Asgard (comics)
Asgard | |
---|---|
First appearance | Journey into Mystery #85 (October 1962) |
Created by | Stan Lee Larry Lieber Jack Kirby |
In-universe information | |
Type | Realm |
Race(s) | Asgardians |
Publisher | Marvel Comics |
Asgard is a fictional realm and its capital city appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber and Jack Kirby, the realm first appeared in Journey into Mystery #85 (October 1962).[1][2] Based on the realm of the same name from Germanic mythology (particularly Norse), Asgard is home to the Asgardians and other beings adapted from Norse mythology. It features prominently in stories that follow the Marvel Comics superhero Thor.
Asgard has appeared in comics and various media adaptations, including the Marvel Cinematic Universe films Thor (2011), Thor: The Dark World (2013), Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), Thor: Ragnarok (2017), Avengers: Endgame (2019), and the Disney+ series Loki (2021). Eventually, Asgard was relocated to Earth and appeared in Avengers: Endgame and Thor: Love and Thunder (2022).
Fictional history
According to Asgardian legend, in the beginning there was nothing, but in time two worlds came into being on opposite sides of the void. The one to the north was named Niflheim, a world of clouds and shadows in whose center surged the fountain Hvergelmir, from which flowed twelve rivers of ice. The one to the south was named Muspelheim, which teemed with rivers of fire. Eventually the warm air from the south carved out the ice giant Ymir from the ice in the north. Ymir became the father of all the giants, and his cow Auðumbla licked out of the ice the first Asgardian, Buri. Buri had a son named Borr, who married the giantess Bestla. Borr and Bestla had three sons named Odin, Vili, and Ve, who were known as the Æsir. Odin and his brothers grew to hate the giants and slew Ymir, and his blood formed a great sea. Odin and his brothers then raised Ymir's body from the sea and created Midgard between Niflheim and Muspelheim. With Ymir's bones they created mountains, and with his hair they created trees. They then raised Ymir's skull upon four pillars to create the heavens. Within the skull contained sparks from Muspelheim, which became the sun, moon, and stars. When Midgard was complete, Odin and his brothers created a home for themselves above it called Asgard. Between the two worlds they stretched a rainbow bridge and called it Bifröst.[3]
Once a year Odin must undertake the Odinsleep to regain his strength. During this time Asgard is vulnerable to attack from its many enemies, most notably Odin's adopted son,
The throne of Asgard later passes to Thor after Odin is killed in battle by Surtur, when the demon invades Earth.[6]
It was prophesied that Loki would lead Asgard's enemies in a final conflict known as Ragnarök, which would lead to its destruction. This comes to pass when Loki obtains the forge that created Mjolnir and creates new uru hammers for his army. The entirety of Asgard and its inhabitants are destroyed in the resulting battle.[7]
After Ragnarök, Donald Blake awakens Thor from the "Void of Non-Existence". Thor returns to Earth and rebuilds Asgard outside of Broxton, Oklahoma, purchasing the land with gold from the treasury. Thor then goes about restoring the Asgardians, who have been reborn in the bodies of mortal men and women.[8]
Asgard's location on Earth makes the city a target during the "
When Thor is forced to abdicate the throne and is exiled for killing his grandfather
Asgard is destroyed yet again after
Thor restores Odin to the throne when the nine realms are invaded by "the World Eaters".
During the "
Asgard later established the Congress of Worlds which consists of the representatives of the Nine Realms.[16] After Heven was reintegrated with the other Realms, representatives of Heven started appearing as members of the Congress of Worlds.[17]
Regions
The Asgardian dimension contains several distinct regions.[18]
The Nine Realms
World | Notes |
---|---|
Alfheim | Home of the Light Elves. Alfheim is a distinct region on the Asgard planetoid. |
Asgard | Home of the Asgardians. Asgard is the name of the planetoid, a distinct region on the planetoid and its capital city. |
Helheim | Realm of the dead who are neither honored nor dishonored. Ruled by Hela .
|
Jotunheim | Home of the Frost Giants .
|
Midgard | The Earthly plane. Although not technically a part of the Asgardian dimension, it is considered one of the Nine Worlds because of its significant connections to Asgard. |
Muspelheim | Home of the Fire Giants/Demons. Ruled by the Fire Giant Surtur .
|
Nidavellir | Home of the Dwarves . Nidavellir is a distinct region on the Asgard planetoid.
