Of all the lands and all the worlds, Marvel has explored over the years, there are few that are as majestic and mysterious as Asgard. Lifted straight from Norse Mythology, Thor's homeland features magical artifacts, wondrous creatures, stunning architecture, and phenomena that would blow the minds of any mortals like us. That is, if Odin were ever to allow us entry, which is highly unlikely.
But the realm in which the God of Thunder calls home has many more secrets and locations within it that have yet to be explored in the movies. And given how Thor: Ragnarok ended with it decimated, it may be unlikely some of these aspects will ever be shown to general audiences.
Asgard is a place where magic and science coexist, as their society is far more advanced than ours on Earth. But that isn't surprising given how differently things operate there. Even the simplest things like weather can vary drastically in Asgard. And even though Thor and his people are based on myths and stories from the real world, Marvel has still taken certain liberties to fit them within their own larger universe.
The reason that Thor's comics and Thor: Ragnarok have been so well-received is that they embrace the weird and exotic. Asgard and its surrounding locations offer strange experiences unlike anything else occurring in the world of Marvel Comics. But some of the best and most bizarre instances haven't been brought to the forefront, at least as far as the MCU is concerned. So, here are 25 ridiculous things about Asgard that everyone forgets.
25 Odin's Other Children
The MCU has gone through the relationship between Thor and Loki time and time again. But Odin actually has other children that are Thor’s biological siblings that have never been seen in the movies.
Thor’s other brothers are Tyr, the Norse God of War, and Balder, the Norse God of the Summer Sun and Joy. There is also his brother Hermod, the messenger God. But the movies leave out not only them but many others of the Aesir. Even Odin himself has brothers that are never seen.
24 Matter In Asgard Is Denser
While gravity in Asgard tends to work similarly to that of Earth, the matter there is much denser. This makes for heavier and more durable objects. All of the resources like wood, rocks, and the steel that makes up their weapons.
The same can be said of the people who live there.
The flesh and bone of an average Asgardian is much stronger than that of an average human. While not all citizens are the “God of something,” they are all naturally stronger compared to us. This facet also helps their bodies fight off diseases that would plague us.
23 Asgard's Weather Works Differently
One might think that there’s just one season in Asgard as every time it has been shown in a movie, it has always looked the same. But that isn’t necessarily the case.
Weather works differently in Asgard. Depending on where you are in the realm, you could be experiencing a different season. There are some places in the realm that experience endless Summer, while others experience an endless Winter. But as the movies usually center around the titular city, Asgard tends to look bright and sunny. But this is only the capital.
22 Asgard Has Many Regions
While Asgard is the name of the realm, it is also the name of the city in which Thor and his family live. But there are other smaller regions, or cities, that reside in the realm of the Gods.
Vanaheim was seen briefly at the beginning of Thor: The Dark World as the God of Thunder and his warrior friends dispatched some treacherous creatures. Skornheim is a dark and dangerous area of mountains that Skurge, from Thor: Ragnarok, hails from. Then there’s Nornheim, a place where Norse Mythology’s version of the Three Fates live, but we’ll get to them.
21 Asgardians Are Not Immortal
Though they are incredibly strong and seem to never age, the people of Asgard are not immortal. They just age very, very slowly.
And the reason for this is due to one of the many Goddesses that the MCU has elected to leave out.
Idunn, the Norse Goddess of rejuvenation, grows magical golden apples in Asgard that slow the aging process for anyone who eats them. And luckily for all of Asgard’s citizens, she loves to share. This is why these deities have been around since the beginning of time. But old age will eventually catch up to them.
20 Asgard Is Connected To The Other Nine Realms By A Magical Tree
Mythology of any sort, whether it be Norse, Greek, or otherwise, requires a certain suspension of disbelief to comprehend. Standing in Asgard is a tree called Yggdrasil, though this obviously isn’t any old tree.
It is more of a cosmic connection between Asgard and the other realms.
And these realms are connected by the tree’s branches and roots. While Heimdall’s Bifrost allows travel between Asgard and Earth, Yggdrasil links to all of the ten realms. And if you’re wondering why I said “ten” instead of the traditional “nine,” there’s a perfectly simple explanation for that.
19 A Tenth Realm Was Rewritten Into Yggdrasil
And here is a moment where Marvel differentiates its Norse lore from that of actual Norse lore. Long ago, Odin used his power to cut out Heven, the tenth realm, from Yggdrasil. This caused the realm to be completely separate from the other nine. He did this because, during wartime, their leader seemingly ended his newborn daughter.
But she was actually stolen and raised among them. The behind-the-scenes story is that author Neil Gaiman sold the rights of his Spawn character, Angela, to Marvel and they wrote her into Thor’s storyline.
18 Asgard Has A Sea Of Space
Asgard floats on a body of water that is known as the Sea of Space. Many of its citizens can travel to different locations on Viking longboats, though they best be careful they don’t get too close to the edge, as their ship could fall off into literal space.
This Sea of Space connects to other Asgardian bodies of water as well. There’s the Sea of Marmora which leads to Nastrond, the area in which the dragon Fafnir resides. There’s also the Sea of Fear, a smaller body of water that connects to the home of the monstrous Fenris Wolf.
17 Asgard Is Flat
Unlike planet Earth, Asgard is entirely flat. It is unknown if it has an axis or revolves around a Sun but given that everything else about Thor’s home functions differently than that of Earth, it wouldn’t be surprising if that differed, too.
While it is flat, there’s something about Asgard’s environment that keeps its edges from wearing away or the water of the Sea of Space from drifting out into actual space. How this is possible has never really been explained, though it isn’t entirely necessary.
