Thor God of Thunder

Thor is the Norse god of thunder, storms and strength, the son of the chief god Odin and the earth goddess Jörð. He wields the hammer Mjölnir, rides a chariot pulled by two goats, and stands as the protector of both gods and humans against the giants. To the Norse he was the most beloved of all the gods, and thanks to Marvel he is now the most famous too.

For the deep history and ancient origins of Thor — traced back to the Indo-European storm-god Perkwunos — see our history of Thor in Norse mythology.

This guide covers where Thor's name comes from, his family, his three great treasures, the myth of how Mjölnir was forged, his death at Ragnarök, and why he is still the most popular Norse god today. Related: Who was older, Thor or Loki?

Who is Thor?

Thor (Old Norse Þórr, ᚦᚢᚱ) is the thunder god of Norse mythology. His name comes from a Proto-Indo-European root meaning thunder, and it still echoes in our calendar: the Old English þunresdæg, "Thor's day," is the Thursday we use now. Where Odin ruled through wisdom and sacrifice, Thor was loved for his strength and honesty. He protected what was good, feared no giant, and enjoyed a horn of ale, so every Viking would gladly have raised one with him.

Thor's family

Thor is the son of Odin and the earth goddess Jörð, with four half-brothers: Höðr, Baldr, Váli and Víðar. With his golden-haired wife, the goddess Sif, he has a daughter, Þrúðr, and he raised her son Ullr as his stepson. With the giantess Járnsaxa he fathered Magni, and he had another son, Móði. Thor and Sif live in Asgard in a hall called Bilskirnir, in the region of Thrudheim ("place of might"), said to have 540 rooms, the largest dwelling in Asgard. Two young servants, the girl Röskva and the boy Þjálfi, travel at his side.

Thor's chariot and goats

Thor's Battle Against the Jötnar, Mårten Eskil Winge, 1872 (Wikimedia Commons)

Thor's chariot is drawn by two goats, Tanngnjóstr and Tanngrisnir (roughly "teeth grinder" and "teeth barer"), and thunder rolls wherever it passes. The gods feared the chariot's heat and noise would damage Bifröst, the rainbow bridge, so Thor was not allowed to cross it that way. The two goats became one of Thor's clearest symbols, and they still appear on Norse jewellery today, like our Thor's goats necklace.

Thor's three treasures

Thor carries three great possessions, each adding to his already immense strength.

The belt Megingjörð

Thor wears a belt of power called Megingjörð, from the Old Norse megin (power) and gjörð (belt). When he puts it on, it is said to double his strength.

The iron gloves Járngreipr

His iron gloves, Járngreipr ("iron grippers"), are just as vital: according to the Gylfaginning, Thor needs them to grip and wield his hammer at all.

The hammer Mjölnir

Mjölnir is the most famous hammer in the world. It never misses its target and always returns to Thor's hand, and it was used to bless weddings, births and funerals as much as to fight giants. If you want the full meaning and history of the pendant, see our guide to the Viking hammer necklace.

How Mjölnir was made

The story begins with Loki. In one of his pranks he cut off the golden hair of Thor's wife, Sif. Thor was ready to end him, so Loki promised to travel to Svartalfheim, the world of the dwarves, and bring back new hair and more besides. There the sons of the dwarf Ivaldi forged Sif's golden hair along with two other treasures: Gungnir, the spear that never misses, and Skíðblaðnir, a ship that always finds a fair wind and folds up small enough to fit in a pocket.

True to his nature, Loki could not resist a wager. He taunted two dwarf brothers, Sindri and Brokkr, betting his own head that they could not forge three treasures to match. As they worked, Loki turned into a fly and bit Brokkr at the bellows to spoil the work. He managed it only once, on the third piece, which is why that piece came out with one flaw: a handle a little too short. That piece was Mjölnir. The brothers also forged Gullinbursti, a golden boar that runs over air and water and glows in the dark, and Draupnir, a ring that drips eight new golden rings every ninth night.

Back in Asgard the treasures were shared out: Odin took Gungnir and Draupnir, Freyr took Gullinbursti and Skíðblaðnir, and Thor received Sif's new hair and the mighty Mjölnir. You can see the range of hammer designs this myth inspired in our Thor's hammer collection.

Thor and Jörmungandr at Ragnarök

Thor and the Midgard Serpent (Wikimedia Commons)

Thor's oldest enemy is Jörmungandr, the great serpent that circles Midgard. At Ragnarök, the foretold end of the world, the serpent leaves the sea and the wolf Fenrir breaks free, and the two fill the world with fire and poison. Thor finally kills Jörmungandr with his hammer, but the serpent's venom is too much. The thunder god manages just nine steps before he falls dead. It is a fitting end: Thor dies protecting the world, hammer in hand.

Why Thor is still the most popular Norse god

Thor's hold on people is old and deep. In Iceland a large share of names still carry a form of his (Thorgest, Thorkell and many more), and hundreds of Mjölnir amulets have been dug from Norse sites. Norsemen kept wearing the hammer even after they converted to Christianity, a quiet sign that Thor's role as protector never really faded. Today Marvel's films have made him a household name worldwide, and modern Thor's hammer necklaces carry the same meaning the old amulets did: protection and strength. For the wider pantheon, see our guide to Norse gods and goddesses.

Thor, FAQ

Who is Thor in Norse mythology?

Thor is the Norse god of thunder, storms and strength, and a protector of gods and humans against the giants. He is the son of Odin and the earth goddess Jörð, wields the hammer Mjölnir, and was the most widely worshipped god of the Viking Age.

What powers does Thor have?

Thor is the god of thunder and storms, and by extension of strength, protection and fertility. His hammer Mjölnir was used both as a weapon against giants and to hallow weddings, births and funerals.

Who made Thor's hammer Mjölnir?

Mjölnir was forged by the dwarf brothers Sindri and Brokkr in a wager with Loki. Loki, as a fly, bit Brokkr at the bellows, so the hammer came out with a handle a little too short, its one flaw, but it never missed and always returned to Thor's hand.

Who is in Thor's family?

Thor is the son of Odin and the earth goddess Jörð. With his wife Sif he has a daughter, Þrúðr, and raised her son Ullr; with the giantess Járnsaxa he fathered Magni, and he had another son, Móði.

What happens to Thor at Ragnarök?

Thor dies at Ragnarök, the end of the world. He kills his old enemy the Midgard Serpent Jörmungandr with Mjölnir, but the serpent's venom overcomes him and he falls after taking nine steps.

Why is Thor so popular?

Thor was loved in the Viking Age as a strong, honest protector, and Mjölnir amulets stayed in use even after Christianity arrived. Marvel's films then made him globally famous, keeping the thunder god as popular now as he was a thousand years ago.