Norse Mythology (北欧神話 Hokuō Shinwa?) is the mythology of the North Germanic people around the time of the Viking Age (at its height covering most of northern Europe, much of modern Germany and Austria, and parts of the British Isles), continuing through into modern-day Scandinavian folklore, and following the lives of the Norse gods — the Æsir and the Vanir — and the men whose lives they directly affected.
In Toaru Majutsu no Index, Norse mythology is often used as a base for Magic. Its prevalence in its usage as a basis for magic is second only to Christianity.
Etymology
It is important to note that the correct appellation is Norse Mythology, not Viking Mythology. Originally, the word "viking" meant the act of faring overseas and the sailor participating, while in English it denotes a profession meaning something like "pirate". Only a minority of Norsemen were Vikings.
Principles
GREMLIN, a powerful magic cabal, primarily bases its magic from Norse Mythology.
Like most traditional polytheistic systems, it has no set canon and in some ways resembles a body of customary beliefs more than a set religion. It has been speculated that only chieftains and other wealthy people held faith in the Æsir, while the common farmers believed in land-spirits such as dwarves, trolls and giants.
It is a branch of the Proto-Indo-European mythological tradition, which also spawned the Celtic, Greek, and Vedic pantheons; it's distinguished from those myths, however, by the fact that its gods are not only fallible, but also all mortal. They could, and did, die, as exemplified during Ragnarok, the Norse version of the apocalypse, which ends with most of the gods dead.
Many texts describing Norse beliefs have come down to us, but, aside from a few runic inscriptions and similar fragments, all were written hundreds of years after the turn to Christianity. Consequently it's nearly impossible to tell which stories are "Christianized", or how much they are, although academic theories abound. Even ignoring this, another problem arises: since Norse myth has no definitive canon, the myths differ considerably from place to place, according to the time they were written and the purpose they were written for.
Norse Mythology being a polytheistic religion, its gods had emotions that are very much alike those of humans. When the opinions of all the many gods were gathered, it created a single flexible system. As long as that system ultimately led them down the right path, everything was fine. As the gods of Norse Mythology are not absolute, the gods reach perfect answers when combined in a single group by complementing each other's weaknesses, creating a sturdy defense system.[1] Moreover, an intrinsic property of Norse Mythology is that it is a mythology of mutual destruction, set up from the beginning so that over 99% of gods and their enemies would die fighting each other (likely a reference to Ragnarok). As such, a magician can create a countermeasure against a spell that uses figures from Norse Mythology if they made use of the figure that killed the other figure in the mythology.[2]
History
It is implied that the legends surrounding Odin is derived from the Magic God Othinus herself or that Norse mythology, apparently among other religions, was influenced by her existence, such as the religion shifting from one centered around a hammer-wielding lightning god to a lance-wielding god of war, a god of magic sacrificing his own body by hanging himself from an ash tree to fulfill a contract, and Odin being a muscular one-eyed man with beard. It is implied that Othinus may have deliberately took different forms that eventually found its way into the mythology.[3]
As a pagan religion, it is likely that Norse religion was also affected by the onslaught of Christianity and had their old gods either referred to as fairies or classified as demons.[4]
Chronology
Toaru Majutsu no Index
Toaru Majutsu no Index SS2
- Main article: Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume SS2
During this collection of sidestories, Kanzaki Kaori encounters a Valkyrie known as the Jeans Slasher, and Ollerus makes his first appearance.[5]
Toaru Majutsu no Index: Stiyl SS
- Main article: Toaru Majutsu no Index SS: Stiyl
The conflict in this sidestory was over several artifacts which were believed to have held the secrets of the Dvergr's skills. The main antagonist, Richard Brave used Magic based on the flaming sword Lævateinn.[6]
Toaru Majutsu no Index: Kanzaki SS
- Main article: Toaru Majutsu no Index SS: Kanzaki
