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History

Origin

Idunn was a Vanir,[7][11] the Goddess of Immortality[12][13] and the sister of Frey.[4]

At some point, she married Bragi.[9][10]

Keeper of the Golden Apples

Odin appointed Idunn the Keeper of the Golden Apples, whose mystical properties retard aging among the Asgardians. She has been at times noted as the only Asgardian who can pick them from the World Tree.[1]

Once, while delivering the apples to Odin, she was attacked by the Fenris Wolf disguised as a human, but saved by Haakun the Hunter.[1]

At some point, the warrior Hoder, drunk, came to her and raped her. In revenge, Idunn denied him the apples since, causing him to live in perpetual winter.[14] Although, she still had love for him.[15]

At another point, a couple of Storm Giants stole the Golden Apples, but Thor and Loki Laufeyson were able to retrieve them, escaping on the back of Agnar, King of the Eagles, formerly prisoner of those Giants.[16][2]

Yet at another point, Agnar, now the Half-King of Eagles and in a colossus form, had the Aerie Legion to attack Idunn while she was harvesting her Golden Apples. She was captured along with her protectress Sif, but both were soon rescued by Thor and Loki who defeat Agnar.[8]

Odin once promised Idunn to Fasolt and Fafnir, a pair of Storm Giants if they helped rebuild Valhalla. He did so because Loki promised Odin would not have to fulfill that promise, but Loki, it seems, was a liar. Thor (at first helped by Idunn's brother Frey) eventually deterred the Giants by providing them a legendary article of gold instead.[17]

While leading an army against Odin, Loki and Tyr attacked and destroyed Idunn's home, captured her and stole the Apples for them, using some to buy the Midgard Serpent's loyalty.[18]

Idunn was then brought in front of Odin as an hostage.[18] Caged, she was soon rescued by Balder and the Warriors Three, and brought back to Odin's palace.[19]

Balder's Death

Loki used her appearance to approach Hoder, in his plot to kill Balder, promising him the apples again if he hit the God of Light with a mistletoe branch.[14]

Idunn cared for Hoder, and after his death made the preparation for his funeral[15] and had him buried with honor, in defiance of Odin's wishes.[20]

She was later in the underwater Aegir's Hall, where the Gods drinked and discussed of the incoming Ragnarök presaged by Balder's death. When Loki came, he revealed that Idunn had transgressed Odin's orders, and tried to put Idunn in accusation, but was thwarted by Sif who suspected Loki's machinations.[20]

Fimbul Winter

Due to the three-years winter following Balder's death, Loki's disappearance and Odin's vacancy, the trees were unable to come to bud, and consequently to bloom. Idunn came to Thor to warn him that the storage of apples were near depleted, exposing the Asgardians to death.[13] On Thor's orders, and along with her brother Frey, she was to go to Midgard in order to sow seeds of Apples of Immortality, as they couldn't be grew anymore on Asgard. The trip was cancelled as the ceremony was interrupted by renegades and Bifrost guardian Heimdall was wounded in the battle.[21]

She soon visited convalescent Heimdall and asked Thor that she and Frey would depart as soon as possible, which was denied due to the damages of the Bifrost, the risk of another attack and the difficulty to provide an escort of loyal Asgardians. Idunn proposed an alternative, with no escort and with Nidavellir as destination. Thor tried to discourage them, in vain.[22] In their journey, Idunn was surprised that no warmth came as they entered Nidavellir, only to find the flames of the flaming pit frozen. They were soon surrounded by Dwarves who took them prisoners to their leader.[23]

The details and ultimate outcome of this quest are unrecorded at this time.

