#About Norse Mithology

[kyaruun]

i was working on some stuff but i suddenly remembered that one loki fanart kazuki yone did a few years ago and i can't find it on my gallery so

i wonder just how far i'll have to scroll to see it again. anything for the best boy

[thenameswinterfics]

VISIONS OF HELHEIM

Fandom: The Last Kingdom Pairing: Sihtric Kjartansson x Reader Settings: Season 2, episode 4 Summary: Sihtric has never forgotten his mother, whose presence continues to haunt his dreams. And as the Battle of Dunholm draws to a close, you help Sihtric mourn her. Word Count: 6,1 K Warnings: Fluff, angst, missing moments, mention of past abuse, mention on non-consensual relationship (not described in detail), mention of character death, mention of graphic violence (not described in detail). A/N: I'd like to start by saying that it was supposed to be a short fic, but my imagination literally exploded. I'm terribly nervous about this fic, maybe more nervous than the previous one, I've tried to contain the angst so that reading won't be so overwhelming. I know my summaries are terrible, but I swear I'll learn. I'm not an expert in Norse mithology, nor in Pagan traditions, so I apologise in advance if you'll find some inaccuracies. For Elflaed's description I took inspiration by another amazing writer here on Tumblr, giving my own interpretation in some details as well. I forgot the blog's name, so if any of you should know them, please give me the name and I'll quote it! As always, a special thanks to @sylasthegrim, @legitalicat and @sihtricfedaraaahvicius for calming me down during my writing crises (I know it happened once, but your help has been precious), to @lord-aldhelm for helping me fill in some language gaps and to @foxyanon and @zaldritzosrose for a last minute check and helping me with finding a title (Foxy, I love your brain, and thank you so much for sharing with me your knowledge about Norse and pagan culture).

ENGLISH IS NOT MY FIRST LANGUAGE. I APOLOGISE IN ADVANCE FOR MY GRAMMAR AND VOCABULARY MISTAKES.

Header & dividers by @zaldritzosrose

READ IT ON AO3

A raging storm crossed the lands of Dunholm in the middle of night, the shining moon hiding behind a dense bank of dark grey clouds. The gentle breeze that caressed the tree canopies turned into a violent wind that bent the tree trunks, devastating nature with its destructive force. Drops of rain fell on the ground, saturating the soil and creating small puddles that increased their volume over time. Flashes of light appeared in the sky, creating a spectacle at once majestic and terrifying. 

The bravest men and warriors who dared to face the storm and believed in the Old Gods would say that it was all Thor's plan: enraged by the despicable actions of Dunholm's Jarl and his men, the god of thunder brandished his Mjolnir in the air and unleashed the most dangerous lightning and the most treacherous of the storm. But even the worst of natural disasters could not move the heart of a cruel man.

Elflaed sat on the cold floor of a crumbling hut, feeling the window doors creak and slam violently as cold air and water entered the house. She held her son in her arms, his tiny body curled up against her in search of warmth and protection, his big, mismatched eyes craving comfort in his mother's. Her arms were wrapped around him protectively, adjusting the thick fur on her shoulder and holding him close as her soothing voice sang a lullaby, hoping to shield him from the sounds of the raging storm.

There had always been a hint of sadness in the young woman's eyes, spreading to the sweet features of her face, a bittersweet feeling growing in her chest every time she looked at the little life she held in her embrace. If only the gods had been merciful to her and not given her a son in the most despicable way. 

When she closed her eyes, she could feel Kjartan's large, rough hands exploring parts of her body he wasn't allowed to touch, forcibly stripping her of her dignity, hot tears streaming down her cheeks as she felt her pleas ignored. Anger, fear and resentment grew inside her along with an unwanted life, her womb cultivating the seed of a relationship that should never have existed. Elflaed prayed each night with her eyes to the sky, hoping that some merciful god would rid her of the life she was forced to carry. But no child is guilty of the actions of their father, and the young woman learned that the first time she held the infant in her arms, her maternal instincts took hold of her heart as his soft cries filled the room.

And for the following winters, Elflaed raised her son alone, protecting him from a father who rejected one of the many bastards he had across Dunholm. The love for her son grew along with the hatred for Kjartan, which reached its peak as one day she found a bush of black berries in the forest. She was aware of how poisonous those berries were, and had no intention to waste a precious opportunity.

"You will live, sweet boy," Elflaed cooed as she watched Sihtric drift back to sleep, no longer afraid of the storm outside. Her tone was reassuring, trying to calm herself more than him, as her fingers brushed across his tiny forehead, moving strands of hair away from him. “And I will always be here, watching over you.”

It was in that moment that her gaze moved onto the plate of the nightshade berries on the table. She would have her revenge that night.

And her destiny was sealed.

Never before had the night looked so beautiful and so full of mystery.

That was what you thought as you lay on a large pile of hay outside the saddles, your eyes never leaving the great expanse of black veil that rose above your head, adorned with small silver points of light in which you could see all the signs of Ymir's work as he created the planets and all the stars. Your eyes darted in quick motion as you recognised the constellation of Ulf's Keptr, the Fiskikarlar, Kvennavagn and Karlvagn and the Asar Bardagi, your slender finger pointing at the sky and tracing the imaginary lines that connected those small celestial bodies, as bright as the flames that engulfed your house and took away your home and family years ago. 

You couldn't remember what it was about the stars that fascinated you, or how your mind had gotten so lost in a memory you never thought would surface again. But a sense of peace pervaded your mind, every inch of fear and anxiety in your body fading away as you fixed your gaze on the star, losing yourself in the vastness of the night sky. 

It had become a silent ritual that you would perform each night before going into battle, as if to ask the fallen warriors resting within the sacred walls of Valhalla for their protection to survive another day. But attacking an impregnable fortress like Dunholm was no easy task, you knew that. At least not in the way your brothers Uhtred and Ragnar had described it in their reckless plan to take the fortress and avenge your father's memory. It was your first serious battle, and never more than now did you seek the comfort of the stars. 

Your lips parted as you repeated the stories of the origins of these constellations that you had heard as a naive child from the warriors loyal to your father. It had become a habit for you to let your thoughts out loud in your solitude: the cool night air had always been your silent companion through the years, gently tickling your hair and skin as its way of saying it enjoyed your stories. 

But this time was different. Because you were not alone.

Sihtric lay by your side, one hand on his stomach, the other behind his head. He lifted his eyes to the sky, without ever looking at you, while his ears strained to hear your stories of the celestial world. You could tell he was enjoying the little time you spent together by soft humming escaping from his lips, a soothing sound that warmed your heart. But there was something in his eyes that caught your attention: his gaze was distant, pain and melancholy crossing through its bright, multi-coloured irises, his pupils involuntarily dilated.  

Sihtric had always been a shy and quiet warrior, very reluctant to talk about his past and his birthplace unless asked. You could see his eyes flickering involuntarily at every mention of his father, his head drooping and his jaw clenching as the memory of his past came back to haunt him, the shadow of Dunholm walking beside him and never letting go. 

A gnawing vice tightened in your chest every time you saw Sihtric walking around with a blank stare, taking refuge in his tortured thoughts, and not even your touch could save him, pulling back every time your fingertips brushed against his bare arms. And when you found him asleep in the saddles, or anywhere else far from home, you could hear him calling out to his mother in his nightmares, instinctively embracing her as if to feel the motherly warmth he had lost years ago. Sihtric had never spoken of his mother, nor had you dared to ask, until tonight, under a sky full of stars and a fierce war on the horizon.

“Tell me about your mother,” you broke the silence of the night and shifted your position to lie on your side, looking at Sihtric with curiosity. Your sudden question awoke the Dane from his trance-like state, his eyes widening as he rested his gaze on you.

“Lady?” Sihtric asked back, his voice trembling slightly like the hand that rested on his stomach. 

"You told Lord Uhtred that you were Kjartan's bastard son, whelped on a slave girl. We know everything about that wretched turd," the last word came out in a low hiss, your words as heavy as the resentment you felt for your father's murderer. "But there have been no words for your mother, so I would like to know about her." 

At first you didn't realise how demanding your tone was, but when you regained your composure and saw Sihtric's muscles tense and his breath catch at your request, you bit the inside of your cheek and cursed yourself for being so impulsive. You knew how Sihtric flinched whenever anyone spoke to him in a stern tone, but you were Uhtred and Ragnar's little sister: impulsiveness was in your nature. 

An awkward silence fell over you as you both stared at each other, different emotions mingled in the air creating a heavy atmosphere. Finally, after a few minutes that felt like an eternity, you broke the silence and looked away. 

“Sihtric,” you whispered with guilt in your voice, struggling to find the right words. “My apology, forgive what I said before.” You were about to move when his voice stopped you.

“Elflaed,” Sihtric spoke in a weak voice, and if you listened carefully you could hear the trembling in it. “She was called Elflaed, lady.”

Elflaed. That was the name Sihtric called out every night in his unconscious state, searching for a mother he could no longer hold in his arms. Sadness washed over you as your thoughts returned to your own mother and how you felt your heart torn from your chest the night she died. But you had first Uhtred and Brida, then Ragnar, to help you through your grief, while Sihtric had no one to support him. And the grip on your heart tightened. 

“Was Dunholm her home? Was she a Dane like you?” you asked with a soft voice, and Sihtric shook his head faintly.

“No. She was a Saxon, lady. She came from Hocchale, lady. She was taken in Dunholm as a slave.” the Dane replied, looking down at his trembling hand on his stomach. You could still see his mismatched eyes shining in the pale moonlight, watering as he fought back tears. You held a hand up in the air, wanting to place it on his shoulder and give him all your support, but remembering how your touch was not welcomed by his involuntary shudder, your hand returned to your side.

“Your mother,” you broke the silence for the third time, closing your eyes and squeezing the bridge of your nose as you tried to find the right words. “She… I know I am asking you a delicate question, but… What happened to her?”

And at that moment, Sihtric looked away from the sky to rest his gaze on you, his pupils still dilated and his eyes still watering as he looked around slightly, fearing that some punishment might come if he dared to speak the truth. But when he realised that no harm could come, he calmed down slightly and spoke again. 

"She tried to poison Kjartan, lady," the Dane confessed, mustering the courage to change his position and lie on his side, telling you the truth as he looked into your eyes. "With the black berries. The nightshades, lady," he swallowed a lump that formed in his throat before continuing, his voice breaking with emotion, "I do not know what happened that night, lady. All I remember is that she left me and..." 

