Loki (comics) Journey into Mystery What is the relation between Loki and MC2 I don't know.
What is the relation between Loki and Journey to Mystery?
What is the relation between Loki and Journey to Mystery?
With the Asgardian population other than Thor still wary of Loki, Loki revealed to his brother that he was attempting to learn more about Earth and humans, to which Thor approves. When a magpie exploded in his quarters carrying a key, it led to a chain of events where at the end, Loki was contacted by an echo of his former incarnation, who revealed he chose to sacrifice himself fighting the Void as part of a greater plan which would involve his death and return. The child Loki refused to follow this path, wanting to be his own person, and transformed the spirit of his former self into a magpie named Ikol. On returning to Earth, he witnessed Odin striking down Thor.  Odin prepared all of Asgard for an unknown battle and imprisoned Thor for attempting to protect Midgard from being scoured. Loki, who disagreed with Odin's actions, was put to work by Volstagg into cleaning the stables of Thor's goats to keep him out of trouble and danger. Using the wool of one of the goats, Loki descended into the roots of the World Tree at the advice of Ikol to ask questions from the Nornish women who live there. After receiving his answers, Loki wept but decided to turn to the imprisoned Thor for his opinion before making his final decision. Breaking into the prison by stealth, Loki asked his brother what he would do if he had to let something bad happen in order to prevent something worse from happening and what if it cost him everything. With Thor's answer, Loki decided to free one of the imprisoned Hel Wolves and bind it to him in servitude using the bridle of Thor's goats. He revealed he needed help from one more 'personage' before heading for the realm of Hela.  Having recovered Thor's hammer after he was killed and erased from memory following the war against the Serpent, Loki was able to work with the Silver Surfer to restore the hammer to its natural state and send it to Thor in the afterlife, restoring his memory and allowing him to fight his way back into the realm of the living. After Thor's return, Ikol would afterwards reveal that circumstances had been manipulated to force the young Loki to allow his former personality to subsume him and live again, his former slate wiped clean by the "new" Loki's actions. During his adventures, the young Loki had inadvertently helped create and was tied to a powerful artifact that was about to be used by Mephisto to conquer all the Hells and ultimately everything. However, if the new Loki ceased to be, the artifact would lose all power. Seeing no other option, Loki allowed Ikol to become Loki again, ceasing to be, but he warned beforehand that the Ikol personality was incapable of true change and believed this older persona would ultimately be stopped by those who always stopped him before, his brother included. CANNOTANSWER
Loki revealed to his brother that he was attempting to learn more about Earth and humans, to which Thor approves.
"Journey into Mystery" is the fifth episode of the first season of the American television series Loki, based on Marvel Comics featuring the character Loki. It follows alternate versions of the character who are sent to the end of time by the mysterious Time Variance Authority (TVA) and must work together to survive. The episode is set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), sharing continuity with the films of the franchise. It was written by Tom Kauffman and directed by Kate Herron.

Tom Hiddleston reprises his role as Loki from the film series, with other versions of the character including Sophia Di Martino as a female variant named Sylvie, Jack Veal as a young version called Kid Loki, DeObia Oparei as a version known as Boastful Loki, and Richard E. Grant as an older version called Classic Loki. Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Wunmi Mosaku, Tara Strong, and Owen Wilson also star in the episode. Herron joined the series in August 2019. Filming took place at Pinewood Atlanta Studios, with location filming in the Atlanta metropolitan area.

"Journey into Mystery" was released on Disney+ on July 7, 2021. The episode was positively received by critics, with praise towards Grant's performance, the pacing, and the setup for the season finale.

Plot 
Time Variance Authority (TVA) Judge Ravonna Renslayer tells Sylvie that she does not know who created the TVA and that Loki was teleported to the Void, a dimension at the end of Time where everything the TVA prunes is dumped into and from which nothing has returned. They also deduce that the TVA's creator is hiding in the timeline beyond the Void, where they cannot be detected. TVA mascot Miss Minutes and Renslayer stall for time until TVA Minutemen arrive. Facing capture, Sylvie prunes herself. After interrogating an imprisoned Hunter B-15, Renslayer instructs Miss Minutes to help her find the TVA's creator.

