Lounge
Sif, Thor, and the Warriors three, battered and shell-shocked, still reeling from the day's events, sit before a roaring central fire.
"We should never have let him go." Thor said.
"There was no stopping him." Sif said.
"At least he's only banished, not dead." Hogun said.
"How did the guard even know?" Volstagg asked.
"I told him." Thor said.
"What?" Fandral said.
"I told him to go to Odin after Loki went into the Vault." Thor said. "Though he should be flogged for taking so long."
"You told the guard?" Volstagg said.
"I had no idea Father would banish him for what he did." Thor said.
"Thor, you're the only one who can help Loki now." Sif said. "You must go to the Allfather and convince him to change his mind!"
"You are right!" Thor said. "I will go now and convince him!"
He left the room.
Throne Room
"Loki did not deserve what you have done!" Thor said to his father.
"This was his fate," Odin said. "To rob him of it would be to subject him to a life of mourning."
"His fate?" Thor said. "Why did you send the Sword of Winters after him?"
"It is his birthright," Odin said. "Excalibur belongs to him just a Mjolnir belongs to you."
"You can't leave him like this on Earth!" Thor protested. "We must act!"
Odin turned to Sif and the Warriors Three.
"Leave us." Odin said.
Thor's comrades exited. Odin eyed Thor.
"And what action would you take?" Odin asked.
"Go to Earth," Thor said. "Return Loki's powers. Then let him make the decision if he wants to stay or not!"
"You are being selfish!" Odin said. "What of your brother's feelings? Perhaps he does not want to return? Would you truly let him stay then?"
There was a silence as Thor considered.
"As King of Asgard, I would-" Thor began.
"You are not King. Not yet." Odin said.
Thor saw in his father's face that he had pushed this as far as he can. He backed away, then left, pushing through the doors so hard that they slammed backwards behind him. Odin watched him go.
Banquet Hall
Thor stood in the empty hall, bearing the signs of the festivities cancelled due to the events of the day. Anger and frustration rising within him, Thor upended one of the massive tables.
Sif, Fandral, and Hogun followed Volstagg as he entered in search of his dinner.
"Redecorating, are we?" Sif said.
Volstagg surveyed the overturned tables and food, aghast.
"What's this - ?!" Volstagg said.
"I told you they'd cancel it." Hogun said.
"We thought that was just you being your normal cheery self." Fandral said.
Volstagg looked about the floor, despairing.
"All this food - so innocent, cast to the ground. It breaks the heart!" Volstagg said.
Thor strode away from them to the far end of the hall.
"If it's any consolation, I think you're right." Sif said. "Loki should not have been cast out for what he did.
"Yes, exactly!" Thor said.
"But there's nothing we can do without defying the AllFather." Sif said.
Thor considered this, looked at his hammer, a gleam in his eye.
Loki can guess what he was thinking, growing concerned.
"No... stop there! I know that look!" Sif said.
"It's the only way to ensure the safety of my brother." Thor said.
"It's madness!" Sif said.
"Madness? What sort of madness?" Volstagg said.
"Nothing! Thor was making a jest!" Sif said.
"The safety of Loki is no jest. We're going to Midgard." Thor said.
"What?!" Fandral said.
"Thor, of all the laws of Asgard, this is one you must not break." Sif said.
"Haven't you heard of the vengeful goddess who lives there?" Fandral asked.
"The uneasy treaty between her and Odin that keeps both mortals and Asgardians safe?" Volstagg said.
"Of course I've heard," Thor said. "But why should my brother suffer because of some law."
"It is forbidden!" Sif said.
Thor sized up his friends, smiled. He proceeded to make his case with enthusiasm and charismatic conviction.
"My friends, have you forgotten all that we've done together?
He turns to Fandral.
"Who brought you into the sweet embrace of the most exotic maidens in all of Yggdrasil?" Thor said.
"You did." Fandral said.
"Who led you into the most glorious of battles..." Thor said to Hogun.
"...and to delicacies so succulent, you thought you'd died and gone to Valhalla?" Thor said to Volstagg.
"You did." Hogun said.
"You did." Volstagg said.
He turned to Sif.
"And who proved wrong all who scoffed at the idea that a young maiden could be one of the fiercest warriors this Realm has ever known?" Thor said.
"I did." Sif said.
"True. But I supported you..." Thor said then turned to the others. "My friends, trust me now. We must do this."
The others exchanged concerned looks, realized there was no convincing him.
"Come on. You're not going to let me take all the glory, are you?" Thor said.
"I will be at your side." Volstagg said.
"And I." Fandral said.
"And I. The Warriors Three fight together." Hogun said.
"I fear we'll live to regret this." Sif said.
"If we're lucky." Volstagg said.