A sob escaped his lips and the way his body was shaking made you realise he could collapse in front of you at any moment. Without thinking, you raised your hand and placed it gently on his cheeks: to your surprise, he didn't flinch, but looked at you intently, leaning into your touch.

“Sihtric,” you opened your mouth, but the Dane was quick to interrupt you.

“I loved her, lady. With my whole heart, I swear it,” he said with a pleading voice, clutching the pendant of Mjolnir in his trembling hand, in the same way he did the day he swore his oath to Uhtred.

“And I believe you, Sihtric, you do not need to swear to me,” you replied softly, closing the distance between you and resting your forehead on his. Both your hands rested on his cheeks, your thumbs moving in a circular motion to calm him. You felt a soft breath leave his lips and his breathing slowly stabilised. He found a temporary peace in your warmth and you would be his steady rock, shielding him from his past. 

“I promise you, under this sky painted of stars, that your mother will be avenged tomorrow. Kjartan will draw his last breath in battle and his death will be far from honourable,” you confirmed in a soft yet firm tone, clutching your own Mjolnir pendant in your hands. “Do you trust my words?” 

Sihtric was silent for a moment, your words and actions clearly taking him by surprise. But when he opened his mouth to reply, you saw his hand reach for yours, his frightened eyes soften, a pink hue colouring his cheeks. His words came out in a feeble whisper, but you were close enough to hear them. 

“I trust them, lady. With my life and soul.”

And then, in the middle of the night, the surreal silence was broken by two humming voices saying a prayer for survival in battle.

Tension hung in the air as several warriors gathered to form a square in the courtyard, with Ragnar and Kjartan standing in the centre, facing each other in a duel to the death. Heavy blows of swords and axes against wooden shields came from the human ring, low growls and cheers escaping from their lips as the duel became more bloody and brutal. But Sihtric said nothing, holding his helmet tightly in his hands as he waded through the crowd. 

The battle at Dunholm fortress drained Sihtric both physically and mentally: returning to the place where pain and abuse had haunted him since childhood was a challenge he never wanted to face again. Yet he swore an oath of loyalty to Uhtred, and offered up his sword and his life under the watchful eyes of the gods. If Uhtred wished to attack the fortress, Sihtric would obey without question. 

But even his lord could not prepare him for what he was about to witness. A wave of emotion washed over him as he saw Kjartan, the man who had nothing in common with except the blood that ran through his veins, slowly perish under every blow that Ragnar struck, the scene so crude and sickening that even the bravest of warriors could not watch for long. 

Satisfaction first, then horror, disgust and bitterness as he winced at every blow Kjartan received, the ground of Dunholm painted crimson as blood coursed through his body. Sihtric felt numb, a myriad of thoughts running through his mind, remembering his life as a slave in his own house, how his body and mind endured his father's cruelty, how he tried to impress him and earn love and respect, only to be mocked and humiliated in return. He remembered every scar and bruise he had received, and how his body ached with every blow as he lay stunned on the floor after his punishment was over. 

As he exhaled a ragged breath, unrest was painted on his face, his skin turning pale as his mind returned to the night his mother died, her piercing screams echoing in his mind as they had on that stormy night when she was thrown to the dogs on his father's orders. It was a melody that haunted his dreams, begging his mother to forgive him for not being able to save her. A forgiveness that never reached him.

A gentle grip on his hand brought him back to reality, the muffled voices in his ears crystal clear as reality returned in all its crudeness. Sihtric slowly realised that it was over as his eyes rested on his lord, who was holding an enraged Ragnar close to him. A heavy silence filled the fortress as all the warriors realised what had really happened, neither faction daring to continue the fight. 

Sihtric recognized your touch, but he was too stunned to return the squeeze. And you just stood still at his side, watching helplessly as the ghosts of his past returned to haunt him, while he felt the echo of Elflaed’s voice reaching his ears.

You felt your heart pounding in your chest as you made your way towards Dunholm's dungeon, the faint flame of your torch trembling with your hands. The damp air didn't help your anxiety, and you tried to manoeuvre through the darkness of the place with cautious steps, the metallic smell of blood irritating your nostrils.

You have won the battle, but at what cost? You asked silently over the flames of the small brazier in the great hall, but the soft crackling of the wood didn't give you the answer you were looking for. 

The attack on the fortress had been successful, and Young Ragnar had honoured Ragnar the Fearless’ memory by taking Kjartan's life. But it was a bittersweet victory for you, for the gods wouldn't give you back your father, who was feasting among them in the golden halls of Valhalla. To your surprise, you found out that Thyra was alive, but hatred burned in her heart as she blamed you all for abandoning her to her fate. Uhtred and Ragnar told you that she was safe in Father Beocca's hands, but you knew that nothing could easily mend a broken trust. 

But your mind couldn't stop thinking about Sihtric, and how he was too overwhelmed and confused to return your touch, and how he remained silent throughout the aftermath. He just stood there in the courtyard, looking at his father's lifeless body with an indecipherable expression on his face, before shaking his head and silently returning to his duties. You thought that taking him to Dunholm would have caused him no small amount of pain, and you had several arguments with Uhtred about sparing Sihtric further suffering. But your brother was adamant, and the young Dane was too loyal to disobey him. 

And in the midst of your thoughts, you felt a strong hand squeeze your shoulder, forcing you back into reality and into the deep blue eyes of the Daneslayer, who looked at you with concern. 

“Sihtric has been missing,” he told you with a low voice, and you jolted on the furred chair.

"I thought he was celebrating the victory with Finan and the others," was your blunt reply, feigning disinterest while a storm of emotion exploded inside you. 

“Finan told me he has not seen him for hours,” Uhtred retorted, and deep down in your heart you knew what you had to do. 

And so there you were, searching for Sihtric in the darkest part of the fortress after a long search on the surface. You thought you would find him in the stables, the place where he usually spent most of his time, meticulously tending to the horses: but to your surprise, he wasn't there, nor was he in the servants' quarters. 

A sense of foreboding grew within you, a sense of claustrophobia struck you as you felt the walls of the dungeon closing in around you, the dim light of your torch illuminating the poorly maintained surroundings, the damp, enclosed smell making you dizzy as you saw your shadow playing tricks on you. You were about to lose hope when you heard a ragged breath from a few cells ahead. 

You moved quietly in the direction of the sound until you saw Sihtric lying on the ground, a thick fur protecting him from the cold floor. Your heart ached as you watched him toss and turn on the ground, his lips trembling and his forehead drenched in sweat as nightmares once again took possession of his mind, his mother's name slipping from his mouth in a whisper. You looked at him with a hint of sadness in your eyes, and unlike the other nights, this time you would have woken him. 

You approached him gently, your touch on his shoulder as light as a feather as you shook him lightly. This sudden action caused him to wake up abruptly, jumping to his feet as he didn't recognise you in the darkness. You jumped back as well, about to fall to the ground in a heap from his sudden movements. 

“Sihtric,” you whispered smoothly, raising your hands as you wanted to reassure him no harm would come, “It is me, do not be afraid.”

You continued to speak in your soothing tone as you allowed the fire of the torch to illuminate your features. Sihtric's body stopped shaking as he recognised you, trying to compose himself as he bowed his head slightly in respect, ignoring the way his chest rose and fell frantically.  

“I wondered where you were. I thought you were feasting with the others, or you were resting in one of the fortress’ rooms,” you inquired, your eyes sad as you thought that sleeping in the cells was a habit he had developed during his time as a slave and imagined him resting in his cold, isolated cell.  

“Forgive me, lady,” Sihtric muttered back in a strained voice, looking down at his feet. The Dane warrior secretly thanked the gods for the poor lighting in this place, hiding the redness of his cheeks. “I… I did not know where else to rest.” 

After hearing his answer, you let out a small sigh, saddened by the realisation that he still did not feel safe at home, even after seeing his father's reign of cruelty end before his eyes. 

“Be free to move wherever you want,” you approached him and placed your hand on his shoulder once more, a flash of realisation came over you: you had promised to be his rock under the starry sky, and you would keep it. 

"Kjartan is dead, Sihtric. Your days of fear and suffering are over, you are a free man now," you said with softness in your voice, locking eyes with him as he raised his head, his mismatched eyes silently yearning for your protection. The Dane warrior nodded his head, his lips curling into a small smile. 

"Come, I will take you to a warm place, now," you said as you squeezed his hand and pulled him towards the exit of the dungeon. Sihtric followed you without saying a word, squeezing your hand back as he followed you, leaving a piece of his past behind as he left the cells.

Convincing Sihtric to spend the night with you was a difficult task: the Dane warrior was afraid that Uhtred might turn up and scold him for being alone with his little sister, but you tried to explain that he would not be arriving for some time, too busy discussing the future running of Dunholm with Ragnar. You let out a defeated sigh as you watched him furrow his brow in suspicion, but soon you were glad that he had at least convinced himself to trust your words. 

You led him into your temporary room, one of the largest in Dunholm, beautifully decorated with carved wooden planks on the ceiling and a few rugs covering the wooden floor. Despite its size, the large fireplace in the centre of the room was able to heat the whole room, the crackling of the wood being the only sound allowed in. 

You handled him with the utmost care, looking down his broad arms for any suspected wounds or cuts that might require attention. Desperately chasing away any impure thoughts about his appearance, you were pleased to find that his flesh was untouched and unblemished, save for a few specks of dust scattered about. You almost cursed yourself for not preparing a warm bath for him, and with what little water you had, you tore off a piece of your clothing and used it to clean his skin. Your touch was as soft as silk on his muscles, and Sihtric did his best to hide the redness of his cheeks. 

“Better?” you asked as you looked at Sihtric, your sudden question bringing him out of his thoughts. The Dane hummed back, his eyes softening in your presence. 

“Thank you, lady,” he whispered, leaning desperately on your touch as you continued to clean him.

Afterwards, you both lay down on the large bed, which was much more comfortable than the one you used to sleep on back in Cumbraland. The warmth of the blankets and furs gave you both a sense of peace and comfort, almost making you forget that a fierce battle had been fought that morning. 

You both looked up at the ceiling, imagining it to be the same starry sky as the day before. A pleasant silence filled the room, and the single thought brought a small smile to both of your faces, too drunk with each other's closeness as your hands instinctively reached out to each other, your fingers intertwined as you both used your thumbs to make small circles on the backs of your hands. 

