FARBAUTI

Real Name: Farbauti

Identity/Class: Extradimensional (Jotunheim)

Occupation: Refugee, former monarch

Group Membership: Giants of Jotunheim

Affiliations: Loki

Enemies: Odin and the Asgardians

Known Relatives: Farbaut (possible father, alias Cruel Striker), mother (name unrevealed, possibly deceased), Laufey (husband, deceased), Utgard-Loki (possible father-in-law), Loki (son), Sigyn (daughter-in-law), Byleist, Helbindi (sons, deceased), Fenrir, Jormungard (grandsons), Hela, Tess Black (grand-daughters), Narvi, Vali (grandsons, deceased), Ymir, Bergelmir (ancestors) (see COMMENTS)

Aliases: None known

Base of Operations: Laufey's village in Jotunheim

First Appearance: (Earth-616; mentioned) Thor I#700 (December, 2017); (Earth-94001 counterpart) Loki#3 (October 2004)

Powers/Abilities: Farbauti possesses the conventional attributes of a female Jotun (giantess) native of Jotunheim. She possesses superhuman strength (possibly only around Class 20 due to her age), longevity and resistance to harm. she is mystically dependant upon cold temperature; warm temperature will cause her to decrease in size.

History: (Norse myth) - Farbauti is a member of an extradimensional race of beings known as the Jotuns, native to the other-dimensional realm of Jotunheim, one of the nine worlds in the cosmology of the Asgardian gods. She was taken as a wife by Laufey, one of the chieftains of Jotunheim constantly at war with the Gods of Asgard. According to myth, Laufey seduced her in the form of a bolt of lightning, and Farbauti conceived him three sons named Byleist, Helbindi and Loki.

(Thor I#700 (fb) - BTS) - Farbauti allegedly stabbed herself in the heart with an ice dagger after she gave birth to Loki.

(Journey into Mystery I#112 (fb) - BTS) - During another battle with the Asgardian gods, Laufey and his kinsman fell in battle against the Asgardian gods who decimated their village. Laufey and his eldest sons were killed, but Odin found the infant Loki in the devastation. In tribute to the courage of his fallen foe, Odin adopted Laufey's infant son to raise alongside his sons, Thor and Balder in Asgard. As an adult, Loki would become known as the god of mischief. It is unrevealed if Farbauti died in battle or if she survived.

Comments: Adapted for Marvel in the Loki limited series by Robert Rodi (writer) and Esad Ribic (artist)

In Norse myth, Loki is the son of Farbaut, the god of death (who ferried the dead across the Gjoll into Nifflehim), and his wife, Laufey; however, by time Marvel Comics came around, Laufey became a Chieftain of the Jotuns and Farbauti became his wife. This reversal of genders can possibly be attributed to askew fluctuations in the repeated incarnations of Asgard in the Marvel Universe. 

However, a male Jotun going by the name Farbaut eventually appeared under the name of Rimthursar aka Cruel-Striker (Hrimthurssar is also a collective name for the various Giants of Jotunheim). This figure could very well be Farbauti's father. For that matter, it is not that big a leap of logic that Laufey in the Marvel Universe or mythologically could be one of the sons of Utgard-Loki who has also appeared in the Marvel Universe (Thor I#272).

Actually, Farbauti has yet to appear from behind the scenes in the mainstream Marvel Universe (Earth-616).  

Farbauti likely died with the rest of the natives of Asgard during the events of the most recent Ragnarok in the Marvel Universe.

Just my opinion, but Esad Ribic did an excellent job in their visual depiction of Farbauti as the wizened aged mother of Loki. I was very impressed with their artwork in the Loki limited series. I'd want them to create the artwork should one of my short stories get adapted into the Marvel Universe.

In Norse myth. Bergelmir was the last surviving son of Ymir after his death and the ancestor of all the later Giants of Jotunheim.

Mythological data adapted from the book: Norse Myth A-Z by Kathleen Daly.

Thor I#700 update by Markus Raymond.

Profile by Thor2000

CLARIFICATIONS: Farbauti is not to be confused with:


Farbauti
(Earth-94001)

Farbauti appeaered in Asgard to take her place as Queen Mother alongside Loki after he conquered Asgard and imprisoned the gods. True to his nature, Loki turned around and placed her as far from him as possible with very little power but with all her necessary needs.

--Loki#3 (Loki#3-4












Images
Loki#3, p32, bossom panel (Earth-94001 main)


Issues
Loki#3-4 (October-November, 2004) - Robert Rodi (writer), Esad Ribic (artist), John Miesegaes, Cory Sedimeier (assistant editors), Axel Alonso (editor)
Thor I#700 (December, 2017) - Jason Aaron (writer), Walter Simonson, Russel Dautermann, Daniel Acuña, James Harren, Becky Cloonan, Das Pastoras, Chris Burnham, Andrew MacLean, Jill Thompson, Mike Del Mundo & Olivier Coipel (artists), Wil Moss (editor)


Last updated: 01/07/18

Any Additions/Corrections? Please let me know.

Non-Marvel Copyright info
All other characters mentioned or pictured are ™ and © 1941-2099 Marvel Characters, Inc. All Rights Reserved. If you like this stuff, you should check out the real thing!
Please visit The Marvel Official Site at:
http://www.marvel.com

Special Thanks to www.g-mart.com for hosting the Appendix, Master List, etc.!

Back to Characters