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I can't stop Garm from killing your father any more than I can stop this Mistletoe Arrow from killing me.

–Balder to Thomas Jefferson Jr. on the challenge of altering fate in 9 from the Nine Worlds.

Balder (also Baldr or Baldur in other versions) is the Norse God of Light, Peace, Spring, Forgiveness and Purity. Balder is the beloved son of Odin and Frigg. He was eventually killed by the trickster god Loki, who manipulated Balder's blind twin brother Hod. His beloved wife Nanna would die of grief shortly thereafter.

History[]

Balder is the beloved son of Odin and Frigg. One night, Balder had a nightmare of his own death, so his mother went around the nine worlds having everyone and everything swear that they will never hurt Balder. However, she skipped mistletoe as she thought it would be harmless no matter what. However, Loki finds out and crafts an arrow made of mistletoe and, during a celebration party where the gods where trowing things at Balder to test his invulnerability, Loki tricked his blind brother Hod into throwing the arrow. It landed in his chest and killed him and in anger, the gods killed Hod.

Skírnir goes to Helheim to convince Hel to free Balder, she agrees but only if everything in the nine worlds wept for the slain god. Skírnir tells the other gods this and they set out to free their comrade. However, all but Loki disguised as a giantess and had not wept for Balder, so he is destined to be trapped in Helheim until Ragnarök arrives.

Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard[]

The Sword of Summer[]

Balder is mentioned by Loki (in a vision of Magnus's), when the latter talks about how he had killed Balder with the use of the Mistletoe Arrow, his true punishment and grieves about the fate that his sons Vali and Nari suffered as part of his punishment for killing Odin's beloved son.

The Ship of the Dead[]

Frigg mentions the story of her son to Magnus, Mallory and Sam on the train in Flåm, talking about her oversight and how she underestimated the Mistletoe in tiredness of extracting promise from various elements, species and gods. This proved to be very costly as it was the same plant that resulted in the death of Balder.

9 from the Nine Worlds[]

Nice Doggy []

When Thomas Jefferson Jr. is tasked by Hel to find Garm, the slain god Balder walks up to the son of Tyr to check if he is real or not. When asked if he could help him, he says he can not help T.J., but he does give him the arrow that killed him to immobilize the guard god. When Garm is back in his cave, Balder retrieves his arrow and leaves to wash it.

Appearance[]

Balder is described as young and handsome with a mop of brown hair and shining blue eyes with dimples and an impish smile.

Personality[]

Balder is shown to be a kind deity and a helpful ally, as he offered T.J. his arrow to lure Garm back to his cave. However, he is also shown to be hesitant, as he questioned if Hel would approve of him helping the son of Tyr.

Abilities[]

  • Superhuman Strength: As a son of Odin and Frigg, Balder is an extremely powerful god.
  • Superhuman Durability: Frigg made him virtually invincible, Balder became invulnerable to nearly anything, rendering him nearly undefeatable.
  • Nigh-Invulnerability: Thanks to the efforts of his mother, Frigg, Balder's body was invulnerable to seemingly every object that might potentially harm him. Balder's only known weakness is self harm and mistletoe.
  • Seasons Alteration (limited to Spring): Due to being the God of Spring, Balder possesses the ability to manipulate the season of spring, causing the sun to shine, and causing rain to a certain extent.
  • Chlorokinesis: Due to being the God of Spring, Balder may also possesses a great degree of chlorokinetic capabilities, enabling plants to grow and develop in barren wastelands, and encourage fertility within the land.
  • Photokinesis: As the God of Light, he has absolute control and divine authority over light.
  • Amokinesis: As the God of Love, he has absolute control and divine authority over the emotions of love and desire.

Trivia[]

  • Balder is the only major Norse god to die before Ragnarök, yet he is destined to be resurrected after it is over.
  • Balder's Greco-Roman equivalents (in terms of attributes) are Apollo and Eros/Cupid.
  • Balder's invulnerability was somewhat similar to the Greek Curse of Achilles.
  • The only thing that could harm him was mistletoe.
  • Balder, Manitoba, a village in southern Manitoba, Canada, is named after him.
  • In Belgium, the name Balder is also used in dialect for a village called Berlaar and in another village Tielen, the Balderij is a street and a swampy area next to it.
Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard
Core Series: The Sword of Summer | The Hammer of Thor | The Ship of the Dead
Main Characters: Magnus Chase | Alex Fierro | Blitzen | Halfborn Gunderson | Hearthstone | Loki | Mallory Keen | Samirah al-Abbas | Sumarbrander | Thomas Jefferson Jr.
Secondary Characters: Randolph Chase | Gunilla | Natalie Chase | Amir Fadlan | Alderman
Minor Characters: Annabeth Chase | Frederick Chase | Helgi | Hunding | Vala | Junior | Lars Alhstrom | Stanley | Inge | Percy Jackson | Stan | Alviss | Miles | Wildflower | Sunspot | John Henry
Norse Gods: Freya | Thor | Balder | Ullr | Frey | Odin | Heimdall | Vidar | Sif | Frigg | Tyr
Minor Gods: Skírnir | Mimir | Ran | Hod | Hel | Sigyn | Aegir | Nine Billow Maidens | Njord | Kvasir | Holler | Forseti | Glum | Lofn | Sól | Idunn
Jotnar: Surt | Gerd | Norns | Utgard-Loki | Harald | Ymir | Geirrod | Gjalp | Greip | Thrym | Thrynga | Tiny | Little Billy | Hrungnir | Red | Tattoo | Gunlod | Suttung | Baugi | Skadi | Hrym | Eggther | Norns
Monsters: Jormungand | Ratatosk | Vedrfolnir | Nidhogg | Fenris Wolf | Lindworm | Wight | Brunnmigi | Siersgrunnr | Garm
Magical Creatures: Dwarf | Elf | Sleipnir | Stanley | Marvin | Otis | Hulder | Nøkks | Vatnavaettir | Nisser | Troll | Raven | Hugin and Munin
Related Content: Rick Riordan | Hotel Valhalla Guide to the Norse Worlds | 9 from the Nine Worlds
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