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Odin Borrson

Odin Borrson (The All-Father)


Omega (God of War 2018)

This article contains lore based on real-life sources from Norse mythology as introduced from the God of War Norse era.


Everyone's got me all wrong. You think war drives me? Power? Wealth? Nah. Never have. Know what drives me? What I really want? I want answers. Same as you. See, mortals have it easy. When they push up against life's big questions, they can look to us to give them meaning. Divine comfort. We both know that's a sham. But when we have questions? Why are we here? To give meaning to mortals while living without it ourselves? No. We're more than that.

–Odin to Loki

Odin (Old Norse: Óðinn, Nordic: ᛟᛞᛁᚾ), also known as the All-Father and Odin Borrson (Translation: Odin, son of Borr), was the King of the Aesir and the ruler of the Norse Pantheon. He is the eldest son of Borr and Bestla, the eldest grandson of Búri, the older brother of Vili and , the father of Thor and Baldur, grandfather of Magni, Modi and Thrúd, and ex-husband of Fjörgyn and Frigg.

Convinced in his youth of the racial superiority of the Aesir over the Jötnar, Odin drew the first blood when he slew the legendary Ymir after a climactic duel, and claimed the title of All-Father while crowning himself King of the Aesir. Promised to a certain death but determined to change his fate, Odin waged countless wars against the Nine Realms and managed to bring them all under Asgard's ascendancy. The All-Father reached the peak of his power after the inconclusive Aesir-Vanir War when he married the Vanir Freya. Their union brought peace and a relative prosperity as the King of the Aesir became genuinely fond of his wife, who managed to soothe his belligerent mood.

But as time passed, Odin grew more and more paranoid and progressively turned on his closest advisors. Neglecting Freya, he spent a great deal of time trying to unfold the secrets of life and death in a fruitless attempt to change his fate, ruthlessly robbing the realms from their sacred knowledge and collecting even more godly titles. The All-Father then commanded the infamous genocide against the people who prophesied his final demise, yet another demonstration of his limitless depravity. His actions finally turned the Vanir goddess against him, and an outraged Odin cursed his former love by banishing her to Midgard for eternity, while robbing her from her warrior spirit. The All-Father then sealed the access to some key realms through Týr's Temple and started fortifying Asgard in preparation for Ragnarök. In Svartalfheim, he personally commanded the delivery of war machines and went as far as cursing the Valkyries, condemning them to certain madness.

Working behind the scenes, the All-Father is the perpetrator behind the events of God of War (2018), eventually setting the events of the series into motion by sending his tracker find the Guardian at Kratos' Cabin. The King of the Aesir remains absent throughout the whole game but his shadow covers the main protagonists as they slowly but surely make their way to Jötunheim. The death of Baldur at the hands of Kratos, which triggers Fimbulwinter - and thus the beginning of Ragnarök - forces Odin to come to the fore as the main antagonist of God of War Ragnarök. Having had time to study Kratos and learn what the Ghost of Sparta did in his homeland and, more importantly, that Atreus was secretly seeking the fallen Norse God of War, Odin decided it was time to take a more cunning - and vicious - approach.

Introducing himself as a benevolent person, Odin sought a status quo with the Spartan and his son by offering peace and inaction in exchange. Though his offer was rebuffed by Kratos, the All-Father slowly but surely drives a wedge between the two of them by using Atreus' innate gift in ancient languages to his own benefit, convinced that the young man is the key to break free of his fate. Ever omniscient, he successfully fools his enemies under the guise of Týr, allowing him to constantly stay one step ahead before being exposed in extremis. As the realms unite against him under the leadership of the Spartan, he is unable to prevent Ragnarök from happening, though the events don't exactly go as prophesied. The All-Father first promptly kills the God of Thunder before personally engaging Kratos, Atreus and Freya in a last ditch attempt to save his crumbling kingdom, only to find himself on his knees. He ultimately meets his end in the arms of his former protégé. His captured soul was eventually destroyed by Sindri.

Quick Answers

What is Odin the god of in Norse mythology? toggle section
Odin, in Norse mythology, is an immortal and powerful god renowned for his potent combat abilities and spell-casting. His fighting skills, paired with his signature weapon, make him a formidable adversary, even against the likes of Kratos, Freya, and Atreus.
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Who are Odin's children in the God of War Norse era? toggle section
Odin, the Asgardian king in the God of War series, has numerous offspring. His children include Thor, born to giantess Fjörgyn, and Meili. Thor fathered a son and daughter with Sif, and Magni with Járnsaxa. Odin's other sons, as per the Nafnaþulur of Skáldskaparmál, are Baldr, Víðarr, Nepr, Váli, Áli, Þórr, Hildólfr, Hermóðr, Sigi, Skjöldr, Yngvi-Freyr, Ítreksjóð, Heimdallr, Sæmingr, Höðr, and Bragi. Heimdall's parentage by Odin is unconfirmed in this series.
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Where does Odin live according to Norse mythology? toggle section
Odin, a prominent figure in Norse mythology, dwells in Asgard. This cosmic location, often depicted as a golden, heaven-like land, is linked with the Æsir, a collection of gods. Asgard is fortified and houses other notable Aesir gods, including Thor and Loki. Notable locations within Asgard include Valhalla, a grand golden hall where the Einherjar reside and train.
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Who are Odin's siblings in the Norse Pantheon? toggle section
In the Norse Pantheon, Odin, recognized as the Aesir and Raven God, has two siblings. His younger brothers are Vili, who is the God of Wit, and Vé, known as the God of Countenance.
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Norse Mythology[]

Odin (pronounced “OH-din”; Old Norse Óðinn, Old English, Old Saxon Woden, Old High German Wuotan, Wotan, or Wodan, Proto-Germanic *Woðanaz, “Master of Ecstasy”) is one of the most complex and enigmatic characters in Norse mythology . He's the ruler of the Aesir tribe of deities, yet he often ventures far from their kingdom, Asgard, on long, solitary wanderings throughout the cosmoson purely self-interested quests. He's a relentless seeker after and giver of wisdom, but he has little regard for communal values such as justice, fairness, or respect for law and convention. He's the divine patron of rulers, and also of outlaws. He's a war-god, but also a poetry-god, and he has prominent “effeminate” qualities that would have brought unspeakable shame to any historical Viking warrior. He's worshiped by those in search of prestige, honor, and nobility, yet he's often cursed for being a fickle trickster.

Odin’s name can be translated as “Master of Ecstasy.” His Old Norse name, Óðinn, is formed from two parts: first, the noun óðr, “ecstasy, fury, inspiration,” and the suffix -inn, the masculine definite article, which, when added to the end of another word like this, means something like “the master of” or “a perfect example of.” The eleventh-century historian Adam of Bremen confirms this when he translates “Odin” as “The Furious.” Óðr can take countless different forms. As one saga describes Odin, “when he sat with his friends, he gladdened the spirits of all of them, but when he was at war, his demeanor was terrifyingly grim.”

One of Odin’s countless names is “Allfather” (Old Norse Alfaðir), “because,” according to Snorri Sturluson, “he is the father of all of the gods.” And, as we’ve already noted, Odin is listed as the divine ancestor of countless families from all over northern Europe. He's simultaneously an Aesir god, a Vanir god (the Vanir god Odr is only an extension or transposition of Odin), and a giant (his mother is Bestla, one of the first frost-giants). One Old Norse poem even identifies him with önd, the breath of life.

Codex Description[]

Like his son before him, Odin has come to our door. He does not seek vengeance for Baldur, but instead he speaks of peace and inaction. Odin claims that Atreus has been searching for Týr and has requested he halt this endeavour. I am not pleased that he knows more about what my son is doing than I. While I do not approve of what Atreus has done behind my back, I will not abide the gods of this realm coming to my home and dictating our actions. If he does not want us searching for Týr, it is likely that it is exactly what we should be doing. I must note that he offered a deal of peace for our inaction. If I did not have better counsel, I would have been tempted to take it. His threat to Freya made this impossible. She may persist as a danger, but to ally against her with her former husband is... unacceptable.

Kratos

After all the terrible things I've heard about Odin, I never expected him to be so... respectful of me. Back at the cabin, when he invited me to Asgard, and since arriving here, he seems genuinely interested to know who I am and what I think. I know I can't trust him too far... but it's nice to be listened to. I feel safer around him than I thought I would. Let's see what answers he has for me...

Atreus

In the God of War Series[]

Backstory[]

Born and defeating Ymir[]

Odin was a grandson of Búri, the first of the Aesir Gods, who had sprung from Ymir, the first Giant and father of all life and one of the sons of Borr. However, unlike Ymir, Odin felt that the Aesir were fit to be the supreme rulers of the Nine Realms and so he, along with his brothers Vili and killed Ymir and anyone else who stood in their path, with Odin himself taking the place of the "All-Father", where after that, Ymir's blood drowned all the Jötnar, except Bergelmir and his wife. Odin would then create the realm of Midgard from Ymir’s torn flesh. Eventually, Odin would create the first Humans; Ask and Embla.

Creation of Asgard[]

The moment Ymir was slain by Odin, it caused the creation of a reality tear, which caught the eye of Odin. After suffering a bout of existentialism, he came to realize that there is much more to them than the Nine Realms. With this realization, he began a massive research project to discover the secrets of the reality tear. This was also the beginning of his obsessive nature regarding knowledge, as he began aggressively gathering more knowledge and developed a great capacity and determination for learning. Around this time he built the realm of Asgard and declared himself king of the Aesir. He even cemented this with a Great Lodge that he built above the reality tear and a research complex underneath the Great Lodge where he would began gathering more wisdom across the Nine Realms.

Seeing the need to expand Asgard's forces, he seized control of Valhalla and the Nine Valkyries who oversaw it despite the best efforts of their Queen to prevent this. He would go on to use Valhalla's endless supply of deceased individuals to create an indefinite supply of superhuman soldiers for the Asgardian military. This was part of his future plans to try and thwart Ragnarök, a prophesied catastrophic event that would lead to an apocalypse and the deaths of most of the Norse Gods. To prepare for this impending threat, Odin would permit only the greatest warriors who had died in battle to enter Valhalla to one day serve as his own personal army, with the Valkyries serving as his recruiters and trainers in that respect. Everyone else he relegated to the icy wasteland known as Helheim.

One time, Odin performed a ritual by impaling himself with his own spear and hanging himself from Yggdrasil's branches, and bleeding down into the Well of Destiny, where he spent nine days as a dead god, he roamed the realm of the dead and plundered the secrets of the World Tree until it hit its limit, sending Odin back to the land of the living, much to his anger and madness.

Getting to Know Mimir[]

At some point, Mimir came to Odin with Mimisbrunnr, a "Mystic Well of Knowledge" when it was really a well laced with enough magic mushrooms to give even a God as powerful as him visions. Odin was initially so impressed with this well that whatever he saw in his hallucinations made him start to tear out both of his eyes. Fortunately, he was stopped by Mimir from finishing the job and was convinced by Mimir that he had sacrificed his eye for knowledge. However, Odin immediately figured out that Mimir had fooled him but allowed him to become his adviser due to his immense intelligence. After he imprisoned his adviser, Odin removed one of Mimir's eyes and tortured him on a daily basis. Odin also searched for Brok and Sindri to construct a Statue of Thor within which to hide Mimir's severed eye. Due to the Huldra Brothers rejecting his request, Odin eventually found other Dwarves to do the job for him.

Family and Sons[]

Around this time, Odin also began marrying women and expanding his family, hoping to gain strong children. At some point during this quest, he sought out the Giant Skaði's hand in marriage, but when she rejected his affections, Odin tricked her into killing her own father out of pettiness, which inadvertently led to her succumbing to her fate. Odin eventually ended up marrying the giantess Fjörgyn, with whom he had Thor. Sometime after Thor's birth, Fjörgyn mysteriously died, leaving Odin heartbroken and alone for many years.

Construction of the Walls of Asgard[]

Odin at one point met the stone giant Hrungnir and was so amused by the latter's gullible nature that rather than killing him immediately Odin invited him to Asgard and made him drunk and goaded him into all manners of boasts and antics, even taking the threat of Hrungnir killing all the Aesir and taking all the women of Asgard back to Jötunheim as a joke. However, it came to an end after another fit of laughter upon Thor killing the stone giant and being crushed by his corpse. Odin ordered all his men to remove him from Thor but none of the Aesir were strong enough to do so and Thor himself was too drunk to remove the stone giant off himself until Odin's grandchildren Magni and Modi came and freed Thor.

