Viking
Odin: Untold Stories About the Most Powerful God in Norse Mythology
Aug
A character quite familiar to mythology fans and Marvel fans in particular, Odin has many interesting stories that not everyone knows.
Odin is known as the Norse god of wisdom and war. In addition, he is also associated with poetry, magic, and prophecy. Odin is also the father of the thunder god Thor, a god who is loved by many people today thanks to comics, games, and movies.
A German god
The Germanic peoples were recorded by the ancient Greeks and Romans, who spoke a Germanic language and originated in ancient Northern Europe. These people migrated throughout Europe during the Migration period. Therefore, Odin was also one of the greatest gods worshiped by these people.
Although Odin was revered among the Germanic peoples, he was not the only god worshipped. It has been suggested that although Odin may have been worshipped by some Norse people, he was not as popular as his son, Thor.
Odin – Father of the Vikings
Known as the “Father of All Things,” Odin is considered a creator god in Norse mythology. He and his two brothers, Vili and Ve, defeated Ymir, the first god and a giant. From Ymir’s body, Odin created a new world.
The first man created from a log was Ask, and the first woman was Emble, who lived with the gods in Midgard.
Thor and the Children of Odin
Not only Thor, but Odin also has many other children. Odin’s wife, the goddess Frigg, gave birth to two sons, Baldur and Hod. Baldur represents light, and Hod represents darkness.
Many of Odin’s lovers were either goddesses or jotnar/jotunn. One of them was a jotunn woman named Jord, who was Thor’s real mother. Another jotunn bore Odin’s child, Gridr, who was Vidarr’s mother. According to the prophecy, Vidarr, the god of vengeance, would avenge his father’s death in the battle of Ragnarok.
Another of Odin’s sons was Vali, whose mother was Rindr. According to the prophecies, Vali would be the one to avenge Baldur’s death.
Odin’s Fate in the Battle of Ragnarok
Mighty as he was, Odin was destined to meet his end in the battle of Ragnarok. The Norse believed that this would be the final battle of the current universe, and Odin’s death had been foretold by many gods. But even Odin could not prevent it.
As Ragnarok approaches, various warriors will converge on Vigrid, where the final battle will take place. The Aesir and Vanir, led by Odin, will battle the forces of Loki and the jotnar. At Ragnarok, Odin’s natural enemy that can bring about his death is Fenrir, a giant wolf and one of Loki’s children.
During the battle, Odin would fight the wolf but was still devoured by it. However, Odin’s death would be avenged by his son, Vidar, who ripped out Fenrir’s jaw and killed the monster.
Although Ragnarok is portrayed as a devastating event, it is not an apocalyptic battle. Odin prophesied that the gods and humans would survive, continuing to rebuild the world later.
