Asgard is a fictional realm and its capital city appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber and Jack Kirby, the realm first appeared in Journey into Mystery #85 (October 1962). Based on the realm of the same name from Germanic mythology (particularly Norse), Asgard is home to the Asgardians and other beings adapted from Norse mythology. It features prominently in stories that follow the Marvel Comics superhero Thor.

Asgard has appeared in comics and various media adaptations, including the Marvel Cinematic Universe films Thor (2011), Thor: The Dark World (2013), Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), Thor: Ragnarok (2017), Avengers: Endgame (2019), and the Disney+ series Loki (2021). Eventually, Asgard was relocated to Earth in Norway and appeared in Avengers: Endgame and Thor: Love and Thunder (2022).

Fictional history

Asgard consists of nine primary realms. The first two, Niflheim and Muspelheim, formed on their own some time after the universe was created. The deity Odin and his brothers, Vili and Ve, killed Ymir and used his bones to create the realm of Midgard between Niflheim and Muspelheim. The siblings went to create mountains and trees using Ymir's bones and hair respectively, then raised his skull upon four pillars to create the heavens. Sparks from Muspelheim were used to create the Sun, Moon, and stars. When Midgard was complete, Odin and his brothers created a home for themselves above it called Asgard. Between the two worlds, they formed a rainbow bridge called the Bifröst.

Once a year Odin must undertake the Odinsleep to regain his strength. During this time Asgard is vulnerable to attack from its many enemies. Among them is Loki, who has usurped the throne of Asgard twice.

It is prophesied that Loki would lead Asgard's enemies in a final conflict known as Ragnarök, which will lead to Asgard's destruction. This comes to pass when Loki obtains the forge that created Mjolnir and creates new uru hammers for his army. Asgard and its inhabitants are destroyed in the resulting battle. After Ragnarök, Thor returns to Earth and rebuilds Asgard outside of Broxton, Oklahoma. He then gathers the Asgardians, who had been reborn as mortals.

Asgard is destroyed yet again after Norman Osborn seizes control of S.H.I.E.L.D. following the Secret Invasion as he seeks to expel the Asgardians. Osborn's forces are defeated with help from the reunited Avengers, although Asgard is toppled by Sentry. Immediately following the Siege, Thor erects Heimdall's observatory atop Stark Tower as sign of solidarity with Midgard and appreciation for the Avengers' aid.

During the "Original Sin" storyline, it is revealed that there is a Tenth Realm in Asgard called Heven that is inhabited by angels. It was cut off from the rest of the realms following the Angels' attack on Asgard, which led to the apparent death of Angela.

Regions

The Asgard dimension contains several distinct regions.

The Nine Realms

{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; text-align:left; margin:1em auto 1em auto;"

|-

! width=12% | World

! width=87% | Notes

|-

| Asgard

| Home of the Asgardians. Asgard is the name of the planetoid, a distinct region on the planetoid and its capital city.

|-

| Vanaheim

| Home of the Vanir who are the sister race of the Asgardians. Vanaheim is a distinct region on the Asgard planetoid.

|-

| Alfheim

| Home of the Light Elves. Alfheim is a distinct region on the Asgard planetoid.

|-

| Nidavellir

| Home of the Dwarves. Nidavellir is a distinct region on the Asgard planetoid.

|-

| Midgard

| The Earthly plane. Although not technically a part of the Asgardian dimension, it is considered one of the Nine Worlds because of its significant connections to Asgard.

|-

| Jotunheim

| Home of the Frost Giants.

|-

| Svartalfheim

| Home of the Dark Elves.

|-

| Hel<nowiki/>heim

| Realm of the dead who are neither honored nor dishonored. Ruled by Hela.

|-

| Muspelheim

| Home of the Fire Giants/Demons. Ruled by the Fire Giant Surtur.

|}

Other worlds and regions

{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; text-align:left; margin:1em auto 1em auto;"

|-

! width=12% | Region

! width=87% | Notes

|-

| Heven

| The tenth world of Asgard and home of the Angels which is paradisal, it was cut off from the rest of Asgard by Odin long ago and not rediscovered until the 2014 Original Sin storyline.

|-

| Valhalla

| Odin's great palace of the honoured dead and is a distinct region on the Asgard planetoid.

|-

| Nornheim

| Realm of the Asgard planetoid ruled by Karnilla.

|-

| Niflheim

| Realm of the cold and ice; another place for the dishonoured dead, closely connected with Helheim.

|}

The six races

The six races of intelligent humanoid beings known to reside within the Asgard dimension.

{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; text-align:left; margin:1em auto 1em auto;"

|-

! style="width:12%;" colspan="2"| Race

!width=87%| Known members

|-

| rowspan="2" | Asgardians

||Æsir

||Aldrif Odinsdottir, Amora the Enchantress, Balder, Bor, Búri, Brunnhilde, Fandral, Hermod, Hildegarde, Hoder, Kelda, Lorelei, Magni, Mimir, Odin, Siriana, Skurge the Executioner, Thor Odinson, Tyr, Vidar, Vili, Sigyn, Sif

|-

|colspan="2" |Demons

||Hrinmeer, Skulveig Brokk, Dvalin,

|-

| rowspan="2" | Elves

||Dark Elves

||Alflyse, Grendell, Kurse, Malekith

|-

||Light Elves

||Aeltri, Fafnir, Fasolt, Gymir, Skurge the Executioner, Solveig, Utgard-Loki, Vidar, Surtur, Ymir, Arkin the Weak

|-

|colspan="2" |Trolls

|Ulik, Geirrodur, Ulla, Askella, Gaark, Garrg, Glagg, Grak, Grundor, Kryllk, Muthos, Olik, Targo,

|-

|colspan="2" |Other

||Hogun, Hrimhari, Karnilla, Mogul of the Mystic Mountain, Three Norns (Urd, Skuld, and Verdandi)

|}

Not to be confused with the dragon Fafnir.

