Thor’s sons are Móði and Magni. They are minor gods whose names mean bravery and strength in Old Norse.
Before Thor married the goddess Sif, he had two sons with the giantess Járnsaxa. These sons were named Móði and Magni.
Like their father Thor, Móði and Magni were strong and brave, fighting against the jötunn alongside other Æsir gods during Ragnarök.
How many children does Thor have?
Thor is said to have four children. Móði and Magni were Thor’s children with the giantess Járnsaxa. Thor later had a daughter with his wife, Sif, named Thrudr. Sif’s son Ullr is Thor’s stepson.
A fifth child by the name of Lóriði is mentioned in the prologue of the Prose Edda. Lóriði was said to be the son of Sif and Thor.
It is unclear what happened to this son or if Lóriði existed. Later in the Prose Edda, the only son birthed by Sif is Ullr, whose father is unknown.
Thor’s son Móði
Móði is Thor’s younger son with the giantess Járnsaxa. Módi and Mothi are both common variations of his name. He is the god of combat and the personification of the wrath of his father, Thor.
Móði was very popular with the Vikings known as Norse berserkers. This group of rowdy, violent warriors worshipped Odin and used hallucinogens to put themselves in a trance-like state before battle. These brazen Viking warriors wore only bear skins to protect themselves.
Thor’s son Magni
Thor and his son Magni had a special bond. When the giant Hrungnir nearly killed Thor, Magni stepped in and saved his father’s life. From then on, Magni was known as Thor’s favorite son.
The battle between Thor and the giant Hrungnir actually started with Odin. After a verbal dispute over which horse is faster, Odin and Hrungnir raced their horses Sleipnir and Gullfaxi (Golden Mane) to Asgard. Odin’s horse Sleipnir was faster, but not by much, and Odin couldn’t stop Hrungnir’s horse from entering Asgard.
Once in Asgard, Hrungnir threatened to carry Thor’s wife, Sif, off and flirted with Freyja. Enraged by the threat to his family, Thor battled with Hrungnir, killing the giant with his hammer. But a broken piece of the giant’s whetstone lodged in Thor’s head, and the giant’s leg landed on Thor’s neck.
Magni came in and saved his father, removing the heavy giant’s leg when other gods could not. To reward him for saving his life, Thor gave Magni Hrungnir’s horse Gullfaxi.
This gift upset Odin. As the Allfather and winner of the race between the two horses, Odin believed Thor was wrong to gift Gullfaxi to Magni. But Thor ignored Odin’s protest, giving the golden horse to his favorite son.
What happens to Móði and Magni during Ragnarök?
Móði and Magni fought alongside the other Asgardians during Ragnarök. Despite their valiant efforts, Asgard, Midgard, and the rest of the nine realms were destroyed. Most of the Norse gods died, but the forces of evil that attacked Asgard were also defeated.
Móði and Magni’s father, Thor, was also killed in Ragnarök. While battling the World Serpent Jörmungandr, Thor killed the giant snake with a fatal strike to the head. But the serpent wounded Thor in battle, and his venom eventually killed him.
When Thor fell, his sons Móði and Magni took up his hammer. They fought the monsters who outlived the elder Norse gods, striking them down one by one.
Do Móði and Magni survive Ragnarök?
Móði and Magni are two of the few Norse gods that survived Ragnarök.
Hoenir, Njord, Vidar, Vali, and the daughter of Sol also survived Ragnarök. Hodr and Baldr died before the start of Ragnarök but returned from Hel’s realm after Ragnarök. Lif and Lifthrasir are the sole human survivors of Ragnarök.
After Ragnarök, there isn’t much known about Móði and Magni. The Norse gods who survived the end of the world watched over what was left of the world they once knew. When Lif and Lifthrasir emerged after a long sleep, they repopulated the new world revealed when the ocean waters finally receded.
Vidar and Vali found golden tablets in the grass when the sea revealed the newly green earth. On these tablets, the runes told of a high place much higher than Asgard, which many compare to Heaven or the Greek Mount Olympus.
The remaining Norse gods would live together in this realm, watching over the new world and recounting their glory days before Ragnarök.