Ragnarok - The Twilight of the Gods
The prophesied end of the world when the gods will fall in battle against the forces of chaos, and the cosmos will be consumed by fire and flood before being reborn anew.
The Prophecy
Ragnarok is not just an end, but the inevitable culmination of cosmic destiny. The völva's prophecy in the Völuspá describes this cataclysm in vivid detail. It begins with three winters without summer (Fimbulwinter), when brother will fight brother and all bonds will break. The wolves Sköll and Hati will devour the sun and moon, plunging the world into darkness.
The Battles
- Odin vs. Fenrir: The Allfather will be devoured by the great wolf, avenged by his son Vidar
- Thor vs. Jormungandr: Thor kills the World Serpent but dies from its venom after nine steps
- Tyr vs. Garmr: The one-handed god and the hellhound kill each other
- Loki vs. Heimdall: The blood-brothers slay one another
- Freyr vs. Surtr: Freyr falls to the fire giant, who then sets the world ablaze
The Renewal
After the flames and floods subside, a new world will emerge from the waters, green and fertile. Some gods will survive - Vidar, Vali, Modi, Magni, and Baldr and Hod returning from Hel. Two humans, Lif and Lifthrasir, will have hidden in Yggdrasil and will repopulate the earth. The new world will be free from the old corruptions, a fresh beginning.
Related Content
Cross-Cultural Parallels
- Titanomachy - Greek war of the gods
- Pralaya - Hindu cosmic dissolution
- Frashokereti - Zoroastrian final renewal
- Apocalypse - Christian end times
Related Archetypes
- Apocalypse - World-ending cataclysm
- Cosmic Cycle - Death and rebirth of worlds
- Final Battle - Ultimate conflict of good and evil
See Also
- Ragnarok (Cosmology) - Detailed account of the end times
- Odin - Who seeks to delay Ragnarok
- Loki - Who leads forces of chaos
- Yggdrasil - The tree that survives
- Valhalla - Where warriors prepare