2nd appearance & origin of Beta Ray Bill (Simon Walters)

Thor #126 Homage

"A Fool and His Hammer..." – (22-page story) – Beta Ray Bill and Thor fight in single combat for the honor of wielding Mjolnir and the alien bests the god of thunder.

In space, we see the starstuff being forged. Back on Earth, Blake realizes that his father has left him and he is no longer Thor. Nick Fury finds him and tells him about Odin taking the alien to Asgard mistakenly. In Asgard, they are happy to see the warrior bearing Mjolnir until they realize that it's not Thor. Odin tells Beta Ray Bill that he wants answers and wants to know where his son is. Bill hurls Mjolnir at Odin, saying that he won it in combat. Odin simply grabs it out of the air and prevents it from returning to Bill. Odin senses that Bill is telling the truth when he states that he won it in fair combat. Odin encases Bill in a vessel of ethereal force until he can discern the truth. Odin looks to Earth and sees Blake there and transports him to Asgard, transforming him to Thor at the same time. Odin frees Bill, and Bill sees that they are not demons and agrees to talk with them. All three go to Hlidskjalf, and they tell Bill that none but they have ever lifted Mjolnir and they ask him for his tale. Elsewhere, Sif is strolling through the garden when she hears a familiar voice She turns the corner and sees Thor and Lorelei lying together kissing. Sif storms up and strikes them both to the ground, then storms off telling them they deserve each other. Lorelei tells him that if she knew it was that dangerous, she might not have taken part in the jest. Thor morphs into Loki and tells her that Sif will leave and that she will succeed where her sister, the Enchantress, has always failed. Back on Hlidskjalf, Bill tells them that his people lived in the heart of a galaxy, an ancient and noble race. Recently, though, the core of their galaxy exploded, destroying most of their civilization, and the survivors were forced to flee. Bill was chosen by their leaders to be their guardian and was merged with a bio-engineered hybrid of their fiercest predator. Thus was created a warrior of surpassing skill and strength. He was then given the warship Skuttlebutt, which became his companion and friend. Since they did not have enough food for all of the people, they were locked into cold sleep, and the ten thousand ships of their fleet began their journey to a new home. But shortly after they began, they were attacked by demons, flying from the fiery core and killed those they caught. The chase still goes on and Bill is glad to have found a weapon that may protect his people for all time. Odin tells Bill that the contest was not entirely fair in that Thor fought under a handicap of Odin's spell, and he never imagined that there would be another one that was worthy. Odin then tells them of his reason for calling Thor home. There are forces at work that he cannot see, and it's source is the galaxy that is Bill's home. But they have a more pressing problem, each has a claim on Mjolnir. They decide it will be a trial by combat, weaponless, and with only the power of their own right arms. Since this is such a high stake game, they combat will take place in Skartheim, and it will be to the death. Both warriors are instantly transported to the misbegotten realm, and the combat begins. Elsewhere in Asgard, Volstagg and Balder are walking and discussing Balder's recent attitudes towards life and death. Having spent time among those he has slain, Balder has forsworn combat forever. They are interrupted by Agnar, who insists on battling Balder. Balder dodges him easily and Volstagg blocks the way. Volstagg picks up Agnar and carries him off to a shady spot to tell the tale of Balder the Brave. Back in Skartheim, Bill and Thor battle back and forth, equally matched. They find themselves on a raft of obsidian on a river of lava, each having spent everything and knocked each other out. Bill, having been born in similar heat, revives first. He could leave Thor to go over the lavafall, but decides that the is too worthy to be allowed to die in such a way. Bill picks up Thor's body and tries to leap for the shore, only to be transported back to Asgard. Bill has once again, won the hammer Mjolnir.