Sköll and Hati

Sköll and Hati were two giant wolves, the sons of the archwolf Hróðvitnir, who were captured by Odin and cast into the heavens to chase the Sun and the Moon. Their pursuit was foretold to end on the day of Ragnarok, and so the All-Father held in them the timing of the world's doom.

The sons of the archwolf#

Sköll and Hati were born as giant wolves, the sons of the archwolf Hróðvitnir, who was also known as Garm and counted among the most dangerous enemies of the Aesir. While they were still pups, Odin captured them and kept them in the kennels of Asgard in order to hold their father at bay.

Cast into the heavens#

When the Sun and Moon grew mutinous and stood still, Odin put the wolves to use. With ancient magic he cast them into the heavens, where they began their endless chase, Sköll pursuing the Sun and Hati the Moon across day and night. It was foretold that the day they caught and devoured their prey would be the day Ragnarok began, the twilight of the gods. As Mimir explained, the matter was always about control: the wolves determined when Ragnarok began, and now that Odin commanded them, he believed he could fight the final battle on a timetable of his own choosing.

Freedom and the stolen Moon#

The wolves were freed from their captivity and relocated to Vanaheim to keep them from Odin. After Freya's curse was broken, she and Kratos saw Hati chasing the Moon, bringing on the daylight, and Freya was surprised to find the wolves in her own realm. Later, when Kratos, Atreus, and Mimir returned to Vanaheim, Hildisvíni told them the wolves had not been seen for days, for the Moon had vanished. They found Sköll and Hati asleep in their den, for without the Moon Hati had nothing to chase, and Sköll had ceased his own pursuit. After the captured Moon was recovered, the trio returned and freed it. Hati woke and howled at the Moon, sending it back to the sky and casting a total eclipse, and Sköll took once more to the heavens after the Sun, restoring the turning of day and night.

The Ragnarok war#

Sköll and Hati were seen again during the Ragnarok war, mauling ogres upon the battlefield, with Hati hurling one of his victims aside. Though it was never said outright, it was presumed that Freya had recruited the wolves to the war when she went to Vanaheim, and they fought among the defenders against the host of Odin.