Mythology & Religion Power Ranking TOP100
This article introduces Rank 39: Fenrir from the âMythology & Religion Power Ranking TOP100â, which ranks the gods, monsters, and heroes of world mythology, religion, and legend in order of strength.
If you want to see the full TOP100 list and the criteria behind the rankings, check out the overview article below.
Rank 39: Fenrir (Norse Mythology)
Overview
It would be no exaggeration to say that the most famous monster in Norse mythology is Fenrir, the demonic wolf who slew Odin.
At the time of its birth, it was apparently not much different from an ordinary wolf, but it grew larger with each passing day. Because it was prophesied to bring disaster at Ragnarök, it was eventually bound with a magical cord called Gleipnir.
Fenrir remained bound for a long time, but was finally released during the great final battle of Norse mythology (Ragnarök), where it ran wild with tremendous force. One of its most significant acts was devouring Odin, the chief god of Norse mythology.
However, Fenrir was subsequently killed when Odinâs son VĂĂ°arr tore its jaws apart. Fenrir was said to be an enormous wolf â with its upper jaw reaching the sky and its lower jaw touching the ground, and with flames shooting from its eyes and nostrils.
At Ragnarök, Fenrir was freed because its offspring Sköll and Hati swallowed the sun and moon, which unbound all restraints in the world.
As a side note, since Sköll and Hati appear to be smaller than Fenrir itself, it can be assumed that Fenrir could easily swallow the sun and moon too, if it wished to do so.
Reason for This Ranking
Fenrir appears in many fictional works, but it also holds a very prominent place in the actual mythology â the fact that it devoured Odin, the chief god of Norse mythology, speaks clearly to the magnitude of its power.
However, many people donât know what happens next: Fenrir is actually defeated rather easily by Odinâs son VĂĂ°arr.
Also, when it comes to Fenrirâs defining trait â its enormous size capable of reaching the sky â it seems slightly smaller compared to its sibling Jormungandr, making Fenrir appear to be the least powerful of the three great monsters of Ragnarök (Fenrir, Jormungandr, and Surtr) by comparison.
Even so, given the strength it demonstrated in devouring Odin, there is no doubt that it possesses power exceeding the highest-tier gods â so I evaluated it at this position in the ranking.
About the Book
I wrote a book that compiles this entire ranking! The reasoning behind each placement is grounded in the actual lore and episodes from each mythology, so I think it makes for a fairly convincing read.
The book also contains many columns and extras not published on this blog, so if you are interested, please check it out below.
đ Series: Mythology Power Ranking (Individual Characters) (62/100)
