ODIN

 

ODIN

Real Name: Odin

First Appearance: Journey Into Mystery (Vol. 1) #85, October 1962

Powers: All-Father Odin, the Monarch of Asgard, was the most powerful of the Asgardian gods, all long-lived and immune to conventional disease. Possessing the massive energy source called the Odinpower (or Odinforce), Odin’s physical abilities were augmented, including superhuman strength (up to Class 75), durability and regenerative powers. The Odinpower could be used to channel cosmic energies into blasts of concussive force, energy shields, flight, interdimensional teleportation (capable of teleporting the entire realm of Asgard), heal the injuries of others, cast illusions, communicate with others across dimensional planes by manifesting an image of himself, rearrange matter at the molecular level, and increase his height to over approximately 100 feet. He could also impart the Odinpower into objects, granting particular enchantments; among items he empowered were Thor’s hammer Mjolnir, Beta Ray Bill’s hammer Stormbreaker, Thunderstrike’s mace Thunderstrike, and Norvell’s hammer Crusher; Odin was also immune to the worthiness enchantment he had placed on Mjolnir to prevent its misuse and could alter the enchantments if he so wished. At regular intervals, usually occurring once per year, Odin would enter the “Odinsleep”, a coma-like state to retain mastery over the Odinpower. On occasions when he was awakened prematurely, he was left groggy and unable to access his full power. If he underwent Odinsleep for too long, his power and endurance faltered until a complete Odinsleep was performed. Odin’s power also waned if he spent to long away from Asgard.

Odin wielded a variety of Uru enchanted weapons forged by Eitri and Brokk. Odin could channel the Odinpower through his weapons, honing the energies for combat. His chief weapon was Gungnir (“The Spear of Heaven”), a three-pronged spear that only he could wield; it was enchanted to generate a guardian serpent if anyone other than Odin laid hands upon it. As a symbol of his rule, Odin bore the mace Thrudstok (“Scepter of Supremacy”) and wore the Odinring upon his finger. Odin wielded various swords (including Ravenseye) that could channel his power, placing a sword into the ground he could summon the energies of all Asgardian gods to generate blasts of energy. He possessed the Draupnir, an enchanted golden armband than duplicated itself 8 times over each morning, providing Odin with limitless wealth, and also held custody of the Oversword, an immense mystical blade that could bring about Ragnarok if removed from his sheath. To traverse into other worlds, Odin rode upon the Viking long-boat Skipbladnir, which could navigate the “sea of space” surrounding Asgard. The crew of the ship could survive in the vacuum of space without natural protection. Shipbladnir could be shrunken and carried within Odin’s fist. Odin also rode upon the 8-legged steer Sleipnir, who could run on air as well as land. Odin’s other servant animals included the ravens Muninn (“Memory”); Huginn (“Thought”) and the wolves Freki (“Ravenous”) and Geri (“Greedy”); Odin could send the creatures out as messengers to his subjects and observe most events they witnessed.

Odin is not omniscient, nor can he create life from nothingness, travel through time unaided, read thoughts, teleport himself (except inter-dimensionally) or move worlds. He is, however, the most powerful god of Earth mythology still active today. It is also worth noting that Odin and the Asgardians are traditionally bound by the cycles of Ragnarok imposed on them by They Who Sit Above in Shadow. As a result, the current Odin is not the original Odin, nor even the second. He was created 2,000 years ago at the last Ragnarok. The survivors of Ragnarok, Vili and Ve (Odin's brothers) and Vidar and Vali (Odin's sons) merged with the power of Gungnir, Odin's spear, to be reborn as the Odin of the New Age, their combined power becoming the Odinforce. This Odin recreated the Nine Worlds of Asgard, truly becoming the All-Father, and all Asgardian strength and magic flowed through him.