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Spoiler Alert!
Warning! This page contains spoilers for The Hammer of Thor. |
Randolph Chase is the older brother of Frederick Chase and Natalie Chase, and the uncle of Magnus and Annabeth Chase. He is a former Harvard Professor.
History
Due to being the eldest of his siblings, Randolph gained ownership of the Chase family mansion after his parent's deaths, and became a professor at Harvard University at some point. He eventually married a woman named Caroline and had two daughters with her, Emma and Aubrey. One day, when he and his family were out on their yacht searching the day for the sword of summer, a storm came out of nowhere. He tried to reassure his family's that everything was under control, but eventually the storm was to much and his wife and daughters drowned after a wave knocked them overboard.
One Thanksgiving, (when his niece Annabeth was seven years old and his nephew Magnus was six years old) Randolph gets into an argument with his brother Fredrick and sister Natalie, causing a rift between the family. After his sister's death he spent the next two years searching for his nephew.
The Heroes of Olympus
The Blood of Olympus
Annabeth mentioned Randolph and Magnus to Percy Jackson and Piper McLean before the Seven fought the Giants.
Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard
The Sword of Summer
Ten years after his family quarrel, Randolph calls Frederick and his daughter Annabeth to tell them that their sister Natalie's son Magnus has been missing for two years since Natalie died. He goes to the city shelter at The South End, but has no luck in finding Magnus.
Randolph returns to the mansion and finds Magnus in his office. He tells Magnus that they don't have much time and says that "they" will be coming to kill Magnus now that he is sixteen.
He tells Magnus that he believes that the Norse gods are real and that Magnus is the son of one of them. He takes Magnus to a pier saying a sword that belonged to his father is there and should belong to Magnus now. When getting the sword Sumarbrander, Magnus is attacked by a man named Surt who wishes to have the sword for himself. Magnus's friends Blitzen (a dwarf) and Hearthstone (an elf) try to protect him from Surt, but are overpowered. Blitz is knocked out whilst Hearth flees with Randolph while Magnus battles Surt. After the batter he scolded Hearth and Blitz for letting Magnus die.
In the epilogue, it is revealed that Randolph has been working for Loki in exchange for the return of his wife and daughters. He has been visiting his nephew's ashes at the family mausoleum. One day after returning home he finds Loki in his study. He apologizes for not getting the sword. Loki then tells him Ragnarök has 'many triggers' and leaves a burn mark on his face.
The Hammer of Thor
Randolph is first seen when Loki was trying to talk to Magnus about the wedding he planned for Samirah. He then appears in the wight's tomb in Provincetown. He takes the Snofnung sword and draws it, as he is descended from Nordic kings; one of the swords conditions. On Loki's orders he stabs Blitzen. In retaliation, Magnus attacks him and cuts off two fingers on Randolph's right hand. After Loki tells Magnus and his friends where to find the Snifnung stone, he leaves with the trickster.
When Magnus and Alex Fierro search his office, they find a picture of Bridal veil Falls and a wedding invitation next to it. Magnus assumes that Randolph is trying to help them.
At the wedding, Thrymga has him imprisoned in a nut. When they reach Loki's prison, he releases him. When the ceremony starts, he begs his nephew for the sword and stone, which he reluctantly agrees to. When the fight brakes out, Loki forces him to draw the sword, Randolph is hesitant because there are women present, as the sword can not be drawn in the presence of a woman. He reluctantly draws the sword and it and he starts to evaporate into blue mist. He cuts Loki free just as the sword and his arm evaporate. He falls into a chasm and lands on a ledge. When Magnus tries to help him, Randolph declines and jumps into the abyss.
When Magnus asks Heimdall about his uncle's fate, the god tells him it is best he does not know.
Appearance
Randolph is described as being barrel-chested with a trim white beard with a skull cap of grey (formerly black) hair- although, in The Hammer of Thor, when Magnus sees him in an old photo, his hair is described as being so blond it appeared grey. He also carries a polished wooden cane with an iron tip. Magnus describes his palms as too rough and calloused for a history professor's. He wears glasses.
After Magnus rebound the Fenris Wolf, Randolph has a hand-shaped burn scar on his face, given to him by Loki, for failing to get Sumarbrander.
In The Hammer of Thor, Randolph loses two fingers on his right hand when Magnus attacks him for stabbing Blitz. At the end of the book, he starts to evaporate when he drew the Snofnung sword outside of its conditions. His skin became translucent, making him look like a walking skeleton.
Personality
Randolph was a driven man, he was mocked by his colleagues for claiming the Norse had a settlement in Massachusetts with out any evidence, so he set out on a quest to prove his theory is correct. When he first sees his nephew for the first time in two years, he is driven to find Sumarbrander and presses Magnus to summon the blade.
Despite his determined nature he loved his wife and daughters dearly and was devastated by their deaths.
Relationships
Love Interest
Caroline Chase
Randolph loved his wife very much and was devastated by her death.
Family
Siblings
Randolph got along well with his brother Frederick and sister Natalie when the three were younger. However, the three had a fight which resulted in a falling out. It would be ten years before speaking with Frederick. It is unknown if he had spoken with Natalie prior to her death.
Emma and Aubrey Chase
Randolph loved his daughters very much and was devastated when they died.
Magnus Chase
Randolph wanted his nephew to retrieve the sword of summer for him, as only when a son of Frey can retrieve it when they reach reach sixteen years of age. After his death Randolph visited the family mossulium to see if anything would happen.
When he was revealed to be working for Loki, he was hesitant to fight Magnus. He denied his nephew's offer to help.
Annabeth Chase
Not much is known of what the two think of each other.
Others
Loki
Randolph reluctantly agree to work fir the trickster under the false promise that his family would be returned to him. During that time he was tortured for any failure.
Etymology
Randolph is an English name derived from a medieval name composed of rand (shield) and wulf (wolf). Roughly translated the name means "Shield Wolf".
Trivia
- Both Randolph and his brother Frederick have been a history professor in the past.
- Randolph greatly dislikes the films of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (more specifically those that feature Asgardians), as they portray the Norse gods Odin, Thor, Sif, Tyr, Heimdall, Frigg and Loki in "ridiculously inaccurate" ways.
- He is the only one of his siblings to not have had a child with a god.