You both enjoyed this idyllic moment until Sihtric cleared his throat and shyly drew your attention to himself as his big, mismatched eyes stared intently at you. You could see his pupils dilate again, and it was then that you realised something was troubling him. 

“Lady,” the Dane spoke quietly, squeezing your hand, “There is one thing I would like to do before we leave Dunholm.” 

You raised your eyebrows in surprise and looked for a moment at how tightly he clasped your hand, as if he were secretly looking to you for comfort and understanding. 

“What is it?” you asked softly, your lips curving into a sympathetic smile as you waited for him to speak up. You were calm, taming your curiosity and impulsiveness. 

"There is a small place, a little far from Dunholm," he continued in a timid voice, looking down at your joined hands, as if he was regaining his courage by looking at them, "We can reach it by following the path of the small spring from the east wall, it is a safe route to take with our horses. It will be a short walk, and when we see a large hawthorn tree in the distance, we will have reached our destination.”

Sihtric paused for a moment and took a long breath before continuing.

"I buried my mother there. At least..." Another long sigh escaped his lips, this time more shaky than the first. "...where I would like to bury her." 

A heavy silence fell over the room, the calm and peaceful atmosphere vanishing in an instant. You stood still, too stunned by his words to speak. And when you found the courage to open your mouth, Sihtric quickly cut you off, clasping both of his hands between yours. 

"I wish to mourn her, my lady. To mourn her properly," Sihtric murmured, his eyes watering as he looked away from you and down at some random spot on the blankets. "I... I know we could slow the return journey, but I will speak to Lord Uhtred and I-I will take my punishment..." 

With an imperceptible movement, you slipped your hand from his grasp and cupped his cheeks, tilting his head and forcing him to look at you. A soft whisper escaped your lips, interrupting his stream of consciousness, his words replaced by a soft sigh, his head unintentionally tilted as his mismatched eyes rested on yours.

"My brother will not punish you for mourning your mother, Sihtric," you told him in a reassuring tone, tilting your head slightly so that your foreheads touched, "because we will go there at dawn tomorrow and you will be free to pray in silence and honour her memory.” 

There was something comforting in your words, a gentle reassurance that was like balm to Sihtric's heart, wrapping itself around your care and love. As your eyes met, you both felt a comforting warmth spread through your chests, an invisible thread drawing you together as you slowly drew closer, your lips brushing gently before locking in a timid kiss that became desperate as Sihtric poured all his love into you, pulling you closer and deepening the contact. 

After a few seconds he pulled away, both breathing heavily, but with their foreheads pressed together, a small smile crossed Sihtric's face. The Dane knew it was wrong to steal a kiss from his lord's sister, but you had become his shining star in a dark sky, and the flame of your love burned brightly in his heart.

And as the moon shone brightly in the sky, you both fell asleep in each other's arms, slipping into a peaceful sleep, feeling the gentle rhythm of each other's breathing and knowing that you would face whatever came next together.

Morning came and Dunholm awoke to a peaceful atmosphere, the days when Kjartan the Cruel ruled the stronghold fading away like grains of sand in the wind. The aftermath of the battle still left its physical scars, the courtyard still painted red, arrows and broken shields still lodged in the ground, the great ram still lying undisturbed at the foot of the gates. Yet nature was reborn after the death of its tyrant, the grass, plants and flowers seemed to grow with the brightest colours, and the melodious chirping of birds echoed in the air.

A few rays of the dawning sun filtered through the window and gently caressed Sihtric's sharp features, and he groaned softly as he slowly awoke, feeling his body well rested as he slept without nightmares for the first time. Rubbing his tired eyes, he turned awkwardly to the other side of the bed, only to find it empty. A sense of worry washed over him when he didn't find you by his side, and suddenly he felt as if he had been transported back in time to when he was in Tekil's service, living under the pressure of impressing a father who was barely aware of his presence.

But his worries quickly vanished when he felt the door to the room open and you appeared behind it with a broad smile on your face. Sihtric was unaware that you had awakened before the sun could greet the earth with a new day, and unnoticed you quietly took your horse from the stables and followed the route he had described to you the night before. 

The ride to the hawthorn tree was very quiet, full of unspoken emotions. Years had passed since he had visited his mother's grave, and he had never thought that he would return to bid her a final farewell and leave Dunholm, burying a past he had hoped to forget, but which had made him the warrior he was. 

After a short walk they reached a large hawthorn tree, and to Sihtric's relief it was the same one he had seen as a child, not even the violent storms of the past few days had wiped it out. His eyes darted down to its roots, and his breath caught in his throat at what he saw: the blank stones that had made up the small mound of earth he had imagined burying his mother many years ago had been replaced by larger, white stones, decorated with symbols he recognised as drawn runes, carefully scattered around the perimeter of the grave. 

A sudden realisation came to him as he remembered the way you had greeted him at dawn, your dirty hands suggesting that you had been to the burial spot and tended to his mother's grave before accompanying him. A small bouquet of hawthorn was placed over the patch of earth, and Sihtric recognised it as the flower Elflaed used to pick when she returned to the forest, remembering her sweet smile as she caressed the white petals with her fingers. 

You both knelt in silence at the foot of the grave, clasping your pendants together as you both silently recited a prayer to the goddess Hel, asking her to watch over Elflaed's soul in the halls of Eljudnir in Helheim. 

As the last words were spoken in silence, the weight of the moment fell heavily on Sihtric, and without realising it, he saw small teardrops fall to the ground and looked up at the sky, thinking that a storm was about to break. But his eyes were too blurred to focus on the orange-blue sky, and he slowly realised that the soil was wet with his own tears. Unable to contain his emotions, the Dane buried his face in his hands and let out a liberating cry, his shoulders shaking with sobs. You reached over and wrapped your arms around his large shoulders, pressing your lips to his temple, leaving a small kiss as you held him tightly in your hands.

"Let it all out," you whispered softly, your voice comforting as you gave him gentle strokes on his back, "I am here with you as your mother, watching over you." 

You pressed your forehead against his shoulder as emotions overwhelmed you as well, and you silently let your tears flow as you cried for your own late mother, whose soul rested in Valhalla with your father and the other fallen warriors. 

You returned to the fortress in silence, following the thin stream of water backwards as you chose your route, your horses dragged by the reins. Halfway you halted your march, your pause forcing Sihtric to rest as well.

"Is something wrong, lady?" he asked, furrowing his brow as he saw you approach in silence, one of your fingers trailing over the pendant of his Mjolnir. You both looked into each other's eyes, your cheeks turning red simultaneously as you both filled your nostrils with each other's scent.

“Promise me that, when we have a baby girl, we will name her Elflaed,” you confessed light-heartedly with a shy smile, and the Dane warrior looked down at his feet as his face turned completely red, the redness reaching all the way to the tips of his ears. 

“A-A baby girl?” he muttered, swallowing a mix of air and saliva while his mind was filled with endless thoughts. 

Sihtric fell in love with you the night he failed in his mission to kidnap Uhtred and was taken prisoner, the compassion in your eyes a thing that never left his mind. He secretly wanted to find the courage to confess his feelings for you and take you as his wife, but something prevented him: he was not afraid to face Uhtred, he knew that you were more stubborn than his lord and that your brother would have given you everything, however reluctantly. He was afraid of himself, afraid of failing to please or impress you. Uhtred was the rightful heir to a land he sought to reclaim, and though in exile, Finan was still an Irish prince by blood. Sihtric was only a bastard son, with no land to claim and no royal title to flaunt. 

"I... I am afraid I cannot satisfy you, lady," the Dane gently declined your offer, which was met with a puzzled look from you. He let out a sigh before speaking again, "I-I have nothing to offer you, lady. I have no land to rule, nor enough silver to give you. I am a nobody, lady, and as much as I love you and want to take you as my wife, I fear I could not make you happy."

"I do not need a rich and powerful lord to be happy," you replied, shaking your head as a light chuckle escaped your lips. You placed your hand gently on his cheek, tracing the scar on his cheekbone with your thumb. "There could be many lords in all of England who would be willing to claim my hand, but in my heart I know that the only man I will ever allow to be by my side is you," you continued, still holding his pendant in your other hand.

A pleasant tension filled the air as you both stared at each other, the wind the silent intruder in your union. Sihtric's large hands rested on your hips, your thumb still tracing his scar, a soft hum vibrating in the Dane's throat as he surrendered to your touch. 

"I love you, Sihtric Kjartansson," you said softly, your eyes full of love as you rested your gaze on his alluring bicoloured eyes, "to Valhalla and back.”

"And I love you, lady," Sihtric replied shyly, returning your gaze with the same intensity as yours, "to Valhalla and back."

And the distance between you disappeared.

If you've come this far, thank you so much for reading my fic! Hope you enjoyed it!

Taglist: @whitedarkmoonflower @sihtricfedaraaahvicius @foxyanon @legitalicat @zaldritzosrose

@alexagirlie @sylasthegrim @lord-aldhelm

[silvertsundere]

Silver Talks AniManga (12/11/23)

with ichinose and now gill over I'm looking forward to the next serialization round that should be starting soonish oh and also new series by golden kamuy's author this week 👍

blue - finale/completed green - new series/new to me

Anime

Frieren Ep10

I knew this was what was gonna happen when they went out their way to explain how the scales worked and all that but still extremely pog to see, also all the flamme screentime in this ep was great

Undead Unluck Ep6

the weakest episode so far, which is fair cause production values had to even out at some point, but it was still p good all things considered. I forgot that he makes his first appearance at the end of this arc, which should be the next ep, so that should be fun to see

Imas Million Live Ep6

I expected the ep to have some more drama with shizuka and her dad but it was mostly introducing kaori and tsumugi, which is better. next episode we're getting the good ol classic beach episode so that should be very fun

Manga

Ice-Head Gill Ch20 (Finale)

well that sure was a series. gill might have gotten 20 chaps but it's still an honorary member of the U-19 club. I never had any expectations that it was going long from the start and I was right. while I like that it had the norse mithology theme which is rarer that's about all it had going for it. the art was p good but the battles were hard to follow most of the time. story was a usual fare too, dad disappears and son sets out into the world to find him and figure out what happened, and the charas are p forgettable as well. I've honestly read much worse stuff but it's still unremarkable in every way so doesn't get much. better luck next time hachiya, at least I'd rather see you again than taizan or ichigoki's author

Dogsred Ch1 - 11

this golden kamuy's author's newest manga, which is basically a reboot of their first serialization. I never read/watched any of gk but always heard good things so decided to pick this up on whim, since I don't even really know much about hockey and.. it's p good. you can really tell it's made by a veteran artist and you can also see little hints here and there that noda is a big hockey nerd (makes sense since it was their first series too but yknow). first few chaps did a good job explaining the sport for people who aren't used to it through the eyes of our clueless mc. I like sports series so it'll be nice having another one like this on my weeks. I'll get to blue lock one day..