Imprisoning Garm[]

After learning of a wolf that did not stop growing in Helheim, the Aesir went after the giant wolf, Garm, with chains to imprison the huge wolf. After some tests of chains, Týr, the God of War, managed to trap the direwolf. The Aesir left for Asgard, but not before Odin captured and imprisoned the wolf's children, Sköll and Hati in Asgard.

Marriage to Freya[]

After cementing his rule as the "All-Father," Odin continued to wage wars against the other realms, defeating and subduing Alfheim, Svartalfheim and Niflheim. Muspelheim and Jötunheim remained beyond his reach. He did not encounter any real difficulties until he and the Aesir encountered the Vanir, an opposing tribe of Gods native to the realm of Vanaheim; the two forces fought endlessly until finally they reached a stalemate. At this point, both sides grew tired of fighting, and Odin eventually agreed to marry Freya to end the fighting, and so that Odin may secretly learn her magic. Together, they produced Odin's youngest son, Baldur. For a time, the two appeared to have greatly cared for one another, with Mimir noting that their relationship seemed to echo that of Odin and Fjörgyn's, with Odin treating her in a loving manner and conceding to most of her wishes, even giving the Valkyries some freedom when she wished it.

However, Odin eventually revealed to Freya his true nature and demanded that she give him the same protection spell that she bestowed on her son. When this was refused, this angered the All-Father greatly, prompting the two to enter a great argument that left their room destroyed and all forms of love shattered. This was even enough to cause Freya to leave him, which Odin retaliated to by cursing the goddess to remain imprisoned in Midgard and to never harm another living thing, even in self-defense, out of petty revenge. To ensure that she could never leave Midgard, Odin proceeded to tie and bind several roots of Yggdrasil together into a knot using his magic, as he knew that the dragon Níðhögg, the caretaker of the world tree, would protect its roots and prevent anyone from undoing the curse.

Imprisoning Týr[]

Odin also sought the secrets of Jötunheim and the Giants. His son Týr attempted to open relations between them by inviting Odin to a summit with the Giants, but Odin only agreed in order to steal the secrets of Jötunheim. The giants saw Odin's sinister intentions and expelled Odin from Jötunheim, banishing with a curse that prevented him from ever returning. In response, Odin began a genocidal campaign to slaughter any giant the Aesir could find. This proved too much for Týr, who turned against Odin to help the giants cut Jötunheim off from the other realms. For this betrayal, Odin had Týr imprisoned and spread rumours of his death, all in the hopes that having a secret war god would prove to be of use someday.

God of War (2018)[]

While not actually making an appearance in the game, he is frequently mentioned by several characters. He is the one who imprisoned Mimir in the past and personally tortured him every day. He also sent Baldur to gain knowledge of Faye's whereabouts, as the Giantess has been a thorn in the Aesir's side for quite some time. He employs a large number of spectral ravens (known as the Eyes of Odin) to observe the world and gather information for him. Odin also has secret vaults scattered throughout the world that contain murals depicting legends, and an entrance to a Valkyrie's prison.

God of War Ragnarök[]

Odin has long been aware of the presence of this foreigner god in Midgard and the threat he could pose to his authority, but chose not to intervene personally. However, the premature and unexpected death of Magni, then Modi and above all Baldur changed everything. His actions prematurely triggered Fimbulwinter and thus, Ragnarök itself. Aware of the Spartan's reputation and what he did in Greece, the All-Father could no longer ignore the danger. He needed to gain time and keep Kratos on the sideline, at least for the time being. He first started by locking any access to the Temple of Týr, then decided it was time to deal with the Ghost of Sparta.

Meeting with the Ghost of Sparta[]

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Family Reunion

Three years after the beginning of Fimbulwinter, Odin showed up in the flesh with Thor to negotiate a status quo with Kratos and Atreus, secretly fearing what he considered to be a threat to his power. Aware of the precarious situation in which the Spartan and his son found themselves, caught between Fimbulwinter and Freya, the All-Father offered to forgive the blood debt the Aesir were owed for the death of Baldur while preventing Freya from hunting the two gods if, in return, they promised not to attack the Aesir again or seek out Týr. A simple "no" from Kratos was enough to provoke a brawl with Thor that sent the two brutes flying across Midgard. Odin took advantage of Kratos' absence to reveal to Atreus that he is no longer interested in Jötunheim and cordially invites him to Asgard for an apprenticeship before leaving. Lenient, he even offered to pay for the broken roof.

Master of deception[]

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Odin disguised as Týr

Having tipped Kratos off to Atreus' search for Týr, Odin went to the realm last rumored to house his son, Svartalfheim, and first chose to disguise himself as a dwarf, and spit at Kratos and Atreus[1]. Next, he disguised himself as the Norse God of War so as to gain the other war god's confidence. Lo and behold, they "rescued" Odin and escorted him to Sindri's hideaway between the Realms without a hint of the All-Father's true identity. He spent his time with them advising against taking action against Asgard under a guise of pacifism, lead them into battle while refusing to assist them, and even refused to accompany them at all after seeing a hidden giant prophesy about how Asgard, alone of all the Nine Realms, would be destroyed in Ragnarök.

The search for ultimate knowledge[]

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Atreus and Odin

He watched with the rest of Sindri's guests as Atreus fled to go to Asgard. He found the privacy to grab the raven he had hidden in Sindri's closet and returned to Asgard as Odin just in time to stop Heimdall from killing Atreus. Odin showed Atreus his armies, the rooms of the Great Lodge, several generous gifts, and a broken mask. This mask had foreign languages only Atreus could read and a connection to a hole in reality Odin believed held the secrets to life's meaning and the afterlife of the gods. The next day, Odin sent Atreus, Thor, and Freyr's sentient sword to Muspelheim to locate a piece of the mask.

Second encounter with Kratos[]

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Later, Odin takes Durlin with him to Kratos. When the Spartan threatened him with his newly forged spear, Odin reveals to him that Atreus is in Asgard and is doing well. After letting Durlin go, Odin tries to tell Kratos that he also wants peace as much as he does and that they could find it together. However, Mimir immediately saw through the All-father's lie, but Kratos already knew of it as he doesn't believe in Odin's words. When Odin tells Kratos that his son is the key to being free of fate and prophecy, the Spartan firmly tells him that Atreus is not a key. The All-father, knowing of who Kratos was, states to him that he is not the god that he once was and that now he has a chance to prove it. When Kratos demanded that Atreus be returned to him under threat of facing what he once was, Odin heatedly asks him on what kind of god he would show and proceeded to ask what he knew about godhood. He asked if anyone had ever worshipped or prayed to him. He then mocked the Spartan by saying that he doesn't care for anything beyond himself and the monster that kills without cause. Just before departing, the All-father tells Kratos he fears what he can never hope to understand, and that he shouldn't be surprised that Atreus is in no rush to return to him before disappearing in a flock of ravens.

Revealing of the rift's origins[]

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Back in Asgard, Odin gets into an argument with Thor in his private study on why he brought Atreus into Asgard and harshly sends him away. When Atreus arrives and asks Odin if his secret study room is the place where he killed Ymir, the All-Father reveals that the first giant was a vessel of power and a force of nature. He explained that in his youth, he was young and foolish and saw an opportunity to create something more in order to protect his own. In response to Atreus wondering on why he had built his great lodge on the very spot, Odin reveals that when he killed Ymir, he saw the rift form. This rift is possibly the rift of reality, and when he looked inside there was something in there, whispering to him. When he thought that it was over and that he could no longer look into the rift, he found the piece of the mask and knew that it would let him see all the answers he longed for. Approaching the rift, Odin tells Atreus that he knows that there is something more and that he wants to know of his fate.

We all make mistakes[]

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When Atreus assumes that the next piece of the mask is in Helheim, Odin gives an order to Huginn and summons in Thrúd and Heimdall to accompany Atreus. Later, after Atreus and Thrúd freed the Hel hound Garm by accident, they immediately returned to Asgard with Heimdall, proceeded to report to Odin of what happened. A while later, he visited Atreus in his room and asked him on what happen. When the latter tells him that the last piece of the mask wasn't there in Helheim and that he himself was wrong, Odin assures him that [they] all make mistakes and that freeing Garm was a big mistake, since he is now spreading chaos into all the other realms, assuring Atreus that they are safe in Asgard. When Atreus wants to return to Sindri's house, Odin allows him to, asking him to return the mask to him along with Ingrid, whom he does, the Allfather reminds him that if he is ready to resume his work, Huginn will be waiting for him at Kratos' cabin. Before Atreus disappears in a flock of ravens, Odin tells him to say "hi" to Mimir for him. Shortly after Atreus left, Odin resumed his disguise as Týr and goes back to Sindri's house.

Resuming the disguise[]

After Atreus helps his father and their allies in fending of the Hel-Walkers that were pouring out from rifts made by Garm, the disguised Odin arrives and, to prevent anyone from knowing that he has already known that Garm has been set free, pretended to be despondent and criticizes Atreus' actions, telling him that it was madness. Later, he greets Kratos and Atreus when they returned from stopping Garm. When he asks the duo of how it went, Kratos tells him that the giant wolf should no longer trouble them. When Atreus reveals to the others of Odin's obsession with the mask, the All-father, while in disguise, listens to Mimir scoffing that it is a fake and that Odin has been disorganizingly doing it for a really long time. After being given Atreus' journal, he proceeded to tell Mimir that he is wrong and though he reveals that while the Jötnar didn't create it, a few of them have seen it in their visions. Odin, while in the form of Týr, reveals that the giants don't know of the mask's origins but is said to gaze into the secrets of creation. When Kratos asks him if it's an oracle, he states that it is much more and imagines becoming one with something that grants infinite knowledge. The disguised Odin then lies to Atreus that it is the reason why Odin tortured him. He then gives it to Freya, who reveals that Odin never shared with her this obsession and that while he speaks the truth, his purpose is usually false.

The second piece of the mask[]

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When Atreus returns to Asgard, he finds Odin reading a tome in his study room. Sensing Atreus, he reveals that Heimdall is dead and asks him if he knows anything about it. When Atreus states that Heimdall had struck Thrúd while in Helheim and that someone maybe found out and got even, Odin proceeded to ask him if Thor had something to do with it. In response to Atreus saying that he honestly doesn't know, the All-father claims that while he didn't believe that he didn't have anything to do with Heimdall's death he is glad that Atreus has returned. When Atreus reveals that he has misinterpreted the clue of the next location and that it actually means "the cry of first breath", Odin became enthusiastic as he immediately knew of the next location, and he tells Atreus to go find Thor so that he may accompany him while on the journey.

After Atreus retrieved the final piece of the mask in said location, which is the primordial realm of Niflheim, Odin arrives to congratulate him while at the same time ignoring Thor. However, shortly after, Sif suddenly arrives with the Valkyries Hrist and Mist. When Odin demanded on why they have come, Sif reveals that Atreus' father Kratos had killed Heimdall, due to the evidence that Forseti had found. When Hrist and Mist were ordered to arrest Atreus, Odin comes to the latter's rescue and commands the two Valkyries to leave him alone. The All-father then gets into an argument with Sif in which he dismisses her and proceeded to have a talk with Hrist and Mist. A few minutes later, when Thor was about to kill Atreus out of revenge for the deaths of his sons Modi and Magni, Odin tries to stop him, but Atreus was able to escape. Odin once again resumes his disguise and returns to Sindri's house via the raven he had in the closet.

Dropping the disguise[]

If he dies, we are square for Heimdall. And honestly, you got a bargain.

–Odin about Brok

When Atreus returns with the mask to Sindri's house, Odin, in his Týr disguise, pretended to be surprised that the young Jötunn had gotten it. When he ask Atreus on what he saw through the mask, the latter states that he didn't get to use it. He then tells Týr, not knowing he is actually Odin, that the Aesir have found out about Heimdall's death which forced him to run, but Odin was unable to use the mask as well. The disguised Odin claims to Atreus that if he was unable to get answers from the mask then he had just stolen the All-father's greatest treasure, right after Kratos killed Heimdall. During a meeting with everyone, when Atreus states that they could use the mask to forge their own destinies, Odin tricks everyone into believing that Týr, which is himself, had a change of heart and reveals that there is another way into Asgard. However, Brok grew suspicious of this after Týr offhandedly addressed Atreus as "Loki", which Týr had never done before along with fact that he suddenly became brave after long cowardice. When the dwarf began prodding him over this, Odin lost his temper and pulled out a knife. Fatally stabbing the Dwarf in the chest, Odin drops his disguise and revealed his true identity, much to the horror of everyone present.

