LORELEI

Real Name: Lorelei

Identity/Class: Asgardian goddess

Occupation: Sorceress

Group Membership: Gods of War (Beowulf, Gilgamesh, Hercules, Ire, Sigurd, Theseus, Tiresias)

Affiliations:  Angerboda, Captain America (Steve Rogers), Captain Marvel (Carol Danvers), Cyril, Daisy, Fede, Freyja, Sophia Gagliardi, Hela, Helgi, Hepti, Isidore, James, Jeph, Leah, Loki, Medusa (Medusalith Amaquelin), Mr. Cluck, Odin, Papa Hagg, Pluto, Seth, Sigurd, Sigyn, Sindr, Spider-Man (Peter Parker), Svaðilfari, Tennyson the dog, Roger Willis, Verity Willis;
formerly Balder the Brave, "Red" Norvell, Thor

Enemies: Algrim the Strong, All-Mother (Freyja, Gaea, Idunn), Armies of Hel, Balder the Brave, Beta Ray Bill, Chthonian Beast, Daillus the Daring, Defenders (Dr. Strange, Hellcat, Hulk (Banner), Nighthawk, Silver Surfer, Sub-Mariner), Fafnir, Gar-Toom, Great Beasts of Hel, Gorm, Heimdall, Hela, Hermod, Kurse, Loki of Earth-14412, Malekith, Max Martel, Sif, Surtur, Thor (Sigurd Jarlson), Tyr, Uprising Storm (Catastrophobia, Cryptomnesia, Horrorscope), Valkyrie (Brunnhilde), Valkyrie (Samantha Parrington), Valkyrior, Wormwood, Young Avengers (Hulkling/Dorrek, Ms. America/America Chavez, Wiccan/Billy Kaplan), Zeus;
formerly Enchantress (Amora), Freyja, Hela, Loki, Odin

Known Relatives: Amora (Enchantress, sister)

Aliases: Ice Queen, Valkyrie, Destroyer, Melodi

Base of Operations: Mobile on Earth;
   formerly Isle of Silence;
   formerly Hel;
   formerly Asgard

First Appearance: Thor I#337 (November, 1983)

Powers/Abilities: Lorelei possessed the conventional powers of all Asgardian gods, including enhanced strength (Class 25), vitality, stamina, resistance to injury, and immortality. She was capable of casting various spells, generally in the seduction of men, though she was also capable of interdimensional transport and the creation of various potions, tapping into and manipulating mystical energy to do so. Lorelei could imbue the form of the Valkyrie on a mortal. The full gamut of her mystical potential and other magical capabilities remain unrevealed, but she is not as versed in the mystical arts as high gods like Odin, Amora the Enchantress, Loki, and others.

As Valkyrie, Lorelei was an experienced swordsman and spear-wielder. As the Destroyer, Lorelei could wield all the powers of the Destroyer armor. Lorelei, as a spirit, could briefly take possession of another form.

Height: 5'5"
Weight: 320 lbs.
Eyes: Blue-green
Hair: Reddish-blonde

History: Much of Lorelei's upbringing remains unrevealed.

(Thor I#350 (fb) - BTS) - In Asgard, Lorelei and her sister Amora developed a rivalry that lasted for years.

(Thor I#337) - Going on an illegal troll hunt with Helgi and other Asgardian males, Lorelei caught the troll using her feminine wiles and impressed the men. Despite Helgi's warnings, Lorelei agreed to accompany Loki to his residence when he asked.

(Thor I#338) - Loki disguised himself as Thor and kissed Lorelei passionately in the trees where Sif, Thor's lady love, would find them. Sif was furious and rejected "Thor" before storming away. Loki was delighted, though Lorelei wondered if she had made a mistake. Loki told Lorelei that she may succeed where Amora always failed.

(Thor I#339) - While Thor and Beta Ray Bill recovered from battle with each other, Lorelei commented to Sif that Thor deserved Lorelei's comforts while Sif perhaps better deserved the attentions of the monstrous Bill.

(Thor I#340) - Loki agreed to help Lorelei win the heart of Thor. He took her to Midgard, to Manhattan, and she agreed to perform a task for him in return.

