The Ending Of Ragnarok Season 2 Explained
Just over a year after Season 1 premiered, Netflix is back with Season 2 of the Norwegian-language fantasy drama "Ragnarok." The series stars David Stakston as Magne, an awkward, lonely teenager whose life is irrevocably changed when he discovers that he is actually a reincarnation of the god Thor. Unfortunately, it's not about just having cool superpowers, as Mange is also given a prophecy and told he must fight against the Jutuls, a family of ancient giants, or jötnar. This includes Vidar (Gísli Örn Garðarsson), the patriarch, Ran (Synnøve Macody Lund), the matriarch, and the couple's two "children," Saxa (Theresa Frostad Eggesbø) and Fjor (Herman Tømmeraas). The four giants masquerade as a normal family but have lived for thousands of years.
As Magne comes to terms with his destiny, he also works to support his family, which includes his mother, Turid (Henriette Steenstrup), and his antisocial brother, Laurits (Jonas Strand Gravli). Season 1 is all about Magne uncovering the truth of his godly status and building up the courage to take on the Jutuls, ending in a one-on-one battle between Magne and Vidar. In the new second season, which was released on Netflix on May 27, 2021, the stakes are higher and the fights more intense, as Magne forms a team with other gods and searches for his ultimate weapon, Mjölnir. So how does Season 2 end? Do Magne and his allies defeat the giants, or do Fjor, Ran, and Saxa come out on top? And where does Laurits stand in all of this?
To help you make sense of everything that happens in the new episodes of Netflix's hit Norse mythology series, here's Season 2 of "Ragnarok" — explained.
All the new gods of Ragnarok Season 2
While Magne spends all of Season 1 thinking he's the only god, he quickly discovers in Season 2 that there are quite a few allies close by. The first he meets is Iman Reza (Danu Sunth), a charming girl from his school. Although initially she doesn't even know what her abilities are, Iman quickly gets a handle on her power to manipulate others, confirming that she is a reincarnated version of the goddess Freyja. Thanks to Iman, Magne gains another surprising ally in Harry, the cheap mechanic who is later revealed to be Týr, the god of war.
But along with Iman and Harry, there are a couple of surprise reveals this season. The first is the confirmation that Laurits, the son of Turid and Vidar, is half-giant and half-god, and a reincarnation of the god of mischief, Loki. It makes perfect sense as Laurits continually play both sides, while still maintaining an important relationship with Thor in spite of any betrayal between them. Along with that, the show connects Laurits's exploration of his sexuality and gender identity to the mythology of Loki, a god who is known for his transformative power to change his appearance, which includes his race, gender, and anything else you can think of. The trickster nature of Loki transcends all boundaries and is constantly fluid, and that's a major factor of Laurits's character in "Ragnarok."
At the same time, the all-powerful Odin is awakened in the old man with the eye patch, Wotan (Bjørn Sundquist). Known as Thor's father in Norse mythology, Odin is a key member of Magne's team, instructing him and the other gods on how to forge Mjölnir. The series also hints that a couple of other teenagers from Magne's school may be gods not yet awakened, but nothing is confirmed.
Magne's morals hinder him from doing his job as Thor
One of the biggest obstacles for Magne in Season 2 is his strong sense of morality. In episode 3, Magne faces off against Vidar in battle and ends up killing the giant. Despite the fact that Vidar is a giant with the goal of ruling over humans, the event really affects Magne. He is strongly against killing and has trouble coming to terms with the fact that he will have to kill again as Thor. On top of that, Laurits shames Magne for the act, calling him a murderer. This leads Magne to pray and lose all his powers, returning to the normal human he was at the beginning of "Ragnarok" Season 1.
The show seems to be saying that Magne and the battle against the giants is bigger than life and death, and Magne has to be willing to kill his enemies to win the war. In reality, they're likely to just be reincarnated at some point anyway. So they're never really dead, if that's any comfort to Magne. Either way, Magne eventually realizes how important he is to the battle, and he works with the other gods to get his hammer, Mjölnir, and regain his powers. Despite this, Magne still retains his strong sense of morality, and along with his family, it's the one thing that continues to tie him to his human self. Can Magne keep his morals and get the job done? We'll have to wait for Season 3 (hopefully) to find out.
Shifting alliances and the Jörmungandr
Throughout Season 2 of "Ragnarok," the cast of mythological characters are constantly shifting alliances. For example, Fjor starts off Season 2 as a stark detractor of his family's actions, even moving out of the house and staying with Gry (Emma Bones). At first it seems like he will end up being an important ally to Magne, but the death of Vidar turns the tide in the other direction. Fjor returns to his family and takes over his father's business and other responsibilities. This sets him up as the major villain going forward, though that could change at any point. As a result, Fjor's actions push Saxa away, and by the end of Season 2, it appears that she might be turning to Magne's side. Considering that Saxa is arguably the strongest and most calculating giant, with her family continually underestimating her, having her as an ally would be a monumental advantage for Magne and the other gods.
Of course, the one person who will surely continue to change his alliance is Laurits, or Loki. The god is known for being untrustworthy, and Laurits's reincarnation is no exception. He is constantly swayed by his own desires, with his relationship with Magne and his mother being the only real emotional connection tying him down. Even then, the battle between gods and giants is bigger than even that, and both Laurits and Magne betray one another. In the biggest betrayal so far, Laurits lets go of his huge pet tapeworm, Jörmungandr from Norse mythology. In the old stories, this is a serpent that eventually grows big enough to encircle the world, and is the cause of Thor's death. Laurits is essentially creating the only weapon capable of killing his brother.