Lost Gods

When the Aesir was dispatched on Midgard on human forms as the Lost Gods, Idunn existed as Ida, a woman allegedly living with her brother Mr. Freystein (Frey) in a little condo in north Miami until they got the "travel bug" and became tourists travelling aboard a camping car, eventually meeting with other Lost Gods at the Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah.[5]

At some point after Ragnarök, she formed a triad of goddesses with Gaea and Freyja.[6]

All-Mother

Following the disaster of The Serpent's attack on Asgard and the death of Thor, Odin summoned the All-Mother to assume control in his absence, choosing to abdicate from his position.[6]

During Thor's funeral, Idunn and her sisters appeared, causing the admiration from visitors of the Nine Worlds came to pay tribute to the Odinson and astonished by their return. They all soon witnessed the rebirth of "Tanarus, God of Thunder".[6]

Asgardia and the Congress of Worlds

They were reported by Heimdall Odin's actions, that he had taken the Serpent's body, cast out all Asgardians from the Realm and sealed it, leaving the All-Mother in charge of Fallen Asgard. They then presented themselves to the citizens of the Nine Worlds living in Fallen Asgard, and presented them with their project of Asgardia, the capital of a republic constituted of the Nine Worlds. Idunn reported her defiance, mentioning unrest and uncertainty.[24]

The Congress of Worlds soon assembled. Quickly, the Frost Giants of Jotenheim (in fact assassins) denounced an Asgardian dominion upon a false republic and attacked the All-Mother who easily defeated them.[25] The Congress assembled once gain, with Idunn representing Asgard.[26]

Among their first actions, on Loki's request, they lifted the curse upon Hela, who was granted the right to return to the true Hel, part of Mephisto's Realm for a time.[27]

Idunn kept collecting the Apples in the garden on east side of the Hall of Valhalla. When Vali Halfling stole them from the Tree in a plot to become a god, he tricked Amadeus Cho into going there as well. Discovering the tree fruitless, he was witnessed by Idunn, causing the arrival of Thor.[28]

At that point, Idunn revealed to Loki that she knew he had released Surtur from Limbo, forcing him to reveal the plots he had orchestrated against Odin and the Serpent, and causing him to fall under their secret service,[27] blackmailing him by threatening to reveal the Surtur episode.[27][29]

The All-Mother later organized the feast of Yule, the winter solstice celebration, and had the people of Broxton invited in order to pacify their relations due to the fact Asgardia's presence caused snow to appear on their city, and had Volstagg to play Santa Claus.[29]

As Loki was "offered" seven Hell-Hound by Hela, he was ordered by the All-Mother to find suitable homes for them, and kill them otherwise.[29]

When Leah caused trouble in Broxton and Loki covered for her, Idunn was the one to doubt of his actions and tellings.[30]

At some point, the All-Mother met with Brunnhilde after her battle with the Final Sleeper and her quest to neutralize the Worthy's hammers. Gaea and Idunn agreed on the fact that a new Valkyrior was needed, this time constituted of eight Midgard women, chosen and commanded by Brunnhilde. She was then left to go, with a last warning from Idunn to not squander her apples again.[31]

Eventually, with the help of Tony Stark and Stark Resilient using technologies from the Nine Worlds, the All-Mother had Asgardia rebuilt as a flying city. Upon visiting it with Stark, the city was the theater of a brawl between Heimdall and "Tanarus", discovered to be Ulik. At the same time, an army of Rock Trolls led by Geirrodur and Karnilla stormed upon Asgard.[32] While Freyja rushed into the battle against Karnilla, Gaea and Idunn remained safe, Iron Man assuming their protection. Thor returned from death to join the battle. Once Karnilla and Ulik defeated, the Trolls stopped the fight and Gaea and Idunn announced the return of Thor amongst the living and announced Asgardia open to all. The Trolls' leaders were then banished.[33]

The All-Mother welcame more privately Thor, who was soon sent on a mission to Nidavellir.[34] That mission led the Mares (creatures communicating through dream and keeping their victims asleep). Metal adolescent Jeff Fischer had his dream morph Thor as the Deconsecrator, a satanic figure soon out of control in the dreams, until the All-Mother beat him down, allowing Thor to concentrate enough to escape the Marelock to oppose the Enchantress[35], while the All-Mother remained there until Jeff managed to stop the Mares, leaving them to awake and face Amora, who was expelled from Asgard once more. Thor later came to the All-Mother with peace from the Mares.[36]

