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There is no denying that Norse mythology has been revived in recent years through popular culture. It seems as if we are all living in Valhalla, with Norse Gods appearing everywhere you look. The old legends have managed to influence all media – books, films, TV shows, music, games, and even online slots.

Norse mythology is centuries old but its grip on our sensibilities is only increasing. Since the 13th century, when the ancient myths began to be written down, their popularity slowly grew and their tale of hammer-wielding gods permeated other cultures. In the latter decades, we have been exposed to the rising popularity of Norse-themed content.

Let’s take a look and see how it managed to influence popular culture so much.

Books

We can’t talk about books and Norse Gods, without mentioning Neil Gaiman and his Norse Mythology. Long inspired by ancient mythology, he presents a bravura rendition of the Norse gods and their journey from their origin though their upheaval in Ragnarok.

It might not be as obvious, however, but we can also notice Norse mythology’s influence in George R. R. Martin’s acclaimed Game of Thrones series. White Walkers, Direwolves, and even Ravens are all too well familiar from the ancient myths.

The next title might be a bit hard to categorize. The Witcher started out as a fantasy novel were written by Andrej Sapowski, first published in 1993. The games were soon produced by a video-game company and received increasing praise with each release. Recently, the fans have also enjoyed a Netflix adaptation starring Henry Cavill as Geralt of Rivia. The Witcher world is nearly 30 years of age, however, it appears to grow even more popular.

There are plenty of other books inspired by old Norse tales including Joanne M. Harris’ Runemarks. Based on the Norse Legends, the book depicts a post-Ragnarok world in which the gods are scattered and their powers diminished. Also, we can’t ignore J. R. R Tolkien’s interpretation and use of Norse mythology that brought on many debates on how to analyze myths through structural and theoretical approaches.

Film and Television

There are too many films and TV shows based on Norse mythology to count. In one way or another, all of them offer a modern and unique twist on classic legends. Previously mentioned Neil Gaiman wrote another book called American Gods. It achieved massive success and went on to become an even more popular television show about a modern take on religion, featuring Norse and other cultures.

We should mention everyone’s favorite marauding tribe, the Vikings. The show is perhaps the most famous depiction of Vikings on screen. This six-season series aired between 2012 and 2019 and tells the story of a Norse warrior Ragnar Lothbrok and his children. Fans are delighted that a spin-off Vikings: Valhalla is soon to be aired on Netflix.

For many filmgoers, Thor is a superhero, a member of the Avengers and an important figure in the Marvel Cinematic Universe launched a decade ago. However, the hammer-wielding hero has been around for centuries as the god associated with thunder, lightning, strength, and the protection of mankind. Luckily for us, we will see more of him in Thor: Love and Thunder due for release in 2022.

Music

Heavy metal, particularly in and around its Scandinavian homeland has also embraced the Norse mythology themes, even creating its own genre – Viking metal. Both from Sweden, the biggest bands are currently Amon Amarth and Bathory. Metal fans will also agree that Led Zeppelin was heavily influenced by Norse legends.

Metal bands from other countries also feature similar themes in their music.  German band Rebellion recorded three Norse-based albums. Their History of the Vikings trilogy tells the history of the Norse gods and Norse religion. Another project worth mentioning is Wardruna, a Norwegian music group formed in 2003. Their purpose is to reeducate and reinform people on the various subtleties of Norse mythology and culture. Its music shines a light on forgotten tales and elements.

Moving away from metal as the obvious first choice when talking about Vikings and music, there are other genres that deal with these mythological elements. German Pagan Folk band Faun recorded a few albums infused with these elements. Their album Eden includes a song called Iduna, which is the name of a goddess associated with apples and youth. Their other album Midgard has Norse mythology as its main theme.

Video and Casino Games

Over the last few years, there has been a rise in the number of video games influenced by Norse mythology. If you are a video game player you must have set foot in Skyrim’s world. The game revolves around completing quests and discovering the secrets of the Dragonborn. Not only it is extremely entertaining, but the game is also deeply rooted in Norse Legends. Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice follows a Celtic woman on her haunting journey to face Hela, goddess of the dead. The game excels in depicting ancient Scandinavia in an entirely historically accurate way. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is an action-filled game revolving around the Viking invasion of Britain. The players get a chance to become a warrior embroiled in the conflict between the Brotherhood and Templar Order. All of these have received critical acclaim for their outstanding depiction of Viking history and lore, featuring references to Loki, Jormungandr, and Odin himself.

If you happen to be an online casino goer, you might have stumbled across dozens of popular Norse mythology-themed casino games. Some of the titles you can find in every online casino lobby include Microgaming’s Viking Queen, NetEnt’s Vikings, and Yggdrasil’s Vikings Go Berzerk. With the rise of popularity of Norse mythology themes, it is really no wonder it found its way to infuse many niche markets.

We hope that we were able to shed some light on how much Norse mythology has influenced popular culture. Considering our obsession with all things Viking-related it seems that their popularity won’t dwindle any time soon.  While most of the media mentioned above do not offer strictly accurate adaptations of the original mythological tales, they are nonetheless a highly entertaining introduction to the Norse tales of lore.

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