(Thor I#341) - At Loki's direction, Lorelei traveled to a dangerous district in New York City to mesmerize the dragon Fafnir into attacking Thor, though she stopped to cause two flirting mortals to fight over her first. Fafnir proved able to mesmerize Lorelei, however, and placed her in a trap near the workplace of Thor's alter-ego, Sigurd Jarlson. Thor, as Jarlson, rescued Lorelei, who was unconscious, then fought Fafnir until the dragon fled. Lorelei awoke in Jarlson's arms before falling asleep again.

(Thor I#342) - Thinking Lorelei a mortal, health care professionals prepared to take her to the hospital, but before she left she thanked Jarlson for rescuing her and stated her intentions to thank him properly on another occasion. Lorelei later mixed a love potion for Thor as she heard news that Fafnir was seeking revenge on Thor again.

(Thor I#343) - Lorelei bided her time, hearing that Fafnir was still destroying the city. Finally, Thor attacked Fafnir and defeated the dragon. Using the name Melodi, Lorelei went to Jarlson's apartment and offered him  her special mead (the love potion) and a back rub.

(Thor I#344) - "Melodi" put Jarlson to sleep with her backrub. She had to laugh at this, though she regretted Thor not drinking the potion yet. She left, leaving a note that she would prepare dinner for Jarlson on Saturday.

(Thor I#345) - "Melodi" and Jarlson went on a date in the park and she took him back to her place where she worked on seducing him in preparation for the love mead. While she was in the other room, slipping into something more comfortable, Jarlson received bad news and had to rush away.

(Thor I#346) - At a local bar, Lorelei was surrounded by men wanting to court her, but she held them off, hearing that Thor had returned. Back at her apartment, she answered a knock at her door and was surprised to see Malekith, the Dark Elf. He took Lorelei captive and made a false construct of "Melodi" to take her place. Later, Thor visited "Melodi" and drank the mead, falling madly in love with her. Then Malekith revealed that the true "Melodi" was being held captive, and that Thor would have to bring him the Casket of Ancient Winters in order to see her saved.

(Thor I#347) - Thor, with his mortal friend Roger Willis, stormed Malekith's gates to rescue "Melodi," who pleaded to him for help, but Thor was defeated by Malekith and Algrim the Strong and tossed out of the realm. Malekith, now with the Casket of Ancient Winters, presented Lorelei to his ally Wormwood to do with her what he would.

(Thor I#348) - Thor and Willis returned and defeated Malekith, rescuing Lorelei, and Thor kissed her passionately. Malekith, however, still managed to open the Casket.

(Thor I#349) - With winter raging around them, Thor, Lorelei, and Willis returned to Earth. Willis questioned how it was that "Melodi" recognized Jarlson as Thor, and she made up an excuse, then kissed Willis in private, casting a spell on him that would stop him from speaking his doubts any longer. She gave Thor more mead to drink, not realizing that Willis had managed to replace it with an alternate drink. Meanwhile, Odin, in Asgard, noticed Lorelei's deception but chose to overlook it.

(Thor I#350) - Enchantress appeared in Lorelei's apartment, requesting that they put aside their enmity and aid Asgard in its hour of peril. Lorelei refused, though, and thought Enchantress was trying to lead her into a trap. Enchantress disappeared, vowing revenge.

(Thor I#354) - Lorelei stayed hidden in her apartment as Asgardians were all over the city (after Odin's defeat by Surtur). She wondered why Thor had not returned to her. Loki came to her and brought her back to Asgard, figuring she could console Thor and that she and Thor could support him in becoming the next ruler of Asgard.

(Thor I#355) - Loki and Lorelei continued to plot.

(Thor I#357) - Lorelei questioned Loki about his past and skills in his Aerie, then Loki presented her with a magical fragrance that would make Thor enthralled with her. She accepted, thinking her mead was no longer working since Thor had not returned to her. Later, the Enchantress managed to return to Asgard and was shocked to find the city in ruins. However, while she did not lament Odin's passing, she had sworn that Lorelei would rue the day she refused to help fight the sons of Muspell. Finding the great scepter of Odin where it lay, the Enchantress, realizing that Loki would seek it out, cast a spell on it that would seal Lorelie's fate by making her find someone she deserved. That night, when Loki found the scepter and picked it up, he felt a curious tingle but dismissed it as the power of the scepter flowing through him.
  Later, Lorelei cast the fragrance at Thor's feet, and he was shocked to see "Melodi" in Asgard.