Meanwhile, Loki learns from four time variants of himself – Alligator Loki, Boastful Loki, Classic Loki, and Kid Loki – that Alioth, a massive cloud-like creature, hunts and kills all life in the Void. Upon arriving, Sylvie briefly enchants Alioth before receiving help from former TVA member Mobius M. Mobius in escaping the creature.

Intending to rule, Boastful Loki betrays the other Lokis for a second Loki group led by President Loki. However, the Lokis betray each other, sparking a fight. Classic Loki helps Alligator Loki, Kid Loki, and Loki escape and eventually find Sylvie and Mobius. Using a TemPad Sylvie stole from Renslayer, Mobius chooses to return to the TVA and reveal the truth about the organization to its employees. He asks the Loki variants to come with him, but they stay behind.

After the variants escape, Loki attempts to distract Alioth so Sylvie can enchant it, but both fail until Classic Loki returns and creates a life-sized illusion of Asgard to distract Alioth, saving Sylvie and sacrificing himself in the process. Working together, Sylvie and Loki enchant Alioth, revealing a citadel beyond the Void, which they walk towards.

Production

Development 
By September 2018, Marvel Studios was developing a limited series starring Tom Hiddleston's Loki from the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) films. Loki was confirmed to be in development by Disney CEO Bob Iger in November. Kate Herron was hired to direct the series in August 2019. Herron and head writer Michael Waldron executive produce alongside Hiddleston and Marvel Studios' Kevin Feige, Louis D'Esposito, Victoria Alonso, and Stephen Broussard. The fifth episode, titled "Journey into Mystery", was written by Tom Kauffman. The title shares its name with the comic book series in which Thor and Loki were introduced.

Writing 
"Journey into Mystery" expands upon the additional Loki variants–Classic Loki, Boastful Loki, Kid Loki, and Alligator Loki–first introduced in the previous episode's mid-credits scene. Hiddleston called it "completely surreal and an absolute delight" to explore other versions of the characters with different actors and felt when all of them were together, it was "some sort of surrealist party" with Hiddleston's Loki initially being the most unlike the character than the others. An early draft of the episode would have revealed a Loki Variance Authority existed in the Void, with all of the Lokis sent there a part of it. Ahead of the series' premiere, Feige had mentioned one of the benefits of exploring the multiverse and "playing with time" was being able to see other versions of characters, particularly of Loki.

Classic Loki's backstory was conceived after Waldron pondered the "what if" question of what would have happened if Loki had survived his death in Avengers: Infinity War (2018). Calling the backstory a "thought experiment", Waldron added it was "just so sad" and a "tragic thing" when Classic Loki realizes he is meant to be alone. Richard E. Grant's experience quarantining to join the production was "the key to plugging into who classic old Loki was" and allowed Grant to "zone in" for the character's speech explaining his backstory. Alligator Loki, an original variant created for the series, stemmed from Waldron's initial pitch meeting with Broussard and co-executive producer Kevin Wright, with the reasoning for his including being that he was green; this is also a point of discussion that the Lokis have in the episode, trying to determine if Alligator Loki is actually a Loki. Waldron explained that the possibility of an alligator variant is "so stupid, but it also makes total sense... It's just the sort of irreverent thing that, in this show, we play straight and make the audience take it seriously." A version of the script saw all of the Loki variants arrive to take on Alioth because they did not want the series' Loki to "outshine them" since they are all "narcissists", resulting in their heroic attempt to talk with Alioth ending in disaster.

The episode features many Easter eggs in the Void from the comics, such as Thanos' helicopter, Throg, Qeng Tower, a tower associated with Kang the Conqueror, and the Living Tribunal's head, as well as from the MCU, such as Yellowjacket's helmet, Mjolnir, a Helicarrier, and the Dark Aster. Real-world Easter eggs include the USS Eldridge, Polybius, and the Ecto Cooler.