ST✰R: Strike it Rich Ch12

the fights with those two yolked sisters were cool but I certainly didn't expect the chinese girl to win. very excited to see her fight hina now, actual martial arts is more interesting to see rather than brute force pummeling

Akane-banashi Ch86

great chap, it's good to see akane's senpais getting their time to shine in the spotlight, ofc kaisei is gonna win this to build him up even more as akane's ultimate rival, but it's still cool to see him showing off like this

[enyter]

If you like fantasy, magic, fae politic, and a strong woman mc

The cruel prince and The folk of air series from Holly Black

Acotar from Sarah J. Maas

----------------------------

If you prefer greek or another mithology, then Rick Riordan is your man

Percy Jackson series (greek, roman)

Kane series (egypt)

Magnus Chase series (norse)

-------------‐

If you like zombi stories:

Enclave from Ann Aguirre

The enemy from Charles Highson

Or Metro 2033

Or if you feel like superhero books, fantasy, sci-fi or action, feel free to ask for more ;)

Or do you mean specifically about Sun and Moon? (Because I have a list to that too)

Hey hey anyone got any book or fic recommendations? I wanna make a list skjsjs

[aboutnorsemythology]

Loki`s truths

Ægir, who was also called Gymir, had prepared ale for the gods, after he had got the mighty kettle, as now has been told. To this feast came Othin and Frigg, his wife. Thor came not, as he was on a journey in the East. Sif,

Thor's wife, was there, and Brag, with Ithun, his wife. Tyr, who had but one hand, was there; the wolf Fenrir had bitten off his other hand when they had bound him. There were Njorth and Skathi his wife, Freyr and Freyja, and Vithar, the son of Othin. Loki was there, and Freyr's servants Byggvir and Beyla. Many were there of the gods and elves

Ægir had two serving-men, Fimafeng and Eldir. Glittering gold they had in place of firelight; the ale came in of itself; and great was the peace. The guests praised much the ability of Ægir's serving-men. Loki might not endure that, and he slew Fimafeng. Then the gods shook their shields and howled at Loki and drove him away to the forest, and thereafter set to drinking again. Loki turned back, and outside he met Eldir. Loki spoke to him:

1. "Speak now, Eldir, | for not one step Farther shalt thou fare; What ale-talk here | do they have within, The sons of the glorious gods?"

Eldir spake: 2. "Of their weapons they talk, | and their might in war, The sons of the glorious gods; From the gods and elves | who are gathered here No friend in words shalt thou find."

Loki spake: 3. "In shall I go | into Ægir's hall, For the feast I fain would see;

Bale and hatred | I bring to the gods, And their mead with venom I mix."

Eldir spake: 4. "If in thou goest | to Ægir's hall, And fain the feast wouldst see, And with slander and spite | wouldst sprinkle the gods, Think well lest they wipe it on thee."

Loki spake: 5. "Bethink thee, Eldir, | if thou and I Shall strive with spiteful speech; Richer I grow | in ready words If thou speakest too much to me."

Then Loki went into the hall, but when they who were there saw who had entered, they were all silent.

Loki spake: 6. "Thirsty I come | into this thine hall, I, Lopt,(1) from a journey long, To ask of the gods | that one should give Fair mead for a drink to me.

7. "Why sit ye silent, | swollen with pride, Ye gods, and no answer give?

(1)Lopt: like Lothur (cf. Voluspo, 18) another name for Loki

At your feast a place | and a seat prepare me, Or bid me forth to fare."

Bragi spake: 8. "A place and a seat | will the gods prepare No more in their midst for thee; For the gods know well | what men they wish To find at their mighty feasts."

Loki spake: 9. "Remember, Othin, | in olden days That we both our blood have mixed; (2) Then didst thou promise | no ale to pour, Unless it were brought for us both."

Othin spake: 10. "Stand forth then, Vithar, | and let the wolf's father Find a seat at our feast;

(2) Loki speaks of an oath of blood but never mentions a brotherhood, this was erroneously interpreted and perhaps it makes reference to verse Volusp, 18  that refers to the creation of men.

Lest evil should Loki | speak aloud Here within Ægir's hall."

Then Vithar arose and poured drink for Loki; but before he drank he spoke to the gods:

11. "Hail to you, gods! | ye goddesses, hail! Hail to the holy throng! Save for the god | who yonder sits, Bragi there on the bench."

Bragi spake: 12. "A horse and a sword | from my hoard will I give, And a ring gives Bragi to boot, That hatred thou makst not | among the gods; So rouse not the great ones to wrath."

Loki spake: 13. "In horses and rings | thou shalt never be rich, Bragi, but both shalt thou lack; Of the gods and elves | here together met Least brave in battle art thou, (And shyest thou art of the shot.)"

Bragi spake: 14. "Now were I without | as I am within,

And here in Ægir's hall, Thine head would I bear | in mine hands away, And pay thee the price of thy lies."

Loki spake: 15. "In thy seat art thou bold, | not so are thy deeds, Bragi, adorner of benches! Go out and fight | if angered thou feelest, No hero such forethought has."

Ithun spake: 16. "Well, prithee, Bragi, | his kinship weigh, Since chosen as wish-son he was; And speak not to Loki | such words of spite Here within Ægir's hall."

Loki spake: 17. "Be silent, Ithun! | thou art, I say,

Of women most lustful in love, Since thou thy washed-bright | arms didst wind About thy brother's slayer."

Ithun spake: 18. "To Loki I speak not | with spiteful words Here within Ægir's hall; And Bragi I calm, | who is hot with beer, For I wish not that fierce they should fight."

Gefjun spake: 19. "Why, ye gods twain, | with bitter tongues Raise hate among us here? Loki is famed | for his mockery foul, And the dwellers in heaven he hates."

Loki spake: 20. "Be silent, Gefjun! | for now shall I say Who led thee to evil life; The boy so fair | gave a necklace bright, And about him thy leg was laid."

Othin spake: 21. "Mad art thou, Loki, | and little of wit, The wrath of Gefjun to rouse; For the fate that is set | for all she sees, Even as I, methinks."

Loki spake: 22. "Be silent, Othin! | not justly thou settest The fate of the fight among men; Oft gavst thou to him | who deserved not the gift, To the baser, the battle's prize."

Othin spake: 23. "Though I gave to him | who deserved not the gift, To the baser, the battle's prize; Winters eight | wast thou under the earth, Milking the cows as a maid, (Ay, and babes didst thou bear; Unmanly thy soul must seem.)"

23. There is no other reference to Loki's having spent eight years underground, or to his cow-milking. On one occasion, however, he did bear offspring. A giant had undertaken to build the gods a fortress, his reward being Freyja and the sun and moon, provided the work was done by a given time. His sole helper was his horse, Svathilfari. The work being nearly done, and the gods fearing to lose Freyja and the sun and moon, Loki turned himself into a mare, and so effectually distracted Svathilfari from his task that shortly afterwards Loki gave birth to Othin's eight-legged horse, Sleipnir. In such contests of abuse a man was not infrequently taunted with having borne children.

Loki spake: 24. "They say that with spells | in Samsey once Like witches with charms didst thou work; And in witch's guise | among men didst thou go; Unmanly thy soul must seem."

Frigg spake: 25. "Of the deeds ye two | of old have done Ye should make no speech among men; Whate'er ye have done | in days gone by, Old tales should ne'er be told."

Loki spake: 26. "Be silent, Frigg! | thou art Fjorgyn's wife, But ever lustful in love; For Vili and Ve, | thou wife of Vithrir, Frigg spake: 27. "If a son like Baldr | were by me now, Here within Ægir's hall, From the sons of the gods | thou shouldst go not forth Till thy fierceness in fight were tried."

Loki spake: 28. "Thou wilt then, Frigg, | that further I tell Of the ill that now I know; Mine is the blame | that Baldr no more Thou seest ride home to the hall."

Freyja spake: 29. "Mad art thou, Loki, | that known thou makest The wrong and shame thou hast wrought; The fate of all | does Frigg know well, Though herself she says it not."

Loki spake: 30. "Be silent, Freyja! | for fully I know thee, Sinless thou art not thyself;

Both in thy bosom have lain."

Of the gods and elves | who are gathered here, Each one as thy lover has lain."

Freyja spake: 31. "False is thy tongue, | and soon shalt thou find That it sings thee an evil song; The gods are wroth, | and the goddesses all, And in grief shalt thou homeward go."

Loki spake: 32. "Be silent, Freyja! | thou foulest witch, And steeped full sore in sin; In the arms of thy brother | the bright gods caught thee When Freyja her wind set free."

Njorth spake: 33. "Small ill does it work | though a woman may have A lord or a lover or both; But a wonder it is | that this womanish god Comes hither, though babes he has borne."

Loki spake: 34. "Be silent, Njorth; | thou wast eastward sent, To the gods as a hostage given; And the daughters of Hymir | their privy had When use did they make of thy mouth."

Njorth spake: 35. "Great was my gain, | though long was I gone, To the gods as a hostage given; The son did I have | whom no man hates, And foremost of gods is found."

Loki spake: 36. "Give heed now, Njorth, | nor boast too high, No longer I hold it hid; With thy sister hadst thou | so fair a son, Thus hadst thou no worse a hope."

Tyr spake: 37. "Of the heroes brave | is Freyr the best Here in the home of the gods;

He harms not maids | nor the wives of men, And the bound from their fetters he frees."

Loki spake: 38. "Be silent, Tyr! | for between two men Friendship thou ne'er couldst fashion; Fain would I tell | how Fenrir once Thy right hand rent from thee."

Tyr spake: 39. "My hand do I lack, | but Hrothvitnir thou, And the loss brings longing to both; Ill fares the wolf | who shall ever await In fetters the fall of the gods."

