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| Asgard | |
|---|---|
 Cover of Tales of Asgard #1 (October 1968) showing Asgard and some of the inhabitants of the Asgardian dimension Artist Jack Kirby |
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| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| In story information | |
| Type | Dimension |
| Notable races | Asgardians |
Asgard is a fictional realm within the Marvel Comics universe based on the Asgard of Norse mythology and is home to the Asgardians and other beings of Norse mythology. Asgard features prominently in tales of Thor.
Contents |
Fictional History
In the comic books, Asgard is an asteroid-like world suspended in a "Sea of Space". Gravity radiates from somewhere underneath this asteroid. The top of this "asteroid" is flat like a table. If someone stepped off of this "table", they would fall off the "asteroid" and down through space until they reached the "gravity-generator". Asgard can only be reached from Earth by crossing Bifröst, the Rainbow Bridge.
Asgard is cyclically destroyed by a Ragnarok and the Asgardians reborn. The previous Asgardians were called the Aesir, and that Asgard was destroyed at the time of the birth of Christ.[1]
In 2008, as a part of the new Thor series, Asgard, along with the Asgardians, is brought back from Ragnarok by Thor.[volume & issue needed] The new Asgard is located on a floating landmass outside of Broxton, Oklahoma. Asgard is now fully within the Earthly plane of existence, instead of merely connected by Bifröst, and portrayed as only the city of the gods without the larger realms previously associated with it, though references to the Nine Worlds have frequently been made by various writers since,[volume & issue needed] implying their existence elsewhere is still possible.
Regions
The Asgardian dimension contains several distinct regions.
The Nine Worlds
Asgard
Asgard is the home of the Asgardians. Both the planetoid itself and the city of the Asgardians on the planetoid are named "Asgard".
Vanaheim
Vanaheim is the home of the Vanir who is the sister race of the Asgardians. Vanaheim is a distinct region on the Asgard planetoid.
Alfheim
Alfheim is the home of the Light Elves. Alfheim is a distinct region on the Asgard planetoid.
Nidavellir
Nidavellir is the home of the Dwarves. Nidavellir is a distinct region on the Asgard planetoid.
Midgard
Midgard is the Earthly plane of existence. Although technically not a part of the Asgardian dimension, it is considered one of the Nine Worlds by the Asgardians because of its significant connections to Asgard.
Jotunheim
Jotunheim is the home of the Giants.
Svartalfheim
Svartalfheim is the home of the Dark Elves.
Hel
Hel is the realm of the dead who are neither honored nor dishonored. It is ruled by Hela.
Muspelheim
Muspelheim is the home of the Demons. It was ruled by Surtur before he disappeared.
Other Regions
Valhalla
Valhalla is a realm of the honored dead and is a distinct region on the Asgard planetoid.
Niffleheim
Niffleheim is the realm of the dishonored dead which is distinct but closely connected to Hel.
The Six Races
Asgardians
The Asgardians live in Asgard and are the most human-looking and powerful of the races but are not, unlike the other races, believed to be native to Asgard.
Known Asgardians
- Amora (the Enchantress)
- Balder
- Frigga
- Frey
- Heimdall
- Hela
- Hermod
- Hoder
- Idunn
- Karnilla
- Kelda
- Loki
- Lorelei
- Odin
- Skurge (the Executioner)
- Sigyn
- Sif
- Thor
- Tyr
- Valkyrie
- Vidar
- Volla
- Warriors Three
Giants
- Main article: Giants
The Giants live in Jotunheim.
Known giants
Dwarves
The Dwarves live in Nidavellir, and Eitri is their king.
Elves
- Main article: Elves
The Light Elves live in Alfheim and the Dark Elves live in Svartalfheim.
Known Elves
Trolls
The Trolls live in scattered settlements throughout Asgard, Vanaheim, Svartalfheim, and Jotunheim.
Known trolls
Demons
- Main article: Demons
The Demons live in Muspelheim.
Known demons
Others
Racial Powers
All known Asgardian races have super-human strength and are extremely long lived, not truly immortal like The Olympians but long enough lived to seem ageless. Each group has especially dense body tissue rendering most of them bullet proof to at least small caliber weapons. Ulik resisted high powered, armor piercing rounds,[volume & issue needed] but it should be noted that he is the strongest of Rock Trolls and is probably more durable as well. The Asgardians have been shown to be bullet resistant but not completely unscathed from damage by them, though the more powerful gods, such as Thor and Odin have shown complete immunity to them.
Though upon a world undefended by any known Sorcerer Supreme, all Asgardian races (like all sentient races of the Marvel Universe, including humans) have the natural ability to harness eldritch energy (magic) far more easily than humans, drawing upon the ambient mystical might of Asgard itself and power-objects found therein, though their magical strength wanes beyond their native dimensional plane, if never fading completely. It has previously been stated by the Sorcerer Supreme of Midgard, Doctor Strange, that personal vitality is a key factor in one's ability to harness magic,[volume & issue needed] and since Asgardians are many times more durable than humans they can manipulate far greater magics than most human beings. Unlike human beings all Asgardians continued existences are tied into the continued health of the world tree Yggdrasil and the fabric of their destinies woven by the Norns.
References
- Journey into Mystery #85 (Marvel Comics, October 1962)
- Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Deluxe Edition (Marvel Comics)
- #1: Abomination to Batroc's Brigade (August 1985): Asgard
- Thor v1 #294 (Marvel Comics, 1979)
Notes
- ^ Thor v1 #294 (Marvel Comics, 1979)
External links
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