Design 
President Loki's costume was inspired by the comic miniseries Vote Loki, while Classic Loki's costume drew inspiration from the character's 1960s comic design by Jack Kirby. Grant had hoped the costume would have been more muscular, which would have likened itself even more to Kirby's design. The Void featured large heads and peacock-like creatures that Farahani created to help "infuse The Void with surrealism". Initially, production designer Kasra Farahani had envisioned a "more Salvador Dalí-esque, Dada-esque version" of the Void before settling on an "English moors" styling. Approximately seven sets were constructed of various part of the Void. Kid Loki's lair was a 360-degree set that had "a lot of topographical changes". Farahani said, "We imagined it as a fractured bowling alley with a slide element to it. All the lines there are visually drawing your eye to the throne which we imagined was an old Santa throne from a mall, pulled from a deleted reality."

Casting 
The episode stars Tom Hiddleston as Loki and President Loki, Sophia Di Martino as Sylvie, Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Ravonna Renslayer, Wunmi Mosaku as Hunter B-15, Jack Veal as Kid Loki, DeObia Oparei as Boastful Loki, Tara Strong as the voice of Miss Minutes, Richard E. Grant as Classic Loki, and Owen Wilson as Mobius M. Mobius. Additionally, Neil Ellice appears as Hunter D-90. Chris Hemsworth makes an uncredited voice cameo as Throg. Additional Loki variants that appear as part of President Loki's gang include Glamshades Loki, Poky Loki, In Prison Loki, and Bicycle Loki; these were named by costume designer Christine Wada.

Filming and visual effects 
Filming took place at Pinewood Atlanta Studios in Atlanta, Georgia, with Herron directing, and Autumn Durald Arkapaw serving as cinematographer. Location filming took place in the Atlanta metropolitan area. Filming material in the Void lasted seven days.

Alligator Loki was created through CGI, with a stuffed stand-in used during filming, which Herron felt was useful for the actors to interact with. The design of Alligator Loki also shifted several times, after an early version was more of a cartoon style that was "a bit too cute". Herron felt it became "funnier and funnier" as the design became more life-like, hitting the "sweet spot" when it "felt like a real alligator, but with a kind of slightly jaunty horns on". Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), who worked on Alligator Loki, referenced a real-life emotional support alligator named Wally to determine his movements, with Additional VFX Supervisor Luke McDonald noting real-life physics were not taken into consideration at times. Herron was inspired by the teasing of the shark in Jaws (1975) for Alioth, with McDonald referencing volcanic eruptions and pyroclastic flows that feature thermal lightning for its design. In addition to ILM, visual effects for the episode were created by Rise FX, Luma Pictures, Crafty Apes, Cantina Creative, Trixter, and Method Studios.

Music 
Beginning with this episode, composer Natalie Holt incorporated a 32-person choir into her score, in addition to the other elements. An arrangement of the song "Ride of the Valkyries" by Richard Wagner appears in the episode when Classic Loki is creating his Asgard illusion.

Marketing 
After the episode's release, Marvel announced merchandise inspired by the episode as part of its weekly "Marvel Must Haves" promotion for each episode of the series, including Funko Pops for the Loki variants, a President Loki Hot Toys Cosbaby figure, apparel, accessories, and jewelry. Marvel also released a promotional poster for "Journey into Mystery", which featured a quote from the episode.

Release 
"Journey into Mystery" was released on Disney+ on July 7, 2021. The Simpsons short film The Good, the Bart, and the Loki was released alongside the episode on Disney+, which sees Loki teaming up with Bart Simpson in a crossover that pays homage to the heroes and villains of the MCU. Hiddleston reprised his role as Loki in the short.

Reception

Critical response 

The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported a 92% approval rating with an average score of 8/10 based on 26 reviews. The site's critical consensus reads, "An epic penultimate joyride, "Journey Into Mystery" pushes the pedal to the floor and lets a gaggle of Lokis do their thing—especially a scene stealing Richard E. Grant in fine Asgardian form."

