| Synopsis
| - Thor is on his way back to Earth following his most recent trials in Asgard, along the way he is struck by some mystical force. Finding his attacker unseen and uncertain of the effects of the attack, Thor decides to continue on and travels the rest of the way across the dimensional gulf between Asgard and Midgard. Arriving above New York City, Thor heads toward Brooklyn where he maintains an apartment in his civilian guise of Sigurd Jarlson. As he lands he considers his previous mission in finding Odin in Hel. Deciding to check Surtur's realm of Muspelheim, he tries to use Mjolnir to transport him there, but finds that some magical force blocks him, and so he decides to go back to his apartment to think. Finding nothing but a matrice there he decides that it is no fit home for him and need to think elsewhere. Finding that company would ill suit him right now he decides to ponder things on the Empire State Building. There he spots a mugging happening in Central Park, and quickly defuses the situation until the police can come and take the mugger away. Thor muses about how humans face death every day and wonders how they can do it when compared to a god to whom death is almost impossible.
While back in Asgard, as Heimdall and the other Asgardians work to build a new sheath for the Odinsword as part of the recovery process of the powerful weapon, young Mick and Kev wake up to find themselves in a strange home. They are greeted by Volstagg, whom Thor had placed the boys in their care. The volumious Volstagg has the unfortunate duty of telling the boys that their mother is dead, and as expected the boys find this impossible to believe.
On Earth, Thor has resumed his mortal guise of Sigurd Jarlson, having decided to renew his mortal ties on Earth. He stops at the Lower Manhattan construction site of his old friend Jerry Sapristi whom he has not seen in some time. Sigurd explains to Jerry that he has had to deal with the death of his father and Jerry soon realizes that Sigurd does not have any family or many close friends to whom he could share his grief with. Jerry decides to call it a day early and insists that Jarlson join him and his family for dinner. Taking Sigurd to his Cobble Hill home, Thor is surprised by the sheer size of Jerry's family when he's introduced to them all: his wife Tin, and his children Ernesto, Pietro, Giovanni, Maria, Rosa and Gabriella. Jerry quickly explains to his wife that Sigurd is an old friend and she is soon welcomed into their home. Although Tina has her misgivings about the stranger, Sigurd quickly bonds with her youngest, Ernesto and after a hearty meal he helps with the dishes. With the hour drawing late, the Sapristi family invites Sigurd to stay the night, and after a little convincing he agrees much to their delight.
Asgard: Muninn returns to the royal throne room with a black feather for Balder, the king since Odin's death. Seeing the single black feather as a bad omen, he calls Heimdall and has him watch over Asgard while he investigates his hunch about the the feather.
The next day, Sigurd takes the Sapristi children out to Central Park where they spend the day at the zoo. After they sit in the park and he tells them a story about Thor's youth. How one day after slaying Frost Giants he came across a frozen lake where a boat being piloted by a ferryman named Harbard was working. Harbard would refuse to give him passage, when Thor would threaten him with violence the old ferryman would warn him as his magics and strength have wooed women, turned prince against prince and vanquished all his enemies. Thor would get fed up and take the long way around, and would later learn that Harbard was really his father in disguise. He explains to the children that his father was seeking to teach him that at the end of the day, the only person you can rely on is yourself.
Sigrid's storytelling is interrupted by the arrival of Puddlegulp and some of the other Frogs of Central Park. The children are astonished by the fact that not only are the frogs coming to Jarlson, but they also talk to him as well. Jarlson explains that these frogs are old friends of his. The frogs tell Jarlson something troubling indeed and when he tells the children he has to leave they tell him that they know he's really Thor. He's astonished, however they say that their father figured that Sigrud was some super-hero, and that they got a peak at Mjolnir that he's been carrying in his gym bag while he was sleeping. When they promise to keep his identity a secret, Sigrud transforms himself into Thor and rushes off into the sewers below.
Having been told by Puddlegulp that there is a massacre going on down there, Thor has decided to investigate. Thor is completely unaware of the fact that his travels are being watched in Hel by none other than Hela. Hela is the one who attacked him with a spell the day before, one that Thor will soon learn the effects. As Thor travels further down the sewers he finds the corpses of many slain Morlocks. Not far away, X-Factor's Angel screams in pain as he is helplessly has his wings pinned to the walls of the sewers by the Marauder Harpoon. To increase his agony, Blockbuster is causing him more pain by painfully plucking his feathers. Angel's screams sends Thor running to his rescue and he is soon attacked by Blockbuster, Vertigo and Harpoon. However, they prove to be no match for Thor who sends them fleeing by calling down the lightning. Seeing Angel in the shape that he is in is a horrifying sight indeed, however Thor notices that Angel is still alive. Before Thor can get Angel down, he hears the Marauders coming back to counter attack and he turns to face them ready to battle for Angel's life.
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