(Thor I#358) - Lorelei tested Thor's love by having him destroy a prize possession. Later, though he professed to love her above all else, she could not persuade him to grant Loki the throne. Frustrated, she rode on the back of a bird to Loki's Aerie to inform him but once she saw Loki the spell that the Enchantress cast upon Loki via the scepter caused Lorelei to fall hopelessly in love with him. Lorelei immediately began to seduce Loki.

(Thor I#359) - Lorelei returned to Thor on her winged bird and discovered that he fully supported Loki on the throne. She toyed with him for a bit, even causing him to strike Sif, then returned to Loki, immediately laying with him. Manipulated by Heimdall and Amora, who both knew of Lorelei's deception and of the spell that Amora had cast on Lorelei, Thor walked in upon Loki and Lorelei and attacked Loki. Lorelei managed to hold Thor off for a moment, but Thor threatened Loki's life so Loki released Thor from his spell. Thor, no longer in love with Lorelei, pushed her aside and departed, leaving her to fawn over Loki.

(Marvel Age Annual#1) - Lorelei joined Loki, who had cast a spell to look into the future. Together they watched possible future events including the death of an Asgardian. Lorelei asked if there was nothing better they could do when Loki's phone rang. Annoyed by it Loki destroyed the phone.

(Thor I#363) - Lorelei tried to gain Loki's attentions, but he was pre-occupied with a plot on Thor.

(Thor I#367) - Tiring of Lorelei, Loki scolded her and sent her to fetch him a drink. She did so in tears, and was offered a "love potion" by Malekith to add to the drink to ensure that Loki loved her. The potion knocked Loki and Lorelei unconscious, however. Later, at the coronation of Balder as Lord of Asgard, Lorelei taunted Sif and Thor, and Sif struck Lorelei in the face, knocking her to the ground.

(Thor I#368) - Lorelei went to Loki for solace, but he was preoccupied with his own thoughts. She watched as he looked at the background of Balder the Brave.

(Avengers: Loki Unleashed#1) - Lorelei tried to get Loki's attention as he looked for objects of power, but he grew annoyed and banished her to Alfheim.

(Thor I#383) - A suitor named Daillus the Daring came seeking Lorelei's attentions, and she turned him to stone. Amora tried to convince Lorelei to stop toying with mortals, sharing an account of her own lost opportunity to love Thor. Lorelei scoffed at her sister's advice.

(Thor I#398) - As the forces of Seth closed in on Asgard, Lorelei stood with Amora and her loyalty to Asgard was questioned. Valdor let them know that Heimdall had been injured, and the Vizier tended to his wounds. Enchantress rushed off in a fury, distressing Lorelei.

(Thor I#399) - Lorelei, determined to aid Balder in battle against Seth, leaped in the way of projectiles meant for Balder.

(Thor I#400) - While Asgard triumphed over its foes, Amora cradled the dying form of her sister.

(Thor I#402) - Much to Amora's sadness, the goddess Hela came and claimed Lorelei's soul.

(Thor I#438/2 (fb) - BTS) - After Hela tried to utilize the powerful Destroyer armor, Lorelei's soul took possession of it and encased Hela in unbreakable crystal. She then turned Hela's warriors to stone and trapped the mighty Gorm.

(Thor I#437/2) - When Balder and Sif entered Hel to find Thor's spirit, Lorelei, in the Destroyer armor, attacked them.

(Thor I#438/2) - Lorelei battled her former allies briefly, then departed until coming back to renew her attack, determined to make them pay for still having mortal forms.

(Thor I#439/2) - Destroyer was alerted by one of Hel's minions that they had entered the lowest part of Hel, Mid-Hogg. Sif had freed the deadly Gar-Toom, retrieving a sword that could free Hela, and Lorelei attacked just as Gar-Toom prepared to do so.

