#odin is a shitty father

[hope-is-hard]

This scene breaks me every time

No. You took me for a purpose. What was it? Tell me!

[skaifather]

the first 13 minutes of thor: dark world are so good.... & then the rest just happens.

[holylulusworld]

Unworthy (2)

Summary: Thor doesn’t think you‘re a good friend to his brother.

Pairing: AU!Thor Odinson x fem!Reader, AU!Loki Laufeyson x fem!Reader (platonic/best friends)

Warnings: past addiction, mentions of drug abuse/addiction (Loki), angst, classism, Thor being an ass, BBF trope, mentions of spiked drinks

Catch up here: Unworthy (1)

Unworthy masterlist

“Stop her then, son. If she told you the truth, we should find out more about what happened,” Odin feels like he just threw his daughter out of his house. “I shouldn’t have listened to you. Why did I not double-check your information.”

“Husband, not now,” Frigga places her hand on Odin’s shoulder. “Do not make another mistake. Maybe she is innocent, but we need to investigate further first. Thor, follow her. She’s the best source of information.”

“Right,” Thor huffs but turns to follow you. “I’m not sure she told me the truth. Some people have the ability to sell you any lie.”

Thor walks away to follow you. He easily catches up on you with his long legs and determined steps. “Wait—” He calls your name. It’s more an order than a request.

You move toward the exit, ignoring Thor walks next to you. “I said wait.”

“What else do you want to accuse me of?” You stop for a moment to glare up at Thor. “Maybe I sold drugs to Loki, huh? Maybe I was the one getting him addicted. Just leave me alone, Odinson.”

“If the guy spiked your drink there should be a police report…right?” He cocks a brow. Thor is not as good as his father at reading people, but he can see the fear in your eyes when the memories of that night come back.

“My friend called the cops after bringing me to the hospital. I gave a statement, and they promised me that he wouldn’t get away with what he did to me. I believed them,” you laugh bitterly.

“What happened?” He steps closer to tower over you. Thor is intimidating, with his sheer size and figure dwarfing you, but you won’t cower in front of him.

“What always happens,” you shrug and try to balance the box in your hands at the same time. “He came from a good family with old money. My words against his. I was the outsider allowed to walk their holy halls because of a scholarship.”

“That’s awful,” Thor sucks in a breath. If what you’re telling him is true, he understands that you always despised him, the golden son having it all. He never had to work for anything.

“It didn’t matter that my friend, the doctor, and the nurse gave a statement too. They tried to pressure me into taking my statement back, but I refused,” you sniff, and look away. “I didn’t matter, though. He got away with it because his parents knew the right people. Suddenly my test results were gone, and the guests at the party didn’t remember shit. I was lucky to not lose my scholarship. If we are done here, I’d love to leave this shitty place.”

Thor doesn’t stop you when you walk away from him. He has a lot of information to stomach. Thor hopes you’re just a good liar, and he was right about you. But he has a hunch that every word you said was true.

“That’s all, huh?” Hela looks up from her laptop to glare at Thor. He thumbs through the papers and pictures on Hela’s desk. “You didn’t find more?” He asks.

“Stop nagging,” she snaps at him. “You should thank me instead of moping. I got the statement from her friend and the doctor. The nurse withdrew her statement right after she bought a brand-new car.”

“Sounds fishy,” Hogun grumbles. It wasn’t in his plans to sneak around your apartment and follow you around town. “I don’t think the sweet girl is a criminal mastermind. All she did was to buy groceries and look for a new job.”

“Hey, it’s still my turn,” Hela glares at Hogun. “We wanted to talk about her past before we get to the present and future. A shame I didn’t get the chance to interrogate her.” She smirks at her brother. “I bet the sweet girl would’ve been putty in my hands.”

Thor curls his upper lip. “What did you find out?”

Hela leans back in her chair and crosses one leg over the other. She takes her time to inform her brother.

“I found more questions than answers. But I can tell you that the guy spiking Y/N’s drink is a piece of shit. Over the years his parents tried to cover all the shit he pulled. Luckily, they did not succeed. He crossed one too many lines and they turned their back on him.”

“Interesting,” Thor grabs one of the pictures taken at the hospital. You look scared and his heart hurts seeing the tears run down your cheeks. “Anything else?”

“No well done from you?” She huffs. “Always the same with you and father.” Hela snaps at her brother. “I tried to talk to his parents, but they refused to talk about the incident with Y/N. If you ask me, their son did exactly what Y/N said.”

“Says who…?” Thor questions. He’s still not convinced that you told him the truth and that you are innocent. If so, he’d be the worst person ever for ruining your career and friendship with his brother.

“How is he? Where is he?” You pant heavily as you try to find Loki. “Duke, where is he?” You ask Loki’s sponsor. “Duke!”

“He’s in a bad condition,” Duke’s features soften at your worried look. You’re out of your mind because Loki’s AA sponsor called you in the middle of the night. What if Loki is relapsed or is injured?

“Did he have a relapse?” You clasp your hands together to silently pray Loki didn’t do anything stupid because of what happened. “Duke?”

“No,” Duke shakes his head. “He needs you. Loki asked for you the whole time. I didn’t want to call you, but he wouldn’t stop. He’s vulnerable, Y/N.”

“I need to see him.”

