Nidhogg (Níðhöggr)

    God of War Ragnarök offers players a chance to ally with (and more importantly fight) some of the most important gods and creatures in Norse mythology. Although getting killed by Thor just to have him bring you back to life because he's not done playing is pretty amazing, the fight with Nidhogg (need-hog) really takes the cake.

    Until this boss-fight, I had never heard of this extremely important creature in Norse mythology. Nidhogg is a dragon who gnaws at the roots of Yggrasil (The World Tree), which keeps the Nine Realms intact. By chewing its roots, Nidhogg is instilling chaos and attempting to destroy the cosmos. To counteract him, an eagle sits atop The World Tree while the squirrel Ratatoskr protects the balance.

    The video game makes this creature even more formidable. When players first meet Nidhogg, Freya has just severed the roots tying her to Vanaheim. When the last root is cut, Nidhogg tears a hole through the fabric of the cosmos and the boss-fight begins. While fighting, Nidhogg steps out from his hole and walks on air, creating small space voids to put his feet. This means the dragon is able to create his own leverage and can move anywhere, through anything. Nidhogg is also able to split his own body open, vacuum in debris, and shoot it out of his mouth as one, big projectile. 

    This beast is a force to be reckoned with and plays a significant role in the balance of the universe. I wish there was more literature containing stories about Nidhogg, but God of War Ragnarök developers made some terrific decisions to give the dragon a much needed story.