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He then takes Atreus hostage and began demanding the mask. When a vengeful Freya began to threaten him, Odin states to her that killing Atreus is not part of his plan and that if he kills him, then they're all equal for the death of Heimdall, since they got a bargain. When Freya threatened to kill Odin and Sindri begged her to save Brok, the All-father reminds her that she can't be in two places at the same time, forcing her to go and help Brok. When Kratos and Freyr moved forward, Odin threatened that if they move then he'll kill Atreus. When Kratos angrily demands him to release his son, Odin shot back at him saying that he's in control of everything and once again demanded the mask. Freyr reluctantly tossed it to him, but out of his reach. Taking advantage of Odin's distraction, Atreus assumes his wolf form and viciously bites the All-father's arm, forcing him to let go. Throwing Atreus aside, Odin immediately picks up the mask and opens the closet where he had hidden his raven, allowing him to escape. However, before he could even fully escape with the mask, Kratos throws his Draupnir Spear at it, causing it to fly out of Odin's hand and forcing him to escape empty-handed.

This event made them realize that Odin had infiltrated the whole time with the goal of obtaining the mask as soon as Atreus completed it. Furthermore, Odin's killing of Brok infuriated both Freya and later Kratos and they immediately swore revenge as well as committing themselves into setting Ragnarök into motion.

The All-Father's last stand[]

And Thor? That one's on you. You turned him against me. You turned them ALL against me!

–Odin blaming Kratos and Atreus for the death of Thor

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Odin battling Kratos

With his Týr disguise now exposed, Odin fled back to Asgard, lamenting the loss of the mask but confident still that Atreus would eventually return with it in hand. Concurrently, the All-Father had to come to grips with the reality that Ragnarök was now inevitable and that it would only be a matter of time before his enemies came down upon him from all sides. Fortified but cornered in Asgard, Odin ordered full mobilization of Asgard's military might; legions of Einherjar backed up by savage war-beasts, powerful Dwarf-built war-machines and spearheaded by Thor and the Valkyrie loyalists. Odin also ordered the Midgardian refugees to man the Asgardian war-machines in a final despicable attempt to manipulate Atreus and paint Kratos as a remorseless monster, knowing full-well that Atreus cared about them and that they had no chance of surviving on the front lines.

As the last of the preparations were being made, all of a sudden there came a colossal horn-blast echoing out across the realm. Recognizing it as the sound of the Gjallarhorn, Odin realized that the End of the World was upon him and grimly readied his forces for battle. Shortly thereafter, the armies of Alfheim, Vanaheim and Helheim, reinforced by several Giants, burst out of their respective Realm Towers and fell upon the Asgardian forces. Unwilling to endanger himself, Odin chose to hang back and leave the bulk of the fighting to his subordinates.

As the invasion raged on however, the battle began to go against Odin's favour, as his final attempt to manipulate Atreus was foiled by Kratos instead choosing to save as many innocent casualties as possible, including Thor's wife and daughter. Eventually, Kratos and Thor battled once more with Kratos emerging as the victor, but instead of going for the kill, Kratos was able to convince the God of Thunder to stand down for their children's sake. Seeing this, Odin teleported himself to them and furiously ordered Thor to resume the battle, telling him that he mustn't think or care about anything other than killing whoever he is ordered to kill. Having finally realized that Odin never cared about him, Thor dropped Mjölnir and openly refused. An enraged Odin immediately used his spear to impale Thor through the chest just as Atreus and Thrúd appeared. Odin tried to pin the blame for Thor's death on Kratos, but a horrified and enraged Thrúd ignored this and rushed to attack her grandfather. Promptly knocking her away like a toy with Mjölnir, Odin turned his attention to Kratos and Atreus. Wrongfully pinning all the blame for his family's downfall on them, the All-Father personally engaged them in combat.

Odin was eventually able to magically freeze the two in place, but in his moment of triumph, he was immediately choked by Freya, who had cast a binding curse on his neck using his old noose. His ravens Huginn and Muninn eventually came to his aid and gave him a brief distraction, allowing him to shatter the ground beneath them and send everyone tumbling into his private studies. There, Odin, noticing that the rift of creation had gotten larger, made one last plea for Atreus to put on the mask and see what lies beyond. Unfortunately for Odin, Atreus chose his father over him and broke the mask in two, causing it to be absorbed into the rift in reality and disappear forever. Now completely furious that his plans were all for naught, The All-Father unleashed the full might of his powers against Kratos, Atreus and Freya, trying to kill them and change his fate. Unfortunately for him, the trio defeated the All-Father, gained the upper hand and killed one of his ravens in the process.

Death and Legacy[]

I have to know what happens next. I will never stop.

–Odin's last words

Capture d’écran 2022-12-06 à 21.45

Atreus capturing Odin's soul

Bloodied and forced to his knees, Odin berated Atreus for his actions, claiming the two of them could've made the Nine Realms better had Atreus got him his answers. However, Atreus countered that Odin's quest for knowledge was never about the realms, but for himself. Even so, Odin still blamed Atreus for destroying his home, his family, and all of Asgard. Atreus angrily reminded Odin that it was his choice to kill his own son and betray everyone who ever helped him, but Odin continued deflecting the blame. Atreus gives Odin a last chance to stop this and be better, but Odin still refuses, affirming his desire, his need, to know "what happens next". Realizing Odin would never let go of his obsessions, Atreus chants a Jotünn spell that caused Odin's soul to be sealed away in a tiny metal marble that Atreus had in his pocket. The three debated on what to do with Odin's soul until Sindri arrives to take the marble from Atreus. Sindri places the marble and smashes it, destroying it and Odin's soul to pieces and fades away. This caused Odin to not be able to enter the afterlife.

Following Odin's death and Asgard's destruction, the Asgardian survivors took refuge in Vanaheim. Now led by Sif, the Asgardians rejected Odin's ways as they attempted to make a home for themselves with the Vanir, though the transition was difficult as not only did both societies live differently but many on both sides remained angry over past grudges instigated by Odin. However, loyalists to Odin remained, namely his Einherjar, led by Odin's last Valkyrie Queen, Gná, who remained a bitter enemy of Freya's. Gná attempted to continue Odin's legacy by gathering Einherjar forces that remained in the pieces of Asgard that landed in the other realms, one in particular that held the prison of the real Týr, but her plans would be foiled by Kratos and Freya, who killed her in Muspelheim, thereby thwarting any more attempts to continue Odin's influence over the remaining realms.

In particular, Kratos and Freya felt a sense of sympathy and pity for the Midgardians Odin held within Asgard after he "saved" them from the Desolation, which they felt grateful for. Instead of being protected during the assault on Asgard, they were forced to the front lines and were used as bait in an attempt to manipulate Atreus, callously saying that they owed him. This profound sense of betrayal led Freya to state that while the Midgardians can move forward, such feelings will linger within them for a long while.

During Kratos's trials within Vahalla, Týr, who invited Kratos to partake in said trials, mentioned Odin's own visits within Vahalla. The Allfather was looking for answers to the Rift and a way to fully control the Valkyries but left disappointed as Vahalla gave neither. As Vahalla helps a person improve themselves by confronting their inner turmoil, Odin's obsessions with seeking answers were never going to be fulfilled. As Týr would state, "He looked for answers everywhere except within".

Appearance[]

Odin

Odin

Odin's exact appearance has shadowed and clouded figure as he numerous mentions and arguably overarching antagonist in the Norse Era of God of War series until he showed up during the negotiate to Kratos, the true appearance of the All-Father is an old man, frail in stature, especially compared to the more muscular gods like Zeus or Kratos. This impression is further emphasized by his average height - he is barely taller than Atreus - making him appear much smaller and seemingly weaker than others. However, like his very nature, this all proves extremely deceiving.

Odin is also notorious for having lost his right eye long before the events of the series, a price he paid for his obsession with knowledge. As such, he wears an eyepatch made of brown leather, adorned with a silver button behind his ear. The button is a polished Lyngbakr bone inscribed with Ansuz rune (intellectual learning). As said by Sindri, Odin couldn't have the Smartest Man Alive as his advisor without reminding people that he himself is the real brains of the operation. Likely due to his age, Odin displays a receding hairline, and grey hair. The right side of his face, around his eyepatch, is covered in dark tattoos. His forearms are uncovered, but his two ravens have the ability to store themselves there magically, manifesting as intricate tattoos when not in flight.

Odin wears an elegant light blue tunic made of the finest Asgardian wool, woad-dyed to bring out his eye, that reaches to below the knee, adorned with golden embroidery emphasizing his status as the King of the Aesir in traditional Asgardian knotwork, some of the patterns are definitely Seiðr in nature, representing his mastery of the ancient magic's, also depicting Huginn & Muninn in gold. Odin also wears eight rings on his fingers to represent the eight realms to dominate besides his own. In addition, Odin has an excessive amount of rope wrapped around his waist since it is a major ingredient/component in his magic, hanging from his waist on his left side is a magical anchor for certain Seiðr magic spells and beaded cat-tails of belt leather. On his right side, he has an object carved from reindeer antler—probably containing a magical reagent. Odin pairs this outfit with walnut brown leather boots. When he travels, he wears a heavy brown twill weave coat draped over his shoulders, the coat has a burnished gold clasp—in traditional Aesir style on both sides, buckling the coat on him, on the strap coming across his chest has a buckle designed to resemble his ravens, Huginn & Muninn, his coat also has a delicate gold-threaded flower pattern. Sometimes, he also wears a brown fur conical-wizard hat, very similar to a chapka. Generally speaking, his outfit remains rustic, in contrast to his high position.

As his status made battles with potential enemies few and far between, Odin nonetheless uses Gungnir, his Spear, and Ivaldi’s masterwork a walking stick in it's staff form, the spear itself has a decorative, but most likely also imbuing battle enchantments with every shape. When in it's staff form it is unassuming and benign, in reality it is a deadly spear-blade, summoned from the Bifröst in a flash when he needs it, immediately ready to be used as the deadly weapon it is when necessary. All in all, Odin is depicted as what he truly is: a sorcerer, someone working behind the scenes who only comes to the fore as a last resort.

Personality[]

“If he tells you snow is white, he’s lying!”

–Mimir, speaking about Odin

Odin is shown to be an exceptionally cruel, selfish and deceitful man, but he was also patient, devious and, as Mimir puts it, "almost as clever as he thinks". More than anything, Odin was a man obsessed with a desire for control, most crucially of his own fate, but also of other people and realms. This drive for control is what initially led to him murdering Ymir and creating the world, naming himself "All-Father" in the process, in order to cement himself as the supreme authority of the Nine Realms.

According to Mimir, Odin was extremely paranoid about anything and everything that he believed would possess even the slightest chance of threatening his rule and that of the Aesir, much like how his Greek counterpart Zeus was before Kratos killed him. This included the Giants, the Vanir and even the beloved God of War; Týr, his own son. It is implied that much like Zeus, he has an intense fear of Kratos. Unlike the Olympian, however, Odin's fear was tempered by his knowledge of Kratos' power, not only being aware of the fate of the Greek pantheon, but also of him having faced and killed Modi, Magni, and Baldur. This led to him being more subtle and pragmatic in his dealings, trying to manipulate the Ghost of Sparta in various ways, rather than trying to destroy him outright.

One of Odin’s most impressive traits is his intelligence and desire for more knowledge about the world and even the truth of reality. However, this trait quickly turned into a negative, with Odin using violent and deceitful means to obtain knowledge. Odin prided himself on not only being the smartest man in the room but in the whole of existence. His regard for intelligence in others plays a role in how he views them, one of the most prominent examples being that of his son, Thor. With the Thunder God being far beneath his father’s genius, Odin held this against him, often making snide remarks about Thor’s lack of wit and perception of the world around him, going as far as finding it laughable when Atreus stated that Thor had taught him a lot during their journey in Muspelheim, finding the fact that his son had any worthwhile knowledge to share highly unlikely. This appreciation of intelligence in others also only goes as far as Odin finds their knowledge useful to himself. Two examples of this could be seen with his former advisor Mimir and his second son Týr. Despite Mimir being responsible for the loss of his right eye, Odin swallowed his pride for the time being and hired the foreigner as his advisor, valuing his mind and his ruthlessness when helping to bring the realm of Svartalfheim to heel through a trade agreement rather than Odin’s usual approach of brute force and conquest of the other realms. With Týr, the God of War was knowledgeable not only of the Nine Realms but of Worlds beyond his own, from a desert land along a great river, to a devastated world ruined by a powerful warrior. Despite his son, being just as learned as his father, Odin only cared about the knowledge Týr could help him acquire through taking advantage of his son’s good-hearted nature, tricking him into believing he wanted peace with the Jötnar when he only wanted their prophecies in Ragnarök for himself. It is also likely that he was jealous of his son’s knowledge and how mortals seemed to love the God of War more than the Allfather. Odin’s appreciation of intelligence in others ultimately added up to nothing as he betrayed and imprisoned the smartest minds of the Nine Realms, getting them out of the way so only his genius would be appreciated throughout all existence.

