Powers/Abilities: Fafnir
was immensely strong (perhaps Class 50; towards the higher end, or at least stronger than Fasolt) and durable, as well as immune
to aging and perhaps resistant to conventional disease. 
FAFNIR
Real Name: Fafnir
Identity/Class: Extradimensional (Jotunheim; associated with the Asgardian cosmology) Storm Giant
Occupation: Warrior, architect/builder
Group Membership: Jotuns (Giants of Jotunheim), Ravagers from the realms of Ice and Death (Fafnir of Nastrond, Forsung the Enchanter, the Midgard Serpent (Jormungand), Nidhogg, an unidentified Ice Giant, and a pair of Ice Dwarves)
Affiliations: Servant of Hela;
former ally of Fasolt;
former agent of Kurse
Enemies: Alberich and his allies (giants and trolls that were part of Hela's horde), Beta Ray Bill, Fasolt, Frey, Godpack (specifically Anak, Bella, and Blitzana; but also Loga, Riger, and Zefra), High Evolutionary (Herbert Wyndham), Idunn, Loki Laufeyson, Malekith, Mime, Odin Borson, Siegfried (a mortal incarnation of Thor), Sif, Thor Odinson, Warriors Three (Fandral, Hogun, Volstagg)
Known Relatives: Fasolt (brother)
Aliases: "The most base Storm Giant of all"
Base of Operations: Hel (within the Asgardian cosmology);
formerly the Hate-Cavern (a cave in Jotunheim (within the Asgardian cosmology))
First Appearance: (Wagner's Fafnir) Das Rhinegold
(The Rhinegold), the first of four parts in the opera "Der
Ring Des Nibelung" (The Ring of the Nibelung) opera (September 22, 1869);
(Marvel's Fafnir) Thor I#294 (April, 1980)
Powers/Abilities: Fafnir
was immensely strong (perhaps Class 50; towards the higher end, or at least stronger than Fasolt) and durable, as well as immune
to aging and perhaps resistant to conventional disease.
He was a skilled architect and builder, and an experienced warrior. He carried a dagger.
For a time, Fafnir possessed the Ring of the Nibelung (aka the Ring of Power), which granted him great power to transform objects and beings; he used its power to transform himself into a dragon. It also enabled him to teleport.
For a time, Fafnir also possessed the Tarnhelm, which could granted him the power to become invisible while wearing it.
As a dragon, he was comparably strong to his giant form, although his arms were relatively small for his body size (although not quite T. rex proportions). He was likely even more durable than he was as a giant, although he was vulnerable to the enchanted sword Needful. He could fly, despite his massive body weight to wing size ratio, and could expel flames from his mouth at will. His tail could strike with great force, and he had three sharp horns atop his head. In a dragon form, his blood was poison to most, although it instead granted Siegfried a certain level of awareness, including the speech of birds (or, at least, a bird, which may have been enchanted).
Height: Approximately 25'
Weight: (Giant form) unrevealed; based on the above height, if normal human
density, he would be approximately 14,500 lbs. (7.25 tons); if 2-3x
human density as has been reported, he would be 29,000 - 43, 500 lbs.
(14.5 - 21.75 tons); (dragon form) unrevealed; based on the weight as a giant, I would estimate approximately 10-25 tons
Eyes: (Giant form) brown (although I am pretty color blind...if they look different to you, let me know); (dragon form) red (no visible sclera)
Hair: (Giant form) brown (see comments); (dragon form) none
History:
(Thor
I#294 (fb)) - Odin recreated the Asgardian gods shortly after -- in one of the many cycles of death and
rebirth of the Asgardian gods -- Odin was reborn via the merging of
previous incarnations of Magni, Modi, Vili, and Ve.
(Thor I#294 (fb) - BTS) - Fafnir and Fasolt battled Thor, Frey, and other gods.
(Thor I#294 (fb) - BTS) - Fasolt often complained about how their cave-dwelling needed a woman's touch.
(Thor I#294 (fb) - BTS) - Manipulated by Loki, Odin enlisted the giants Fafnir and Fasolt to build the great hall Valhalla in a short time span with the goddess Idunn to be their payment; Loki promised Odin that this price need never be paid.
