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Thor Facts & Worksheets

Thor is a warrior who possesses great strength. He is also associated with thunder

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Thor is one of the most significant gods in the Norse pantheon, the second in importance to Odin. Thor is a warrior who possesses great strength. He is also associated with thunder.

See the fact file below for more information on Thor or alternatively, you can download our 27-page Thor worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

ORIGIN AND POWERS OF THOR

  • Thor’s father is Odin, the half-giant and ruler of the Aesir gods; his mother is Fjörgen, the earth goddess whose ancestry is entirely giant.
  • Thor bears at least 15 names such as Hardhugadr, “strong spirit” “powerful soul” “fierce ego” and “brave heart,” among others.
  • He is also the husband of the golden-haired goddess Sif and the lover of the jötunn Járnsaxa.
  • Thor is generally described as a fierce-eyed, red-haired, and red-bearded man with a muscled structure, fit to hold the mighty hammer Mjöllnir.
  • His children were all associated with strength and braveness, embodying their father’s features: thrudr (strength), modi (courage or wrath), and magni (strength or mighty).
  • Thor is the strongest of all the gods and the protector of mankind in Midgard – middle earth where humans reside.
  • Despite this, other gods tease him because of his explosive behavior.
  • While Thor rides his chariot, the people of Midgard can hear the loud sounds from the wheels. The sparks and lightning from the wheels are seen as Thor flies across the sky.
  • The sounds were soon associated with thunder and lightning.
  • Besides the title, Thor was also considered to be a god of fertility and hallowing due to his prodigious carnal appetite and his aptitude for impregnating women.
  • He also owns the belt of strength – Old Norse megingjarðar – that makes his power doubly formidable when he wears it. 
  • His most famous possession, however, is his hammer, Mjöllnir,  meaning “lightning. It was built by the dwarf brothers Brokkr “Metalworker” and Sindri “Spark-sprayer.”
  • It can send out lightning bolts that are capable of tearing down mountains, and Mjöllnir can hit any target. The hammer can be used to kill and destroy, but also to revive people and animals. 
  • Thor’s hammer can be magically shrunk to fit inside his shirt.
  • Thor’s greatest enemies were the giants from Jotunheim, one of the Nine Worlds, as well as the massive serpent Jörmungand, the symbol of evil.
  • Thor and Jörmungand finally face each other during Ragnarök when the two mighty deities will eventually put an end to each other.
  • While a foe to the giants, Thor was known to be kind to humans. The earliest Icelandic settlers called on him to sanctify their land with his hammer.

NORDIC BELIEFS

  • Thor was appealed to by those in need of protection, comfort, and the blessing and hallowing of places, things, and events. This is because he was also a god of generosity and blessings.
  • The earliest Icelandic settlers prayed to Thor to hallow their plot of land before they built buildings or planted crops. 
  • Hammer-shaped amulets, a symbol of Thor because it was his weapon, were worn around their necks well into the Christianization of Scandinavia. 
  • There are also molds discovered from that time containing both cross and hammer shapes, side by side. 

THOR AND THE VIKINGS

  • From the Bronze Age up through the Viking Age, believers most especially worshiped Thor for his physical and military strength and protection during wars. 
  • The people made their names through famous raids that went around Europe. In combat, physical dominance would mean a lot to the warriors which is why the Vikings needed a god who was physically powerful in war to be their spiritual guide. No one was more suitable than Thor.
  • Hundreds of Mjöllnir amulets have been discovered in Viking graves and other Norse archeological sites proving their devotion to the Nordic Hero.
  • Thor was regarded as an alpha male, but also a team player – a  quality necessary for Vikings whose success or failure relied on their ability to work together on the ship and on the shield wall while taking on the role of leadership and reliance.

MODERN CULTURE

  • Because of his reputation, Thor has become a staple hero in modern times. He is considered the parallel hero of the Greeks Heracles, or the Romans Hercules.
  • Years later, Thor, the Marvel comics superhero made his comic book debut in August 1962.
  • This is all thanks to the creation of Stan Lee, Larry Lieber, and Jack Kirby. There are over 750 comic book releases featuring this Marvel Hero.
  • In May 2011, “Thor,” the movie was released by Paramount Pictures and Marvel Entertainment, starring Chris Hemsworth.
  • Several movies were later released, and in 2022, another Thor movie is produced – “Thor: Love and Thunder.”
  • Although small variations were done on his character and relationships, Thor was generally the same Thunder God with superhuman strength.
  • Appreciation of Norse mythology has increased since then.

NORSE MYTHOLOGY

  • Norse or Scandinavian mythology stemmed from Norse paganism and continued after the Christianization of Scandinavia. It is a collection of myths of the North Germanic peoples that were soon translated into the Scandinavian folklore of the modern period.
  • The most elevated representatives of Æsir and known as the main gods include Odin, the supreme deity and the greatest among the Norse gods, and the Allfather of the Aesir, Frigg, Thor, Loki, Balder, Hod, Heimdall, and Tyr.
  • The Nordic world, according to the mythology, is composed of the nine realms of Asgard: Álfheimr or Ljósálfheimr, Niðavellir or Svartálfaheimr, Midgard (Earth), Jötunheimr or Útgarðr, Vanaheim, Niflheim, Muspelheim, and Hel.
  • It is also known that everything will end during the Ragnarök, a series of events and catastrophes that will ultimately lead to the end of the world. Ragnarök concludes in a final battle between the gods and the demons and giants, ending in the death of the gods, including Thor and Odin.

Thor Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle that includes everything you need to know about Thor across 27 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Thor who is one of the most significant gods in the Norse pantheon, second only to Odin.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Thor  (Norse Mythology) Facts
  • Norse Review
  • Asgard
  • Viking Spirit
  • The God of Thunder
  • Thor’s Duel
  • The Big Fight
  • The Lost Hammer
  • Warrior Qualities
  • Words of the Wise
  • Making of a Hero
  • Sibling Rivalry

Frequently Asked Questions

What are Thor’s powers as a god in Norse mythology?

While Thor rides his chariot, the people of Midgard can hear the loud sounds from the wheels. The sparks and lightning from the wheels are seen as Thor flies across the sky. The sounds were soon associated with thunder and lightning, thus giving him the title the god of thunder.

Who built Thor’s Hammer?

His most famous possession, however, is his hammer, Mjöllnir, meaning “lightning. It was built by the dwarf brothers Brokkr “Metalworker” and Sindri “Spark-sprayer.”

Who is Thor’s father?

Thor’s father is Odin, the half-giant and ruler of the Aesir gods; his mother is Fjörgen, the earth goddess whose ancestry is entirely giant.

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Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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