Odin, his father, is half-giant, while Jord (Old Norse 'Earth'), Hlöyn, or Fjörgyn, his mother, is wholly of giant blood. Thor is three-quarters giant, which is ironic given his ever-vigilant guardianship of the ordered cosmos of pre-Christian northern Europe against the forces of chaos, destruction, and entropy symbolized by the giants. However, at Ragnarok, Thor and Jormungandr finally meet, and the two put an end to each other in an epic battle at the end of time. In one legend, while on a fishing excursion, he tries to drag Jormungandr out of the sea, but is only stopped when his huge partner cuts the fishing line out of fear. Jormungandr, the giant sea snake that encircles Midgard, the world of human civilization, is Thor's main foe. Thunder was the essence of Thor for the pagan Vikings, and lightning was the manifestation of his hammer slaughtering giants as he rode across the sky in his goat-drawn chariot. The Hammer of the Thunder God was forged by the great dwarf blacksmiths at the request of Loki who was trying to appease Thor after cutting off his wife’s beautiful golden hair. He even has an unnamed strength belt that increases his power by double when he wears it, but his hammer, Mjöllnir ('Lightning'), is his most famous possession.

His sense of responsibility and courage are unwavering, and his physical power is unrivaled.

Thor is the only one who is capable of performing these great feats of strength and prowess. He is the unflappable guardian of the Aesir gods and their realm from the encroachments of the giants, who are usually (but not always) the gods' foes. Thor, the God of Thunder, is the model of a trustworthy and honorable warrior, the ideal to whom the average Viking warrior and shield maiden aspired. Thor's Hammer was the symbol worn by his followers. He was an important god among all branches of the Germanic peoples prior to their conversion to Christianity, however his popularity peaked among Norsemen and women in the late Viking age. Thor was a powerful and popular Norse god in Viking life and culture.

Thor mythology