Continued from "The Fall of Asgard"
All of the Avengers prepare for the final battle against Loki in their own way. Stark is seen in a great forge in Nidavellir crafting a new suit of armor with the help of the Dwarf king while Ant Man and Wasp ride with Sif and the Valkyries. A flying ship from Alfheim carries Hawkeye and Black Panther along with the light elf Faradei. As for Loki, he prepares for his final moment of triumph.
All of the heroes, sans Iron Man and Captain America, assemble on the Bifrost. First comes Hulk, still wielding the Executioner's axe, and the Warriors Three. Ant Man and Wasp are next, with Hawkeye and Panther arriving soon after. They have to contend with an army made up of all manner of mythological creatures as well as traitorous Asgardians who have accepted Loki's rule. They triumph but not without taking a few bad scrapes themselves. They each bring the others up to speed on the developments of the past few episodes and agree to storm Asgard together.
Captain America is still trapped in Niflheim and attempts to persuade its ruler Hel to let him go. Seeing that she will not be able to tempt him to stay and that Loki will dispose of her after she is no longer useful, Hel offers Cap a deal: she will send him straight to the battle but if he dies, she gets his soul forever.
Meanwhile, the attack on Asgard begins and Loki vows to destroy the Avengers in front of Thor before he is executed. To that end, Loki summons Hoarfen the Ice Wolf. With its immense size and ice magic, it tosses the heroes around but fortunately, Hel was true to her word and sent Cap right to them. He immediately forms a plan and rallies the heroes to victory. Loki gets increasingly frustrated as he watches the battle and this time it is Thor's turn to gloat.
Just then, the heroes use Hoarfen as a battering ram to breach the inner sanctum and the final fight begins. Loki is able to hold his own against all of them with his own powers enhanced by the Odinforce, and he shatters Cap's mighty shield just to demonstrate how unstoppable he is. He gloats some more and prepares to finish them off but Iron Man arrives in a flash of lightning, sporting a new suit of armor composed of Uru, the same kind of metal used to make Thor's hammer. The "man of science" and the god of trickery square off in the skies above while the Avengers split up to free Thor and find the source of Loki's power. Thor reveals that they have to sever his connection to Yggdrasil, the World Tree, in order to defeat him. Then he takes up his hammer once again and joins the fight.
Hawkeye, Panther, and Ant Man find Yggdrasil but are hesitant at first to destroy it considering that it's supposed to connect all of reality together. Ultimately, they see no other alternative and Ant Man uproots the tree, causing the Odinforce to drain from Loki and back into Odin, who awakens immediately. Understandably, he is not happy. This time exile will not be good enough. The Avengers return to Earth in triumph and earn the respect of the gods themselves. Loki's punishment is revealed to be much the same as it is in Norse mythology: a serpent will drip venom into his eyes until the end of time.
Just when things seem to be returning to normal, Cap is accosted by someone who looks exactly like him. The man shoots him, then transforms into a green-skinned alien, stating that "the infiltration has begun".
Tropes:
- And I Must Scream: Loki's final fate, per the mythology.
- Big Damn Heroes:
- Giant-Man, Wasp and other warriors arriving at the Rainbow Bridge to help Hulk and the Warriors Three. This, in turn, is followed by Hawkeye and Black Panther arriving to help them.
- Cap striking Hoarfen with his shield.
- Iron Man's arrival into the throne room with the Uru armor.
- Calling the Young Man Out: Odin does this to Loki after waking from the Odinsleep, making it clear that he's crossed the line from "mischievous" to evil and will be punished for his treachery accordingly.
- Cliffhanger: "The infiltration has begun."
- Crowd Chant: "Hail Avengers!"
- Dark Is Not Evil: Hela insists she and her realm are nothing to fear.Hela: I can create a paradise for you; a well-deserved reward.
- Deal with the Devil:Hela: You wish to return to battle, Captain? Then you must offer me something in return.
Captain America: What do you want?
Hela: If I send you to confront Loki and death should claim you in the battle, then your mortal spirit belongs to me... forever. - Defiant to the End: Loki, as Evil Is Petty.Odin: I gave you everything; I made you my son. And this is how you repay me?!
Loki: You deserve a thousand times worse! Go ahead, exile me! I will never stop! - The End of the World as We Know It: Loki losing control of the Odinforce could trigger Ragnarök that could destroy all nine realms. Even people on Earth can see the energy raging out of control.
- "Eureka!" Moment: After Hank tells Sif that they're all in this together, Hawkeye has one of these and asks if anyone has seen Iron Man or Captain America.
- Evil Laugh: Loki, as the Odinforce rages out of control.
- Eye Awaken: Odin, as the Odinforce begins to return to him.
- Eye Scream: Loki, implied by the Midgard Serpent.