Alan Sepinwall of Rolling Stone said in the comic series Journey into Mystery "anything was possible... which makes it an apt moniker for an absolutely wonderful episode of Loki where the same holds true". He stated the episode was reminiscent of the series Lost, and believed what made "Journey into Mystery" special was "the way that it explores the untapped potential of Loki himself, in his many, many variations". Other highlights were the hug between Loki and Mobius and the expanding of the relationship and connection between Loki and Sylvie. Sepinwall concluded his review by hoping for a strong final episode, something he noted had not been the case with WandaVision and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, though Loki "feels different so far" and "everything up to this point deserves" a good ending. Giving "Journey into Mystery" an 8 out of 10, IGNs Simon Cardy said the episode did "a great job of keeping up the pace set by last week's final revelations. It displays impressive scale, ranging from stunning apocalyptic threats to tender character moments for both new and returning cast members. And while it may not move the overarching plot along to the same extent as Episode 4, it's an enjoyable ride and one of Lokis strongest episodes yet." He noted while all the Loki variants featured had their moments, Grant's Classic Loki and "the absurdity of Alligator Loki" made a "particularly strong impression", and the "standout scene" was Loki and Sylvie expanding their feelings for one another; Cardy felt Hiddleston and Di Martino "play the moment out beautifully, bringing a touching sense of humanity". Cardy did, however, call it "a shame" that Renslayer was still an underdeveloped character, given the audience still did not know much about her. Concluding his review, Cardy pointed out there was "a lot left to do" in the final episode, and hoped the series "manages to end on a stronger note [than WandaVision] and deliver an ending as thrilling as the mystery weaved throughout deserves".

Writing for The A.V. Club, Caroline Siede stated, "Journey Into Mystery" "is a blast to watch. It delivers a darkly madcap sense of fun worthy of its mischievous protagonist. And it ends with an appreciably big-scale action sequence and a compelling cliffhanger to take us into next week's finale." She felt the various Loki variants brought "a welcome spark" to the series, expanding up on the question of what makes a Loki a Loki, and welcomed the return of the question of free will, which had been "the most compelling thematic thread of the season". Siede did feel the episode "tries to do too much", saying: "While the episode’s madcap energy keeps things moving along nicely, some of the emotional beats feel rather rushed"; she would have preferred it if the show had spent more time in the Void and less on Lamentis-1 (in the third episode). She concluded, saying "this episode is fun, stylish, irreverent, and character-centric in a way that serves the series well", giving the episode an "A–".

Accolades 
Grant was named TVLines "Performer of the Week" for the week of July 5, 2021, for his performance in this episode. The site stated, "It speaks to the quality of Grant's work in Lokis fifth episode that, having only known Classic Loki for about 40 minutes, we nonetheless became deeply emotionally invested in his survival," adding Grant "gave a performance as glorious as any Loki could hope to be". Dan DeLeeuw, David Seager, Alexandra Greene, George Kuruvilla, and Dan Mayer were nominated for Outstanding Visual Effects – Episodic (Under 13 Episodes) or Non-theatrical Feature for the episode at the 2021 Hollywood Professional Association Awards. At the 2022 Visual Effects Society Awards, Dan DeLeeuw, Allison Paul, Sandra Balej, and David Seager were nominated for Outstanding Visual Effects in a Photoreal Episode, while George Kuruvilla, Menno Dijkstra, Matthew Hanger, and Jiyong Shin were nominated for Outstanding Effects Simulations in an Episode, Commercial, or Real-Time Project for the "Alioth Cloud".

References

External links 
 
 Episode recap at Marvel.com

2021 American television episodes
Asgard in fiction
Loki (TV series) episodes
Television episodes about the end of the universe
Television episodes directed by Kate Herron
Television episodes written by Tom Kauffman Laufey is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is depicted usually as an enemy of the Asgardian king Odin, father of Thor. He is the King of the Frost Giants, the biological father of Thor's adopted brother and archenemy, Loki. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, he first appeared in Journey into Mystery #112 (Jan. 1965), and was based on the goddess of the same name who in Norse mythology was actually the mother of Loki.

Colm Feore portrayed the character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe film Thor (2011).

Publication history
Laufey was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby and first appeared in Journey into Mystery #112 (Jan. 1965).

Fictional character biography
In the early days of the universe, Odin, the King of Asgard, marched his forces into Jotunheim to battle Laufey and the Frost Giants. At the time, Odin was wielding the mystical hammer Mjolnir. Odin faced down Laufey and destroyed his war club, prompting Laufey to brandish a sword. Laufey tried to use his knowledge of land, such as trying to stop Odin with a concealed fire pit. A sprawling battle between the two forces ensued. The battle ended with Odin using Mjolnir to crush Laufey's skull. Odin discovered a baby that was Laufey's son Loki amongst the wreckage of the castle and made the decision to raise him as his own. Laufey had kept Loki hidden as he was ashamed that Loki had been born a runt.