During the events of this sidestory, Kanzaki Kaori fought a variety of adversaries who made use of Magic based on Norse mythology, culminating in a battle with the Valkyrie Brunhild Eiktobel who sought to complete Gungnir.[7]
British Royal Family Arc
- Main article:British Royal Family Arc
The group New Light, which made use of Norse-based magic, was involved in transporting the Curtana Original in the lead up to Carissa's coup d’etat.[8] A defensive spiritual item based on Mokkerkalfe at Buckingham Palace also appeared.[9]
World War III Arc
- Main article: World War III Arc
Shinyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index
A large part of Shinyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index consists of the protagonists' struggles against the Norse-based cabal GREMLIN.[10][11][12][13][14][15][16]
Uses of Norse Mythology within the story
Figures & Individual Beings
| Name | Description | Usage in the world of Toaru Majutsu no Index |
|---|---|---|
| Bersi | A character appearing in an Icelandic saga who fought and won a duel with Kormak. | Kihara Kagun, a member of GREMLIN bore the name Bersi. |
| Fenrir | Son of Loki and the frost giant Angrboða. A giant wolf destined to devour Odin at Ragnarok. | A member of GREMLIN bears the name Fenrir. |
| Freyja | The Norse goddess of fertility. | A member of GREMLIN bears the name Freyja. |
| Freyr | The Norse god of fertility and farming. | Index's John's Pen Mode makes use of Freyr's Sword at one point.[17] |
| Hel | Daughter of Loki and the frost giant Angrboða. Ruler of a realm of the same name, home to the dishonorable dead. |
|
| Hildisvíni | A boar rode by Freyja when she isn't using her cat-drawn chariot. | Hildisvíni is one of the creatures summoned by Freyja using Brísingamen.[18] |
| Hræsvelgr | A giant who takes the form of an eagle whose flapping creates wind across the world. | Hræsvelgr is one of the creatures summoned by Freyja using Brísingamen.[18] |
| Hrímfaxi | The horse of Nótt, the personification of night. |
|
| Hrungnir | A giant who once raced Odin and came back with him to Valhalla afterwards. After Hrungnir grew drunk and abusive, Thor challenged the giant to a duel in which Hrungnir was slain. |
|
| Huginn | One of a pair of ravens who fly over Midgard and bring Odin information. | Huginn is one of the creatures summoned by Freyja using Brísingamen.[18] |
| Hymir | A giant whom Thor went fishing with while attempting to gain his mile-wide cauldron for the Aesir. During this trip, Thor uses Hymir's ox's head as bait and catches Jörmungandr. | Hymir is one of the creatures summoned by Freyja using Brísingamen.[18] |
| Iðunn | A Norse goddess associated with youth, the keeper of the apples which keep the gods young. | A member of GREMLIN bears the name Iðunn. |
| Jörmungandr | Son of Loki and the frost giant Angrboða. A giant sea serpent, also known as the World Serpent, which encircles Midgard. | A member of GREMLIN bears the name Jörmungandr. |
| Loki | A trickster god who initially aids the other gods but eventually grows malevolent and turns against them, leading to Ragnarok. | A member of GREMLIN bears the name Loki. |
| Mímir | A wise god sent by the Aesir to the Vanir in an exchange as part of the truce ending the Aesir-Vanir war. Suspecting they'd been cheated, the Vanir beheaded him and sent his head back to Asgard, where Odin preserved it so it could provide him with knowledge and counsel. |
|
| Mokkerkalfe | A clay giant created to assist the giant Hrungnir in his duel with Thor. |
|
| Muninn | One of a pair of ravens who fly over Midgard and bring Odin information. | Muninn is one of the creatures summoned by Freyja using Brísingamen.[18] |
| Níðhöggr | A dragon which gnaws at the roots of Yggdrasil. |
Níðhöggr is one of the creatures summoned by Freyja using Brísingamen.[18] |
| Odin | The chief god of Norse mythology and ruler of Asgard. | Othinus, a Majin and leader of GREMLIN, bears the Latinized name of Odin and possesses many of his traits, her power and actions linked to the legends.[3] |
| Ratatoskr | A squirrel who carries messenges between the eagle perched atop Yggdrasil to the dragon Níðhöggr gnawing at the roots. | Ratatoskr is one of the creatures summoned by Freyja using Brísingamen.[18] |
| Sif | A Norse goddess associated with the earth and wife of Thor. | A member of GREMLIN bears the name Sif. |
| Sigyn | A Norse goddess and wife of Loki. | A member of GREMLIN bears the name Sigyn. |
