family have also encountered the New Mutants. During the group's first trip to Asgard, Volstagg makes friends with Roberto DaCosta, aka Sunspot, challenging him to feats of strength, including arm-wrestling and the lifting of Volstagg himself. In the group's second visit, Volstagg's children encounter Boom Boom, Hrimhari and Warlock, who were on the run from Hela's forces. Hela herself is currently following through with a plan to kill Odin and conquer Asgard. The children switch places with the group so as to emphasize to their elders, when they return, of the seriousness of the situation. They tell the heroes of Tiwaz, a powerful sorcerer who might help them in the fight. Hrimhari, wolf-prince of a far-away tribe of wolf-people, tells the children that tales of Volstagg's children were told to his people and it was an honor to be in their debt. Boom Boom, Warlock and Hrimhari rescue the Warriors Three from being slain by Queen Ula and her hive. The sheer girth of Volstagg is enough to delay the plans but Tiwaz provides a magical spell to temporarily shrink the enormous warrior. The Warriors Three, various Asgardians and even Queen Ula's troops join with the New Mutants; their efforts stop Hela from killing Odin. Volstagg is later overcome by a mystery plague. He then helped defend Asgard against the forces of Seth. He went on a quest with Thor to seek Ulagg. He helped the Avengers battle Blastaar. Volsagg then battled Ymir and Surtur. He also attempted to prevent the second Thor (Eric Masterson) from entering Asgard. Soon after this point, when Odin is awake and aware, his mind becomes overtaken by the influence of Loki. Persecuted, the Warriors Three are forced to go on the run, gaining a new ally in the form of a young palace guardsman named Arko. After this is cleared up, the trio and Thor are involved in the dishonorable death of a giant's son. To redeem themselves, they set out on an adventure involving multiple heroic efforts. Volstagg suffers greatly over the course of this quest. Volstagg's role Volstagg was used primarily as comedy relief in the same way Falstaff, who Volstagg was modeled on, was comedy relief in Shakespeare's Henry IV. Stan Lee admitted his comics were inspired by Shakespeare, his Asgardians speaking in an English halfway between Shakespeare and the King James Bible. Volstagg's name is derived from Falstaff and the