The Norse mythology refers to the mythic system peculiar to the Scandinavia, and based on folktale and legends in Nordic countries like Norway, Sweden and Denmark. Films based on Norse mythology, such as Thor franchise, Beowulf and Percy Jackson franchise, are very popular in recent years. And similar to other mythologies around the world, peculiar creatures are the major elements in Norse mythology.
Loki
Loki’s life is full of evildoing. He was originally the god of fire and trick, one of the twelve major gods in Asgard. But other gods’ hatred on him increased when he went out of line. He murdered the god of brightness Baldr and stopped his resurrection, which led to his incarceration in a cave, with venom of viper dribbling on his face every day. As a result, his face was destroyed and distorted. Loki did not escape until the events of Ragnarök, where he encountered Heimdallr on the battlefield. Loki was no match for Heimdallr, but he made it to give Heimdallr a desperate hit, they were both killed in the end.
Jörmungandr
Jörmungandr is one of Loki’s children and was originally a little snake. Later he became the world serpent after being thrown into the ocean and grew up with the rich resources in the ocean. When the Ragnarök came, Jörmungandr killed Thor with his venom, but he is also died under Thor’s hammer Mjölnir.
Fenrir
Fenrir is one of Loki’s children and was originally raised up by other gods as a little wolf. But the gods increasingly feared him as he grew bigger, at last they tied him up with the cost of one of Tyr’s arms. During the Ragnarök, Fenrir broke free and swallowed Odin. Fenrir is a fire-spitting monster whose body grows bigger as the battle goes on.
Hel
Hel is one of Loki’s children, with half of her body alive and the other half dead. She was appointed by Odin as the ruler of Niflheim. During the Ragnarök, she led the hellhound Garmr, ferocious dragon Nidhogg and her army of ghosts broke through the ground and declared war on Asgardian gods.
Hrungnir
Hrungnir has a mythic horse Gullfaxi. When he saw Odin traveling across the sky on his eight-foot horse Sleipnir, he stopped Odin and asked for a horse racing. Odin won by a narrow margin, and the Asgardian gods invited Hrungnir to a drink in Asgard. Hrungnir began to talk wildly to Asgardian gods after he became drunk. Out of rage, the gods asked Thor to challenge Hrungnir; they made an appointment for a duel at the border between Asgard and Jotunheim.
Kraken
Kraken is the most famous sea monster in Norse mythology. With a body as long as 150 meters, it often overturns ships on the sea. It has huge tentacles which drag ships into the bottom of sea, therefore it is believed that Kraken is based on the Architeuthis haunting near the Norwegian Sea.
Surtur
Surtur is the guardian of the fiery realm Muspell. He always carries his sword of flame and has the power to burn the whole world into ashes. During the events of Ragnarök, Surtur led cavalries from Muspell to attack Asgard. He killed the god of fertility Freyr who lost his sword, but he himself was also badly injured. He later burnt the world into ashes after going mad.
Cerberus
Cerberus has three heads, and there is a large mouth full of tusks on each one of them. It does not just look rapacious, but is also virtually very powerful. This creature is a real demon of bloodthirst and ruthlessness. According to the legends, Cerberus is not from the hell, but a world much more horrible than hell. It looks outwardly distorted and scary, has three head and a snake tail. Vipers are around its head and back like hairy, and aconite grows on the land where its venom dribbles on.
Fafnir
Fafnir was originally a dwarf, but he killed his father for the treasure his father obtained from Loki. He then became a dragon guarding these treasures, and was later slain by the young hero Sigurd, a descendant of Odin in the human world.
Ymir
At the very beginning of the universe, the ruler of foreworld and ancestor of jötnar Ymir, was born under the continuous alternate action of ice from north and fire from south. Afterwards, Ymir was killed by Odin and his brothers Vili and Vé in the struggle for living space. Ymir’s body was so huge that Odin and his brothers created oceans, lakes, ground, mountains, plants, rocks, firmament and clouds respectively with Ymir’s blood, sweat, torso, skeletons, beard, teeth, skull and brains; thus they rebuilt the world.