Thor, Sif, and the Warriors Three walked from the Palace, across the grounds. They reached a group of attendants who readied their battle gear for their journey.
"We must first find a way to get past Heimdall." Thor said.
"That will be no easy task. It's said the Gatekeeper can see a single dew drop fall from a blade of grass a thousand worlds away." Volstagg said.
"And he can hear a cricket passing gas in Niffelheim." Fandral said.
"Jest not! He heareth all!" Volstagg said.
"Please. Getting past him should be simple enough." Fandral said.
Volstagg, terrified, called out to the sky.
"Forgive him! He meaneth no offense!" Volstagg.
Thor lead them onward.
Thor and his band of adventurers, on horseback, passed through the massive Gate, leaving Asgard behind. They rode along the most astounding path in this Realm or any other - the rainbow bridge.
Wide and flat, it ran straight out from Odin's palace to the mists and black void of space beyond. In the distance far ahead, the Bridge continued on until it reached Heimdall's Observatory.
Heimdall's Observatory
The band drew near the Observatory, where Heimdall himself, Gatekeeper of Asgard, stood at his post on the Bridge before them, blocking their way, staring them down.
There was something other-worldly about him, even for this Realm. He held a massive sword in front of him, his stern, intimidating face virtually concealed by armor. Something glinted beneath his visor, like twinkling stars.
"You're not dressed properly." Heimdall said to them
Thor, Loki, and the others trade looks.
"I'm sorry?" Thor asked.
"The humans on Earth do not dress like that." Heimdall said. "You think you can deceive me? I, who watch all? I, who can sense the flapping of a butterfly's wings a thousand worlds away?"
He fixed his eyes pointedly at Fandral. "Or can hear a cricket passing gas in Niffelheim?" Fandral looked gob-smacked.
"That was just a bit of a jest, really..." Fandral said.
"Enough." Thor said, then to Heimdall. "Heimdall, may we pass?"
Heimdall stared him down.
"I was the one who doomed your brother to his fate," Heimdall said. "This time, I believe he deserves the choice that only you can give him."
"Then tell no one where we've gone until we've returned." Thor said.
Thor walked past Heimdall as the Gatekeeper let the group pass.
Thor and the others entered the Observatory, stepped onto a platform. It was already opened to another Observatory on Pluto where his wife and fellow Setsuna had resumed her post. It was obvious that he spent much of his time speaking with her.
Heimdall climbed into the large control apparatus at the center of the room and readied the Observatory.
"Be warned. I will honor my sworn oath to protect this Realm as its Gatekeeper. If your return threatens the safety of Asgard, the Bifrost will remain closed to you. You'll be left to die on the Earth."
"I have no plans to die today." Thor said.
"None do." Heimdall said.
Heimdall inserts his sword into the control panel, and the apparatus of the Observatory started up.
The Bifrost energy quickened along the Bridge, feeding into the Observatory.
Heimdall turned his sword in the control panel. The Observatory's giant turret swung around, aimed toward a section of space. As a final step, Heimdall plunged his sword deeper into the control panel. The great turret fires, the rainbow light of Bifrost energy blasted out of it.
The Bifrost opened at the end of the platform upon which Thor and his five comrades stand.
"All is ready. You may pass." Heimdall said.
"Couldn't you just leave the bridge open for us?" Volstagg said.
"To keep this bridge open would unleash the full power of the Bifrost and destroy Earth with you upon it." Heimdall said.
"Ah. Never mind, then." Volstagg said.
Thor started towards the Bifrost, turned back to the others, grins.
"Come on. Don't be bashful." Thor said.
The others joined him at his side, then stepped towards the Bifrost. Their bodies stretched towards the maelstrom, changing shape, as if every atom of their being was being elongated by the pull of it. In an instant, they were jerked off the platform and inside the vortex.
Lawrence, Kansas
A hole in the sky ripped open, and the Bifrost came shooting out of it. Snow flurried up when the Bifrost hit, as Thor and his band touched down. Runes from the Bifrost were imprinted on the ground around them, cutting through the cornfield.
Odin's Chambers
Odin looked up at the sky, watching his other son leave for Earth.
Odin's body began to shake, he lifted his hand. It started to move out of synch temporarily, leaving a trail, the effect of the Odinsleep approaching.
Odin started towards Frigga, who stood up, realizing something was wrong.
The enormous mental, emotional, and physical strain of recent events finally took its toll.
The effect of the Odinsleep consumed him. His entire body now moved out of sync with the rest of the world, leaving trails behind him as he staggered backwards. Odin fell back against a wall, his face contorting in a scream. He collapsed to the stone floor.
Frigga, shocked, hurried to him. She took Odin in her arms, called out. "Guards!"