If you missed my last Gods of Smite article on Hera, you can find it here.
Heimdallr, also spelled Heimdall, is the Norse god that watches over Asgard looking for invaders and the signs of Ragnarok. He will sound his horn and join the coming battle to save the realms. He is also known to have the epithets Rig, Gullintanni meaning “the one with golden teeth, and Vindhler meaning “the turner”. He is an Aesir god like Odin and Frigg.
Heimdall is the son of Odin and nine different mothers, however that works. Their names are Gjolp, Greip, Eistla, Eyrgjafa, Ulfrun, Angeyja, Imth, Atla, and Jarnsaxa. They jotun sea goddesses. Odin seems to be attracted to jotuns given that Thor is also the son of Odin and a different giantess. Heimdall’s brothers include Thor, Baldur, Vidarr, Vali, and Bragi. He is also somehow related to Tyr, Hermod, and Hodr. He has children, but only with humans and we don’t know who they are. He has no wife or consort.
Heimdall is said to be “the whitest of the gods” and has golden teeth. He has the abilities of foreknowledge, exceptional sight, unsurpassed hearing, and is incredibly strong. He can see during the night as though it were day and could even hear the grass grow. Heimdall needs less sleep than a bird and uses that strength to be vigilant in his duty to protect Asgard. He has a horn called Gjallarhorn which means “shrieking horn” that he will use to bring the gods together when Ragnarok approaches, and a horse, Gulltoppr, with a golden mane. Heimdall is the one to have started social classes among humans from the children he had with the humans he lay with. Animals associated with Heimdall are rams and roosters.
Heimdall watches from his place, Himinbjorg overlooking the Bifrost, aka the Rainbow Bridge. The bridge connects Midgard (our world) to Asgard. It is there that he watches for the coming battle. Not just Ragnarok, but for any fool who is brave enough to attack Asgard. You would have to be an idiot to think that is a good idea, especially knowing that Heimdall is watching for someone like you.
Remember how Thrym stole Thor’s hammer, Mjolnir, and wouldn’t return it unless Freyja went to Jotenheim and married him? Then Thor dressed up in drag as Freyja to “marry” Thyum? It was Heimdall who made that suggestion. Thor was really not happy with this idea but trusted Heimdall’s foresight ability and decided to go with the plan. Thor ultimately killed everyone there, but, hey, he got his hammer back.
Heimdall’s role in Ragnarok is he uses Gjallarhorn to call to the gods a warning that the crap hit the fan and it is go time. For some reason he retrieved Freya’s torc, Brisingamen, to fight Loki and was fighting him in seal which is quite impressive. Unfortunately, they both will die in that battle.
Have you played as Heimdallr in Smite? How have you liked him? Let me know in the comments below. I love Smite. My family all play it together sometimes. Me, my husband, two of our kids, and now his cousin. You know the saying, “A family who slays together, stays together.” Right? Until next time, have fun storming the castle!
