13 Norse Mythology Facts That Marvel's Thor Extremely Misrepresented
Thor - Asgardian, Avenger, and God of Thunder - is the most well-known legendary god in the MCU. Actual Norsemen from antiquity, on the other hand, could be irritated if they realized how little Chris Hemsworth's Thor resembled the true Thor of Ancient mythology. But not every retelling of the Prose and Poetic Edda agrees on the intricacies of Odinson's biography, they generally agree that Jack Kirby and Stan Lee took a few changes when creating their superheroic invention based on Scandinavian mythology.
Indeed, Thor's success in Marvel Comics, and subsequently the MCU, has raised worldwide knowledge of Thor, Loki, and other Norse gods and tales, but unless one is prepared to research the original words, one will not get the entire facts. After all, there are some bizarre legends of Thor and the rest of the Aesir out there to read - and they don't look anything like the movies that have already been developed about them.
Thor, according to Norse mythology, has many more tasks than only creating lightning and thunder. He's also the lord of the tides, fair weather, and bountiful harvests, and calling on his name can bring you a military victory, illness protection, and even fertility. Surprisingly, Thor is also known as the god of oak trees, and most of his shrines are made of oak wood.
Thor was characterized in antiquity as having the red hair of famed Vikings like Erik the Red, as well as a large and untidy beard. Thor's blond hair is mentioned in one narrative, but it's thought to be a product of Christian elements infiltrating Norse mythology through authors like Snorri Sturluson in the 13th century.
There is no mention of a familial relationship between Thor and Loki in any of Norse mythology's basic texts. They are buddies who regularly travel together, although they only met later in life as a result of Loki's connection to Odin. They didn't grow up together, for sure. Loki was born to a giant named Laufey, but Odin did not adopt him; the two were simply allies. The Poetic Edda makes a single reference of Loki and Odin being blood brothers, but that's about as close to kinship as the God of Mischief gets with Asgard's royal line.
Odin had at least 4 sons with different mothers, according to most sources: Thor, Balder, Vali, and Vidarr. Other accounts suggest a considerably broader list, which includes names like Tyr, Hermod, and Heimdall, however, it's conceivable that these people were simply "sons of Odin" metaphorically.
Antiquity's Mjölnir (or Mjöllnir) had none of these prerequisites. It was a magical mallet, yet it could be picked up by anybody - but utilizing it required expertise and some other tools. Thor's hammer was seized by a giant on at least one occasion, which the MCU incarnation has never had to worry about. To be fair, the genuine Mjölnir did have certain other talents, such as the ability to shrink and fit into Thor's pocket.
Actual Norsemen prayed to a God of Thunder who had a far wider array of magical items. Thor had to wear a supernatural belt known as Megingjörd, which was thought to quadruple his power, in order to be most successful as a protector god. Happy Hogan made a passing mention to it in Spider-Man: Homecoming, but it was solely as a joke.
Thor is the son of Odin and Freyja in the Marvel Universe. In the ancient Norse stories, the Vanir goddess did indeed give Odin many sons, but not Thor. Instead, he is the offspring of a love affair between Odin and Jörd, a regular-sized giant who is better characterized as an Earth goddess. Thor's mother is the physical incarnation of the Earth itself, Gaea, according to various accounts, including Marvel Comics legend.
The MCU depicts Sif's love for Thor as unrequited, whereas the Prose and Poetic Edda present them as a dedicated pair from prehistory to Ragnarok - albeit Thor isn't beyond having the occasional affair. After all, he was born as the consequence of Odin's adulterous romance with a giant, so it's a tendency he picked up at an early age.
Thor, according to Norse mythology, was much more of a family man. He had at least two children with Sif, a son named Modi and a daughter named Thrud. Magni, Thor's other son, has more questionable motherhood. Most interpretations of the myth mention Jarnsaxa, a giant with whom Thor had an affair, as Magni's mother, and some also name her as Modi's mother. Thor appears to have had several children with multiple lovers, at the very least, though he doesn't appear to also be the most loving of fathers.
