Tyr (Marvel Comics)

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Cover of The Mighty Thor -312.jpg
Thor fighting Tyr on the cover of The Mighty Thor vol. 1, #312 (October 1981). Art by Keith Pollard.
Publication information
Publisher Marvel Comics
First appearance Journey into Mystery #85 (Oct 1962)
Created by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber and Jack Kirby
In-story information
Species Asgardian
Place of origin Asgard
Abilities Superhuman strength, speed, agility, reflexes, stamina, and durability
Extended longevity
Immunity to all Earthly diseases
Limited resistance to magic
Master hand-to-hand/armed combatant
Able to summon the Soul of the God of War

Tyr is a fictional character, an Asgardian god in the Marvel Comics Universe, based on the Norse god of the same name. Along with Thor and Balder, he is one of Odin's biological sons.[1]

Publication history[edit]

Tyr first appeared in Journey into Mystery #85 (Oct 1962), and was created by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber and Jack Kirby.

Fictional character biography[edit]

Tyr is the Asgardian god of war. Tyr was renowned throughout Asgard as being the only god brave enough to place his hand in the mouth of the wolf-god Fenris during the latter's binding which Fenris would not allow unless a god placed his hand in his mouth; his left hand is missing as a result, having been bitten off by Fenris, and is now usually covered by a metal cup. He has fought in the defense of Asgard numerous times.[2] He has several times rebelled against Odin due to his love of battle,[volume & issue needed] and fought Thor due to resentment of Thor's relationship with Sif,[volume & issue needed] and the fact Thor usurped his role as Asgard's greatest warrior. Once he was nearly exiled for this, but Thor pled for mercy.[volume & issue needed]

At a time before the loss of his hand Tyr is one of the executioners chosen to slay Balder for the crime of ignoring his comrades on the battlefield. Tyr fires an arrow, which is snatched away by an eagle.[3]

Tyr battled with Asgardian forces against a false Ragnarok which Odin had engineered to delay the real Ragnarok.[4] He later lost a friendly wager to Thor over whether his strength had declined after battling the Celestials.[5] Tyr later allied with Loki against Odin, and captured the goddess Idunn and her Golden Apples of Immortality, without which the gods would grow old and perish. He unleashed the Midgard Serpent on Earth when it had been strengthened by the Apples, and it is used as a bridge by their army to attack Asgard. With the enemies of Asgard, he followed Odin and the other gods to Earth, where he was betrayed by Loki and defeated by Odin.[6] Alongside Beta Ray Bill, the Avengers, the Fantastic Four, and the Asgardian forces, Tyr battled Surtur's demons on Earth. Tyr then returned to Asgard.[7] He also fought in the defense of Asgard against the Egyptian death-god Seth.[volume & issue needed]

During the events of Ragnarok, Tyr fought alongside Beta Ray Bill and the armies of Asgard against Surtur, the Fire Demons, trolls and giants, and perished during battle.[8]

Asgard's return involves a brief stay in the country of Latveria, where its ruler, Doctor Doom murders several Asgardians. Tyr is part of the force leading an attack on Doom's fortress.[9]

During the Siege of Asgard, Tyr was present with the Asgardians when news of Volstagg turning himself over to the Broxton authorities reaches Asgard.[10] He assumes command of the Asgardian forces when Balder takes leave. Tyr suffers a personal crisis when it is predicted he will fall in battle. After he sees those who have he rallies himself to return to the front lines where he is seriously wounded by The Hood's Norn stones.[11] Tyr then leads the spirits of the fallen Asgardians, but it is revealed that he is not dead, but close to it.[12]

Tyr is seen later, investigating the theft of the Golden Apples of Idunn. He is tricked into thinking the perpetrator is the heroic Amadeus Cho.[13]


Tyr's family tree as it appears in Thor #500 (July 1996):

(adopted by
Odin & Frigga)
  • Odin has another brother, Cul, introduced in the 2011 miniseries, Fear Itself, who in the comics was erased from all known history.[14][15]

Powers and abilities[edit]

Tyr is a member of the race of superhumans known as Asgardians, and therefore has superhuman strength, speed, stamina, durability, agility, and reflexes, and has an extremely long life span and immunity to all Earthly diseases as well as some resistance to magic. Tyr, being the God of War, is not only highly skilled at hand-to-hand combat but proficient with all forms of Asgardian weaponry as well. Even after the destruction of Asgard, Tyr has revealed a special ability, a hidden power enabling him to summon forth the "Soul of the God of War", releasing destructive energies through his severed hand.[16]

He usually carries a sword and shield. Tyr once stole the Mace of the Myth-Wars, a weapon once wielded by Odin and possessing powers similar to Thor's hammer Mjolnir, as well as the ability to teleport between adjacent universes, such as Midgard and Asgard. Tyr believed that the enchanted mace was "equal to the challenge of mystic Mjolnir" and has shown itself capable of knocking back even Thor. During the combat, the Mace is destroyed by Thor using his lightning.[17]

In other media[edit]


Video games[edit]


  1. ^ Thor #611
  2. ^ Thor: Heaven and Earth #1 (2011)
  3. ^ Journey Into Mystery Vol 1 #106 (July 1964)
  4. ^ Thor #275
  5. ^ Thor #302
  6. ^ Thor #324-327
  7. ^ Thor #350-352, 359
  8. ^ Thor Vol. 2 #85
  9. ^ Thor vol. 3, #605 (December 2009)
  10. ^ Thor #607
  11. ^ Thor #608
  12. ^ New Mutants vol. 3 #11
  13. ^ Heroic Age: Prince of Power #3 (2010)
  14. ^ Fraction, Matt (w), Immonen, Stuart (p), von Grawbadger, Wade (i). "Worlds on Fire" Fear Itself 4 (September 2011), Marvel Comics
  15. ^ Fraction, Matt (w), Ferry, Pasqual (a). "Fear Itself: In the Beginning" Thor 7 (December 2011), Marvel Comics
  16. ^ Thor #613
  17. ^ Thor vol. 1 #312
  18. ^ Patten, Dominic (2012-09-24). "‘Thor: The Dark World’ Adds Pair To Cast". Deadline.com. Archived from the original on 2012-09-24. Retrieved 2012-09-24. 

External links[edit]