Odin Borson, the All-Father is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. First mentioned in Journey into Mystery #85 (Oct. 1962), the character first appears in Journey into Mystery #86 (Nov. 1962), and was adapted from the Odin of Norse mythology by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.[1] The character is depicted as the father of Thor and, traditionally, as the king of Asgard.
According to Norse mythology, Odin is the son of Bor (father, one of the first Asgardians) and Bestla (mother, a frost giantess), and the full brother of Vili and Ve. With the aid of his brothers, a young Odin defeats the fire demon Surtur;[2] later, Odin reveals that his brothers were killed by Surtur, but gave their power to Odin. Later Surtur was imprisoned inside the Earth.[3] Odin thereafter became ruler of Asgard, where he received the epithet of All-Father, and eventually fell in love with the elder goddess, Gaea, by whom he is the father of Thor. After Thor's birth, Odin returns to Asgard, where his wife, Frigga, acts as Thor's mother. Odin is also the adoptive father of Loki, a child of Giant ancestry whose father King Laufey is killed by Odin in battle:[4] adopted in a deal with Bor's spirit, unaware of Bor's intention that the child would bring about Odin's downfall.[5] Despite Odin's intentions, Thor and Loki become bitter enemies. Odin also was the father of Balder from Frigga.[6]
Thor's preoccupation with Midgard (Earth) is a constant annoyance to Odin who, as punishment, has deprived Thor of his powers on at least three occasions. Each time, Thor's willingness to atone for his transgressions, his continued noble intentions, and his bravery, eventually convince Odin to restore his original powers and identity.[7][8][9]
As ruler and protector of the Asgardian people, Odin has been involved in a number of crises that have threatened Asgard and, on occasion, Earth. Notable examples included stopping Loki, the Storm Giant Skagg, and Surtur (with the aid of Thor and Balder);[10] defeating the Absorbing Man after he absorbs almost all of Asgard;[11] banishing the monster Mangog;[12] sacrificing his right eye to Mimir for the wisdom to stop Ragnarök (Twilight of the Gods);[13] attempting to stop the Celestials in the armor of the Destroyer;[14] engaging inter-dimensional tyrant Dormammu in a "cosmic chess" match as champions of Master Order and Lord Chaos respectively,[15] and preventing Surtur from lighting the Sword of Doom, Twilight.[16]
Odin has also died three times in defense of Asgard. On the first occasion, Odin is killed by Mangog, and later revived by Hela.[17] On the second occasion, the Celestials melt the Destroyer, and thus stifle all Asgardians except Thor, who collects a portion of energy from each pantheon and uses it to revive Odin, who in turn resurrects the Asgardians.[14]
The final occasion involves a massive battle against Surtur on Earth, with Odin apparently dying once and for all, when the Odin Force—the source of Odin's power—migrates to his son, Thor.[18] As Thor eventually destroys the Loom of Fates and stops Asgard from perpetuating Ragnarok—which ends the entire Norse pantheon and Asgard itself—Thor believes Odin may be dead permanently. The Odin Force appears to him in humanoid form and says that this was Odin's plan all along.[19]
When Thor returns from hibernation in the void,[20] he begins to find the lost Asgardians,[21] but does not search for his father. During his Odinsleep, Thor finds Odin in a limbo wherein every day he does battle with Surtur. Odin declines Thor's offer of taking his place—noting that just Thor's offer has broken Bor's curse that he would be abandoned as Bor was—and states that Thor must lead the Asgardians, while Odin continues in a state approximating the Asgardian equivalent of heaven, to prevent Surtur from reentering the world.[5] Loki assuages Doctor Doom's fears about Odin's potential wrath if the Asgardians move to Latveria, assuring him that "Old One-Eye is yesterday's god" and "a relic".[22] Later, Odin's absence from the Nine Worlds leads his revived father Bor to wage battle against Thor after Loki and Hela revive him. When Bor is killed, Loki and Balder have Thor exiled for regicide.[23]
During the "Siege" storyline, Norman Osborn sends the Thunderbolts to steal Odin's spear Gungnir from the Asgardian weaponry.[24] Loki calls on Odin to return the Norn Stones to him so he can empower the heroes to defeat the Void.[25]
Odin returns from the dead after Asgard is invaded by the World-Eaters.[26]