It was later retconned that Loki had been a child, rather than a baby, when Laufey was killed. The day prior to the battle, Loki had attempted to inform him of an opportunity to stealthily kill Odin prior to the battle. Laufey struck Loki for calling him a coward. The next day, after the fateful battle and Odin's claiming of Loki as a son, Laufey was left wounded, but alive. A version of Loki from the future, who had traveled back in time to alter events, proceeded to decapitate him, stating that Laufey would never strike him again. He also made Odin adopt him.

The remains of Laufey, specifically his skull, play an important role in the first three issues of the renewed Thor series. Laufey's revitalized men attempt to reclaim his remains from a Roxxon facility owned by Minotaur. Upon traveling to Jotunheim with Malekith the Accursed, Minotaur used the blood of the Light Elves that were killed as part of a spell to resurrect Laufey.

As part of the "All-New, All-Different Marvel" event, Laufey appears as a member of the Dark Council alongside Malekith the Accursed, Minotaur, Ulik, and some unnamed Fire Demons.

During the "War of the Realms" storyline, Laufey appears and is about to eat Frigga when Loki arrives and saves his adopted mother. Laufey berates Loki on his recent treachery in the past. He then picks him up and seemingly eats him. Odin later gets enraged when he finds out that Laufey ate Loki. Laufey is later seen at the ruins of the Statue of Liberty swatting fighter jets. Laufey is later attacked by the Fantastic Four and an army of Dwarves that are wearing copies of the War Machine armor. Iron Man, Punisher, She-Hulk, Spider-Man, and Wolverine are fighting Laufey's Frost Giants. As Captain Marvel, Black Panther, Sif, and Thing confront Laufey, he pulls out the Casket of Ancient Winters which he eats as it augments his powers. While protected by Hofund's magic, Daredevil fights with Laufey until Laufey eats Hofund when it is thrown at him. Noticing that the Earth-1610 Mjolnir is going to self-destruct, Jane Foster throws it into Laufey as a half-digested Loki cuts himself and the Casket of Ancient Winters using Hofund where his magic is holding his body together.

Powers and abilities
Like all Frost Giants, Laufey is immortal and possesses superhuman strength and resistance to physical injury and Earthly illness, as well as a weakness to heat. As a Frost Giant, Laufey is unharmed by cold temperatures, making him immune to hypothermia and frostbite.

Laufey is cryokinetic and has been seen wielding many weapons, including a giant war club, a sword, and a large axe.

In other media

Television
Laufey appears in the Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H. animated series episode "Hulks on Ice", voiced by Enn Reitel. He leads the Frost Giants in a plot to take over the Nine Realms. Amidst the agents of S.M.A.S.H. and Thor attempts to stop them, Laufey also locates and arranges for Ymir to be freed in order to fulfill his plans. After the Red Hulk defeats Ymir however, Laufey retreats.

In Marvel's What If...?, Odin returns the infant Loki to Laufey instead of adopting him, resulting a truce between Asgardians and Frost Giants. Because of this change of event Loki has taken a blue gigantic appearance and is best friends with Thor, who has become a party-loving prince who throws wild global parties due to him being an only child.

Film

Laufey appears in the live-action Marvel Studios film Thor portrayed by Colm Feore. Like the film's version of the Frost Giants, this version stands between 8 and 10 ft., has blue skin, and has red eyes. As in the comics, he is Loki's father, though he is unaware of this. Years prior to the film, Odin had established a treaty between Asgard and Jotunheim. After a group of Frost Giants tried to get into Asgard in the present however, Thor led Loki, Sif, and the Warriors Three to confront Laufey for violating the treaty. This results in a fight until Odin stops them and recalls Thor, Sif, and the Warriors Three to Asgard. Loki later gives Laufey access to Asgard to kill Odin while he is in his Odinsleep. Before Laufey can do so however, Loki betrays and kills the former.

