Hodr

This article contains lore based on real-life sources from Norse mythology as introduced from the God of War Norse era.

Hodr (Old Norse: Höðr, Nordic: ᚺᛟᛞᚱ) is the blind Norse God of Darkness and Winter.

Quick Answers

Who are the parents of Hodr in Norse mythology?

In Norse mythology, Hodr, also known as Höðr, Hodur, or Hod, is the son of Odin and Frigg. He is a blind god, twin to Baldr, and was raised in Gladsheim, Asgard, as part of the Aesir gods.

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How does Hodr, the Norse God of Darkness and Winter, end up killing his twin brother Baldr?

Hodr, the Norse god of darkness and a blind deity, is duped by Loki into causing the death of his twin, Baldr. Frigg, their mother, had procured a promise from all creation not to harm Baldr, overlooking only the mistletoe. The gods, aware of Baldr's immunity, would throw objects at him for amusement. Loki exploited this by tricking Hodr into throwing mistletoe, the sole entity capable of harming Baldr, resulting in Baldr's demise.

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What role does Loki play in the story of Hodr?

In Hodr's narrative, Loki is instrumental. He deceives Hodr, Odin and Frigg's blind son, into firing a mistletoe arrow, the sole entity capable of slaying the invincible Baldr, Hodr's twin. This deceit results in Baldr's death, plunging the Aesir gods into deep grief. As a response, Odin and the giantess Rindr produce Vali, who is predestined to avenge Baldr's death by eliminating Hodr.

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Why is Hodr often referred to as the 'blind god' in Norse mythology?

Hodr, alternatively Höðr or Hodur, is the 'blind god' in Norse mythology due to his literal lack of sight. He is the offspring of Odin and Frigg, and Baldr's twin. Loki deceived Hodr into firing a mistletoe arrow, leading to the death of Baldr, who was otherwise impervious. Hodr's titles also include the Norse God of Darkness and Winter, possibly symbolizing his blindness as these elements often signify absence of vision or clarity.

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What is the significance of the mistletoe arrow in the story of Hodr and Baldr?

In the narrative of Hodr and Baldr, the mistletoe arrow is crucial. Loki exploits the fact that Frigg, Baldr's mother, overlooked the mistletoe when making all things swear not to harm Baldr. Loki crafts a magic spear from the mistletoe, gives it to the blind god Hodr, Baldr's brother, and deceives him into killing Baldr. The mistletoe spear instantly kills Baldr, leading to widespread shock and sorrow among the gods.

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Norse Mythology

Höðr; often anglicized as Hod, Hoder, or Hodur) is god in Norse mythology. The blind son of Odin and Frigg and twin brother of Baldr, he is tricked and guided by Loki into shooting a mistletoe arrow which was to slay the otherwise invulnerable Baldr.

According to the Prose Edda and the Poetic Edda, the goddess Frigg, Baldr's mother, made everything in existence swear never to harm Baldr, except for the mistletoe, which she found too unimportant to ask (alternatively, which she found too young to demand an oath from). The gods amused themselves by trying weapons on Baldr and seeing them fail to do any harm. Loki, the mischief-maker, upon finding out about Baldr's one weakness, made a spear from mistletoe, and helped Höðr shoot it at Baldr. In reaction to this, Odin and the giantess Rindr gave birth to Váli, who grew to adulthood within a day and slew Höðr.

The Danish historian Saxo Grammaticus recorded an alternative version of this myth in his Gesta Danorum. In this version, the mortal hero Høtherus and the demi-god Balderus compete for the hand of Nanna. Ultimately, Høtherus slays Balderus.

Two widely divergent versions of this story exist. The more familiar of the two (the one recounted in the above link) comes from the Prose Edda of the medieval Icelander Snorri Sturluson. As Snorri tells it, the god Baldur, who is here portrayed as being a charming, beloved, innocent sufferer, had dreams that foretold his imminent death. His mother, Frigg, went around and obtained oaths from everything in the world that they would not harm her son. The only being she omitted was the mistletoe, as she thought it to be too small and harmless a thing to be of any real consequence in this matter. When the wily trickster Loki discovered this oversight, he fashioned a mistletoe spear.

While all the gods were amusing themselves by throwing every available projectile at Baldur and laughing as the things bounced off of their unharmed companion, Loki approached Hodr – here portrayed as blind and rather gullible – with the mistletoe spear. He convinced Hodr to throw the spear at Baldur to contribute to the game and to honor the strength of his brother. (Hodr and Baldur were both sons of Odin.) With Loki guiding his hand, Hodr launched the spear at Baldur. The weapon pierced him, and, to the shock and horror of all present, he fell dead on the spot.

Hodr was later killed by Vali, son of the Giantess Rindr, who, with Odin gave birth to him for the sole purpose of avenging Baldr's death.

In the God of War Series

Backstory

Hodr presumably was born to two Aesir gods and grew up in Gladsheim in Asgard.

God of War (2018)

The Lost Pages of Norse Myth

Though Hodr does not appear but he is mentioned by Mimir in the The Lost Pages of Norse Myth. Hodur was present along with the other gods including Idunn, Bragi and Heimdall witness The First Great War. When Freyr was set on fire by the gods, he saw Hodr, Bragi, Sif and Hœnir drunk.

Powers and Abilities

• Immortality: as a Norse God, Hodr is immortal. Only a sufficiently powerful weapon or an extremely powerful being can kill him.

Trivia

• Baldur is killed by Kratos instead of Hodr because in Norse Mythology, he was tricked by Loki to kill his brother. It is unknown if he is destined to be killed by his half-brother Váli.
  • Considering the fact Hodr is mentioned in the Lost Pages of Norse Myth before Freya's marriage to Odin, before Baldur was even born, it's most likely that Hodr is only Baldur's half-brother or has no family relationship with him.
• His Greek equivalent (in terms of his ability over Darkness) is the primordial darkness god Erebus.