Flashback: Odin
stands before the world-tree Yggdrasil. He sacrifices an eye to gain the tree’s
wisdom. The tree responds with a parable: “The story always changes. The
meaning always remains. There is always a sacrifice. Always a cost. For the
winter to end. For spring to come again.” And it informs him that someday his
children will make their sacrifices….
Before the
shattered Statue of Liberty, Thor faces the God of the Superstorm, Toranos, and
brings down the All-Power upon him—and he shrugs it off. Toranos unleashes his
attack and Thor must leap out of the way. But with the All-Power comes the need
for the All-Sleep (formerly the Odin-Sleep) to recharge his strength and Thor
grows weary. Thor marshals the All-Power and opens a gateway to the farthest
shore of Eternity and calls up a mighty wind to push Toranos through and then
he closes the portal. Thor then employs the Power to reverse all damage done by
Toranos’ attacks, though he cannot bring the dead back to life.
Knowing that Toranos
will eventually return for him, he realizes he can’t stay on Earth or return to
Asgard and go into the All-Sleep, he departs and heads to the moon. There, in
the Gray Area, founded and abandoned by the Inhumans, he collapses. Loki, now
both male and female, appears before him and Thor asks for help. Loki responds
with the question, “Will you trust me?” Thor resists answering but eventually agrees.
Then Loki asks, “Will you trust me even as your enemy?” Thor tries to fathom
the meaning of this question but eventually he again agrees. Loki is
transformed into his appearance as the God and Goddess of Stories. Thor asks, “Do
you trust yourself?” And Loki waves a wand…and suddenly there is another crater
on the moon’s surface as Loki floats peacefully above….