Odin jealously guarded all the knowledge and secrets he collected, betraying and deceiving many revered figures in Norse mythology who possessed knowledge that he did not and once he obtained them, he disposed of them cruelly. Mimir stated that Odin is obsessed with prophecies of the future, stylizing himself to be "all-knowing and all-seeing" but more importantly, motivated to control the future, his fate, and every realm. Mimir exploited this to become his adviser when he offered him a "well of knowledge" that allowed him to see visions, not knowing that it was really a well with water laced with hallucinogenic mushrooms. Due to this thirst for knowledge, this ended up costing him his right eye. Odin was also obsessed with an ancient mask that he believed could grant him infinite knowledge, which Mimir acknowledged as the All-Father's "greatest passion".

Odin's cruelty can be seen by him having tortured Mimir every day for 109 winters, with Mimir himself admitting that there was "no end to his creativity", to the point death seemed preferable to remaining Odin's prisoner. He ordered his strongest son Thor to kill every Jötunn he could find and betrayed the Jötunn Ymir at the beginning of all things under the self-righteous belief that he and the Aesir were bringing order to the realms. In truth, he and his brothers believed that they were superior. Additionally, while he may have originally truly loved and cared for Freya, once the goddess wished to break off the marriage, Odin banished her to forever remain in Midgard, as well as robbing the goddess of her warrior spirit; therefore, rendering her unable to directly harm anything, even to defend herself. To add insult to injury, he wrongfully corrupted the Valkyries into monstrous beasts by condemning them to physical forms out of his spite for Freya's rebellion, an act which ended up dangerously overflowing Helheim with the souls of the departed in the process. Finally, he left the Nine Realms to suffer during the desolation, closing Asgard's gates. It would also be revealed that he continued his attacks on Vanaheim, seemingly in the hope of tormenting Freya further, branding her a traitor to her own people, though this would later prove unsuccessful.

Odin was also shown to hold petty grudges to an almost hilarious degree, as he never forgot that Mimir had outwitted him when they first met. When Mimir finally fell out of favour, Odin removed one of his eyes as revenge for his trickery, before imprisoning and torturing him daily for over a century. In addition, when he lost the arrangement he made with the disguised Hrimthur in finishing Asgard's walls, he feigned to keep his end of the bargain to allow the builder to speak with his queen, Freya, only for the All-Father to then double-cross the Giant and have Thor kill him. In addition, when Skaði spurned his affections, he deceived her into killing her own father during a hunt, causing Skaði to succumb to her own grief shortly after.

It's implied that Odin may possess both a superiority complex and an inferiority complex as he genuinely believes that his way is the only way, and that the Aesir are destined to be the Supreme Rulers of the universe, yet seemingly loses any and all composure when someone or something comes along to challenge these beliefs. However, despite seeing himself as superior, he is quick to extreme anger and vengeance to any who slight, deny, or reject him. Anything that could be constructed of someone looking down on him immediately invoked vicious, irrational anger. He tricked the goddess Skaði into killing her father for rejecting his romantic advances, trapped Freya in Midgard defenseless for leaving their marriage and for refusing to teach him Vanir magic. He also immediately killed his son Thor without hesitation when he refused to follow his father's order.

Many individuals, such as Freya and Mimir, state that Odin was driven by fear of his own fate which is said to be at the hands of Giants, resulting in his paranoia and hatred of them. However, he is also envious and desirous of the Giants' abilities of precognition, wishing to use such abilities to alter his fate when Ragnarök occurs. Perhaps this is the one thing that the All-Father and Kratos, who doesn't believe in fate, have in common and would agree on.

Overall, Odin's depraved actions throughout the centuries have led him to be wholly despised by many figures, such as the Vanir, Freya, The World Serpent, Mimir, most of the Valkyries, and even the Huldra Brothers Brok and Sindri.

However, Odin was not without the ability to feel love and trust others. He was known for having genuinely fallen in love with Fjörgyn, despite his subsequent hatred for the Giants, eventually marrying and conceiving the mightiest of his sons, Thor, with her. Her death caused such grief and sadness to Odin that even Mimir acknowledges that Odin was distraught and lonely after the death of his great love. To alleviate his pain and put an end to the Aesir-Vanir War, Mimir suggested that he marry Freya. During this time, Mimir noticed the same happiness Odin had with Fjörgyn resurfaced and while he married her partly to end the war (as well as to learn her Vanir magic), Odin treated Freya in a loving manner and conceded to most of her wishes, in fact fulfilling so many of Freya's desires that Mimir said that even he lost count of how many wishes that Freya made to Odin that he willingly granted. He was willing to give the Valkyries some measure of freedom because Freya wished it. That relationship eventually became strained when Odin became increasingly obsessed with Ragnarök and the Jötnar, with the final blow being when he asked Freya to give him the same invulnerability she gave their son, Baldur, which caused Freya to break off the marriage, having seen how her spell drove Baldur insane. It's implied that in the beginning Odin's intentions were noble, if misguided, and he genuinely wanted what was best for his people and everyone else in general as he seeks to prevent Ragnarök (an event that would go on to kill myriads of innocent people including the Aesir and the Vanir) from happening. Centuries of reigning undisputed with unlimited power as well as a lifetime of failed trials, however, had gradually hardened him to the point where he was unable, or perhaps unwilling, to accept that his actions and the actions of his fellow Aesir were having a negative effect and were in fact leading them all ironically into causing the very disaster that he was trying so long to avoid.

Odin was an exceptionally gifted manipulator, his most dangerous talent was the ability to see what people wanted and give it to them. In his interactions with Atreus, he immediately makes him feel respected and heard, and promises him answers, the exact things Atreus was looking for from his father at the time. He managed to make Atreus feel safe with him even though the young god was well aware of how dangerous he was. His manipulation is also seen in how he dresses himself humbly, relaxed demeanor, and avoids having grand palaces or testaments to himself; Asgard is humble and simple, his "palace" is a hall where all can gather, and he makes a point to talk to all he passes by casually. These tactful decisions make him seem like a man of the people causing others to quickly follow him. He excels in exploiting and deceiving others with shocking ease, simultaneously praising them while being dismissive. He could be both casual and familiar while still maintaining a strong sense of authority. All of this made people and Gods alike constantly want his approval no matter how badly he treats them.

Odin had a desperate need for control, from his family to his own death. Mimir at one point notes that people like Odin lie "on principle", whether they need to or not, sometimes even knowing they won't be believed, merely as a way to show their control over reality. Lesser examples include covering up the truth about Hrimthur building the walls of Asgard, in order to aggrandize the Aesir, or lying to Atreus how he lost his eye, claiming he lost it gazing into a tear in reality left behind after Ymir's death.

He initially befriended the giantess Gróa and traded for her knowledge, but once the seer learned of Ragnarök, Odin betrayed her trust and killed her in order to steal her library. According to Mimir, Odin deceived Baldur into believing that following Kratos and Atreus to Jötunheim would bring the cure to his immortality. Odin also tricked the latter two by taking on the form of Týr, attempting to take advantage of Kratos and Atreus' better natures to manipulate the pair, along with those of his ex-wife Freya, her brother Freyr, and the Huldra Brothers.

Odin's skill for manipulation extended even to his own family, in particular his sons Thor, Heimdall, and Baldur. He mercilessly bullied and belittled Thor in almost every interaction between the two, in an effort to undermine him and keep him under control. He drove Heimdall into fanatical devotedness towards him, and as a reward gifted him the Gjallarhorn and the duty to protect Asgard against intruders. Despite being unable to lift the invulnerability spell that Freya placed on Baldur, Odin promised his son he would find a way to lift the spell if he found the Jötunn Guardian. However, it is suggested that, having being married to Freya, and himself being a very knowledgeable deity, it is very likely that he knew that mistletoe was what it was needed to break Baldur's curse.

He seems to be willing to take mercy on his enemies should they provide amusement for the All-Father, as shown when rather than killing Hrungnir, one of the Giants, Odin instead was highly amused by his gullible nature and chose to have him amuse him and his court, as well as forget any personal offences as long as said offender would willingly prove to be a value to him, as shown when he allowed Mimir to become his advisor despite knowing all along that Mimir had fooled him into removing his eye and even Mimir acknowledged that Odin trusted him for a long time until Odin eventually took Mimir's advises of peace as disloyalty and bound him to a tree, not letting anyone but himself harm his former advisor.

Like most of the Aesir, Odin also had a reputation for being a drunkard. Mimir and Freya attest to this in their accounts of him. According to Freya, after Hrimthur completed the wall that encircled Asgard, Odin barged into his and Freya's bedchamber half-drunk and enraged before noon. Mimir also speculates that on how Odin came across a shard of the aforementioned mask was due to him getting drunk and convincing himself that he can change his own fate, then pranced around the Nine Realms until he found a suitably mysterious "bauble to fit the bill".

Ultimately, Odin's selfishness and his obsession with knowledge is his lasting legacy to his family and to his followers. His actions, since they focused solely for his own gain, led to parental neglect for his own children, whom he uses only to do his bidding. This leads to a rippling effect throughout his family, such as how Thor treats his own sons Magni and Modi. Adding to his neglect, Odin noticeably brushes off his own children when they desire for an audience with him, such as Heimdall's one-sided desire to please his father. This distance also proves advantageous to Odin as he is seen as an authoritative figure with a cult-like following, even to his own family, so his flaws and his true nature can remain hidden from them. It is one reason why when he spends a lot of time with Atreus to make the mask used to see through realms, causing others to get noticeably jealous of the latter, since he got a lot of attention from the Allfather. Atreus' quick knowledge in translating and explaining the studies and texts Odin has been trying to study for years also sparks hidden jealousy within Odin, which he does not show explicitly to keep Atreus close.

This all comes to a head during the Invasion on Asgard in Ragnarök, where Odin was shown to have a strong disregard for the Midgardians that he had saved, as he was willing to let them die during Ragnarök. Because of his selfishness and indifference, he was also willing to sacrifice anything/anyone just for his own reasons and purposes. Odin was also a narcissist, as he strongly denied any of the crimes he had really committed and would often shift the blame for them on others, even on his own enemies, regardless if they had done something wrong or not. Even when Atreus rightfully pointed out the All-Father's issues several times during their final battle, Odin refused to listen, revealing himself to be a man incapable of change and beyond saving.

Ironically, despite his obsession with control and lust for knowledge, Odin is shown to either be incapable of or uninterested in introspection and self-examination, never looking into himself and his own faults and mistakes, possibly a result of his narcissism and inflated sense of superiority. After seizing control of Valhalla, Odin explored it in great detail in his efforts to control the Valkyries. However, he found nothing of use, as Valhalla only rewards those who look within themselves and, as Týr put it when retelling the story to Kratos, Odin "always looked outside himself for answers".

Moreover, it was shown time and time again that Odin couldn't fathom the idea of Kratos genuinely outgrowing his violent ways, even when presented with clear evidence where the former Ghost of Sparta unexpectedly welcomed Atreus with open arms and even standing up for his son after the All-Father tricked the latter to free Garm — a plan to ruin the bond between the two which ironically led to their reconciliation since Kratos once committed similarly catastrophic blunders while serving Olympian Deities in the past.

This cynicism, arrogance and lack of insight into his own personality and flaws blinds him to his own lack of self-control, which leads to him needlessly murdering Brok in a moment of impatient rage when the dwarf begins to question him. This act of senseless cruelty is not only what leads to his enemies unleashing Ragnarök, but ultimately leads to his own death. After Kratos, Atreus and Freya all elect to leave Odin's soul inside a marble, locked away but alive, Brok's brother Sindri crushes it with a stroke of his hammer, avenging Brok's murder at the hands of the All-Father.

Relationships[]

Búri[]

Not much is known about Odin's relationship with his grandfather on his father's side as we have never seen their interactions throughout the series.