Loki spake: 40. "Be silent, Tyr! | for a son with me Thy wife once chanced to win; Not a penny, methinks, | wast thou paid for the wrong, Nor wast righted an inch, poor wretch."

Freyr spake: 41. "By the mouth of the river | the wolf remains

Till the gods to destruction go; Thou too shalt soon, | if thy tongue is not stilled, Be fettered, thou forger of ill."

Loki spake: 42. "The daughter of Gymir | with gold didst thou buy, And sold thy sword to boot; But when Muspell's sons | through Myrkwood ride, Thou shalt weaponless wait, poor wretch."

Byggvir spake: 43. "Had I birth so famous | as Ingunar-Freyr, And sat in so lofty a seat,

I would crush to marrow | this croaker of ill, And beat all his body to bits."

Loki spake: 44. "What little creature | goes crawling there, Snuffling and snapping about? At Freyr's ears ever | wilt thou be found, Or muttering hard at the mill."

Byggvir spake: 45. "Byggvir my name, | and nimble am I, As gods and men do grant; And here am I proud | that the children of Hropt Together all drink ale."

Loki spake: 46. "Be silent, Byggvir! | thou never couldst set Their shares of the meat for men; Hid in straw on the floor, | they found thee not When heroes were fain to fight."

Heimdall spake: 47. "Drunk art thou, Loki, | and mad are thy deeds, Why, Loki, leavst thou this not?

For drink beyond measure | will lead all men No thought of their tongues to take."

Loki spake: 48. "Be silent, Heimdall! | in days long since Was an evil fate for thee fixed; With back held stiff | must thou ever stand, As warder of heaven to watch."

Skathi spake: 49. "Light art thou, Loki, | but longer thou mayst not In freedom flourish thy tail; On the rocks the gods bind thee | with bowels torn Forth from thy frost-cold son."

Loki spake: 50. "Though on rocks the gods bind me | with bowels torn Forth from my frost-cold son,

49. Skathi: the wife of Njorth, and daughter of the giant Thjazi, concerning whose death cf. Harbarthsljoth,  Bowels, etc.: according to the prose note at the end of the Lokasenna, the gods bound Loki with the bowels of his son Vali, and changed his other son, Narfi, into a wolf. Snorri turns the story about Vali being the wolf, who tears his brother to pieces, the gods then using Narfi's intestines to bind Loki. Narfi--and presumably Vali--were the sons of Loki and his wife, Sigyn. They appear only in this episode, though Narfi (or Nari) is named by Snorri in his list of Loki's children

I was first and last | at the deadly fight There where Thjazi we caught."

Skathi spake: 51. "Wert thou first and last | at the deadly fight There where Thjazi was caught, From my dwellings and fields | shall ever come forth A counsel cold for thee."

Loki spake: 52. "More lightly thou spakest | with Laufey's son, (3) When thou badst me come to thy bed; Such things must be known | if now we two Shall seek our sins to tell."

(3) Loki Laufeyjarson post

Then Sif came forward and poured mead for Loki in a crystal cup, and said:

53. "Hail too thee, Loki, | and take thou here The crystal cup of old mead; For me at least, | alone of the gods, Blameless thou knowest to be."

He took the horn, and drank therefrom:

54. "Alone thou wert | if truly thou wouldst All men so shyly shun; But one do I know | full well, methinks, Who had thee from Hlorrithi's arms,-- (Loki the crafty in lies.)"

Beyla spake: 55. "The mountains shake, | and surely I think From his home comes Hlorrithi now; He will silence the man | who is slandering here Together both gods and men."

Loki spake: 56. "Be silent, Beyla! | thou art Byggvir's wife, And deep art thou steeped in sin; A greater shame | to the gods came ne'er, Befouled thou art with thy filth."

Then came Thor forth, and spake:

57. "Unmanly one, cease, | or the mighty hammer, Mjollnir, shall close thy mouth;

Thy shoulder-cliff | shall I cleave from thy neck, And so shall thy life be lost."

Loki spake: 58. "Lo, in has come | the son of Earth: Why threaten so loudly, Thor? Less fierce thou shalt go | to fight with the wolf When he swallows Sigfather up."

Thor spake: 59. "Unmanly one, cease, | or the mighty hammer, Mjollnir, shall close thy mouth; I shall hurl thee up | and out in the East, Where men shall see thee no more."

Loki spake: 60. "That thou hast fared | on the East-road forth To men shouldst thou say no more;

In the thumb of a glove | didst thou hide, thou great one, And there forgot thou wast Thor."

Thor spake: 61. "Unmanly one, cease, | or the mighty hammer, Mjollnir, shall close thy mouth; My right hand shall smite thee | with Hrungnir's slayer, Till all thy bones are broken."

Loki spake: 62. "Along time still | do I think to live, Though thou threatenest thus with thy hammer; Rough seemed the straps | of Skrymir's wallet, When thy meat thou mightest not get, (And faint from hunger didst feel.)"

Thor spake: 63. "Unmanly one, cease, | or the mighty hammer, Mjollnir, shall close thy mouth;

62- Thor`s journey  to the Land of the Giants

The slayer of Hrungnir | shall send thee to hell, And down to the gate of death."

Loki spake: 64. "'1 have said to the gods | and the sons of the god, The things that whetted my thoughts; But before thee alone | do I now go forth, For thou fightest well, I ween.

65. "Ale hast thou brewed, | but, Ægir, now Such feasts shalt thou make no more; O'er all that thou hast | which is here within Shall play the flickering flames, (And thy back shall be burnt with fire.)"

And after that Loki hid himself in Franang's waterfall in the guise of a salmon, and there the gods took him. He was bound with the bowels of his son Vali, but his son Narfi was changed to a wolf. Skathi took a poison-snake and fastened it up over Loki's face, and the poison dropped thereon. Sigyn, Loki's wife, sat there and held a shell under the poison, but when the shell was full she bore away the poison, and meanwhile the poison dropped on Loki. Then he struggled so hard that the whole earth shook therewith; and now that is called an earthquake.

Complete analysis in process

[mylokabrennauniverse]

About the importance of being called Loki.

We know that the pillars of the Nordic beliefs are the Order and the Chaos, they taught us that their history is built on this idea but what they did not teach us was the important one of Loki in this affirmation.

Order and Chaos, as premises for the Universe to work, not with the Christian conception of good and evil, Chaos as the necessary counterpoint for change to generate evolution, absolutely positive and natural.

Evolution depends on Chaos, stars are formed because of Chaos, everything happens and even so Loki, the God of Chaos, is relegated of all stories.

Loki is not even considered a God for some, not an Aesir, he is being the pillar on which the Universe rests.

If we do not understand this, we have not understood anything.

Someone distorted the stories because he knew that a Christian look would take care of the rest.

Loki is the opposite of order, not good and thanks to him the Universe keeps turning.

But they did not tell us that.

[sabugabr]

How "Loki" managed to make Loki's "outed" version also be their most heteronormative one

Well hello again!! This one's gonna be a single post, and relatively shorter than my previous ones (God I hope). I just want to get into one little detail that bothered me while watching Loki — the blatant heteronormativity of all that.

I'm not even talking about plot, the well is deeper ( that's a Brazilian saying, I don't know if it exists in English. Oh well)

SO KKKKKKKKKKK LOKI HUH. Unless you've been hibernating for the last few months, you probably know that some time ago, Disney+ debuted its third series on the platform, Loki, AND TUMBLR WAS ON FIRE. And there's already been a lot of discussion regarding some aspects of the series, some plot choices, well, all sort of things. However, I won't get into all the issues regarding his bissexual representation, or the gender fluidity issue, or even anything regarding Sylvie or Mobius. If you want to know more about it, you can have quick walk around tumblr, or even just go and see what Russell T. Davies has to say about it. It was a crazy ride, this series.

But I know there are a lot of different takes on this matters, and there're many ways in which you can relate to a media or story, and it's not my place here to meddle. If you liked the series, if the queer representation of this series was something that resonated with you, was something meaningful to you, that's genuinely great. So I'll abstain myself to my area of study, Visual Culture, and therefore what I want to talk about here is costume design. More specifically, Loki's.

(just a disclaimer, I'll be refering to Loki using he/him pronoums, since in the series is clear that he identifies himself as male. Also, I won't cover any aspects of Loki in the comics — or even Norse mithology or other medias —and their portrail there, because otherwise this would be WAY longer, so I'll just stick to the MCU)

So let's talk about queer coding, shall we?

1. QUEER CODING

Ok so, let's say you walk into a room full of queer people and ask anyone who loved Disney villains as a kid to raise their hand.

There'd probably be a very fair share of hands up, right? I mean, I know mine would. The relationship between Disney and queer kids has always been an interesting one, to say the least. And it's very common for many of us to feel especially drawn to the villains, and one of the possible reasons for it is the fact that most of the previous Disney villains (and some movie villains in general) are queercoded.

(and Kuzco. Interestingly, I never saw Kuzco being mentioned in these Disney queercoding discussions. Maybe The Emperor's New Groove is just more popular in South America...? Or maybe because it's like a positive representation, so it doesn't count? He's great tho, this movie is wonderful it's truly Disney's finest work I should make a whole post just extolling it just watch me BUT ANYWAY BACK ON TRACK)

If you google it, you'll see that queer coding is

"the subtextual coding of a character in media as queer. Though such a character's sexual identity may not be explicitly confirmed within their respective work, a character might be coded as queer through the use of traits and stereotypes recognisable to the audience. Such traits are greatly varied, but traits of exaggerated masculinity and femininity, vanity, and hypersexuality are frequent." [source: Wikipedia]

In the context of those movies, this was often made purposefully, blatantly, and in a very hurtful way, with very damaging implications, to associate (in a pejorative and stereotyped way) queer = evil. If you want to know more about it, and I highly recommend you do, there are two videos on YouTube by Rowan Ellis that explain these issues in a very complete, didactic way, and much better than I ever could. One's all about Disney villains, and the other is about the historical and social panoramas from queercoding to queerbaiting. I linked them both right there.

But the thing is, even though these are very problematic issues, what ended up happening is that many of us reclaimed those Disney villains. We felt attracted, drawn, captivated by a lot of them (not the Pocahontas one, that one is just bad). To the point where they might be our favorite characters in the movies. And why does it have to do with Loki?

