Ragnarök, (Old Norse: “Doom of the Gods”), in Scandinavian mythology, the end of the world of gods and men. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. He is the main antagonist of both Thor and The Avengers. According to those two sources, the Ragnarök will be preceded by cruel winters and moral chaos. Imprisoned on the other side of the universe, the mighty Thor (Chris Hemsworth) finds himself in a deadly gladiatorial contest that pits him against The Incredible Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), his former ally and fellow Avenger. Thor learns from Surtur that Odin (Anthony Hopkins) is not on Asgard, so uses Mjolnir (his hammer) to escape and destroy Surtur, keeping his crown/skull, the demon's power source. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Omissions? In Scandinavian mythology, Ragnarök is a series of events and catastrophes that will ultimately lead to the end of the world. Loki is a Marvel Comics character, a supervillain turned hero based onthe Norse God of Mischief. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. | The sun will be darkened, the stars will vanish, and the earth will sink into the sea. Tom Hiddleston is back as fan-favorite MCU character Loki in a new Marvel series on Disney+. Thor and Loki (Tom Hiddleston) accidentally end up on Sakaar, a planet run by the The Grandmaster (Jeff Goldblum), part-tyrant, part-ringmaster. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Thor is a 2011 superhero film, based on the Marvel Comics superhero of the same name. In Asgard. Original Sin is a Marvel Universe wide event with absolutely essential ramifications for Thor (Original Sin is a Jason Aaron penned Marvel event, and ties into his full Thor run as a result). Little does Thor know is that the champion is his old friend and fellow Avenger, The Incredible Hulk (Mark Ruffalo). Early on in Thor: Ragnarok (2017), the eponymous hero (played by Chris Hemsworth) returns to his home planet, Asgard, and catches the end of a … The Bifrost itself was destroyed along with everything else in Asgard at the end of Thor: Ragnarok. The story opens about two years after the events in 'Avengers: Age of Ultron'. Ragnarök culminates in a final battle between the gods and the demons and giants, ending in the death of the gods. Imprisoned on the planet Sakaar, Thor must race against time to return to Asgard and stop Ragnarök, the destruction of his world, at the hands of the powerful and ruthless villain Hela. Ragnarök, (Old Norse: “Doom of the Gods”), in Scandinavian mythology, the end of the world of gods and men. Disjointed allusions to the Ragnarök, found in many other sources, show that conceptions of it varied. The Ragnarök is fully described only in the Icelandic poem Völuspá (“Sibyl’s Prophecy”), probably of the late 10th century, and in the 13th-century Prose Edda of Snorri Sturluson (d. 1241), Heimdall subsequently fled and his whereabouts are unknown. Original Sin: Thor & Loki – The Tenth Realm 1-5. The initial prediction was made by the JORVIK Viking Centre museum, with the predicted date coinciding with their annual festival. Loki's wife caught much of this venom in a cup, but whenever she emptied the cup Loki writhed in agony, creating earthquakes. Surtur believes his destiny is to bring about Ragnarok, the complete destruction of Asgard. This was the beginning of the end, for Loki then allied himself with the Giants and demons, who would bring ruin on the Aesir. Thor was born in Asgard, one of the three sons of Odin and alongside his half-brothers Balder and Loki formed the Warriors Three. The following battles will be fought: Some researchers believe that the story of Ragnarök is inspired by natural events and catastrophes. Thor's quest for survival leads him in a race against time to prevent the all-powerful Hela (Cate Blanchett) from destroying his home world and the Asgardian civilization. Afterward, the earth will rise again, the innocent Balder will return from the dead, and the hosts of the just will live in a hall roofed with gold. The Ragnarök is fully described only in the Icelandic poem Völuspá (“Sibyl’s Prophecy”), probably of the late 10th century, and in the 13th-century Prose Edda of Snorri Sturluson (d. 1241), which largely follows the Völuspá. She is incredibly powerful and malevolent, and claims the throne to Asgard, killing anyone who opposes her. According to one poem two human beings, Lif and Lifthrasir (“Life” and “Vitality”), will emerge from the world tree (which was not destroyed) and repeople the earth. Here's everything we know so far, including the first … Marvel One-Shots are a series of direct-to-video short films produced by Marvel Studios, set within the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), released from 2011 to 2014. Meanwhile, a new threat rises as the evil Hela, Goddess of Death (Cate Blanchett) takes over Asgard and plans to conquer the universe. Teaming with The Incredible Hulk and his deceptive brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston), Thor must return home to Asgard in time to stop Hela and prevent the approaching Ragnarök, the apocalyptic destruction of Asgard. In order to get home, Thor must compete in a gladiator match against the defending champion of the Grandmaster (Jeff Goldblum). In 2014 media outlets reported that the Viking calendar placed Ragnarök and the subsequent end of the world on February 22, 2014. Synopsis Taglines The Incredible Hulk (Mark Ruffalo). In some versions, the earth will then sink and rise again with two human survivors who will reemerge out of the world tree and repopulate the world. This version of the mythological Loki was created by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, and Larry Lieber. