Odin

In Norse ("Viking") movie, Odin was usually said to be the ruler of the gods, although some would say he shares this role with another god named Tyr. Odin has many alternate names, and many areas of interest, including game and death, poetry and art, and wisdom in general. Also, Odin was credited with the creation of humans, along with two other gods, either his brothers Vili and Ve, or his friends Hoenir and Lodur, depending on which mythological source you happen to read.

In the myths, Odin was easy to recognize, even when he was disguised as Wegtam the Wanderer. He traded one eye for a drink from the Well of Wisdom, so he wears a large floppy hat pulled low over his face, or drapes his long gray hair over the missing eye. He was said to wear a blue or gray cloak. Of course, as things tend to go in myths, the humans he encounters don't usually know who he was when he arrives on their doorsteps dressed this way. Some people treat their visitor poorly, while others treat him well, with predictable results.

Odin was said to have children by several different giantesses, including his most famous son, Thor. His wife, however, was Frigga, the goddess of marriage, motherhood, and the home. Odin and Frigga have a son named Balder.

When Odin goes to game, his special weapon was a spear named Gungnir. He sometimes travels on his eight-legged horse Sleipnir. He knows what's happening in the world of men because his two ravens Hugin and Munin (Thought and Memory) fly over the world each day, then come home to tell him what they've seen and heard.

"Odin" was this god's Scandinavian name. In Old Anglo-Saxon, his name was "Woden", from which we get our modern English word "Wednesday". In German, his name was "Wotan", and you will see him in Wagner's famous Ring Cycle operas. Although these is all names for the same god, his personality changes a little in these different Northern European subcultures: Wotan was more of a stern game general, while Odin was more of a politician.