Jörmungandr
Jörmungandr, the Midgard Serpent, is a giant sea serpent in Norse mythology who encircles the world and is destined to fight Thor during Ragnarök.
Thor's Fishing Expedition: A Norse myth in which Thor hooks Jörmungandr while fishing with the giant Hymir. This encounter brings Thor and the serpent face to face before Ragnarök.
Midgard: The realm of humans in Norse cosmology, situated within a wider structure of divine and otherworldly realms. Jörmungandr coils around the human world, giving it the name Midgard Serpent.
Loki: A figure in Norse mythology, associated with the gods and with disruption, who fathers several extraordinary beings. Loki is Jörmungandr’s father in the mythic genealogy.
Norse mythology: The body of myths and legends associated with pre-Christian Scandinavia and preserved in medieval sources. Jörmungandr’s story belongs to this mythic tradition and its account of the world’s fate.
Ragnarök: The prophesied series of events in Norse mythology that brings about the destruction and renewal of the world. Jörmungandr’s final battle with Thor takes place during this world-ending conflict.
Ouroboros: An ancient symbol of a serpent or dragon swallowing its own tail, associated with cycles and renewal. Both images use a circular serpent, but Jörmungandr guards the world’s boundary rather than symbolizing a universal cycle.
Angrboða: A giantess in Norse mythology and the mother of Fenrir, Jörmungandr, and Hel by Loki. She is Jörmungandr’s mother and shares its association with the gods’ prophesied troubles.
Ragnarök in popular culture: Modern adaptations and reinterpretations of the Norse myth of Ragnarök across literature, games, film, and other media. Jörmungandr’s conflict with Thor is repeatedly adapted alongside Ragnarök.
Hymiskviða: An Old Norse poem in the Poetic Edda recounting Thor’s journey to the giant Hymir and a fishing expedition. Its version of the fishing episode ends with the serpent escaping Thor’s hook.
Thor: A major Norse god associated with thunder, strength, and the protection of gods and humans. Thor is Jörmungandr’s destined adversary and kills it during Ragnarök.