Ragnarok

The events of the Norse Ragnarök described in the Eddas are of truly epic proportions. The Eddas relate the specific events presaging the end of the world: when the armies of Asgard will confront their enemies before the final, cataclysmic conflagration destroys the universe. The two Eddas - one poetic, one prose, both compiled in the thirteenth century - describe Ragnarök in loving detail. Ragnarök itself will be clearly heralded by various sings and portents. One of these will be the fearsome Fimbul-Winter or Great Winter - three normal winters rolled into one - which will freeze Midgard solid and cause large swathes of humanity to starve. During the Fimbul-Winter, the combined enemies of the Aesir and Vanir will assemble and assault Asgard, the home of the gods. Loki and his monstrous offspring will lead the van, marching their army to the plain of Vigrid where they will encounter the gods in battle. During this battle, Loki and his children will seek single combat with the greatest and strongest of the gods. Fenris, a great wolf, will devour Odin, only in turn to be slain by one of Odin's sons. Thor will slay the world-serpent, Jormungandr, but die immediately afterwards, poisoned by the serpent's venomous breath. Tyr will slay Garm, another great wolf, dying in turn from wounds received in combat. Lastly, Heimdal will slay and be slain by Loki himself. Even with Loki and his offspring dead, the battle is far from over as Surt leads his fire-giants into the fray. Freyr will try to slay Surt, but die in the attempt. Indeed, this is Surt's moment. Unstoppable, like a force of nature, Surt will destroy everyone and everything in his path, and at the last set Yggdrasil, the world tree, alight. The conflagration of Yggdrasil will consume the nine worlds and their inhabitants in flame. Thus is last battle consummated. Silence reigns. Asgard and Midgard, the heavens and the earth, are no more. All the gods and their enemies are dead. But this is not the end: for a new heaven and new earth will be reborn, repeopled with new gods and a new human race.