NorsePlay.

If a Buddha statue can be found in a Swedish Vendel Era grave, the implications for even further East-West travel becomes an open question. (Field archaeologist Cat Jarman explores this expansive thought in her recent book  River Kings: A New History of the Vikings from Scandinavia to the Silk Roads  (2021 CE), which is in our TBR pile.) So if a Norse trader/raider went East on the Silk Road to Beijing & then further, or say a ronin/diplomat Samurai went West into China or further on those same roads, or maybe a Viking raiding ship made an arctic passage down to Japan, then just maybe this cross-cultural Viking vs. Samurai duel from Deadliest Warrior might've actually gone down: Watch the duel here: [Episode aired April 14th, 2009 CE] I was impressed with the efficacy of chainmail versus the much-vaunted katana, compared to the Viking sword easily cutting through the 2" x 4". While the computer simulated best-of-1,000-battles came up with the dramatized result, I...

There's this sudden departure in Ragnarok S1 E2 where the teen jotun Fjor needlescratch hijacks the Edda High School's Spring Dance's DJ booth with his phone to put on a seething & primal track, and a ritual of choreography involving his sister Saxa & odd new kid in school Laurits unfolds in front of the student body who clears the floor for their weird leaning, quick, whip-jerk movements that the trio performs more for each other and its own process' sake, than to the surprised & awed room. The implied NorsePlay from this would be: How much of a different culture have the jotnar developed in their cosmological exile into frosty Jotunheimr (or flaming Muspelheimr) since the beginning of time?  The scene reveals a semi-supernatural music & dance tradition stepping out into view, impressing its way into a Midgardian small town world. Later episodes show the jötnar having to vote on a consensus for war by placing their hands upon an axe, and double-handedl...

Okay, total spoiler which we dislike doing, but there's no way around it: While not the best episode of The Librarians , "And the Reunion of Evil" (season 3, 2016) includes a surprising jotun NorsePlay element where two librarians stumble from the heart of a snowstorm into a Swedish ski lodge hotel while possessing an artifact that a trucing private reunion of giant clans have gathered to consume. The jotun are presented as troublemaking descendants  of Loki, who instead revel in causing the ills of the world (disasters, plagues, insurance fleecing, etc), which is something of a downgrade as major adversaries of the Gods, but then it would explain how they've stayed under the radar for so long. The giants wear Scandinavian patterned sweaters, and some fur accent garments, while overdrinking and playing hnefatafl and k ubb in displays of oneupmanship. [watch in mirrored format here .] #    #    # Guillermo Maytorena IV knew there was something spe...

With the prevalence of fandom for Tom Hiddleston's portrayal of the God of Mischief (just search "Loki's Army" for the depth of it), Disney will be producing a dedicated series for their Disney+ channel. Most Disney TV shows are too over-the-top and the acting style is nearly always "on" in a bad way ( Descendents for a somewhat villain-centric example). Also the two Asgardian-related episodes of Agents of Shield really could've been better. Word is that the show will follow Loki through the Endgame timeline, but we feel it would be more of a hit to do the Kid Loki storyline from Journey Into Mystery . Maybe for second season, if this slated for 2021 show gets proper treatment. [Loki from the fun 1966-7 The Mighty Thor cartoon series.] #    #    # Guillermo Maytorena IV knew there was something special in  the Norse Lore when he picked up a copy of the d'Aulaires'  Norse Gods and Giants  at age seven. Since t hen he's b...

Rheda rules Herot as Jarl in Beowulf: Return to the Shieldlands .   At left of Rheda sits the shield  where axes are thrown  into the black or red sides to vote on decisions.  The famed hall's interiors featured gilded carvings and Klimt -esque golden curtains. This 2016 show only ran for one season, yet it set up enough material for at least two more, which it should've gotten. [Actress Joanne Whalley ( Willow & Scarlett ), Herot's exterior, obligatory composite cast shot with, yes, William Hurt second from left.  Give it a watch  here . ] #    #    # Guillermo Maytorena IV knew there was something special in  the Norse Lore when he picked up a copy of the d'Aulaires'  Norse Gods and Giants  at age seven. Since t hen he's been fascinated by the truthful potency of Norse Mythology, passionately read & studied, embraced Ásatrú, launched the  Map of Midgard  project, and spearhead...