War on Otherworld

When the Manchester Gods attacked the celtic forces of Otherworld, fighting against monarchy and divinity, Caber, the Singer of Bards went to Asgardia to seek help but was denied such assistance in application of the Council of Godheads' pact of non-interference, Idunn pressing the fact that it was a similar situation to the Serpent War where Otherworld hadn't come to Asgard's help.[37]

The All-Mother then secretly "mandated" Loki to go at Otherworld to fix the situation and bring peace without officially involving Asgardia, that intervention being motivated by the cosmological closeness between Asgard and the Celtic powers requiring that Otherworld would be at peace.[37]

After Loki helped the Manchester Gods win the war (as he believed them to be the righteous ones in the conflict), he returned to Asgardia where his actions were greatly criticised, causing him to burst at the All-Mother and quit their service.[38]

Everything Burns / War of Burning

As the Vanir led by Gullveig waged war against the Aesir using weapons from Surtur, Volstagg began suspect the All-Mother, Freyja being a Vanir herself. He soon delivered a pad depicting the All-Mother aware of the implication of Loki in the Otherworld war and of his conspiracy with Surtur under their mandate.[39]

The All-Mother agreed to be kept aside, while the Asgardians remained united to face the Vanir. They were soon visited by Sif (herself a Vanir), and the truth about the first Aesir/Vanir War and Odin and Freyja's wedding was revealed to her, as well as the cause of the current war.[40]

At the climax of the war, Volstagg, now King, came to the All-Mother, asking them to join the front lines. Freyja declined, stating that such move would turn the Aesir against Volstagg.[41] They later witnessed the explosion of the Engels after Loki had convinced the Manchester Gods leader Wilson to destroy his technologies as it was being used by Surtur in his plots to destroy all that was in the Multiverse. After Loki, Thor and Leah tricked Odin to return for him to defeat Surtur and deal with the massive energies involved, the All-Mother blamed their sons, who were remorseless.[42]

Midgard Valkyrior

Brunnhilde returned to Asgardia with Misty Knight and archaeologist Annabelle Riggs bringing the news of the Doom Maidens' return, and was blamed by the All-Mother for having not completed her task of assembling a new Valkyrior. The discussion was interrupted by the apparition of Hela and a brief brawl between her and Brunnhilde.[43] Urged by Hela to let her champion Hippolyta handle the situation, the All-Mother refused and commanded that Brunnhilde, Misty and Annabelle accompany her, mandating them as the Valkyrior.[44]

At some point, Gaea fell sick, and the remaining All-Mother were unable to find out the cause. Along with Sif, they traveled to Jane Foster's clinic for help.[45]

Loki: Agent of Asgard

Loki came back to the All-Mother with a new deal: Each successful mission would means a crime of Loki purged from Asgard's memory.[46][47]

One of his first mission was to retrieve the five keys, in order to open the box containing Gram, the sword of Sigurd.[48]

He was next tasked to purge Thor from a corruption that had entered him. The captured corruption was later freed by the All-Mother, revealing it to be Old Loki, a future version of himself.[46]

The next mission given to him by the All-Mother was to gather one of the last of the Asgardians wandering on Midgard, Lorelei. The mission was a failure,[49] and the All-Mother asked him to retrieve yet another loose Asgardian, Sigurd the Ever-Glorious, and threatening him of being the next Asgardian to be forced into returning to Asgardia if he was to fail. Loki managed to return Sigurd prisoner,[50] as a way to have an inside man in Asgardia. He returned with Lorelei, broke into the cells, freed Sigurd and went on search of what could had explained the strange actings of the All-Mother, eventually finding Old Loki. The All-Mother intervened to stop their meeting, thanking the young Loki for having proved Old Loki's prophecies, and listened him talk about the future ruled by King Loki. Enraged to have been tricked and betrayed by the All-Mother, Loki quit their service again.[51]

All-Mother No More

As Asgardia left Broxton and Midgard, Freyja took her place as the one true All-Mother, while Idunn was sent to scout for new homes along the World Tree for the Asgardians.[52]

