FENRIS WOLF
Real Name: Fenrir
Identity/Class: Extradimensional god/wolf
Occupation: Wolf
Group Membership: None
Affiliations: Durok, Hela, Hyrm, Loki, Surtur, Ulik, Jack Russell (Werewolf), Wolfsbane (Rahne Sinclair)
Enemies: Beta Ray Bill, Captain America, Cerberus, Cu Sith, Idunn, Iron Man, Kurse, Odin, Thor, Tyr
Known Relatives:
Loki (father, see comments),
Angerboda (mother, deceased),
Hela (sister),
Midgard Serpent (brother),
Balder, Hermod, Thor, Tyr, Vidar (uncles),
Laufey (paternal grandfather), Odin (paternal adoptive grandfather), Frigga (paternal adoptive grandmother),
Echidna (maternal grandmother), Vârcolac (maternal grandfather),
Phorcys (maternal great-grandfather), Ceto (maternal great-grandmother),
Set (maternal great-great-grandfather);
Gaea (maternal great-great-grandmother), Pontus (maternal great-great-grandfather);
Hoarfen, Sturm & Drang (sons);
Wolf Gods (alleged offspring), many other distant relatives
Aliases: Fenriswulf, Garm (see comments)
Base of Operations: The rock Gioll at the gates of Hel
First Appearance: Journey into Mystery I#114 (March, 1965)
Powers/Abilities: The Fenris Wolf can assume the form of either a immensely strong and virtually invulnerable large wolf, or that of a comparably strong wolf-like humanoid. It possesses powerful teeth and claws. The Fenris Wolf was briefly armed with a tooth-shaped uru hammer forged for it by Surtur.
History: (Norse-German myth)- The Fenris Wolf is the offspring of Loki and Angerboda, and was born with the appearance of a wolf.
(Journey into Mystery I#114/2)- The Fenris Wolf attempted to steal the golden apples of Idunn away from her, but was driven off by Haakun the Hunter (see comments) and banished to Varinheim.
(Norse-German myth)- As the Fenris
Wolf grew older, the Asgardians determined that it would not be safe to
allow it to roam free in Asgard, and began playing a game with it to
see how easily it could snap the bonds of a rope they placed on it, but
the wolf broke each rope. Finally, Odin had the dwarves forged and
enchanted fetter from gleipnir. When the gods came to place it around
him, the wolf suspected a trick, and said that it would only allow them
to place the fetter around its neck if one of the gods placed his hand
in his mouth as a gesture of trust. If the fetter proved unbreakable,
he would bite the god's arm off. Tyr agreed to this, and when he found
the fetter was unbreakable, he bit off Tyr's right hand. The Asgardians
then bound Fenris to the rock Gioll at the gates of Hel.
It is prophecized that at the time of Ragnarok, the Fenris Wolf will be unchained and devour Odin, then be slain in battle by Vidar.
(Thor I#277-278) - The Fenris Wolf was unchained by Hela to assist in an attempt at bringing about Ragnarok, but the Ragnarok was thwarted by Thor.
(Thor II#80)- The Fenris Wolf was unchained by Loki to join him, Ulik and Hyrm in an assault upon Asgard using weapons forged for them by Surtur. Ulik and Fenris attacked Thor in unison, and struck Mjolnir with such force that Sif's left arm was taken off in the blast. Hyrm then joined Ulik and the Fenris Wolf in battle, and together, the three of them shattered Mjolnir.
(Thor II#81)- Thor returned to Asgard with his allies Captain America and Iron Man, who aided him against Loki's forces. Captain America saved Thor from the Fenris Wolf by throwing his shield into its open mouth. When he needed the shield back, Captain America kicked him in the stomach to recover it. Thor subsequently beat the Fenris Wolf badly, until it was shaking where it stood. Captain America frightened it off by crying "Ruff"!
(Thor II#82 (fb) - BTS)- The Fenris Wolf went on to assault Kurse, who was protecting orphaned children. Fenris slew him by plunging its hammer into his skull.
(Thor II#82)- The Fenris Wolf participated in an assault upon Vanaheim, and again faced Thor in battle. Thor bound Fenris in chains and used its body to knock down Durok in order to save Sif. After Thor had slain Durok the Fenris Wolf snapped its chains to face him again, but was quickly struck down by Beta Ray Bill.
(Thor II#83)- Beta Ray Bill unleashed the power of his hammer Stormbreaker upon the Fenris Wolf and slew him, leaving nothing but his skeleton behind. At the sight of this, the armies that fought for the Fenris Wolf fled from Vanaheim.
(Thor II#85)- Fenris returned to life to swallow Asgard's sun and moon, assisting to bring about Ragnarok, as Asgard perished.
(X-Factor III#223) - Seeking to
protect the soon-to-be-born wolfen baby of Rahne Sinclair (to Hrimhari of the
Norse), Fenris Wolf, in his giant canine form, attacked Cerberus, who
was one of many mythical beasts hunting the baby.
(X-Factor III#224) - Fenris Wolf was part of the chaotic
fight between the assembled forces, chewing on Cu Sith demon
dogs, until mystical energies generated by Hel converged that
explosively banished the mythic creatures.
Comments: Adapted by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby and Vince Colletta.
The Fenris Wolf's actions during Ragnarok were depicted in a nightmare of Thor's in Thor I#472.
Will U:
According to Norse-German myth, the Fenris Wolf is the son of Loki and
Angerboda, a giantess who was counted as among his wives. However, this
may not be the case since Loki refers to Hela in an account set in his
youth. In an issue of Update '89, in the corrections page, it
was noted that the young Loki's reference to Hela was an error on the
part of the story's writer--Per Degaton.
According the Sentient Eye of Odin,
however, there was an Asgard that existed before the resent Asgard so
it is possible that Hela, Jormungand and the Fenris Wolf are the
children of the Loki of this previous Asgard and were directly restored
to life after it suffered Ragnarok while Loki and Thor were born a new.
However, this account of a previous Asgard has been cast in some doubt
and there is no way to confirm any of this.
Also, in the myths, the Fenris Wolf is almost definitely equated with Garm. Both creatures were shackled at the gates of the underworld; both creatures were at one time or another subdued by Tyr (who is called Haakun in the German story) and both creatures are killed by Tyr at Ragnarok. The book, “Norse Mythology A-Z” by Kathleen Daly, even goes on to mention that Garm is sometimes thought to be another name of Fenris. In the Marvel universe, however, they are separate creatures.
In some myths, it is claimed that Fenris Wolf will devour the sun and the moon. In others, this is attributed to the wolves Skoll and Hati who may be his progeny, but this is unconfirmed.
The story of Fenris threatening Idunn, goddess of immortality, and being banished by Haakun (Tyr) supposedly inspired the fairy tale of “Little Red Riding Hood.” This isn’t the only Norse tale to inspire such a tale. The Norse moon-god Mani abducting the mortal children, Bil and Hjuki as they were collecting water may have also inspired the story of “Jack and Jill” and the story of Thor ascending Yggdrasil into Jotunheim, the realm of the Frost Giants, might have been the basis for “Jack and the Beanstalk.”
by Prime Eternal
CLARIFICATIONS:
The Fenris Wolf is not to be confused with:
Images taken from:
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition#4 (Fenris Wolf
entry)
Thor II#81, page 6, panel 1
First Posted: 07/01/2004
Last updated: 10/20/2011
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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