Gungnir (Witches of Midgard-verse)

Users: | * Odin (original owner, formerly)
* Havi Hrafnkelsson

**Gungnir** (ON: "Swaying"; pronounced "GUNG-neer") is the name of the mighty spear that belongs to Odin, Nordic King of the Gods from Norse Mythology set to appear in *Little Witch Academia: Witches of Midgard*.

## Description & Characteristics

A weapon that most consistently and powerfully associated with the All-Father, Gungnir was among artifacts forged by Sons of Ivaldi (the others being Skíðblaðnir (Freyr's longship) and Sif's golden mystical wig) in a contest against two dwarven brothers Brok and Eitri who crafted theirs (Mjölnir (Thor's one-handed hammer), Gullinbursti (Freyr's golden boar) and Draupnir (Odin's multiplying golden ring)). Said contest was orchestrated by Loki to avoid Thor's wrath for shaving his beloved wife Sif's hair clean. Both Norse myths-related poetry and visual art demonstrate that the connection between Odin and Gungnir is deep and long-standing. It goes back at least as far as the ninth century, when the poet Bragi Boddason referred to Odin as Gungnis váfaðr (“Gungnir’s shaker”). Pre-Christian Scandinavian visual art often depicts Odin bearing a spear; in fact, the spear is one of his most typical iconographic attributes. Such depictions are found from Viking Age runestones all the way back to Bronze Age rock carvings of a spear god, who very well may be Odin.

Gungnir, or perhaps a similar spear before it, was famously used by Odin to commence Æsir-Vanir War where he hurled it over the enemy host and crying, "Óðinn á yðr alla!" ("Odin owns all of you!"). The historical Norse repeated this paradigmatic gesture, giving the opposing army as a gift to Odin in hopes that the god would return the favor by granting them victory. Odin also carried Gungnir in the trial to prove his mettle before mystical forces within Urðarbrunnr (one of three supernatural wells beneath Yggdrasil alongside Mímisbrunnr and Hvergelmir) in exchange of knowledge about runes, stabbing himself with the spear while hanging himself on the world-tree Yggdrasil for nine days and nights at the same time all while forbidding his fellow Gods of Asgard to grant him the slightest aid, not even a sip of water. The latter role was fitting as when the Norse sacrificed someone to Odin, whether a single individual or a large group of people, they typically did so by means of a spear, either by itself or in combination with hanging.

As one of the treasures of the Gods of Asgard and Odin's personal weapon, Gungnir is of course, no ordinary spear. Arguably thanks to magic runes carved on its point, Gungnir possesses infinitely greater attributes than those of man-made spears which allows it to vanquish enemies as formidable as the Gods of Asgard themselves, being so well-balanced that it can strike any target regardless of the skill or strength of the wielder.

Edda of Vör, ancient texts that holds information about Norse Mythology, Nine Olde Witches' role in it, and some prophecies pertaining them, provided some insights about the spear's additional capabilities; it was designed to be the perfect conduit for its owner's mystical powers not unlike Mjölnir with Thor's own and wands/staves with various magic users as much as being conventional spear. It can also teleport back to the wielder's hand after being thrown.