Borr[]

Very little is known about Odin's relationship with his father. Borr never appears in game, nor is he mentioned by Odin or any character throughout the series. However, his name appears only once in God of War (2018) on a frozen shard, which can be bought from Brok and Sindri.

Bestla[]

The nature of Odin's relationship with his mother remains mysterious to this day. Bestla never appears in game, nor is she mentioned by Odin or any other character throughout the series.

Vili & []

Unfortunately, Odin's relationship with his three brothers remains shrouded in mystery. They do appear in God of War (2018) on a Jötnar Shrine depicting the slaying of Ymir by Odin, since they helped their brother get rid of the Giant. Nevertheless, they are never mentioned by Odin or any other character throughout the series, thus entertaining the mystery about the All-Father's family. However, seeing as how he murdered Thor, his own son as soon as his usefulness had ended, it's reasonable to assume he disposed of his brothers once the murder of Ymir was complete, leaving himself as the sole ruler of the Nine Realms.

Thor[]

Are you talking? Who told you to do that? You don't talk! You don't think! I think, YOU kill! It's a simple FUCKING concept.

–Odin to Thor.

Capture d’écran 2022-12-06 à 21.45

Odin manipulated his first-born son, Thor, his entire life

To Odin, the mightiest of his sons was to be the figurehead of the Aesir across the Nine Realms and as such, he sought to fashion Thor in what would suit him best: a ruthless servant who did not hesitate to kill if necessary. Thor was to be powerful enough to be feared wherever he went, but not smart enough to try and rebel against the All-Father. To accomplish this, Odin raised Thor in an unhealthy mix of fear and violence, and it is implied that Odin used torture as well upon his son. After years of harsh treatment and armed with the legendary Mjölnir, a hardened Thor was going to fulfill his father's will without asking any questions: this is how Odin ordered the genocide of the Jötnar by the hand of his own son, which the latter nevertheless accomplished with real pleasure.

Furthermore, Thor was to act as Odin's personal bodyguard, as demonstrated when he sent his son to meet Kratos, only for him to show up once the Spartan was held at bay by Thor. Despite their family bounds, Odin had little respect or consideration for his son and felt genuine contempt for Thor's limited intellect in his eyes, and he did not hesitate to remind him of it when the opportunity arose, even scoffing at the idea that Thor was capable of teaching anything noteworthy. Adding insult to injury, the All-Father forced Thor to cooperate with the murderer of his son in his quest for the mask, which further deteriorated their already complicated relationship. When Thor questioned why Loki was in Asgard and why he was being told to help the murderer of his son, Odin coldly dismissed him, believing that he was too stupid to understand even if it was explained to him, and encouraged him to go back to drinking, believing that a drunken Thor was far less likely to question his orders. Despite Thor's best efforts to gain Odin's favors, the latter never saw him as a kindred spirit and systematically praised Loki instead. During the invasion of Asgard, upon seeing his son and the Spartan God of War talking instead of fighting, Odin belittled his son, saying his purpose is to do battle, not to talk or think, stating it was a simple concept even Thor should be able to manage. When Thor finally stood up to Odin and refused his orders, Odin reacted with confusion, then angrily murdered his son without hesitation, desperately telling himself that he had no choice and tried to blame the murder on Kratos when a horrified Thrúd witnessed his murder. This final act of cruelty showed that Odin was a terrible father and viewed Thor as little more than a powerful tool in his repertoire.

Baldur[]

He was my best tracker, my closer. Yeah, his mind was gone, sure. But he had his uses and now he is gone because of you, you follow me?

–Odin to Kratos.

As with the rest of his family, Odin had very little personal connection with Baldur. Aware of the advantages he could get from his son's invulnerability and his tracking abilities, Odin exploited the latter's hatred towards his mother as well as his dearest wish — to be able to free himself from his curse — to make him ever more dependent on him. For Odin, Baldur was to become the perfect tracker, often being sent to complete missions that weren't suitable for Thor, as Odin believed that Thor was only good for killing. In the past, Freya mentioned that Baldur did once crave his father's approval and attention but none of his attempts succeeded, leaving Baldur feeling desperate for Odin's praise and therefore more deferential to his whims. Even after Baldur was killed by Kratos, Odin didn't display much or any anger or sense of loss, instead acting as if he lost a valuable asset rather than a son which only further cemented the perception on how he viewed family.

Sif[]

Stop letting your wife think for you - she's clouding whatever's left of your brain.

–Odin warning Thor about Sif.

Sif detail

Sif was the only Aesir who saw Odin's true nature

Odin's relationship with Sif is complex. Sif has long been loyal to the Aesir and the All-Father entrusted her with the unofficial title of diplomat. He certainly appreciated her intelligence and good management of the relationships between the Aesir and the peoples from the Nine Realms as long as she didn't start influencing Thor. Since she was the titular Goddess of Family and Wheat, the All-Father soothed her and lied as much as he did with pretty much everyone else, assuring Sif that family has never been so important for him. But when her son Modi was murdered shortly before Fimbulwinter alongside Magni, Odin faced Sif's growing hostility and criticism, and quickly lost her trust. Adding the insult to injury, the All-Father went as far as inviting the murderer of her son in their home, displaying an incredible disrespect and lack of consideration for his kin. But this affair as a whole was indeed concerning, as he feared that Thor's loyalty would waver if his wife started turning his son against him. When Odin was confronted by his daughter-in-law in Niflheim as she attempted to have Loki arrested for the murder of Heimdall, he seized the opportunity to scold her in front of Thor. Odin's disdain for his own family would prove to be a terrible mistake, as this convinced Sif to turn against him who then convinced her daughter Thrúd to do the same.

Magni, Modi & Thrúd[]

Dying is what we Aesir live for. And let's be honest, they were kinda useless.

–Odin about Magni and Modi.

It is clear that Odin did not hold his grandchildren in high esteem for several reasons. First, they were the sons of Thor and surprisingly, this fact alone did not exactly work in their favor. The All-Father never considered his eldest son to be particularly brilliant in the first place, and this inevitably back bounced on Magni and Modi - not to mention that the two of them had a reputation of being complete idiots across the Nine Realms. Second, Odin wasn't impressed in the slightest by Magni and Modi's talents. They were inefficient in using magic and only relied on their brute force, making them unreliable as soon as the All-Father needed someone with drive and independence. Even though they were destined to inherit Mjölnir, Odin likely never thought they were worthy of the mighty hammer. His grandsons lived in the shadow of their uncle and Thor himself, making them second-rate deities. When he came in Midgard with Thor at Kratos' Cabin, Odin openly admitted that they were rather useless, copiously insulting his son in the process. This would be determinant in turning Sif against him, the latter having never forgiven Odin over the death of Modi and Magni. It is more than likely he shared the same lack of care for his granddaughter, stating to Sif that she was old enough to make her own mistakes that could potentially lead to her death. However, he seemingly had enough compassion in him to send Thrúd flying instead of killing her when she attempted to avenge Thor, thus proving he still had a shred of care for her.

Forseti[]

Odin's relationship with Forseti remains mysterious to us. But his discovery of who killed Heimdall was irrelevant to Odin, who already knew who had murdered the Watchman of the Aesir.

Mimir[]

There he is. My old partner in crime.

–Odin mocking Mimir.

Before imprisoning the Smartest Man Alive, Odin's relationship with Mimir was, at least on the surface, an amicable one. Despite their initial meeting leading to Odin losing his eye to Mimir's ruse about the mystic well of knowledge, the All-Father saw Mimir's intelligence as an asset too good to ignore and too valuable to destroy. Mimir was also young and ambitious, and Odin was more than happy to give him the power he wanted in exchange for his services as an advisor. Indeed, Mimir himself admitted he was “fucking excellent” at enabling the All-Father, helping him subjugate the Nine Realms, in particular Svartalfheim. However, once Mimir started to see the error of his ways, with his conscience outgrowing his ambition, he tried to convince Odin to take a more peaceful approach with the Nine Realms. Even though this would have served his interests and also avoid Ragnarok, Odin increasingly began to view Mimir's caution as disloyalty.

Eventually, Odin began to wrongfully suspect Mimir to secretely be allied to the Giants, much like Týr was. However, he was unwilling to kill Mimir either due to his vast intelligence, instead deciding to imprison him within a tree on a mountain top, condemning him to a life of captivity and torture. He also took one of Mimir's eyes, as revenge for the trick Mimir had pulled on him when the two first met.

Following this, Odin seemigly viewed Mimir as little more than a way to indulge in casual cruelty. After Mimir's death at the hands of Kratos, the two wouldn't meet again until years later, when the All-Father visited Kratos’ cabin, trying to convince Kratos to accept peace with him. Odin’s attitude towards Mimir had seemingly cooled considerably, even allowing Kratos and Atreus to keep his "prisoner" as a show of good will. Beyond that, he seems very dismissive of Mimir, sardonically calling him a "silver-tongued little shit" and his "old partner in crime". He also off-handedly referred to Mimir as his "disgruntled ex-employee" during conversation with Atreus, though he does concede that Mimir never lost his sense of humour.

While in disguise as Týr, Odin is able to feign a friendly and amicable relationship with Mimir, but it's evident that this is nothing but a manipulation. In truth, from the very beginning, the All-Father has never really had any deeper affection or interest in the Smartest Man Alive, beyond for what use he could have.

Týr[]

Týr's old ways are dead. HE IS DEAD, y'a understand?

–Odin to Atreus.

Tyr Imprisoned

Seeing his second-born son, Týr, as a threat, Odin imprisoned of him

The Norse God of War compromised himself to Odin's eyes the day he gave up his traditional role as a deity, and when he sided with the Jötnar to protect them from the King of the Aesir. Not only that, with all the knowledge and secrets Týr gained from his various journeys, the All-Father came to consider Týr as a threat to his own authority. For such treason, Odin had him imprisoned for the remainder of his life in the dungeons of Asgard, progressively forgotten by all and erased from the Aesir history. When Odin got word that legendary God of War was actively searched by a young man, he took the sly decision to impersonate Týr. The punishment was double: not only did he mean to fool his enemies, he also conscientiously destroyed Týr's reputation by showing him as a borderline coward, a broken man who seemingly lost his fighting spirit and any sense of courage. This was a personal vengeance from Odin who held Týr's peaceful views with utter contempt. As such, he also used Týr's appearance to bring confusion and mistrust within the group led by Kratos, even succeeding in driving a wedge between the Spartan and his son. Mimir would conclude that Odin's impersonation of Týr was a complete mockery of his son's desire for peace, once again viewing family as disposable to him if their views aren't aligned with his own.

Heimdall[]

He's a lot, I know. Very perceptive. But sometimes he just forgets to think, you know?

–Odin to Atreus.

Capture d’écran 2022-12-07 à 21.02

Odin only saw Heimdall, as yet another pawn

Out of all Aesir, Heimdall is the one who was treated most favorably. Whereas Thor and Baldur were little more than mere henchmen destined to bear the brunt of the fight, Heimdall was given by the All-Father the protection of Asgard itself. Even though he entrusted him with the legendary Gjallarhorn, Odin did not consider Heimdall as more than yet another valuable asset, indeed very useful thanks to his gifts of intuition and foresight. Furthermore, he even expresses a thinly veiled disapproval on his most trusted lackey's for "forgetting to think" sometimes. Upon learning about Heimdall's death, the All-Father barely seemed concerned. While holding Atreus hostage, Odin mentions that if Brok died, they'd be square for Heimdall's death, implying that he indeed does care for his subordinate, though it's more likely that he simply uses Watchman's death as a justification of his action of killing Brok, nothing more.

Freya[]

I always loved you, you know?

–Odin to Freya.

Capture d’écran 2022-11-21 à 22.58

Odin's toxic relationship with his ex-wife, "Frigg"

Odin's relationship with his last wife is very mixed to say the least. When it was decided by mutual agreement between the Aesir and the Vanir that Odin was going to marry Freya, he was under the spell of this powerful warrior who had stood up to his armies. Although the feeling was absolutely not reciprocated — she hated him — Odin seemed sincerely willing to please Freya and showed her real affection. To prove his goodwill, he commissioned the creation of a magnificent sword forged from the purest Asgardian steel, which was magically embedded in a pillar in Vanaheim by the two spouses as a symbol of their union, and together they took an oath. He also seemed to place his full trust in her as Freya became the Queen of the Valkyries and took her warrior sisters under her wing.

