greater than his, and that it is to him that Odin commends his spirit. Odin tells Jake to let peace envelop him as he has suffered enough.
Demetrius throws Loren into a jail cell. Loki thinks to himself that if only he could speak the truth, but then he would be exiled forever. Demetrius says that Loren is going to pay for what he has done. Loki’s spirit hollers with his mortal body as he shouts, “NO!”
Lightning Crashes rating: 4 out of 10
Man, Jane Foster is annoying! The first problem with this story is I’m not sure why Thor has to go turn Jake Olsen into the authorities before going off to deal with Thanos and Mangog. I don’t get how this is pertinent at all. Go deal with Thanos and Mangog first and then deal with Jake afterwards. Secondly, Jane Foster whines for pages about how Hannah and her daughter depend on Jake… but what good will it do if everyone on Earth is wiped out in one of the waves of death that Thanos and Mangog create? Time to prioritize. Jane Foster is actually advocating that Thor waste his time caring what Hannah feels for Jake when untold billions could die. Take it to the Lifetime channel please. Also, Loki has been trying to get Thor forever, and now he is going to stop because Odin yells at him? That’s pretty lame. Evil twin brother? Soap opera lame. Ordway’s artwork is decent, but not exactly setting the world on fire either.
Title: “Of Ashes and Defeat”
Writer: Dan Jurgens
Art: Jose Ladronn
Color: Jose Ladronn
Editor: Tom Brevoort
The Recorder stands on a destroyed Rigel. He says that it is his job “to chronicle and document the most significant of events for my masters”, and that one of those events is the destruction of their planet. Recorder says that throughout the cosmos that Rigel is accepted as one of the greatest civilizations ever. He says that words cannot adequately express the horror of the story he recounts. Recorder says that it was only seventeen hours, twelve minutes, and thirty-two seconds ago when an unknown craft entered Rigel’s atmosphere. He says that it avoided the most sensitive and advanced detection systems ever invented and appeared suddenly. Mangog then appeared and told them to kneel down before his might. Mangog then began attacking without provocation or reason. The people of Rigel, despite their scientific accomplishments, couldn’t offer much in the way of defense. They knew that only the most desperate measures might succeed. In order to save as many as possible, the Rigellians used the “Sun Shredder”, capable of tearing the core of a star apart, to destroy 422 square blocks of their capital city in an attempt to stop Mangog. Mangog however was not stopped and his rampage continued for another nine hours. Finally the Rigellians were forced to order an evacuation and took off in their enormous space arks. Mangog destroyed one of the space arks and killed 12, 216 passengers.
Fearing that the end was near, High
Commissioner Emertius and his staff fled to a massive bunker that
was built to withstand any attack. The bunker was not built
however to withstand a surprise intrusion. They found Thanos
waiting for them inside the bunker. 
Thanos does not
greet them, but simply says, “The Fire Jewel, give it to me
and Mangog’s attack will end.” Knowing that the Fire
Jewel would only be of use to one with the Map of All-Ending and
a desire to find the Designate Emertius refused. Thanos offers no
response, but rather his ship attacks with a “searing
radiation burst that ripped across the planet’s
surface”. In 11.7 seconds Rigel’s population was cut by
50%, and in 24.2 seconds only 12% of the people survived. Despite
the protests of Tana Nile and others, Emertius was forced to tell
Thanos where he kept the Fire Jewel. Thanos’ ship ripped out
the entire vault where the Fire Jewel was kept and pulled it
aboard. Recorder said that with the Fire Jewel Thanos can use the
Map of All-Ending to illuminate the true path to the Designate.
Recorder says that Thanos now controls the fate of the universe,
and that none are likely to survive. Thor says that if this is
true then it is upon his shoulders that salvation rests. A
surviving Rigellian calls out to Thor and says that if Thanos
gets to the Designate that all they know will be destroyed. Thor
asks if the Rigellian knows where the map guides Thanos to next.
The Rigellian responds, “To M’Hass! Beyond that…
only Thanos knows!” Thor says that he has to pursue Thanos
and not intercept him. As Thor flies to M’Hass, Recorder
says that he believes that these next few hours will be their
last.
STORY CONTINUES IN THOR VOL. 2 #22
Lightning Crashes rating: 8 out of 10
I didn’t care much for Ladronn’s work when I was first exposed to it, but I have to admit that it is growing on me. While Thor was off playing lovey dove with Hannah Fairmount the Rigellians were being wiped from existence. Very ominous, very Thanos, very Mangog. Good story and very interesting art. I wish that there were more close up shots of Mangog though instead of the panoramic view of his destruction though.