Simply Ragnarok

Yes you read the title correctly. I typed this up at the request of a pal. There aren't a whole lot of accurate and simplified versions of Ragnarok. If you want to know the basics of it, this is for you. I'd also be interested in hearing your opinions on Ragnarok.

The twilight of the gods begins with the Fimbulwinter. Three years of winter and bloodshed shall consume the earth. This is ended when the wolves Skoll and Hati devour the sun and moon, at this moment many things happen. The world is shrouded in darkness and the roots of Yggdrasil are gnawed through by Nidhogg and terrible tremors rake throughout the world tree. This will release Loki and Fenrir from their bindings. Jormangandr is also rolled from the sea and onto land. He poisons the air with his breath.

Heimdall in Asgard blows on Gjallarhorn to sound the final battle. The Aesir meet the giants led by Loki and Surtr on the field of Vigrid. The Einherjar aslo gather for the battle. Fenrir and Odin battle, Odin is devoured and Vidarr kills Fenrir. Jormungandr and Thor kill each other as well. Loki and Heimdall clash in epic battle and both are slain. Surtr runs Freyr through with his fiery sword as Freyr rams an antler into Surtr's eye. Tyr kills Garm. Magni and Modi fight giant after giant. Gods and giants die in mass numbers.

Surtr lifts his sword and engulfs the worlds in flame. Destruction rains down throughout the nine worlds as the cries of gods, men, and giants mix together in death.

After the fire settles and the survivors are found the remaining gods gather in a field to discuss rebuilding and remember in sorrow the deaths and lives of their kin. Magni, Modi, Vidarr, Vali, Baldr, Nanni, Hodr, and a few others are now what is left of the gods. Surtr also survives and returns to solitude in Muspelheim. Two humans were kept safe with Mimir to restart the world of men once more.

This is a terrible tragedy for everyone. To see these important figures fall in battle over silly hatred for one another. Their collective hate was the undoing of the universe. So think about Ragnarok when you are feeling spiteful, and remember well the rewards for spite.

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A good read.

What I've read before, lead me to believe Loki and the giants took over Asgard.

I found it interesting, that Asgard and Midgard are built. The rest of the "end of the world" tales, the world of man is completely destroyed.

Again, it was a good read, and I look forward to more from you.

i always found it ironic how the descriptionof the fimblewinter soundsso much likea neuclear winter....

Indeed it does.

I find it interesting, who each religion has it's own version, about our world ending.

I'm going to agree, Ragnarok has similarities to a nuclear winter.

I like how the Raknarok story leaves it totally
open for Christianity to step in.. Baldr is the God who emerges and there's 2 humans left to procreate. .. Hmmmmm sounds like the beginning of Genesis to me... Just an opinion though... Great read,for sure...

Good read. As I was reading I also realized how astonishingly similar the story is to a nuclear war. The horn being warning sirens, the explosions fro the bombs are Surt's flames, earthquakes are the bombs droping, and the long winter being a nuclear one. It just seems the story is an out of order nuclear war... Intiresting.

I wonder if the end of the world story is the same in different Pantheons... I'll have to go check,that is an interesting thought..

The reason that Ragnarok ends queued to welcome Christianity is because the majority of its description was written by a Christian Skald, 200 years after his ancestors converted to Christianity. One can imagine that the Ragnarok story is highly influenced by Snori Sturluson's Christian worldview.

Snorri does that. My kindle found me a book don't know if It's any good haven't read it ,but the author says hes rewritten it out with the Christian overtone....Henry Adams Bellow is the mans name.... It's on my list to read,but after Jotunbok,which if anyone's read it is a slow thoughtful read..If anyone gets to it please post a review..