Nearly seven hundred years after her banishment to Hel, Hela was freed upon the moment of Odin's death. She then opened a portal to Asgard, interrupted her father and one of his friends, as they were escorting one of the many palace guards to the Bifrost. The guard, not knowing who she was, attacked, and Hela killed him, only to have Thor intervene and Loki and Eira escape. Thor then attempted to talk Hela down, but Hela, having been stopped by him years before, attacked, stopping his hammer with little effort, before knocking him down. She then moved to kill him, but hesitated at the last minute, and tossed him into a portal instead, banishing him to a realm he'd taken her to years before, and letting the dragon there finish off her uncle while she made her way to the palace.
Inside, Loki located Juliet, and attempted to get her to vacate the palace, after learning she'd sent his son somewhere that he'd be safe. Juliet refused, though, wanting to know what was happening before she left, but Loki refused to tell her. He was unable to get her to leave, and resorted to attempting to drag her away, before they were stopped by Hela. Forced to confront his daughter for the first time in over 600 years, Loki attempted to talk her down, but Hela, believing that he'd been part of the reason that she'd had been banished, refused to listen. He continued to try and reason with her, but when she discovered that Juliet was pregnant, she, believing she was being replaced, attempted to kill Juliet. Loki jumped in the way, however, saving both Juliet and their unborn child, but being fatally wounded in the process. Realizing what she'd done, Hela backed down, and, at the request of Juliet, retrieved Eira, who healed Loki just moments before he'd have been beyond saving. Hela was then allowed to return to Hel to rule, and granted permission to return to Asgard whenever she wished, so long as she caused no trouble. Before leaving, she revived the guard she'd killed.
Later, Loki snuck out of bed to make a trip to the Bifrost to both mourn and search for his brother. Loki didn't believe Hela capable of showing mercy when she was angry, and so he believed she'd killed his brother. As he was gazing at where Hela had thrown Mjolnir, however, Thor returned, have defeated the dragon by gaining full access to his powers by being without his hammer. Loki was overjoyed, but Thor was furious that the trickster had let Hela go free. Loki, of course, was quick to defend his decision, and when Thor realized that his brother was injured, he stopped arguing, and helped Loki back inside.
Meanwhile, Hela returned to Hel, where she met up with and informed her daughter, Raynor, of all that'd transpired on Asgard. Raynor, having been raised on the belief that Loki and Asgard were the enemy, grew angry with her mother, and stormed out of her presence. Once alone, Raynor utilized her newfound freedom, and teleported herself to Asgard, where she was met by Loki and his young son Aleksander in the throne room. It became clear right away who's daughter she was, and Loki tried to talk her down. She refused, however, and Loki shoved Aleks behind the throne to shield him from the fight when the palace guards entered the room. Raynor attacked one, but was stabbed by a spear from behind, while relishing in her momentary victory. At that moment, Hela arrived, looking for her daughter, and immediately provided the half-vampire with blood to help heal her. After, Loki suggested Hela take Raynor back to Hel with her, but Raynor, still angry with her mother, violently resisted, and was locked in the prisons on Asgard.