Thor has become one of Marvel's most iconic figures, with an entire corner of the Marvel Universe developing around this mythological figure and his legendary origins. But while some of his most notable allies and foes have also reached a major place in comics culture, one very important one has always felt slightly overshadowed by his brothers.
Who is Balder, the often-forgotten brother to Thor and Loki, and what happened to him across the history of the Marvel Universe?
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WHO IS BALDER?
Balder is one of the sons of Odin and Freyja, rulers of Asgard. A gifted warrior and noble hero, Balder's birth led to the prophecy that his death would be one of the triggering events that cause Ragnarok. Odin arranged for Balder to be given a spell of invulnerability to protect him and prevent this fate, making him a far more sturdy and reliable fighter. The only thing that could hurt Balder was mistletoe -- leading his treacherous and troublemaking brother Loki to trick the blind Holder into firing an arrow of mistletoe at Balder. Balder was technically killed and even briefly spent time in the Asgardian underworld, Hel.
But Odin was able to restore his son, bringing him back to life -- turning his hair stark white in the process. Balder became a notable warrior and left many dead in his wake. But Balder grew to have a complicated relationship with violence and death, wishing to avoid death and destruction whenever possible. He'd often beg his enemies to simply lay down their arms and step away from battling with him, and often he was forced to fight his way through them despite his pleas to spare their lives by leaving him alone.
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Baldur gained unwanted attention in love as well, with the surprising and largely unwanted love of Karnilla. Queen of the Norns, Karnilla fell deeply in love with Balder for being "unique" among the Asgardians, seeking his hand in marriage. Karnilla's ambitions for Balder would pit her against Thor and Odin, all in an attempt to force Balder to take the throne. Her greatest attempt came with capturing Balder and holding him in Nornheim. So long as he remained, no harm would befall his true love, Nanna. Nanna couldn't abide by this deal and sacrificed her own life to break the bonds of this cruel pact. Karnilla still loves Balder, despite his resentment for these acts, and has worked alongside Asgard at Balder's request -- fighting against the forces of Surtur and later helping ensure Balder escaped Hel.
Balder eventually took the throne of Asgard during a time when it was exiled to Earth, Odin was dead, and Thor was exiled after killing their restored Grandfather, Bor. While complicated by the events ofDark Reign andSeige, Balder was able to keep Asgard running -- although he often gave into grief over the loss of life that happened under his watch. Balder has been killed multiple types, once during the events of Ragnarok (where his spirit ended up trapped inside the Destroyer Armor) and in the build-up toSecret Wars, ending up in the realm of Hel once more. He briefly served as the King of Hel after his sister Angela took (and then abdicated) the throne, before he was restored to life by Karnilla's sacrifice. He now serves as a member of the League of Realms, helping rebuild the Nine Realms.
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Balder is an interesting subversion of the typical Asgardian character. Most Asgardians are defined by their warrior spirit and killer instinct. But despite his natural skill and boldness, Balder is shown to be a more empathetic figure. He takes his failures more seriously than others, with his role as King of Asgard often being held in doubt over his inner turmoil. He's a much needed calming influence between Thor and Loki, with both brothers earning a place by the side of their sibling. He's someone that both Thor and Loki can admire, but find insufferable all the same. It gives their family an interesting wrinkle. But sometimes, having that calming influence between Thor and Loki can be seen as a distraction from one of Marvel's most compelling sibling rivalries.
This is likely why the character didn't appear in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Heinitially appeared in the screenplay for the firstThor, even reaching the point where he got designed in key art for the film. But he was ultimately cut from the film, and the film instead primarily focused on Thor and Loki. It would be difficult to see the character take on a major role at this point, but he always makes for a unique shift in Thor stories.
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