Random Happenstance

Over the years, I've mentioned Walt Simonson's run on Thor a number of times, usually to the effect that it's the coolest and you should be reading it now, even if you already have. This ties into his run, and has Walt as a consultant, so that's something, right? Right? Let's see! From 1987, Mephisto Vs. #4, "His Satanic Majesty's Request" Written by Al Milgrom, pencils by John Buscema, inks by Bob Wiacek.

We looked at Mephisto Vs. (X-Factor) #2 last year, and I think I just got #3 from a dollar bin recently...is it handy right now? Don't be silly! I also probably read these back when they first came out, but I read a friend's and maybe didn't have my own for some time. This issue, Mephisto has a nice set of mutants new added to Hell: Storm, Psylocke, Dazzler, and Rogue. The first three fade out, returning to earth: Mephisto had tricked Rogue into stealing their essences, but could only keep them as long as Rogue's powers could. Mephisto had actually brought her physically to Hell; which he usually wouldn't, and he has to caution his staff to be careful with her. A minor demon turns on Mephisto, and when the first one doesn't burst into flames immediately, others follow. Rogue wonders if Mephisto was as all-powerful as he seemed before, when the Living Tribunal shows up, who also seems to wonder if Mephisto was weakening: he was up to something, and accuses Hela of being behind his problems. She had stolen some souls, which Thor had later freed. 

This tied into Thor #380: under Hela's curse, Thor was unkillable, but his bones were brittle as graham crackers--I've used that line before discussing that curse; I don't know if that comparison was in the material somewhere, or if graham crackers are more fragile than other kinds of crackers? Thor had fought, and seemingly slain, the Midgard Serpent; and survived...sort of, having shattered every bone in his body. Mephisto takes Rogue with him, to offer Thor the sweet release of death, in exchange for his soul...Meanwhile, outside of the ring of fire Mephisto put up to keep out looky-lous, two Quinjets full of Avengers have arrived, east and west coast teams. Iron Man and She-Hulk aren't able to penetrate the wall of flames; nor is Captain Marvel.

Hela arrives, to yell at Mephisto for interfering in a private feud: Thor pipes up, he won't go with either, he'll just sit there and suffer if he has to. Mephisto compels Rogue to give Thor a final kiss, but instead of absorbing his powers, she seemingly releases his spirit, which is his old-school look. Done with her, Mephisto returns Rogue to the X-Men, after he's bagged Thor's spirit in "mystic mylar." Hela opens a hole in the wall of fire, letting the Avengers in as a distraction, then steals Thor away to "a distant dimension where I can free him from your encumberance undisturbed!" That is a sentence all right. Iron Man calls out Mephisto, who's busy concentrating on where Hela might have gone, and Cap checks if Thor is maybe okay...no. No, he is not. While those injuries weren't at Mephisto's hands, he doesn't correct the Avengers, letting them believe he had that kind of power. Still, he was fighting on two fronts: while most of the Avengers weren't a problem, he was still distracted trying to find Hela.

The Avengers don't exhibit a lot of teamwork (or Mephisto just no-sales their powers) and get crushed and knocked out; while Mephisto finds Hela and retakes Thor's soul, down to Hell. Thor still seems to have Mjolnir, and resists the lesser demons, so Mephisto tries to lure him in with battles and dames. Thor resists, and Mephisto doubts he will ever break: he asks Hela if she will claim her prize now, but she wasn't done watching him suffer, and Mephisto returns Thor's soul to his broken body...but under his breath wonders if she wasn't going to regret "winning" there. (And he's right!) Hela wipes the memories of the assembled Avengers, who return to their respective bases, with mystic member Dr. Druid announcing he would investigate "the source of our confusion." Yeah, I'm sure he got right on that.

Mephisto returns to Hell, seemingly empty-handed, inspiring the lesser demons to rise up against him, which lasts about a panel before they're reduced to a literal puddle. Mephisto has another conversation with the Living Tribunal: this was all according to plan. He knew Thor would resist him, and in doing so gain the strength to resist Hela, keeping that piece off the board. He ends the series with a good laugh over the trouble he had caused, and how "truly evil is its own reward." Aside from the reader, his only confidente appears to be a green snake-thing; so that's open to debate.