The Norse Pantheon represents all the Norse Gods. Two families of gods can be distinguished: the Ases, coming from Asgard, and the Vanes, coming from Vanaheim.
THE ASES AGAINST THE VANES
Even though the two camps eventually formed a single family today, this was not always the case. Indeed, a war that lasted several centuries pitted the Aesir against the Vanir. Their ideals were so different that it created chaos. The Aesir, symbol of aristocracy, were totally opposed to the fertile and fruitful values of their elders, the Vanir (if only they were mortal like everyone else, a war could have been avoided). This discord is often compared to a debate we still see today, the Aesir, symbol of the city against the Vanir, symbol of the countryside.
THE ASES
It is Odin who bears the heavy task of leading the Aesir. He seems to be the ideal person when you see that with his brothers, he created the Earth (no less) from the corpse of the giant Ymir. At the end of the war, it was in Asgard, the city of the Aesir, that the Vanir came to settle. The mixing of their saliva (an original way to celebrate the end of a war) created the giant Kvasir. According to myths, the blood of this giant, mixed with honey, created the Mead of Poetry, the alcohol of the gods.
THE NORDIC GODS OF THE ASES FAMILY
- Odin
- Thor
- Baldur
- Týr
- Bragi
- Heimdall
- Höd
- Vidar
- Vali
- Ull
- Foresti
- Loki
ODIN
He is the best-known Norse god, among other things, because he is the head of the largest family of gods, and because he created the Earth. Representing the dead, victory, and knowledge, he is depicted as an old man, with a long beard and one blind eye. He lives in Valaskjálf, in Asgard and always travels on his eight-legged horse and his spear named Gungnir.
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THOR
Thor is considered in Norse mythology as the god of thunder. He is one of the best known, especially thanks to numerous film adaptations in which he is portrayed. According to Scandinavian texts, he is considered the most powerful god, notably thanks to his famous hammer, Mjöllnir, with which he summons lightning. Representing strength, agility, courage, and victory, he also fights with a chariot pulled by two goats that allow him to travel through different worlds.
BALDR
Better known as Baldur or Balder, he is the Norse god of light, youth, beauty, and love. Son of Odin and Frigg (one of his wives), he was and remains one of the most beloved Norse gods, and for good reason; even today, his name has been given as a nickname to matricarias (an Icelandic flower).
TYR
He is the judge of the Norse pantheon. Indeed, he is originally the god of the sky, war, and justice, but also the god of oaths, legal procedures, and law. The information about him is very vague; to this day, it is still unknown whether he is the son of Odin or the giant Hymir. He earned his heroic valor by putting his hand in the mouth of Fenrir (a wolf) in order to defeat it. He lost his hand and is now known as the one-handed god.
BRAGI
In Scandinavian mythology, Bragi is considered the god of poetry; he is said to have invented it. In the pantheon, his reputation was made thanks to his eloquence. His name has even been used to define poetry; indeed, in Old Norse, poetry is translated as "bragr".
HEIMDALL
A renowned god, once again thanks to film adaptations. Even if he is not the main character, he is often seen, especially in Marvel's Thor movies. God of light and the moon, he has the heavy task of guarding the Bifröst (the magical bridge that allows travel to and from Asgard).
HÖD
Son of Odin, Höd was known as the blind Norse god. This disability actually caused him to kill Baldr. Indeed, Loki played a dirty trick on Höd, forcing him to shoot Baldr after being enchanted. This is one of the most controversial scenes in Norse mythology; in fact, no one agrees on why and how the assassination took place. This version is therefore the most common, but according to the myths, it can vary.
VIDAR
Vidar is the god of vengeance and silence. This Norse god, although he appears very little in the myths, is considered one of the strongest (after Thor of course). His most famous myth takes place during Ragnarök (the equivalent of the end of the world in Norse mythology). Indeed, he is the one who avenges the death of the famous Odin, by piercing Fenrir's heart and tearing out his brain with the help of his magic shoe (our team still hasn't understood how that was possible).
VALI
Son of Odin and Rind (yet another wife), Vali is known for the revenge he inflicted on Höd for the murder of Baldr. It is said in the texts that he neither washed nor combed himself until this revenge was carried out (one can barely imagine the smell in Asgard). In the texts, he only appears during this myth, so information about him is very vague.
ULL
Ull, considered the god of hunting and winter in Norse mythology, is the adopted son of Thor. It is his shield that made him a unique being. Indeed, it allowed everyone to protect themselves and also allowed walking on water (this reminds us of another Marvel hero). He married Skadi, goddess of cold and mountain.
FORESTI
He is the son of Baldr and Nanna. Despite his crucial importance (god of justice and reconciliation after all), he plays a much less indispensable role in the Norse mythology, indeed he appears very little in the most well-known myths.
LOKI
Loki is one of the best-known Norse gods, unfortunately for the wrong reasons. He is the god of discord, malice and illusions (not a good start). He is the father of various destructive monsters and the mother of Odin's horse (yes, he is both father and mother). His talents for shapeshifting and illusions often caused problems, but it was also thanks to these talents that he solved them. His betrayal of Baldr earned him an almost eternal imprisonment, until the Ragnarök. To take revenge for this imprisonment which he considered unjust, he freed and led the giants in war against the Aesir gods. It is Heimdall who will put an end to this disaster by killing him.
THE VANIR
Their story starts with a family of three gods (Njord, his son Freyr, and his daughter Freyja). It is thanks to the marriage between Njord and Skadi, goddess of the Aesir, that the war between the two families ended.
THE NORSE GODS OF THE VANIR FAMILY
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Njord
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Freyr
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Freyja
NJÖRD
He is the god of seas and winds. In Norse mythology, he was often associated with fortunes found at sea and good catches. He is married to Skadi, an Ase giantess, but it is with his sister, Nerthus, that he had his children (a practice that was apparently more common at the time than today).
FREYR
Considered the god of prosperity in Norse mythology, he is also the one who would control rain and sun rays (in case of bad weather, you know who to complain to). His most famous story is his meeting with his wife: Gerd. Sitting on Odin's throne, which, we recall, allows observing the nine worlds, he saw the giantess and immediately fell in love. It was by sending his squire to the world of giants that he managed to convince her to marry him.
FREYJA
Freyja is the daughter of Njörd, considered in Norse mythology as the goddess of fishing and fish. With her twin, Freyr, they share the attributes of fertility (indeed, the latter is responsible for agriculture). Her most famous attribute is her necklace preventing anyone from resisting her charm, the Brísingar necklace. However, be careful, according to myths, this necklace could also belong to Frigg.
CONCLUSION
Norse mythology is filled with fascinating myths, to be taken with some perspective, indeed, the little information we have on certain legends can make this information true or false according to experts.
Each god having their particularity, we invite you to consult the articles of each god to learn more.
Thank you for reading me, it is a pleasure to write for Odin's Hall, the reference brand in accessories derived from Norse mythology.