Nevertheless, a man like Odin couldn't be completely sincere, and he used his relationship with Freya to learn all he could from her. Unfortunately, Odin and Freya had almost completely different personalities, so much so that the goddess Vanir could no longer turn a blind eye to her husband's increasingly depraved actions. The Jötnar genocide — perpetrated by Thor but ordered by Odin himself — was the spark that ignited the powder. When Freya broke off the marriage, Odin was seized with mad rage. Feeling deeply betrayed, he began to chastise her by condemning her to live alone and helpless in Midgard. Aware of the threat that such a powerful goddess could pose, Odin also deprived her of her warrior spirit. After Freya was banished, Odin quickly lost any interest in her but found a new satisfaction at the thought of her suffering. But when the time came for the All-Father to try and make a deal with Kratos at the end of Fimbulwinter, Odin did not hesitate to use Freya and her hostility towards the Spartan in order to get a deal. It is implied that had the Spartan accepted it, Odin would have killed his ex-wife. Despite his actions, he admitted to Freya that he'd always loved her, though as with the rest of his family, his own needs would always come before her.

Odin's relationship with Freya is notably an accurate portrayal of the real world feelings and struggles of a person escaping the past of an abusive relationship.

Loki[]

"You've ruined everything! Everything I've worked for! Everything I've killed for! I just wanted answers! If you've just played your part, none of this would have happened! What was it all for? Answer me, Loki! What's it all for?"

–Odin to Loki.

Capture d’écran 2022-11-21 à 23.03

Though kindred spirits, Odin and Loki ultimately became enemies

The true nature of Odin's relationship with Atreus plays a crucial role in the storyline of God of War: Ragnarök. The All-Father likely never heard about Atreus until the latter journeyed with his father to Jötunheim, spilling Aesir blood on their path to the realm of the Giants. When Odin started studying Atreus from afar, he realized that he was particularly talented in ancient languages, and sought to find Týr. Odin would personally go to Kratos' cabin and demand that Atreus stop his search for Týr. When Kratos and Thor battled, the All-Father soothed Atreus and personally invited him in Asgard. As a pledge of good will, Odin even offered to pay for the damages inflicted to the cabin.

In reality, the King of the Aesir knew that Atreus had no intent to stop searching for Týr and he had to deal with this problem first before moving to the second part of his plan. As Kratos and Atreus arrived in Svartalfheim where they believed they would find the fallen God of War, Odin used his powers to disguise himself as his son, and waited in his cell until the two protagonists arrived to "free" him. But much to Atreus' dismay, it quickly appeared that the famed Týr was a borderline coward barely able to defend himself, having totally lost his warrior spirit. This point was extremely important to Odin: not only the Spartan and his son would now cease their research (unaware that Týr was in reality imprisoned in Asgard), Tyr’s apparent uselessness would make Kratos doubt about his son's plans, and more importantly, Atreus himself would doubt about his own capabilities. Under Týr's disguise, Odin deliberately encouraged Atreus' confusion and foolishness, playing a decisive role in the boy's decision to runaway from his father and seek shelter in Asgard.

Knowing that Kratos would never tolerate his son to take advice from Odin, the latter warmly welcomed the boy upon his arrival in Asgard, and made him visit his hall while reassuring the young man that he and his family had nothing to fear from the All-Father. The latter indeed offered a truce, which has been rejected by Kratos. Odin took advantage of this, making Atreus understand that unlike his father, all he wanted was peace. Odin also knew that Atreus was impulsive and has a rather strained relationship with his father, which would play right into his hands. The All-Father correctly figured out that Atreus sought to prevent Kratos' prophesied death, and offered the boy a means to achieve this: the Mask of Creation. Odin would treat Atreus with far more patience and understanding than he did with the rest of his family. He openly commended Atreus' language abilities and intelligence, listening to his problems and opinions, which Atreus secretly appreciated. He was the only person other than Kratos who did not condemn Atreus for his decision to free Garm, (though he went on to berate the young man under the guise of Tyr upon Atreus returning home, likely showing his true feelings as a result) and did not stop Atreus from returning to his home.

Although Atreus successfully recovered the missing pieces, Odin would never have the chance to unfold its secrets as he was finally exposed by Brok. The latter's murder at the hands of Odin definitely turned Atreus against him, but even at the very end, when everything seemed lost, the King of the Aesir still tried to convince him to put on the mask. The young man briefly hesitated but thanks to his father trust in him, ultimately broke it, ruining all what Odin had killed and worked for. The latter unleashed his fury and even in defeat, blamed Atreus in particular for having destroyed his home, his family and his kingdom. All in all, Odin's relationship with Atreus proved to be a particularly treacherous and deceptive one, that of a surrogate father who viewed the young man as little more than another tool in his search for knowledge.

Kratos[]

And you. You just can't help yourself, can you? Destroyer. That's all you are. It's all you'll ever be!

–Odin to Kratos.

Capture d’écran 2022-11-21 à 22.42

None of Odin's manipulations worked against Kratos

Odin regarded Kratos with a sense of caution. He sent Baldur, Magni, and Modi to search for him in order to determine Kratos' strength. Knowing of his fearsome reputation as the Ghost of Sparta and not wanting to risk fighting an opponent who'd killed so many gods (and that can kill him too), he confronted Kratos at his cabin and attempted to offer peace. Although tempted with the idea of peace, Kratos declined his offer after learning from Mimir his true nature, his evil deeds and the risk of putting Freya in danger (despite the latter being bitter for killing Baldur).

While he was disguised as Týr, he would widen the rift between Atreus and Kratos by subtly encouraging Atreus to go out on his own and embrace his identity as Loki. Kratos would eventually blame Týr for his role in Atreus' departure and slowly grow to mistrust him. Later on, Odin would personally meet with Kratos in another attempt to manipulate him, using his relationship with his son and his past as the Ghost of Sparta to convince him to accept peace, however, every attempt was ultimately in vain due to Mimir's interference and Kratos’ experiences with many deities like the Greek Gods and the Titans, whom all of them manipulated him on many stages of his life, knowing the word of a god like Odin meant nothing to the Spartan. Odin deemed Kratos as a brute with no intelligence that only relies on strength, even criticizing him on the use of metaphors when he mentions Atreus (when in reality; metaphors were very common in Greek, even in Sparta), little did Odin know that Kratos is much smarter than he looks, and knowing very little of the Spartan’s deeds when it comes to intelligence and puzzle solving, clearly underestimating him in that regard. When his manipulations and schemes didn't work and taking Kratos’ threats of bringing back the Ghost of Sparta very seriously (to the point of even scaring him), Odin became very aggressive, impatient, relying on degradation and insults to the Spartan about the monster, destroyer and god-killer he used to be in his days on Greek, showing that Kratos is one of the very few who can definitely anger the All-Father while maintaining his composure and discipline.

While it appeared Odin impulsively ruined any chance at peace between him and Kratos after he killed Brok resulting the latter to lead the charge against the All-Father, such deed could be deliberate as he had changed his mind about it at one point. Odin would finally met his end at the hands of the joint efforts of Kratos, Atreus and Freya. In conclusion, like Zeus, he was very afraid and paranoid of him and used everything in his arsenal to stop him, but ultimately failed in the process.

Brok & Sindri[]

Never much cared for Brok, but can't deny the Dwarf's talent.

–Odin to Kratos.

Odin does know the Huldra Brothers, and definitely acknowledged their talent since they were the ones who commanded that Mjölnir be made for his son Thor. He took advantage of their secret desire to make a name for themselves, and ironically offered them the opportunity of their life when they forged the mighty hammer that would cause a mass genocide across the Nine Realms. Odin deliberately deceived the Huldra Brothers, and they would in turn respond by creating the Leviathan Axe, able to hold her own against Mjölnir itself. Long after this, while under the disguise of Týr, Odin would find out that it was Brok and Sindri who robbed him from Draupnir, a fact that infuriated him (although he couldn't do anything at the moment for obvious reasons). Shortly after, he would admire once more the extent of their skills after he saw Kratos wield his brand new spear. Nevertheless, Odin openly admitted himself that he never much cared for them, and demonstrated it with an incredible sadism when he abruptly murdered Brok in a fit of rage, much to everybody's horror. This proved once more that the All-Father never held Brok and Sindri in high esteem.

Huginn & Muninn[]

You see, this is you not letting me talk. No, Huginn, I don't need my ears cleaned.

–Odin conversing with Huginn.

Odin's own magical pets are truly a special case. These creatures might well be the only living beings across the Nine Realms for whom the All-Father truly cares, so much so that they are bound to Odin's will, literally and physically speaking. It is said that the King of the Aesir experimented on these two ravens, and they have become his eyes and ears, spying on his behalf and gathering precious information. Odin would spend a great deal of time talking to them in a strange guttural language. The All-Father cares so much about Huginn and Muninn that he would only summons them as a last resort, when his situation is difficult as demonstrated during during his confrontation with Kratos, Freya and Atreus. But upon seeing his beloved pets mercilessly killed by his enemies, Odin went berserk and thrown everything he had at them to turn the tide of the battle.

Powers & Abilities[]

Powers[]

As the King of the Aesir Gods, Odin is by far the most powerful of the Norse Gods and his kind. Contrary to his frail appearance, Odin is a frighteningly potent combatant, masterfully combining excellent fighting skills with his signature weapon and spell-casting to decimate and overwhelm foes, and proved to be a formidable opponent to Kratos, Freya and Atreus, holding all three off for a long enough time before being overwhelmed.

