Bifrost Bridge

The **Bifrost Bridge**, commonly referred to as the **Bifrost**, is a dimensional energy which allows instantaneous travel within the Nine Realms. It was used primarily by the Asgardians, who were able to use a Rainbow Bridge to harness the energy and access the Bifrost in order to travel to and protect those realms. Whenever it is used, it leaves a pattern-like marking.

## History

### Guardian Heimdall

#### Attack on Jotunheim

*"If your return threatens the safety of Asgard, Bifrost will remain closed to you. And you'll be left to die in the cold waste of Jotunheim. "Couldn't you just leave the bridge open for us? "To leave the bridge open would unleash the full power of the Bifrost and destroy Jotunheim, and with you upon it."*
―Heimdall and Volstagg
Thor, Loki, Sif, and the Warriors Three decided to use the Bifrost to reach Jotunheim and attack the Frost Giants by surprise following an unexpected breach of Odin's Vault. Loki prepared to deceive Heimdall, however the Bridge's guardian, knowing their intent and curious as to how the Jotuns had slipped by him, allowed them into Himinbjorg. After activating the Bridge, Heimdall informed them that if their return threatened Asgard, he would keep the Bifrost closed to them, and informed Volstagg that the Bifrost's energy would eventually destroy Jotunheim if left open when the rotund warrior suggested that he leave it open for them.

As they fled from the Frost Giants, Loki, Sif, and the Warriors Three returned to the Bifrost site, asking Heimdall to open the Bridge to allow their way, although to no response. Only when they and Thor were completely surrounded did the Bifrost open, allowing Odin, riding Sleipnir, to arrive. After Laufey refused the Allfather's request to excuse his son's and friends' incursion, Odin signaled for the bridge's activation, and the Asgardians were pulled back to their home realm.

#### Banished to New Mexico

*"Heimdall? I know you can hear me! Open the Bifrost!"*
―Thor[src]
Upon their return to Asgard, Heimdall was dismissed from his post by Odin as he and Thor argued. Odin proceeded to use Gungnir to activate the Bifrost, stripping Thor of Mjølnir, his armor and his power and banishing him to New Mexico on Earth, to be found by Jane Foster and her colleagues.

### Loki's Campaign

#### Defying Orders

*"Then you'll open the Bifrost to no one. Until I have repaired the damage that my brother has done."*
―Loki to Heimdall[src]
Later, in order to prove himself worthy of the throne of Asgard and distance himself from his Frost Giant heritage, Loki decided to use the Bifrost to completely destroy Jotunheim. Loki used the Bifrost to travel to Jotunheim so that he could forge a false alliance himself with Laufey, offering him access to Asgard through the Bifrost rather than one of his secret pathways.

Heimdall was suspicious of Loki's disguised actions while away, having been unable to see him with his omni-sense, and in response Loki ordered him to keep the Bifrost closed until he had dealt with the issues caused by Thor.

Knowing that Loki was acting out of his own selfish interests, Heimdall's omni-sense allowed him to learn that Sif and the Warriors Three wanted to use the Bifrost to reach Earth to rescue Thor and bring him back to Asgard after his banishment. Skirting Loki's order to not allow any through the Bifrost, Heimdall instead left Hofund behind for them to use.

#### Used as a Weapon

*"The Bifrost will build until it rips Jotunheim apart.""Why have you done this?""To prove to Father that I am a worthy son!"*
―Loki and Thor[src]
Having seen the Bifrost being activated, Loki decided to send the Destroyer to New Mexico to eliminate Thor and his allies to ensure his rule. After confronting Heimdall, Loki declared that he was relieved of duty and then froze him using the Casket of Ancient Winters. Using Gungnir, Loki activated the Bifrost to send the Destroyer to Earth, and after it was defeated, opening the Bifrost to Jotunheim, welcoming Laufey and a few of his men to Asgard.

Once Heimdall was able to break free of the ice, he opened the Bifrost to allow Thor and the others to return. After Thor confronted him in Odin's bedchamber, Loki returned to Himinbjorg to activate the bridge once again, intending to use Laufey's infiltration of Asgard as justification for the Frost Giants' destruction. Once the Bifrost was opened to Jotunheim, Loki used the Casket to freeze the energy, so that its power would continue to build until Jotunheim was destroyed.

As Loki and Thor dueled on the Rainbow Bridge, the Bifrost continued to launch its full power at Jotunheim, the effects of which began to be visible on other worlds in the Nine Realms. Unable to get close enough Himinbjorg in order to shut it down, Thor realized he had to destroy the Rainbow Bridge, bringing Mjølnir down with full force and shattering it. After it was destroyed, the Bifrost could no longer be harnessed, preventing the annihilation of the Frost Giants, and creating a temporary wormhole which Loki allowed himself to fall through after Odin condemned Loki's actions.

### Out of Action

*"With the Bifrost gone, how much dark energy did the Allfather have to muster to conjure you here?"*
―Loki[src]
Due to the Rainbow Bridge's destruction, Odin was forced to use dark magic to harness the Bifrost, at the cost of both of their health, to send Thor to Earth in order to retrieve Loki, who was attempting to conquer Earth.

## Capabilities

The Bifrost Bridge is a transit system used by Asgardians to travel to the various realms among the Nine Realms and numerous other planets. The Bifrost uses a powerful, rainbow-like energy drawn from the center of Asgard to create wormhole-like portals that can instantaneously transport people and objects between realms, over millions of light-years of distance. On other realms, the Bifrost appears as a brilliant beam of white light that shines down on its surface, often leaving behind a rune-like pattern burned into the ground.

The Bifrost is composed of two physical structures in Asgard; Himinbjorg and the Rainbow Bridge, which act as two components of a large machine that channels energy from Asgard to create the portals that allow for transportation. The Rainbow Bridge draws energy from the center of Asgard to Himinbjorg where it is directed to its destination allowing transportation that is precise and accurate.

## Notes

* Not to be confused with the Rainbow Bridge, the Bifrost is the portal generated from Himinbjorg that allows for transport between the Nine Realms.
	+ However, Thor once described the Bifrost as a "rainbow bridge," due to the prismatic energy of the Bifrost resembling a rainbow.