Well, because, let's face it, Loki looks like a Disney villain.

the attitude. LOOK AT HIM

And that was one of the things that amused me the most when I'd go see a Thor or an Avengers movie, because not only would Tom Hiddleston's impeccable acting make the character completely captivating to me, but his outstanding looks always caught my eye.

In my humble opinion, in all the movies he's been in Loki has the most interesting costumes. They are always not only incredibly beautiful but also richly detailed, always following the color palette of Green, Black and Gold, even when he's wearing casual style. I also love how the gold is always used in adornments, and how well-fit his clothes always look. He looks like he'd only wear Asgardian haute couture.

I mean, look at the patterned scarf (which looks enormously like a leopard print to me) with green accents, stylishly matching his black vest and longcoat. THE CANE.

Of course the other costumes are also ok (Thor's armor for example has shades of blue, silver and red, all opposite to Loki's colors - although unlike Loki he almost never changes his outfits, which is a bit disappointing to me). But look at how Thor's outfit is made to make him look big, strong, MASCULINE and caricatured, while Loki's is simply elegant and slim.

His shoulder pads resonate the same shape as Thor's, but are narrower, making him look smaller in comparison. And I find it interesting how (unlike Thor who has an outfit pretty much the same as his comics counterpart) they stripped the more rustic fur trim from Loki's comics design, but kept the characteristic (and more elegant) square shoulder armor/pads.

In short, it's like his whole visual concept is to look dark, slim, fit and elegant.

And oh my, the sass

And Loki's costume designs actually have very beautiful meanings? As you can see in this Buzzfeed interview with Co-Founder and former Co-Head of Visual Development at Marvel Studios Charlie Wen and Marvel Studios Senior Visual Development Artist Anthony Francisco, when designing the character's casual Asgardian clothes, they made the clothe's lines

"more angular, almost architectural in its repeating angles. The purpose was to contrast the soft interior greens (Loki’s primary color) with the rigid blocky exterior (symbolizing Loki trapped inside the rigid walls of Asgard)."

The green color represents his soft interior. In a similar association, his characteristic collar was inspired by the flower faux calla lily, symbolizing "sacrifice and a resurrection motif". It's all very poetic. They deepened this concept in Loki's clothing in Ragnarok, where the replacement of green for blue in his clothes was meant to represent grief and sadness, and his personal growth.

"It's kind of like a nice arc for him. In the beginning of the movie he's green, then he's blue, then he's green again...by the end of the movie, he finds who he is," they said

But with the blue outfit, they added a yellow cape to represent that things would be all right at the end. Yellow and blue also make green. So like, colors mean something here. And they also wanted the blue to evoke a peacock, since Loki was showing himself off to the Grandmaster. A 10/10 outfit. Because you see, asides being elegant and dark and all that, the thing is Loki is flashy, both in his style as in his body language.

And of course none of this necessarily means anything. Things like physical appearance, fashion choices and personality traits have absolutely nothing to do with a person's sexual orientation or gender identity. But just as in the case of the Disney villains, there are certain characteristics and representations tendencies that due to both social constructions and pre-established media codes (such as the ones influenced by the Hays Code, and others), when watching, we feel more inclined to perceive as being queer. And while this usually has a pretty negative connotation (since these evocative traits are usually based on harmful stereotypes), with Loki this wasn't necessarily the case.

Even though he was introduced as a villain from the beginning, Loki has always been decently built, deepened and humanized throughout the films. Even though he was queercoded, he was never defined by grimaces, clothes or stereotypes, nor were these ever necessarily the target of bigoted jokes.

And on top of that, his personal narrative revolved precisely around the sense of feeling like an outsider within your own family. Of feeling less loved, less valued, "trapped", because of a trait he desperately has to keep secret. In this case, it was being blue. But you can change blue for queer that still works fine. It was a very familiar narrative to many queer people watching. So in a way, I think we ended up reclaiming him as well.

And I genuinely think that might have been one of the reasons this character became so loved by the LGBTQIA+ and tumblr communities. He was fabulous, and his presentation and personality reflected that perfectly.

And where did it all end? In Loki.

2. HETERONORMATIVITY

Because you see, in Loki, the only scenes where he actively wears his usual clothes are at the beginning of the series, and then never again. For the rest of the series, he wears the TVA brown coat and later a plain white shirt with a tie.

And while he was on TVA, ok, perfect, they required him to wear these clothes, fine. But after he runs off with Sylvie, he finds himself in SEVERAL situations where he might as well change his clothes. As is constantly explained to us, he can alter his appearance as he pleases and magically create fabrics and clothes at his own pleasure.

But in the one situation where he actively does this (in the train), he chooses to continue with the clothes he got from TVA (and Mobius, which is a cute point of view, but not the point here)

SO JOYFULL!!!

And for the rest of the series, he apparently forgets about his clothes and sticks to that. In that same train, is also revealed to us as an audience that Loki is indeed queer. In a intimate conversation with Sylvie, he is said to like both men and women, and the director reffered to him as bisexual.

And from there he develops a deep affective relationship with Sylvie, a woman (as we were emphatically told in that slightly misogeneous scene between the Lokis where they debate the mere existence of a "female Loki"), which regarding his queerness would be perfectly fine, if it weren't for the change in Loki's presentation from then on.

BECAUSE YOU SEE one of the major point of the Loki series is the development of the title character. Especially, his development in becoming "a better person". He starts off being a so-called pompous narcissist (much like Kuzco if you think about it), meets people who change his perception of himself and the world, and then he starts trying to improve, and redeem himself. In short, becoming a hero (again, just like Kuzco, only The Emperor's New Groove does it better).

And one of the most important things about character design is that a character's costume essentially reflects who that character is, much more than their lines or actions. Just by looking at a character's costume (if it's a good costume) you can basically know everything the movie or series or play wants you to know. And especially if you're telling a story where a character goes through internal changes, the exterior (ie, their costume) should reflect that as well.

So, Loki goes through his great journey, changes, evolves as a person, becomes a hero, and how does his presentation reflects that?

I could laugh but then my laughter would turn into tears

No, really, please. I'm not talking about Sylvie please don't think I'm in any way attacking Sylvie here, just look at him. The kinda grimy white tight shirt, enhancing his chest? The rolled up sleeves??? The leather straps holding his weapon and once again enhancing his chest? The creases in his pants evidencing his pelvis? HIS POSE????? This is a CLASSIC cis straight heroic white male lead pose. This is the kind of aesthetics I'd expect from Chris Pratt in a Jurassic World movie, and I know that you can see it too.

At no point in any movie has Loki ever presented that kind of body posture, that kind of body language. It's as if the show was saying "See? He's tough now"

And there is none of the elements that Wen and Francisco had so beautifully enshrined in Loki's costume composition, in the visual narrative that his clothes would tell. No color scheme, no green, no lily, nor nothing reminiscent of the characteristic curved necklace centerpiece he always wore (which according to Wen and Francisco, is an element that symbolizes Loki's mother, Frigga, like a "mother's crest". Interestingly, notice tho how Sylvie's costume has it, and I don't know if I find it endearing or disturbing)

So, since there's no reference to anything previously used by Loki in the first Thor and Avengers, the only symbology I can attribute to this costume choice is to show how Loki now doesn't care about things like looks anymore. His clothes are dirty, he didn't even bother to change them at all, he's not the same man who started this journey, he dropped Gucci. (They even made a joke about how he magically summoned an ugly blanket to cover him and Sylvie) And consciously or not, I genuinely think it's possible they wanted to make him more "hero-looking", "good-guy-looking". And apparently that meant making him less queer-looking.

And of course there's no way I'm saying queercoding is a good thing But why couldn't he save the world with his fabulous looks? Why couldn't he be the good guy and be flashy? Why couldn't he go through the arc of discovering emotional vulnerability and being able to open up to other people and still enjoy nice clothes and gold? Why couldn't he kiss the girl and have, idk, black painted nails? To me this has the same bitter taste as the recent Disney movie Jungle Cruise, in which the queer character proves his worth when he "man-ups". (And besides, this film is very derogatory in the portrait of South America??? But anyway)

And again, of course none of this necessarily means anything. Your choice of fashion has no direct bearing on how queer you are or not. People express themselves in different ways, but we're not talking about real people. Loki is not a real person, but a character whose wardrobe and gestures and lines were all decided and thought out by an external group of people, with goals and direct consequences in our perception.

And this is even more evident and difficult to ignore for me by how much the series itself shows. In the scene where he meets the other Loki variants, if you notice, everyone is dressed in very elaborate costumes. Honestly, President Loki is MAGNIFICENT with that green vest, the one sided shoulder pad detail, and the textured tie evoking something reptilian (I also loved how they adapted the characteristic gold necklace into a tie pin). But the thing is, he is represented as being, in a way, evil.

They all are. They are shown to be, you know, "the older Loki" versions, those who haven't evolved as much, you know. They're still treacherous, and liars, and slippery, and cowards, and suspicious, and back-stabbers, and narcissists, and bla bla bla. "Our" Loki even calls them "monsters". And since he stands out so much from them all, with his simple, modest, heteronormative clothes, it's very easy for our brain to make an association between "dressing" and "acting." And suddenly Loki's old flashness turns into a harmful stereotype.

Because now the way he dressed is a possible implication of when he was a "bad person". From when he had all the characteristics I mentioned above (all commonly associated with queer people in a pejorative way). And that's so disappointing to me, because in my opinion they missed a great opportunity to get the exact opposite message across. In a social context where the media still villainizes queer traits SO MUCH, where works like Rock Horror Picture Show are still seen as grotesque and villainous by so many people, they could have made a fabulous hero. A queer hero, with characteristics reclaimed by us as a community, portrayed in a beautiful and positive way, just as we see them.

So, this was all only the point of view that I took from the costumes. But the point is that costumes tell a story. They deliver a message. So in Loki's case, what message is this?

Think about it.

Anyway, thank you so much for reading!!!