(Thor I#294 (fb) - BTS) - While Fasolt wanted Idunn to be his lover, Fafnir wanted Idunn because she was the goddess of immortality and possessed the golden apples that granted the gods their immortality.
(Thor I#294 (fb)) - As Odin looked on with pleasure as Fafnir and Fasolt worked upon Valhalla, noting that -- while he hated all Storm Giants -- they did good work, Frigga noted her disgust at the terms of the agreement. Odin assured her he never would have agreed to those terms had not Loki promised him Idunn would not be actually given up, though he remained uneasy with not knowing how Loki would bring this about.
Just them, Loki arrived with Idunn, who he had taken against her will,
and Fafnir reached down and grabbed Idunn, telling Fasolt how their
cave would the warm touch of a goddess of Asgard. Fafnir further noted
her beauty, though that was not why he wanted her, but Fasolt admitted
that he did want her for her beauty and begged Fafnir not to harm
her. 
While Odin stood by helplessly, bound by his agreement, and ordered Loki to begin his promised plotting, Idunn's screams summoned Thor and Frey. Cursing Fafnir as the "most base Storm Giant of all," Thor ordered him to release Idunn or pay a price beyond measure, but Fasolt noted they had no quarrel with him, and Fafnir agreed that this day they only want what they had earned and been promised: Idunn. Thor instead promised Fafnir his enchanted hammer, Mjolnir, which he then hurled at Fafnir's hand, causing him to painfully drop Idunn into Thor's arm, while Mjolinir magically returned to Thor's other hand, as planned.
Insisting they would still take Idunn back to Jotunheim after they had dealt with Thor, Fafnir struck the ground by the thunder god and demanded they receive their sworn pay. Thor angrily showed the giants the way he paid them by flying up and striking him in the face with Mjolnir, then mocked Fafnir as he was knocked off his feet, telling him to stand and collect his full due. However, Odin then ordered Thor and Frey to sheathe their weapons or he would strike them down (a statement with whick Loki taunted Thor). Fafnir replied that neither god nor godling would force him to stay his hand, while Fasolt added that not even Thor could stand against them both.
(Thor
I#295 (fb))
- When Fasolt's strikes led Thor to warn him that his "puny smitings"
but served to rouse his wrath, Fasolt warned that he would strike him
again and again until he was forever fallen. Fafnir told Fasolt to slay Thor, noting he would have done it himself, but Thor had felled him before his was prepared. As
Thor struck back, knocking the wind out of Fasolt with a punch in the
gut, he replied that Fafnir's lies were as great as his girth, both of
which he would deal with once he had disposed of his overbold brother.
Striking Thor in mid-air, Fafnir told Thor he would deal with him now
and that while he could fell the weakling Fasolt, Fafnir was the
mightiest Storm Giant of all the brood. Rising back to his feet, Thor
leapt up and floored Fafnir with his bare fist, after which he picked
up Fafnir and threw him at Fasolt, smashing both against a tree.
Odin then commanded Thor to halt, and as Thor argued, Fafnir and Fasolt recovered, and Fafnir told Odin to tell Thor the truth, upon which Fasolt explained how the loss of Idunn was caused by Odin's own greed and folly. Fafnir continued telling of Odin's promise and Fasolt shared how they had done what Odin had thought they couldn't and that they demanded their lovely wage.
When Odin told Loki to make good on his vow to release Odin from thie bargain, Loki told of the Rhinegold horde -- stolen from the Rhinemaidens by the gnome Alberich -- and remarked how Alberich had it fashioned it into a ring that would grant its owner supreme power over Earth and the gods alike. After some brief, secretive discussion, Fasolt told Odin they were moved by his plight and would accept a lesser gift than Idunn, which Fafnir named as the Ring of the Nibelung. When Odin told them he didn't have the ring and that the giants should seek it themselves if they wanted, Fafnir noted that that required cunning when they only had might, after which he led Fasolt to snatch Idunn and flee. Odin stopped Thor's pursuit.
