Níðhöggr or Nidhogg (Malice Striker) is a legendary dragon found in Norse Mythology. The mighty dragon chews on the roots of the ash tree Yggdrasill, also known as the World Tree, which holds the Nine Realms of Norse mythology together. He hopes one day to topple Yggdrasill and destroy all the realms. He has a rivalry with the unnamed eagle that lives at the top of the World Tree and the two exchange harsh words through Ratatöskr, the squirrel, that bears the words between the two. It is said that the Níðhöggr is the portend of Ragnarok, the Norse “Twilight of the Gods”, of which he will survive into the reborn world afterward.
Description[]
According to Jackson Crawford, Níðhöggr has wings which make him capable of flight, a trait that is uncommon among dragons from Norse Mythology, with the wings also having feathers in them. In early artwork, the dragon is depicted as a lindworm.
In Popular Culture[]
- In the computer video game Age of Mythology, worshipping the Norse deity Hel rewards you with the ability to summon the Nidhogg dragon, one of the three flying units in the game, the others being the Phoenix and the Roc.
- In the video game Lord of Arcana, Nidhogg is the first and second last boss creature, and resembles a winged dragon.
- The dragon Pokemon Zygarde is believed to be based on Nidhogg.
Gallery[]
Sources[]
- Jackson Crawford (June 27, 2017) Dragons in Norse Myth YouTube
External Links[]
- Níðhöggr on Wikipedia