  • Immortality: Odin, as a Norse God, is immortal, having lived for many millennia. Only a sufficiently powerful weapon or extremely powerful beings are able to kill him.
  • Superhuman Strength: As the King of the Aesir, Odin has physical strength that exceeded other gods, albeit inferior to Thor. Odin was able to impale Ymir with Gungnir, spilling his lifeblood. He also displayed somewhat comparable levels of physical strength to a worn-out Kratos, being able to push him away when he impaled the Leviathan Axe on his shoulder with Gungnir, free himself of Kratos' grip and briefly force him to his knees before Atreus and Freya attacked him simultaneously. While impersonating Týr, he displayed the strength to lift and push heavy weights down, as displayed when with a single hand, he pulled down a wooden lifting platform and later easily pushed down a large statue in Alfheim. He was also able to easily overpower and push aside Light Elves when they came close him, as well as nonchalantly drag one with a single hand.
  • Superhuman Durability: Odin is extremely durable, as he was able to survive a clash with Ymir, the first being in existence and most powerful of the Frost Giants, and had fought in many wars as the leader of the Aesir, including battles with the Vanir. During Ragnarök, Odin was able to withstand a prolonged battle with Kratos, Atreus, and Freya, quickly shrugging off being struck by the Leviathan Axe and Kratos' punches and enduring a vicious beatdown from them with only moderate injuries, still surviving before Atreus finally withdrew his soul into a mural.
  • Superhuman Speed: Odin has been shown to be able to move with incredible swiftness and agility in combat, being able to deliver fast and precise strikes with his spear. With the use of magic, Odin was capable of covering large distances almost instantly during his battle with Kratos, Freya and Atreus, making him difficult to pin down.
  • Magical Mastery: Odin is an extremely powerful and skilled sorcerer, being a master of many magical arts, including ancient magic. He also learned Seiðr from Freya. Odin is also the only one from the Aesir Gods who uses magic which along with his physical abilities makes him even more formidable.
    • Spell Casting: Through Freya's teachings, Odin learned a wide variety of Seiðr spells and curses that he has used both for his own benefit and to severely harm his enemies, these being all the spells and curses that he has used during history:
      • Dark Magic: Odin has the ability to project his dark magic in various ways, mostly in the form of bright, purple energy. When he actively uses his magic, the tattoos on his forearms glow with purple light.
        • Black Breath: Corruption of magic Odin created to act as a deterrent to those who wanted to reach the highest mountain in Midgard. Only the pure Light of Alfheim could dispel it.
        • Curses: Odin can cast curses so powerful that not even Freya is able to lift them despite her own highly stated Vanir abilities, as he was able to strip Freya of her warrior spirit and Valkyrie wings, leaving her extremely handicapped, as she was left unable to take the life of another living being, even in self defense, forcing her to isolate herself for many years. He was also to trap Freya in Midgard by using both his magic and manipulating Yggdrasil's roots, and used archaic magic to corrupt and transform the Valkyries into monstrous, physical versions of themselves, an act that made them unable to carry out their duties of transporting those killed in the battle to Valhalla.
        • Summoning Ravens: Being the King of Ravens, Odin can summon and control ravens to do his bidding. He uses his two main ravens, Huginn and Muninn, for several purposes, as they not only acted as his scouts and spies, but also transported others to desired locations using his magic. Odin also used his ravens in battle, as Odin was also able to break out of Freya's binding spell by using his ravens, and could project a huge swarm of magic ravens that targeted and ensnared his opponents. Additionally, Odin controlled a separate group of spectral ravens that spied all over the Nine Realms, having captured and corrupted their original souls with the Raven-Keeper.
      • Concealing/Bewitching Magic: Odin can conceal events that happen to others, even if the person is a powerful seiðr who is able to see into the future. Additionally he was able to cast a spell on new Einherjar warriors that seemingly restored their identity, with Mimir implying that this spell also warped the Einherjar into retaining fierce loyalty to Odin above all else. He also presumably used a similar form of magic to wipe the memories of Huginn and Muninn and bind them to his will, as they were once normal ravens before Odin took them under his control.
      • Protection Magic: He can cast powerful protection enchantments on objects making them unbreakable, such as making the tree Mimir was bound to invulnerable to Thor's hammer. Odin also cast a warding spell around Atreus, Heimdall, and Thrúd to grant them immunity to Helheim's cold.
      • Regeneration: Odin can use his powers to infuse strength and regenerate health, as demonstrated when the Valkyries Hrist and Mist invoked the All-Father twice during their battle against Kratos and Atreus.
      • Realm Travel Block: He submerged the Temple of Týr that was in Asgard, thus preventing access to Asgard, Svartalfheim and Vanaheim.
      • Shapeshifting: Odin could shapeshift into many different beings. He could take on the forms of numerous species with an implied prerequisite that they be still alive for him to do so, as with Týr. He is confirmed to take on the form of a Dwarf in Svartalfheim walking on a bridge that spits at Kratos and his companions (with him likely dying sometime between the events preceding and succeeding Ragnarök). He also took on the form of an extremely beautiful person in order to coerce Freyr into giving up Ingrid. He also ability shapeshift into animal like silver hawk due to escaped at Jotunheim.
      • Energy Projection: Odin has the ability to project powerful beams of glowing purple magical energy from his hands or from his Gungnir spear.
      • Teleportation: Odin can teleport to anywhere he pleases in a flock of ravens.
      • Vocal Shock Wave Generation: Odin was able to generate mildly powerful shock waves by screaming, as he did when Atreus broke the mask. The shockwave was powerful enough to shake the surroundings and knock both Kratos and Atreus backwards.
      • Elementokinesis: Odin is a master of commanding the elements and can wield powers from different attributes, being able to wield them in an array of different ways each, and shift between them freely. He can surround himself in elemental barriers, or even bombard foes with multiple elements at once which can affect the terrain hit by them, such as setting them ablaze, freezing it or poisoning it.
        • Pyrokinesis: Odin can wield fire and use it in the form of fireballs which can incinerate the ground, cloak himself in a protective Fire Barrier, cause explosions, or even wield it as a flamethrower.
        • Cryokinesis: Odin can wield ice and uses it mostly in the form of icy projectiles which can freeze the ground, cloak himself in a protective elemental Ice barrier, or even as a potent cold beam to the same effect, albeit on a larger scale.
        • Geokinesis: Odin can manipulate the earth, creating powerful shockwaves that fracture the ground, which he can use to either tear the terrain apart into sections or destroy it entirely.
        • Toxikinesis: Odin can utilise Seiðr poison, used in the form of toxic green projectiles which can infect the ground.
        • Umbrakinesis: Odin can wield darkness as a form of offense, employing it in the form of projectiles or as explosive shockwaves. He can also combine it with his Ravens in the form of energy spheres surrounded by black feathers which when they explode on contact, can cause temporal blinding by obscuring surroundings.
        • Photokinesis: Odin can wield light and use it in the form of projectile shockwaves when using Gungnir in its whip form, which can blind and daze his opponents.
      • Immobilization: Odin can cast a spell on anyone that magically pins their limbs to the floor, rendering them frozen in place for a short time.
    • Bifröst Energy Manipulation: Odin is able to use energy of Bifröst for various purposes; the most common being concealing his spear and then summoning it at a whim, channeling it to make Gungnir and his attacks with it more potent , cloaking himself in a protective energy barrier, and many more. Not only that, his mastery of Bifröst is such that he is immune to this kind of attack.

Abilities[]

  • Master Combatant: As the King of the war-like Aesir, Odin is an extremely proficient fighter with centuries worth of battle training and experience. Even during his younger years, he was able to kill Ymir along with his brothers. Combined with his magical abilities, Odin was able to temporarily outfight both Kratos (who defeated the much stronger Olympian gods) and Atreus and even hold both them and Freya back in a vicious battle before ultimately being defeated.
    • Hand-to-Hand Combat Expertise: Odin was proficient enough in unarmed combat to effectively handle Light Elves with his bare hands while disguised as Týr.
    • Spear Mastery: Odin was extremely skilled with his spear, Gungnir, performing swift slashes and stabs with it and able to push back against Kratos using the Leviathan Axe and even impale him at one point, he even killed an exhausted Thor with a single stab to the chest.
  • Genius-Level Intellect: Odin is extremely intelligent and clever, as even Mimir, the smartest being alive in all the Nine Realms, acknowledged his cleverness, saying that he is almost as clever as he believes himself to be.
    • Master Strategist and Leader: Odin is an exceptionally cunning strategist and charismatic leader, able to effectively lead Asgard into numerous wars and emerge victorious, with only the Vanir under Freya's leadership being able to withstand him. He also strategically bound the curse that kept Freya on Midgard in Vanaheim and even had the insight to use Yggdrasil roots as the catalyst, ensuring Níðhögg would intervene if she somehow managed to enter Vanaheim.
    • Master of Deception and Manipulation: As Mimir has stated, Odin is an exceedingly accomplished and cunning liar and manipulator. He was able to convince Freya that he truly had changed in their marriage for decades and make her teach him her magic, and trick Týr, who was extremely intelligent and wise in his own right, into allowing him to meet with the Giants, with neither of them managing to catch on to his deception until it was too late. When first meeting Kratos, Odin proposed a truce, and Kratos, believing that Odin was trying to trick him, refused. However, refusing the truce played right into Odin's hands, as this then gave Odin a legitimate reason in Atreus' mind to send Thor to attack Kratos, which subsequently gave Odin the opportunity to be alone with Atreus and convince him to visit Asgard under the pretention of offering knowledge. During the truce offering Odin also told Atreus to stop searching for Tyr, knowing full well that this would only motivate Kratos and Atreus to double their efforts in finding Tyr, which would subsequently make them fall into the trap of freeing who they thought was Tyr in Svartelheim, when in reality it was Odin in disguise, allowing Odin to spy on them and hear their plans. Odin even managed to successfully impersonate Týr for a prolonged period of time, completely fooling even Mimir and Freya despite their own intelligence and experience with him. His manipulations were enough to even make Atreus open up to him by putting up a highly convincing facade about his so-called true intentions and offering him knowledge, with Atreus noting in his journal that, despite the awful stories he'd heard about Odin, he felt safe around him, openly choosing to stay with him in Asgard and only leaving after he made the fatal mistake of releasing Garm. In a final attempt to manipulate Atreus and Kratos, Odin deliberately placed the Midgardian refugees on the front lines to man the war machines, knowing full well that they'd die and that Atreus would be grief-stricken by their deaths. However, Kratos' unexpected decision to save the refugees along with any other innocent casualties ultimately ruined this plan, as it gave Atreus the strength to keep fighting and it also saved the lives of Sif and Thrud, allowing Kratos to talk sense into Thor for the sake of his family. According to Freya, Odin's purposes were always false, even when telling the truth.
    • Deductive Analysis: From having heard the prophecy of Ragnarök, he was able to figure out that Kratos and Atreus will play a part in it. Odin was not fooled by Mimir's lie that he had sacrificed his eye for knowledge, correctly deducing that Mimir had fooled him and the well of knowledge was actually just filled with magic hallucinogenic mushrooms to give even a god visions. He also figured out the locations of the pieces of the Mask from Atreus translating the language on the pieces.
    • Master Torturer: Odin was known to be a very creative and skilled torturer, as he personally tortured Mimir for many centuries, to the point that Mimir said that he would rather die than continue to be tortured by Odin.
    • Expert reverse psychologist: When disguising as Týr, he reminds Atreus that "[Odin] will only cloud [his] mind" when the Champion of the Jötnar was adamant in his decision to visit Odin at Asgard, ironically he is the one who clouds Atreus' mind all the time.
  • Cooking: While impersonating Týr, Odin displayed a remarkable amount of skill in cooking, far surpassing the results of Brok's cooking and even awakening Mimir's appetite, though Brok considered the disguised Odin's cooking to be nothing more than “passable dirt soup”.
  • Vast Wealth: As the King of the Aesir and ruler of the Nine Realms, Odin had a tremendous amount of wealth. He was stated to pay for the damages and repair Kratos' home, which had suffered due to Thor's attack. The All-Father even went to claim he was the Dwarf’s entire economy.

Weaknesses[]

  • Helheim: Originally mentioned in God of War (2018), it is unknown whether or not Odin is strong enough to survive the conditions of Helheim. This weakness is implied, as he gives Atreus, Thrúd, and Heimdall magical blessings to protect them from the freezing conditions.

Weapons[]

  • Gungnir: Odin wields a Dwarven-made spear, Gungnir, which always hits its target. Gungnir usually takes form of a staff, but can change its shape when Odin is in combat. It can be turned into a spear, or it can be partially morphed into a whip which is usually combined with his magic to vastly extend its length and empower it to cause devastating Bifröst shockwaves.

Appearances[]

Screenshots[]

Portraits[]

Panoramas[]

Cosplay Guide[]

Concept Art[]

Trivia[]

