Muspelheim: the fire that would burn Asgard
the Realm of fire
Home of the Fire Giants and the source of all heat in the Nine Realms. Surtr was prophesied to burn Asgard down, and Kratos went there to ask him.
Muspelheim, also called Muspell and known in Old Norse as Múspellsheimr, was one of the Nine Realms of the World Tree and the homeland of the legendary Fire Giants. Known as the Realm of Fire, it was the source of all heat in the Nine Realms and one of the two primordial realms whose fire met the ice of Niflheim to spark creation. It was the home of Surtr and his descendants, prophesied to burn down Asgard during Ragnarök, and the place where Kratos and Atreus sought aid to bring that end about. (God of War (2018); God of War Ragnarök)
A primordial Realm of fire#
Long ago the fire of Muspelheim met the ice of Niflheim in the void of Ginnungagap, a unique meeting among the Nine Realms whose place became known as the Spark of the World. From that union came the dawn of creation in the Norse cosmology, and the fiery world became one of the pillars of life, its intense heat warming the Nine Realms through Yggdrasil while the cold breath of Niflheim moderated its fury. (Prose Edda; God of War Ragnarök)
Even after cooling considerably from the Dawn of Creation, Muspelheim remained too incandescent to allow any prospect of development. Its surface was covered in lava, and the fury of its volcanoes blanketed everything with ash that blackened the skies. Lavafalls created rivers of molten rock, and little survived there save creatures adapted to the extreme heat, with what fauna remained limited to such things as fiery butterflies and squirrels. (God of War (2018); God of War Ragnarök)
Surtr and the prophecy of Ragnarok#
Muspelheim was the home of Surtr the brave and his descendants, the Fire Giants, prophesied to burn down Asgard during Ragnarök. As their only purpose was to bring about that end, Mimir noted that no Fire Giant would appear until Ragnarök began. Its very nature frightened any would be traveler, for it was from Muspelheim that the end of the world was foretold to arise, with the Fire Giants waiting somewhere beneath its crust. (God of War (2018); God of War Ragnarök)
The summoning of Ragnarok#
When Kratos and Atreus came at last to seek the aid of the legendary Surtr, it was in a desperate attempt to bring forth Ragnarök and put an end to Odin's reign. They traveled there and sought out Surtr at his forge, drawing on the prophecy of the Fire Giants to bend the end of the world toward the fall of Asgard. Following the demise of Asgard, its remnants could be found scattered across the fiery world. (God of War Ragnarök)
Frequently asked questions
- What is Muspelheim in God of War?
- Muspelheim, also called Muspell and known in Old Norse as Muspellsheimr, was one of the Nine Realms of the World Tree and the homeland of the Fire Giants. Known as the Realm of Fire, it was the source of all heat in the Nine Realms.
- What role did Muspelheim play in the creation of the realms?
- Long ago the fire of Muspelheim met the ice of Niflheim in the void of Ginnungagap, at a place that became known as the Spark of the World, sparking the dawn of creation in Norse cosmology. Its intense heat warmed the Nine Realms through Yggdrasil while the cold of Niflheim moderated its fury.
- Why was Muspelheim uninhabitable?
- Even after cooling from the Dawn of Creation, Muspelheim remained too incandescent to allow any development. Its surface was covered in lava and its volcanoes blanketed the landscape with ash, and little survived there save creatures adapted to extreme heat, such as fiery butterflies and squirrels.
- Who is Surtr and why does he matter to Muspelheim?
- Surtr the brave was the realm's only resident and the ancestor of the Fire Giants, prophesied to burn down Asgard during Ragnarok. Mimir noted that no Fire Giant would appear until Ragnarok began, since their only purpose was to bring about that end.
- Why did Kratos and Atreus travel to Muspelheim?
- Kratos and Atreus came to seek the aid of Surtr in a desperate attempt to bring forth Ragnarok and put an end to Odin's reign. They sought him out at his forge, drawing on the prophecy of the Fire Giants to bend the end of the world toward the fall of Asgard.
Gallery
Images via God of War Wiki
Sources
- GameGod of War (2018), Santa Monica Studio, 2018
- GameGod of War Ragnarök, Santa Monica Studio, 2022
- BookProse Edda, Snorri Sturluson, around 1220
Spotted a factual error or a primary source we missed? Email a correction. Every flagged claim gets reviewed.
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