When Netflix announced the arrival of an original new series Ragnorak, fans were thrilled by the news and naturally wanted to link it to the Marvel's God of Thunder Thor (played by Chris Hemsworth). Though Norse gods play a huge role in both works, the upcoming Norwegian series tackles Scandinavian folklore with a modern spin that’s less Avengers-battling-Thanos-in-outer-space, more teen-hero-in-a-small-town.
In Ragnorak, the seemingly quiet town of Edda harbors a magical secret: some of its residents have been blessed with special powers. As more of these gifted individuals arrive within the city limits, Edda is plagued by natural disasters, with torrential downpours and disturbingly warm winters rapidly shifting the town's landscape to the extreme.
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Fearful of the irreversible damage that the rapid climate change could bring to residents, one unlikely young hero armed with some special abilities steps up to protect his town. He could be the one thing standing between survival and Ragnorak.
Norse mythology describes Ragnorak as the apocalypse, the total annihilation of the universe and everything in it. In Old Norse, it means "the fate of the gods," suggesting that the destruction won't spare even the most powerful beings in the cosmos.
The fifth installment in Marvel's action-packed phase three, Thor: Ragnorak, explored the concept further. In the film, Thor and his adopted brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston) must face their long-lost sister Hela, the Goddess of Death (Cate Blanchett), in a lethal battle for Asgard. Their showdown leads to the physical destruction of their homeworld, brought on by the famed fire demon Surtur.
Ragnorak may allude to some of the same lore as the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but don't expect the Netflix series to feature the flying god with a powerful hammer. Its heroes will likely be much more unexpected since the show is taking a different approach to Norse mythology.
The action-packed magical series will be available for streaming on Netflix on January 30. Watch the trailer for Ragnorak below.
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