AEGIR
Real Name: Aegir
Identity/Class: Giant/Extra-dimensional (Jotunheim)
Occupation: God of the Boundless Sea
Group Membership: Giants of Jotunheim, The Gods of Asgard
Affiliations: Odin
Enemies: Loki
Known Relatives: Fornjotr (father, alias Forneus), Logi, Kari (brothers), Ran (sister/wife), Alta, Angeyja, Grolp, Greip, Eistla, Eyrsjafa, Iarnsaxa, Imda, Ulfrun (daughters), Rana (daughter), Saga (possible daughter, SEE COMMENTS), Heimdall (grandson), Sif (granddaughter), Iokul (nephew), Snaer (great-nephew)
Aliases: Hler, Hymir, Eagor (Saxon name)
Base of Operations: Jotunheim (possibly)
formerly Hlesey Island (now modern day Laeso Island near Denmark)
First Appearance: Thor I#307 (May, 1981)
Powers/Abilities: Aegir possibly possesses the conventional powers of the Giants of Jotunheim including superhuman strength (possibly Class 75), stamina, resistance to harm and a long life enchantment. It is not known if he is dependant on cold temperatures to survive as many of the Frost Giants have, but he might have at least powers relating to the ocean and the tides. His existence therefore might be dependant on the cold of the ocean rather than the cold of snow and ice. Also, considering his nature as a Giant, he might be able to control his size and be able to increase and decrease his size at will.
History: (Norse/German Myth) - Aegir is the son of the ancient Frost Giant Forneus and brother of Kari, god of wind and Logi, god of fire. He ruled the boundless seas of earth from the ancient island of Hlesey on Earth, which he shared with his wife, Ran, the sea-giantess, and their several daughters. In ancient times, mortals who worshipped him sacrificed one out of every ten prisoners taken from foreign lands to ensure safe sea passages home. Unlike most of the giants, Aegir always remained on good terms with the gods Odin and Frey. During a feast he held in his home to the gods, Aegir was insulted by Loki who had grown tired of hearing of the praise the servants of Aegir had for their master. In his tirade, Loki not only insulted Aegir but hurled insults upon all of the gods and boasting of being responsible for the miseries which had fallen them. Even Odin was not immune to his insults and as Thor arrived late to the festivities, he lifted his hammer to silence Loki. Slipping away to avoid a confrontation, Loki changed into various animals to escape, but Ran, Aegir's wife, gave Thor an enchanted net to capture Loki and drag him away to be punished by chaining him to the mouth of a cave to be burned by dripping venom.
(Thor I#307/2) - In recent years, Loki was chained to his wife Sigyn as punishment for trying to set into the motion the consequences of Ragnarok. He forced his way into Asgard as Aegir was a guest of Odin. As Aegir regaled Odin of stories of ocean-nymphs and other exploits, Loki cried out to be separated from his wife. Odin instead offered him other more harsh punishments and even offered him to Aegir for torture within the sea. As Loki implored him even more, Odin relented and unchained him from Sigyn but only to exile him to far beyond Asgard.
Comments: Adapted by Mark Gruenwald, Ralph Macchio, Alan Kupperberg and Chic Stone
In the Marvel Universe, Aegir is possibly intended to be portrayed as the Norse equal to Poseidon, but he actually compares to the Titans Oceanus and Nereus both as older sea-gods and as the fathers of a significant number of daughters. (Both the Oceanides, Nereids and the Daughters of Aegir had reputations of kidnapping sailors to be lovers.) Poseidon's actual Norse counterpart is Njord, the god of sea, wind and storm who fathered Frey and Freia. Njord's place in the Asgardian family has yet to be revealed, but theoretical guesswork would suggest Njord brother of Bor and uncle of Odin. This placement would make Odin, former leader of the Aesir, and Frey, former leader of the Vanir, conceptual cousins.
Logi, Aegir's brother, god of fire, appears in the story of Thor's encounter with Utgard-Loki described in the Thialfi entry. He is sometimes in myth called Loki, but he is not to be confused with, Loki, the trickster-god of mischief, son of Laufey and Farbauti.
The names of Aegir's nine daughters vary in myth. Some of them usually have the spellings of their names altered (Atla, Gialp and Jarnsaxa instead of Alta, Grolp and Iarnsaxa) while some of the names are dropped completely to include others (Augeia, Aurgiafa, Egia, Sjogunra, and Sindur). Rana has no mythological counterpart (except for her mother), but this may actually just be a nickname for one of the others. Saga only appears as a daughter of Aegir when he is known as Hymir in the story of Thor and Tyr stealing his great cauldron.
At least in the Marvel Universe, it is not revealed if Saga, mother of Tyr, who appeared in Thor I#342 is supposed to be the daughter of Aegir in his role of Hymir or the Hymir who appeared in Thor I#302. There is also a figure named Hymir who appears in Journey into Mystery I#113 who might actually be a whole other individual altogether.
In the myths, Heimdall is a son of Odin and Aegir's daughter Alta (Atla). Sif as Heimdall's sister, however, is a creation of the Marvel Universe and is only listed under relatives because of her established relationship to Heimdall as her brother.
In the myths, Jarnsaxa/Iarnsaxa was the mother by Thor of the twins Magni and Modi. While this might pertain to the sons of Thor described by the Sentient Eye of Odin, their existence is not relevant to the Earth-616 timeline. Magni alone does appear however as a son of Thor and Amora in the alternate future of Earth-Reigning.
Aegir and Rana supposedly died during the Ragnarok in Thor II#85.
by Will U
CLARIFICATIONS:
Aegir is not to be confused with:
Rana is not to be confused with:
Rana is one of the daughters of Aegir who lived within one of the many rivers of Asgard. She encountered the god Bragi as he requested from them verses to make into a song. Realizing their songs had no melody on shore, they sent him to seek inspiration from Yggdrasil the World Tree. As Volstagg searched for missing Bragi, Rana and her sisters delighted in embarrassing and criticizing him on his size and girth. As Volstagg inquired of Bragi, they sent him on his way as well for Yggdrasil.
--Marvel Fanfare I#13/2
Images taken from:
Main Pic - Thor I#307, page 27, middle panel
Rana and Daughters of Aegir - Marvel Fanfare I#13, page 7 (no ads), middle right panel
First Posted: 08/11/2004
Last updated: 08/23/2004
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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