Skadi (sometimes anglicized as Skadi, Skade, or Skathi) is a prominent figure in Norse Mythology, being both a giantess/female Jötunn and Goddess who associated with bowhunting, skiing, winter, and mountains.
History[]
As told by Odin to Agnarr in Poetic Edda poem Grímnismál, Skadi used to live alongside her father Thiazi at Þrymheimr, the sixth of twelve locations the Allfather mentioned to the latter. Þrymheimr itself was described to be consisting of "ancient courts" with Skadi herself as "the shining bride of the gods", and may very well part of the highest reaches of the mountains where the snow never melts. An avid huntress, she is skillful with her bow, snowshoes, and skis, all of which being her most often mentioned attributes.
Though she was fully aware with her father Thiazi's involvement in Idunn's kidnapping and that what he did was wrong as the goddess was the only one who could properly take care of the Gods' immortality-bestowing apple orchard, Skadi was nonetheless upset to hear the retribution of his action being death (Thiazi was shot down from the sky when Loki reluctantly rescued her). Armed herself with weapons of war, the vengeful giantess barged into Valhalla to confront the gods who responsible. Fortunately, the potential bloodshed between both sides was averted as not only the Gods were willing to compensate with her loss starting from consecrating Thiazi's remains (eyes) as part of star constellations, but Skadi proved herself more reasonable than her bigoted brethren.
The Gods' next challenge to appease her was to make her laugh, which they succeeded when having Loki having a tug of war with a goat where the God of Mischief had his end of rope connected with his genital. With the amicable relationship between them and Skadi had been ensured, they have her chose which one of their brethren to be her husband by looking at their feet. Skadi chose the one with handsome and properly taken cared legs, which turned out to be Njord instead of Baldr. Though disappointed, she nonetheless accepted his hand in a marriage which sadly didn't last long; Njord missed his ocean home while Skadi her mountainous hers.
Despite everything, Skadi maintains her ties with the Gods of Asgard as their definite ally, even becoming mother of many children with Odin at one point according to some sources. When Loki insulted the Gods who were in the middle of mourning the deceased Baldur as he reveled in his part on the murder, Skadi wasted no time to join her peers in hunting down the treacherous Jötunn. She also took part in punishing the captured Loki where she placed a serpent over the restrained Jötunn head so its venom would perpetually corrode his visage, a cathartic role as Loki also boasted his murder on Thiazi in his defiance.
Her fate in the conclusion of Ragnarök remained a mystery, only that it could be inferred that she was among surviving Gods of Asgard.
Personality[]
While her association with winter fits to her nature as both Jötunn and winter goddess, Skadi's status as the latter established her to be more benevolent than her vengeful brethren and has the capacity as a patroness of winter subsistence activities. Indeed, though she initially sought revenge for her father's death, Skadi was willing to forgive the perpetrators and even established a friendly relationship with Gods of Asgard in stark contrast of Loki who only saw them as pawns and targets of torment to avenge Ymir's death. Even when her marriage with Njord went sour, Skadi maintained her ties with them still.
Powers and Abilities[]
- Frost Jötunn Physiology: Owing to her status as a winter goddess, it can be inferred that Skadi is a frost Jötunn.
- Supernatural Strength: As with her kin, she possessed enough strength to tackle higher beings in the same level as Gods of Asgard.
- Supernatural Durability: It can be inferred that she is able to take considerable punishments as much as other formidable Jötnar, though the Gods chose to appease her instead of try to find out her limits when she confronted them for her father's death.
- Supernatural Mobility: As a Jötunn, it's plausible Skadi had greater speed and agility than those of mortals which she further honed to equal Gods of Asgard's own.
- Supernatural Reflexes: As a Jötunn, it's plausible Skadi also honed her already inhumane reaction time further to equal Gods of Asgard's own.
- Immortality: As with her kin, Skadi can potentially live forever.
- Master Combatant: Though her might was not fully explored in mythological accounts, Skadi nonetheless posed a considerable challenge to the gods that they chose to appease her instead of confronting her head on.
- Weapon Mastery: Skadi is proficient with armed combat where her signature weapons being spear and bow.
- Master Huntress: Being a deity who associated with hunting, Skadi displayed unparalleled skill as a huntress and also contributed in the manhunt on Loki.
- Master Skiing: As skiing being among things she associated with, Skadi displayed unparalleled skill in such ability.
- Magic:
- Personal Domain: Skadi has established the snowy mountainous region she and her father lived at as the very place in which she has absolute power, making the entire area an extension of her very being. The downside of this ability is that she found herself struggling to fully adapt at the outside world, warmer seas her former husband Njord lived at in particular.
- Winter Manipulation: True to her association with winter, Skadi can conjure and manipulate elements associated with the weather; cold and ice. When confronting the Gods for Thiazi's death, she brought fierce blizzard with her over Valhalla and beyond.
Gallery[]
In Other Media[]
- Skadi is one of prominent Norse Deities who featured in SMITE.
- Skadi is one of patron deities of Ulfung Tribe, main protagonist faction of 2017 Norse role-playing game Vikings: Wolves of Midgard.
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