Video games
 Laufey appears as a playable character in Lego Marvel Super Heroes,voiced by John DiMaggio. In a bonus mission, Laufey collaborates with Malekith the Accursed to capture Heimdall, though Thor and Loki come to Heimdall's rescue.
 Laufey appears as a playable character in Lego Marvel's Avengers.

Toys
 A figure of Laufey was released in the Marvel Minimates line, based on the Thor film.
 A figure of Laufey was released in Hasbro's 3.75" Thor: The Mighty Avenger movie tie-in line.

See also

References

External links
 Laufey at Marvel Wiki

Characters created by Jack Kirby
Characters created by Stan Lee
Comics characters introduced in 1965
Fictional characters with ice or cold abilities
Fictional dictators
Fictional kings
Marvel Comics characters with superhuman strength
Marvel Comics film characters
Marvel Comics giants
Marvel Comics supervillains
Thor (Marvel Comics) In Norse mythology, Útgarða-Loki (Anglicized as Utgarda-Loki, Utgard-Loki, and Utgardsloki) was the ruler of the castle Útgarðr in Jötunheimr. He was one of the Jötnar and his name means literally "Loki of the Outyards" or "Loki of the Outlands", to distinguish him from Loki, the companion of Thor. He was also known as Skrýmir or Skrymir.

Prose Edda
In the Prose Edda book Gylfaginning (chapter 44), the enthroned figure of Third reluctantly relates a tale in which Thor, Loki and Thor's servants, Þjálfi and Röskva are traveling to the east. They arrive at a vast forest in Jötunheimr, and they continue through the woods until dark. The four seek shelter for the night and discover an immense building. Finding shelter in a side room, they experience earthquakes through the night. The earthquakes cause all four to be fearful, except Thor, who grips his hammer in defense. The building turns out to be the huge glove of Skrýmir, who has been snoring throughout the night, causing what seemed to be earthquakes. The next night, all four sleep beneath an oak tree near Skrýmir in fear.

Thor wakes up in the middle of the night, and a series of events occur where Thor twice attempts to destroy the sleeping Skrýmir with his hammer. Skrýmir awakes after each attempt, only to say that he detected an acorn falling on his head or that he wonders if bits of tree from the branches above have fallen on top of him. The second attempt awakes Skrýmir. Skrýmir gives them advice; if they are going to be cocky at the castle of Útgarðr it would be better for them to turn back now, for Útgarða-Loki's men there won't put up with it. Skrýmir throws his knapsack onto his back and abruptly goes into the forest and "there is no report that the Æsir expressed hope for a happy reunion".

The four travelers continue their journey until midday. They find themselves facing a massive castle in an open area. The castle is so tall that they must bend their heads back to their spines to see above it. At the entrance to the castle is a shut gate, and Thor finds that he cannot open it. Struggling, all four squeeze through the bars of the gate, and continue to a large hall. Inside the great hall are two benches, where many generally large people sit on two benches. The four see Útgarða-Loki, the king of the castle, sitting.

Útgarða-Loki says that no visitors are allowed to stay unless they can perform a feat. Loki, standing in the rear of the party, is the first to speak, claiming that he can eat faster than anyone. Loki competes with a being named Logi to consume a trencher full of meat but loses. Útgarða-Loki asks what feat the "young man" can perform, referring to Þjálfi. Þjálfi says that he will attempt to run a race against anyone Útgarða-Loki chooses. Útgarða-Loki says that this would be a fine feat yet that Þjálfi had better be good at running, for he is about to be put to the test. Útgarða-Loki and the group go outside to a level-grounded course.

At the course, Útgarða-Loki calls for a small figure by the name of Hugi to compete with Þjálfi. The first race begins and Þjálfi runs, but Hugi runs to the end of the course and then back again to meet Þjálfi. Útgarða-Loki comments to Þjálfi that he will have to run faster than that, yet notes that he has never seen anyone who has come to his hall run faster than that. Þjálfi and Hugi run a second race. Þjálfi loses by an arrow-shot. Útgarða-Loki comments that Þjálfi has again run a fine race but that he has no confidence that Þjálfi will be able to win a third. A third race between the two commences and Þjálfi again loses to Hugi. Everyone agrees that the contest between Þjálfi and Hugi has been decided.

