The Hammer of Thor

The characters and societies of The Hammer of Thor focus on how our past and present shape who we are. Whether through how they think of themselves or through the forces that have made them, these people and groups are the product of their own journeys and self-reflection. Magnus’s character arc, Sam’s struggle with being part of two worlds, and the nature of Alfheim each offer different examples of the impact of heritage, identity, and culture.

Through Magnus’s journey, The Hammer of Thor explores the influence of heritage. Heritage is defined as something that is acquired or given by a predecessor (such as a parent). For Magnus, his Norse heritage has been passed down from the god Frey, whose powers give Magnus the ability to heal himself and others. This ability aligns with Magnus’s personality. Though he resides in Valhalla, he isn’t much of a warrior, but instead offers support to those who fight in battle. His healing abilities allow Magnus to extend his naturally helpful persona into a beneficial action, and as a result, part of his identity becomes this heritage—the healer. Just as he becomes comfortable in this role, he faces Alex not wanting to be healed because she fears the healing will allow Magnus to see into her mind. Magnus feels that Alex is rejecting how he has come to see himself, which forces him to rethink the meaning of his heritage and who he is. Alex’s reluctance helps Magnus discover there is more to him than simply healing, and by the end of the book, Magnus recognizes that his greater role in the battle against Loki involves additional aspects of himself.

In contrast to Magnus’s arc, Sam’s struggle to live in two worlds shows how her culture (mainly Islam) shapes her at the same time that it’s disrupted by the Norse world. Sam has always wanted to fly, and even though Norse myth seems to directly conflict with her Islamic beliefs, she became a Valkyrie because doing so offered her something she craved and that her Islamic culture couldn’t give. As she spent more time in both worlds, she found ways to make Islam and Norse myth complement each other without sacrificing the Islamic beliefs and culture that are a core part of her identity. When she’s faced with Amir discovering the Norse world, Sam’s religious beliefs are put to the test. It was one thing for her to make allowances for flight, but it’s another to watch someone she loves grapple with having his identity and beliefs challenged so drastically. Ultimately, Amir is the most important thing to Sam, in part due to the cultural tradition of arranged marriage, and though she will hate to do it, she decides at the end of the book that she will resign as a Valkyrie once Loki is defeated. Even though she learned to make her seemingly contradictory worlds coexist, her decision to resign represents how people must sometimes give up parts of who they are to become who they want to be.

Magnus and Sam show the impacts of identity, culture, and heritage on a personal level, whereas the community of Alfheim represents how culture becomes collective. The elves of Hearth’s hometown are elitist and self-important, believing themselves “proper” elves and above other elflike species and nature spirits. They organize their culture around elevating their own status while lowering that of anyone they view as different. In Chapter 22, Magnus contemplates Inge’s situation, realizing that being required to display her cow tail is meant to convey the message “show us who you are; now feel bad about it” (174). As a hulder, Inge is a second-class citizen; Alfheim culture assigns identities based on what the majority group wants, and those without the power to challenge these assignments must live how they are told, something that can lead either to identities being crushed or to an even stronger conviction to show one’s true self.

Identity, culture, and heritage are aspects of each person’s life, but external factors can influence how we think of ourselves and even how we express ourselves. In a perfect world, people would be able to leave places where their identities and beliefs aren’t welcome, but as in Alfheim, the real world doesn’t always include the option to relocate. While societies may try to restrict or even destroy cultures and expressions they deem unfit, it is up to individuals to choose their own values and to believe in themselves and who they are.