16 Asgard Is A Pocket Dimension
Asgard may seem grand with its almighty citizens, elaborate structures, and its enchanted creatures. But it is actually a pocket dimension. This term refers to any universe that has a finite and usually very small amount of space. It is kept separate from other dimensions, which usually features multiple planets like that of our own.
Traveling around Asgard would probably take as long it takes us to travel around the United States, as the two places are similar in size.
15 There Is A Place In Asgard Where Sound Doesn't Exist
There are all sorts of mystical locations within the realm of Asgard that never get shown in the movies. And one of the most intriguing is one where sound doesn’t exist. Traveling across the Sea of Mist will lead to the Isle of Silence, an incredibly dreary location.
The only creatures who reside on the Isle of Silence are a race of trolls known as the Silent Ones. At one point for one dastardly thing or another, Loki was imprisoned on the Isle of Silence. But even this banishment couldn’t hold the God of Mischief.
14 The Bifrost Isn't The Only Means Of Interdimensional Travel In Asgard
The Bifrost is the means in which Asgardians can travel to Midgard, or Earth. It comes in handy after Thor takes that realm under his personal protection once his love for humans grows.
For the rest of the realms, travel works a bit differently.
There are portals hidden in Asgard that lead to the other realms. Loki and Thor use them in Thor: The Dark World to escape the attack of the Dark Elves. But it is also possible for beings of other realms to find Asgard through the use of these portals.
13 There Is A Secret Portal To Olympus In Asgard
While the MCU has mostly stuck to including only their Norse Gods, Marvel has characters from various other mythologies in their comics. One of the more well-known ones is Hercules of Greek Mythology.
Thor and Hercules have become good friends over the years as they’ve both been members of the Avengers and the two often enjoy some friendly competition. Interestingly, there is a hidden passageway in Asgard that leads to Olympus, the home of the Greek Gods. This is strange, as Olympus is not one of the nine (or ten) realms of Norse Mythology.
12 Asgardian Leadership Has Changed Several Times
Odin may be the most famous ruler of Asgard given that he is the all-knowing All-Father, but he is far from the only Norse God to ever hold the throne. Loki was seen to hold the throne under the disguise of Odin in Thor: Ragnarok. In the world of comics, time jumps have shown what Asgard would be like under Thor’s rule.
But those two are to be expected.
Other rulers have included Odin’s wife, Freyja, and his older brother Cul, the God of Fear. The latter, as one would expect, didn’t make the most compassionate King.
11 There Exists A Creature In Asgard That Feeds Off Fear
Another one of the fascinating locations in Asgard is a place known as the Halls of Fear. Odin sends young Asgardians who wish to be warriors there as a rite of passage.
And inside these halls lives the Lurking Unknown, a giant creature that feeds off fear.
This helps the young warriors be braver on the battlefield. But at one point, Odin also sent Jane Foster there when she wished to live among the Asgardians and this didn’t turn out so well. Yeah, if you’ve read the comics, you know Odin can be a pretty big jerk.
10 Asgardians Have Their Own Versions Of The Afterlife
Just like the rest of us, Asgardians have their own versions of the afterlife. Although, in Norse Mythology as well as the Thor comics, they are found in more concrete locations one can visit and even escape from.
For fallen heroes and other honored citizens, there’s the glorious Valhalla, which is located secretly within Asgard.
For all other who perish, there’s Hel. It is located in Niffleheim, a land of icy mountains. Though it may be gloomy, it isn’t a place of despair and punishment the way that the Christian underworld is.
9 The Three Norns
Similar to the Three Fates in Greek Mythology, there exists Three Norns who live in Asgard. They live in Nornheim, a province of Asgard, and can see the fates of anyone within the nine realms.
Thor has come to rely on their wisdom many times, as have other Asgardians.
Remember that really bizarre cave scene in Avengers: Age of Ultron? Apparently, director Joss Whedon initially intended for Thor to psychically connect with the Three Norns. They would have spoken through him as Dr. Erik Selvig asked them questions. Instead, it was just an unusual vision.
8 Odin's Throne Allows Him To See Into The Other Realms
Odin isn’t omniscient, but his magical throne does allow him to appear as such. Hlidskjalf (“HLITH-skyahlf," if that makes it any easier) is the name of Odin’s throne. And from this throne, Odin, or anyone else sitting in it, can see any event taking place in any of the other realms.
It isn’t as powerful as it sounds.
Odin must know where to look if he wants to see something specific. He also has two ravens named Huginn and Muninn that he uses to watch whoever he needs watched.
7 Asgard Is Home To All Manner Of Magical Creatures
Though some of Asgard’s magical creatures like Fenris Wolf have shown up within the MCU, there are so many others that have never been shown. There’s Fafnir, once an Asgardian King before he was turned into a dragon after drinking from magical water.
Thor has a loyal pet dog named Thori, a Hel hound who fights with him in battle and can talk. He also has insanely strong pet goats named Toothgnasher and Toothgrinder that pull his chariot. There are also all manner of trolls found throughout Asgard.
6 There Is A Well At The Bottom Of Yggdrasil That Grants Its Drinkers Untold Wisdom
The concept of Yggdrasil is somewhat tricky to explain, as its cosmic roots and branches connect the nine realms. But at the bottom of the tree is Mimisbrunnr, a well that grants vast knowledge and wisdom to those who drink from it.
A long, long time ago, Odin visited this well hoping to gain wisdom. And Mimir, the owner of the well and yet another Norse figure left out of the MCU, told him he could drink from it in exchange for one of his eyes.