Jormungandr: The World Serpent
The Ouroboros of the North
Jormungandr (The Great Monster) is the physical definition of the world's edge. He is the middle child of Loki, cast into the ocean by Odin. There, he grew until he encircled the entire continent of Midgard, biting his own tail to form a closed loop. This posture is structural. He holds the ocean in place. He is the tectonic plate of Norse mythology. If he moves, the earth shakes (earthquakes). If he lets go, the world ends.
The Feat of Strength
Thor once encountered the serpent disguised as a cat. In the hall of the giant Utgard-Loki, Thor was challenged to lift the grey cat. He strained until his back nearly broke, but only managed to lift one paw. Thor felt shame, but the Giant was terrified. "That was no cat," Utgard-Loki explained. "That was the Midgard Serpent. When you lifted him, you shook the foundations of the earth."
The Fishing Trip
The rivalry between God and Monster is personal. Thor later went fishing with the giant Hymir, using an ox head as bait. Jormungandr took the hook. Thor pulled the serpent to the surface, staring into its eyes, hammer raised for the kill. But Hymir, panicked by the sight of the apocalypse rising from the waves, cut the line. The serpent sank back down, bleeding and waiting.
Mutually Assured Destruction
Their story has only one ending: Ragnarök.
- The Rise: Jormungandr will release his tail, causing a mega-tsunami that drowns the land.
- The Breath: He will spray poison (eitr) into the sky and sea.
- The Kill: Thor will smash the serpent's skull with Mjolnir.
- The Cost: Thor will take nine steps away from the corpse before collapsing, dead from the venom.
The Final Warning
The horizon is not a line. It is a spine. The ocean is not empty. It is a waiting room. When the sea turns black and boils, run inland.
