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Mythology vs Comicology: The Eye of Odin

My eye!
My eye!

For years the Eye of Odin has been used in both the comic and animated universe. According to legend, a well associated with the being Mímir, located beneath the world tree Yggdrasil. Mímisbrunnr is attested in the Poetic Edda, compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources, and the Prose Edda, written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson. Both sources relate that the god Odin once placed one of his eyes within the well. The Prose Edda details that well is located beneath one of three roots of the world tree Yggdrasil, a root that passes into the land of the frost jötnar where the primordial plane of Ginnungagap once existed. In addition, the Prose Edda relates that the water of the well contains much wisdom, and that Odin's eye sacrifice to the well was in exchange for a drink from it. In the most recent spin the Marvel Universe Odin, the All-father still carved out his own eye after hanging himself from Yggdrasil and piercing himself with his own spear in order to gain wisdom from the Well of Mimir. However, it was to find a way to stop his brother, Cul, better known as the Serpent from destroying Asgard instead of finding the eternal wisdom to better rule his people. In a way, there isn't too much rewriting of history, as the original sacrifice is still intact.

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