(Thor I#295 (fb) - BTS) - Knowing the gods would perish bereft of Idunn's golden apples, which maintained their immortality, Odin led Thor and Loki to the domain of the Nibelung to steal Alberich's ring.
(Thor I#295 (fb) - BTS) - Sensing Odin's triumph, and thus their own, Fafnir and Fasolt returned to Asgard.
(Thor I#295 (fb)) - Alongside Thor and Loki, Odin returned to Asgard bearing the Ring of Power (which Alberich had curse: "No man or god shall rejoice in possessing this ring -- though all in Heaven or Earth shall lust for it"), an immense gold horde Alberich had created via the Ring, and the Tarnhelm, a magic helmet granting invisibility powers. Odin offered the giants the golden horde and the Tarnhelm in exchange for Idunn, and he instructed them to take it and begone from his sight until Ragnarok, when he could gladly raise his spear against them. Though Fasolt marveled at how the pile of gold was nearly as tall as Idunn, Fafnir instead demanded Odin give them the ring as well of they wanted Idunn back. Though Odin was under the ring's influence, he was convinced by the prophetess Erda to give up the ring or risk a mournful day for Valhalla long before its time.
Odin tossed the ring atop the gold horde, and while Fasolt returned Idunn to Thor, noting how he would miss her when icy winds sliced through Jotunheim, Fafnir put the ring on his finger, noting that whether by magic or design, the larger circle on the ring fit his hand perfectly. When Fasolt asked what of him, Fafnir told him they would split the rest of the gold, though he would take both the larger portion and the Tarnhelm himself as well. Fasolt argued not while he lived, and Fafnir replied, "Then live no longer, whimperer!" and grabbed him by the neck and threatened him with his dagger. Drawing his own dagger, Fasolt shouted that he would have the ring at least, but Fafnir grabbed Fasolt's dagger-hand and knocked him to the ground, telling his brother, "You were never my equal in strength, the best day you did breathe --" and, while fatally stabbing Fasolt in the neck added "-- and in death, you are only equal to the worms!"
Screaming in pain, Fasolt perished.
Though Thor ached to take down Fafnir, the giant -- as he gathered the golden horde into a sacks -- warned the gods to look to their own safety for one day he would know the full secret of Mime's golden ring, and on that day they would learn that even immmortals may perish -- at Ragnarok.
When Thor leapt at Fafnir, the giant transported himself away, telling Thor, "Rejoice, thunder god! For when next you do see me, you may well wish you did not!"
(Thor I#295 (fb) - BTS) - Odin told Thor one of Fafnir's dullness doubtlessly would never would fathom the ring's full power.
(Thor
I#297 (fb) - BTS) - Via the Ring of Power, Fafnir transformed himself into a dragon.
(Thor I#297 (fb) - BTS) - Mime raised Siegfried -- a mortal incarnation of Thor and the son of Siegmund (another mortal incarnation of Thor, who had previously perished), and Sieglinda, who died in childbirth -- in hopes that he might slay Fafnir and obtain for him the Ring of Power.
(Thor I#297 (fb) - BTS) - Alberich hired some giants and trolls -- part of Hela's horde -- and waited near Fafnir's Hate-Cavern, where they waited for a chance to reclaim the Ring of Power.
(Thor I#297 (fb) - BTS) - Mime told Siegfried he had everything he needed to go off and be a man and a warrior, except fear. Siegfried had never heard of nor knew fear, and Mime told him only the dragon Fafnir, who dwelled in his Hate-Cavern, could teach him fear. Siegfried insisted they got Fafnir, and Mime led him that way.
(Thor I#297 (fb)) - Odin approached Fafnir and his allies outside the Hate-Cavern, and when Alberich threatened how they would trample Asgard on Ragnarok, Odin fired an energy burst at Alberich's feet. The force of this blast awakened Fafnir, who burst through the walls of his Hate-Cave, asking who roused him from his dreamless sleep. Alberich claimed to be Fafnir's friend, warning him that someone came to steal his golden horde, but Fafnir correctly suspected that this thief was Alberich. The gnome continued to insist he was Fafnir's friend and requested the ring, "the tiniest part of his treasure" to keep him safe, but Fafnir unleashed a burst of flame at Alberich as he insisted the ring was his and instructed Alberich to go and let him slumber again.
