Ben continued, observing Surtur's laughter, "Your laughter will end in a few seconds. I can't kill you, not because I am unable to kill you, but because you will become a merit in my son Sigurd's name."
"What is the meaning of this?" Surtur questioned, perplexed by Ben's cryptic statement.
"You'll get your answer," Ben replied cryptically before turning his attention to Sigurd. "Sigurd, come here."
"Okay, Dad," Sigurd responded, leaping down from the throne where Maria still sat. With eager curiosity, he approached Ben, unaware of the purpose behind his father's call.
Upon reaching Ben, Sigurd looked at the colossal form of the fallen Surtur, dwarfing him in size. The contrast between the two figures was stark, as everyone wondered about Ben's next move and how Surtur's fate would be entwined with Sigurd's name.
Ben gently took Sigurd's hand in his, addressing him, "My dear son, now receive a gift from your dad." With a purposeful motion, he grasped Surtur, activating the power of Feedback and initiating the absorption of all the energy from Surtur, the transformative process unfolding as Sigurd began to absorb the immense power.
"Ben, what are you doing? Sigurd will die!" Thor exclaimed, rushing towards Ben, concern etched across his face. The idea of channeling the immense energy from Surtur into Sigurd seemed perilous, given the potential risks involved.
"Don't stress, just chill. He's my son, and he has a Pyropheonix physique—a mix of Asgardian and Pyronite attributes. He can absorb the entire sun's fire into his body; Surtur was just a small demon," Ben explained, attempting to ease Thor's worries.
A collective sigh of relief echoed among the onlookers after Ben's explanation. While they trusted Ben would not harm Sigurd, the act of channeling such colossal energy still stirred a sense of anxiety.
Surtur's body began to shrink, the once-mighty demon felt the diminishing of his own energy. Desperation crept into his plea, "Stop your actions now, and I promise never to return to Asgard."
Before Surtur could receive a reply, the Bifrost gleamed with radiant light, and Odin, Frigga, and Sif emerged from it. The Asgardians, including Valkyrie, once again knelt in deference to their king and queen.
"Your surrender is not acceptable. You are now destined to become a chapter in my grandson's legacy," Odin declared, his authoritative voice resounding as he approached Ben, Surtur, and Sigurd.
Hela, witnessing Odin's arrival, was shocked. She believed Odin to be dead, as she hadn't sensed his presence in Asgard. Now, faced with the reality of his return, she realized her misconception.
And as according to Odin's judgment, she realized that she would once again be consigned to imprisonment.
Surtur's agonizing screams echoed as his energy was steadily transferred to Sigurd. With each passing moment, Sigurd grew more powerful, and the intensity of the flames enveloping him intensified. His clothes burned away, leaving his body ablaze with fire.
After half an hour of this fiery exchange, the once formidable demon, the prophesied destroyer of Asgard, Surtur, the realm-devouring entity, ceased to exist.
All that remained was Sigurd, standing with Ben and Odin by his side. Flames engulfed his form, yet he showed no signs of pain; instead, an air of comfort surrounded him.
"Baby, try to absorb the fire inside your body," Ben suggested. Sigurd attempted to follow his father's advice, but to his surprise, he couldn't absorb the fire into his body. The unique combination of Asgardian and Pyronite attributes seemed to present a challenge even for Sigurd, the powerful offspring of Ben Tennyson.
"No, Dad, it's impossible," Sigurd replied with a sense of frustration and uncertainty. Ben, however, remained composed and reassured him, "It's okay. Take this sword and then try."
Ben handed the Twilight Sword to Sigurd, who took it in his hand. To his amazement, he discovered that the fire that once engulfed his body was now being drawn into the Twilight Sword.
Quick to preserve Sigurd's modesty, Ben covered him with a cloth. As the Prince of Asgard, certain decorum had to be maintained in front of his subjects; he couldn't be seen nude in front of his subjects.
With this particular challenge resolved, attention shifted to Hela. She stood bewildered, unable to comprehend the events unfolding before her.
The demise of the mighty demon Surtur and the peculiar absorption of fire by Sigurd left her at a loss for words.
The uncertainty of what lay ahead hung heavy in the air, and Hela found herself grappling with the unknown fate that awaited her.
Ben, observing Hela, acknowledged her status as the goddess of death in Asgard. With a desire to tame a being who claimed to be a goddess, Ben made a bold declaration to Odin, "She is mine, father-in-law. Arrange our wedding."
"Of course, we will accept this decision," Odin replied. Deep within, he felt immense joy at witnessing the remarkable growth of his most beloved grandson.
Moreover, although the havoc Hela had wrought. Odin knew he had to make the decision as a king and not his love as a father, and he was again going to confine her.
But Ben's request served as a solution to multiple problems. Marrying Hela would not only strengthen the ties between Ben and Odin but also potentially bring about positive changes in Hela's demeanor.
The prospect of family love, coupled with the commitment of marriage, could alter even the most powerful beings. As Odin himself had experienced, the transformative power of marriage was a force to be reckoned with.