|
Svartalfheim
|
Home of the Dark Elves. |
Vanaheim | Home of the Vanir who are the sister race of the Asgardians. Vanaheim is a distinct region on the Asgard planetoid. |
Other worlds and regions
Region | Notes |
---|---|
Niflheim | Realm of the cold and ice; another place for the dishonoured dead, closely connected with Helheim. |
Valhalla | Odin's great palace of the honoured dead and is a distinct region on the Asgard planetoid. |
Nornheim | Realm of the Asgard planetoid ruled by Karnilla .
|
Heven | The tenth world of Asgard and home of the Angels, it was cut off from the rest of Asgard by Odin long ago and not rediscovered until the 2014 storyline Original Sin. |
The six races
The six races of intelligent humanoid beings known to reside within the Asgardian dimension.
Race | Known members | |
---|---|---|
Asgardians | Æsir | Volla, Volstagg
|
Vanir | Frey, Sif
| |
Demons | Hrinmeer,[21] Skulveig [21] | |
Dwarves | Alfrigg,[22] Brokk, Dvalin,[22] Eitri, Grerr,[22] Throgg[23] | |
Elves | Dark Elves | Alflyse, Kurse, Malekith
|
Light Elves | Aeltri,[21] Hrinmeer[21] | |
Giants | Angerboda, | |
Trolls | Ulik, Geirrodur, Ulla, Askella, Gaark, Garrg, Glagg, Grak, Grundor, Kryllk, Muthos, Olik, Targo, | |
Other | Mogul of the Mystic Mountain , Three Norns (Urd, Skuld, and Verdandi)
|
Racial attributes
Although they look human, all Asgardians possess certain superhuman physical attributes. They are extremely long-lived (though not immortal like their
Demons are beings of fire and tend to be about the same stature as the Asgardians.[31]
Dwarves are smaller in stature than the Asgardians, and have short, stocky bodies. Their average height is four feet (1.2 meters).[31]
Elves vary greatly in size from four to eight feet (1.2 to 2.4 meters). They tend toward slender bodies and proportionately longer limbs. The dark elves tend to be darker in color than the light elves. Both types have natural proclivity towards magic.[31]
Giants are basically humanoid in appearance and color although they tend toward the
Trolls are the least human-looking of the denizens of Asgard, possessing body characteristics that are almost simian. Trolls are stocky and massive, have thick body hair (almost fur) and tend toward a ruddy orange color. They are on average taller than the Asgardians but shorter than giants, around seven feet (2.1 meters) tall, although some trolls are considerably taller. Trolls tend to be extremely strong, stronger than the average Asgardian, dwarf or elf and on par with giants. Trolls like Ulik rival Thor in strength.[31]
Flora and fauna
There are different flora and fauna in Asgard:
Flora
Fauna
- Eagles are giant
- Fenris Wolf; a giant wolf that is said to be the offspring of Loki and the giantess Angrboda. During Ragnarök Fenris swallowed all that remained of Asgard following the final battle.[37]
- Geri and Freki are Odin's pet wolves. Freki stopped an assassination attempt on Thor's life during a time known as the Reigning when Thor assumed the throne of Asgard and ruled both Asgard and Midgard with an iron fist.[38]
- Huginn and Muninn are Odin's pet ravens. They guided Thor to find the means to end the Ragnarök cycle[39] and again through Hel to find Odin.[40]
- Midgard Serpent; an immense serpent that lives in the Sea of Space circling Midgard, ready to eat unwary sailors.[3]
- Sleipnir; Odin's eight-legged steed.[41] Thor had eight steeds Firegnaw, Mudbrute, Slaughterbit, Smokemare, Snow Harpy, Stormbringer, Swamptooth and Warhoof. During a famine on earth, some humans ate the horses over Thor's request that they not do so. The God of Thunder took the bones back to Asgard. Using magics, he reformed them into Sleipnir.[22]
- Toothgnasher and Toothgrinder; two mystical goats that pull Thor's chariot.[23]
- "The War of the Realms" storyline featured a race of Swamp Mammoths that live in a swamp somewhere in Asgard. Due to their appearance, there is no confirmation on if they are either covered in plants or made from plants.[42]
Reception
Accolades
- In 2019, CBR.com ranked Asgard 6th in their "10 Most Iconic Superhero Hideouts In Marvel Comics" list.[43]
In other media
Television
- Asgard appears in the Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends episode "The Vengeance of Loki."