[crowned-clown-rising]

Tag game: tag 9 people you want to know better

Favourite colour: Mahogany-maroon-burgundy + purple-ish relatives

Last song: Body to flame by Lucy Dacus & iris cover by Chris Lanzon

Currently reading:

fanfic: Spirit of the West by teen_dean novel: Greywaren by Maggie Stiefvater other: Microbiota by Ignacio López-Goñi (and a couple of other stuff about witchcraft and norse mithology that I'm not going to bother mentioning bc no one is interested really and they're too many)

Last movie: Ophelia (2018)

Sweet/spicy/savoury: Yeah you can say I'm into sweets. (Looks like L from death note) I DO HATE mixing the flavors. I HATE HATE when something that's supposed to be salty IS SWEET. Like a hamburger. (Who does that?) (freaks >:( )

Currently working on: My Eldarya fic :) and other 2 started fics :) and my star trek sewing stuff :) and some watercolor drawings for my sister&niece :) yes I have adhd

No-pressure tags: @oracleofselfies @leannathespacewerewolf @isatisnn @kingof-the-crossroads @tropicalflavors @onceandfuturewarlqck @themangahead @ultimatebottom69 @lexa-gui

tag game - tag 9 people you want to get to know better

I was tagged by: @thatonetimetraveller

Favourite colour: blue! 

Last song: “Please Don’t Leave Quite Yet” - Adam Agin 

Currently reading: I’m listening to the Fellowship on audiobook whenever I work on art, and reading Rhythm of War by Brandon Sanderson :) 

Last movie: Paradise - a german dystopian film on Netflix set in the near future. A company has figured out how to suck out literal years of people’s lives (princess bride style) and sell them to the highest bidder, to tack on and extend the buyer’s lifetime. It feels like a really long black mirror episode. I had a good time! 

Sweet/spicy/savoury: all of the above? Depends on the day and my mood. Though leaning more toward spicy/savory than sweet. 

Currently working on: To Partake and Boundless Sky :) 

No-Pressure tags:

@raointean @metatomatoes @ellrond @the-commonplace-book @creativepromptsforwriting @eldritchteletubbie @disorganisedautodidact @greyjedijaneite @founder-of-imladris and anyone else who wants to tbh 

[skaldish]

Is a good book for beginners Nordic Mithology of Neil Gaiman? What do You think about that book? And of isnt a good book for you, wich one would you recommend? Also I want to know more too about the Viking age, and i don't wanna Google it because i know probable will be appear bullshit

Neil Gaiman is a wonderful author and one of my favorites. But he takes creative liberties with his interpretation of Norse myths, and these interpretations aren't always faithful to the original tales. Because there's no way for newcommers to tell what's original material and what is creative liberty, I don't recommend Neil's book for a Heathen introduction to Norse mythology. (It's still a good book though!)

I've been searching for a relatively-faithful retelling of the Norse myths for a bit now, and only the D'Aulaires' Book of Norse Myths meets this quota. It's a kid's book, and I don't even know if it's in print anymore, but it's clear the authors did their utmost to preserve the core nature of the stories while writing for a modern audience.

I actually plan to someday write and publish a retelling of these stories with the intention of them being a heathen's introduction to the myths. I also want to add in stories from non-Icelandic texts because I have yet to see anybody write retellings of those.

As for the Viking age, I don't know a whole lot about it myself since I tend to focus more on the theology/philosophy side of things than history, but the YouTube channel Overly Sarcastic Productions did a video called "Vikings!" that I find really delightful. I'm sure my followers have other resources to recommend in this department.

[whereisyourpippinnow]

I was tagged by @fourorfivemovements to list 9 books I plan to read this year.

Ragnarök and the Fall of Gods by Aranzazu Serrano Lorenzo

Odin and the Fountain of Wisdom by David Domínguez  ok, I purchased a subscription and at each month I receive two books of "Norse Mythology" series. So I will probably read 10 more books from this series. but I decided to put on this list only next two books of this series I'll read.

Gender Mosaic. Beyond the Myth of the Male and Female Brain by Daphna Joel and Luba Vikhanski

Kolumbowie. Rocznik 20 by Roman Bratny I really want to read this book...But I’m not sure if it’s good idea to read about World War II when there’s war in Ukraine right now.

Hidden Valley Road. Inside the Mind of an American Family by Robert Kolker It was impulsive purchase. it’s about a family where the six of twelve children were diagnosed with schizophrenia

The Mother of All Questions by Rebecca Solnit I Literally found this book on the street.

Mitologia Słowiańska by Jakub Bobrowski and Mateusz Wrona book about Slavic mithology

The Last Kingdom by Bernard Cornwell

Beren and Lúthien by J.R.R. Tolkien I bought this book long time ago... It lies on my Pile of Book and is collecting dust. I think it’s time to finally dust it off

and as Lukas ( @fourorfivemovements ) said: you can ask me in december if I've read any of them 😂😂😂

and I tag: @dadlezal @mattikitku @hiimana @citadeloftherisingstar @ski-jumping-is-my-aesthetics @shiroolynn @kendallspussy @firefly-of-frenstat and @brieflymaximumprincess 

[bisexualshitwholovesshakespeare]

Ok hear me out. Have you watched Galavant? No? Go and watch it, it's like three hours. If you watched it, cool. What you are about to read is the best AU idea I had. Loki AU but it's Galavant. Now:

Loki is Galavant and Sylvie is Madelina. They lived happy together until the evil king Classic Loki (the names should be changed because every person can't be called Loki, but I don't have any idea how to call them.) arrives and takes Sylvie with him. He wants to marry her. And if you watched the show you know that Madelina stays with Richard.

One year later Loki is visited by someone who needs his help. His name is prince Mobius and his kingdom has been taken over. Loki doesn't want to help but when he hears that Classic Loki did it, he decides to help Mobius. That's a trap. Mobius was told by the Classic Loki that if he won't bring Loki, his friend (?) (or something like na advisor) Ravonna will be killed. Loki, Mobius and Casey as Sid begin their journey.

President Loki as Jean Ham

Boastful Loki as Gareth is trying to teach Classic Loki how to be a real man. Sylvie is having na affair whith B-15 who is a jester.

I don't know who will be the pirate king, but we can be sure that Loki and Mobius fell for eachother.

Kingsley is not Thor for sure. Does Loki have an evil brother?

Out next stop is Roberta who is Sygin (she was Loki's wife in norse mithology) and Croki as Tad Cooper the real dragon

I forgot about prine Harry. I thought maybe female Kid Loki?

Mr. D'Dew (I don't remember his name) is He who remains an DEL od Kang.

Then we get the happy ever after and Loki and Mobius are living in their beach house.

What do y'all think?

[bloomsberries]

That one ficlet you wrote about norse mithology but made it joan x jamie, I swear I’m not kidding when I tell you I think about it ALL THE TIME... 🧡

Oh is it that little fic let where I borrow from the Hades/Persephone myth? That was a lot of fun to write, probably because it was short and sweet. Secret is that when I wrote that little bit I did originally intend to write a whole thing, but then RS kept getting longer and longer and 🤷🏻‍♀️

[fyeahmeddy]

white supremacists will rant about how norse myths justify gender roles and Odin will walk out of the other room, having turned into a woman to sleep with men without batting an eye and demand to know what the hell they're going on about

exactly!!! norse mithology is filled to the brim with powerful women, sex changes and mild to down clear homosexuality!! the nazi retcon of norse mithology was a badly adapted fanfiction

[a-s-levynn]

for the ask game: multiples of 7

😂  Okay this is a brilliant method to pick the questions, i love it! Thank you for always asking! 😊💞

Using the cut again because it is loooong

7. earbuds or headphones?

Depends on the occasion. I listen to something (mostly music) all the time, so out and about, it's mostly earbuds these days, but i had an earphone phase in highschool/early uni years. At home, i usually use headphones because they just sound better in my opinion 🤔

14. favorite non-chocolate candy?

Ooh.. i'm not that big on sweets but i can get behind anything that is sour. Also twizzlers. The regular strawberry one. I love those.

21. obsession from childhood?

Oh boi did i have a lot. But the biggest ones were: anything mithology, without exception. Egypt was my favourite but i was just as invested in slavic, norse, greek, middle-eastern, asian, south asian etc mythology. I love the stuff to this day but i'm not that invested as i was.

And the other one is true crime and specifically serial killers. Now i'm still interested in it tho not to that extreme extent when it started, when i was a kid. I was obsessed back than. I legit held my mom an impromptu guided tour, when the actual Murder exhibition rolled into town. And i wasn't even trying, there was just so little text and my mom made the mistake of asking about one of the displays and it went downhill from there. Like 6 or 7 people started to actually follow us to hear what i'm saying..🤦‍♂️

28. five songs to describe you?

Uhh this changes every time i do it, but it heavily depends on how i feel that day and how much i’m in tune with myself. You know, regarding what i was like as a kid and who am i now and how much of it i’m willing to deal with the given day.

1. Too Late by Dead by Sunrise 2. Perfect Insanity by Disturbed 3. Broken Home by Papa Roach 4. Rose Red Violent Blue by Stone Sour 5. Kill the Sound by Celldweller

35. average time you fall asleep?

It could be anywhere between 21:00 to 02:00, but on most days the goal is always between 22:00 and 0:00. Especially when i got to go to work next day. I’m not a good sleeper, so i try my best to at least try. Even if i can’t fall asleep at least be in bed or something.

42. jacket pockets or pants pockets?

Both. I'm using all the pockets. For the longest time i never took a bag anywhere so i utilized every space. Nowdays i have a trusty backpack but it still feels weird when i have an empty pocket so i still put something small in them 😧

49. what saying or quote do you live by?

"For everybody, their own fate is the hardest"

It's a translation from hungarian but i did my best. Believe it or not this came from a fanfic i read when i was what.. like somewhere between 10 and 14. And it stuck with me ever since. It is so profound if you think about it. What i especially love, that even the quote doesn’t demand anything it’s just states a fact but it makes you think. Or at last it made me think, quite a lot actually, and still does to this day.

56. favorite tradition?

Oooh now this one i’m not sure of.. it’s not exactly a tradition more like a fun fact, but in Hungary we use the same expression when someone sneezes and when we toast with a drink. So we basically have an expression that encompasses the meaning of ‘bless you’ and ‘cheers’ at the same time. It is so stupid, and i love it so much.

63. five songs that would play in your club?

It would totally depend on the night because there would be theme nights believe me, but let’s see what could likely be regular songs..

1. Follow Me Down by Pretty Reckless  2. Horizon by Miyavi 3. Becoming Insane by Infected Mushrooms 4. Bangarang by Skrillex 5. In the Heat of the Moment by Noel Gallagher’s Flying Birds

70. left or right handed?

