Skaði

Template:Infobox godsSkaði is a Jötunn featured in God of War (2018).

Norse Mythology

Skaði (also referred to as Skadi, Skade, or Skathi) is a Jötunn and Norse goddess associated with bowhunting, skiing, winter, and mountains. In all sources, she is depicted as being the wife of the Vanir-God Njörðr. However, in Heimskringla, Skaði is described as having split up with Njörðr and has later married Odin, and that the two produced many children together. In both the Poetic Edda and the Prose Edda, Skaði is responsible for placing the serpent that drips venom onto the bound Loki.

Skadi's shape shifting father was responsible for kidnapping the goddess Idunn and stealing the golden apples from her garden. When the gods heard of this Odin demanded the gods to go kill Thiazzi and to bring Idunn and the golden apples back to Valhalla. The giant eagle was hunted down and killed. When Skadi found out that her father was dead she grieved for a long time.

The gods decided to have a celebration for the safe return of Idunn and the death of Thiazzi. However the feast stopped when Skaði came bursting through the doors of Valhalla with a cold winter air the female Jöhar came seeking vengeance for the death of her father.

Seeing the rage in Skaði Odin and the other gods acted out of fear they lied saying the celebration was to honor Skaði and her father Thiazzi. Odin then placed Thiazzi among the stars but Skaði still believed Odin was lying. During the feast Loki was able to make Skaði laugh her grudge against the gods of Valhalla went away.

Skaði married Njörðr during the goddess Idunn's celebrated safe return to Valhalla however their marriage wouldn't last because Skaði couldn't live in the sea and Njörðr couldn't live in the icy cold. Before her marriage to Njörðr and after her marriage to him, Odin has tried many times to get Skaði to love but failed.

Although Skaði placed the venom dripping serpent over Loki as he is bound and chained. Skaði was now the goddess of winter after her marriage to Njörðr. She tried to warn Loki about the punishment that Odin and the gods had for him as Ragnarök started getting closer.

In the God of War Series

Before God of War (2018)

Skaði learned how to hunt from her father, Thiazi, a shapeshifter. She became a huntress beyond compare, even to any god. Even the Jötnar Guardian, Laufey, admires her.

Odin wanted her to be his wife, believing she would give him strong sons. Skaði spurred his affections, and for rejected him, Odin vowed revenge. He spread word about a giant Eagle that began to plague the Aesir and stealing Iðunn’s golden apples, and that not even the finest archers among the Aesir could bring it down.

Odin knew Skaði could not resist the temptation to prove herself superior. Skaði hunted down the Eagle and shot it with a bow. When she went to collect her quarry, she found no Eagle but her own father slain. Skaði was overcome with grief and shame and succumbed to her fate as winter came, holding her father in an eternal embrace.

Shrine Story

Atreus: “Mimir, what can you tell me about the Giant lady with the bow?“

Mimir: “She was called Skaði, Queen of the Hunt. Her father was Thiazi, who could take the shape of any wild creature, and taught Skaði how to hunt them all. From the ribs of pack-beast, she fashioned second feet, allowing her to glide upon the snow so no animal could evade her. She became a huntress beyond compare, even to any God. Odin himself wanted her for his bride, believing she would bear him strong sons. But she spurned his affection... and for that insult, Odin vowed revenge. It was put fourth that the Aesir were plagued by an Eagle who would steal the precious golden apples of Iðunn. Not even the finest archer among the Gods could bring it down. Odin knew that Skaði could not resist the temptation to prove herself superior. And so she joined the hunt. Skaði tracked the Eagle as it flew where she alone could glide, and loosened an arrow from her unerring bow. When she collected her quarry, she found no Eagle at all, but her own father, poor Thiazi, slain by his own daughter. She was overcome with grief and shame for there is nothing nature so reviles as a child who kills their own parent. Skaði succumbed to her fate as Winter‘s blanket fell – holding her father as the mountain held her, in an embrace to last eternity.”

Atreus: “Well, that was sad.”

Mimir: “Aye. There aren’t many happy endings for the Giants, I’m afraid.”

Trivia

• Skaði is the second Jötunn Odin is known to have desired, the other was Fjörgyn.
• Her Greek equivalents are Artemis (as queen of the hunt) and Chione (As goddess of winter).