Ragnarök

Ragnarök is a prophesied series of events in Norse mythology that describes the end of the world and the death of many gods, followed by a renewal of the earth. The name is often translated as “fate of the gods” or “twilight of the gods.” The most important sources for Ragnarök are the Poetic Edda and the Prose Edda, medieval Icelandic texts that preserve older Norse myths.

Before the cataclysm, a long winter known as Fimbulwinter grips the world, bringing widespread famine, warfare, and moral collapse. After this prelude, a final battle unfolds on the field of Vigrid, where gods, giants, and various monsters clash in a cataclysmic conflict. The deaths attributed to Ragnarök include Odin slain by the great wolf Fenrir, Thor fighting the world-serpent Jörmungandr and dying from its venom, and Freyr falling to the fire giant Surtr. Loki and Heimdall are said to kill each other in the strife, among other losses as the cosmos descends into chaos. The sun and moon are swallowed by the wolves Sköll and Hati, and the world is consumed by fire and then inundated by the sea.

After the devastation, a new earth rises from the waters. Some traditions hold that Baldr and Höðr return from the realm of the dead, while others emphasize the rebirth of life through the survivors Lif and Lifthrasir, who repopulate the earth. Some gods, such as Vidar, are described as surviving or reascending in the new order. Ragnarök therefore marks both an end and a renewal within the Norse cosmology, influencing later literature and popular culture.