Ancient To Modern: Borrowed Gods (1)

Characters from Thor, directed by Kenneth Branaugh (left to right: Tom Hiddleston, Chris Hemsworth, Anthony Hopkins)

Disney Marvel’s Thor: The Dark World
Heimdall (Idris Elba)
Ph: Film Frame
© 2013 MVLFFLLC. TM & © 2013 Marvel. All Rights Reserved.

Freya (Renee Russo) from Thor (2011), directed by Kenneth Branaugh

Odin, Freya, Thor, Loki, and Heimdall were borrowed from the Norse pantheon and re-imagined by Marvel Comics. These characters were also used effectively in a number of movies by the Disney Marvel franchise. Keeping in mind that this series is all about eye candy through various media, let us begin with…

Odin

He was highly regarded as the god of royalty, death, healing, poetry, and battle, etc. He is the husband of the goddess Freya and the father of Thor. He has many representations in art, both ancient and modern.

A medieval depiction of Odin (Late Middle Ages), Royal Library, Copenhagen

Godan (Odin) and Frea as illustrated by Emile Doepler (1905)

 

Relief of Odin on a modern coin.

As I have already mentioned, he has been re-imagined as a character by Marvel Comics.

MarveComics

Marvel Comics

Marvel Comics

And, of course, there are his appearances (played by the formidable Sir Anthony Hopkins)  in the Thor series of movies by the Disney Marvel franchise.

Image credit: Disney Marvel (actor: Anthony Hopkins)

(to be continued)