Hermóðrs

Hermóðr is a figure in Norse mythology, primarily known from the Poetic Edda. He is depicted as a son of Odin and a brother of Baldr. Hermóðr is most famously associated with his perilous journey to Hel to retrieve his deceased brother. After Baldr's death, caused by Loki, the gods were deeply grieved. Odin dispatched Hermóðr on Sleipnir, Odin's eight-legged horse, to journey to the underworld, ruled by the goddess Hel.

According to the Gylfaginning section of the Prose Edda, Hermóðr rode for nine nights through dark valleys, filled with the sounds of roaring rivers and serpents. He eventually arrived at the bridge of Gjallarbrú, guarded by the maiden Modgud. Hermóðr crossed the bridge and entered the hall of Hel, where he pleaded with the goddess for Baldr's release. Hel agreed to release Baldr on the condition that all things in the world, both living and dead, would weep for him.

While this condition was met by most beings, Loki, disguised as a giantess, refused to weep, thus preventing Baldr's return. Hermóðr's role highlights themes of divine grief, attempted redemption, and the cunning of Loki. His name itself means "battle-mind" or "spirit of battle," suggesting a warrior aspect, though his most prominent act is one of a divine messenger and supplicant. He is a relatively minor figure compared to Odin, Thor, or Loki, but his involvement in the narrative of Baldr's death is crucial to understanding the tragic arc of this beloved god.