"Dad, what are you saying? You need to send her to prison; she killed many Asgardians," Thor objected vehemently, his sense of justice conflicting with Odin's decision.
"Yes, Father, you should reconsider your decision," Loki chimed in, supporting Thor's stance.
In response to Thor and Loki's dissent, Odin erupted in frustration, shouting, "Shut up, both of you! You are nothing but a pain in the ass, incapable of handling anything properly."
Loki, perplexed by his father's outburst, attempted to seek clarification. "What happened, Father?" he inquired, trying to understand the source of Odin's displeasure.
"What happened? You don't know what happened?" Odin's frustration reverberated through his words.
Loki, with a nod, asked, "Yes, Father?" Confused, he couldn't discern the nature of his mistake.
"I entrusted Asgard to your care, to test your capabilities. If you proved incapable, losing to Hela and saving your lives would have sufficed. After all, you know I am still alive."
"Instead, you brought in your idiot brother Thor, and together, you began to destroy Asgard. I am still alive, so why did you feel the need to dismantle it?" Odin shouted, and in that moment, Thor and Loki realized their shortsightedness.
They had forgotten that their father, Odin, was more than capable of handling Hela on his own.
"And, most importantly, you even forgot that the Asgardian throne doesn't belong to you; it belongs to my grandson Sigurd. How foolish can you be?" Odin couldn't withhold his scolding, expressing his disappointment with Thor and Loki.
"Dad, I understand we made mistakes, but Hela has caused the death of many Asgardians," Thor attempted to reason, seeking support from his mother.
"I can't intervene in this, Thor. Like both of you, Hela is also my own flesh; she is my daughter," Frigga couldn't refrain from getting involved.
"I acknowledge Hela's role in the destruction, but from now on, she belongs to Ben. Tomorrow, we will assess the merits and demerits, and arrange Ben and Hela's wedding. Ben has proven his worth in saving Asgard. The decision is final," Odin declared, concluding the discussion before heading towards his chamber.
Hela found herself at a loss for words, expecting imprisonment but suddenly confronted with the prospect of marriage. The situation unfolded without anyone seeking her opinion. As she pondered her fate, Frigga approached her.
"Mom," Hela addressed her uncertainly.
"Come with us," Frigga commanded. Sif and Maria followed her, and after a moment's hesitation, Hela decided to follow them.
With this development, a sense of resolution settled over Asgard. Heimdall made his way to the restored Bifrost, and the Asgardians returned to their homes.
Despite the losses suffered that day, a sense of happiness filled them. The unexpected turn of events had brought peace and unity among the people of Asgard.
Hulk's boisterous laughter echoed through the air, mocking Thor and reveling in the perceived humiliation. "Puny Thor got scolded by daddy. Now Puny Thor is gonna cry. Hulk happy!" The continuous laughter of Hulk filled the space.
"I'm not crying," Thor insisted, but Hulk's laughter persisted.
Brunnhilde refrained from commenting on the family matter, but she grasped two crucial aspects: Sigurd was the future king of Asgard, earning more respect than Thor and Loki combined, and there existed someone capable of defeating even Surtur.
Korg and Miek maintained their silence, with Korg remarking, "Looks like everything's good, bro," refraining from mocking anyone.
"Brother, what will be our fate tomorrow?" Loki inquired, aware that in the previous battle against Malekith, he had secured a claim to the Asgardian throne.
"Don't dwell on merits; focus on the demerits," Thor advised as he led Hulk, Korg, and Miek to a guest room.
Loki, seeking clarification, questioned, "Why? We tried to save Asgard."
"Because we brought Surtur to Asgard, and Surtur brought destruction to our home," Thor explained, revealing the truth.
In that moment, Loki experienced a realization. It became clear why his father Odin had chastised him.
Loki, known for his cunning intellect, now understood that he had inadvertently played into his brother's seemingly foolish plan.
It all stemmed from Loki placing Surtur's crown into the Eternal Flame, setting in motion a chain of events that led to the catastrophic consequences for Asgard.
Loki deliberately distanced himself from Thor, leaving his brother slightly confused. "What's happening?" Thor inquired.
"I need to keep my distance from you, or your foolish ideas might make me a fool too. We could have just saved the Asgardians and left, perhaps earning Father's praise. But because of your idiocy, I'm also labeled as a demerit," Loki explained, putting more space between them.
Thor was at a loss for words, uncertain how to respond to Loki's actions.
Hulk, on the other hand, couldn't resist taunting Thor once again, adding, "Thor is an idiot, Hulk is super. Thor's brother also said Thor is an idiot, Hulk is super."
Twilight Sword: An enormous sword seemingly composed of fire. It can launch fiery projectiles to engulf targets and grows to match Surtur's size when he is restored to full strength. Now it belongs to Sigurd.
Eternal Flame: The Eternal Flame is an everlasting fire which was taken from Surtur by Odin thousands of years ago and kept in his vault on Asgard. Hela used it to revive her army and wolf, Fenris. Now it belongs to Sigurd.