Right dominant two handed. In kindergarten or whatever that pre school thing is called i was true ambidextous but they prevented me from using my left. And than at scool it continued. At home my parents didn't care so i used my left still for everyday stuff. But i learned to write only with my right (but ca. half a year ago i started to train my left to write as well, it’s a work in progress) so yeah.

77. best plant to grow on a windowsill?

Uuh i'm so bad with plants. Altho i did manage to keep alive my flatmates aloes for almost a year.. so i vote aloes. They are not sensitive so even i can manage them 😂

84. podcasts or talk radio?

Poscasts. They are really good when you doing something else while listening to them. But i don't listen to them as much as i do music.

91. boxes or bags?

Whatever i have on hand? I'm not picky.

98. favorite historical era?

Basically all of them, up until the golden age of piracy. After the pirates it's just meh 🤷‍♂️ before them, it really depends on the day's mood which one i like best. And i love the pirates of course.

[mylokabrennauniverse]

From: "About Norse Mithology" @aboutnorsemythology

Mìmir

“The rememberer, the wise one”

Mìmir is an exceptionally wise being and a counselor of the gods.

Mìmir ‘home is a well called Mímisbrunnr, (Old Norse Mimir’s well". The well is locabeneath one of three roots of the world tree Yggdrasil , a root that passes into the Land of the Frost Jötnar where the primordial plane of Ginnungagap once existed. In addition, the Prose Edda relates that the water of the well contains much wisdom, and that Odin sacrificed one of his eyes to the well in exchange for a drink.

Mimir was killed and beheaded by the Vanir during the Aesir and Vanir war. Upon seeing the severed head, Odin embalmed it with special herbs and chanted magical songs over it to preserve it.

He consulted the head in times of need, and it continued to dispense incomparable advice.

The Vikings thought of him as the being who helped the gods retain the wisdom of ancestral tradition, which served as an invaluable guide for their actions.

@annievvv7 about Mìmir

[enkiluna24]

Saint Seiya's Mithology II - The God Warriors from Asgard

Previously, on Part I, I introduced the anime series.

In this post, I would be analysing the first group of characters. Those will be the antagonists of the “Asgard Arc”, known as the “God Warriors”, protectors of Asgard (a fictional country in North Europe) under the command of Hilda of Polaris, the supreme priest of Odin. Like the protectors of Athena, they wear suits of armour (“God robes”) and fight with no weapons, using his “cosmo energy”.

The stars these armours represent are the ones from the Ursus Minor constellation, though their forms and the names of the wearers are inspired in creatures and characters of Norse mythology.

1. Dubhe Alpha Siegfried: The most powerful God Warrior has his name taken from Siegfried (also known by his Old Norse name, Sigurdur or Sigurd), the “Nibelungenlied” saga’s main character. Like his legendary counterpart, he is a brave and strong hero blessed with an invincible imperviousness to harm (save one point over his heart that acts like a sort of “Achilles's heel”). His blond nearly white hair, his tall stature and blue ice eyes remind us of that Norsemen warriors travelling across the seas plundering European shores in the name of their heathen gods.

These parallels with the Germanic hero are accentuated by his God robe, which, in totemic form, represents Fafner, the Nibelung turned into a two-headed dragon by his immense desire for the Rhine Gold that was utterly killed by Siegfried in order to get the treasure. Bathed on the dragon’s blood, he gained the ability to understand birds’ language and his invulnerability (except for one point on his back where a leaf fell and prevented the blood from making it invulnerable).

2. Merak Beta Hagen: This one's name is also inspired in the “Nibelungenlied” saga. In mythology, Hagen was a relative of king Gunther of Worms (some versions even addressing him to be his half-brother) who, out of envy towards Siegfried's talent as a warrior, assassinated him in order to claim the vast Treasure of the Nibelungs (an action carried out with Gunther's approval). Later, he will be killed along with the Burgundian nobility in a revenge that only he foresaw from Etzel (Attila), king of the Huns and new husband of Kriemhilde (Siegfried's widow). In the anime series, Hagen is a God warrior that, like Siegfried, grow very close to Hilde and his sister Freya and has blond (golden) hair and blue ice eyes. His powers over fire and ice resembles to the greedy yet cunning personality of his mythological counterpart. He shows the same qualities in his burning love for Freya and the way he tricked Hyoga, one of the protagonists of the show, into enter a volcano, where the immense heat drained nearly immediately his stamina. He also dies because of a “treason”. He fought against Hyoga because he was convinced the Japanese seduced Lady Freya making her betray Asgard and her sister Hilda. Later, during the fight, she entered the volcano and tried to reason with the God Warrior, convincing Hagen of her consciously “betraying” Asgard. While the God and Freya were arguing about Hilda’s sanity, Hyoga had the time to recover his strength and, when battle resumed, he managed to defeat the Asgardian.

His white and red God robe, however, is based on Sleipnir, the eight-legged horse conceived by Loki and a mare and rode by Odin itself! His eight legs were a symbol of his power to travel not only across the land, but also across the skies and the sea.

3. Phecda Gamma Thor: The first God Warrior encountered by the protectors of Athena is a giant that uses a pair of throwing axes as a weapon. His name is taken of no one but the Thunderer itself, Thor Odinson! However, their similarities are more psychological than physical. Both are strong and huge warriors, decided to protect Asgard and wielders of powerful throwing weapons capable of creating whirlwinds and returning to his owner. Nonetheless, the mythological Thor was red-haired and more muscular than his anime counterpart and also, his signature weapon was the hammer Mjölnir not a pair of axes but, knowing certain Germanic peoples like the Francs used throwing axes as weapons, this is a minor change.

His God robe represents Jördmungandr, the Serpent of Midgard, a snake so long and huge that is coiled around our world. The legends tell that it was a Loki's scion and therefore imprisoned by Odin into the deeps of the great ocean surrounding the earth. When Ragnarök arrives, she will rise from the ocean, flooding the Earth and poisoning earth and skies with her venomous breath. In Vigrid, the plain where the Aesir's forces will face Loki's hord of monsters and giants, she will fight to the death against Thor, both dying in the process (she by the power of Mjolnir and he poisoned by her breath shortly after).

4. Megrez Delta Alberich: This one also takes his name from a character of the Nibelungenlied. Alberich is the creator of the Nibelung Ring  Like his mythological counterpart, he's a cunning, cruel and selfish personality contrasting with his role as protector of Asgard to the point of him openly admitting that, if Hilda was on her own mind, he would never had become a God Warrior. The name Alberich means “ruler of supernatural beings (elves)” being equivalent to Old French term Auberon – which derivates in English to Oberon, the king of fairies in medieval and Renaissance literature –. This signification it is referred in the show through his attack “Union with the Nature” which allows him to summon the forces of Nature (represented by expressionist shadows) to attack his defenceless opponents rendering them unable to resist his other attacks.

5. Alioth Epsilon Fenrir: In Norse mythology, Fenrir was a giant wolf born, along with the undead queen of Niffleheim (where those warriors don't dying in battle go in the afterlife) Hella and the colossal snake Jörmungandr, from the union of Loki and the giant Angrboda. Like his sisters, he was captured by the Aesir because of a prophecy spoke by Odin announcing a great danger coming to the Seven Realms from Loki descendants. But Fenrir was so strong and ferocious that no chain forged by the gods was capable of restraining him from ravaging Asgard. Only Tyr, god of Justice, was brave enough to challenge his fangs and claws and take care of him. He was ultimately restrained using a rope created by the dwarfs and known as Gleipnir. Only when Ragnarök arrives he will regain his freedom. Free once more, he would devour the Sun and (partially) the Moon before fighting and eating Odin himself. However, Fenrir would also meet his demise in said battle at the hands of Vidar, son of Odin and half-brother of Thor.

Like his mythological counterpart, Fenrir of Alioth is a strong and ferocious warrior armed with a pair of claws in each gauntlet of his armor and leader of a wolves pack (who even considers himself to be a wolf rather than human). He was once the heir of one of the Asgardian noblemen until a bear slew his parents during a hunt. Only the intervention of a wolf called Ging and his pack saved him to follow his parents' fate. Alive and resentful towards the men, who abandoned him to die, he decided to live among his lupine saviours and, eventually, he befriended the whole pack (especially Ging, that even assist him in battle) and became their leader. His God robe emphasizes the similarity representing the figure of a crouching wolf that, can be reasonable to think, represents Fenrir.

6. Mizar Zeta Syd: This God warrior along with his twin brother Bud is the only one having no connection with Norse mythology or the Nibelungenlied. His name can be assumed to be a short form of Sydney, a name probably derived from an Anglo-Saxon locational name, [æt þǣre] sīdan īege = "[at the] wide island/watermeadow”. His God robe has the shape of a bottle-green Smilodon or Sabre-toothed tiger, a Pleistocenical predator that lived in the Americas concentrated in the temperate latitudes of North America where inhabited the large herbivores that constituted his main preys. Despite the name and being a feline, it's not related to any modern feline, making part of the extinct Machairodontinae subfamily

7. Alcor Bud: The name Bud can derivate from Old Norse búa (“to prepare, finish, make preparations, equip”). As God warrior protected by the star Alcor and twin of Mizar, his God robe is an albino Smilodon.

8. Benetnacht Eta Mime: This one also takes his name from the Nibelungenlied, but he has nothing in common with his mythological counterpart.

Mime was a dwarf who adopted Siegfried and reforged for him the sword Gram also known as Balmung, which was the only legacy left to him by his father, Sigmund. The reason for doing this was he wanted Siegfried to slay Fafner, who was Reginn’s brother and was turned into a dragon (the animal that symbolizes greed all around Europe) when he stole the Nibelungan Treasure and hide it in the Gnita Cavern. As mentioned, after killing the dragon, Sigfried bathed in his blood and acquired Fafner’s ability to understand birds’ language. Through this power he gain knowledge of Mime planning to kill him and get the treasure, so he beheaded his foster father and maintained the riches. This, and his God robe forming a blood-red harp when it is not in use, are a subtle warning of the powers possessed by the God Warrior.

In battle, Mime relies in his ability to hide his killer instinct under his fragile appearance and the hypnotic music from his harp, which allows him to create illusions and even extend the chords of said instrument in order to wrap it up around his opponents and gradually slice them along with their armour with every note he plays.