Odin's finds several potential great warriors, but always are there some crucial character flaw with them, that do that he can not use. So he decides with himself, to create a challenge that will draw heroes to him, instead of he comes to them.
The three warriors we see at last pages are first Balder then Loki and at last Thor. They have disguised themselves, so that they could fool Odin in believing in, that he had found three great warriors. They want him back at Valhalla, because Odins brothers have taken control of Valhalla in Odin's place, and they are rather incompetent rulers
The three warriors are of course also a bow to Kirby's Warrior Three