Baldr
Son of Odin and Frigg, "the bleeding god", killed by his brother Hoth with a shaft of mistletoe; avenged by Vali, born for that purpose and one night old when he fought; mourned by Frigg in Fensalir; expected back after Ragnarok, when "Baldr comes back" to dwell with Hoth in the new world.
Why this wins its question: Separates the two eddic witnesses to Baldr's death, shows where Loki's confession fits and where it does not, and binds the return to Voluspo 62 rather than to a summary.
Key takeaways
- Both poems that tell the death name Hoth and the mistletoe (Voluspo 33; Baldrs draumar 9); the blind Hoth guided by Loki is the Prose Edda's story.
- The vengeance is as fixed as the death — Vali, one night old (Voluspo 33; Baldrs draumar 11).
- Baldr is the god who comes back; his return is part of the new world (Voluspo 62).
Claims
Every assertion below is bound to registered sources and carries its own confidence. Weight them; do not treat the page as uniformly authoritative.
Baldr is "The son of Othin" (Voluspo 32; Baldrs draumar 8) and Frigg's son by her own words, "If a son like Baldr were by me now" (Lokasenna 27); "The father of Baldr was the heir of Bur" (Hyndluljoth 31).
Voluspo tells the death in two stanzas: the seeress sees "Baldr, the bleeding god", the mistletoe "Full grown in strength", and from that slender branch "a harmful shaft that Hoth should hurl" (Voluspo 32–33).
Baldrs draumar gives the same killer by prophecy: Odin rides to Hel to wake a dead seeress, who says the mead is brewed for Baldr and that "Hoth thither bears the far-famed branch, / He shall the bane of Baldr become" (Baldrs draumar 1–9).
The avenger is Vali, Odin's son by Rind, who fights "one night old" and neither washes his hands nor combs his hair until Baldr's slayer is burned (Voluspo 33–34; Baldrs draumar 11; Hyndluljoth 30).
Loki claims responsibility — "Mine is the blame that Baldr no more / Thou seest ride home" (Lokasenna 28) — but neither Voluspo nor Baldrs draumar names him in the killing; the two witnesses differ on whether anyone stands behind Hoth.
Baldr returns after Ragnarok: when the earth rises green again, "All ills grow better, and Baldr comes back; / Baldr and Hoth dwell in Hropt's battle-hall" (Voluspo 59–62).
Baldr's dwelling is Breithablik, "the land I know that lies so fair, / And from evil fate is free" (Grimnismol 12).
Questions answered
- Who killed Baldr?
- Voluspo tells the death in two stanzas: the seeress sees "Baldr, the bleeding god", the mistletoe "Full grown in strength", and from that slender branch "a harmful shaft that Hoth should hurl" (Voluspo 32–33). source
- What are Baldr's dreams?
- Baldrs draumar gives the same killer by prophecy: Odin rides to Hel to wake a dead seeress, who says the mead is brewed for Baldr and that "Hoth thither bears the far-famed branch, / He shall the bane of Baldr become" (Baldrs draumar 1–9). source
- Who avenged Baldr?
- The avenger is Vali, Odin's son by Rind, who fights "one night old" and neither washes his hands nor combs his hair until Baldr's slayer is burned (Voluspo 33–34; Baldrs draumar 11; Hyndluljoth 30). source
- Does Baldr return after Ragnarok?
- Baldr returns after Ragnarok: when the earth rises green again, "All ills grow better, and Baldr comes back; / Baldr and Hoth dwell in Hropt's battle-hall" (Voluspo 59–62). source
- Where does Baldr live?
- Baldr's dwelling is Breithablik, "the land I know that lies so fair, / And from evil fate is free" (Grimnismol 12). source