| Skírnir | Freyr's messenger and vassal. | Theodosia Electra uses a staff based off a gambantein (or magic wand) wielded by Skírnir.[6] |
| Sleipnir | An eight-legged horse, Odin's steed and a son of Loki. | The Russian Orthodox Church uses 8-legged metal horses known as Sleipnir for transportation meant to be used in the intense cold. |
| Surtr | The king of the fire giants who will set the nine worlds ablaze at Ragnarok. | Marian Slingeneyer uses Dáinsleif to summon Surtr by cutting away the Asgard Phase.[24] |
| Svaðilfari | A stallion which fathered Sleipnir with Loki (in the form of a mare). | Svaðilfari is one of the creatures summoned by Freyja using Brísingamen.[18] |
| Tanngnjóstr | One of a pair of goats who pull Thor's chariot. | Thor (or rather Ollerus in his form) uses a spell based off the goats which allows him to scatter a large amount of goat's fur on water and stand on it like a raft.[25] |
| Tanngrisnir | One of a pair of goats who pull Thor's chariot. | Thor (or rather Ollerus in his form) uses a spell based off the goats which allows him to scatter a large amount of goat's fur on water and stand on it like a raft.[25] |
| Thor | The hammer-wielding god of lightning and strength, the most famous son of Odin. | A former member of GREMLIN, once their combat representative, bears the name Thor and uses magic based off him. |
| Thororm | A Norse berserker who appears in the Icelandic Saga of Gunnlaugr the Worm-Tongue, whose eyes can dull any weapon they see, but was killed by Gunnlaugr by a hidden blade. | The Knight Leader makes use of a defensive spell based on Thororm to reduce the offensive power of his opponent's weapons to zero.[26] |
| Þrymr/Thrymr | The king of the giants who once stole Thor's hammer. | Þrymr is one of the creatures summoned by Freyja using Brísingamen.[18] |
| Ullr | A major god whose role is unclear due to a lack of information. |
|
| Útgarða-Loki | A giant, user of magical illusions and ruler of the castle Útgarðr, who subjected Thor and his companions to a series of challenges. | A member of GREMLIN bore the name Útgarða-Loki. |
| Víðarr | A Norse god and a son of Odin who will avenge his father by killing Fenrir at Ragnarok. | A member of Necessarius uses Magic based on the specific shoes worn by Víðarr.[28] |
| Víðópnir | A rooster which sits atop the tree Mímameiðr, often identified with Yggdrasil, watching over the world. | Loki uses a spell based on Víðópnir to create a dome over an area, in order to fool anyone using the positions of the stars to determine their location.[29] |
| Ymir | A primordial being, the ancestor of the frost giants, who was slain by Odin and his brothers, who used his remains to create the world. | The girl encountered by Kanzaki Kaori on Uphill Island uses a spell based on the flood of blood which came from Ymir when he was slain.[27] |
Weapons & Artifacts
| Name | Description | Usage in the world of Toaru Majutsu no Index |
|---|---|---|
| Brísingamen | A necklace worn by the fertility goddess Freyja. | Brísingamen is a spiritual item used by the GREMLIN magician Freyja to 'give birth' to a variety of creatures based on beings from Norse mythology.[18] |
| Dáinsleif | The sword of the Danish king Högni, which must cause a death whenever it is drawn. | Marian Slingeneyer makes use of the dangerous sword Dáinsleif after the death of Kihara Kagun during the battle in Baggage City, though she never draws it completely for fear of what it would bring.[12] |
| Draupnir | A gold ring worn by Odin, forged by dwarves and capable of reproducing identical gold copies of itself. | Marian Slingeneyer makes a spiritual item based on Draupnir from the components of the failed Gungnir.[19] |
| Gjallarhorn | A horn blown at the coming of Ragnarok. | Bayloupe wears devices based on the Gjallarhorn behind her ears, allowing to use to thunder element of the Steel Gloves.[30] |
| Gleipnir | A dwarven-forged chain which binds Fenrir until Ragnarok. | Ellasone makes use of a spiritual item based on Gleipnir.[31] |
| Gríðarvölr | The iron staff/club of Thor, given to him by the giant Gríðr. | Gríðarvölr is one of three legendary items of Thor that are symbolically incorporated into the Steel Gloves of New Light, allowing its user to wield exceedingly powerful destructive force.[30] |
| Gungnir | The spear/lance of Odin. |
|
| Hliðskjálf | The throne of Odin which allows him to see into any realm. | Ollerus makes use of Hliðskjálf as one of his spells and does so in an unexplainable way, leaving little way to defend against it.[34] |