NorsePlay had hoped for more of a Sherlock Holmes-related entry , and while we love Elementary to pieces, we feel that there's more than one reference to be mined from this possibility. [And Kim Newman, if you're reading, we'd like a StormPunk Moriarty & The Jötnar of Kensington Runestone book, please & thanks.] #    #    # Guillermo Maytorena IV knew there was something special in  the Norse Lore when he picked up a copy of the d'Aulaires'  Norse Gods and Giants  at age seven. Since t hen he's been fascinated by the truthful potency of Norse Mythology, passionately read & studied, embraced Ásatrú, launched the  Map of Midgard  project, and spearheaded the neologism/brand NorsePlay.   If you have e mployment/ opportunities in  investigative mythology,  field research, or product development to offer,  do contact him .

One Norse Goddess on The Almighty Johnsons who never got enough screentime (or any lines) was Vár , Goddess of Oaths, played by the arrestingly poised Kate Webby . There's something evocative of the classic Hollywood siren in her presentation that makes her more otherworldly than the regular cast. While on the show she's more in Loki's lawyer camp, which seems functionally appropriate, in the Norse Lore she's mentioned in as watching over marital & other agreements, and metes out punishment if those agreements are broken. [Still from Season 1, Episode 10, Every Good Quest Has a Sacrifice .] #    #    # Guillermo Maytorena IV knew there was something special in  the Norse Lore when he picked up a copy of the d'Aulaires'  Norse Gods and Giants  at age seven. Since t hen he's been fascinated by the truthful potency of Norse Mythology, passionately read & studied, embraced Ásatrú, launched the  Map of Midgard  project, and s...

What if the Norse Gods moved to New Zealand, fell out with the Norse Goddesses, reincarnated as mortals for a few centuries, thus diminishing their powers, which they later want back? Then you have the contemporary fantasy com-dram that is The Almighty Johnsons . Running three seasons, and itself successfully reincarnated by a fan campaign between seasons 2 & 3, this much loved NorsePlay is worth watching not only for its man & lady candy , but for the nuances of kiwi culture. Note the promo Last Supper-style cast shot done a few years before History Channel's  Vikings used the same idea. #    #    # Guillermo Maytorena IV knew there was something special in  the Norse Lore when he picked up a copy of the d'Aulaires'  Norse Gods and Giants  at age seven. Since t hen he's been fascinated by the truthful potency of Norse Mythology, passionately read & studied, embraced Ásatrú, launched the  Map of Midgard  project...

What we find brilliant here is the use of Eva, played by Brooke Williams, who on the NorsePlay-themed show The Almighty Johnsons , is also the reincarnation of the Norse Goddess Hel, rolled into a modern-style meme for Hel . The red-tinged roots of Yggdrasil in the blood-soaked earth are a neat foundation. #    #    # Guillermo Maytorena IV knew there was something special in  the Norse Lore when he picked up a copy of the d'Aulaires'  Norse Gods and Giants  at age seven. Since t hen he's been fascinated by the truthful potency of Norse Mythology, passionately read & studied, embraced Ásatrú, launched the  Map of Midgard  project, and spearheaded the neologism/brand NorsePlay.   If you have e mployment/ opportunities in  investigative mythology,  field research, or product development to offer,  do contact him .

The Aesir at the feasting table in Jul i Valhal ( Yule in Valhalla ) , a Danish holiday advent television series from 2005 about two kids' adventures involving the Norse Gods! Any of you know where we can watch this with English subtitles? #    #    # Guillermo Maytorena IV knew there was something special in  the Norse Lore when he picked up a copy of the d'Aulaires'  Norse Gods and Giants  at age seven. Since t hen he's been fascinated by the truthful potency of Norse Mythology, passionately read & studied, embraced Ásatrú, launched the  Map of Midgard  project, and spearheaded the neologism/brand NorsePlay.   If you have e mployment/ opportunities in  investigative mythology,  field research, or product development to offer,  do contact him .