HODER

Real Name: Hoder

Identity/Class: Asgardian god

Occupation: God of night, snow and winter

Group Membership: Gods of Asgard

Affiliations: Thor, Vidar

Enemies: Celestials, Dark Gods, Aslak, Grolf, and Horvald of the Jotuns (Giants), Loki, Men in Black, Seth

Known Relatives: Vili (father, deceased), unidentified mother, Balder, Hermod, Thor, Tyr, Vidar (cousins), Odin, Ve (uncle, alias Lodur), Bor (grandfather), Mimir, Njord (granduncle), Bestla (grandmother), Buri (great-grandfather, alias Tiwaz)

Aliases: Hod, Hodur, Hal Dawes

Base of Operations: Asgard

First Appearance: Thor I#274 (June, 1978)

Powers/Abilities: Hoder possesses the conventional attributes of the Asgardian gods including superhuman strength (Class 20), stamina, a long life span and possibly the ability to manipulate energies mystical in nature. In addition, Hoder possesses psychic abilities which give him visions of events that are far distant or that lie in possible futures.

Height: 5' 10"

Weight: 390 lbs.

Eyes: None, Hoder is blind

Hair: White

History: (Norse Myth) - Hoder is the son of Vili. Frigga loved Balder so much that she cast spells to protect him from harm, but somehow overlooked the plant mistletoe. The gods of Asgard developed a game of throwing their weapons at Balder as nothing seemed to hurt him, but Loki, Odin's adopted son, discovered Balder's weakness to mistletoe and crafted an arrow from a small sprig from the plant. He then tricked Hoder into throwing it at Balder who fell dead as a result. Balder's death then set into motion Ragnarok.

(Thor I#294-295 (fb) - BTS) - Several gods survived Ragnarok and helped to restore Odin back to life. Among the gods Odin then restored to life were Balder, Heimdall, Fandral, Hogun, Volstagg, Amora the Enchantress, Skurge the Executioner and possibly Hoder as well.

(Thor I#274-275)- During his blindness, Hoder wandered Asgard and eventually ended up near the borders of Niffleheim where Odin found him following prophecies from the spirit of Volla. Loki, the god of mischief, relearned the prophecies tying Balder's death to the coming of Ragnarok and also learned of Balder's weakness to mistletoe. Seeking to bring about Ragnarok, Loki once more tricked Hoder into firing an arrow tipped in mistletoe wood at Balder with a bow that never missed its mark. Balder was critically wounded, but this time Odin's power prevented him from actually dying and instead kept him in a state of resembling suspended animation.

(Thor I#278)- As Hela led her armies into Asgard, Hoder stood in Asgard's defense, and Sigyn promised to help guide him in battle. Ultimately, Hela was repulsed by Red Norvell and Thor.

(Thor I#300-301)- Hoder was among the Asgardians who donated his life energies to Odin to combat the Celestials. When those energies were lost, Hoder was revived after Thor collected replacement energies from the sky-fathers of the other pantheons as per a pact with Odin.

(Thor Annual#12)- Hoder accompanied Thor and Vidar to Jotunheim to confront the giants that killed Solveig, Vidar's wife. He also used his staff to trap them in their castle so that Thor and Vidar could deal with them in combat, and ultimately they brought the three giants responsible back to Asgard for punishment.

(Marvel Superheroes III#5)- Hoder had a vision in which he prophecized that Vidar would save Asgard from Ymir. His vision was born out when Vidar subsequently aided Thor in Ymir's defeat.

(Thunderstrike#17/2)- During a feast in Asgard, Hoder swapped rumors concerning the time during which Sif had been controlled by Mephisto with Tyr. Her brother Heimdall came to her aid, but Sif burst into a drunken fit, and ultimately had to seek penance from Odin for her actions.

(Journey Into Mystery I#503)- In order to trick Yggdrasil into thinking that Ragnarok had occurred again, Odin cast the Asgardians into mortal guises with fabricated memories. Hoder became Hal Dawes, an air-conditioner repairman, but he was killed by Men in Black sent by Seth, the Egyptian god of death who was working to destroy the Asgardian Gods.

(Journey into Mystery I#513 (fb) - BTS) - Hoder was restored to life in his godly identity, only to be kidnapped by the Dark Gods when they overran Asgard.

(Thor II#14) - When Odin was restored to power in Asgard he set about returning all of its inhabitants to their homes, including Hoder.

Comments:Adapted by Roy Thomas, John Buscema and Tom Palmer

Hoder may be one of the inhabitants of a previous Asgard who were revived after Odin was restored to life. Asgardians not restored to life may include Thor and Loki since an account in their childhood has Loki referring to Hela who is supposed to be his daughter.

Hoder supposedly died during the Ragnarok in Thor II#85.

by Will U and Prime Eternal

CLARIFICATIONS:
Hoder is not to be confused with:

• Himavat, Hindu god of snow and ice who lent his name to the Himalayas (not seen in MU)
• Khuno, Incan god of snow (not seen in MU)
• Lodur, Ve, Asgardian god of solitude, brother of Odin, @ Journey Into Mystery I#97--note: This may not have been an alias of Ve in the MU
• Lodur, a different Asgardian god--Thor I#289
• Polivah, Oceanic goddess of snow, sister of Pele --X-Force#81
• Ymir, Asgardian frost giant, @ Journey into Mystery I#97