“Loki’s inside my office,” Duke gently pats your shoulder. “Take all your time, Y/N. If you need a ride home, I’ll drive you.”

“Loki?” You walk inside the office, heart lurching in your chest. Loki sits on the ground. His long legs stretched out, and his head hanging. “Darling?”

“Y/N,” he murmurs but doesn’t look at you. Loki believed you gave up on him. Thor, his father, and Frigga didn’t tell him the whole truth. When one of your co-workers told him that you got fired and showed him the pictures Loki knew, Thor did this to you to get you out of his life.

“Hey, beautiful,” you sit down next to Loki and wrap one arm around his shoulders. “How’s my pretty boy tonight?”

“Not good,” he leans his head against your shoulder and sighs. “I almost fucked up again, Y/N. I was bad tonight. I…I…” he sniffles and wrings his hands. “I almost bought the poison.”

“Did you buy it?”

“No.”

“Good. See, you’re stronger than you thought,” you peck his hair. “I knew you could do it, Loki.”

“Why didn’t you tell me about your job and my brother?” He murmurs. “I could’ve helped you.”

“Your brother is an asshole, you know that” you try to cheer Loki up while your world still lies in ruins. “He tried to find something to hold against me and succeed. It’s not the end of the world to lose a job, darling. I’ll find something soon.”

“Hmmm…” Loki thoughtfully hums. “Maybe I can lend you some money.”

“I got spared money, Loki. I’m not your friend because of your money, darling.”

“You are my friend because of my good looks, right?” Relieved that you are not angry at him for the things his family did, Loki sighs.

“I’m your friend because I love you, darling,” you pat his thigh. For a moment you are both silent. “So, you came here for a meeting?”

“Three,” he says. “I’m sorry Duke had to call you.”

“I told you a long time ago that you can always call me, Loki. Day or night,” you softly say. “Did you eat today, darling?”

His growling stomach answers your question. “Not much,” Loki admits. “I wasn’t in the mood for food.”

“That was the most awful rhyme I ever heard,” you laugh. “Come on, darling. I’ll take you home and we can eat my leftovers.”

“You want to take me home?” He purrs. “You can’t wait to get your hands on me, huh? I bet you waited for me to call.”

“You’re a little bitch, Loki Laufeyson.”

“I love you too, Y/N…”

You watch Loki’s chest rise and fall. Still worried about your friend you didn’t leave his side.

Finally at peace after hours of suffering and self-hatred, he sleeps peacefully on your bed.

He greedily stuffed your leftovers into his mouth and even burped because you wanted him to eat dessert too.   

You talked for half the night, assuring him that his father and brother can do whatever they want to. You will stand by Loki’s side. Whether they like it or not.

“If you don’t stop yelling at me I’ll hang up,” you snarl into the phone. “I only called to tell you that Loki is safe and didn’t have a relapse. He’s asleep and I’ll drive him home after he had breakfast.”

Thor yells into the phone. He throws profanities at you while his sister watches him with amusement. She chuckles and listens to your explanation. “Thor, calm down. She took good care of him.”

“You don’t have a say in this,” Thor grunts. “She gets fired and then…” He growls and grunts while you listen to his rant.

“Are you done?” You ask. “I’m going to hang up now. I don’t want to wake Loki. He needs his sleep after everything he’s gone through last night. If you need to know more, ask his sponsor who called me, knowing I’ll be the one getting Loki out of the hole he fell into once again.”

You hang up, already regretting that you called Loki’s family. All you wanted to do was make sure they won't worry all night because he didn’t come home.

You harrumph and walk back inside your living room to switch through the channels. Sleep is out of the question after the call. Thor once again made you furious, and you hate the feeling.

Next time he dares to show his face, you’ll knee his balls and give him a piece of your mind…

Part 3

Tags in reblog.

[minzart]

Sooo I finished reading PK²

It's a-ok, I really liked how they changed the status quo and shaked things with some already established characters that is probably to happen.

Everett is a really good villain, I love to hate him, he already had a good base for it, the mad scientist vibes! The whole rich guy thing, THE WHOLE THING THAT HAPPENED TO DUE

And right from the start I was INVESTED IN HATING HIM, he excencialy killed Uno AND DIDN'T EVEN LET US(readers and donald) HAVE A PROPER FUCKING GOODBYE

Donald losing all his gadgets and hiper tecnology apparatus, even if he still has his car it now can't be extremely easily accessed until he meets Lyo. SPEAKINV OF LYO, I sweared it would be revealed he was astrongman, his dynamic with Donald is funny, an old hero "sidekick" who only respects old technology to contrast with Everett duck-mad-genius-of-technology-lair IS GOOD it makes everything much more dire for our hero

And his daughters? I really liked the angle they were going with them, since, you know. IT WAS ALREADY THERE WITH UNO AND DUE, add two more sisters and make a plot were their father encencialy kidnapped them and because of sircunstances they lost they entire childhood and grew up in a suspended state. I also would be pretty fucking crazy if that happen, those are toddlers in adult bodies without any of the excential formative experiences.

BUT, ALL OF IT, WAS CUT SHORT BC THE STORY FORGOT ABOUT TWO FUCKING EXTRA SIBILINGS WHO ESTRUCTURED THE BASE FOR EVERET TO BE A SHITTY FUCKING DAD

literaly pass the 5 fist inssues? Uno stops existing, donald doesn't mention him anymore, Everett sure didn't even saw him as a person, AND LYLA ALSO FUCKS OFF TO GOD KNOWS WERE TO DO HELLS KNOWS WHAT.

