He reappears after being lost to both Thor and Karnilla for a short amount of time. However, he is half-crazed, writhing on a bed on Earth and shouting about demons that are not there and talking of Asgard. Worried, Thor and his band travel to the golden realm, leaving Volstagg to watch over Balder.
He regains his health and sanity back on Earth, and wastes no time dawdling, as he and Volstagg soon return to Asgard.
His return to Asgard with Volstagg had left them both assaulted by imposter Gods in their place. Balder is locked away, until later Fandral and Volstagg find and free him. Balder sneaks up on Igron - the true villain behind the duplicates - and knocks him out. The imposters soon fade.
He departs for Rigel-3 upon the Asgardian starjammer, and finds the planet abandoned, save for a race of mutant Rigellians, whom they are attacked by. The two sides stop fighting when they discover their common cause and they leave to catch up with the Rigellians. He meets with the Grand Commissioner, who informs him of the desperate state they are in, and reveals the power of the Black Stars.
He approaches, under the Grand Commissioner's command, the Black Stars, and encounters a being named Avalon. Avalon battles them, but deems them powerful and courageous, and soon welcomes them inside. Avalon reveals he and his race are slaves, but that they can now attempt to fight back.
He attempts to harm Kragonn, but he and the Rhunians are veritable giants to them and take little notice. They defend themselves from more of the Protectors. They bide their time until Kragonn listens to them and realises the Rhunians don't need to gather energy and cosmic debris, for the rest of the Black Stars are dead planets. Thor and his band leave and the Rhunians stop destroying solar systems.
He bids farewell to the Rigellians and Silas Grant and returns to Asgard, where the Gods catch him up on the vanishing of Krista. Odin reveals that she is a captive of Pluto, and what seems to be Hercules. Thor travels alone to Olympus.
While the King of Asgard is on Earth, Heimdall sees that Loki has released Skagg and Surtur so he urges Balder to warn Odin. Balder finds Thor first, and when Odin is also informed, the three valiant Gods join forces in a battle of titans against their two enemies who are attacking Earth. After they defeated the villains, Odin expresses his gratitude to the two warriors and Balder follows his Lord back home to Asgard.
After an ambush where the Storm Giants have captured the gentle Sif, Balder goes to Odin's palace and informs Thor who promises he will rescue her.
For deserting a battlefield to save a bird, Odin condemns Balder to the test of Mortal Death. But when the warrior does not flinch at the attempts to execute him, Odin grants him the Gift of Invincibility for his courage and his humility.
Odin dispatches Loki with a message for Hardol the Healer, but Balder does not trust him and takes it himself. In his journey, he destroys the Phantom Whose Touch Means Death and has to cross several hostile landscapes before handing his message over to the healer. Then he sends the medicine to Thor.
Balder witnesses the return of Loki in Asgard after Thor has defeated him.
Unknown to Balder, Loki tries to kill him through his only vulnerability, but the Norn Queen, having also sworn to protect the brave warrior, ruins the God of Mischief's attempt.
In the Forbidden Forest, Thor, Balder and Loki are challenged by Sigurd. The warrior seems to rival even Thor's power until Balder remembers the Earth Sprites increase their son Sigurd's strength each time his body strikes the ground. Thor gets rid of the enemy by hurling him into space.
When Odin takes away his son's powers, Balder tries to go to Earth to protect Thor but Loki casts a spell on his horse and prevents it.
Balder interrupts a fight between Thor and the Absorbing Man to take his friend to Asgard and inform him that Loki has captured Jane Foster.
Balder informs Odin that Loki has sent the Executioner and the Enchantress on a visit to Jane Foster. Odin sends Balder to Earth to protect her. During his battle with the Evil Asgardians, Thor gets to the scene, which convinces the villains to escape. Balder grants Jane the Gift of Forgetfulness and takes her home.