  • Odin is the fourth and final antagonist of the series after Ares, Zeus and Baldur.
  • Odin is the only main antagonist in the franchise not to be killed by Kratos, instead, his soul is scattered by Sindri.
  • According to a lore marker, Odin was responsible for creating Ask and Embla, much like his mythological counterpart.[2]
  • Since Odin is arguably the most important God in Norse Mythology, his exact appearance has long been shrouded in mystery, leading to the issuance of many hypotheses among the community. Not only is the All-Father's appearance like the complete wanderer or Viking-looking appearance ex. Odin in MCU/Marvel Cinematic Universe (his appearance is likely a warrior and viking-style), Odin in Age of Mythology (his appearance is akin viking-style), and Odin in Assassin's Creed (true wanderer based on the Norse Myth) in other popular media, but the sequel also depicts him as something totally different from any other portrayal of Odin, is actually an olden but sorcerer, especially compared to the more muscular gods like Zeus or other gods and Odin's portrayal in other media, but Odin's title is likely deceived and most powerful because of his learning for masterful combatants and magics to his opponents and foes.
  • Odin's actions and demeanor are accurate portrayal of how real world cult leaders amass and control followers.
  • Ironically, despite his attempts to gain complete control over his fate and prevent his death at Ragnarök, his loss of control over his temper when he killed Brok is what led to his demise at the hands of Sindri.
  • His Greek equivalent (in terms of being the King of the Gods) is Zeus, while is Egyptian equivalent would be Ra.
    • His Greek equivalent, in more general terms, is probably Cronos. Both of them were the first beings to rise against their universe-creating father, in Cronos's case Ouranos, and in Odin's case, Ymir, forcefully establishing themselves as the rulers of everything, and both were paranoid towards anything that could threaten their respective reigns, going as far as killing or trying to kill their own sons for it.
    • In terms of attributes, however, Odin encompasses multiple roles shared by different Greek Gods (e.g., Zeus, Ares, Athena, Apollo, Hermes and Thanatos).
    • Odin is much like Zeus and Cronos, all three are paranoid toward anything that they considered a threat to their reign even their own sons. Odin imprisoned Týr after he suspected him plotting with the giants to overthrow him, while Zeus killed Kratos and imprisoned Deimos out of fear of The Marked Warrior prophecy, and Cronos tried to consume his own sons in fear of a prophecy of being overthrown. The difference however was Týr never thought of overthrowing Odin and only prevented him from accessing Jötunheim, whereas Kratos had intentions of vengeance against Zeus for killing him and previously torturing his mother and brother and for betraying him.
      • Odin's power compared to Zeus remains unknown: Odin seems to have had to develop and learn a lot of his magical powers while Zeus was naturally born with his. Kratos was unable to defeat Odin by himself when he was specifically said to have surpassed his younger self that had killed Zeus, but it should be noted that while the weaker Kratos fought Zeus fresh, the old Kratos was weakened from fights with Heimdall, Odin's most Loyal Valkyries, the Aesir armies and Thor himself, and Odin's own fear of Kratos is similar to that of Zeus's. It should also be noted that it took Kratos' entire arsenal of divine weapons and the power of Hope to destroy Zeus, an arsenal that he didn't have against Odin.
    • They also treated their progenitors wrongly due to their desire to reign over others, Odin killed Ymir because he believed that he and his brethren the Aesir are bringers of order and deserved to be such, while Zeus imprisoned the Titans because of his desire to rule over the mortal world.
    • Both are destined to die at the hands of Kratos and his family in certain prophecies, Odin is destined to die at the hands of Champion (although in Norse Myth, Odin was destined to die by the jaws of Fenrir), while Zeus was destined to die at the hands of the Marked Warrior which is Kratos himself.
    • Both requested one of their children to kill powerful beings. Odin commanded Thor to kill the Jötnar, while Zeus ordered Kratos to kill Ares.
    • Both are afraid of Kratos, While Zeus was afraid of him because he was the one destined to destroy the Gods, the Greek Pantheon and his killer, trying everything on his power to stop him and put an end to the circle of patricide only to be killed by him, Odin, on the other hand, is afraid of him because of his actions involving Ragnarök, accelerating it's coming because of Baldur's death, killing also his two grandsons Magni and Modi, who were prophesied to survive even after Ragnarök and his important role for his own demise, this is confirmed in Ragnarok, trying to persuade and limit the confrontation with the Spartan through deception and manipulation, although in the end, it didn't work, losing his life in the process.
    • Both also killed their own sons (in Zeus' case at one point) for going against them or disobeying. Odin (successfully) killed Thor for disobeying his order to kill Kratos while Zeus killed Kratos for refusing to serve him and to prevent The Marked Warrior prophecy from coming true only to no avail as Kratos once again escaped death to eventually confront him.
  • In nearly all the murals Odin appears in, he is riding his mythological mount, Sleipnir, the eight-legged steed. This is odd, seeing as Sleipnir in the Norse Mythos, is the offspring of Loki and Svadilfari, who was the stallion who helped the disguised Jötunn build the walls of Asgard.
    • Despite being Loki in this universe, it's unlikely that Atreus is the mother of Sleipnir, seeing as the horse was alive thousands of years before even the World Serpent's first appearance, being with Odin when he and his brothers slew Ymir.
    • Another piece to support this claim is that in the Prose Edda, Loki distracted Svadifari from his task of helping the builder complete the wall in time by taking the form of a mare and the intercourse that followed produced Sleipnir. In the God of War universe however, Hrimthur was able to complete the wall in time and gain an audience with Freya.
  • Odin's desire to prevent Ragnarök caused two moments of irony.
    • Odin's efforts to prevent Ragnarök and his death from occurring could be argued to be the very reason to it, as this led many inhabitants in the Nine Realms to be very hateful toward him and his brethren including the Vanir, the Wolf Fenrir, and the Giants.
    • Odin's efforts to learn more about Ragnarök and control it only caused him to lose more control of it at the same time. Odin's interference's altered Magni and Modi's fate from surviving Ragnarök to dying before it begins, likewise, Odin's interference also caused Baldur to die earlier than expected and cause the beginning of Ragnarök 100 years earlier than predicted. The new tapestry indicates that Odin changed the series of events by nearly committing a Jötunn genocide, which caused the surviving Jötnar to receive a new prophecy about a Jötunn who'd avenge the Jotnar by starting Ragnarök. In brief, Ragnarök was always going to happen despite Odin's efforts.
  • In mythology, his mother is the Jötunn Bestla, though it is unknown at this time if she will fulfill this role in the series.
    • Despite Odin's mother Bestla being a Giant in the mythology, Odin was never implied to be one, only his son Thor.
  • Tacitus, a Roman historian and senator, associated Odin with Hermes's Roman equivalent Mercury due to their status as a psychopomp.
  • Odin's relationship with Thor is strangely reminiscent of that of Emperor Palpatine with Darth Vader. Both men never really loved anyone but themselves, both pulled up the strings from behind as Thor and Darth Vader were to be the figureheads of the Aesir and the Galactic Empire, respectively. Odin and Palpatine also both killed their respective henchmen after the latter turned against them. Not only that, both Odin and Palpatine sought the secrets of immortality and tried to prevent their own death. Furthermore, Odin and Palpatine both favored magic and sorcery in battle, where Thor and Darth Vader fought in a more conventional way, using weapons and their sheer force to overwhelm their enemies.
  • Despite his hatred of the Jötnar, and they him, one of Odin's great loves was the Giantess Fjörgyn, who bore him a son, Thor. In addition, before or after her, Odin sought the affections of Skaði, Queen of the Hunt.
  • Throughout both games, Kratos and Atreus encounter Eyes of Odin, spectral ravens serving him as spies, with a side mission in both games requiring Kratos finding and destroying them. These spectral ravens are a reference to Huginn and Muninn, Odin's pair of ravens that fly around the Nine Worlds to gather information for him. These two are finally seen in God of War: Ragnarök, described as being the only two out of an entire unkindness of ravens Odin did not cook and eat, instead experimenting on them and binding them to his will.
  • As of the events of God of War (2018), Odin is responsible for the desolation of five of the Nine Realms, those being Midgard (through his corruption of the Valkyries), Niflheim (by intervening in Ivaldi's creations), Asgard and Vanaheim (through the Aesir-Vanir War) and Jötunheim (through Thor's genocidal campaign).
  • Odin is the only main antagonist in the franchise who is not killed by Kratos, instead being killed by Atreus and Sindri in God of War Ragnarök.
  • The All-Father is also the only main antagonist in the entire series battling three opponents at the same time.
    • The moment when Kratos, Atreus, and Freya battling against him seems to be a reflection when Odin, alongside with his brothers, Vili and Vé, slaying the giant Ymir.
    • Also, Atreus before stated to Odin that his studio was where he (and his younger brothers, Vili and Vé) murdered Ymir. This can be considered as a karmic ending for Odin: there was where he murdered Ymir, true father of all life, and where he (Odin) started to make Midgard from Ymir's corpse, and there was Odin had met his end. In short, Odin’s studio was the place where all had began, and in Odin's studio was where it all ended for Odin, being slayed by three of the persons he had perjudicated the most.
    • The only difference between his dead and Ymir's dead, is that, while Odin and his brothers murdered Ymir due to believing that they deserved to rule the universe (in other words, a largely unjustified reason), Kratos, Atreus and Freya had justified reasons to hate him.
  • Odin displayed a surprising lack of concern when Garm was let loose by Atreus and Thrúd, especially since he was well aware of the danger this beast represented for the realms. The All-Father could have certainly handled Garm by himself or, at the very least, sent Thor to salvage the situation. The reason why he did nothing to try and stop the beast remains unknown.
    • A possibility is that as Garm was unkillable without a soul, Odin may have been working from behind the scenes to try to find a way to re-contain Garm, since even if he or Thor were to come out and deal with him without any preparation to trap him, it was quite likely that while they may put up an extreme fight and kill it at first, they would eventually be overwhelmed and killed by the Hound of Hel as it can easily come back no matter how many times it is killed, which would inevitably exhaust them and leave them unable to defend themselves any longer while it would still be at full power due to returning from the dead completely healed. As fighting Garm is essentially an unwinnable battle, chances were Odin had been planning to come up with a method to reseal Garm once again and then wait until Atreus was desperate enough to return to him so he could further get in the boy's good graces by helping him undo the whole matter.
    • It's also possible this was to demonstrate Odin's true nature as someone who didn't truly care about the rest of the Nine Realms and his moral cowardice, as he comments everyone, including himself, is safe in Asgard from Garm's rampage.
  • It's unclear why Odin asked Freya to cast the Invulnerability Spell she placed on Baldur: As obsessive as Odin was in being able to defy his fate, it's highly unlikely he would be willing to lose all of his physical feelings and became as insane as Baldur was, especially as Odin feared that he would be subjected to a fate worse than death should he die by being obliterated due to being unable to enter Valhalla, so he would most likely see the disadvantages of the spell as not worth it. However, there are two possibilities:
    • One, considering Odin's constant dabbling into mystical forces, it's possible that he might have intended to have the spell cast on him and then experiment on ways to regain his feeling while also retaining his invulnerability. Considering someone of Odin's pride, it would be quite likely for him to believe he could achieve that. In fact, it can be even possible that Odin intended to also use this to improve Baldur's situation, as it would mean the Aesir would have 2 invulnerable, powerful gods and also use Baldur's regained ability to feel to appease Freya's waning love and loyalty for him.
    • Two, it might be Odin wanted to use the invulnerability spell to be able to see what was inside the Rift without suffering any after-effects, and then afterwards he would simply ask Freya to lift it from him once he had the answers he wanted.
  • According to Mimir Odin lost his right eye by plucking it while under magic mushroom's hallucination, while Odin himself claimed that he lost it after trying to look into the tear without the mask. This is a lie Odin tells because the circumstance by which he actually lost his eye can be considered as humiliating to him as he was tricked a blow to his ego about his insurmountable intelligence. though it could also be another attempt to manipulate Atreus. Later, when Atreus brings Odin's claims to Mimir, noting how lying about this and other things seemed unnecessary, Mimir suggests there was no real reason, and that people like Odin lie simply for the sake of lying, as a way of showing their control over reality.
  • Out of all the main antagonists in the franchise, Odin has by far the least brutal death. While the other antagonists died from being either stabbed, punched to death, or had their necks snapped, Odin had his soul sucked out of him by Atreus to be sealed in a small sphere only for Sindri to destroy that sphere with a hammer.
  • Odin's character appears to have some similarities to Ivan IV Vasilyevich, a.k.a Ivan the Terrible.
    • While impersonating Tyr, Atreus gives him a spear under the belief that he'll want to fight and/or defend himself but Odin instead refers to it as a walking stick and turns it down. Considering Odin's paranoia and this comment, this might be a subtle reference to Ivan the Terrible, who was so paranoid of being attacked that he used a spear as a walking stick and executed his councilors under the belief that they were plotting to kill him. Something Odin also did by imprisoning Tyr and by binding Mimir to a tree and torturing him for 109 winters for disloyalty.
    • Another comparison to Ivan the Terrible is shown in how they have killed their sons. In a disputed story, Ivan the Terrible killed his son, Tsarevich Ivan Ivanovich, in a fit of anger with his spear during a confrontation over the latter's wife and immediately regretted killing his son. In the game, Odin kills Thor in a fit of anger and paranoia after Thor refuses to kill Kratos during Ragnarok, with his tone of voice implying that he immediately laments his decision and is trying to justify Thor's death to himself.
    • Odin believed Sif was causing Thor to question his loyalty to him and his suspicions were confirmed when Thor said that she was right about him. The argument that caused Ivan Ivanovich's death was over Ivanovich's wife as Ivan the Terrible caused her to suffer a miscarriage by attacking her for dressing immodestly. Ivanovich confronted him over this and was subsequently killed by his own father.
    • Ivan the Terrible was also famous for attacking Novgorod under the paranoid belief that the high court of Novgorod were traitors and ordered his secret police to torture and execute everyone within the city. In the game, Odin believed the Jötnar were a threat to his rule and ordered Thor and the other Aesir to kill every last one of them so they can prevent or delay his fate in Ragnarok.
    • Finally, Odin's design actually appears to resemble Mikhail Gerasimov's forensic facial reconstruction of Ivan IV as both are shown to have receded hair and a medium length beard.
  • Odin's boss fight soundtrack is intitulated "The All-Father" and is composed by Bear McCreary.
  • Odin is the only character in the Norse Saga to have wielded the Blade of Chaos, albeit in the disguise of Týr in Alfhiem.
  • In a version of Norse Mythology, Odin is the cousin to the Sun Goddess Sol. This is much like Greek mythology where Zeus and Helios (the Sun God) are cousins.

Sources[]

Reference[]

  1. https://gamerant.com/god-of-war-ragnarok-hidden-odin-disguise-dwarf/
  2. Find here our sacrifice, mighty All-Father, and deliver Midgard from Hel's wild hunt. Odin, wisest of all, whose breath gave life to Ask and Embla, first among our people, we beg your protection. Send forth your noble Valkyries and cull the deathless. Send forth your noble sons, Thor and Baldur, to shield us. Send forth dragons to consume the frigid horde. Save our souls that we may serve you evermore.
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