- Asgard is featured in The Super Hero Squad Show.
- Asgard was introduced in The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes episode "Thor the Mighty".
- Asgard appears in the Ultimate Spider-Man episode "Field Trip".
- Asgard appears in the Avengers Assemble episode "Planet Doom." Vanaheim appears in the episode "Downgraded." Hawkeye and Falcon accidentally end up in Vanaheim where they help Freya defend her city from the Shadow Nyx while finding a way to rekindle the light that keeps the Shadow Nyx at bay.
- Asgard appears in the Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H. episode "For Asgard" and "Days of Future Smash: Smashguard".
- Asgard appears in the Guardians of the Galaxy episode "We are the World Tree."
- Asgard appears in the M.O.D.O.K. animated series episode "Tales from the Great Bar-Mitzvah War!".
- Asgard appears in the Loki episode "The Nexus Event".
Film
- Asgard is the setting of Hulk vs. Thor.[44]
- Asgard is the setting of the animated film Thor: Tales of Asgard.[45]
- Asgard and
- Asgard, Vanaheim, and Jotunheim appear in the 2013 sequel Thor: The Dark World, directed by Alan Taylor. Muspelheim is also seen briefly through a dimensional rift.[47][48]
- Asgard and Muspelheim appear in the 2017 sequel Thor: Ragnarok, directed by Taika Waititi. The film opens in Muspelheim, where Thor defeats Surtur before returning to Asgard. In the finale, Thor and Loki summon Surtur to destroy the Asgard planetoid, in order to defeat Hela. Thor leads the Asgardian people on a spaceship headed for Earth, to create a new homeland to settle in. Hel is also seen briefly when Hela is released and in flashback when she fights the Valkyries in an attempt to escape.
- Eitri to forge a new weapon that can kill Thanos. In the film, Nidavellir is a neutron starsurrounded by a forge which the dwarves used to craft weapons.
- In the 2019 film Avengers: Endgame, also directed by the Russo brothers, Thor establishes a new homeland for the Asgardians called "New Asgard", in Tønsberg, Norway. Thor and Rocket time travel to 2013 Asgard during the events of Thor: The Dark World to retrieve the 2013 Reality Stone in order to undo Thanos wiping out half of all life in the universe.
Video games
- Asgard is featured as a playable level in Marvel: Ultimate Alliance.[49]
- Asgard is featured in the Marvel Super Hero Squad video game.[50]
- Asgard is featured in Thor: God of Thunder (based on the live-action film).[51]
- Asgard is a stage in the fighting game Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds/Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3, alongside a "Sea of Space" version in Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3.
- Asgard appears in Marvel Super Hero Squad Online.
- Asgard appears in Marvel Heroes.
- Asgard appears in Lego Marvel Super Heroes, Lego Marvel's Avengers and Lego Marvel Super Heroes 2.
- Asgard appears as a stage in Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite, merged with Abel City from the Mega Man X series to become Xgard.[52]
- Asgard appears in the digital collectible card game Marvel Snap.[53][54]
Theme parks
- The Disneyland attraction "Treasures of Asgard", located inside Innoventions in Tomorrowland, opened on November 1, 2013, and features displays of Asgardian relics and transports guests to Odin's throne room in Asgard, where they are greeted by Thor.[55]
References
- ^ Dodge, John (2022-06-11). "Thor Just Destroyed Asgard's Most Important Monument". CBR. Retrieved 2023-02-07.
- ^ Crye, John (2020-09-25). "The Untold Truth Of Marvel's Asgard". Looper. Retrieved 2023-02-07.
- ^ a b Thor Annual #4 (1976). Marvel Comics.
- ^ Thor #154-157 (July-Oct. 1968). Marvel Comics.
- ^ Thor #175-177 (Apr.-June 1970). Marvel Comics.
- ^ Thor vol. 2 #40 (Oct. 2001). Marvel Comics.
- ^ Thor vol. 2 #80-85 (Aug.-Dec. 2004). Marvel Comics.
- ^ Thor vol. 3 #1-5 (Sept. 2007-Jan. 2008). Marvel Comics.
- ^ Secret Invasion: Thor #1-3 (Oct.-Dec. 2008). Marvel Comics.
