THORThe Mighty God of Thunder

Background Information

• Son of Odin, king of the gods, and Jord, goddess of the Earth

• Married to Sif, goddess of fertility

• Had twin sons: Magni, god of Might, and Modi, god of battle

• Also had a daughter named Thrud

• Thor was the most powerful of all the gods, even Odin

• Served as the protector of gods and humans from evil

• He is the god of thunder and lightning

• Thunderstorms began when he rode his chariot through the sky; his chariot was pulled by the goats Tanngrisni (Gap-tooth) and Tanngnost (Tooth Grinder)

The Weapons of Thor

Mjollnir

The hammer of Thor. No one, not even the gods could lift Mjollnir except for Thor. Lightning flashed anytime Thor threw his hammer.

Megingjard

The belt of Thor. Even though Thor was the most powerful of all the gods, he wore this belt which doubled his strength.

The Death of Thor and the End of the World

RagnarokIn Norse mythology, it was believed that the world would come to an end during a great battle between the forces of good and evil.

Snakes, dragons, demons and giants would arise and attack the gods and mankind.

Many of the gods would die in the battle and the Earth would burn until there was nothing left. Eventually it would be covered in water.

This battle would be called “Ragnarok.”

One of the most terrible monsters to attack during Ragnarok is Jormundgand, a serpent that lived in the sea and was so large that it circled the entire world to bite its own tail.

It would be Thor’s duty to kill Jormundgand

The Final Battle

Once Ragnarok begins, Jormundgand will rise from the ocean, creating tidal waves and earthquakes around the world.

The giant serpent will try to make its way to land, but Thor will be there to stop it.

Thor will battle the monster and eventually kill it by smashing in its skull.

However, Thor will be poisoned by Jormundgand. He will take nine steps after the battle and fall over dead.

The Death of the Gods

With their protector dead, most of the other gods will die during Ragnarok.Even Odin, king of the gods, will be devoured by the wolf, Fenrir.

The fire giant, Surt, will set the world on fire with his sword and end all life in the world.The ocean will eventually cover the Earth until it is reborn as a place of perfection without suffering and misery.

Works Cited

Barbar, Richard. A Companion to World Mythology. New York: Delacarte Press, 1979. Print.

Lindermans, Micha F. “Thor.” Encyclopedia Mythica. Encyclopedia Mythica, 2 Feb. 2006. Web. 11, Mar. 2011.

Willis, Roy, ed. World Mythology. New York: Henry Holt and Company, 1996. Print.