The Mind-Blowing Twist behind Laurits' Pet in Ragnarok Season 2

Summary

Laurits' pet, the tapeworm named Jörmungandr, plays a crucial role in setting up the end of the world in Ragnarok Season 3, just like in Norse mythology.

The arrival of Jörmungandr in the ocean foreshadows the impending apocalypse and the ultimate demise of Magne, who embodies the reincarnation of Thor.

The tapeworm represents the torment and illusions Magne undergoes, and conquering it signifies his healing and reintegration into a regular existence.

In the Netflix series Ragnarok, a surprising turn of events occurs when Laurits acquires a tapeworm and decides to keep it as a pet. During the climax of Season 2, Laurits, portrayed by Jonas Strand Gravli, releases his serpent companion into the ocean, a significant action that paves the way for the show's ultimate conclusion. Throughout the first two seasons, Ragnarok adopts a leisurely pace to intricately develop a reimagined mythology and delve into the motivations of its characters. In the second season, the focus primarily revolves around unraveling Laurits' true identity and the consequential shifts in loyalty brought about by the weight of this revelation.

Following substantial foreshadowing, Ragnarok uncovers the startling truth that Laurits' biological father is none other than Vidar, the head of the corrupt Jutul industries and also a giant. Despite growing up in a loving family, Laurits does not experience the same sense of belonging as his brother Magne, played by David Stakston, which further intensifies his crisis of identity. Upon discovering the truth, Laurits fully embraces his authentic self, made possible by the activation of his abilities as a half-giant. However, his emotional turmoil deepens when Magne accidentally kills Vidar during a confrontation.

What Is Laurits' Pet?

Laurits, represented by the mischievous god Loki, grapples with conflicting emotions and struggles to show where his true loyalties lie throughout Ragnarok. After losing his biological father and being rejected by Wotan Wagner, who embodies the powerful god Odin, Laurits injects himself with Odin's blood, fulfilling the prophecy of his divine and giant heritage. Subsequently, Laurits undergoes a medical procedure to remove a tapeworm, symbolically mirroring the birth of Jörmungandr, also known as the Midgard Serpent.

Jörmungandr, a formidable creature in Norse mythology, takes the form of a massive serpent and plays a crucial role in triggering Ragnarok, the apocalyptic event. As an ouroboros, Jörmungandr signifies a never-ending cycle of violence, destruction, and rebirth. This cyclic process commences when the serpent uncoils and makes its way towards land. Seeking solace amidst his growing torment, Laurits chooses to keep Jörmungandr as a pet, even though the serpent is initially much smaller in size.

How Does Laurits' Pet Set Up Ragnarok's End?

Laurits, facing Fjor and Ran Jutul, revealed a crucial detail: he possessed a weapon capable of leading to his brother Magne's demise. In Norse mythology, Magne is the reincarnation of Thor, the thunder god, and it is believed that he will engage in a fierce battle with the Midgard Serpent, ultimately defeating the snake but perishing in the process. The true intentions behind Laurits' revelation remain unclear - whether he genuinely desires Magne's death or if it was merely a strategy to prevent the Jutuls from killing him. Nevertheless, the act of releasing Jörmungandr into the frigid waters of Lake Edda signifies the beginning of the end in Season 2.

Despite Ragnarok's modern interpretation of gods and giants, elements of Norse mythology still shape the characters, albeit in a slightly modified manner. It is plausible that Jörmungandr's emergence may catalyze the apocalypse and lead to Magne's demise. However, given the concept of rebirth following destruction, it raises the question: could Magne return as another reincarnation on Earth? Additionally, what role might Laurits play in the grand scheme of things, and will he ever truly align himself with a particular side?

The Role Lauritis' Pet Plays In Season 3

The third season of Ragnarok completely flipped the story around, revealing that nothing was as it appeared. Jörmungandr's ultimate purpose was to bring about Magne's demise, just as it did for Thor in the infamous tale of Ragnarok. After Thor perishes while battling the serpent, the world would end and be reborn in a new form that no longer relied on the gods. This is what transpired, to an extent, in the conclusion of Ragnarok season 3. However, the season also highlighted that Magne owns a collection of comic books, including classic Thor issues featuring these very stories.

There exists a moment in Norse history where Baldur's death marks the catalyst for Ragnarok. Despite Odin's protection, this event was fated to occur, and in the finale, Magne witnesses Baldur being fatally shot in the chest. A heartbroken Laurits then commences his war against humanity, targeting his own brother, and he instructs Jörmungandr to kill Magne. Although Magne triumphs over Laurits' tapeworm, the serpent's venomous fang pierces his back, sealing his fate. Yet, it is not Magne who perishes, but rather his illusions. As the comic books revealed, the entirety of this story took place solely within Magne's mind as a coping mechanism for the loss of a loved one.

In Norse mythology, after being pierced by a tooth, Thor took nine steps and perished. However, the world was then reconstructed into a superior realm. Similarly, in the context of Ragnarok, Magne also took nine steps, resulting in the conclusion of ongoing conflicts and the end of Ragnarok itself. Subsequently, things returned to normal for Magne. While the show did not explicitly reveal whether all events occurred in Magne's imagination, it was evident that the final battle was a creation of his fractured mind. It is presumed that Magne, as a troubled youth, utilized his childhood idol, Thor, to construct his own trials and tribulations. If this interpretation holds true, Ragnarok portrays the journey of a young man who endured immense trauma, with the Ragnarok tapeworm serving as the final element in his healing process.