As Alberich and his allies fled from Fafnir, Alberich rushed past the approaching Mime and Siegfried; Mime told Siegfried that this was fear, which Siegfried did not consider very appealing. Fafnir soon confronted Mime and Siegfried, telling him he would teach the lesson of fear for him, but that he would not be alive long enough to profit from it.
(Thor
I#298 (fb)) - Alberich and his allies, as well as Odin, watched as
Fafnir confronted Siegfried. Before fleeing, Mime told Siegfried that
Fafnir's heart was in the same place as any other beast.
As a bird alighted upon Thor's shoulder and sang as if trying to tell him something, Fafnir told him that it sang his death-song, his reward for seeing in his Hate-Cavern lair. As he struck Siegfried with his tail, Fafnir assured him he would not keep that reward from him much longer. Fafnir wrapped his tail around Siegfried's waist, but Siegfried slashed the tail with his sword, Needful; flinging Siegfried away and recalling Siegfried's goal of learning fear, Fafnir prepared to teach Siegfried and unleashed his fiery breath. Protected by his shield, Siegfried denied learning anything of fear, and as he sliced into Fafnir's foot he insisted the dragon teach him or he would cleave his scaly flesh from his bones. Kicking Siegfried away, Fafnir asked why he wanted something that diminish his stature, but -- dodging Fafnir's breath and sinking his sword into the dragon's nose -- Siegfried explained how Mime had told him fear was the only attribute he needed to become the mightiest warrior of all. Having instead felt joy upon Fafnir's approach as battle was what he was born for, as Fafnir took to the air Siegfried mocked the dragon for trying to flee before teaching the lesson. Siegfried then slashed Fafnir's head and stabbed his right eye with Needful, causing Fafnir to furiously throw Siegfried from his head, noting that his infernal boasting vexed him more than the loss of a hundred eyes could. Crashing through trees, Siegfried groaned, but wished that all who opposed him did so with Fafnir's ferocity.
Smashing through the trees, Fafnir asked if the vision of his dripping sightless eye at last filled him with fear. Feeling only anger about being taunted about not being able to receive his final lesson, Siegfried instead vowed that Fafnir would not live to further taunt him. Siegfried then leapt up and shoved Needful into Fafnir's chest, mortally wounding the dragon. Unwilling to perish and rot in that false form, Fafnir reverted to his giant form as he collapsed to the ground, asking if Siegfried would grant him one last request, to know Siegfried's true nature. Not knowing his origins, Siegried instead noted how Fafnir's blood had spattered into his mouth and seemed to awaken new perceptions in him, as if he would soon come to understand things which of late had confounded him.
Fafnir then told Siegfried of the Rhinegold and his golden hoard, which was now Siegfried's, though treason followed he who held it..."and the one who plotted for you this terrible deed...shapes you for death, uhhh..." And with that, Fafnir perished.
Having head Fafnir mention a ring, Siegfried pulled the glowing ring of power fron Fafnir's giant finger, and the ring then shrunk to a size to fit his hand, allowing Siegfried to don it. Siegfried also donned the Tarnhelm.
(Thor I#298 (fb) - BTS) - The awareness gained from Fafnir's blood allowed Siegfried to now understand the bird that spoke to him, and it warned him of Mime's treachery. When Mime tried to poison Siegfried, the warrior recognized the treachery and hurled Mime away; landing in Fafnir's blood, Mime was poisoned by it and died in agony.
(Thor I#298 (fb)) - Siegfried cast Mime into the Hate-Cavern and then pushed Fafnir's corpse in front of the mouth of the cavern, making him eternal guardian of his favored hoard.
(Thor I#288 (fb) - BTS) - Fafnir of Nastrond was named for Fafnir the Storm Giant.
