Norse Mythology · deity

Váli

Vali
deitythe avenger of Baldr

The son of Odin, who will avenge his brother Baldr by slaying Höðr.

VÁ
The account

Who they are

Váli is the son of Odin, born (in one account) from the body of Baldr after his death, to avenge him. At the funeral of Baldr, Váli will slay Höðr, the blind brother who killed Baldr [S2]S2 · Snorri Sturluson, Prose Eddac. 1220–1235textOpen source ↗. Váli is a figure of swift, one-act vengeance — he exists to kill Höðr and then disappears from the myths [S2]S2 · Snorri Sturluson, Prose Eddac. 1220–1235textOpen source ↗.
Worth knowing
  • Son of Odin, born to avenge Baldr [S2]S2 · Snorri Sturluson, Prose Eddac. 1220–1235textOpen source ↗.
  • Will slay Höðr, Baldr's killer [S2]S2 · Snorri Sturluson, Prose Eddac. 1220–1235textOpen source ↗.
Uncertainties & variants
  • Váli's birth 'from Baldr's body' is a strange and unexplained detail in the sources [S2]S2 · Snorri Sturluson, Prose Eddac. 1220–1235textOpen source ↗.
Relationships (2)

Connections

Family & kinship

PARENT_OFOdin — Odin is the parent of Váli.[S2]

Conflict & enmity

KILLEDHöðr — Váli will slay Höðr, the killer of Baldr.[S2]
Local graph

Their corner of the divine world

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FocusVáliNorse
NORSE · 40variantvariantvariant♥♥♥♥♥♥BrísingamenGjallarhornDraupnirGungnirSkíðblaðnirMjölnirAngerboagiantthe giantess mother of the monsters4 relationsAuðhumblacreaturethe primordial cow2 relationsBestlagiantthe giantess mother of the gods3 relationsBúrideitythe first god3 relationsFriggdeitymarriage2 relationsGerðrgiantthe giantess beloved of Freyr2 relationsGinnungagaprealmthe void2 relationsHöðrdeitythe blind brother of Baldr4 relationsHrungnirgiantthe giant of the iron head2 relationsJárnsaxa (Járnsaxa)giantthe giantess mother of Thor's sons2 relationsLokitrickstercunning11 relationsMuspel (fire)realmfire0 relationsNannadeitythe wife of Baldr3 relationsNiflheim (ice)realmice0 relationsNjorddeitythe sea3 relationsSídgiantthe giantess who bore Sleipnir (in one accou…2 relationsSifdeitythe wife of Thor2 relationsSkaðideitythe huntress1 relationsSurtgiantthe fire-giant3 relationsTýrdeitywar1 relationsYmirgiantthe primordial giant5 relationsBorrdeitythe ancestor of the gods4 relationsFenrirmonsterthe great wolf8 relationsFreyjadeitylove3 relationsFreyrdeityfertility7 relationsHeldeitythe dead3 relationsJörmungandrmonsterthe world-serpent4 relationsSleipnircreaturethe eight-legged horse of Odin2 relationsOdindeitywisdom15 relationsVédeityone of the three brothers who made the world5 relationsVilideityone of the three brothers who made the world5 relationsBaldrdeitylight10 relationsHeimdalldeitythe watchman3 relationsThordeitythunder10 relationsVálideitythe avenger of Baldr2 relationsVíðarrdeitysilence2 relationsFosite (Forsétir)deitypeace3 relationsMagnideitystrength3 relationsMóðideitystrength4 relationsUllrdeitythe archer1 relations
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Myths featuring Váli

1 story

The Death of Baldr

Baldr, the brightest of the gods, had dreams of his death. His mother Frigg extracted oaths from all things not to harm him — except the mistletoe. Loki, disguised as an old woman, learned of this and guided Baldr's blind brother Höðr to throw a mistletoe dart at Baldr, killing him [S2]S2 · Snorri Sturluson, Prose Eddac. 1220–1235textOpen source ↗. Baldr's death is the beginning of the end, setting the chain of events that leads to Ragnarök [S1]S1 · Poetic Edda (Codex Regius)c. 1270 (preserves earlier oral poetry)textOpen source ↗[S2]S2 · Snorri Sturluson, Prose Eddac. 1220–1235textOpen source ↗.

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