In Norse mythology, Hermóðr rides to Hel to ask for Baldr’s release. He undertakes this mission after Baldr, beloved son of Odin and Frigg, is killed through Loki’s scheme involving the mistletoe.
According to Snorri Sturluson’s Prose Edda, Hermóðr travels for nine nights through dark valleys before reaching the bridge Gjallarbrú and the realm of the dead. He rides Odin’s eight-legged horse, Sleipnir, which can leap over the gates of Hel.
Hermóðr finds Baldr seated in a place of honor beside Nanna, Baldr’s wife. Hel agrees to release Baldr if every living and dead thing weeps for him. Nearly all beings do so, but the giantess Þökk refuses; she is generally identified with Loki in disguise. As a result, Baldr remains in Hel until Ragnarök’s aftermath.
Hermóðr is sometimes called a son of Odin, but the surviving sources do not consistently define his role. His journey is distinct from the general destination of the dead: he is a living messenger visiting Hel, not someone permanently received there.