Figures

The beings who bring, survive, or judge the end: saviors, destroyers, and tricksters.

The ancient Egyptian serpent of chaos who attacks the sun god Ra every night and must be defeated to keep the world from ending.

The great wolf of Norse myth, bound by the gods yet fated to break free at Ragnarök and swallow the chief god Odin.

The Sumerian king whose quest for immortality leads him to the survivor of the flood, Utnapishtim, and the secret of why humans die.

The World-Serpent of Norse myth, cast into the sea by Odin, who encircles the earth and is fated to kill and be killed by Thor at Ragnarök.

The tenth and final avatar of Vishnu, who rides a white horse with a flaming sword to end the corrupt age and restore order.

The future Buddha who will descend when the teaching has faded, rediscover the lost Dharma, and restore an age of awakening.

The fire-giant of Muspelheim who leads the burning of the world with a sword of flame at Ragnarök.

The adversary and false counterpart of Christ in Christian thought, who appears at the end to deceive the world before being defeated.

The False Messiah of Islamic eschatology, a one-eyed deceiver who claims divinity and is slain by the returned Jesus at the end of days.