Thor picked up his hammer and pointed it at the scavengers in the stands and the gladiators in the staging area.
"Warriors of Sakaar!"
"Are you slaves waiting to be slaughtered, or madmen hungry for freedom?!"
"Today, smash this cage! Take back your dignity! Fight for freedom!"
Thor hurled his hammer with all his might.
It flew with thunderous force and struck the barrier at the edge of the arena.
Crack—boom!
The barrier exploded.
That blow set the powder keg alight.
The gladiators in the staging area were all eager for a fight. Fired up, they roared and charged the guards around them.
The guards in the stands went pale and drew their weapons to put down the uprising.
Several guard captains pulled out the Obedience Controllers at their waists and hammered the buttons.
Bzz... bzz...
The controllers gave off faint electrical buzzes, but nothing happened.
"Damn it! The signal's been disabled!" a guard captain shouted in panic.
Once the gladiators realized the collars around their necks no longer worked, they went even wilder.
Even those who had planned to stay out of the riot and watch quietly grabbed weapons and joined in.
The scavengers in the stands seized the chaos as a chance to pull out their weapons, loot, and destroy.
The entire arena plunged into chaos. Flames leaped skyward, and battle cries rang without end.
Thor charged into the fray like a god of war reborn. Wherever his lightning struck, guards fell.
Meanwhile, inside the Grandmaster's palace.
"Grandmaster!"
Several guards, alerted by the commotion, snapped to attention and saluted when they saw the figure approaching from the end of the corridor.
It was the Grandmaster, dressed in a golden robe.
"Don't be nervous, my children." The Grandmaster waved a hand. "Everything is under my control."
"There's a riot