In Thor: Ragnarok, the titular character and his brother Loki realize they've had an elder sister, Hela, the Goddess of Death, locked in prison all this time. In the ancient Norse afterlife story, Hela does rule over Hel, but she is Loki's daughter, not Odin's. Hela isn't Loki's sole child. She was the offspring of Loki and the huge Angrboda, as well as Jormungandr the World Serpent and Fenrir the monstrous wolf. He also fathered an eight-legged horse named Sleipnir, which Odin eventually acquired. To top it off, he and his wife, Sigyn, had a somewhat normal kid named Nari.
Thor, according to legend, could not fly. He did, however, have a chariot that his two loyal goats, Toothgnasher and Toothgrinder, could drag through the heavens. The creatures were not only valuable in transporting the God of Thunder from one location to another, but they also possessed a unique ability: they could be devoured at night and resurrected in the morning, giving Thor an endless supply of food while on the road. They were also useful in a fight.
Asgard is more of a country than a kingdom in legendary fact. Valhalla is a large hall where Odin hangs out with the heroic deceased, and it is commonly represented as containing the throne of the Aesir. Within the domain of Asgard, the other Norse gods have their own homelands, including Thor's own Thrudheim, where he dwells with his family. To put it another way, Thor does not dwell in Asgard; rather, he lives in the suburbs.
Any MCU fan would almost definitely use the term "Asgardian" to identify Thor, which seems like an appropriate label for someone who hails from Asgard. The Marvel team, on the other hand, came up with that term totally on their own. Thor and his fellow "sky gods" are known as the Aesir in Norse mythology, which is not to be confused with the Vanir, a rival race of sky gods with whom the Aesir periodically clash. Not everyone in Asgard is an Aesir member - Loki isn't, for instance - and not all Aesir dwell in Asgard, which makes the entire "Asgardian" notion a bit confusing when applied to the real literature.
Indeed, Thor's success in Marvel Comics, and subsequently the MCU, has raised worldwide knowledge of Thor, Loki, and other Norse gods and tales, but unless one is prepared to research the original words, one will not get the entire facts. After all, there are some bizarre legends of Thor and the rest of the Aesir out there to read - and they don't look anything like the movies that have already been developed about them.1. Thor is more than just a thunder god.
Thor, according to Norse mythology, has many more tasks than only creating lightning and thunder. He's also the lord of the tides, fair weather, and bountiful harvests, and calling on his name can bring you a military victory, illness protection, and even fertility. Surprisingly, Thor is also known as the god of oak trees, and most of his shrines are made of oak wood.2. Thor Is A Redhead
Thor was characterized in antiquity as having the red hair of famed Vikings like Erik the Red, as well as a large and untidy beard. Thor's blond hair is mentioned in one narrative, but it's thought to be a product of Christian elements infiltrating Norse mythology through authors like Snorri Sturluson in the 13th century.3. Loki is Odin's 'Blood Brother,' not Thor's.
There is no mention of a familial relationship between Thor and Loki in any of Norse mythology's basic texts. They are buddies who regularly travel together, although they only met later in life as a result of Loki's connection to Odin. They didn't grow up together, for sure. Loki was born to a giant named Laufey, but Odin did not adopt him; the two were simply allies. The Poetic Edda makes a single reference of Loki and Odin being blood brothers, but that's about as close to kinship as the God of Mischief gets with Asgard's royal line.4. Balder, Heimdall, and Tyr are Thor's real brothers.
