Giants & Jötnar
The old powers beyond the fence — from primordial Ymir to Surtr, who ends the world.
Ymir
Primordial jötunnThe first living being, born of fire meeting ice in the void Ginnungagap; slain by Odin and his brothers, who built the world from his corpse.
Surtr
Fire-jötunn — lord of MúspellsheimrThe fire-giant who has guarded the frontier of Múspellsheimr since before the world began, and who will burn all creation with his flaming sword at Ragnarök.
Ægir
Jötunn of the sea — host of the godsThe giant of the deep sea, famed brewer and host whose golden-lit hall welcomes the gods to feast; husband of Rán and father of the nine wave-daughters.
Rán
Jötunn goddess of the drowning seaGoddess of the sea's hunger, who catches drowning sailors in her net and keeps them in her hall beneath the waves.
Angrboða
Jötunn — mother of monstersThe giantess of Ironwood who bore Loki three children — Fenrir, Jörmungandr, and Hel — the monsters of Ragnarök.
Þjazi
Jötunn — the eagle-giantThe eagle-giant who abducted Iðunn and her apples of youth, and was burned at Asgard's wall; his eyes became stars, and his daughter Skaði came for redress.
Útgarða-Loki
Jötunn king of illusionsThe giant-king of Útgarðr whose contests of illusion humiliated Thor — whose drinking horn was the sea, whose cat was the World Serpent, and whose old nurse was Old Age itself.
Þrymr
Jötunn king — thief of MjölnirThe giant-king who stole Thor's hammer and demanded Freyja as ransom — and got Thor in a bridal veil instead, briefly.
Hymir
Jötunn — owner of the mile-deep cauldronThe sour sea-giant whose mile-deep brewing cauldron the gods needed for their feasts — and whose fishing trip with Thor nearly ended the world early.
Suttungr
Jötunn — hoarder of the Mead of PoetryThe giant who extorted the Mead of Poetry from his parents' murderers and sealed it inside a mountain — until Odin drank his hoard and seduced his daughter.
Gunnlöð
Jötunn — guardian of the meadSuttungr's daughter, set to guard the Mead of Poetry inside the mountain — seduced and abandoned by Odin, who drank everything she was guarding.
Vafþrúðnir
Jötunn — the all-wise riddlerThe wisest of giants, who wagered his head in a knowledge-duel with a disguised Odin — and lost on the one question only Odin can answer.
Gerðr
Jötunn — bride of FreyrThe giantess so beautiful her raised arms lit the sky and sea, for whose hand Freyr gave away the sword he will need at Ragnarök.
Gríðr
Jötunn — Thor's outfitterThe friendly giantess who warned Thor about Geirröðr's treachery and lent him the gear that saved his life — and the mother of Odin's son Víðarr.
Hrungnir
Jötunn — the stone-headed duellerThe strongest of giants, with a head and heart of stone, who drunkenly threatened all Asgard and died in the first formal duel of the myths — leaving a whetstone shard in Thor's skull.
Geirröðr
Jötunn — Thor's would-be murdererThe giant who caught Loki in falcon-shape and ransomed him for a promise: deliver Thor, without his hammer or belt. It nearly worked.
Bestla
Jötunn — mother of OdinThe frost-giantess who mothered Odin, Vili, and Vé — meaning the Allfather himself is half jötunn, and the whole war of gods and giants is a family quarrel.
Hræsvelgr
Jötunn — the corpse-swallowing eagle of the windsThe giant in eagle's shape who sits at the northern edge of heaven — every wind in the world is the beat of his wings.
Elli
Old Age personifiedThe ancient crone in Útgarða-Loki's hall who wrestled Thor to one knee — because she was Old Age itself, and no one beats her.
Fárbauti and LaufeyFárbauti ok Laufey
Loki's parents — lightning and leavesThe giant 'Dangerous-Striker' and the slender goddess 'Leafy Isle' — Loki's parents, whose names suggest the trickster was born when lightning struck dry foliage.
Hyrrokkin
Jötunn — launcher of Baldr's funeral shipThe giantess summoned when not even Thor could launch Baldr's funeral ship — she arrived riding a wolf bridled with vipers and shoved it to sea in one push.
Narfi and Váli LokasonNarfi ok Váli
Sons of Loki and SigynLoki's sons by faithful Sigyn: the gods turned Váli into a wolf, who tore his brother Narfi apart — and Narfi's entrails became his father's chains.