Thor agrees to compete in a drinking contest but after three immense gulps fails. Thor agrees to lift a large, gray cat in the hall but finds that it arches his back no matter what he does, and that he can only raise a single paw. Thor demands to fight someone in the hall, but the inhabitants say doing so would be demeaning, considering Thor's weakness. Útgarða-Loki then calls for his nurse Elli, an old woman. The two wrestle but the harder Thor struggles the more difficult the battle becomes. Thor is finally brought down to a single knee. Útgarða-Loki said to Thor that fighting anyone else would be pointless. As it is now late at night, Útgarða-Loki shows the group to their rooms and they are treated with hospitality.

The next morning the group gets dressed and prepares to leave the keep. Útgarða-Loki appears, has his servants prepare a table, and they all merrily eat and drink. As they leave, Útgarða-Loki asks Thor how he thought he fared in the contests. Thor says that he is unable to say he did well, noting that he is particularly annoyed that Útgarða-Loki will now speak negatively about him. Útgarða-Loki, once the group has left his keep, points out that he hopes that they never return to it, for if he had had an inkling of what he was dealing with he would never have allowed the group to enter in the first place. Útgarða-Loki reveals that all was not what it seemed to the group. Útgarða-Loki was in fact the immense Skrýmir, and that if the three blows Thor attempted to land had hit their mark, the first would have killed Skrýmir. In reality, Thor's blows were so powerful that they had resulted in three square valleys.

The contests, too, were an illusion. Útgarða-Loki reveals that Loki had actually competed against wildfire itself (Logi, Old Norse "flame"), Þjálfi had raced against thought (Hugi, Old Norse "thought"), Thor's drinking horn had actually reached to the ocean and with his drinks he lowered the ocean level (resulting in tides). The cat that Thor attempted to lift was in actuality the world serpent, Jörmungandr, and everyone was terrified when Thor was able to lift the paw of this "cat", for Thor had actually held the great serpent up to the sky. The old woman Thor wrestled was in fact Old Age (Elli, Old Norse "old age"), and there is no one whom old age cannot bring down. Útgarða-Loki concludes by telling Thor that it would be better for "both sides" if they did not meet again. Upon hearing this, Thor takes hold of his hammer and swings it at Útgarða-Loki but he is gone and so is his castle. Only a wide landscape remains.

Gesta Danorum

In Gesta Danorum a ship meets strong winds and sacrifices are made to various gods to obtain favorable weather, including to one called Utgarthilocus. With vows and propitiations to him a beneficial spell of weather is obtained. Later an expedition to the land of the giants comes upon this figure.

As a proof of their accomplishments, the men bring back a hair pulled from the giant's beard, stinking so harshly that several men drop dead on smelling it.

Apart from the name of the giant there is little that reminds of Snorri's Útgarða-Loki. The bound giant figure is more reminiscent of the bound Loki who likewise lies chained and tortured in a cave.

Popular culture
The Danish animated film Valhalla (Peter Madsen and others, 1984) is based on the Útgarða-Loki story from the Prose Edda. Útgarða-Loki serves as the villain and Elli is described as his mother.

In the Marvel Comics continuity, Utgard-Loki is an enemy of Thor. He had attempted to lead a cadre of Frost Giants against a weakened Asgard but was defeated by a small force of its defenders.

Utgarda-Loki also makes an appearance as the final boss in the video game Ragnarok Odyssey.

Skrymir also appears in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer novel Spike and Dru: Pretty Maids All In A Row.

Utgard-Loki appears as a supporting character in Rick Riordan's Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard series.  He is stated to be king of the mountain giants and the most powerful sorcerer in Jotunheim.

In Thomas Hardy's 1884 short story, Interlopers at the Knapp, a breeze 'brought a snore from the wood as if Skrymir the Giant were sleeping there'. The short story appears in Hardy's short story collection, Wessex Tales.

Notes

References

Davidson, Hilda Ellis (ed.) and Peter Fisher (tr.) (1980). Saxo Grammaticus: The History of the Danes: Books I–IX. 
Lindow, John (2001). Norse Mythology: A Guide to the Gods, Heroes, Rituals, and Beliefs. Oxford University Press. 

Jötnar