During the "Fear Itself" storyline, Odin senses the return of his elder brother, the fear god Cul. After a brief monologue with Uatu the Watcher, Odin commands his people to return to the Asgardian plane against the protests of Thor,[27] and Asgard rebuilds into a war engine with which he intends to raze Earth completely, to destroy the Serpent. Thor convinces Odin to send him back to Earth instead,[28] and Iron Man travels to Asgard-space for an audience with Odin,[29] wherein Iron Man asks Odin if he can use one of Asgard's workshops to make weapons,[30] and Odin allows him to use the Workshops of Svartalfheim, to stop the Serpent before his shadow falls on the World Tree.[31] Captain America and the Avengers bring an unconscious Thor to Broxton so that Odin can heal Thor. As he tends to his son, Odin confesses that he has always tried to prevent Thor's prophesied death by the Serpent, not to prevent Ragnarok, but because he loves his son and does not want to see him perish.[volume&issueneeded] Odin prepares Thor by giving him the armor and helmet that he himself wore the last time he cast out the Serpent and gives Thor the Odinsword, named Ragnarok (which was forged to end all things).[32] While Thor kills the Serpent at the cost of his own life, Odin frees those affected by the Hammers of the Worthy, and returns to Asgard with the corpse of the Serpent sealing off Asgard from Hermod and a number of other Asgardians left on Earth.[33]
In the "Original Sin" storyline, it is revealed to Thor that Angela is the daughter of Odin and Frigga; "killed" as an infant during Asgard's war with the Angels of the Tenth Realm, whereupon Odin severed the tenth realm from the other nine as "punishment".[34] Odin was later freed from his self-exile by Loki as he is set to return to Asgard.[35] The fight between Thor and Angela is interrupted when Odin recognizes Angela as his daughter and reveals Angela's true history, wherein an Angel raised her as one of the Angels under the name of Angela. Due to her services for the Angels, the Queen pardoned Angela her life, but exiled her from Heaven for her lineage. After leaving Heaven, Odin tells Thor, Loki, and Angela that he still loves his children.[36]
Angered that someone else is wielding Mjolnir, Odin sends the Destroyer after the new female Thor, appointing Cul Borson as his new 'Minister of Justice' to enforce his new decrees and operate the Destroyer, but Odinson and Freyja assemble an army of female superheroes to aid her,[37] forcing Odin to stand down.[38]
In Secret Wars, Odin dreams of the end of all existence in an event greater than Ragnarok. He additionally battles King Loki, an evil alternate timeline variant of Loki who threatens to destroy Asgard.[39]
In All-New, All-Different Marvel, Odin has become a tyrant ruling Asgard with an iron fist ever since Thor's disappearance. He makes use of the Thunder Guard and the Destroyer Armor to protect his kingdom and even went so far as to imprison Frigga and anyone who gets in his way. His reason for imprisoning Frigga is because she assisted the female Thor against the Destroyer.[40] Odin fought the female Thor when she interrupted Frigga's trial.[41] After the battle is halted when Loki used a poisoned dagger on Frigga, Odin took Frigga's body to his Odinsleep chamber where he placed some of his powers into her.[42]
During the "Death of Thor" arc, Odin faces the return of Mangog and is unable to defeat it.[45] Jane Foster sacrifices herself to stop Mangog before Odin and Thor resurrect her.[46][47]
As King of the Norse Gods, Odin possesses vast strength, stamina and durability far greater than that of a normal Asgardian, along with resistance to all Earthly diseases and toxins, incredible resistance to magic and, as a courtesy of the Golden Apples of Idunn, a greatly extended lifespan. Odin has all the abilities of his son Thor, but to a much greater degree. Odin is capable of manipulating the Odinforce—a powerful source of energy—for a number of purposes, including energy projection; creation of illusions and force fields; levitation; molecular manipulation, communicating telepathically with other Asgardians even if they are on Earth and he is in Asgard,[49] hypnotizing humans;[10] channelling lightning to Earth from Asgard,[49] controlling the lifeforces of all Asgardians, and teleportation. The character has also used the Odinforce for greater feats such as transporting the entire human race to an alternate dimension;[10] stopping time;[10] pulling the remains of distant planets down from outer space to crush his foes,[2] compressing the population of an entire planet into a single being, the Mangog and then recreating the race[50] and taking a soul away from the arch-demon Mephisto.[51] The Odinforce makes Odin capable of destroying entire galaxies,[52][53] allowing him to engage entities such as Galactus on their own terms.[54] In some stories, Odin has been portrayed at a universal or even multiversal scale of power.[55][56][57]
In battles against opponents of similar power, Odin carries the magical spear Gungnir ("The Spear of Heaven"), an artifact made of the metal uru, that can be used to channel the Odinforce. Even without the Odinforce it can still match Thor's hammer in battle. Once a year, during the Asgardian winter, Odin must undertake the Odinsleep for 24 hours to regenerate (and is closely guarded as he is vulnerable during this period), although he can be weakened by potent spells, such as those of Karnilla.[58]
Odin is also a master tactician and schemer, and has prevented Ragnarok,[59] and planned for centuries for the coming of the Celestial Fourth Host.[60][61] The character also on occasion uses the eight-legged steed Sleipnir and the enchanted ship Skipbladnir, which can navigate the "sea of space" and shrink to the size of a toy.