The story has a strong base with.... weak execution, I didn't like the sisters being all "dominate the world mad bitches", the whole plot could be so much better if they only acknowledge that uno and due were creations and were done so dirty by daddy dearest, we could also go without the panels of sexy born yesterday vibes the sisters always were subjected to during most of their scenes, and I have zero sympathy for Donald's "nice-guy" friend and his subject of attraction.

The good things? Strong base story, and they toned down the racist design :D IT ONLY TOOK +-4 YEARS BUT WOULD YOU LOOK AT THAT IT ISN'T HARD.

Now, bear with me, apparently the series was canceled bc it wasn't selling well at the time, wich explains the rushed ending, but if those were the details that would just be expanded and dragged on for more inssues.... that really doesn't confort me at all... and yes I know that uno somehow survived and Odin is alive in the next reboots, I don't know yet how but I know he does, it's a comic book series that's not news my problem isn't that he died it's that he was forgotten by the narrative

[hope-is-hard]

I’ve always wondered why Thor didn’t jump after Loki in his suicide attempt in the first Thor Movie. Mjolnir allows Thor to fly. It would have been easy to get Loki back.

Now I realize: Thor couldn’t. Odin held him and prevented him from rescuing his brother.

Fall in space

making process & high-res on my Patreon

[theskeptileptic]

thing is, whether or not GoodDad!Bruce is canon doesn’t matter anymore. the people [me] yearn for it. what is brave about giving your heroes the fatal flaw of child abuse? what is brave about making them needlessly violent against the same characters they’re created to protect?

bravery is looking at the world’s expectation that even heroic men can have child abuse as a treat, and saying, f-that.

bravery is writing fatal flaws that harm your character without oppressing others. give Bruce self-doubt, sure. give Batman bad habits that stem from his trauma, okay. but quit giving him children only to pass on generational curses that will traumatize them way more than the Joker ever could.

you’re no longer writing Batman when you do that. you’re writing Odin and Zeus and God and all the other shitty fathers myths gave us because Patriarchy™️.

[musclesandhammering]

I like Laufeyson better than Odinson because Loki deserves to claim/retain some tiny connection to his heritage even if it’s the last name of his shitty birth father.

And considering he rejected his adopted name because his adoptive father was genuinely trash toward him, it seems invalidating and dismissive of his pain (especially for a character who has a theme of being invalidated and dismissed) to be so adamant about him accepting the ‘Odin’s son’ label again.

I also like the narrative symbolism of him finally standing alone as a character and building an identity for himself outside of his connection to the Thor family.

In addition, even if complete reconciliation had happened between all of them, the events of Loki discovering his parentage/actualising his feelings of being different/dealing with the shift in dynamics in his life and family/etc were so impactful for everyone involved, it’s nice to have a silent reminder and acknowledgement that those things happened instead of having them just pretend nothing changed, and calling him Laufeyson does that perfectly.

[lokisgoodgirl]

What are your real thoughts on Odin? Like, you think the MCU made him a genuinely terrible dad, or do you think Ragnarok redeemed him enough? I just ask because i feel like he gets vilified so much in fanfic but didn't he call Loki his son too and say he loved him before he died?

When I think of Odin, I think of the Narcissist's Prayer:

That didn't happen.

And if it did, it wasn't that bad.

And if it was, that's not a big deal.

And if it is, that's not my fault.

And if it was, I didn't mean it.

And if I did,

you deserved it.

Suffice to say, I think he's a bonafide arsehole. To be fair, he's a dick to Thor too. The bad dad trope isn't unique to Odin though, @lokischambermaid and I were laughing the other eve about how Marcus Aurelias in Gladiator has suspiciously Odin-esque qualities.

Not captioned: "Son, you're a failure and I hate you"

So basically, yes I think he was a bad father, and a pretty shitty person. But then, he had nine realms to run. Somethings gotta give. Also I don't personally think Ragnarok redeemed him at all? 🤣🤣 that fade to death on a bombshell like Hela is the coldest shit I've ever seen.

xx

@ijuststareatstuffhereok89 idk if this falls in your rant categories but feel free

[karioke13]

YOO I completely forgot about that. I kinda suspected that Hela wasn’t friggas but the fact that you said that Odin had Thor in order to replace hela is really sad. She didn’t deserve to be put through all that 😞😭

Side note: Are Hela and Wenwu still together at the end 🤔🤔🤔

Still no full review cause I'm sick but can I just say...

MOTHER!!!

Nice to know Odin is a piece of shit all thoughout the multiverse. Odin don't be an asshole to your kids challenge (impossible)

Unexpected but confirmation that Frigga isn't Hela's mom? 👀 her resentment towards Thor's birth kinda makes sense now... to her it must have been as if Odin replaced not only her, but also her mother.

Also seeing as Hela refers to Frigga as Odin's "girlfriend" they probably aren't married yet, but he might still have been born because Odin only stopped his conquests when Thor was born.

So there's a chance that there is a baby Thor somewhere out there in that universe.

