Ragnarök (Manhwa)
Ragnarök is the name of a Manhwa (comic / print cartoon) which was written by the artist and author Lee Myung-jin. It is loosely based upon Norse mythology and was later used as the basis of the Gravity MMORPG Ragnarök Online and loosely used as the story for the same game as well as subsequent Ragnarök-based properties.
The comic was originally released in Korea in 1998, and was subsequently translated in to several languages including English, Japanese, Spanish, Finnish and Swedish among others.
Premise
The premise of the Manhwa borrows from the Norse Mythology somewhat in that it uses the worlds of Midgard, the realm of the humans, and also references Ragnarök, the central part of the Elder (Poetic) Edda, which details the impending doom of the gods, but amends the myth that instead of gods causing a battle which destroys Midgard, the humans in Midgard are set to inherit the earth. [1] Presumably while the gods politely kill each-other outside of the human realm. It uses the myth of the Valkyries, which in Norse mythology were dispatched to the battlefield to review or the suitability of fallen heroes for Valhalla, protect warriors, and in some instances kill those who were not favourable.[2]
In the Manhwa, these are elite warriors which are dispatched (presumably to Midgard) to find those destined to bring about Ragnarök. [1] Character Fenris Fenrir searches to find the reincarnation of Balder (Baldr) in an attempt to change the world, while the Valkyries attempt to find him to thwart these plans. [1] In the Norse mythology, Balder is killed and his return is prophesised after Ragnarök has finished, to help begin anew along with Thor's sons.
