Warning: SPOILERS for Valkyrie #1
It seems like only yesterday that Thor ended the War of The Realms, returning peace to the universe. But as the God of Thunder begins to rebuild his kingdom, he will be short one longtime friend, now that a fan-favorite Asgardian has been killed off by Marvel Comics.
The War of The Realms was filled with too many incredible moments to mention, but Jane Foster’s rebirth as the new Valkyrie stands apart. Having taken up the mantle of Thor, and even died to save the world, her ascension to a true soldier of Asgard has been a long time coming. As she takes on the role of Valkyrie in her very own comic series, Jane is going to need all the Asgardian wisdom she can get. Which makes it even more tragic that in her debut issue, she makes her first alliance with Heimdall, watchman of Asgard… only to see him murdered in cold blood.
Jane Foster & Heimdall Are On The Hunt
With the entire army of Valkyrie slain in the War of The Realms, the halls of Valhalla sat empty, untended, and altogether dying along with the afterlife Asgardians had known. After learning that the Ultimate Mjolnir was actually an even better weapon, Jane agreed to take on the responsibility of the Valkyrie. In the short term, it means the restoration of Valhalla–now filled with the cheers, laughter, and songs of the lost Valkyrie. But as Jane learns when visiting Brunnhilde’s spirit, it comes with a price: Jane can see the black mark of death coming for every living soul.
As Jane returns to Earth in search of a lost Asgardian weapon, she arrives with Heimdall at her side to show her the ropes of possessing godly sight. But as Heimdall informs Jane, even the God of Sight–able to see the Microverse rising and falling a thousand light-years away–cannot see what she can. As the one who must guide the deserving dead to the next life, Jane realizes she can see every mortal’s death. Taking the form of a black sphere over a person’s head, people with years left to live have almost imperceptible spheres–while those closer to their final days have a large black orb growing larger each day. But as soon as Jane realizes how to use her new gift, she turns to Heimdall… in absolute horror.
Heimdall is Murdered (For Real, This Time)
The sight of the massive, skull-faced black sphere looming over Heimdall causes Valkyrie to instantly panic, and beg the pair to leave. But Jane is too late. Before Heimdall can even process what she is sensing, the blade forced through his chest cuts his words off completely. And where casual fans might hope or suggest that Heimdall’s Aesir physiology means he should be able to heal from even serious attacks, the weapon responsible for the wound leaves no doubt. Valkyrie and Heimdall were sent in search of Dragonfang, the blade that belonged to Brunnhilde before her death, and possessing the power to slay a god or demon. Which is exactly why they needed to find it before some murderous villain.
The Marvel movies may have softened the blow somewhat, by killing off Idris Elba’s version of Heimdall in the opening scenes of The Avengers: Infinity War (in shockingly similar fashion, too). But as Heimdall slumps face-first onto the rooftop, his fate isn’t exactly left wide open. Future synopses for the Valkyrie series confirm the death of Heimdall, and Jane’s duty to guide the watcher “to the world beyond.” For Jane Foster, the most pressing question now is how she will survive, let alone defeat an enemy who can evade the detection of the God of Sight. But for the readers… the identity of the God-killer may be the biggest surprise of the series.
Meet Bullseye, Marvel’s New God-Killer
Once the shock wears off, Valkyrie realizes just how much trouble the world is in for, now that Bullseye–the famed villain and killer who ’never misses,’ and can turn literally any object into a deadly weapon–now has the magical sword and steed of a god. He may be best known as a nemesis of Daredevil, but taking Heimdall’s life for no good reason has definitely made Bullseye the number one target of Jane Foster. And her fans already know that her ascension to the role of the Valkyrie may not be going as planned, but she’s more than experienced as a godlike warrior. Of course, the fact that she can’t see a death over his head at all can’t be a boost to her confidence. Issue #2 is going to be deadlier than fans ever expect.
It’s a heck of a way for Marvel to launch their newest Asgardian comic series, so for readers who need to see this twist (or the next) for themselves, pick up a copy of Valkyrie #1 today. And read on below for the official details and plot synopsis for Valkyrie #1 and #2 below to see where Jane’s story will be headed next:
VALKYRIE: JANE FOSTER #1 Written by: Jason Aaron, Al Ewing Art by: Cafu Cover by: Mahmud A. Asrar JANE FOSTER STARS IN AN ALL-NEW NEW ONGOING SERIES! A new hero emerges straight from the pages of THE WAR OF THE REALMS! For years, you knew her as Dr. Jane Foster, one of Thor’s most steadfast companions. Then you knew her as Thor, the Goddess of Thunder, who took up the mantle when no other hero – god or human – was worthy. Now Jane takes on a new role as Valkyrie, guide and ferrywoman to the dead! But her days of punching are far from over.
VALKYRIE: JANE FOSTER #2 Written by: Jason Aaron, Al Ewing Art by: Cafu Cover by: Mahmud A. Asrar INTRODUCING THE GOD OF THE KILL – BULLSEYE! The deadliest shot in the Marvel Universe just got his hands on the sword of a god! With the Asgardian weapon Dragonfang, Bullseye has the power to kill a god in a single stroke — and he’s about to prove it. Jane Foster, the newly christened Valkyrie, must learn a hard lesson: Not every death can be prevented. Who is next on Bullseye’s list — and what is the assassin really after?
Valkyrie #1 is available now from your local comic book shop, or direct from Marvel Comics. Valkyrie #2 will arrive in stores on August 21st, 2019.
MORE: Marvel Confirms THOR Wasn’t Worthy of Mjolnir Until [SPOILER]