Also, also: Wenwu flirting with Hela and joining her in liberating the universe at the end was... Interesting... like I see it, talk about power couple amiright 👀

[autopotion]

Any time a character in Odin Sphere calls Gwendolyn "kindhearted" I'm like. Do we know the same character lol? Gwendolyn comes off as an incredibly judgmental, narrow-minded, short-tempered death-seeker who feels her only purpose in life is to please her fascist father, which is a losing battle because he prefers all of his other daughters to her. She doesn't save Velvet out of the goodness of her heart, but because she doesn't want her father to suffer ("It frustrates me, but my father loves you. So please, don't hate him." etc). I don't think she calms down until post-chapter 4, and even then she's still fairly impulsive and stubborn, going as far as to kill the queen of the Netherworld to save Oswald, which is the last thing required to set off the apocalypse.

Let me be clear, those are the traits about Gwendolyn that I LOVE. I like how difficult and rough around the edges she is. But every time a character is like "oh Gwendolyn you're so kind," I'm like... were the writers even aware of the kind of character they were writing? One of the examples I'm thinking of is the description of the scene where she gives Cornelius his sword back, where the summary says "Cornelius is moved by the princess' kind heart," but IMO Gwendolyn comes off as incredibly suspicious in that scene, so idk what they're talking about.

I think part of this inconsistency is the game really cannot decide if filial piety to the point of total obedience is a destructive character flaw or a shining virtue. So any time Gwendolyn does something nice for her shitty dad, it's up in the air if the action is portrayed as an act of self-sacrificial kindness or as an obsessive, self-destructive trauma response (or sometimes both!).

[tiodolma]

MerGana Wedding

be like

they spend the wedding night sobbing and vomiting on the floor 😭

theyre The Power Couple that poisoned each other on their wedding. No one has a bond like theirs 💀

with. @wandrenowle

From the au where s5 Merlin and Morgana transmigrate to their 10 year old selves (and still retain their scars and memories).

10 year old Merlin searches for Baby Mordred to kill him. 10 year old Morgana searches for baby Mordred to protect him. Hunith goes to Gaius in Camelot to ask for his help but Gaius refuses because he is too busy babysitting Prince Arthur. Gaius gives Hunith Balinor's last known location instead.

Duke Gorlois, is surprised by Morgana's magic powers and is worried that she has disappeared from their palace especially with Uther's reforms being popular across the allied kingdoms.

Cue Hunith and Gorlois scouring the forests between Cornwall and Ascetir to find their idiot children.

Hunith, Balinor and Gorlois somehow find each other and their children in the woods. Then they all take sanctuary in Cornwall.

From the young Morgana, Gorlois is informed of Uther's and Vivienne's infidelity. Gorlois is also informed of how Uther tricked Balinor into giving up his kin's secrets. Gorlois silently cut ties with Uther Pendragon and allies himself with Balinor.

Nimueh finds out and goes to the court of Cornwall to investigate this change in political tide. Pleased with her findings, Nimueh sends a call out to the other surviving priestesses. Morgause appears with her son baby Mordred, happy to be reunited with her Sister and their father, Gorlois.

Vivienne also appears in Cornwall and tearfully admits the truth of her infidelity. She vows to pay for this by doing her best for Cornwall and its defense.

Cornwall becomes stronger with the high priestesses in its alliance. In time Ascetir (Cenred), Carleon (Queen Annis and King Carleon), Brittany (Tristan and Agravaine Du Bois), Deira (King Odin) and Mercia (King Bayard) join together with the Duke of Cornwall against Camelot's power as well. Uther's Camelot is surrounded by an alliance of powerful countries and cannot just do what it wants anymore.

s5Kid!Merlin and s5Kid!Morgana don't stop bitching and messing with each other for all the trauma they've been though. Balinor and Gorlois hate what their children became and both strive to fix it.

Among s5Kid!Merlin and s5Kid!Morgana's disputes are Merlin's unchanging sad wardrobe in their past lives. Kid!s5!Morgana saucily makes a suggestion to Gorlois to investigate in the potential of Ealdor fabric industry with Cenred of Ascetir's blessing, much to kid!s5!merlin's irritation. Morgana turns out to be right (which pisses merlin off). Ealdor becomes a booming trade center for fabric/textile. Thus Merlin is outfitted by both Gorlois and Balinor in comfortable and sturdy Ealdor clothing but in nobler and better styles.

Most importantly, the two semi-mature idiot and warfreak children get schooled by their parents and elders on their shitty extremist idealism and warped sense of ethics and politics from their past lives.

Balinor and Gorlois then decide to keep them apart to stop them from impeding each other's healing and reformation progress.

Morgana goes thru intensive and better high priestess training (with Nimueh, Morgause and Vivienne present alongside Gorlois' brand of politics and nation building.)

Meanwhile Merlin goes on sabbatical with Balinor in order to visit and live with the surviving members of different sects of magicfolk. This had to be done so that Merlin/Emrys can learn and understand their general politics, histories, ethics and values straight from the source and not just from books.

Gorlois makes Mordred his heir as Duke of Cornwall, Morgana prepares to become ambassador to Camelot as "Morgana Pendragon" and Merlin will be formally revealed as "Lord Emrys of the Druids" when he is of age.