| Hrunting | A sword given to Beowulf by Unferth and used in the battle with Grendel's mother. | The Knight Leader makes use of a sword based on and named after Hrunting.[26] |
| Járngreipr | Iron gloves worn by Thor, given to him by the giant Gríðr. | The Steel Gloves used by New Light are based on Járngreipr, with the power of Thor's weapons in the form of one spiritual item for convenient use.[30] |
| Lævateinn | A weapon speculated to be the sword given away by Freyr or the flaming sword wielded by Surtr. | The former Necessarius member Richard Brave uses a sword based on Lævateinn, with flames enhanced by runes sprayed on his enemies using Vitamin B2. He considers it his life's work and his anger at it being deemed illegal caused his defection.[6] |
| Loki's Net | A net fashioned by Loki and used to catch him following his escape after engineering the death of Baldr. | Marian Slingeneyer makes use of an artifact based on Loki's Net.[12] |
| Megingjörð | The belt of Thor, given to him by the giant Gríðr. |
|
| Mjölnir | The hammer of Thor. |
|
| Naglfar | A boat made from the fingernails and toenails of the dead, which will ferry hordes to battle against the gods at Ragnarok. |
|
| Skíðblaðnir | A boat said to be the finest of all ships with the ability to fold itself up to fit in one's pocket. | New Light uses a set of five shapeshifting cases based on the Skíðblaðnir when transporting the Curtana Original.[36] |
| Sword of Freyr | A magical sword wielded by Freyr which could fight on its own if its wielder was wise and whose wielder would never suffer defeat. Freyr gave it away to gain the giant Gerðr as his wife and without it, he was slain by Surtr at Ragnarok. | Index's John's Pen Mode makes use of the Sword of Freyr against Stiyl Magnus during World War III.[17] |
| Tarnkappe | A cloak or helm which makes the wearer invisible. | Alfar briefly makes use of a Tarnkappe to conceal her presence.[37] |
| Víðarr's Shoes | The leather shoes worn by Víðarr, made of leather pieces cast aside while making others' shoes. | A member of Necessarius makes use of the scattered leather pieces representing Víðarr's shoes for her Magic.[28] |
| Whitting | A sword wielded by Bersi. | Kihara Kagun who bore the name Bersi, wields a sword based on Whitting.[12] |
Races & Creatures
| Name | Description | Usage in the world of Toaru Majutsu no Index |
|---|---|---|
| Alfar | Old Norse for elves. They are a race of beings with supernatural powers. | The magician Slappar created an Alfar from a fossil in order to overcome a condition which was restricting his use of Magic.[37] |
| Dvergr | Old Norse for dwarf. It is a small being dwelling in the earth or mountains, gifted in crafting and manufacturing techniques, often referred to as a dwarf. | Dvergrs appear as a rare and different race of human beings, Marian Slingeneyer being one of them.[38] |
| Einherjar | The spirits of warriors who have fallen in battle and are brought to Valhalla by the Valkyries where they battle in preparation for Ragnarok where they will fight for Odin. | Othinus has resurrected a large number of dead people as Einherjars, Kihara Kagun being one of them.[39] |
| Muspell | A term used to refer to an element of the end of the world, the realm Muspellheim being home the fire giants (the sons of Muspell) who, led by Surtr, will break Bifrost at the beginning of Ragnarok and fight in the battle. | Muspell is a spell used by GREMLIN during their operation in Tokyo, which summons flaming figures to attack people.[40] |
| Valkyrie | Female warrior-maidens who choose warriors who die in battle and bring them to Valhalla. | Various individuals possess the traits of a Valkyrie, including Brunhild Eiktobel[41] and the Jeans Slasher.[42] |
Other
- Asgard: One of the Nine Worlds supported by Yggdrasil and the home of the Aesir.
- Bifröst: The rainbow bridge which connects Midgard (the human realm) and Asgard (the realm of the gods).
- Orlentz Trice named his base after Bifrost.[44]
- Seiðr: A type of magic that is primarily used by female Norse magicians.
- Ragnarök: The twilight of the gods, a series of events in the future, including the death of Baldr, the harsh winter Fimbulvetr and various natural disasters, culminating in a great battle between the gods and their enemies, resulting in the deaths of most major Norse figures and the submersion of the world in water. Afterwards, the world will resurface from the sea anew, the surviving gods will reunite and two human survivors will repopulate the world.