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. There are striking similarities between the events of Ragnarök and the effects of a severe volcanic eruption, such as the darkening of the sky from ash and the earth trembling. Plot Keywords In the Thor films the Bifrost was operated by Heimdall, who was killed off at the start of Avengers: Infinity War. The title of Richard Wagner’s opera Götterdämmerung is a German equivalent of Ragnarök meaning “twilight of the gods.”. However, since the D.B. Four years after defeating the Dark Elves and two years after the fight in Sokovia, Thor (Chris Hemsworth) now finds himself trapped on the other side of the universe on the wacky planet of Sakaar. Updates? Thor (Chris Hemsworth), having failed in his quest to locate the Infinity Stones and having also been dumped by Jane (although he insists it was a 'mutual dumping') is hanging in chains above a fire pit before being brought before the monstrous fire demon Surtur. He received Mjolnir from Odin, which allowed Asgard to win the thousand-years war against Jotunheim. | He is oneof the main characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe saga. | Original Sin: Thor & Loki: The Tenth Realm. Parents Guide. Realizing what's happened, Thor quickly forces Loki (who usurped and disguised himself as Odin prior to the end of 'Thor: The Dark World') to drop his charade and demands to know what happened to Odin. Thor returns to Asgard and sends Surtur's skull down to the vaults but then finds Heimdall (Idris Elba) has been replaced as sentry of the Bifrost Bridge by the inept Skurge (Karl Urban) who explains that Odin accused Heimdall of treachery. Thor: The Dark World is the 2013 sequel to Thor and the eighth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, directed by Alan Taylor of Game of Thrones fame.. After the events of Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), and four years after the events of Thor: The Dark World (2013), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), held captive on the planet Sakaar without his hammer, must win a gladiatorial duel against The Incredible Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) and assemble a team (made up of The Incredible Hulk, Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson), Thor, and Loki (Tom Hiddleston)) to stop the villainous Hela (Cate Blanchett) and the impending Ragnarök, the doom of the Asgardian civilization. They are included as special features in the MCU films' Blu-ray and digital distribution releases, but are not included in the DVD releases. It is revealed that Loki had placed Odin under a spell and dumped him in a retirement home in New York City. Original Sin. I've always been a fan of mythological games and series, so Thor really appeals when Marvel goes to town bringing Norse mythology to the big screen with Odin and Loki. Ragnarök, however, did not happen. Odin (Sir Anthony Hopkins) has died and Thor (Chris Hemsworth) discovers that he has a sister, Hela, the Goddess of Death (Cate Blanchett). Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. In Norse mythology, Ragnarök ("fate of the gods") is the battle at the end of the world.It is to be fought between the gods or Æsir, led by Odin; and the fire giants, the Jötnar and other monsters, led by Loki and Surtr.Not only will most of the gods, giants, and monsters die in this battle, but almost everything in the universe will be destroyed.. The story of Ragnarök is prominently featured in two works of literature: Völuspá, an Icelandic poem of the 10th century, and Prose Edda, a poetry collection about Norse mythology written by the poet and historian Snorri Sturluson in the 13th century. Thor Pre-Ragnarok. Giants and demons approaching from all points of the compass will attack the gods, who will meet them and face death like heroes. This first outing for Thor, brings a fairly childish prince through eye opening experiences as his mistakes nearly cost him universal peace. The film was released on April 27, 2011 internationally and on May 6, 2011 in the United States. Ring in the new year with a Britannica Membership, https://www.britannica.com/event/Ragnarok, Ancient Origins - The story of Ragnarok and the Apocalypse, Ragnarok - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). Corrections? It is the fourth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universeand the fourth film of Phase One. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students.