- ^ Thor #600 (Apr. 2009). Marvel Comics.
- ^ Siege #1-4 (Mar.-June 2010). Marvel Comics.
- ^ Thor #618 (Dec. 2010). Marvel Comics.
- ^ Fear Itself #7.2 (2011). Marvel Comics.
- ^ The Mighty Thor #11 (Feb. 2012). Marvel Comics.
- ^ Original Sin #5.1. Marvel Comics.
- ^ The Mighty Thor #10. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Loki: Agent of Asgard #14. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Migalla, Sean (2022-09-25). "Asgard And The Other Realms, Ranked By Their Rulers". CBR. Retrieved 2023-02-07.
- ^ a b c Journey into Mystery, #97 (Oct. 1963)
- ^ Thor #274 (Aug. 1978)
- ^ a b c d Thor Annual #18 (1993)
- ^ a b c d Thor: Reign of Blood, #1 (Aug. 2008)
- ^ a b Thor #339 (Jan. 1984)
- ^ The Incredible Hercules #132 (Oct. 2009)
- ^ Thor #377 (March 1987)
- ^ Thor #360 (Oct. 1985)
- ^ a b Thor #294 (April 1980)
- ^ a b Balder the Brave #1 (Nov. 1985)
- ^ X-Force and Cable Annual 1997
- ^ Scarlet Witch #8 (2023)
- ^ a b c d e f g The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Deluxe Edition, #1: Abomination to Batroc's Brigade (Aug. 1985). Marvel Comics.
- ^ New York, NY: Marvel Comics
- ^ a b Thor vol. 2 #84. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Thor: God-Size #1. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Thor: Son of Asgard #2
- ^ Thor: Son of Asgard #3. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Thor vol. 2 #85. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Thor vol. 2 #74. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Thor vol. 2 #83-85. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Thor vol. 3 #7-8. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Thor #274 (Aug. 1978). Marvel Comics.
- ^ Mighty Thor Vol. 3 #2. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Avina, Anthony (2019-09-06). "10 Most Iconic Superhero Hideouts In Marvel Comics, Ranked". CBR. Retrieved 2023-01-09.
- ^ Fritz, Steve (2008-07-26). "SDCC '08, Marvel's Craig Kyle on Future of Animation, p2". Newsarama. Retrieved 2010-08-25.
- ^ "Release Dates Confirmed For "Planet Hulk," "Thor: Tales Of Asgard" Animated Features". Archived from the original on 2013-05-22. Retrieved 2010-08-25.
- ^ "Marvel Studios Update: Loki Officially Cast in 2011 Thor Movie". Marvel Comics. 2009-05-18. Retrieved 2010-08-25.
- ^ Fleming, Mike (2012-08-01). "We Have A 'Thor 2′ Villain: Christopher Eccleston To Play Malekith The Accursed". Deadline.com. Archived from the original on 2012-08-03. Retrieved 2012-08-01.
- ^ Jolin, Dan (August 7, 2013). "Thor: The Dark World Second Trailer Breakdown". Empire. Retrieved August 7, 2013.
- ^ Giese, Andrew (2006-11-13). "Marvel: Ultimate Alliance Review - GBA". Gamer 2.0. Archived from the original on 2012-08-18. Retrieved 2010-08-29.
- ^ Casamassina, Matt (2009-05-28). "Pre-E3 2009: Marvel Super Hero Squad Story Details". IGN. Archived from the original on June 12, 2009. Retrieved 2010-08-29.
- ^ "SEGA Inks Actors Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston to Star in the Video Game Thor: God of Thunder". Business Wire. 2010-12-02. Retrieved 2010-12-02.
- ^ "SDCC17 Marvel Vs. Capcom: Infinite: Live Blog".
- ^ Thwaites, Sarah (2022-11-17). "Every Marvel Snap location (and what they do)". Polygon. Retrieved 2023-02-07.
- ^ Arnold, Matt (2022-10-22). "Marvel Snap: Complete Locations Guide". TheGamer. Retrieved 2023-02-07.
- ^ Graser, Marc (August 20, 2013). "Thor Is Headed to Disneyland". Variety. Archived from the original on August 20, 2013. Retrieved August 20, 2013.
External links
- Asgard at the Marvel Universe wiki
- Asgard at the Marvel Database wiki
- Asgard at the Marvel Directory
- Nine Realms from Marvel Cinematic Database