Journey Into Mystery (1st series) #638

Issue Date: 
July 2012
Story Title: 
Exiled – part 4: The Oldest Lie
Staff: 

Kieron Gillen, Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning (writers), Carmine Di Giandomenico (artist), Sotocolor (colorist), VC’s Clayton Cowles (letterer), Stephanie Hans (cover), John Denning & Jake Thomas (assistant editors), Lauren Sankovitch & Bill Rosemann (editors), Axel Alonso (editor in chief), Joe Quesada (chief creative officer), Dan Buckley (publisher), Alan Fine (Exec. Publisher)
special thanks to Sebastian Girner

Brief Description: 

As the Disir attack the neighborhood, the New Mutants and amnesiac Asgardians try their best to stop them. Luke hides from the attack, still unable to believe that all of this is real. He is attacked by the homeless dog again and recognizes him as his dog Thori. As he remembers, he turns back into Loki. In the meantime, Dani cuts herself to lure the Disir away from normal people with blood. Loki joins her and leads the chasing Disir to Helen and Leigh. Seeing Leigh threatened, Helen turns back into Hela. She deputizes Dani and gives her weapons to capture the Disir, which Dani passes along to the others. She notices the all the Disir flee save for one who enters Sigurd’s apartment and is more interested in confronting him. Dani and Loki capture her and Brun tells them the Disirs true story. Once, they were sworn to be Bor’s celibate shield maidens. Bor went hunting and one of his allies, the mercenary Sigurd and his men, came to visit. Sparks flew between the two groups, especially Sigurd and Brun, and the women decided to have sex with the men. They were surprised by the retuning Bor, who had been hunting for Sigurd, whom Brun helped escape. As punishment, Bor turned the girls into their current form. Their only possibility of breaking the curse was killing or marrying Sigird, who didn’t even consider saving them. Angrily, Dani decides the Disir have to be helped and calls the spirit of Bor from Hel to administer the wedding between Sigurd and the Disir.

Full Summary: 

With Sigurd’s spell partially broken, the Disir are now attacking the neighborhood and the New Mutants and human amnesiac Asgardians are trying their best to stop them.

Dani tries to hold back Arthur, warning him he’ll get himself killed when he tries to attack a Disir about to devour a woman. Luckily, Warlock intervenes.

Arthur tells Dani he may just be a regular Joe, but he has to be able to help somehow. No, matter what, Dani replies, calling him Thor, he doesn’t stop being a hero. Arthur denies being Thor. He’s just doing what anyone would do. Dani suggests he get people out of the way. The Disir are intangible to weapons, and bloodthirsty.

Bloodthirsty, she repeats and has an idea. She cuts her palm. They can be lures. She shows a pair of Disir the bloody hand and two of them hunt after her.

In a back alley, Luke tries to hide from the chaos, only now realizing the New Mutants were serious when they claimed he was Loki. He considered it all a game. How could he be Loki? Though it would be awesome, he admits. And now everyone’s getting eaten and it’s kinda sorta his fault.

That moment, his nemesis, the homeless puppy, attacks and attaches himself to Luke’s arm. Luke shouts a string of insults. “Let go of me, Thori!” he cries and finally remembers. A moment later, he is transformed, now wearing Loki’s garb. Ikol is back to being a real bird once more and Thori still gnaws at the piece of cloth he tore off.

Loki asks Ikol (a remnant of his former self) if he really gave the spell to Sigurd. Before he died, Ikol confirms. When he bound Bor’s handmaidens to his service, he forced their true story from them. He found Sigurd and struck a deal. He didn’t think to mention this to him? Loki shouts. He didn’t ask, Ikol points out. Lying by omission is still lying, Loki insists. Ikol reminds him that he is his evil version. What in Midgard’s name did he expect? Loki grabs Thori and climbs over the fence.

Nearby, Dani goads two Disir to follow her. No, follow us, Loki announces as he joins her. Sheepishly he apologizes. Does he know how to break the spell now? Dani asks. Breaking the spell is not the problem, Loki explains. It’s shaky now. Anything which echoes a true relationship is enough. Stopping the Dark Sisterhood is the problem. Can he stop the Disir? Dani asks. Somersaulting out of harm’s way, he replies no... but he knows a dutiful lady who can.

