Asgardians
The Asgardians are a race of gods that features in Marvel Comics.
Contents |
History
Origin
The Asgardians were a race of deities that lived in the realm of Asgard. Long ago, at the beginning of creation the Well of Life formed in the world and from it the first creature Ymir emerged into the world following by a mystical giant cow. The pair wandered the frozen wastes where the cow found a person emerge from the ice itself. This individual was Buri who was the first of the Aesir and from whom future generation of Asgardians were born. In time, he took a wife and through her they had a son who was named Bor. (Journey into Mystery v1 #97) Bor later took a wife and had numerous children from their union. (Journey into Mystery v1 #97) Bor had married a giantess who in turn had three sons that became the first of the Aesir with these being Odin, Ve and Vili. Odin grew to hate his mothers race and eventually led a war against his ancestors with the first giant they attacked being Ymir himself. (Thor Annual v1 #5)
Following the death of King Bor, his eldest son Cul took the throne where he began to rule through fear and used his enforcers the Worthy to bring about his reign. In time, his brother Odin began to see the madness of his brother and sought wisdom from the World Tree Yggdrasil that cost him his eye. By his adulthood, King Cul ruled from his new fortress at the world of Asheim when his brothers Odin, Vi and Villi turned against him. Cul was defeated and Asheim was slaughtered as well as salted to prevent any Asgardian from claiming it again. In the aftermath, Asheim became known as Midgard when Odin became the new ruler of Asgard after dethroning his brother Cul. (Mighty Thor v1 #7)
At time's dawn, Asgard was gripped with war with the rival tribe of deities known as the Vanir. To end the conflict, a truce was achieved with hostages exchanged by both sides with Asgard surrendering Mimir to the Vanir. According to Mimir, for no good reason he was executed by the Vanir and his living tortured head was sent back to Odin. In this state of living death, Mimir was gifted with the power of prophecy whereupon Odin transformed him into fire and made him an advisor. For his actions, Mimir was said to hold hatred towards Odin for leaving him in this state. (Thor Annual v1 #7) Among the earliest conflicts fought by the Asgardians was the Aesir/Vanir War with the former being the victors. After that long war, a peace was made whereby King Bor's son, Odin of the Aesir would marry Freyja of the Vanir. The marriage was supposed to culminate in a child of both people that symbolized the unity of the two Asgardian races with this being a daughter who would become Angela with the newborn child being stolen by the Angels of Heven. (Angela: Asgard's Assassin v1 #2)
Odin marched his forces into Jotunheim to battle the Frost Giants, a future Loki came to his young past-self to ensure their destiny. The younger Loki went to his father with alleged information about Odin's position in the next battle, and pushed Laufey to attack him by calling out his pride. Laufey struck his son but decided to attack Odin, as planned by the Lokis. The next day, after the fateful battle and Odin's claiming of Loki as a son, Laufey was left for dead, wounded, but alive. The future Loki then gruesomely killed him, stating that he would never strike him again. (Thor v3 #12)
In 1000 AD, the Third Host of the Celestials occurred, during which the aliens informed they would return 1,000 years later to judge Earth's right to continue existing. Odin attended the Council of Godheads meeting to discuss this threat. (Thor Annual v1 #7)
Ragnarok
After the Ragnarok Cycle, the only survivor of their people was Thor Odinson who lamented the loss of his kind. However, he would learn that his fellow gods were not all dead but had been reborn in the form of humans. Thus, after bringing the City of Asgard to Earth, he decided to embark on a quest to find his comrades around the world. (Thor v3 #2)
The Asgardians came to settle in the lands of Latveria where Doctor Doom secretly abducted members of their kind and dissected them in order to learn more about their immortality. Eventually, his actions were discovered when Balder and the army of Asgard marched to Castle Doom to recover the goddess Kelda. Once there, Doctor Doom unleashed cybernetic husks of the kidnapped Asgardians that were dispatched to fight their comrades. During the fight, Thor arrived on the scene to battle Doom himself who unveiled that he had created a facsimile of the Destroyer. Despite its power, the armour was destroyed and Doctor Doom teleported away thus allowing him to escape the Asgardian's retribution. In the aftermath, King Balder ordered all the dead that included the cybernetic remains of their former comrades be gathered as the Asgardians decided to leave the lands of Latveria. (Thor v1 #606)
With Asgard destroyed, the Asgardians went about rebuilding it and as a reward for the help they had received from the heroes of Earth, the Asgardians vowed to always be there when Midgard needed them and Thor vowed that he would once again fight alongside the Avengers if called upon. (Siege v1 #4)
