Disir (Marvel)
The Disir are a group that features in Marvel Comics.
Contents |
History
The Dísir were a group of ancient Asgardians that once served as Valkyries to King Bor during his reign in Asgard. (New Mutants v3 #11) There were many stories about the origins of the Disir with Tyr claiming that the Disir had rebelled not only against their own lord but against all decency as they fed on gods. (New Mutants v3 #11) According to the Disir themselves, they were once the shieldmaidens of King Bor long ago and swore oaths to remain virgins that served his commands. They were given the task of defending his castle whilst he went off hunting and Bor urged them to remember their oaths. After he had gone, a mercenary company arrived that seemingly served King Bor with among the men being the warrior Sigurd. Enchanted by his good looks, the Disir Brün allowed the company entry despite a warning by one of her comrades. The men of the mercenary company then invited the shieldmaidens to stay at their hall for drink which they ultimately accepted. During the night, they slept with the men with Brün sleeping with Sigurd. It was then that King Bor returned to his castle and saw his shieldmaidens among the men. In a state of rage, he sought out Sigurd in order to kill him for his actions but Brün had allowed him to escape. This angered Bor who decided to punish the Disir for breaking their oath and cast a curse on them for all eternity. (Journey into Mystery v1 #638) As punishment for their crime, they were cast out from all the realms where they existed in the spaces as spirits. Bor's curse made them only capable of consuming the shade of gods that exiled from their home and thus they remained ever hungry as few Asgardians were ever in such a state. In time, they came to be regarded as close to myth even among gods and none spoke of them for they risked attracted the attention of the Disir. (New Mutants v3 #11) He stated that there were two means of escaping this curse; either the Disir find Sigurd to kill him or they marry him. (Journey into Mystery v1 #638)
During the events of the Siege, the Disir emerged where they targeted the spirits of slain Asgardians only to be fought off by Hela's Valkyrie Dani Moonstar. (New Mutants v3 #11)
Whilst in Hel, Bor was sharpening his blades when Hela's Valkyrie Dani Moonstar arrived to request him to officiate the marriage of the Disir to Sigurd with the former king of Asgard pleased at this development. (Journey into Mystery v1 #638) As Bor officiated the ceremony, he referred to the Disir as chattel and that they would be bound to the will of man by marrying Sigurd. His chauvinistic attitude angered Dani Moontar who attempted to get him to stop but Bor hit her aside. This in turn angered the Disir who decided to get revenge against the former King of Asgard leading to a battle with him. With his great power, Bor managed to throw aside most of his opponents until Dani Moonstar managed to cut him and make him bleed. This led to the Disir in a bloodlust where they attacked him viciously causing him to flee back to Hel whilst pursued by the damned shieldmaidens. He attempted to enter into the palace of Hel but the doors were barred by Loki leaving Bor trapped as the Disir readied to strike. It was Bor's grandson Loki who had concocted this scheme as he suggested that the only way to avoid the ravenous soul-hunger of the Disir was to remove his curse from them. Reluctantly, Bor did so and the Disir were transformed from cursed beings into something else. In this state, Hela offered them the choice; either serve her or seek their rest in the afterlife. The grateful Disir accepted Hela's patronage and they decided to serve her as Hel's Valkyries. Their first task was taking Bor into Hel's palace so that Hela could decide upon his fate. (New Mutants v3 #43)
Later on, Angela came to kidnap her newborn sister and disappeared with her from the all-seeing Heimdall's sight. This led to Thor Odinson travelling to Hel to request Hela's aid to capture his rogue sister and rescue the baby. Hela helped them by calling the Dísir so they could hunt Angela. (Angela: Asgard's Assassin v1 #3) Odinson cried their name and it raced to all corners of creation. Angela was heading to Heven with the Guardians of the Galaxy's help when she heard Odinson's cry, only her being able to hear it. She then repeated it, inadvertently summoning the Dísir into the Guardians' ship. A fierce battle ensued between the Dísir and the Guardians. While her sisters were battling the Guardians, Brün worked out the ship's location and revealed to the Guardians that the baby Angela was carrying with her was the kidnapped newborn baby of Odin and Freyja before being decapitated. (Angela: Asgard's Assassin v1 #4) Following Angela's explanation of what was happening to the Guardians, they escaped the Dísir, who were left in pieces in space, from where Hela recovered them. In Hel, Brün told Hela and Odinson that Angela was taking the girl to Heven, and so the Odinson went to save his sister. (Angela: Asgard's Assassin v1 #5)
