Thor 347“Into the Realm of Faerie!”
0.60 USD/0.75 CAN @ September 1984
Writer: Walter Simonson
Penciler: Walter Simonson
Inker: Walter Simonson
Colorist: Christie Scheele
Letterer: John Workman Jr.
Editors: Mark Gruenwald
Editor in Chief: Jim Shooter
Synopsis: Thor and Roger Willis approached the Cotswolds of England separately, a land of wooded hills and shadowed valleys, where the ancient and powerful realm of faerie is hidden from the sight of man. The faeries, invisible to mortal eyes, were able to get the drop on Roger Willis and knock him out. They were warned by Malekith that Thor and his companion will be in their realm soon to rescue the woman, Lorelei that was held in their realm. They were about to get the Casket of Ancient Winters from Roger, when Thor arrived and beat them.
Thor took the oil of vision from their fallen enemies and dropped some on Roger Willis's eyes so he will see them in their realm. And now he can also see the castle. Thor advised them to be on their way and not waste time because he thinks his lady, Melodi (disguised Lorelei) is in peril within.
Meanwhile in the Endless Desert Beyond in Asgard, a battle is taking place between a sand devil and Balder the Brave armed with only a piece of wood. A silent witness, who's there to kill Balder, watched Balder attack the giant sand devil beast with just a stick of wood in a fool hardy attack showing courage that will lead to almost certain death. Balder is defending the little girl from the monster, and thought a well placed jab between its armored segments would persuade the beast to abandon the girl. And the beast turned to attack where Balder jabbed it, apparently getting hurt, but Balder fell. The silent witness threw his sword at Balder to use as he wanted to slay Balder for his personal glory, he cannot stand by and watch him be slain by the creature. His sword might help Balder. Balder was thinking the creature is about to kill him when he noticed the sword. He picked it up, feeling the fates has smiled upon him, and attacked the creature. Wielding the sword, Balder slashed and attacked. Wounding the insides of its exposed mouth, Balder drove the creature underneath the sands where it vanished. The young woman thanked him for saving her. She told him he will be rewarded for his gallant deed, and she held his hands and whisked themselves away without a trace. The silent witness approached his sword, and vowed to find Balder the Brave, not to kill him but to offer his his sword in homage, for he has never seen a deed of prowess with his own eyes. He swore to find him, swore Agnar of Vanaheim.
Back in the Faerie Castle in the English Cotswolds, Thor and Roger gown down steps that led them to a rocky cavern filled with water. They then waded through the water, and suddenly found themselves attacked by water elementals in this world where all things are magical and dangerous, the realm of the Faerie. The water elemental monsters look to feast on the two. Thor grabbed Roger and whirled Mjolnir and driving water and rocks away, he also drove away the water elementals. And as the water emptied and beneath their icy depths revealed the Great Gates of Faerie, which is the entrance to that primeval realm. Roger told Thor perhaps they should get some reinforcements before entering, but Thor said his woman might be in danger, and no Faerie will prevent him from seeking her.
Beyond the great gate, Malekith rallies his dark elves/faeries to attack Thor and his "servant" outside and show them no mercy. The gate is shattered by Thor and Mjolnir and attacked them. Wormwood, Malekith's servant told Malekith that Thor may be ensorceled by Lorelei's golden mead, but his fighting ability is not hampered. Malekith is about to change the battle by having Thor affected in the middle of the heat of battle and seeing the lady he thinks he loves in mortal danger, making him vulnerable.
Balder and the young lady arrived at the entrance to a great cavern beyond the endless desert of Asgard, Balder is bewildered that the woman in his presence has the looks of a young woman, but there is an aura of great age upon her, as though she had lived beyond her age, and he told her this. She agreed. Her name is Wyrd, and she and her sisters are old, and welcomed him to their home, the green valley filled with the mighty root of the World Ash, Yggsdrasil itself. She changed to her true form and revealed herself to be a Norn, The Keeper of Fate that rule even the gods... one of the Three Sisters of Fate. Below them is the well of Wyrd, filled with the Water of Life. She and her sisters have been waiting since the dawn of time to speak with Balder the Brave at this time and place.