(Thor
I#486) - Manipulated by Malekith into invading Hel to locate Malekith
(who escaped via his invasion) and seemingly defeating Hela (an
illusion, as the true Hela was away at the time, presumably lured away
by Malekith) by Malekith, Kurse (Algrim) led the Ravagers from the
realms of Ice and Death, a number of deceased villains and monsters,
including both Fafnir the Storm Giant and Fafnir of Nastrond (as
well as the Midgard Serpent, an Ice Giant, a pair of Ice Dwarves,
Forsung the Enchanter, and Nidhogg), to Earth to assault Thor (Malekith
posed as Lorelei and had ensorcelled Kurse to see Thor as Malekith).
(Thor I#487 (fb) - BTS) - Kurse promised the Fafnirs and other warriors he rose from Hel an honored place in Hel if they destroyed his enemies.
(Thor I#486) - Fafnir and the rest of the Ravagers from the realms of Ice and Death appeared on Earth and confronted Thor and Sif.
(Thor I#487) - Under Kurse's guidance, both Fafnirs (and the others risen from Hel) assaulted Manhattan, leveling buildings with huge fists like wrecking balls. Sif struck and pained the Jotun Fafnir with her sword to his chest, accusing him as having ever been a "strutting bully." As the dragon Fafnir's fiery breath drove Sif back, the two Fafnirs discussed how they cared little whether they faced Thor and his woman or Malekith and his woman (indicating they were not affected by Malekith's illusions or manipulation of Kurse and knew who they were fighting), they agreed that they wre happy to receive the promised honored place in Hel if they destroyed Kurse's enemies, "whoever they be."
Sif was soon aided by the Godpack and the High Evolutionary, with a lightning blast from the High Evolutionary driving back Fafnir the Jotun. Anak and Bella continued the assault on Fafnir the Jotun, but were eventually beaten back.
(Thor I#487 - BTS) - The Warriors Three, and Beta Ray Bill soon arrived to aid Thor, Sif, and the Godpack.
(Thor I#488) - Thor aided Blitzana and Bella in dropping Fafnir the Jotun, although he got back up to continue fighting them.
Hela arrived soon after and put a halt to the Ravagers' assaults, and Thor dissuaded Hela from using the Ravagers to seek out Malekith by agreeing to become her slave. Hela thus transported the Ravagers back to Hel.
Comments: Created by Roy Thomas, Keith Pollard, Chic Stone.
In the original myths, Fafnir was actually a dwarf rather than a giant. In Wagner's Das Rheingold, Fafner was a giant and the brother of Fasolt, and it is this story on which this version of Fafnir was based.
Thor I#295 referenced at least once how Mime had fashioned the Ring of Power, but #297 clarified that Mime was Alberich's son and sought the Ring his father had created.
Profile by Snood.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Fafnir should be distinguished from:
images: (without ads)
Thor I#294, pg. 17, panel 1 (face struck by Mjolnir);
panel 2 (on ground, mostly full);
#295, pg. 1, panel 1 (dragon form, standing over Siegfried and Mime);
pg. 6, panel 3 (dragon form; Thor on his back; Siegfried on back);
pg. 9, panel 1 (reverting to giant form);
#487, panel 2-3 (amidst Ravagers from realms of Ice and Death);
pg. 7, panel 3 (full body, oblique);
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Update '89#3: Giants of Jotunheim (face)
Appearances:
Thor I#294-295 (April-May, 1980) - Roy Thomas (writer/editor), Keith Pollard (penciler), Chic Stone (inker), Jim Shooter (consulting editor)
Thor I#297 (July, 1980) - Roy Thomas (writer/editor), Keith Pollard (penciler), Chic Stone (inker), Mark Gruenwald (assistant editor)
Thor I#298 (August, 1980) - Ralph Macchio (writer), Keith Pollard (penciler), Chic Stone (inker), Jim Salicrup (editor)
Thor I#486 (May, 1995) - Roy Thomas (writer), M.C. Wyman (penciler), Mike DeCarlo (inker), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Thor
I#487 (June, 1995) - Roy Thomas (writer), M.C. Wyman (penciler), Mike
DeCarlo & Charles Barnett III (inkers), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Thor I#488 (July, 1995) - Roy Thomas (writer), M.C. Wyman (penciler), Mike DeCarlo (inker), Ralph Macchio (editor)
First Posted: 05/28/2016
Last updated: 06/17/16
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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