Magni: Thor's eldest son, killed by Kratos
the Son of Thor, God of Strength
Magni was Thor's firstborn and Odin's favoured grandson. He hunted Kratos and Atreus with Baldur, and Kratos buried an axe in his skull at Thamur's corpse.
Magni, also known as Magni Thorson, was the eldest son of Thor and the giantess Jarnsaxa, and a grandson of Odin. The older half-brother of Modi and Thrud, he was a towering warrior favored by his father above his other children. Together with Modi, he joined his uncle Baldur in the hunt for Kratos and Atreus, intending to bring them to Asgard. (God of War (2018); God of War Ragnarök)
Early life and rivalry with Modi#
Magni was the son of Thor and the giantess Jarnsaxa, raised by his stepmother Sif alongside his half-brother Modi. In their childhood the brothers listened to stories by the fire and played with carved wooden horses, but they grew up in the abusive household of the Aesir, where discipline was beaten into them as it had been beaten into Thor by Odin before him. (God of War Ragnarök)
While still children no taller than shrubs, Magni and Modi were the only Aesir mighty enough to free their father from beneath the corpse of the stone giant Hrungnir. All the credit for the rescue went to Magni, which Mimir attributed simply to his being the blonder of the two. Magni came to be regarded as Thor's favorite, and Modi's resentment of him grew over the years. During the Aesir-Vanir War the brothers fought together and killed the Vanir goddess Nerthus, the mother of Freya and Freyr. (God of War (2018); God of War Ragnarök)
The hunt and death#
After Baldur's first failed encounter with Kratos, Odin summoned Magni and Modi to aid the hunt. The brothers visited the imprisoned Mimir seeking the location of their quarry, but he refused to help them. Splitting from Baldur, the two tracked Kratos and Atreus to the frozen plain around Thamur's corpse, noting that the giant's fallen hammer "didn't fall on its own." (God of War (2018))
Magni found his targets while battling an ogre, casting the beast aside and ordering Kratos and Atreus to surrender. Kratos refused, and a long, grueling battle followed. Confident he could easily defeat the Spartan, Magni taunted his opponent throughout, but his boastful overconfidence proved fatal. Kratos overpowered him and buried his axe deep in Magni's skull, killing him instantly. Modi, horrified at witnessing his brother's death, fled the battle. (God of War (2018))
Aftermath#
Though Magni was only a minor Aesir, Mimir warned that his death would not be taken lightly in Asgard. Thor was furious to learn of his favored son's death and turned his rage on the surviving Modi, beating him within an inch of his life for supposedly abandoning his brother, wounds that would later contribute to Modi's own death. Magni's death also caused his stepmother Sif to harbor a lasting grudge against Kratos and Atreus. Odin, despite Magni having died serving his will, showed no remorse, dismissing his grandsons as "kind of useless." (God of War (2018); God of War Ragnarök)
Long after, while exploring Valhalla, Kratos encountered a version of Magni manifested from his own memories and defeated him again. Reflecting on the grim dynamics of the Aesir family, Kratos came to pity Magni and Modi, recognizing that their abusive upbringing had left them little chance of becoming decent people, and felt that by fighting them fairly he was honoring them in a way they had never been honored in life. (God of War Ragnarök: Valhalla)
Frequently asked questions
- Who is Magni?
- Magni, also known as Magni Thorson, was the eldest son of Thor and the giantess Jarnsaxa, and a grandson of Odin. The older half-brother of Modi and Thrud, he was a towering warrior favored by his father above his other children.
- Why did Modi resent Magni?
- While still children, Magni and Modi were the only Aesir strong enough to free their father from beneath the corpse of the stone giant Hrungnir, but all the credit went to Magni. Mimir attributed this simply to Magni being the blonder of the two, and Modi's resentment grew over the years.
- Why did Magni hunt Kratos and Atreus?
- After Baldur's first failed encounter with Kratos, Odin summoned Magni and Modi to aid the hunt and bring the pair to Asgard. The brothers tracked Kratos and Atreus to the frozen plain around Thamur's corpse.
- How did Magni die?
- Magni confronted Kratos and ordered him to surrender, and when Kratos refused a long, grueling battle followed. Confident he could win, Magni taunted his opponent throughout, but Kratos overpowered him and buried his axe deep in Magni's skull, killing him instantly.
- What happened after Magni's death?
- Thor was furious to learn of his favored son's death and beat the surviving Modi within an inch of his life for supposedly abandoning his brother. The death also caused Sif to harbor a lasting grudge against Kratos and Atreus, while Odin showed no remorse, dismissing his grandsons as kind of useless.
Gallery
Images via God of War Wiki
Sources
- GameGod of War (2018), Santa Monica Studio, 2018
- GameGod of War Ragnarök, Santa Monica Studio, 2022
- GameGod of War Ragnarök: Valhalla, Santa Monica Studio, 2023
Spotted a factual error or a primary source we missed? Email a correction. Every flagged claim gets reviewed.
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