Hodr, Old Norse Höðr, is an Aesir god in Norse mythology, son of Odin and Frigg. Sadly, his claim to fame is him unwittingly getting tricked by Loki into killing his own brother Baldur. Not only did that seal Hodr’s fate, but it also put into motion the events leading up to Ragnarök.
In Norse mythology the brothers Baldur and Hodr are in some ways opposites. Baldur was associated with light, warmth and joy, whereas Hodr was associated with darkness, shadows and winter. Hodr had to pay with his life for his part in Baldur’s death. However, the two were united in death, and would ultimately escape Hel, being among the survivors after Ragnarök.
Hodr – Origins and Background
Hodr has a simple ancestry to trace, being the legitimate son of Odin and his wife Frigg. Since Odin the Allfather did have quite a few children, both legitimate and illegitimate, Hodr had several siblings. He is listed in one, of several, lists of the sons of Odin in the Nafnathulur part of Skáldskaparmál:
Sons of Óðinn
18. Sons of Óðinn are:
Baldr and Meili,
Víðarr and Nepr,
Váli, Áli,
Þórr and Hildólfr,
Hermóðr, Sigi,
Skjöldr, Yngvi-Freyr
and Ítreksjóð,
Heimdallr, Sæmingr,
Höðr and Bragi.
Seeing as Baldur also was a son of Odin and Frigg, Hodr and Baldur were full brothers. Enraged after the death of Baldur, Odin sought out the jötun woman Rindr, and had a son with her named Vali. He would be the tool used to avenge the death of Baldur. Vali grew into a full-grown man and slayed his half-brother Hodr on the day he was born.
Meaning of the Name Hodr
Hodr, or the Old Norse Höðr actually has an interesting meaning, associated with warrior or being at war, or in a battle. While the various scholars are not completely aligned, the general feeling is that his name was closely associated with battle and slaughter. Perhaps aptly so, since he does slaughter his own brother, purposefully or not.
Like so many of the gods, Hodr also had a few kennings he was known by in skaldic verse. The below part is found in the Skáldskaparmál, chapter thirteen.
XIII – On how to periphrase Hödr
“How should one periphrase Hödr? Thus: by calling him the Blind God, Baldr’s Slayer, Thrower of the Mistletoe, Son of Odin, Companion of Hel, Foe of Váli.
Baldur’s Dreams Foretelling His Death
In the lead-up to the events ending in Hodr unwittingly killing Baldur, Baldur had several troubling dreams. Sharing these dreams of his own death with his mother Frigg, she set out to save him. This was obviously a fool-hardy quest. Frigg should have known that what is fated to happen by the three wise Norns, will surely happen.
In her attempt to save Baldur from his death, Frigg traveled far and wide in all the realms. Everywhere she went, she asked all living beings and things to swear they would not harm Baldur. Apparently deeming it to be of no danger, she did not ask the mistletoe bush to swear this.
Just like for Achilles in Greek Mythology, this left Hodr with a giant liability, or Achilles’ heel. Happy about what she had managed to do, Frigg unwittingly sealed Baldurs’ fate when she told an old woman about not making the mistletoe swear off hurting Baldur. The old woman was of course Loki in disguise. Being an instigator of strife and chaos, and likely not just a little jealous of how well Baldur was liked, Loki naturally acted upon it.
Hodr Kills Baldur
After Frigg had successfully made all things swear off hurting Baldur, he seemed impervious to all weapons. For fun, the gods entertained themselves by hurling all manner of weapons at him, only to see them bounce off the shining god.
This proved to be too big a temptation for Loki who saw an opportunity to do some real harm. With his knowledge of the mistletoe not being bound by any oath, he took a mistletoe twig and fashioned it into an arrow. Being a coward at heart, Loki used Hodr as his proxy. This is described in detail in Snorri Sturluson’s Gylfaginning, part of the Prose Edda.
“Hoder stood far to one side in the ring of men, because he was blind. Loke addressed himself to him, and asked: Why do you not shoot at Baldur? He answered: Because I do not see where he is, and furthermore I have no weapons.
Then said Loke: Do like the others and show honor to Baldur; I will show you where he stands; shoot at him with this wand. Hoder took the mistletoe and shot at Baldur under the guidance of Loke. The dart pierced him and he fell dead to the ground.”
So, the conniving Loki not only managed to have Baldur killed, but he also angered and frightened the gods.
Vali Kills Hodr
Believing firmly in settling blood debts, Odin wanted to punish Hodr, the one directly responsible for Baldur’s death. Here though, the tale of bloody revenge takes a detour as Odin does not want to, or can not, kill his own son himself.
