In Norse mythology, Váli is Odin’s son who avenges Baldr by killing Höðr.
After the blind god Höðr accidentally kills Baldr, Váli is born to Odin and the goddess Rindr. The Prose Edda says that Váli grows rapidly and kills Höðr before he has washed or combed his hair. This compressed episode emphasizes the traditional importance of vengeance and the urgency of balancing Baldr’s death.
Váli is easily confused with Víðarr, another son of Odin. Víðarr is the silent god who avenges Odin by killing Fenrir during Ragnarök. Váli’s defining myth instead concerns Baldr and Höðr, and the two names are distinct despite their similar appearance in English transliteration.
Some details vary among sources and translations, especially regarding Rindr and the circumstances of Váli’s birth. The central identification remains stable: Váli is the avenger of Baldr’s death.