Universe
Marvel Universe

Real Name
Frigga

Aliases
Freda Barker, Fricka, Frig, Frijja

Identity
No dual identity

Citizenship
Asgard

Place of Birth
Asgard

First Appearance
Jouner Into Mystery #92 (1963)

The Asgardian Frigga, goddess of marriage, was the wife of Odin (former leader of the Norse gods), who raised her husband’s son Thor, the god of thunder, though he was not her natural son. She bore three children with Odin: Balder (god of light), Hermod (god of speed), and Tyr (god of war). An ancient Asgardian prophecy foretold Balder’s death would initiate an apocalyptic event called Ragnarok which would herald the death of all Asgardians. Knowing of this prophecy, Frigga cast spells to protect Balder making him invulnerable to injury while in Asgard from anything except mistletoe. However, Odin feared that if Balder were known to be his son it would make him a target and hasten Ragnarok; consequently, Balder was brought up unaware of his royal lineage.

Around 1000 AD, the multi-pantheon Council of the Godheads saw a threat to humanity from the cosmic Celestials, who would one day decide if the human race was worthy of existence. While the male gods planned to wage war against the Celestials, the Earth goddess Gaea gathered Frigga and goddesses of other pantheons to locate humans across a span of a thousand years and release the latent genetic potential within them. These superhumans, called the Young Gods, were intended to show the Celestials the greatness humanity could achieve. The Young Gods were kept in suspended animation, watched over by Frigga and others. When the Celestials finally returned to judge humanity, Frigga relinquished the Young Gods to Gaea and returned to Asgard. In turn, Gaea offered the Young Gods to the Celestials, satisfying them of Earth’s value.

During a war against the fire demon Surtur (“the Surtur War”), Frigga fled from Asgard with the Asgardian children under her protection. She returned to Asgard with Surtur’s defeat to find that Odin had fallen in battle;, but they were later reunited when Thor rescued Odin from the Ennead death god Seth.

At one point Odin attempted to thwart Ragnarok by casting the Asgardians into mortal forms with no memories of their true lives. While Odin became the drunken derelict Wad, Frigga was cast as his wife Freda Barker. All of these “Lost Gods” were eventually restored to godhood with their memories. When Loki slew Balder with a mistletoe arrow the prophecies of Ragnarok were fulfilled, leading to the realm’s ultimate destruction and killing Frigga in the process. However, Thor survived and enabled those Asgardians who fell during Ragnarok to return to life. It is currently unrevealed whether Frigga’s life has been restored as well.