Tyr: Can I Give You A Hand?

Hallo, reader!

As I mentioned last week, I sprained my hand and have been wearing a brace. I'm right-handed, so not being able to use it has been quite a challenge for me. Around the time the injury occurred, I was watching season three of Game of Thrones...and this happened:

It got me to thinking about heroes who lose hands. It's not an uncommon theme, particularly in fantasy and science fiction. A hero who has talent with a blade loses a hand or an arm, and must overcome the difficulties to continue their quest. You see it with Jaime in Game of Thrones; with Tenel Ka, one of my favorite characters from the Star Wars books, who loses most of one arm; with Luke in Return of the Jedi, at the hands of his father. Lindsey in Angel has a hilariously evil replacement hand. Wormtail in Harry Potter sacrifices his own hand for Voldemort, and is rewarded with a magical one in return. Let us not forget Captain Hook, or his more likeable persona, Killian Jones. Ash in the Evil Dead series replaces his missing digits with a chainsaw (it seems the most logical choice).  The list goes on and on.

But why is this particular appendage so frequently lost? Well, it does make the most sense from a writer's point of view. Losing a foot or a leg would be equally dramatic, but would leave the hero at a severe disadvantage (unless they got an especially good prosthetic, a la John Kennex in Almost Human (or are rocking a peg leg, like Captain Barbossa)). So leg loss does occur, but far less frequently than hands. Loss of fingers is another option; take Captain Davos in Game of Thrones, or Frodo in Lord of the Rings. Still, losing a few fingers is far less dramatic than losing an entire hand. Eyes are another option, and are sometimes lost – for instance, Nick Fury in Marvel, or Odin in Norse mythology.

'tis but a flesh wound!

And it is to Norse mythology that I now turn, because I believe one specific character is part of the reason why losing hands is such a popular fantasy trope.

Enter Tyr, god of valour, courage, and (sadly) oathbreaking. (The more I look into this, the more I realize just how much Jaime Lannister was inspired by Tyr!) He's mostly known as a warrior deity associated with victory.

Tyr begins the myths as a mighty warrior still in possession of both his hands. Then, everything changes when the giant wolf known as Fenrir attacks. Fenrir, also called the Fenris Wolf, is a giant wolf. He's also one of the children of Loki, along with Jormungandr, the snake who wraps around the world, and Hel, goddess of...well, Hel. Charming bunch, right?

Much like his siblings, Fenrir is known to the gods as a bringer of great evil. He's tied to various prophecies about Ragnarok, the Doom of the Gods. Knowing this, the gods cast Loki's spawn into various prisons. Hel is banished to Hel, Jormungandr devours his tail as he encircles the world...and Fenrir is brought back to the home of the gods.

There, seeing how strong the wolf grows daily, the gods realize that they have to bind him. A mighty link of chains is forged. They approach Fenrir with the fetter, and offer the wolf a challenge. They have heard that he is strong and mighty – is he powerful enough to break through the chains?

Unfortunately, Fenrir inherited his cunning from his father, the Trickster. He knows his own strength, and is confident that he can break the bonds. The wolf allows the gods to bind him, and then effortlessly breaks through his bonds.

The gods were horrified, and more determined than ever to chain Fenrir. The best of their smiths were able to forge a chain twice as strong as the first. Again the gods challenged Fenrir. Again the wolf deemed the chain susceptible to his great strength. And, again...the bonds were shattered.

Their own abilities already at their limits, the gods turned to others for help. A commission was given to the dwarves, who wrought a chain of their own from six ingredients. Yet these bonds were unlike the others – instead of metal, it was made of the lightest silk.

When the gods brought the silken cord before Fenrir, the wolf suspected trickery. He agreed to allow the gods to bind him, but only if one of the gods was offered as collateral. Tyr agreed to place his hand in the mouth of Fenrir. If the gods' challenge was in good faith, then no harm would come to the god. However, if Fenrir was unable to free himself, and if the gods left him bound...well, one of their mightiest warriors would be down a hand.

Tyr agreed to this deal, knowing full well what the outcome would be. The gods bound Fenrir with the silken chains. The wolf shook and pulled, heaved and fought – but he could not break free.

The gods did not help him. In vengeance, he bit off the hand of Tyr. And so Tyr became the god of perjury, among his other titles.

But the story does not end there, dear readers. Norse mythology is full of foreshadowing, and every little thing turns out to have meaning in the end. When Ragnarok arrives, Fenrir shall at last have grown strong enough to escape his bonds. He shall meet Odin on the battlefield – and there, he shall kill him.

And what of Tyr? Though a mighty warrior, the god is weakened by the loss of his hand. He shall fight in Ragnarok, but ultimately fall. The loss of his hand will prove too great of an obstacle for him to overcome.

So what do you guys think? Is Tyr the first in the long line of the handless-hero tradition? Which hero is your favorite?

Until next week!