The third episode of Loki made a tongue-in-cheek reference to Balder the Brave, but the character’s backstory has ties to some major comic book events.
Loki Season 2 finally made a reference to one of the few Asgardians not to appear in the MCU (though not for lack of trying). Balder the Brave is confirmed to exist, and his place in the Asgardian hierarchy definitely rubbed Loki the wrong way.
Balder is an incredibly notable figure and someone who often appears in Norse mythology when it’s adapted. Most fans likely recognize him as the antagonist of 2008’s God of War reboot, but Marvel introduced him decades earlier.
If you need to know more about Balder, here’s a quick rundown of his Marvel Comics history.
Balder the Brave is Thor’s half-brother
Debuting in 1962’s Journey into Mystery #85, Balder the Brave is named because he is considered the bravest of all the Asgardians. The Marvel character has faced great adversity but has always come around to becoming a true warrior.
Perhaps the biggest change for Balder came in 2008 when he learned he was royalty. While Thor was attempting to establish New Asgard over Broxton, OK, Loki worked to undermine him by revealing to Balder that he was the son of Odin and Frigga, making him Thor’s half-brother.
Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest updates on Esports, Gaming and more.
Loki convinces Balder the Brave to exile Thor and take the throne of Asgard for himself. Though his rule was tumultuous, spanning a war with Doctor Doom and the deadly Siege on Asgard, Balder would remain on the throne for years, with even Thor later urging him to remain King when he returned from exile.
In comics & mythology, Balder is a harbinger of the Ragnarok event
In the original Norse mythology, Balder is perhaps most notable as a harbinger of Ragnarok. The Ragnarok event is said to see the world burn and notable figures, such as Odin, Thor, and Loki, die in the ensuing disaster.
In an effort to avoid this, Balder’s mother, Frigg, attempts to make every object on Earth promise never to hurt Balder. Only the mistletoe does not make this agreement, setting the stage for Balder’s death. Loki tricks the blind god Hoder into stabbing Balder with a mistletoe-tipped spear.
Marvel’s Balder is among the first to die in Loki’s attack, which kicks off the Ragnarok event, and he enters the void along with all other Asgardians when they accept their death. Balder’s spirit inhabited the Destroyer armor upon his resurrection. In the Destroyer armor, he would gather the mortal forms hosting the fallen Asgardians to cope with his grief over letting Asgard fall in Ragnarok.
Will Balder factor more into Loki after the Season 2 cameo? It seems unlikely, but anything could happen. For more Loki and comic book news, be sure to follow all our coverage.