Racial attributes

Although they look human, all Asgardians possess certain superhuman physical attributes. They are extremely long-lived (though not immortal like their Olympian counterparts), aging at an extremely slow rate upon reaching adulthood (through the periodic consumption of the golden apples of Idunn). Asgardian flesh and bone is three times denser than similar human tissue, contributing to their superhuman strength and weight. An average Asgardian male can lift 30 tons (27.2 metric tons); an average Asgardian female can lift about 25 tons (22.7 metric tons). Asgardians are immune to all terrestrial diseases and resistant to conventional injury (however this resilience seems relatively incapable of defeating the zombie plague in Earth-2149 that affects even Asgardians). The metabolism of the Asgardians gives them superhuman stamina in all physical activities.

Fire Demons are beings of fire and tend to be about the same stature as the Asgardians.

Flora and fauna

Flora

Yggdrasil; the world tree is an immense ash tree that is central to the Asgardian dimension. The tree is supported by three roots that extended far into the other worlds; one to the spring of Hvergelmir in Niflheim, one to the well of Mimir in Jotunheim, and another to the well of Wyrd in Asgard. Though Midgard is not physically connected to Yggdrasil, it is said that the Earth's axis is in alignment with the tree. Odin once hung himself from the tree for nine days and nights as a sacrifice to gain knowledge of the runes. Thor repeated this action during Ragnarök. Later Amora the Enchantress attempt to destroy the tree in an effort to free the body of Skurge the Executioner from its roots, an action that nearly tore apart the fabric of reality.

Fauna

  • Dragons are ancient creatures that are stated to live in Nastrond. These include Fafnir, Hakurel; a dragon Thor slew during one of his earliest adventures, and Níðhöggr; who feeds on the roots of Yggdrasil. and Lerad; an eagle that guards the magic apples of Yggdrasil.
  • Huginn and Muninn are Odin's pet ravens. They guided Thor to find the means to end the Ragnarök cycle and again through Hel to find Odin.
  • Midgard Serpent; an immense serpent that lives in the Sea of Space circling Midgard, ready to eat unwary sailors. Thor previously had eight steeds: Firegnaw, Mudbrute, Slaughterbit, Smokemare, Snow Harpy, Stormbringer, Swamptooth and Warhoof. The horses were killed by humans during a famine and reborn as Sleipnir.

Reception

Accolades

  • In 2019, CBR.com ranked Asgard 6th in their "10 Most Iconic Superhero Hideouts In Marvel Comics" list.

In other media

Television

  • Asgard appears in the Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends episode "The Vengeance of Loki".
  • Asgard is featured in The Super Hero Squad Show.
  • Asgard was introduced in The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes episode "Thor the Mighty".
  • Asgard appears in the Ultimate Spider-Man episode "Field Trip".
  • Asgard appears in Avengers Assemble.
  • Asgard appears in Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H.
  • Asgard appears in the Guardians of the Galaxy episode "We are the World Tree".
  • Asgard appears in the M.O.D.O.K. episode "Tales from the Great Bar-Mitzvah War!".
  • Asgard appears in a flashback sequence in the Loki episode "The Nexus Event".

Film

thumb|right|300px|Asgard as depicted in the 2011 feature film [[Thor (film)|Thor.]]

  • Asgard appears in Hulk vs. Thor.
  • Asgard appears in Thor: Tales of Asgard.
  • Asgard and Jotunheim appear in the Marvel Cinematic Universe live-action film Thor (2011), directed by Kenneth Branagh.
  • Asgard, Svartalfheim, Vanaheim, and Jotunheim appear in Thor: The Dark World (2013). Muspelheim is also seen briefly through a dimensional rift.
  • Asgard and Muspelheim appear in Thor: Ragnarok (2017), where Asgard is devastated by Surtur. Following Asgard's destruction, Thor and the surviving Asgardians leave Asgard to find a new home.
  • Nidavellir appears in the live-action film Avengers: Infinity War (2018). This version is a neutron star surrounded by a forge which the dwarves used to craft weapons.
  • An alternate version of Asgard appears in Avengers: Endgame (2019). Thor and Rocket travel to an alternate 2013 timeline and visit Asgard to retrieve the Reality Stone.

Video games

  • Asgard appears in Marvel: Ultimate Alliance.
  • Asgard appears in Marvel Super Hero Squad.
  • Asgard appears in Thor: God of Thunder.
  • Asgard appears as a stage in Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds and its remake Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3.
  • Asgard appears in Marvel Super Hero Squad Online.
  • Asgard appears in Marvel Heroes.
  • Asgard appears in Lego Marvel Super Heroes, Lego Marvel's Avengers and Lego Marvel Super Heroes 2.
  • Asgard appears as a stage in Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite, merged with Abel City from the Mega Man X series to become Xgard.
  • Asgard appears in Marvel Snap.

Theme parks

Asgard appears in the Disneyland attraction "Treasures of Asgard".

References

  • Asgard at the Marvel Database wiki
  • Asgard at the Marvel Directory
  • Nine Realms from Marvel Cinematic Database