(Thor I#440/2) - Lorelei quickly destroyed Gar-Toom and then turned to attacking Sif, revealing it was she who empowered the armor. Sif refused to beg for her life, and Lorelei prepared to utilize the Destroyer's ultimate power of disintegration.

(Thor I#441/2) - Lorelei inadvertently collapsed a wall on to herself and took minutes to free herself. She then pursued Sif through Hel, falling into a pit of the Great Beasts. When Hela was freed, she was determined to leave Destroyer in the pit forever.

(Thor I#476) - After months of battling the beasts, Hela allowed Lorelei's repentant spirit to go free and return to Hel to await future torment.

(Thor I#485) - Lorelei was approached by Malekith in Hel, while Hela was gone, and helped her plot to return to life and regain the love of Thor. She sent her visage to the Fantastic Four's Thing, convincing him to retrieve the love brew she had in her old apartment. Thing did so, but then Malekith used his magics to mimic Lorelei and instructed Thing to drink the elixir and fall in love with her. He then instructed Thing to battle Thor and Sif, but the battle was short-lived. From Hel, Malekith then called forth his old ally, Kurse.

(Thor I#486) - Lorelei informed Kurse that Malekith had used the magic Kurse unleashed in entering Hel to escape.

(Journey into Mystery I#509) - Seth restored Lorelei to life and dispatched her against her sister working alongside the Asgardian gods trying to recover their true identities. Although Amora was pleased to see her sister returned to life, Lorelei had been poisoned against her and forced to believe that by killing Amora she could step out of her sister's shadow. Although overwhelmed by her sister and the other gods, she cast a concussive spell that knocked everyone around her into unconsciousness.

(Journey into Mystery I#510) - Even as Amora pleaded to her sister to shake off Seth's influence, Lorelei destroyed the enchanted objects the bestowed the Lost Gods their godly powers and helped to capture Hermod as he tried to rescue them.

(Journey into Mystery I#511) - Removing Amora from her restraints, Lorelei took Amora into an adjacent realm to terrorize her, but Amora refused to fight even as Lorelei abused her. During her mocking, she revealed that Seth had created her from a mere shadow without any emotion or conscience. Upon hearing that, Amora lashed out with the full potential of her power and destroyed her sister in order to free her from Seth's power and control.

(Defenders II#3 (fb)) - Lorelei was approached in Asgard by Pluto, Lord of Hades, who promised her earthly power and dominion if she wielded a spell that bonded a Valkyrie to him. Lorelei, though haughty, agreed to do so. (Defenders II#3 (fb) - BTS) - Lorelei bonded a mortal, Samantha Parrington, who had previously been bonded to a Valkyrie by the Enchantress, to become a Valkyrie subject to Pluto and Lorelei's commands. However, Pluto manipulated the residual magic and transformed Lorelei into another Valkyrie, with little memory, and unable to speak. He deposited her on Earth. (Defenders II#2 (fb)) - Nighthawk found Valkyrie, in plain-clothes, hunched in an alley uncapable of speech. He took her in and made her his bodyguard, hoping to find out what had happened to her. His mystic, Papa Hagg, discovered her to be imbued with Asgardian magic. (Defenders II#1) - Valkyrie stood at Nighthawk's side when he received  a call for aid from Hellcat. Nighthawk reformed the Defenders to do so, using Papa Hagg to assemble them. (Defenders II#2) - Valkyrie stood silently while Hellcat and Nighthawk discussed her mysterious origins. They watched, through Papa Hagg's powers, as the four Defenders (Doctor Stephen Strange, Hulk (Bruce Banner), Silver Surfer, Sub-Mariner) were defeated by Pluto and another Valkyrie in northern Canada. (Defenders II#3) - Valkyrie, dressed in an old costume of another Valkyrie, traveled with Nighthawk and Hellcat, transported by Papa Hagg, to Canada, where the two Valkyries fought each other while the Defenders fought Pluto's minions. Their powers matched, Lorelei was able to break Pluto's spell and return to her natural form. Lorelei immediately attacked Pluto, and the two of them worked to assert control over the Valkyrie. Meanwhile, the Defenders destroyed Pluto's temple, allowing his denizens of the dead to begin pouring through to Earth. (Defenders II#4) - While the Defenders fought the dead, the Asgardian Valkyrior suddenly entered the fray to aid them. Faced with a renewed attack by the Defenders, Pluto and Lorelei continued fighting over control of Valkyrie, who soon broke their spell and lashed out against them. Then Zeus' visage appeared above them, promising punishment. Pluto and Lorelei quickly teleported away rather than face Zeus' wrath. (Loki: Agent of Asgard#2 (fb) - BTS) - Lorelei avoided Ragnarök.