Not too far away, Luke’s foster mother Helen is calling in his fosters sister Leigh for dinner, when Loki and Dani followed by the Disir come running. He brought some friends to play! Loki announces and grabs Leigh and holds her fast.

When the Disir is about to get them, Helen turns back into Hela and her power drives the monster away. Thank the heavens for Hela’s overactive sense of duty, Loki remarks to Leah who swears she’ll hate him forever. Hela clads Dani in her Valkyrie armor and orders her to deputize the worthy. Let none escape!

Nearby, Arthur is driven into a corner. Dani attacks the Disir, threatening them with the weapons given to her by Hela. Leah hands out harpoons and nets to Arthur and the New Mutants, who capture several Disir.

The others flee, but Dani notices that one isn’t. She is inside in Sigurd’s apartment. Brun threatens Sigurd, hissing that she’s waited so long. Dani and Loki capture Brun. Dames! Sigurd scoffs. Brun demands to be let free. Let it end! After what he’s done! What’s she going on about? Dani asks Sigurd, who replies evasively. Nothing comes from his tongue but stories, Brun interrupts him, enough stories! Let them speak of truth…

Brun’s story:

Long ago, the Disir were the shieldmaidens of Odin’s father Bor. One day, he announced to them that he would hunt until the full moon and ordered them to guard the castle. And so it was.

One night, a group of warriors led by Sigurd was at the castle gates. Brun decided to open the door for the visitors, despite Gondul’s misgivings. Sigurd’s men are foreign mercenaries of uncertain character. Brun reminded her that they were mercenaries sworn to Bor’s service. The men were invited.

Sometime later, the shield maidens watched them during battle practice. Kara pointed out that Sigurd is pretty while Brun feigned indifference.

Sigurd asked Brun for the dance and the two did battle and flirted. Sigurd offered her a night of love, a night free from a tyrant like Bor. It is the least their sisterhood deserves. They should be cherished. No matter what happens, it does not stop him loving her. That will be true forever! “Forever” is a pretty word, Brun smiled. She likes the sound of it.

Later at night, the Disir discussed the invitation of Sigurd’s men and its meaning. Brun wanted to accept. They are shieldmaidens and carry oaths but they swore as unflowered girls to serve an ugly, vicious brute. What choice have they ever had? Gondul warned the others and was ignored. The Disir joined the men for the party.

Much later in the night, a furious Bor returned to the surprise of the women and their lovers who didn’t expect him back. Bor replied he said he would hunt until the full moon. He did not say what was his quarry.

Sigurd and Brun were in the shed. Brun gave Sigurd her steed to flee.

Having killed all the mercenaries, Bor shouted for Sigurd’s head. Calmly, Brun informed him he was gone and Bor would never find him. Then they would have an eternity to consider their betrayal he vowed and spoke his curse. They let their hunger for flesh overcome them. They will live with that forever!

The young women turned into living corpses. They begged him for death. Hel is too good for them, he decided. But here is how they can escape the curse: Ensure Sigurd’s blade is forever safely sheathed. End his life or be his wife! Either would satisfy him. And he thinks for Sigurd a wife would be the greater burden.

End of story

And so began eternity, Brun continues. For a while, she thought Sigurd would save them. They eventually realized that he was merely hiding. Then they grew somewhat… bitter.

Loki is horrified, while Dani glares at Sigurd. She can’t let the Disir kill him but…

Soon in Hel, Dani finds Bor, son of Buri and father of Odin. Sigurd is to wed the Fallen Sisterhood, she informs him. He would have Bor minister the ceremony. At last, Bor smirks.

Characters Involved: 

Luke / Loki

Cypher, Magma, Moonstar, Sunspot, Warlock, X-Man (all New Mutants)

Arthur / Thor

Leigh / Leah

Helen / Hela

Andy / Fandral

Hairdresser / Hogun

Baker / Volstagg

Vagrant / Tyr

Tiff / Sif

Angry dog / Thori

Ikol

Zig / Sigurd

Brun, Gondul and other Disir

Bor

in Brun’s story:

Brun, Gondul and other Disir

Bor

Sigurd

Sigurd’s men

Story Notes: 

The story is continued from New Mutants (3rd series) #42.

The last part is in New Mutants (3rd series) #43.

Issue Information: 

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