10 years later Merlin Emrys and Morgana Pendragon, now 20, are reunited. They still hate each other but the council has unanimously decided to join them in marriage. This was done accordance with the various prophecies. Another reason for this was to solidify their position as powerful and feared diplomat-couples to Camelot and the rest of Albion.

They spend the days of their bethrothal by flirting with others while glaring daggers at each other from across the rooms, the halls and the forests.

Eventually, their handfasting goes off without a hitch... except that this is Merlin and Morgana who have still have the scars and memories from all 5 seasons. Since they transmigated to this alternate storyline, they both have an unhealthy fixation on foods and poison. These two don't trust anything until they're sure that it is not poison.

So.

in the privacy of the wedding room they make a pact to remind each other how they could easily die by the other's hands if they wanted to.

You are my destiny, You are my doom.

....................

aftermath:

Gorlois and Balinor are made aware of the pact while the two are suffering from the aftereffects 😂 Gorlois: i need the strongest wine. Our kids are insane. Balinor: ive got mushrooms too? U want some? Gorlois: sure 🤦 Mordred: i want a love like that too Morgause: please dont Nimueh: (cackling)

...........

to anyone reading this.

Merlin and Morgana settle in Perilous Land of the Fisher King. Their married sex life is intense rough and bloody and they always come out looking mauled but hey in time (maybe 30 years) they managed to produce five kids all while trying to keep albion from erupting into all out war 😅

arthurian age does actually happen coz merlin is a reformed idiot in this au. he's actually one of high status among the nobles and can watch over albion better coz of his political position. As a married couple he and his wife keep each other in check, ready to go for the kill if needed (much to their children's dread).

so! King Arthur lives long and happy with many knights. Eventually he and Duke Mordred piss each other off because of territory or an insult, Camlann still happens. They both die.

morgause goes into grief, attacks merlin and morgana's family. morgana deals killing blow. everyone tries to save morgause's body but they couldnt so it's sad.

tired of their world, merlin and morgana retire into the woods to learn more about necromancy, astrology and astronomie.

[stranger-rants]

“you can’t like billy because he’s racist!” the millions of loki fans would disagree with you.

dude literally tried to kill a whole race because he spent his whole life growing up hearing about how evil they were. billy pushed and shouted at one (1) kid.

and if we’re talking about how people can’t change, have you seen any villain redemption arc ever????

zuko (a teenager abused by his father after his mother abandoned him, btw, just in case that sounds familiar) attacked the gaang so. many. times. and he is one of the most beloved redemption arcs in tv history.

Buddy, I’ve endured the Loki discourse, too. I’ve been in the trenches, lmao. There are a multitude of Marvel fans who ignore the context of that one, uncritically supporting Odin’s treatment of Loki when Odin is responsible for the majority of the imperialism, colonialism, and fantasy racism, that resulted in Loki’s internalized racism. Like, there are weird fans in every fandom who insist on hating characters who have been abused or neglected.

Zuko does have a satisfying redemption arc, but I have a huge problem with how the ATLA fandom treats his sister Azula. And again, it comes down to fandoms being really shitty at understanding survivors of abuse and neglect especially when they’re hard to love. Azula had her father’s favor, but her mother (who was more affectionate towards Zuko) treated her as if she was evil when she was just a child. Then that became a self fulfilling prophecy when she was groomed into the role she was given with no way out.

I do get your point - fret not, but every fandom I’ve been in has been shitty about “bad abuse survivors.”

[tales-of-magic-and-chaos]

Currently rewatching Thor 2 and I'm so pissed at Odin. I hate how the MCU tries to rewrite Howard and Odin as good people and fathers when they have been such shitty fathers. It's not them being "complex characters", it's just poor writing. Odin never acted correctly toward Loki but he gets to be forgiven bc he said "I love you" three seconds before dying. And Howard was a distant and cold father at best but the MCU is trying to rebrand him as a cool proto-Tony that Tony should love and forgive. It makes me so mad. YOU CAN'T FORCE A REDEMPTION WITHOUT MAKING THEM EARN IT. THEY HAVE TO TRY, TO DO BETTER, TO BE BETTER. YONDU DID MORE TO MAKE UP FOR HIS MISTAKES THAN THE BOTH OF THEM.

[transsexual-ghost]

ok i am now having coherent thoughts about the Guys:

so gow:r at its core is about fatherhood and learning to let go, even if it's gonna hurt like a son of a bitch. (to me, at least)

the scene where atreus tells kratos that he must find the remaining giants, alone, because he has to. because at his core, atreus is a victim of a genocide. (odin and thor had a vendetta, and as far as he knows, he and angrbroda are the only living giants left in midgard) he wants to connect with his culture, because he never really got that with his mother and the only other giant he knows is angrbroda, and they've only known each other for a short amount of time. not to mention that she's also fourteen and watched her parents and the people around her die until it was just her and her grandmother

and atreus is only fourteen, he's watched the end of the world nearly come to fruition, not to mention that he saw brok get killed by odin, posing as tyr. and atreus. atreus has to take this on because he has to.

and we saw that kratos at the beginning and for most of the game, he had accepted that he was going to die, so he pushed atreus. but he wasn't willing to let go of his son. so he refused atreus being the champion of the jotnar, because what if he lost another child to something that could be prevented?