Idunn was part of the list of women Odinson suspected to be the new Thor[53][54]. She was one of the many women warriors (Asgardians and Avengers alike) Odinson and Freyja brought to help Thor in her fight against Cul Borson, as he commanded the Destroyer armor under Odin's order.[55] They fought him off until Odin aborted Cul's mission.[56]

Final Incursion Ragnarök

As the Asgardians were battling the armies of Hel led by Hela and Tyr, Old Loki on the Midgard Serpent, the Trolls and Giants and all the foes of Asgard, the heroes of Asgard gathered in reinforcements, including Idunn leading the Vanir.[7]

After a brief pause during which Loki denied to join either side, the fight resumed, as everything died.[7]

Attributes

Powers

Idunn possesses the conventional superhuman physical attributes of an Asgardian goddess.

Abilities

Allspeak: Thanks to the Allspeak she can communicate in all of the languages of the Nine Realms, Earth's dialects, and various alien languages.

Idunn is seemingly skilled at the sword.[24]

Paraphernalia

Equipment

Weapons

Numerous weapons, including a sword,[24] a battle axe.[56]

Notes

  • While she has been at times noted as the only Asgardian who can pick them from the World Tree,[1] it seems like other beings have been able to do it as well, such as Vali Halfling.[28]

Trivia

  • The story of how Idunn was attacked by the Fenris wolf would serve as one of the inspirations for the tale of Little Red Riding Hood.[1]

See Also

Links and References

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Journey into Mystery #114
  2. 2.0 2.1 Thor Annual #11
  3. 3.0 3.1 Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe (Vol. 2) #1
  4. 4.0 4.1 Thor #294
  5. 5.0 5.1 Journey into Mystery #510
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 Fear Itself #7.2
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 Loki: Agent of Asgard #16
  8. 8.0 8.1 Mighty Thor #12.1
  9. 9.0 9.1 Marvel Fanfare #13
  10. 10.0 10.1 Thor: Asgard's Avenger #1 ; Asgardians' appendix
  11. 11.0 11.1 Al Ewing's tweet about Idunn
  12. Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe #1 ; Asgardians' entry
  13. 13.0 13.1 Thor: For Asgard #1
  14. 14.0 14.1 Loki (Vol. 2) #2
  15. 15.0 15.1 Loki (Vol. 2) #3
  16. Journey into Mystery #100
  17. Thor #294295
  18. 18.0 18.1 Thor #325
  19. Thor #326
  20. 20.0 20.1 Loki (Vol. 2) #4
  21. Thor: For Asgard #2
  22. Thor: For Asgard #3
  23. Thor: For Asgard #4
  24. 24.0 24.1 24.2 Mighty Thor #8
  25. Mighty Thor #9
  26. Mighty Thor #10
  27. 27.0 27.1 27.2 Journey into Mystery #631
  28. 28.0 28.1 Heroic Age: Prince of Power #1
  29. 29.0 29.1 29.2 Journey into Mystery #632
  30. Journey into Mystery #633
  31. Fear Itself: The Fearless #12
  32. Mighty Thor #11
  33. Mighty Thor #12
  34. Mighty Thor #13
  35. Mighty Thor #16
  36. Mighty Thor #17
  37. 37.0 37.1 Journey into Mystery #639
  38. Journey into Mystery #641
  39. Journey into Mystery #642
  40. Mighty Thor #19
  41. Journey into Mystery #644
  42. Mighty Thor #21
  43. Fearless Defenders #2
  44. Fearless Defenders #3
  45. Journey into Mystery #652
  46. 46.0 46.1 Loki: Agent of Asgard #1
  47. Loki: Agent of Asgard #12
  48. All-New Marvel NOW! Point One #1.NOW
  49. Loki: Agent of Asgard #2
  50. Loki: Agent of Asgard #4
  51. Loki: Agent of Asgard #5
  52. Thor: God of Thunder #24
  53. Thor (Vol. 4) #5
  54. Thor (Vol. 4) #6
  55. Thor (Vol. 4) #7
  56. 56.0 56.1 Thor (Vol. 4) #8
  57. Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe (Vol. 2) #1
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