Ragnarok

Ragnarok ("Doom of the Powers" or "Destruction of the Powers" - powers=gods) was the final encounter, the end of the world.

The beginning of Ragnarok was Baldr's dead and the following "Fimbulvetr", a winter that lasted three years.

Then the wolf Skoll swallowed the sun (Sol) and the wolf Hati killed the moon (Mani), after that, the world fell into darkness and all the banished and bounded creatures were free.

Ragnarok was announced by three cocks: Fjalar, who crowed to the giants, Gullinkambi to the gods and the third to the dead.
At the same moment, Nidhogg bit through the root of the world-tree.

The serpent Jormungand coused giantic waves and setted the ship Naglfar free, with which the giants sailed to the battlefield.
Hel's army of deads, with Loki as their chief, came in another ship.
And the fire-giants from Muspellheim came through the dark forest Myrkwood.

The battlefiel of the last encounter was called Vigrid ("Battle Shaker"). There Heimdall sounded his horn (Gjallarhorn) and announced the beginning of the last battle.

Thor fought Jormungand and won, but died for the poisen of the serpent.
Freyr killed (without his sword) Beli but finally he was killed by the fire giant Surtr.
The war-god Tyr killed the hound Garm, but bleeded to death for his wounds.
Heimdall fought with his greatest enemy, Loki and both of them died.

The fight between Odin and Fenrir was very long fight, but at the end, Fenrir killed the great god. Odin's son Vidar then avenged his father and killed the gigantic wolf.

There were many Einherjar, Valkyrie, Dwarves, Elves, Giants etc. that died.
The only humans that will suvive the final battle are Lif ("Life") and Liftrasir ("Eager for Life") and they will be the ancestors of the human race.

At the end, Surtr, made a great fire with his sword Surtalogi and burned all nine worlds, that sinked into the sea.

"The sun turns black, | earth sinks in the sea,
The hot stars down | from heaven are whirled;
Fierce grows the steam | and the life-feeding flame,
Till fire leaps high | about heaven itself."
(Voluspo)

After Ragnarok, some of the gods will return, like Baldr and Hödr and some survived it, like Aegir, Vidar, Vali, Magni and Modi, Vili and Nidhogg.

Ragnarock (The Final Encounter) by Michel Montecrossa

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