- Fate Worse than Death: Think a time-out in a soundless prison is torture? Try being sent to one where a giant snake drools venom all over you. That is Odin's first course of action after waking up.
- The Final Temptation: When Hela offers to give him the peaceful paradise he deserves, Cap briefly considers it, but he insists he still has work to do.
- Foil: Hela hardly has a better relationship with Loki than he has with Odin. She even acknowledges that he'll lash out at her once she's no longer useful to him, but she has a carefree attitude about all this and chastises him for being so insanely bitter and antagonistic towards his Odin. She also offers Cap an easy way out rather than sadistically try to crush someone significantly weaker.
- Forced to Watch: Loki promises to only finish Thor after making him watch the other Avengers die.
- Foreshadowing: While the rest of the team look happy with their victory and praise they're receiving, Hank lowers his head sadly — indicating he will make good on his intent to quit.
- Happy Ending Override: Loki is defeated by the Avengers and all nine worlds are saved. Unfortunately as they return home to rest, a Skrull ambushes Captain America with plans to replace him and begin an infiltration mission for his army.
- Humble Hero: Thor gives credit for the victory to the Avengers, much to Odin's surprise.Thor: These mortals just saved all the Nine Realms. They deserve our respect. [Kneels before the team] Avengers, I thank thee. Truly I am honored to count myself among you.
- It Amused Me: Hela's justification for aiding Loki.
- Mythology Gag:
- Tony's unnamed Uru armor is most certainly the Thorbuster suit.
- The scene where Tony creates his new armor is similar to the scene where he builds the Mark I in the first Iron Man-movie. Similarities include shots of Tony smithing steel and placing the new mask on a table to show to his partner.
- Wasp wears an armored costume that is very similar to her original costume in the comics.
- The goats pulling the chariots of Hulk and the Warriors Three appear to be based on Thor's own steeds, Toothgnasher and Toothgrinder, as they appeared in the Silver Age comics (and are in turn based on the steeds of Thor from actual Norse mythology).
- When Valkyrie is knocked off her Horse during the battle on the Rainbow bridge, and is caught by the Hulk. Both were part of the Un-Team The Defenders.
- The title of this episode comes from the prologue to the 1970s Avengers comic:And there came a day, a day unlike any other, when Earth's mightiest heroes and heroines united against a common threat.
- Loki's new punishment is based on actual Norse Mythology. And it isn't pretty.
- Not Hyperbole: Odin warns Loki that his new punishment will teach him the true meaning of torment. When he sees it for himself, Loki's agonized screams say it all.
- Oh, Crap!: Loki when Odin finally wakes up from his slumber.
- Properly Paranoid: Hela is well-aware that Loki will betray her once Thor is finished.
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech:Loki: Surrender? You really have no idea to whom you speak, do you, mortal? I have watched you worms all this time — all of you scared and alone. On Midgard, you may play at being heroes, but here? You are less than nothing! Without Thor, who will save you now?
- Red Eyes, Take Warning: The Skrull that replaces Captain America.
- Scream Discretion Shot: Right before the acid hits Loki's eyes.
- So Proud of You: Odin lavishes praise on Thor for returning to save Asgard during their Darkest Hour. Thor refuses to take the credit, saying he was himself saved by the Avengers. It's a quick moment, but after Thor humbly kneels before the team and thanks them, Odin smiles.
- Tempting Fate: As the Odinforce starts to rage out of control, Loki mocks the "band of mortals" for thinking they could ever beat him. Giant-Man immediately uproots Yggdrasil, breaking his connection to the Odinforce and reawakening Odin.
- This Is Gonna Suck: After Loki summons Hoarfen, the heroes hear the loud approach. Wasp asks if it's another Frost Giant, but Hulk is certain it's even bigger than that.
- This Is Unforgivable!: Odin admits he was always rather lenient in response to Loki's actions, but what's been done now is truly evil and can't be ignored.
- Underestimating Badassery: What Thor tells Loki about the Avengers.Thor: It would seem we have something in common, Brother: we both have underestimated the mortals.
- Villainous Breakdown: Losing the Odinforce will do that to you.Loki: No, NO! I am Loki! I will destroy you all!
- We Need a Distraction: Despite their combined efforts, the Avengers couldn't beat Loki while he is powered by Yggdrasil. At the very least, Iron Man and Thor use this trope long enough for the rest of the team to break the tree's connection and depower Loki.
- Wham Shot: Another Captain America?!
- Who Dares?: Loki after Iron Man's sudden arrival.
- With Great Power Comes Great Insanity: Loki has pretty much lost it.Thor: Loki, you must keep the power contained! Without control, the Odinforce could destroy the Nine Realms! You could begin Ragnarök!
Loki: So be it! - Worf Effect: Cap has handled many supernatural threats with his iconic shield. Unfortunately, Loki demonstrates his newfound Odinforce power by shattering it during their fight.