(Loki: Agent of Asgard#2 (fb) - BTS) - The All-Mother sent Loki on a mission to return Lorelei to Asgardia.

   Lorelei did some research on the Internet and in newspaper and found out Lorelei annually went on a crime spree including cons, grifts, scams and swindles in one month to bankroll a heist that left her with enough money to live in luxury for one year.

(Loki: Agent of Asgard#2 (fb) ) - Loki watched Lorelei talk to arts buyers in Paris. She was lying about an art piece being in her possession.

(Loki: Agent of Asgard#2 (fb) - BTS) - For weeks Loki posed as Trixie the Hacker as part of Lorelei's crew for the big heist at a casino in Monte Carlo.

(Loki: Agent of Asgard#2 (fb) ) - Lorelei used an illusion of herself and her crew Trixie and Daisy entering a casino in Monte Carlo armed with guns to distract the guards at the front entrance before while she and her crew had already reached the casino's vault with the one billion Euros they planned to steal. Lorelei knew the illusion wouldn't distract the guards for long and ordered Trixie to hurry up with hacking the vault door. Interpol Agent Max Martel caught Lorelei's crew in the act, but Lorelei used her psychic powers to trap him in an amorous dream. She then sent Daisy outside to get their car with an amulet of invisibility to get through the guards, unaware Trixie/Loki had switched the amulet with a fake. Trixie successfully opened the vault door, but then closed it to trap Lorelei and herself inside. Trixie dropped her disguise to reveal herself as Loki, which surprised Lorelei because she had been working with Trixie for weeks and it was uncommon for Loki to wear a different form for that long. Lorelei then opened her bag, which was actually a portal, to escape Loki, whom she knew was working for the All-Mother.

(Loki: Agent of Asgard#2 (fb) - BTS) - With the heist gone wrong Lorelei needed to rebuild her cash reserves. Loki caught up with Lorelei at a speed dating night in New York City. While posing as a 40-year-old divorce named Ken he slipped her a wallet with his calling card.

(Loki: Agent of Asgard#2) - Lorelei enchanted a man to force him to hand over his wallet. When she left she looked at Loki, who followed her outside. She had found his calling card and was surprised he had not yet turned her over to the All-Mother. He revealed that even though he was working for the All-Mother he actually wanted her as part of his crew for a heist even bigger than her failed casino heist. Surprised when Loki told her he actually didn't like speed dating she pointed out how he seemed to like Verity Willis, the last woman he was talking to.

(Loki: Agent of Asgard#4 - BTS) - The All-Mother were not pleased that Loki had failed to capture Lorelei.

(Loki: Agent of Asgard#4) - Loki called in Verity Willis, Lorelei and Thor for a meeting at his apartment to ask them if they would be part of his heist to free Sigurd from Asgardia's dungeon.

(Loki: Agent of Asgard#5) - Loki and Lorelei jumped off Roxxon Airways Flight 303 on to Asgardia, which hovered over Broxton, Oklahoma. As planned Thor distracted Heimdall long enough by battling the Technocracy in Earth's orbit to give Lorelei and Loki a chance to break into Asgardia's dungeon. Before they hit the ground Lorelei used the Charm of Liquid Solids she had bought from Dwarves in Nidavellir to turn the ground beneath them into liquid. They passed through the spell and had their momentum slowed down enough by the spell to land safely inside the dungeon. Verity Willis, who could see through any lie, directed them through the illusions and real traps by looking at everything through Loki's cellphone. Loki and Lorelei soon reached the cell of Sigurd, who actually opened it from the inside. Lorelei was surprised and Loki revealed Sigurd was actually just in the second most secure cell and he still sought to find the most secure cell. Lorelei had enough because Loki had already paid her to get Sigurd out and Sigurd had been paid to get them inside. She opened a portal and joined by Sigurd, who was hitting on her, left Asgardia's dungeon for some other place on Earth.

