Editing Muspelheim

{{short description|Realm of fire in Norse mythology}}
{{Redirect|Muspel|the Old High German poem|Muspilli}}
{{For|the star|HAT-P-29}}
In [[Norse cosmology]], '''Muspelheim''' ({{langx|non|Múspellsheimr}}), also called '''Muspell''' ({{langx|non|'''Múspell'''}}), is a realm of [[fire]].

The etymology of "Muspelheim" is uncertain, but may come from ''Mund-spilli'', "world-destroyers", "wreck of the world".<ref name=Tilton-1897/><ref name=Vigfússon-Powell-1883/>

== Narrative ==
Muspelheim was described as a hot and glowing land of fire, home to the fire [[jotunn|giants]], and guarded by [[Surtr]], with his flaming sword. It is featured in both the creation and destruction stories of Norse myth. According to the [[Prose Edda]], a great time before the Earth was made, Niflheim existed. Inside [[Niflheim]] was a well called [[Hvergelmir]], from this well flowed numerous streams known as the [[Élivágar]]. Their names were [[Svol]], Gunnthro, Form, Finbul, Thul, Slid and Hrid, Sylg and Ylg, Vid, Leipt and Gjoll.<ref name=Anderson-1879-edda/>

After a time these streams had traveled sufficiently far from their source in [[Niflheim]], that the venom that flowed within them hardened and turned to ice. When this ice eventually settled, rain rose up from it, and froze into rime. This ice then began to layer itself over the primordial void, [[Ginnungagap]]. This made the northern portion of Ginungagap thick with ice, and storms begin to form within.

In the southern region of Ginnungagap, however, glowing sparks were still flying out of Muspelheim. When the heat and sparks from Muspelheim met the ice, it began to melt. The sparks would go on to create the Sun, Moon, and stars,<ref name=Encyc-Wrld-Relgns-2006-p803/> and the drops of melted ice would form the primeval being [[Ymir]]: "By the might of him who sent the heat, the drops quickened into life and took the likeness of a man, who got the name Ymir. But the Frost giants call him Aurgelmir".<ref name=Anderson-1879-edda/>

The ''[[Prose Edda]]'' section ''[[Gylfaginning]]'' foretells that the sons of Muspell will break the [[Bifröst]] bridge as part of the events of [[Ragnarök]]:

{{poemquote|In the midst of this clash and din the heavens are rent in twain,
and the sons of Muspell come riding through the opening. 
Surtr rides first, and before him and after him flames burning fire. 
He has a very good sword, which shines brighter than the sun. 
As they ride over Bifrost it breaks to pieces, as has before been stated. 
The sons of Muspel direct their course to the plain which is called Vigrid ...&nbsp;. 
The sons of Muspel have there effulgent bands alone by themselves.
}}<!--
  Examples must involve the realm in Norse mythology, not just the name.
-->

==Depictions in popular culture==

Muspelheim – called "Surt's sea of fire" – is mentioned in Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale "The Marsh King's Daughter."

===Comic books and their derived media===
Muspelheim appears in different kinds of [[Marvel Entertainment]] media.

* Muspelheim is a realm in the [[Marvel Comics]] universe. 
* In the [[Marvel Cinematic Universe]], Muspelheim is first depicted in ''[[Thor: The Dark World]]'' (2013) during the Convergence and later in ''[[Thor: Ragnarok]]'' (2017). Muspelheim is depicted as a [[dyson sphere]] with [[Terrain|rocky terrain]].
* Muspelheim appears in ''[[Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends]]'' when [[Loki (Marvel Comics)|Loki]] uses the Twins of the Gods to teleport [[Iceman (Marvel Comics)|Iceman]] to the Sea of Flame in Muspelheim.

===Role playing games===
The game ''[[Puzzle & Dragons]]'' features a monster entitled Flamedragon Muspelheim and Infernodragon Muspelheim.

In the game ''[[God of War (2018 video game)|God of War]]'', players can travel to Muspelheim where they can complete the six Trials of Muspelheim. When completing each trial, the player will receive rewards and will advance [[Kratos (God of War)|Kratos]] and [[Atreus]] closer to the top of a large [[volcano]].

In the Dawn of Ragnarök expansion for [[Ubisoft]]'s [[Assassin's Creed Valhalla]], Surtr and massive armies of muspels from Muspelheim invade the dwarven realm of Svartalfheim, infecting large parts of it with pools and streams of magma.  

In the mobile game ''[[Fire Emblem Heroes]]'', the land of Muspell is a prevalent part of the game's second book, which heavily features the battle between Muspell and [[Niflheim]].

In the [[MMORPG]] [[Dark Age of Camelot]] there are three different realms based on different mythologies the players can choose to play in, one of them is called Midgard and is based on the Norse mythology. In Midgard there is a large region called Muspelheim which is an ashen wasteland with rivers of lava populated largely by giants and fire elemental beings.

God of War (2019) and God of War: Ragnarök feature Muspelheim as a visitable realm. In the former, the player and their companion battle through a gauntlet known as "Surtr's Trials," and in the latter, encounter Surtr himself and use him to begin Ragnarök, turning him into a monster of the same name.

==See also==
*[[Muspilli]]
*[[Norse cosmology]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist|25em|refs=

<ref name=Anderson-1879-edda>
{{cite book
 |editor-last=Anderson |editor-first=R.B.
 |year=1879
 |title=The Prose Edda
 |publisher=University of Wisconsin
 |location=Madison, WI
 |pages=16–21
}}
</ref>

<ref name=Encyc-Wrld-Relgns-2006-p803>
{{Cite book
 |title=Encyclopedia of World Religions
 |year=2006
 |publisher=Encyclopedia Britannica
 |isbn=978-159339266-6
 |page=803
}}
</ref>

<ref name=Tilton-1897>
{{cite book
 |last=Tilton |first=Theodore |author-link=Theodore Tilton
 |year=1897
 |title=The complete Poetical Works of Theodore Tilton in One Volume: With a preface on ballad-making and an appendix on old Norse myths & fables
 |location=London, UK
 |publisher=[[T. Fisher Unwin]]
 |page=705
 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=m381AAAAMAAJ&pg=PA705
 |access-date=2013-01-05
}}
</ref>

<ref name=Vigfússon-Powell-1883>
{{cite book
 |first1=Guðbrandur |last1=Vigfússon   |author1-link=Guðbrandur Vigfússon
 |last2=Powell      |first2=Frederick York
 |year=1883
 |title=Corpus Poeticum Boreale: Court poetry
 |volume=II
 |location=Oxford, UK
 |publisher=[[Clarendon Press]]
 |page=471
 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ymQJAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA471
 |access-date=2013-01-05
}}
</ref>

}} <!-- end "refs=" -->

== External links ==
* {{wikisource-inline|Prose Edda/Gylfaginning|Gylfaginning}}

{{Norse cosmology}}
{{Norse mythology}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Muspellsheimr}}
[[Category:Norse demons]]
[[Category:Locations in Norse mythology]]
[[Category:Ymir]]
[[Category:Fire in religion]]