Starkadr

Starkadr, called the Mighty, was a Jotunn of the Norse realms, an eight-armed warrior whose strength surpassed even Thor. His doom was set in motion by Mimir, who told Atreus the giant's story with deep regret, and carried out by the malice of Odin.

The mightiest of the giants#

Starkadr was an eight-armed Jotunn warrior whose strength surpassed even that of Thor. Mimir held that if the giants ever organized anything so disciplined as an army, Starkadr would have been their general. Though immensely powerful and skilled in war, Starkadr was peaceful and honorable by nature, a fact later shown in his willingness to surrender and stand trial rather than fight. So great was his might that Thor, who feared neither Jormungandr nor Kratos, would not dare face Starkadr one on one.

Odin's slander#

As Odin's advisor, Mimir told the All-Father of his belief that Starkadr could lead the giants as a general, and once Odin's will was bent toward the giant's doom there was no dissuading him. Knowing that even Thor would not battle Starkadr alone, Odin chose instead to slander him, branding him throughout the realms as a monster to be feared. Among the lies was the claim that Starkadr had abducted an Elven princess who killed herself rather than submit to him. The slander roused the Vanir and the armies of Midgard to join the Aesir in bringing him down, gathering enemies Odin could never have raised alone.

Death by a thousand cuts#

The combined forces surrounded Starkadr and showered him with arrows until he was brought to his knees. He surrendered, hoping that a trial would let him clear his name of every slander heaped upon him. But Thor took the chance to attack the weakened giant, tearing off one of his arms, then another, and another, until Starkadr, relieved of six arms and too much blood, perished upon the battlefield. Mimir regretted the part he had played in it for the rest of his days, wishing he had tried to turn Odin aside even though he had told himself there was nothing he could do.