(Loki: Agent of Asgard#8 (fb) - BTS) - Lorelei and Sigurd became partners in bed and crime.

(Loki: Agent of Asgard#8 (fb) - BTS) - Loki and Amora, whose moral axis had accidentally been reversed by spell cast by the Scarlet Witch and Doctor Strange to defeat the Red Onslaught (Red Skull with Xavier's powers), asked Lorelei, Sigurd and Verity Willis over to Loki's apartment.

(Loki: Agent of Asgard#8) - Lorelei and Sigurd had a talk with Loki and Amora, who revealed they were good guys now and asked them to join them in their future heroic endeavors. Lorelei, who constantly felt humiliated by Amora's comments about her criminal lifestyle and hygiene during the talk, declined the offer and left with Sigurd and Verity, who was told by Loki he didn't have time anymore for mortals.

   Verity later called Lorelei to ask her to help Loki with her magic because something was wrong with his change, but Lorelei was in the process of robbing a bank with Sigurd, told off Verity because she has had enough of Loki's nonsense. Lorelei returned to work while she was still on the phone with Verity, who knew Lorelei was committing another crime.

(Loki: Agent of Asgard#9) - Lorelei and Sigurd were in another robbery when Loki and Amora arrived on the scene. Lorelei asked Sigurd to hurt them, but Amora took him down by using his love for Lorelei against him, then caught them both in magic chains. Loki and Amora then delivered the two Asgardian criminals to Asgardia. Odin encased them in stone and vowed to imprison them on the Isle of Silence.

(Loki: Agent of Asgard#15) - Lorelei and Sigurd were released from their stone prison on the Isle of Silence when Odin blew the Gjallahorn to call all Asgardians to arms. Reborn in warrior garb they were ready to defeat whatever threatened Asgardia.

(Loki: Agent of Asgard#16) - Lorelei and Sigurd picked up all fallen warriors from the halls of Valhalla to rejoin the battle against Asgard's enemies. They brought sunglasses for themselves and Freyja to look cool in battle against the army of Earth-14412's King Loki, which included Jormungand, Hela, Tyr, the dead from Hel, Trolls, Dark Elves and Frost Giants.

SECRET WARS III HAPPENED

(Civil War II: Gods of War#2) - Lorelei and Sigurd battled a Chthonian Beast (green serpent) in Berlin before being summoned by Hercules to New York, where they joined other gods in forming the Gods of War.

(Civil War II: Gods of War#3) - A maddened Hercules battled the Gods of War as the Uprising Storm watched. A group of heroes (Captain Marvel, Captain America, Spider-Man, Medusa) arrived, battling Hercules alongside the Gods until they freed him from his branding by Cryptomnesia.

(Civil War II: Gods of War#4) - The Gods of War took the battle to the Uprising Storm. With Tiresias, Sophia Gagliardi, and Tennyson the dog nearby, Ire and Lorelei prepared spells, but were attacked by Horoscope while the male members of the Gods took on Catastrophobia and Cryptomnesia. The Storm was defeated.

(Marvel Voices: Pride II#1/1) - Lorelei joined with several of Loki's exes (Angerboda, Leah, Hepti, Mr. Cluck, Queen Sindr, Cyril, Fede, James, Jeph, Sigyn, Isidore, and Svadilfari) in seeking revenge on Loki, but the Young Avengers broke the fight up.

Comments: Created by Walt Simonson.

It is unrevealed whether or not Lorelei is meant to be the legendary German siren of lore or yet another different goddess.

Although Lorelei is a recognized German goddess, her connections mythologically to the pantheon of the Asgardian gods is rather undefined. (Thor2000: "Although as a hopeful writer with intimate knowledge of earth's deities, I have my suspicions!")

Malekith posed as Lorelei in Thor I#487-489 to trick Kurse.

It is unrevealed how Lorelei came back to life in her Defenders' appearances.

Profile by Chadman and Will U. Update by Markus Raymond (Loki: Agent of Asgard).