Reception
In 2020, CBR.com ranked Odin 3rd in their "10 Marvel Gods With The Highest Kill Count" list.[62]
An alternate universe variant of Odin from Earth-1610 appears in the Ultimate Marvel universe. This version is the embodiment of Asgard and the source of power for Mjolnir and the Norn Stones. He is killed by the Children of Tomorrow, but returns to assist Thor as a spirit.[64][65][66][67]
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. Based on the realm of the same name from Germanic mythology, 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.
Balder the Brave is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is based on the deity Baldr from Norse mythology.
The Executioner is the name of different fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
Loki Laufeyson is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee, scripter Larry Lieber, and penciller Jack Kirby, he is based on the Norse mythological deity of the same name. Although a version of Loki debuted in Venus #6, his characterization as the adoptive brother and nemesis of the superhero Thor was introduced with the version that debuted in Journey into Mystery #85, which has persisted to the modern age.
Enchantress is the common primary alias of two fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The first of these is a powerful sorceress with the real name of Amora, one of Thor's greatest enemies. The second Enchantress is the young Sylvie Lushton, who was given great mystic powers by Loki when he created her as a tool for chaos. She models herself after the original Enchantress, Amora.
Mjolnir, known more formally as Mjölnir, is a fictional magical weapon appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. It is depicted as the principal weapon of the superhero Thor. Mjolnir, which first appears in Journey into Mystery #83, was created by writers Stan Lee and Larry Lieber and designed by artists Jack Kirby and Joe Sinnott.
Heimdall is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is based on the Norse deity Heimdall. Heimdall is described as all-seeing and all-hearing and is the sole protector of the Bifröst in Asgard.
Volstagg is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He is a charter member of the Warriors Three, a trio of Asgardian adventurers and supporting cast of Thor. He is known for having multiple children. These include, but are not limited to, Hilde, Rolfe, and the adopted Midgardians Kevin and Mick.
Fandral the Dashing is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He is a charter member of the Warriors Three, a trio of Asgardian adventurers consisting of Fandral, Hogun the Grim, and Volstagg the Valiant. They are members of the supporting cast in Thor comics and usually provide comic relief and side-adventures.
Hogun the Grim is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He is a charter member of the Warriors Three, a trio of Asgardian adventurers and supporting cast of Thor in the Marvel Universe.
Sif is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in Journey into Mystery #102. She is based on the Norse goddess Sif. As an Asgardian warrior and lover of Thor, Sif often accompanies him into battle. She has also battled alongside Balder, who has developed an unrequited attraction to her, as she never shows affection for anyone but Thor and certain individuals who have proved worthy to wield his hammer, Mjolnir, such as the noble alien warrior Beta Ray Bill, and the mortal Eric Masterson.
Mangog is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
Ulik is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He usually appears as an adversary of Thor. Ulik was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, and first appears in Thor #137.
Surtur is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, commonly as an enemy of Thor. Based on the fire giant Surtr from Norse mythology, he was adapted by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, and first appeared in Journey into Mystery #97. The character was once described as one of "The Ten Most Heinous Enemies of the Mighty Thor".
Frigga is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character appears in particular in those featuring the superhero Thor, who is Frigga's son. Based on both Frigg and Freyja of Norse mythology, she was created by writers Stan Lee and Robert Bernstein and artist Joe Sinnott, and first appeared in Journey into Mystery #92.
Hela is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. She is based on the goddess Hel from Norse mythology, and was first adapted by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in Journey into Mystery #102. Hela is the Asgardian Goddess of Death who serves as the ruler of Hel and Niflheim. The character is usually depicted as an adversary of the superhero Thor.
Tyr is a fictional character, an Asgardian god appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is based on the Norse god of the same name. Along with Thor and Balder, he is one of Odin's biological sons.
Thor Odinson is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, based on the Norse Mythology god, Thor (Þór). Created by artist Jack Kirby, writer Stan Lee, and scripter Larry Lieber, the character first appeared in Journey into Mystery #83 (1962) and first received his own title with Thor #126 (1966). Thor is an adaptation of the deity of the same name from Norse mythology, and many aspects of Thor's character are based on his mythological counterpart. Comic books featuring Thor have been published across several volumes since the character's introduction.
Thor Odinson is a fictional character portrayed by Chris Hemsworth in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) media franchise, based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name and the Norse mythological god of thunder. In the MCU, he is depicted as one of the most powerful Asgardians, an ancient alien civilization with long ties to Earth, who humans consider to be gods. Thor wields a powerful hammer called Mjolnir, and is initially depicted as the arrogant heir to the throne of Asgard whose brash behaviors causes turmoil among the Nine Realms under Asgard's protection. This brings him into conflict with his villainous adopted brother, Loki, the god of mischief.
↑ Ultimate Comics: The Ultimates #2-3. Marvel Comics.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 "Odin Voices (Thor)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved December 15, 2023. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
↑ Mel Valentin (January 28, 2009). "Movie Review - Hulk Vs". efilmcritic.com. Archived from the original on March 21, 2011. Retrieved September 8, 2010.
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