When Frigg had been out making all things swear not to hurt her son, Odin had ridden down to the gates of Hel. There he had sought out a dead völva, and raised her to question her about Baldurs’ fate. It was in a part of her prophecy Odin learns that Baldur will indeed die, and that a son of the jötun Rindr will avenge him. The below verse is from the Vegtamskvida, also known as the slightly longer version of Baldur’s Dreams.
The völva spoke:
“A son of Rind shall be born in the western halls; he shall slay Odin’s son when he is only one night old. He will not wash his hands or comb his hair before he carries Baldr’s adversary to the pile. I was compelled to speak; I will now be silent.”
When learning of the death of Baldur, Odin knows what he has to do. He rides out of Asgard, and into Jotunheim, there he sires a son by the jötun woman Rindr. Just as prophesied, the avenging god Vali kills Hodr while still being only “one night old”.
The Fate of Hodr and Baldur
After Baldur is killed, Frigg implores for someone to travel to Hel and bargain for the release of Baldur. The brave Hermod, often in a role as a messenger or traveler, volunteers to do it. Riding nine nights through darkness and mist, he finally makes it into the depths of Helheim. There he makes his case for Hel, the Queen of Helheim, and coincidentally daughter of Loki.
She actually agrees to release Baldur on one condition. Every being needs to cry for his death, proving that he was universally loved by all. Returning to Asgard with the news and Hel’s condition, the Aesir set about getting Baldur home, sending messengers into all the realms. This effort, and how Loki disguised as a jötun derailed it, is shared in chapter 53 of the Gylfaginning.
When the messengers returned home and had done their errand well, they found a certain cave wherein sat a giantess (gygr = ogress) whose name was Thok. They requested her to weep Balder from Hel; but she answered:
Thok will weep
With dry tears
For Balder’s burial;
Neither in life nor in death
Gave he me gladness.
Let Hel keep what she has!
Hodr Returns After Ragnarök
Loki’s deceit sealed Baldurs’ fate, which left him in Hel where he sat alongside his brother and killer Hodr. Despite what one might think though, Baldur does not seem to carry any animosity toward Hodr. Likely being the one Aesir god capable of seeing Hodr’s action as a mere accident, it seems he forgave him while they were both in Hel.
In the end, or actually even after the end at Ragnarök, and at the beginning of a new time, Hodr and Baldur return. Seemingly safe from harm in Hel, Hodr and Baldur are among the few gods destined to survive Ragnarök. This return of the gods after Ragnarök is also described in the Gylfaginning, verse 58.
“The earth rises again from the sea, and is green and fair. The fields unsown produce their harvests. Vidar and Vali live. Neither the sea nor Surt’s fire has harmed them, and they dwell on the plains of Ida, where Asgard was before.
There come also the sons of Thor, Modi and Magne, and they have Mjolner. Then come Baldur and Hodr from Hel. They all sit together and talk about the things that happened before, about the Midgard-serpent and the Fenris-wolf. They find in the grass those golden tables which the Aesir once had.”nd rule the new earth together.
Play Fun Norse Quiz
Is this article making you even more curious about Norse gods and goddesses? You can satisfy your curiosity by playing a fun Norse mythology quiz about the sons of Odin. Good luck and have fun playing!o! It reveals the parentage of Hodr and other sons (and daughters) of Odin:
Don’t forget to try our other games as well!
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Why Hodr is so different from Baldur?
A. Baldur is the god of light while Hodr is the god of darkness. However it seems reasonable enough to view these two deities as the opposing forces of nature; light and dark. And, in a sense, it does sound natural that Hodr is the one to kill Baldur. Dark consumes Light. But, in the end, the balance matters no more, and the two apparently opposing powers are united. Hence, all conflicts end, and peace finally reigns in the world. Between the lines, Baldur’s death is a great story with traces of hope at the end.
Q. Why does Loki trick Hodr into killing Baldur?
A. It’s like asking why the sun rises and sets. Loki is the god of mischief. He takes pleasure in wreaking havoc and laughs at the pain of others. Loki despises Baldur so much, that he doesn’t miss the opportunity to put him out of the picture. Yet, he pays for it in the end when the Aesir imprisons him up under a mountain.
Q. Was Hodr married?
A. According to the old texts, Hodr never had childer, nor was he married. However, there is a tale that mentions Hodr and Nanna being a couple, but they are both mortals. It cannot be taken into consideration as far as the Norse mythos is concerned.