We rejoin the battle beyond the Great Gate, and Thor is breaking through with Mjolnir, but was leaving Roger Willis behind in his wake. There is a door opening to a tunnel, but nothing emerged from it. Roger complained to Thor that he is going to deep and leaving him behind. Then in Thor's eyes, he sees Malekith holding Melodi and about to feed her to his monsters. Thor aghast, made his way toward her to save her, but Roger screaming at an non-hearing Thor that it is an illusion, that he killed all those demons already. Thor still entered the dark chamber. He was surprised by a devastating blow by Algrim the Strong, which brought down Thor.
In Asgard's throne room, Odin has summoned the Warriors Three and ordered them to gather and order the fighting men of Asgard and her allies in every corner of Asgard to prepare the armed might of the golden realm against a horde of enemies about to break against Asgard.
Algrim raised Thor's prone body about to hurl it, when Thor gave him a devastating punch to the face saying that Algrim's strength is nothing compared to Ulik the Troll and is less than nothing compared to the Thunder God. Malekith is satisfied his illusion has served its purpose, and ordered a dark elf to spring the trap which collapsed the entire tunnel, collapsing everything on Thor and Algrim. Roger screamed for Thor, but he could not hear as he and Algrim fell beneath the bottomless chasm.
Malekith gloated that he has finally gotten his revenge on being banished by Odin. He has killed Thor. He gave Lorelei to his minion, Wormwood, but treat her as she deserved for her magical golden mead did help them defeat Thor. He summoned the faeries to bring forth Roger Willis and opened his bag and finally, Malekith the Accursed has in his possession the Casket of Ancient Winters, which is in his hands once more. And only one thing is left for Malekith, and that is to decide the fate of Eric's son, Roger. He is tempted to feed him to his monsters, but since Roger has seen things no mortal eyes should have seen, he has decided to blind Roger, and with all his Eldritch powers zapped Roger, who was being held, and his last sight was Malekith. Everything turned black, and Roger is blind, and broke away from the faeries and ran. The faeries were going to pursue but was held back by Malekith citing a blind man is of no consequence. He is blind and cannot find his way out. For now, they have the Casket and must prepare the task of spreading chaos in Midgard and preparing the arrival of their master and his legions. And they headed to the crystal chamber. But unknown to Malekith, Roger has a steel plate inside his head, and knowing that steel and iron is trouble to the dark elves, Roger is hoping that whatever Malekith zapped him with, will dissipate, but for now it felt as if a flashbulb blew up in his eyes, but he vowed to make Malekith regret killing his father and messing with the Willis family.
Roger's sight slowly came back and he tried to climb out of the rest of the tunnels, but ended up by a cliff which overlooked the crystal chamber. And in the middle, Malekith is holding up the Casket and after a lengthy speech, he is going to open it and release the curse upon the earth, and the destroying fire shall arrive cleansing the world in his master's image. And beyond the crystal stands his master, Surtur with his sword Twilight and legions. And all that is needed is for Surtur to blow the crystal with three strikes from his sword, and it shall shatter and he and his legions can come through Earth.
Comments: What made Walter Simonson's run a very interesting and exciting read for a comic book reader is that he wrote and drew many of Thor's supporting cast to be involved in many different aspects of the story. Some involved the Norse Mythology stories told in a modern way's sensibilities which added depth to a simple superhero story. And then there are other supporting characters in their own adventure story, like Balder's. Then there is the whole overarching long-term storyline sub-plot that is building up to be the main world-shattering upcoming main story... Surtur, his massive army, and the upcoming Ragnarok epic story.
The enchanted golden mead Thor drank last issue is really having a strong effect on his head. He doesn't think straight, and even the wise words of Roger Willis asking for them to get back-up before entering the gates of the Faeries, was disregarded by Thor because he thinks his woman is in danger. Reckless abandon has replaced his logical reasoning. This usually leads to disaster.
Simonson's run is not only entertaining, but it is also very enlightening. If a person is not familiar with Norse mythology, then the reader gets introduced to aspects of it. I loved the part that the three Norn Sisters of Fate are actually in an hierarchy higher than that of the Norse gods. And it also entices to be curious and read up about them, and perhaps even research them. These triumvirate of sisters are like the Fates of European myths. And then it gets you to read outside of the Thor Simonson run, and expand your curiosity and understanding of Norse folklore and mythology and even perhaps generate an interest in the reader to read beyond the comic books, and perhaps seek books in the bookstore or library regarding the real Thor and Norse mythology.
And that last panel with Surtur's glowing eyes and smiling face. It's the look of a troublemaking child who finally got the toy he has been wishing for a long time.
