The Hammer of Thor

Riordan calls on ancient Norse customs and myth to fill out the story world in these chapters. Riordan’s Skofnung Sword stays true to the sword of myth. Known as “the best of all swords ever carried in northern lands,” the Skofnung Sword allegedly belonged to Hrólf Kraki, a legendary Danish king, whom Riordan replaces with Gellir (which translates roughly to “sword”). The Skofnung Sword is renowned in Norse myth for being one of the strongest and sharpest blades, causing wounds that can be healed only by its partner stone. The “Thing” comes from an old Norse word for assembly and was the cornerstone of Norse democracy for both politics and general meetings. Riordan uses the Thing to show how strongly the Norse upheld its tradition. He brings humor and a modern-day feel to the Thing by having Magnus’s group continuously ask for motions to be voted on and by having Magnus refuse to attack because doing so doesn’t feel democratic. Hearth ripping off the prince’s head in answer to a call for a vote shows both that the group is no longer interested in taking a vote and how Hearth’s strength spell affects him.

Though the wight is never seen, it’s described as an undead creature of immense power. Initially, wight referred to a living person, but over time its meaning evolved. A barrow is defined as a hill, and specifically in Norse myth, barrows were burial places said to be inhabited by both the dead and the living. The myths make no specific reference to a blood river, but there are several old tales that describe gods being drained of their blood, similar to a river of blood. Runes such as the one Hearth uses are integral to Norse religion, and as Riordan uses runes in the book, they are associated with magic and spellcasting. As a beginner magician, Hearth tires after using only a few runes, but it is likely that with practice he could cast several runes without ill effects.

In Chapter 17, Loki renders Sam unconscious by using his control over her. Though Sam doesn’t use her Loki powers often, Loki has strong control over her, suggesting that it doesn’t matter how frequently or with how much intensity Sam uses the powers. Just possessing Loki’s power is enough for the god to control Sam, something Sam struggles with throughout the rest of the book. Sam’s vulnerability to Loki helps explain her worries for Alex. Though it seems that frequency and intensity don’t matter in terms of Loki’s control over his children, it may be that there’s a limit to how much Loki’s children may draw from his gifts. Seeing Loki control Sam makes Magnus wonder if Frey could exact similar control over him. This foreshadows Frey doing so in the third book of the series, and it also shows an inherent dynamic between parents and children: Even without mythical powers in the mix, parents have a certain level of control over their children. As children grow older and more independent, parental control typically lessens, and Alex using more and more of Loki’s power resembles how a mortal child increasingly takes on adult qualities, which they have in common with their parents. In both cases, a parent can end up having less control.

Loki means for Blitz’s wound to be insurance—something that will force Magnus to deliver both Sam and Thor’s hammer to the wedding. Magnus’s refusal to accept Loki’s unofficial contract makes Magnus a heroic character. Magnus takes it upon himself to find the Skofnung Stone to save Blitz, cutting Loki out of the deal. Blitz’s wound shifts the trajectory of the story and makes the next several chapters about obtaining the stone. Magnus’s prayer to Frey is seemingly answered, which highlights an important difference between Loki and Frey. While Loki controls his children and organizes their lives around what most benefits him, Frey responds to Magnus’s prayer to provide both a way out of the barrow and a way to preserve Blitz until the Skofnung Stone can be found. Frey seems to care about Magnus and his plight, whereas Loki cares about his children only until they serve his purpose. Magnus’s inability to heal Blitz shows that some forces are stronger than the gods. It may be that even Frey couldn’t heal a wound caused by the Skofnung Sword.