- Not referenced in itself in the story but is referred to in conjunction with other terms and figures from Norse Mythology whose importance is related to Ragnarök.
- Runes: A set of letters forming an alphabet, believed to have been given by Odin. Odin acquired them by being hanged from Yggdrasil for nine days and nights.
- Many magicians use Runes, created through various means, for their Magic.
- The significance of the number Nine: The number Nine is a significant number in Norse mythology. For example, there are nine worlds supported by Yggdrasil and in order to obtain wisdom, Odin was hanged from Yggdrasil for nine days and nine nights by his own spear.
- The Jeans Slasher makes use of the significance of the number Nine in her Nine Support spell.[42]
- Yggdrasil: A giant sacred ash tree, also known as the World Tree, which supports the Nine Worlds of the Norse cosmos.
- Yggdrasil is referenced in the name of the magic cabal Those Who Prevent the Extermination of the World Tree.[41]
Norse-based Organizations
- GREMLIN (magic cabal)
- Those Who Prevent the Extermination of the World Tree (magic cabal, destroyed)
- Iron Stake that Carves Knowledge (magic cabal, destroyed)
- Champions from the Sea (magic cabal, destroyed)
- Those who Know the Rune of the God’s Sword (magic cabal, destroyed)
- Hammer that Tempers Gold within the Earth (magic cabal, destroyed)
- New Light (cabal reserve army)
External Links
References
- ↑ Shinyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 09 Chapter 8 Part 7
- ↑ Shinyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 08 Chapter 4 Part 2
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Shinyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 09 Chapter 8 Part 4
- ↑ Shinyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 08 Epilogue
- ↑ Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume SS2
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Toaru Majutsu no Index SS: Stiyl
- ↑ Toaru Majutsu no Index SS: Kanzaki
- ↑ Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 17
- ↑ Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 18
- ↑ Shinyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 02
- ↑ Shinyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 03
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 Shinyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 04
- ↑ Shinyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 05
- ↑ Shinyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 06
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 Shinyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 08
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 Shinyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 09
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 21 Epilogue
- ↑ 18.00 18.01 18.02 18.03 18.04 18.05 18.06 18.07 18.08 18.09 18.10 18.11 Shinyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 08 Chapter 4
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 Shinyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 10 Chapter 13 Part 1
- ↑ Toaru Majutsu no Index SS: Necessarius Special Admission Test Chapter 3 Part 5
- ↑ Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 21 Chapter 7 Part 8
- ↑ Shinyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 09 Chapter 8 Part 8
- ↑ Shinyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 10 Chapter 19
- ↑ Shinyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 10 Chapter 13 Part 2
- ↑ 25.0 25.1 Shinyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 08 Chapter 4 Part 9
- ↑ 26.0 26.1 26.2 26.3 Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 18 Chapter 5
- ↑ 27.0 27.1 Toaru Majutsu no Index SS: Kanzaki Chapter 2
- ↑ 28.0 28.1 28.2 28.3 Toaru Majutsu no Index SS: Kanzaki Chapter 5
- ↑ Shinyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 08 Chapter 2 Part 8
- ↑ 30.0 30.1 30.2 30.3 Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 17 Chapter 3 Part 11
- ↑ Toaru Majutsu no Index SS: Kanzaki Chapter 1
- ↑ Toaru Majutsu no Index SS: Kanzaki Chapter 8
- ↑ Shinyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 10 Chapter 17 Part 3
- ↑ Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume SS2 Chapter 21
- ↑ Shinyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 06 Chapter 7 Part 7
- ↑ Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 17 Chapter 3 Part 12
- ↑ 37.0 37.1 Toaru Majutsu no Index SS: Kanzaki Chapter 4
- ↑ Shinyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 03 Epilogue
- ↑ Shinyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 04 Profound Destruction
- ↑ Shinyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 08 Chaper 3
- ↑ 41.0 41.1 Toaru Majutsu no Index SS: Kanzaki Chapter 7
- ↑ 42.0 42.1 Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume SS2 Chapter 2
- ↑ Shinyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 09 Chapter 6B
- ↑ Toaru Majutsu no Index SS: Kanzaki Chapter 6
- ↑ Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 17 Chapter 3 Part 5