Thor and his companions return to a hostile Asgard to free Odin from his madness. Thor returns Jane Foster home, but is greeted by a sudden and violent storm. When he tries to calm the storm, it rebelliously strikes him with lightning. It takes all of Thor's power to dissipate the squall. Thor wonders if Odin has stripped him of his powers. When he returns to Jane's apartment, she shows him that his comrades, Hogun, Volstagg, and Fandral, are the cause of a huge traffic jam. A frustrated Thor confronts them and solves the bottleneck by physically moving the cars into their proper lanes. Back at Jane's apartment, the god of thunder is surprised to find Balder, who tells a tale of insanity and exile. Odin seems to have gone mad, exiling those who are most loyal to Asgard. Thor returns to Asgard with his fellow gods and Jane. Heimdall beckons the forces of Asgard to attack them. After a fierce battle, only Heimdall stands to resist Thor and his companions. To avoid killing him, Volstaag strikes from behind and knocks him unconscious. Inside Asgard Balder leads Thor to some who do not blindly follow the madness of Odin. Hildegarde and Krista are among them. They decide that they must first release the Vizier from the Tower of Solitude. Not only is the tower surrounded by Odin's royal guard, but in the tower itself, Thor runs into a Storm Giant. The treachery of the All-Father is becoming more apparent. Thor wastes no time, shattering the giants club and striking him down. Igron announces to Odin that Thor has freed the Vizier... to which Odin responds, "The moment I have long been waiting for will soon be upon us, Sly One... the moment when the Mighty Thor must DIE!"