and i am not going to go into kratos' guilt complex about his first family. (for now. might be a separate post or a tag ramble, who knows)

so when kratos, at the end of the game says, "Loki will go... Atreus shall stay." not only is it soul shattering and the emotional equivalent of a brick to the face, it highlights his growth as a character and a father and his reluctance to let go.

but he does. and yeah, it hurts. but atreus'll return.

and kratos and thor are two sides of the same coin. both of them had shitty fathers who insisted that they were destroyers. hell, even thor acknowledges that at their core, both he and kratos can very easily destroy things. they love their respective children to death, and are willing to kill for them. (even if thor didn't treat his sons well. like he beat the living shit out of modi because his brother was killed by a much older god who was stronger than him.) but kratos broke out of the cycle of sons killing their fathers. (or fathers killing their sons)

yeah, he killed zeus. but instead of hurting his son and restricting his growth, kratos encouraged that. and yeah, kratos wasn't the best with atreus in gow:2018, but he was fucking terrified that he would hurt atreus like he hurt calliope. but he didn't.

thor, unlike kratos, never got to break out of the cycle. from what we've seen, asgard had a "kill or be killed" culture. you couldn't afford to be soft and kind. you had to be a hardass, you had to hurt people. and odin cultivated that, to the point where it was his downfall.

from what we've seen, odin encouraged thor to be a violent and drunken monster.

"I think, you kill."

and then thor died, leaving behind a violent and bloody legacy for his only surviving child to unpack.

so at its core, god of war: ragnarok is about breaking the cycle and having good supports.

[heimdallsbraids]

Blood of Mine | Ch. 6 (Heimdall x fem!reader)

Summary: Life is pretty simple. Survive the harsh conditions of Fimbulwinter in Midgard, trade with your dwarven friends in Svartalfheim and – avoid the shit out of Odin’s most loyal lapdog? If word reaches the All-Father about your blood-bending origins, you’re doomed… (Hints of Avatar: TLA, but not a crossover)

Rating: Mature

Warnings: Profanity

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Chapter Six: Björn

It was the morning after Thor’s big feast, and you awoke feeling more well-rested than you have in a long time. Your dreams pleasantly consisted of travelling to some foreign lands, far away from the troubles of Asgard – no Odin, no Heimdall and certainly no threat of Ragnarök looming around the corner. It was a nice change from the recent nightmares you’ve been having.

Feeling good, you opted to wear one of your new dresses, admiring its splendid quality as you stood before the window, peeking outside. It was an emerald green number with delicate stitching along the hems and ivory symbols lining your full-length sleeves, showcasing what you assumed was Asgardian supremacy. It fits you like a glove, and you were tempted to order another to take back to Midgard once you built up some savings.

Exiting the hall of bedrooms, you were surprised to see the double doors to Odin’s office open, if only a crack. The man himself could be seen standing behind the massive desk, muttering away as the hushed cawing of a raven echoed around him. It was an odd sight, and you were nearly out of earshot before he called out to you.

You exhaled slowly, backtracking around the corner to peek your head inside. “Yes, Odin – I mean All-Father?”

He beckoned you in with a humoured shake of his head. “Got some time to chat?”

Not having much of a choice, you nodded and stepped inside. Unfortunately, you hadn’t seen Heimdall standing off to the side when you peeked in before, and you barely held back a groan of displeasure as his lips tilted upward in a sly smirk. Here you were wanting to avoid the Gods, and now you were stuck alone in a room with both of them. Just your luck!

Odin didn’t miss the interaction. With a pointer finger, he gestured between you and his son. “You two know each other?”

Heimdall’s answer was prompt. “Of course, All-Father. I make it my business to know who or what enters the realm I love.”

The insinuation behind his words wasn’t lost on you, and you inwardly cringed as he gave you a pointed look while saying it. You tensed. Could he make it any more obvious?

Odin hummed, sounding pleased. “Always on the ball, this one! If you ever have any questions about Asgard, he knows everything there is to know about it. He’ll be happy to show you the ropes.”

“I’m sure he will be,” you replied monotonously, doubting that very much.

“Indeed. Now, I’ve been meaning to say…” he began, fluffing with some scrolls along the expanse of his desk. Some were new, others were old and tattered, and a few were lying open with foreign characters written over them. “You’re more than welcome to come and go from the city as you please. I won’t always be around to take you, but Heimdall here has the ability to travel by bifröst if you ever find yourself missing home.”

Your brows rose at that. Travelling to Midgard with Heimdall? You didn’t know him all that well, but something told you he’d rather go anywhere else than to the realm of humans and shitty Fimbulwinter weather. Not to mention, you doubt the locals at your camp would appreciate his uppity, better-than-thou attitude – if he didn’t just up and ditch you by the Lake of Nine, that is.

You glanced at him to gauge his reaction, but he gave nothing away as he regarded his father and superior with a stance that meant business, all upright and straight-backed. He looked like a hound, ready to bark and bite on demand if its owner commanded him so. It certainly didn’t scream familial love to you. It piqued your curiosity, but you weren’t about to comment on it.

“When’s the soonest I can leave?” You asked instead, making Odin cease all actions and huff a laugh. Even Heimdall quirked a brow, but he otherwise remained stationary.

“Already so eager to leave? I hope you haven’t run into any issues; any problems…?” He trailed off.

“No,” you answered. “I’ve just never been away from home this long. I want to check on my dad and see how everything’s going.”

