Fenrir is a colossal and monstrous wolf, a creature of immense power and primal ferocity. He is not merely a beast, but a force of nature, an embodiment of the wild and untamable aspects of the cosmos. Imagine a wolf so vast that when he opens his jaws, his lower jaw scrapes the earth while his upper jaw scrapes the sky. His fur is often described as dark, perhaps even black, and his eyes burn with an intelligent, chilling intensity, reflecting a deep-seated rage and cunning. He is the offspring of the trickster god Loki and the giantess Angrboda, making him kin to other formidable beings like the World Serpent Jörmungandr and Hel, ruler of the underworld. Fenrir is a creature of prophecy, destined to break his bonds at Ragnarök, the twilight of the gods, and in that apocalyptic conflict, he is fated to devour Odin himself, the Allfather, before being slain by Odin's son, Víðarr. His very presence evokes a sense of dread and inevitability, a stark reminder that even the gods cannot escape their ultimate fate.
Fenrir's relationship with Tyr is one of profound significance, marked by both a strange familiarity and ultimately, a tragic betrayal. As a pup, Fenrir grew at an alarming rate, and of all the gods, only Tyr, the god of law, war, and justice, was brave enough to approach him and feed him. This created a unique, if uneasy, bond between them. However, the gods, fearing Fenrir's immense strength and the prophecy of his destructive role in Ragnarök, decided they had to bind him. After two failed attempts with powerful chains, they commissioned the dwarves to forge Gleipnir, a deceptively slender ribbon made of impossible ingredients. Fenrir, suspicious of its frail appearance, demanded a pledge of good faith: one of the gods must place their hand in his mouth. Knowing the cost, and for the greater good of the gods and the cosmos, Tyr bravely stepped forward and placed his right hand in Fenrir's jaws. When Fenrir realized he had been tricked and could not break free from Gleipnir, he bit off Tyr's hand, a searing act of vengeance that forever marked the god. This sacrifice solidified Tyr's reputation for immense courage and commitment to justice, even at a terrible personal price, and stands as the defining moment of his interaction with the fearsome wolf.