When Angela led a rebellion in Hel, Hela and the Disir sought to stop the usurpers from claiming the throne. (Angela: Queen of Hel v1 #4) They were then approached by Amora the Enchantress when she had allied with the Dark Council during the War of the Realms. In exchange for the Disirs service, she offered them freedom and title when she claimed the lands of South America of Midgard as her kingdom of the dead. The Disir thus decided to work for her but did so in secret in order to avoid the wrath of Hela which relegated them to the sidelines whilst the undead army primarily sought to claim the lands. The forces undead faced opposition from the Champions leading to the Disir entering into the battlefield to attack the young heroes. Their defeat led to them being banished back into Hel where their activities were exposed to Hela who sought to punish them with Brun beginning for the opportunity to make amends for their actions. (Champions v3 #6)
Overview
They were also known as the Dread Sisterhood. (Angela: Asgard's Assassin v1 #4)
Originally, Bor had cursed them so that they could only consume the shades of gods that were exiled from their homes. Such a punishment was a cruel one as Asgardians either resided in Asgard or were sent to Hel making it nearly impossible for them to sate their hunger. (New Mutants v3 #11) They were regarded as cursed ghost cannibal Valkyries from the time before myth. After being cursed to this state, they begged to die but Bor stated that Hel was too good for the and wanted them to suffer for being consumed by the pleasures of the flesh. For a time, they thought that Sigurd would save them but he went into hiding. (Journey into Mystery v1 #638)
The Disir were noted for being cannibalistic in nature, and could consume the spirit-forms of Asgardian gods. (Thor v1 #611)
It was said that they could not be named otherwise it tempted their coming after the one that named them. The Disir could appear to anyone who spoke their name, quickly striking them down, and return from whence they came regardless of space or dimensions. Due to this, Asgardians were very fearful and careful not to speak their name. (New Mutants v3 #11)
Members
- Kára : As punishment for their consorting with Sigurd, Bor placed a curse upon the Disir: they would only be able to consume the shades of gods exiled from their true homes. In doing this, Bor intended the Disir to be hungry forever. (Thor v1 #611)
- Brün : first among the Dísir, and she was the first one to fall before Bor's curse. (Thor v1 #611)
- Göndul : As punishment for their consorting with Sigurd, Bor placed a curse upon the Disir: they would only be able to consume the shades of gods exiled from their true homes. In doing this, Bor intended the Disir to be hungry forever. (Thor v1 #612)
- Hlökk : As punishment for their consorting with Sigurd, Bor placed a curse upon the Disir: they would only be able to consume the shades of gods exiled from their true homes. In doing this, Bor intended the Disir to be hungry forever. (Thor v1 #612)
- Rūna : (Thor v6 #29)
Notes
- The Disir were created by Kieron Gillen, Niko Henrichon, and Doug Braithwaite where they made their first appearance in New Mutants v3 #11 (May, 2010).
Alternate Versions
- In Journey Into Mystery v1 #633 (2012), an alternate version of the Disir appeared in a reality that was designated as Earth-12333 in the Multiverse. After Loki killed Thor by breaking his neck, the Disir appeared and dragged him to Hel for what he had just done telling him that it wasn't so bad to be bad and that he would get the punishment he deserved.
- In Journey Into Mystery v1 #645 (2012), an alternate version of the Disir appeared in a reality that was designated as Earth-13445 in the Multiverse. On this world, Kid Loki sacrificed himself to stop Mephisto from filling Satan's empty throne. The Dísir watched as Hela and Tyr participated in a Handfasting ceremony.
In other media
Video games
Appearances
- New Mutants v3: (2010)
- Angela: Asgard's Assassin v1:
- Angela: Queen of Hel v1:
- Champions v3:
External Links
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