What race is Mimir?
As an avid God of War gamer and content creator, one question has nagged at me recently – what mythological race is Mimir? This snarky, Scottish-accented talking head is clearly not your average Norse deity. Between advising Kratos and serving as Odin‘s former counsellor, Mimir is an enigmatic figure whose backstory raises some fascinating questions…
Introducing Mimir – The Celt Among Vikings
Right off the bat in God of War (2018), we get subtle hints that Mimir is not originally from Scandinavia or the Norse realms. That thick, almost comedic Scottish brogue seems distinctly out of place among the gruff viking voices of Midgard. So where did this chatterbox cranium hail from before ending up impaled on the branches of the World Tree?
Let‘s jump straight to the juicy revelations…
Mimir is One of the Fair Folk – A Free-Spirited Celtic Fae!
That‘s right – various clues scattered through the God of War universe confirm Mimir‘s true race – he is a European fairy spirit known as Puck or Robin Goodfellow. Specifically, one of the fae folk from Celtic mythology before migrating to the Norse realms.
In Norse sagas, the mystical race of elves are called ‘Ljosalfar‘, which translates to ‘Light Elves‘. They were likely based on Celtic stories of impish fay creatures like clurichauns, pookas and puck sprites that dwelled in forests or underground mounds.
As God of War franchise creative director Cory Barlog stated in an interview, deific migration between mythologies is common in this fantasy world, hence figures like Mimir ending up across Norse, Greek and other legends over time.
Let‘s examine the evidence confirming Mimir‘s fairy bloodline…
Exhibit A: Mimir Matches The Traditional Puck/Fairy Archetype
| Typical Fairy Traits | Mimir‘s Characteristics |
| Small, Light Frame | His disembodied head is hardly big! Even with a body he would have been pint-sized. |
| Mischievous, Trickster Nature | Mimir openly admits to tricking Odin in the past and loves bantering with Kratos/Atreus |
| Magical Powers | His kenning ability, all-speech, seeing across realms suggest magical fae gifts rather than godly powers |
Really, Mimir is a Shakespearean puck/fairy archetype lifted straight from Celtic folklore into Norse clothing! Robin Goodfellow, Puck, Hobgoblin, the Welsh Pwcca – all fey creatures matching Mimir‘s characterization as a small, clever schemer with magical talents for mischief and mystic knowledge.
Exhibit B: The Norns Directly Reference Mimir as "Puck" and "Robin Goodfellow"
This right here seals the deal for me on Mimir‘s fairy lineage! In God of War Ragnarok, those annoying sisters Skuld, Verdandi and Urðr pursue Kratos in an epic boss fight across the realms. During the battle they openly taunt Mimir by calling him ‘Puck‘ as well as his English folk name ‘Robin Goodfellow‘.
They even sadistically reference his role in the manipulation of Titania in Shakespeare‘s famous comedy ‘A Midsummer Night‘s Dream‘. As any English literature geek can tell you, Robin Goodfellow AKA Puck is the most famous English fairy in history – proving the Norn‘s links between Mimir and Celtic fey myths!
Check the video below for their exact mocking fairy references first-hand:
(Norn Fairy References at 1:25)
So in a franchise already brimming with secret mythology, these cheeky Norn taunts blow the lid on Mimir‘s origin story!
Why Did Odin Seek Wisdom From This Foreign Fairy?
Norse myths tell that Odin was obsessively devoted to pursuing wisdom wherever he could find it – whether through quests, sacrifices or sinister means. But what would drive him to specifically seek out the counsel of Mimir – a fairy creature from the British Isles no less?
Odin Craved Arcane Knowledge From Across Mythologies
Imagine Odin traveling the realms, hungry for occult secrets and prophetic insights into his fate. He crosses paths with a wandering Celtic fay named Mimir who spins him fantastic tales of the British Isles‘ magical creatures and portal-filled hollow hills.
Perhaps cunning Mimir even reads Odin‘s future using fairy rune stones or observations of English wildlife omens and flora, as pixies were said to do. Mesmerized by these exotic divination arts, the Norse Allfather realizes this exotic sprite could become a useful addition to his royal circle…
Mimir‘s Outsider Perspective Was Uniquely Valuable
In his quest for cosmic knowledge, Odin likely found huge value in learning how other mythological cultures perceived his world. As an outsider to the Norse pantheon, Mimir offered Odin a rare external lens into his own reality.
The fact that a diminutive fairy could outsmart even the mighty Allfather says a lot about the cleverness of Old World pixies as well! Perhaps Odin kept Mimir‘s torso in Asgard but sent his talking head back to Midgard as a conduit to tap English fairy magic unavailable in the frozen North.
There are so many fascinating avenues to explore here concerning the relationship between Celtic and Scandinavian lore. It‘s a shocking crossover history never expected the God of War games to spotlight!
Closing Thoughts on Mimir‘s Secret Fairy Bloodline
Hopefully this mythological expose has shed some light on the race, origins and backstory of the wittiest talking head in video game history! It just goes to show that even severed, Mimir‘s razor-sharp mind and sly tricks have made him an enduring linchpin across Celtic, Norse and even Greek legend over the eras.
We can expect more jaw-dropping secrets to emerge concerning his past as God of War Ragnarok‘s plot progresses on PS5 and PS4 next year. But for now, I feel safe declaring this case closed – Mimir has officially been outed as Celtic fae folk, straight from the whispers of Asgard itself!
Let me know your own theories on Mimir and thoughts about his fairy identity in the comments below! And stay tuned here for all the latest God of War news, analysis and lore explorations hot off the presses.
Benji Signing Off
