WALT SIMONSON continues to lay the foundation for his legendary run on THE MIGHT THOR with the 3rd issue in "
THE BALLAD OF BETA RAY BILL" arc. In the last issue, Odin bade THOR and BILL to battle to the death, with
Mjolnir as the prize hanging in the balance! THOR was bested by BILL, but instead of letting his opponent die on the battlefield, BILL took THOR's unconscious body back to ASGARD to claim the mighty mystic hammer so he might have the added power to defend his people.
When the two warriors return, both are near death. Odin oversees their recovery and both THOR and BILL are torn. Thor feels unworthy of his title and Bill feels guilty for besting an honorable warrior and taking his weapon. Bill asks Odin for help with the dilemma and Odin agrees.
Odin travels to the realm of Nidavellir and beseeches
Eitri, the forger of Thor's mystic URU hammer, for help to build a new hammer. Eitri agrees, but only if Asgard send a female warrior to defend the drawfs. Sif arrives at Odin's request and after the battle, finds comfort and strength when getting to know BILL. In a way, she senses the honor within him perhaps similar to that of Thor.
With the debt fulfilled, Eitri (with Odin's great power) forges a new hammer as a gift to BETA RAY BILL. The hammer is named
STORMBREAKER.
This is probably my favorite issue of the story arc. It shows BILL to be an honorable character completely worthy of THOR's hammer to a point where you almost feel bad that he doesn't get it. But it all works out in the end...especially when your father is the King of Asgard!
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