Odin had at least 4 sons with different mothers, according to most sources: Thor, Balder, Vali, and Vidarr. Other accounts suggest a considerably broader list, which includes names like Tyr, Hermod, and Heimdall, however, it's conceivable that these people were simply "sons of Odin" metaphorically.5. To Use Mjölnir, You Don't Have To Be Worthy
Antiquity's Mjölnir (or Mjöllnir) had none of these prerequisites. It was a magical mallet, yet it could be picked up by anybody - but utilizing it required expertise and some other tools. Thor's hammer was seized by a giant on at least one occasion, which the MCU incarnation has never had to worry about. To be fair, the genuine Mjölnir did have certain other talents, such as the ability to shrink and fit into Thor's pocket.6. Mjölnir Is Just One of Thor's Magical Accessories
Actual Norsemen prayed to a God of Thunder who had a far wider array of magical items. Thor had to wear a supernatural belt known as Megingjörd, which was thought to quadruple his power, in order to be most successful as a protector god. Happy Hogan made a passing mention to it in Spider-Man: Homecoming, but it was solely as a joke.7. Freyja isn't Thor's mother, and he's half-giant.
Thor is the son of Odin and Freyja in the Marvel Universe. In the ancient Norse stories, the Vanir goddess did indeed give Odin many sons, but not Thor. Instead, he is the offspring of a love affair between Odin and Jörd, a regular-sized giant who is better characterized as an Earth goddess. Thor's mother is the physical incarnation of the Earth itself, Gaea, according to various accounts, including Marvel Comics legend.8. Sif is Thor's wife.
The MCU depicts Sif's love for Thor as unrequited, whereas the Prose and Poetic Edda present them as a dedicated pair from prehistory to Ragnarok - albeit Thor isn't beyond having the occasional affair. After all, he was born as the consequence of Odin's adulterous romance with a giant, so it's a tendency he picked up at an early age.9. Magni and Modi were Thor's sons, while Thrud was his daughter.
Thor, according to Norse mythology, was much more of a family man. He had at least two children with Sif, a son named Modi and a daughter named Thrud. Magni, Thor's other son, has more questionable motherhood. Most interpretations of the myth mention Jarnsaxa, a giant with whom Thor had an affair, as Magni's mother, and some also name her as Modi's mother. Thor appears to have had several children with multiple lovers, at the very least, though he doesn't appear to also be the most loving of fathers.10. Hela is Loki's daughter and not related to Thor.
In Thor: Ragnarok, the titular character and his brother Loki realize they've had an elder sister, Hela, the Goddess of Death, locked in prison all this time. In the ancient Norse afterlife story, Hela does rule over Hel, but she is Loki's daughter, not Odin's. Hela isn't Loki's sole child. She was the offspring of Loki and the huge Angrboda, as well as Jormungandr the World Serpent and Fenrir the monstrous wolf. He also fathered an eight-legged horse named Sleipnir, which Odin eventually acquired. To top it off, he and his wife, Sigyn, had a somewhat normal kid named Nari.11. Thor is unable to fly because he is dragged through the air by magical goats.
Thor, according to legend, could not fly. He did, however, have a chariot that his two loyal goats, Toothgnasher and Toothgrinder, could drag through the heavens. The creatures were not only valuable in transporting the God of Thunder from one location to another, but they also possessed a unique ability: they could be devoured at night and resurrected in the morning, giving Thor an endless supply of food while on the road. They were also useful in a fight.12. Thor is not a resident of Asgard.
Asgard is more of a country than a kingdom in legendary fact. Valhalla is a large hall where Odin hangs out with the heroic deceased, and it is commonly represented as containing the throne of the Aesir. Within the domain of Asgard, the other Norse gods have their own homelands, including Thor's own Thrudheim, where he dwells with his family. To put it another way, Thor does not dwell in Asgard; rather, he lives in the suburbs.13. Thor and his companions are referred to as The Aesir rather than Asgardians.
Any MCU fan would almost definitely use the term "Asgardian" to identify Thor, which seems like an appropriate label for someone who hails from Asgard. The Marvel team, on the other hand, came up with that term totally on their own. Thor and his fellow "sky gods" are known as the Aesir in Norse mythology, which is not to be confused with the Vanir, a rival race of sky gods with whom the Aesir periodically clash. Not everyone in Asgard is an Aesir member - Loki isn't, for instance - and not all Aesir dwell in Asgard, which makes the entire "Asgardian" notion a bit confusing when applied to the real literature.
Share this article
Advertisement