Son of Heaven and Earth
Thor, the thunder god and mightiest defender of the Norse cosmos, was born of two great powers. His father was Odin, the All-Father and ruler of the Æsir, and his mother was Jörd, the earth herself, counted among the giantesses of old.
From this union of sky-god and earth came a son of extraordinary strength. In his veins ran the blood of both the gods and the giants, and it was said that no being in all the Nine Worlds could match his might. Even as he grew, his temper flashed like lightning and his strength was beyond measure.
It was fitting that the child of the earth should become the great protector of Midgard, the world of men, and of Asgard, the home of the gods. From his birth, Thor was destined to stand as the shield of both against the forces of chaos.
His Divine Heritage
Father Odin
From the All-Father, Thor inherited his place among the Æsir and his role in the destiny of the gods.
Mother Jörd
From the earth goddess came his giant blood and the raw, elemental strength that made him the mightiest of the gods.
Protector by Nature
Born of earth and sky, Thor became the guardian of Midgard and the defender of the gods against the giants.
Sources and Related Tales
Thor's parentage is recorded in Snorri Sturluson's Prose Edda and the Poetic Edda, which name Odin as his father and Jörd as his mother.
Quick Facts
Themes & Symbolism
Earth and Sky: Thor unites the power of the heavens with the strength of the earth.
Gods and Giants: His mixed blood mirrors the deep kinship between the two ancient peoples.
Born to Defend: From the first, Thor is the shield of gods and mortals alike.
Symbol
Thor would come to wield Mjölnir, the hammer that made him the terror of the giants.
His children Magni and Modi would inherit his strength into the world reborn.