“I see.” Odin took a moment to drum his fingers against his chin, thinking. Then, he clicked his fingers, “How’s about I take you there now? Meet the parents, see the town?”

You winced. “There’s only one.”

“Hm?”

“Parent,” you clarified. “I only have one. And it’s not a town, either.”

“My apologies. I had no idea.” Odin rounded the table and lay what you guessed was supposed to be a comforting hand on your shoulder. “If you want to go now, we can. Just let me make some arrangements beforehand to keep this place up and running while we’re gone, and I’ll be right with you. Wouldn’t want to return to it in shambles, would we now?”

With that, the man was off, leaving you and Heimdall to stare at where he’d stood nearly two seconds ago. Seeing no reason to hang around, you circled back and made your way to the great hall, figuring you should probably squeeze in a quick meal before your trip. You had no idea the younger God was hot on your trail until he cut you off, treating you to a face full of his leathered tunic. You sputtered and reeled back with a heated glare.

“Running from your problems isn’t very becoming of you, sunshine. Reality getting too hard to face?” He sneered, glowing purple eyes locked onto yours.

“How am I ‘running from my problems’?” You snapped, wanting nothing more than to knee him in the groin. He seemed to notice this, too, because he wedged his leg against yours, preventing you from doing so. You continued, “I’m going home to visit, not hide!”

“That’s right, wench, you won’t ever be able to hide from me. You may have gotten off yesterday, but you’ll be put to work very soon – that, I promise you.” He finished lowly before stalking off through the front doors of the lodge.

You could only stand there, dumbfounded by his harsh overreaction. You had no idea how he came to the conclusion that you were running away, but the nerve he had to act as if you’d somehow forgotten about your agreement pissed you off more than anything. You kicked the wall out of frustration. What did it matter to him anyway? You’d be out of his hair, out of his realm, and most importantly, far, far away from his precious All-Father.

The two of you had also gained quite the audience since, when you finally calmed down enough to look up, several servants and helmets were staring at you, clearly baffled by the scene they’d just witnessed. Aggravated as you were, you stormed off to your room. Thanks to Heimdall's little hissy fit, you no longer had an appetite to worry about.

You were sitting on the bed with your knees tucked against your chest when you received word from a servant that the All-Father was ready. You were silent as his ravens surrounded you in waves, clearing out once you’d arrived in Midgard. You instantly recognised where you were, but the sudden exposure to sub-zero temperatures had you huddling your arms to your chest for warmth.

“Hah, almost forgot!” Odin chuckled. He waved his hand toward your shivering form, “Efri-lá…”

Suddenly, as if a blanket had tucked itself over you, the cold whispers of Midgardian winds weaned away, leaving you nice and toasty in your new Asgardian dress. You probably should’ve changed into regular clothes beforehand, but you were too busy sulking to think correctly. You were just lucky Odin had that trick up his sleeve, or he would’ve had to take you back.

You mustered a small smile. “Thanks. We’re actually not too far from camp.”

“Lead the way,” he encouraged.

You observed as he tucked his cape so that it enveloped him entirely, granting outsiders nothing but the vision of a tall man. He looked every part the mysterious God you’d heard countless stories about throughout your childhood. It was hard to believe you were now his personal guest in Asgard and that he was bringing you here on a house call, of all things. You would’ve been pretty chuffed if you didn’t know any better.

“So,” you began awkwardly, adjusting the sleeves of your dress as you walked. “I take it you’re not as busy today, then?”

“I figured I could spare you some time. After all, you are my guest.” He stated, his voice accompanied by his crunching footfalls in snow. “I do apologise for the blatant neglect. I’ve been a very busy man as of late. Gotta keep the people happy, you see?”

You wanted to scoff at his honeyed words. Sure, the people inside the walls of Asgard were probably satisfied enough, but everything outside of it? All the other realms that suffered, thanks to his input? You didn’t doubt that they were in an absolute state. Especially Vanaheim.

“I see,” you echoed, struggling to maintain your composure. “It must be hard. Protecting so many people, I mean…”

“Ah, it comes with the territory, I’m afraid, but I don’t let that stop me. Enough about me, though,” he declared. “I take it you’re enjoying your stay in Gladsheim?”

“It’s a beautiful city,” you answered honestly, thankful for the change of subject. “Your granddaughter’s very nice, too. We spend time together quite often, actually.”

“So I’ve heard! She’s a fiery young thing if I’ve ever seen one – big dreams, too. It’s a shame she takes so much to her father.”

You tilted your head in muted shock. Was that a dig at Thor? Did this man have a healthy relationship with any of his sons?

“I’m pleased to know she took responsibility for our guest. I have to admit, I was a little worried at first.” He finished jokingly.

A familiar cave opening appeared in the distance, and soon enough, the sounds of people talking drifted within earshot. Your heart began to race. You were eager now that you were actually here, about to see your father again. You weren’t lying earlier in saying that this was the longest you’d ever been away from home and, thus, away from him. You missed him.

Your camp neighbours stared as you hurried to the back with a peculiar man trailing behind you. They had no idea who he was, and you were more than happy to keep it that way.

“Dad?” You called, running inside.

You were surprised to see that he was awake – sober, even – and he immediately stood from the stool near his bed, pulling you in for a bear hug. “Where the Hel have you been, you little shit?”