Asgardia
Overview
Dissections of these gods revealed that an energy empowered them that remained within their corpses even after their organs were removed. This same energy could restore them if all the organs were restored to their body with those of noble birth being able to revive even after long periods where their heart was removed. (Thor v1 #605)
There were various organisations that formed among the Asgardians with these including:
- Valkyrior : female warriors created by Odin who charged them with taking the honoured dead that were slain in battle to the afterlife paradise of Valhalla. (Secret Avengers v1 #14)
- Crimson Hawks : the elite legendary personal guard of All-High Odin who all wore red-armour. (Thor v1 #405)
- Thunder Guard : armored warriors that wielded large two handed war hammers and covered in armor. (Mighty Thor v2 #1)
- Berzerkers : ferocious warriors that were enchanted by the Berserker Incantation where 97 such Asgardians were dispatched to deal with monsters older than Asgard itself and beyond the realm. (Journey into Mystery v1 #648)
Asgard kept a dedicated group of gods to watch over their books with these forming the Tomekeepers. Freyja commanded that copies of various tomes being kept at various locations in order for their knowledge to be preserved if Asgard ever fell. Thus, some of these keepers were placed at such sites as Omnipotence City to watch over these books. (Infinity Wars Prime v1 #1)
A military unit in the forces of Asgard was the Worldburner Legion. (Fear Itself v1 #6)
Through the Allspeak, they were able to speak every language and be understood by every species. (Thor v1 #617) When journeying to Hel, Asgardians referred to such experience as a Helfor (Hel Ride) with this event taking nine nights. (New Mutants v3 #29)
For healing, they made use of the Elixirs of Renewal that were enchanted potions which would heal the injuries of an Asgardian in a day or two. Only those deserving where healed in this manner as it requires a measure of the Odinforce to empower the potions. (Thor v2 #39)
Among the most sacred treasures of Asgard were the Golden Apples of Idunn, with these life-apples being the source of the gods life and immortality. These fruit preserved the youth and life of the Asgardian people. If they were deprived of the apples, their kind would begin to age and die in time. (Thor v1 #3325)
It was said that they were not truly immortals but rather born into doom with no afterlife awaiting them as they ceased to exist when the died. (Thor v2 #81)
Members
- Buri :
- Bor :
- Odin :
- Cul :
- Mimir : a male Asgardian who took the form of a fiery head with far-seeing Mimir who was a source of knowledge and served as the Guardian of the Mimis-Brunnen Well of Mimir with Odin being the only one that he responded (Thor v1 #240)
- Njord : male Asgardian who was king of the Vanir gods with Odin defeating him and annexing his realm. (Thor v1 #274)
- Thor Odinson :
- Loki :
- Angela :
- Vidar Odinson : the son of Odin and the giantess Grid, the large Vidar was banished from Asgard where he lived in the mountains and wedded to the giantess Solveig until she was killed by a trio of storm giants. He returned to Asgard and gained the assistance of Thor to avenge his wife. Vidar was armed with a sword and an enchanted staff with his large frame allowing him to be a match for twenty Asgardians. (Thor Annual v1 #12)
- Heimdall :
- Kelda : (Thor v3 #6)
- Hoder : a white haired elderly blind male who had the ability to see visions of the future and sent with Thor to aid Vidar Odinson who sought vengeance against the storm giants that murdered his wife. (Thor Annual v1 #12)
- Cyra : a female Asgardian healer in charge of the waters of renewal. (Thor v2 #39)
- Neffethesk : a male Asgardian healer in charge of the waters of renewal. (Thor v2 #40)
- Daillus : a male Asgardian also known as Daillus the Daring. (Thor v1 #383)
- Eldred : male Asgardian sorcerer that taught Loki magic only to be sacrificed by him to Surtur. (Thor v1 #400)
- Hoenir : (Thor v1 #273)
- Ollerus :
- Lodur : (Thor v1 #289)
- Lofn : (Thor v1 #357)
- Lonkarr : an Asgardian scout who long ago encountered Narcisson where he was attacked by Tserron and killed her causing the war between Asgard and Dark Gods. (Thor v2 #9)
- Ro Bloodroot : male Vanir wood wizard from Vanaheim who was a magic user that joined the reformed League of Realms. (Mighty Thor v2 #13)
- Flowa : a dark skinned older female Asgardian who was one of the Tomekeepers that kept watch over the books of Asgard and stationed at Omnipotence City to care for some of the tomes kept there. (Infinity Wars Prime v1 #1)
- Einhar : a male Asgardian Berzerker who long ago was among those that journeyed into the far off land to fight the monsters that threatened the realms. (Journey into Mystery v1 #648)
- Bodvar : a male Asgardian Berzerker who long ago was among those that journeyed into the far off land to fight the monsters that threatened the realms. (Journey into Mystery v1 #648)
Notes
- Asgardians were created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby where they made their first appearance in Journey into Mystery v1 #85 (October, 1962).
