Odin Borson was a recurring character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, featuring in all three Thor films. He was the father of Thor Odinson and the late Hela Odinsdottir, the adopted father of the late Loki Laufeyson, the asgardian God of War and Wisdom, and the king of Asgard. A powerful yet peaceful leader, Odin was the Allfather of all Asgard and was dedicated to preserving peace between the Nine Realms of Yggdrasil. He was portrayed by Sir Anthony Hopkins.
History[]
Thor[]
Centuries after the Asgardian/Jotunheim war, Odin held a ceremony to name Thor as his heir but the event was interrupted by several Jotuns breaking into Odin's vault. He activated The Destroyer in defense of the vault, thus ending the threat of the Jotuns reclaiming their artifact but opted not to press the matter any further. Thor insisted that he launch an attack on Jotunheim but Odin rejected the idea, preferring instead to preserve the shaky truce. Thor then defied his father's will and launched a small-scale attack of his own. Upon learning of Thor's defiance, Odin went to Jotunheim himself and drew his sons and their friends back to Asgard. Thor had foolishly reignited the war with the Jotuns and, for his transgression, Odin banished him to Earth.
Loki had discovered the truth of his long-concealed ancestry during the fight on Jotunheim and confronted Odin with the discovery. Odin could only relate a historical account of how he had found and rescued Loki before lapsing into his restorative "Odinsleep." With Odin incapacitated and Thor exiled, Loki seized the throne of Asgard for himself. He manipulated the others around him as Odin slept, even going so far as to arrange Odin's assassination at the hands of the Jotuns, but when Laufey, King of the Frost Giants was about to kill Odin, Loki revealed his true plan of double-crossing and killed Laufey to make his father proud of him.
Odin finally awoke after Thor had secured a return to Asgard with an act of self-sacrifice and had defeated Loki. He raced to witness Thor grabbing hold of Loki's spear as Loki fell into an endless void and in turn grabbed Thor to prevent both of his sons from falling. Loki, dangling from the spear, looked up and appealed to Odin that he did what he did to make Odin proud of him, as he felt unloved. Odin quietly rejected this with a sad smile, and then watched with sadness when Loki released the spear and fell in to a vortex of time and space.
Some time later, Odin was approached by a sullen Thor. They both had suffered losses, and Thor had come to make an admission that he'd been wrong and hoped that one day he'd make his father proud. Odin, understanding the personal sacrifices that Thor had made for the good of three races, told Thor that he had made him proud.
Thor: The Dark World[]
After his defeat at the hands of the Avengers on Earth, Loki was brought before Odin, who confronted him for his crimes. Odin did not execute Loki because Frigga did not want him dead, so he sentenced him to life imprisonment.
When Jane Foster was taken to Asgard, Odin initially tried to have her taken back to Earth, believing her to be suffering from human illness, until he realized the Aether was inside her. He told Thor about the Aether and the Dark Elves, and that he did not know how to get the Aether out of Jane.
When Malekith and Kurse attacked Asgard, and Kurse killed Frigga, Odin decided to wait for Malekith to attack again so that he could fight back and kill him. Thor opposed this plan, since many Asgardian lives could be lost and Malekith could potentially win, and suggested the alternative of taking Jane to Svartalfheim to draw Malekith away from Asgard, but Odin refused, apparently blinded by hatred and grief from Frigga's death, as well as thinking Thor's plan to draw Malekith away from Asgard by taking Jane to Svartalfheim was too risky. When Thor asked how Odin was different than Malekith, Odin said the difference is that he will win.
Thor then released Loki and the pair took Jane to Svartalfheim with help from Volstagg, Sif, and Heimdall. Odin sent his soldiers to stop Thor by any means necessary, but the soldiers were unsuccessful.
After faking his death, Loki appeared before Odin disguised as a warrior. He told Odin that Loki's body had been found. Afterward, Loki usurped the throne from Odin, taking his identity and the throne of Asgard.
Thor: Ragnarok[]
While ruling Asgard as Odin, Loki cast a spell on his father and exiled him to Earth, leaving him dazed at Shady Acres Care Home: a retirement home in New York City. Some time after Odin was left on Earth, his retirement home was destroyed and he eventually overcame Loki's strong enchantment. Doctor Strange contacted Odin during this time, however, Odin chose to stay on Earth instead of returning to Asgard.
When Thor exposed Loki's deceptive rule to the people of Asgard, Thor ensured his brother would aid him in his quest of finding their father. However, Shady Acres Care Home was bulldozed and destroyed, upon arrival. Doctor Strange, having detected the presence of Asgardians in his city, stepped in and volunteered to help Thor find his father on the condition that Loki leaves Earth thereafter. With the aid of several tomes within the New York Sanctum, Doctor Strange used Thor's hair to mystically pinpoint Odin's location and create a portal to Odin in Norway.
When his sons found him, Odin was nearing the end of his long life. He commented that Norway was beautiful and Odin revealed it took him a while to break Loki's spell over him, noting that Frigga should be proud of him. He revealed that he could feel his time coming to an end by saying that his wife was calling out to him. When Thor insisted to take him back to Asgard, Odin instead considered how resting on a rock.
Before dying, Odin lamented that Ragnarök would come and he revealed the existence of Hela, his oldest child and only daughter, warning Thor and Loki that Hela would be released once he died. Telling his sons he loved them, Odin finally died and his spirit ascended to Valhalla. Upon his death, Hela was finally freed from her banishment.