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Movie Tie-In #1: Thor and Beta Ray Bill


On the eve of the opening of Thor: Ragnarok we dive into Walt Simonson's Thor Omnibus and take a look at the first four stories which introduce us to Beta Ray Bill and the idea that anyone who is worthy can wield Thor's hammer, Mjolnir.

Thor (as Doctor Donald Blake) is summoned by Nick Fury when  S.H.I.E.L.D. detects a very fast moving object headed toward our solar system. An object that devours suns!

When an imminent threat appears a half a galaxy away, Nick Fury seeks out the Mighty Thor!

Thor heads off into space while in Asgard a very unhappy Sif is seeking a battle worthy of her skills to take her mind off of Thor.

Upon reaching the fast approaching space ship, Thor is mistaken for a demon by Beta Ray Bill whose mission is to protect his people that have been under demonic attack for millennia. Thor is transformed into Donald Blake and loses Mjolnir which has reverted back into his walking stick.

Finding the walking stick, Beta Ray Bill strikes it and finds himself transformed into Beta Ray Thor! At this point, Odin appears to recall Thor back to Asgard in preparation for some coming disaster, only Odin mistakes Beta Ray Thor for his own son!

In many respects Beta Ray Bill is a cosmic "pure fool" not unlike Parsifal, like Parsifal, Bill is charged with the salvation of his people who have been under demonic attack for some time.

Beta Ray Bill on the cover of Thor 337 sent sales through the roof!
Bill seems to be ignorant of the difference between the gods who could help him and the demons who pursue him. But he is a noble warrior and once in Asgard, he is made to tell his story. Many years ago, Bill's people come under demonic assault. It is decided they need to flee their home world but a champion must be chosen to guard the slumbering masses as they migrate through the great expanse. Bill is among the chosen but the only one to survive the genetic changes that will make him even stronger, making him a monster among his own people. But now that he has Mjolnir, for the first time he feels he has a fighting chance against the demons.

Odin is touched by Bill's story and decides only way to award Mjolnir is a duel to the death between Thor and Bill and so, Odin sends them to a fiery underworld where both warriors fight valiantly but the arena itself gives Bill the advantage and Thor is defeated. Yet Beta Ray Bill cannot bring himself to kill a warrior as noble as Thor and so carries Thor's battered body back to Odin.

While both warriors convalesce, Odin seeks out the dwarfs to create a new hammer.

Eventually, Thor, Beta Ray Bill, and Lady Sif head out in Thor's goat cart to rescue the fleet. Odin warns them that the source of the demons must be destroyed or all will be lost. Lady Sif stays with the fleet while Thor and Bill press on to stop the demons at their source.

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Thor by Walt Simonson Omnibus (Mighty Thor) by Walt Simonson
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