Alternate Versions
- In Thor v2 #68-#79 (2003/2004), an alternate future was shown known as the Reigning. This future came to pass after Allfather Odin had died with Thor ascending to the throne of Asgard. Around this time, Lord Thor brought Asgard above New York where it came under attack from the Consortium of Nations. In response, Thor forced his view of integrating Asgard with Midgard leading to him killing his human self of Jake Olson. He merged Asgard with New York creating New Asgard by 2020. After which, he consolidated his rule over Earth by 2170. Asgardian law was enforced by the Asguards that kept Lord Thor's rule.
In other media
Television
- In Spider-Man and his Amazing Friends, Asgardians were shown in the episode "The Vengeance of Loki". Thor and Loki were both shown as members of this race that populated the realm-eternal of Asgard.
- In The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes, the Asgardians made a number of appearances throughout the animated series.
- In Avengers Assemble, the Asgardians made a number of appearances throughout the cartoon series with Thor being chief among them who sat on the Avengers. In "Avengers Last Stand", Thor told the Squadron Supreme that the Asgardians did not make wishes but rather made war.
- In Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H., the Asgardians and their homeland appeared in the episode "For Asgard" when Thor invites the Hulk with his allies to that realm. They were noted for being suspicious of outsiders who rarely allowed others to Asgard and even more rarely allowed them to stay permanently. Asgardians followed the strict law of Allfather Odin with one of his rules being that no one was allowed to pull the Odinsword from its resting place. Any breach of that law led to the criminal being imprisoned for thousands of years.
- In Guardians of the Galaxy, Asgardians appeared in the setting of the animated television series.
Films
- In Thor: Tales of Asgard, they were the inhabitants of Asgard that were led by Allfather Odin who was the father of young princes Thor and Loki. Groups within their society included the elite warriors of the Einherjar consisting of the best among the Asgardians and an all female sisterhood namely the Valkyries that lived in their own settlement of Kona Lifandi. The Asgardians had an delicate peace with the Frost Giants of Jotunheim.
- In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the Asgardians made a number of appearances in the shared continuity setting.
- In Thor, the Asgardians were introduced into the Marvel Cinematic Universe where they were an advanced otherdimensional alien civilization that were seen as god-like beings from Norse mythology.
- In Thor: The Dark World, it was shown that long ago that their kind were at war with the Dark Elves with the conflict nearly eliminating their foes. An Asgardian device called the soul forge was used to help cure Jane Foster of her injuries.
- In Thor: Love & Thunder, Asgardians appeared in the setting of the live-action film. The Asgardian survivors were to reside now on Earth in the town of New Asgard.
Video games
- In Marvel: Ultimate Alliance, Asgardians appeared in the setting of the video game.
- In Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite, Asgardians appeared in the story setting of the fighting video game. They were shown as inhabitants of Xgard after the Marvel and Capcom universes were merged. The city was overtaken by Ultron Sigma who used his abilities to corrupt the Asgardians with cybernetics turning them into mindless followers.
- In Marvel: Future Revolution, Asgardians appeared in the setting of the mobile video game.
Appearances
- Journey into Mystery v1: (1962)
- Avengers v1:
- Thor v1:
- Fear Itself v1:
- Mighty Thor v1:
- Loki v1:
- Loki: Agent of Asgard v1:
- Angela: Asgard's Assassin v1:
External Link
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