Hel
Hel, the enigmatic goddess of the underworld in Norse mythology, is one of the most misunderstood and compelling figures in the Norse pantheon. Neither entirely malevolent nor benevolent, Hel embodies the stark reality of death and the mysteries of what lies beyond. Unlike the glorified afterlife of fallen warriors in Valhalla, her domain is one of quiet, inevitable decay—a place for those who die of sickness, old age, or any fate other than battle. Her presence in myth and folklore is a chilling yet necessary reminder of the cyclical nature of life, death, and transformation. Most people know her from Thor: Ragnarok, but this wasn’t quite an accurate portrayal of her—or really any of the Norse gods, but you know how entertainment works! In actual mythology, Hel is neither a power-hungry villain nor a warrior queen but a ruler of the dead whose presence is as inevitable as death itself. She is not a conqueror but a guardian of the departed, ensuring that those who enter her realm remain within the natural order.
Born of an unusual union, Hel is the daughter of Loki, the notorious trickster god, and the giantess Angrboða, making her the sister of two of the most fearsome beings in Norse mythology: Fenrir, the great wolf destined to kill Odin, and Jörmungandr, the world-serpent who will rise in Ragnarök. Given her lineage, it is unsurprising that Hel was not welcomed among the Aesir. The gods, uneasy about her immense power and unsettling nature, cast her into the shadowy depths of Niflheim, the cold, mist-laden realm of the dead, and granted her dominion over the souls that did not die in battle.
Hel’s very name means “hidden” or “concealed,” an apt title for the ruler of the unseen realm of the deceased. Her appearance reflects her dual nature—some descriptions depict her as a half-living, half-dead figure, with one side of her body beautiful and the other corpse-like, a chilling manifestation of the boundary between life and death. Other accounts describe her as a pale, ghostly woman with hollow eyes, clad in somber robes, or as a skeletal specter ruling over the dead with quiet, implacable authority. Unlike the fire-and-brimstone concept of the underworld in later religious traditions, Hel’s domain is not a place of torment for sinners but rather a final resting place for those who die without glory—an eerie but neutral land of the forgotten.
Her realm, often called Helheim, is located in the frozen depths of Niflheim, far from the bright and warlike halls of Asgard. According to myth, her hall is named Éljúðnir, meaning “damp with sleet,” a bleak and silent fortress that echoes the inevitability of death. The gates to Hel’s realm are guarded by a monstrous hound known as Garmr, often likened to the Greek Cerberus, who howls at the entrance to the land of the dead. Within Helheim, the dead reside in a state of shadowy existence, their spirits drifting in a world of cold and mist, where time stands still.
Though feared by the Norse, Hel is not a villainous figure. She is not an antagonist, nor does she seek to claim souls unjustly—she simply fulfills her duty as the keeper of the dead. Unlike Odin, who selects warriors for Valhalla, or Freyja, who takes half of the battle-slain to her hall, Hel presides over those who died without a dramatic end—peasants, elderly women, children, and those lost to sickness and misfortune. In this way, she is often seen as a necessary force rather than a malevolent one, ensuring that all who pass from life find a place to rest.
One of the most well-known stories involving Hel is the death of Baldr, the shining god of light and purity. When Baldr was slain by Loki’s trickery, the gods sought to retrieve him from Helheim. Hermod, Odin’s son, was sent to negotiate with Hel for Baldr’s release. She agreed—on one condition: that every being in existence must weep for Baldr to prove he was truly beloved by all. Nearly the entire world mourned him, save for a single figure, a giantess named Þökk, who was likely Loki in disguise. Because not all grieved, Hel refused to release Baldr, sealing his fate until the end of days. This myth emphasizes her role as an unyielding force of balance—she does not bend the rules for anyone, not even the gods.
Hel’s role in Ragnarök, the prophesied end of the world, is implied rather than explicitly stated. Some interpretations suggest that she will lead an army of the dead alongside Loki, rising from her cold underworld to reclaim the souls lost to battle and disaster. Others believe she simply continues her watch, existing beyond even the destruction and rebirth of the cosmos, forever maintaining the cycle of life and death.
Although Hel is not widely worshiped in the way that figures like Odin, Thor, or Freyja are, her influence persists. She is often invoked in modern pagan and Norse-inspired spiritual traditions as a goddess of transformation, acceptance, and endings. Her presence is a reminder that death is not an enemy but a part of the great natural cycle. For those drawn to her, Hel is a goddess of deep reflection, the keeper of hidden truths, and a guardian of the inevitable passage into the unknown.
Unlike deities of light and life, Hel does not promise salvation, nor does she offer reassurances about what comes next—she simply waits. Her story teaches us that death, like life, is neither inherently good nor evil; it simply is. In honoring Hel, we acknowledge the necessity of endings, the beauty in decay, and the power of embracing the unknown. She is a goddess who does not ask for devotion but instead commands respect—one who reminds us that the cycle of existence continues, whether we fear it or not.