“I’ve missed you, too, Dad.”

He tucked a loose strand of hair behind your ear before shuffling to the other end of the tent where a heavy wooden chest sat. He lifted a weighty green sack from inside and gave it a shake, the tell-tale sounds of clinking money reverberating in the tent.

“About that…” You trailed off, scratching the back of your neck.

“You couldn’t have given me some warning before running off like that?”

“Hey, it was for our benefit!” You argued, crossing your arms over your chest. “I had to do something, or we’d have been screwed within a few weeks!”

 “I know. And I am sorry.” Your father sighed, dropping his arms to his side in defeat. “I promise I’m trying. It’s just, ever since your mother-”

Your hand shot up in front of you. “Please, don’t. It’s been years, Dad. We… we need to move on.”

“Am I interrupting something?” It was Odin. He lifted the tent flap and peeked inside. You almost forgot about him amongst the influx of complicated emotions, but you were honestly glad for the interruption.

“No, you can come in if you like.” You told him, shaking your head.

Your dad sent you a questioning glance as he returned the money to the chest, silently asking who the Hel this man was and why he was stepping into your home. Nevertheless, he straightened up and held out a hand, facing him with a presence you hadn’t seen in a long time.

“To what do I owe this pleasure?”

“Ah,” Odin grasped the offered hand. “I’m Odin. You could say I’m your daughter’s new boss.”

You didn’t miss how your father’s grip tightened or the way his eyes flickered to yours upon recognising the name. You shook your head, signalling him to play along.

“Björn.” Your father replied, smoothly taking on the role of the unassuming parent. “Thank you for that, by the way. You’ve helped us out of a tight spot.”

Odin seemed to revel in the praise as he clasped his hands behind his back. The two began chatting, and you quickly excused yourself to grab the two men a drink. Upon your return, you discovered them sitting on the stools, still talking.

“Wouldn’t you rather be by your daughter’s side?” Odin asked, and you froze.

“What?” You interjected. You crouched down, eyes flicking between them in curiosity as you handed them each a cup of freshly brewed tea.

“I extended the offer to live and work in Asgard to your father. I thought it better for the both of you that way.”

You were immediately reminded of Heimdall’s words a few nights ago – how he believed Odin already knew what you were – and immediately began waving your hands in front of you. One family member in the devil’s den was more than enough.

“Don’t be silly, he’s fine here in camp. Right, Dad?” You urged, hoping he’d take the hint.

“They need me here.” He agreed firmly, nodding his head. “Fimbulwinter’s only getting worse, and we’re about to have a few new additions join the camp, so we need all the people we can get.”

Odin took a sip of his drink as he processed this. “I can respect that. However, the offer remains the same should you change your mind. Asgard will welcome you with open arms.”

You sighed in relief, not realising you were even holding your breath in the first place. A few more pleasantries were exchanged before the sound of a raven squawking had the God standing from his chair and returning his cup.

“Business calls, I’m afraid. I’ll meet you out front.” He ominously declared. “Until next time, Björn.”

You were granted a private moment with your father as Odin left, the sounds of his footsteps and hushed words fading not long after. Deeming the coast as clear, your father gripped you by the arms, shaking slightly.

“What have you done, sprout? You’re not safe in Asgard,” he jutted his chin toward the tent’s exit, “-and certainly not with him!”

“All I know is I was lucky enough to meet his bitchiest son, then Durlin kept me out of Niðavellir for a good month, and then suddenly, he was taking me to meet Odin!”

“Durlin?” Your father spat, venom lacing his tone. “Really? Did that little shit blab? Oh-ho, if your mother was still around-”

“That’s what I was thinking – and that’s not even the worst part!” You were anxiously shifting on the spot now, waving your hands in grand gestures to help explain the shitstorm you’d gotten into. “That bitchy son I mentioned before? He knows! He fucking knows!”

Your dad stilled. “You’re not going back. Tell him I’m sick or dying – shit, anything!”

“I can’t! If I even think about leaving, he’ll tell his father…”

“Which son is it?”

“Heimdall.”

Grave recognition overcame his features, and your father threw his hands in the air. “Of all the sons, it had to be him!”

You wanted to ask how he knew Heimdall, but you feared Odin would become suspicious if you continued to delay, so you quickly leaned in for a hug instead. “Look, we’ve got an agreement going, so I should be fine until-”

“Should be?”

“Come on. I have to go!”

He shook his head as you pulled away from his tight embrace. “I’m always here, sprout, you know that. Dad’s always here…”

“I know,” you whispered, having already made your exit.

Your chest hurts.

A/N: Yoo, what is with the lack of Odin gifs? I could hardly find any except for the ones where he's getting beaten the shit out of by Atreus, Kratos and Freya omg

[khr-guilded-cage]

Rebelled against father (who is a leader/king/don)

After a reveal that they were adopted (actually pretty much kidnapped)

Have an army

Shitty Lying Fathers

Ice Motif

Temporary Antagonist

Youngest (but foster) sibling (Nono's three sons, Hella and Thor)

Rivality with the 'rightful heir'.

Fanon!Xanxus often has him begin of a powerful bloodline Timoteo wanted to control. Loki is Odin's greatest enemy's son, Laufey, that he wished to usurp in a way.