In Norse mythology, who is Hel’s father?

In Norse mythology, Loki is Hel’s father. Hel is one of Loki’s three monstrous children with the giantess Angrboða, alongside the wolf Fenrir and the world serpent Jörmungandr.

The gods feared these offspring because prophecies linked them to Ragnarök. Odin therefore cast Jörmungandr into the sea, had Fenrir bound, and sent Hel to rule over many of the dead. Her realm is also called Hel, which can cause confusion between the goddess and the destination.

Hel is described as partly living-looking and partly corpse-like in medieval sources. Her role is different from that of Odin and Freyja, who receive selected warriors slain in battle. Those who die from sickness or old age are commonly associated with Hel’s domain.

Loki’s parentage is sometimes misunderstood because later popular culture often presents him as Odin’s brother. In the surviving Norse myths, Loki is the father of Hel, Fenrir, and Jörmungandr.