Netflix’s new fantasy drama, Ragnarok centering around the reimagining of Norse mythology has been grabbing quite a few eyeballs. The second season is out on Netflix now.
The premise is quite interesting: Set in a fictional Norwegian town of Edda, the story involves a teenage boy named Magne who challenges the Jutul family (who are actually four Jotners). At first, Magne comes out as an ordinary teenager, awkward and introverted.
But our protagonist is no ordinary boy! After he shifts to Edda with his mother and brother, he realizes he has certain superpowers which are activated after a strange incident.
Now, the town of Edda is being destroyed by indutrial pollution caused by factories which are owned by the Jotuls, which is why they’re the ones Magne challenges. The second season has many other Gods coming into the picture.
Alright, no more spoilers if you’re planning to watch it. Bonus: It is also a crash course on Norse mythology.
1. Is Magne Thor?
So who is Magne? Is he Thor? Magne Seier (played by David Stakston) is the reincarnation or embodiment of Thor. He has powers such as great strength and perfect vision which resemble Thor. In Norse mythology, Magne is the son of Thor but in the Ragnarok series, he represents Thor himself on Earth.
Magne’ story is not one which hasn’t been told before. Percy Jackson, Artemis Fowl and many other young adult fiction is based upon the same premise.
But the punch of Norse mythology in it might be interesting to explore. The show is essentially a modern retelling of the popular legends of Norse mythology.
So each character in Ragnarok represents a particular God from the mythological tales. Thor is one of the most powerful Gods in Norse mythology.
In Ragnarok, Magne represents him. He realizes this after seeing Thor in place of his own reflection in the mirror one day.
In Ragnarok, Magne fights to save the planet from giants who are up for destroying it.
2. Is Magne’s Dad Thor?
No, Thor is not Magne’s dad in Ragnarok. Rather, Magne represents Thor in this modern retelling of Norse Mythology. However, in Norse mythology Magne is actually the name of Thor’s son with Jarnsaxa.
If you’re a Marvel fan, you must be familiar with this identity of Magne. In the MCU, he is Thor’s son and also clashes with his uncle Loki. But Ragnarok is completely different from the MCU. Let’s get that clear.
Now, Norse mythology does not say much about Magne, apart from stuff like he is the son of Thor, his name literally means “mighty” and he has a brother named Modi. The mythological Magne also owns a horse named Goldfaxi.
As the legend goes, “Ragnarok” is actually the end of the world brought upon by Loki, the God of mischief. Apparently Magne and Modi is able to survive Ragnarok and managed to rebuild the planet after Loki and his gang destroyed it.
The show has quite a cliché take on the antagonists. Basically, the Jotul industries (which is responsible for pollution and hence climate change) are actually symbolic representation of Loki and company. The evil forces.
So Magne must use his powers to save the day.
3. Is Magne and Magni The Same?
In Norse mythology, Magne and Magni are the same. Magni is just another name for Magne. As far as the show is concerned, there is no character which represents Thor’s son as of now.
But here’s the twist! (Beware! This might be a little confusing): Since Magne is actually symbolic of Thor in the series, he might actually have a son who in turn would be the embodiment of Magni or represent the Magni/Magne of Norse mythology.
If you’ve watched the show, this would make more sense. Remember the fight between Magne and Saxa? Saxa tried to grab Magne’s hammer (symbolic of Thor’s iconic weapon).
In the struggle, Saxa kissed Magne which led to the two having sex. Saxa is most likely based on this giant named Jarnsaxa in Norse mythology. She is the mother of Magni.
Though enemies at first, Thor and Jarnsaxa turn into lovers and Magni and Modi were born to them. So if Ragnarok is following this plotline, it might be quite probable that Magni is on the way.
So just to make it clear: Since Magne in the show represents Thor, Magne’s son will actually represent Magni, Thor’s son from the legends. Season 3 might tell us that Saxa is pregnant with Magne’s child.
Trust me, it won’t be shocking to me atleast. The only problem is Magne is quite young as per the show, so it is a little strange to give him a child so quick. But it is not impossible. Also, what about Signy?
Signy is Magne’s love interest in Season 2. She is most likely the reincarnation of Thor’s wife, Sif from the mythology. So it could be possible that a love triangle is on the go.
4. Who Gave Magne His Powers?
In the series, a mysterious woman named Wenche activated Magne Seier’s powers. Wenche is introduced as an old lady in the supermarket in the fictional town of Edda, where Magne comes to live with his brother and mother after her mother got a job in the town.
When Wenche meets Magne, she runs her hand over his forehead, thereby activating Thor’s superpowers which he had within him. After this incident, Magne discovers that he has developed superpowers such as superhuman strength and perfect vision.
She is a mysterious character who also appears in other episodes chanting lines like “The hero’s journey has already begun.”
5. Is Magne Stronger Than Thor?
Going by Norse mythology, Magne is described to be stronger than his father Thor. Being a half God and half giant hybrid, Magne is described to have superhuman strength and resilience. In the show, Magne has as much strength as Thor considering he represents the thunder God.
In Ragnarok, Magne’s powers include all of Thor’s godly powers such as ability to manipulate the weather or cause lightning and thunder. He has quite a few similarites with Thor, both physically and mentally.
He physically resembles the thunder God and also believes in the same idea of justice and righteousness as him. After Wenche activated Magne’s powers, he seems to possess superhuman strength, perfect vision and sharp sense.
Moreover, he can also throw and use a hammer, the trademark weapon of Thor. Basically, the show does not miss any hints to prove that Magne is indeed Thor reborn.
In fact, in one scene Magne looks into the mirror and sees Thor in place of his reflection. So, no points for guessing there.
6. About Ragnarok
Ragnarok is a coming-of-age drama building on and contributing to the Norse mythology. Created by award winning writer, Adam Price, and produced by SAM productions, Ragnarok was launched exclusively on Netflix in 2020.
The cast of Ragnarok also includes Henriette Steenstrup, Odd-Magnus Williamson, Synnøve Macody Lund, Line Verndal, Fridtjov Såheim, Bjørn Sundquist and Gísli Örn Garðarsson.
It takes place in current day, in the fictional Norwegian town of Edda in Hordaland, Western Norway, which is plagued by climate crisis and industrial pollution caused by the factories. The factories are owned by the Jutul family, who are actually four Jötnar (giants) posing as a family. They are challenged by Magne, a teenage boy who is the reincarnation of Thor. In season 2, he is joined by the other gods, namely Odin, Freya, and Týr.
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