VIDAR

Real Name: Vidar Odinson

Identity/Class: Asgardian god

Occupation: God of the hunt, warrior

Group Membership: Gods of Asgard

Affiliations: Agnar the Fierce, Balder, Heimdall, Hermod, Hoder, Odin, Thor

Enemies: Aslak, Ddraig Goch, Grolf, Horvald, other Storm Giants, Trolls, Ymir

Known Relatives: Odin (father, deceased), Grid (mother), Solveig (wife, deceased), Mani (brother-in-law), Dag (father-in-law), Thor, Balder, Hermod, Tyr, Loki (foster brother), Sigyn, Nanna (deceased) (sisters-in-law), Hoder (cousin), Vili, Ve (paternal uncles), Bor (paternal grandfather), Mimir, Njord (paternal granduncles), Buri (paternal great-grandfather),

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Landvidi in the plain of Vidi in Asgard

First Appearance: Thor I#293 (March, 1980)

Powers/Abilities: Vidar possessed the conventional powers of the Asgardian Gods including superhuman strength (Class 50). Due to his half-giant heritage, he was significantly stronger than most Asgardian gods except for Thor and Odin.

Vidar was an able swordsman, but his favoured weapon was a near-unbreakable staff. On one occasion, Vidar was granted a portion of Thor's power, granting him control over weather and the ability to fire lightning from his staff.

Height: 10'
Weight: 690 lbs.
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Blond

History: (Norse/Germanic Myth) - Vidar was the son of Odin and the giantess, Grid. He has long been considered a strong and silent god, but when Fenrir (the Fenris Wolf) broke his bonds and devoured Odin, Vidar used his great strength to kill Fenrir. He survived Ragnarok and became one of the gods to survive Ragnarok.

(Thor I#293-294) - Emerging from a cave after Ragnarok had occurred, a previous incarnation(?) of Vidar and several other Asgardians discovered chess pieces cast through a field in the image of the gods. They also discovered Odin's old spear, Gungnir, as they used it to restore him to life. Restored to life, Odin then restored all the other Asgardians slain by Ragnarok back to life (See COMMENTS).

(Thor: Heaven & Earth#4 (fb) ) - <Ca. 9th century> Summoned by a dying Viking's plea Odin accompanied by Heimdall, Agnar, Balder, Hermod, Thor and Vidar came to Earth to fight Ddraig Goch, who had murdered numerous Vikings while they were searching for a maiden stolen from their lands by Prince Rhodri of Gwynedd. Vidar saved Thor from Ddraig Goch's first attack and later aided in the defeat of the dragon. Odin forbade Thor from slaying Ddraig Goch because he had fought honorably and was only defending his land. Odin then bargained with Ddraig Goch, who agreed to persuade Rhodri to return the stolen Viking woman and to stop the blood sacrifices.

(Thor Annual#12) - Vidar subsequently retired in peace to the fields of Asgard with his wife, Solveig, but while he was away, she was killed by the giants Aslak, Grolf and Horvald who then stole her belt when she did not prove to be a gracious hostess to them. Vidar discovered her body and then stormed Odin's hall in Asgard demanding vengeance. Odin sent Thor and Hoder to accompany him on his venture, but Vidar was taken captive by the wife of one of the giants he was seeking. Thor came to his rescue as Hoder trapped the giants in their castle for Thor and Vidar to contend with them.

(Marvel Super-Heroes III#5) - After Hoder received a vision in which he saw that Vidar would save Asgard from Ymir, Thor brought Vidar to Asgard to assist them against the armies of Storm Giants following Ymir's lead. The Storm Giants captured Vidar's mother, Grid, but Vidar agreed to aid Thor. To fulfill Hoder's vision, Vidar was granted a portion of Thor's power by Odin so that he could face Ymir in battle. Although he could not defeat Ymir alone, he and Thor combined their powers to defeat him, and Grid was saved from the Storm Giants by Frigga. To ensure Grid's safety, Frigga allowed Grid to remain in Asgard afterwards.

(Thor II#82) - Vidar was slain battling Trolls who invaded his lands under the command of Loki. After Thor found his body, he had Vidar's farms set ablaze to serve as a funeral pyre.

Comments: Adapted by Roy Thomas, Keith Pollard and Chic Stone.

According to a Sentient Eye of Odin, there was a previous Asgard and Vidar was one of the gods who survived a previous Ragnarok. Odin was restored to life, as were Balder, Heimdall, Hogun, Fandral, Volstagg and several others except for Thor, who was possibly born again and perhaps Loki as well. In a story set in their childhood, Loki makes a reference to Hela who is supposed to his daughter, or merely the daughter of his previous incarnation. If this account were factual, it would indicate that some of the Asgardian gods might be far older than others.
Hmmmm...I would classify Vidar and the rest of the gods from Thor I#293+294 as either previous incarnations of the modern gods (and thus not the same being, but the relationships and so forth would be the same) or perhaps just a fictional account altogether. Tiwaz (Buri) later indicated that the stories told by the Eye of Odin may not be true...or perhaps they represent even one incarnation before the last one?
I seem to remember some account of their being a Ragnarok and recreation of the gods of Asgard every two thousand years. This cyclical existence may explain references to some of the Norse gods in the Hyborian era (at least @ 10000 BC). Alternatively, it could just be the older gods, such as Buri and/or Bor who were around then...or it also could have been older, otherwise unrelated gods with similar names.
--Snood.

In Norse mythology, Heimdall would be considered a son of Odin which would make Sif (at least where the Marvel Universe is involved) his daughter as well. This would make them siblings of Vidar as well, but it is not known of this applies to Vidar in the Marvel Universe.

After their deaths Vidar and Solveig went to Hel or Valhalla. They supposedly perished during the Ragnarok in Thor II#85.

Thanks to RAKTREK for pointing out the brother/sister snafu in Solveig's sub-profile.

by Will U and Prime Eternal

CLARIFICATIONS:
Vidar should not be confused with:

• Vidiot, alien dimension visited by the New Mutants, @ New Mutants Summer Special #1
• Vidkids, mutants who film their attacks, @ Wolverine II#54