Vidar is one of the Norse gods of vengeance. He has been dubbed the silent god, as he would seldom speak. Still waters run deep and the same goes for still gods, as Vidar was one of the strongest Aesir around. His strength was only second to his half-brother’s Thor.
Coincidentally, both Vidar and Thor have Jotun mothers. This might explain their gigantic strength (pun intended). Vidar is the son of Odin and the giantess Gridr.
Vidar is fated to survive Ragnarok, during which he avenges his father by killing the wolf Fenrir. Could it be the case that Odin conceived Vidar with Gridr for that reason? We will never know for sure, but it would be something right up his alley, as he did conceive Váli for the sole purpose of vengeance for the death of his son Baldr.
Let us run our theory by you:
- Odin was skilled at magic, and his wife mastered the art of divination. He was aware that Baldr would die, he knew that he himself would be slain by Fenrir during Ragnarok, and he most likely knew that there would be many outside threats on the way.
- Odin had a purpose for the three sons that he conceived with women that were not his wife. One would avenge the death of his son, a second would avenge the death of himself, and the third would protect the realm from harm until Ragnarok (Thor).
- Odin most likely picked giantesses to produce new children with, because he needed said children to be exceptionally strong.
- If we were giantesses exploited for the sole purpose of producing a child to fulfill a destiny picked by Odin (who has a wife, mind you), we would also tell Odin to pick another giantess next time.
Given all of the above, do we think Vidar was conceived with the sole purpose of avenging Odin.