The Casket of Ancient Winters was a relic and weapon that once belonged to the Frost Giants of Jotunheim who used it to vanquish enemy armies and conquer enemy realms.
It is capable of producing and projecting an infinite icy wind that can freeze whole landscapes and plunge an entire world into an ice age. It was captured by the Einherjar of Asgard and sealed in Odin's Vault on the Pedestal of Fimbulvetr before being stolen by Loki.
It would later be destroyed along with the rest of Odin's Vault during the Destruction of Asgard.
History[]
Used by Laufey[]
In 965 A.D., Laufey of Jotunheim used the power of the Casket in an attempt to enslave Earth by causing a new Ice Age, but he was defeated in battle by Odin.[1]
Taken to Asgard[]
The Casket was taken by the Asgardians and brought to Asgard, where it was kept in Odin's Vault on the Pedestal of Fimbulvetr along with many other powerful relics.[1]
Used by Loki[]
During Thor's coronation, Frost Giants, with the aid of Loki, tried to steal the Casket, but they were vaporized by the Destroyer. When Loki began suspecting his origins as a Frost Giant, he picked up the Casket, which dispelled the magic that gave him his Asgardian appearance and revealed his true appearance.
Loki using the Casket to freeze the Bifrost Bridge to destroy Jotunheim
Loki soon took the Casket for himself; once he gained the throne of Asgard, he used the power of the Casket to freeze Heimdall, who was opposing him as a ruler. He then froze the Bifrost Bridge open with the Casket's power, so that the Bridge's energy would build until it destroyed Jotunheim, intending to please Odin and be named the rightful heir of Asgard. When Thor destroyed the Bridge with Mjølnir to prevent this from happening, Loki willingly fell into the black hole left behind, apparently taking the Casket with him.[1]
Sometime later, the Casket was recovered and returned to Odin's Vault.[2]
Destroyed[]
By the time Hela returned to Asgard in 2017, the Casket had been moved to a different, thicker pedestal in one of the vault's alcoves. Hela dismissed it as "weak" when she visited the vault. Shortly after, the Casket was destroyed, along with Odin's Vault, during the Destruction of Asgard.[2]
Alternate Universe Versions[]
Attack on S.H.I.E.L.D.[]
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To be added
Loki's Mischief[]
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To be added
Capabilities[]
When opened, it can reproduce the icy cold of Jotunheim. The casket can produce cold ranging from a concentrated beam that can freeze individual enemies, to a large vortex of icy wind that can freeze an entire landscape. It is thought to only be held by a Frost Giant, while it inflicts freezing burns on others who so much as touch it, while the Asgardians, who took the Casket, managed to touch it without harm.
When Loki used the Casket's powers, it revealed his true nature as a Frost Giant. He also demonstrated being able to cause the Casket to gradually, but rapidly appear and then disappear into thin air when he used it to freeze Heimdall, though he has not demonstrated this since.
Despite its immense power, Hela merely scoffed at the casket, deeming it a weak relic.
Alternate Versions[]
| Origin | Status | Creators | Owners | Users |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avengers Assassinated Universe | Active | Frost Giants | Frost Giants (formerly) Asgardians |
Loki |
| Mangog Unleashed Universe | Active | Frost Giants | Frost Giants (formerly) Asgardians |
- |
| Worldkiller Attack Universe | Active | Frost Giants | Frost Giants (formerly) Asgardians |
- |
| Rock Troll Invasion Universe | Active | Frost Giants | Frost Giants (formerly) Asgardians |
- |
| Thor | Active | Frost Giants | Frost Giants (formerly) Asgardians |
- |
| Thor: Movie Storybook | Active | Frost Giants | Frost Giants (formerly) Asgardians |
- |
| Avengers Initiative Acceptee Tony Stark Universe | Active | Frost Giants | Frost Giants (formerly) Asgardians |
- |
| Manhattan Avengers Compound Universe | Active | Frost Giants | Frost Giants (formerly) Asgardians |
Loki |
Appearances[]
| Appearances for Casket of Ancient Winters |
|---|
|
In chronological order:
In an indefinite temporality:
|
Trivia[]
- In the comics, the Casket had the power to bring about "Fimbulwinter," a great winter that preceded Ragnarök.
