Sam
TS Member
Reading Wodan: Mack's mythological masterpiece
It's not fair to say that Wodan Timburcoaster at Europa-Park is a ride based on, or themed around, Norse mythology. Although the Icelandic words, wooden carvings and atmospheric dioramas may initially seem like aesthetic window-dressing, on closer inspection the mythology and folklore of Northern Europe is woven so tightly into the ride that every element of the experience, from the queueline to the coaster, is inextricably linked to ancient stories of Scandinavian gods. They cannot be separated – neither the rollercoaster or its story would work if they were divorced. Together, they combine to create a powerful experience that has resonated well with guests. This is not mere 'theming'. It is a ride that is more than the sum of its parts, a ride that is more emotionally engaging than any mere rollercoaster has a right to be.
Have any other rides incorporated elements of mythology? Rides and spaces themed around Ancient Greece have become a staple for theme parks. Without the requirement for any background knowledge, everybody instantly recognises the cultural touchstones of the Greeks: Zeus, Poseidon, the columns of the Parthenon. Rides like Poseidon at Europa-Park and Tonnerre de Zeus at Parc Asterix use these symbols in quite a cartoon-like style. While they may be beautiful, they're rather obvious and clichéd, and they don't allow for much taxing of the brain or freedom of the imagination.
Pre-fab wooden poll-botherer Balder at Sweden's Liseberg may be named after the Norse god of beauty but that's about as far as the idea goes. Similarly, Gerstlauer bobsled coaster Thor's Hammer at Danish park Djurs Sommerland doesn't make it much further than a few tacky lightning bolts and longboats painted on the side of the cars. What is remarkable about Wodan is that not only does it draw inspiration from more obscure parts of Norse mythology that have made little impact on popular culture, it also actively rejects the more 'headline' aspects from the ancient religion. Hammer-wielding poster-boy Thor? Not a mention. Ancient indoor-arena Valhalla? Try Blackpool.
Yggdrasil, as depicted by Heine (1886).
One of the most obvious references the ride makes to mythology is also probably missed by most. The name – Wodan – is a pun. The first undeniable meaning is the similarity to the English word 'wooden', and although it is a German theme park, most of the big rollercoaster names are in English. You can be sure that every park guest will understand the Wodan/wooden connection. This simple pidgen-English title, and the subtitle 'Timbur Coaster' is probably marking the significance of it being the park's first wooden coaster after ten steel ones. Compared to other parks with a high number of coasters, Europa are quite late to the modern woodie game. 1991's Mean Streak was the seventh to be built of Cedar Point's currently operating rollercoasters, while Magic Mountain's Colossus is the fourth oldest ride in the park. After thirty-seven years, it's not surprising that the park are proud enough of their first wooden rollercoaster to give it a simple, eponymous title.
The second meaning of the name though, is the Old Saxon spelling – Wôdan – of Norse super-god and father of Thor, Odin. He is our popular image of a Norse god that has been solidified by the Lord of the Rings books – elderly and wise, with a sturdy wooden staff, a round-brimmed hat and a flowing beard that became the standard look for wise old men in literature and the movies from Gandalf to Dumbledore. It's clear why EP would want to associate their mighty, powerful and imposing new ride with such a figure. The ride seems to embody his characteristics, both physical and personal. Amongst his other duties, he is the god of war and conflict, and as the coaster plunges down its first drop into an underground tunnel, it feels borderline apocalyptic.
Although it's not explicit, the ride experience does seem to centre around conflict, some kind of battle. The Milly Flyer trains roll out of the station like they're beginning a conquest, and the galumphing score sounds like a call to arms. In the station, the head-turning figures are wearing warrior helmets and carrying spears. Written triumphantly on the side of the station is not the name of the ride, but the word 'ASGARD'. Asgard, or Ásgarðr, is one of the nine worlds centred around the mighty tree Yggdrasil, and is ruled over by Odin, or Wôdan, as he is also known.
Odin, as depicted by Carl Emil Doepler (1880).
Yggdrasil, I think, is key to understanding the link between the ride's Norse theme and its hardware. In the stories of the Norse, Yggdrasil is a colossal tree that links all nine worlds together, from the underworld of Hel, to Mímir's well, both represented in the queueline. Verse 47 of the definitive English translation of Voluspo, one of the most important constituent poems of the Poetic Edda, describes the tree as follows (my brackets):
47. Yggdrasil shakes, | and shiver on high
The ancient limbs, | and the giant is loose;
To the head of Mim [Mímir] | does Othin [Odin or Wôdan] give heed,
But the kinsman of Surt | shall slay him soon.
The huge wooden structure that surrounds you and envelops you as you queue for the ride is Yggdrasil – the actual ride itself and its mammoth structure represent the tree that contains all worlds. Its endless roots stretch out, wrapping their serpentine tentacles around the entire world, from Portugal to modern Iceland. And of course, as the trains thunder around the track, EP's Yggdrasil does indeed “shake” and “shiver on high.” Are we, the riders, the “kinsman of Surt”, dispatched to slay Mímir? When the train rolls off the lifthill, it certainly feels as if a “giant is loose”.
Although the ride doesn't push a story explicitly onto riders, the references and links are easy to find if you're looking. As your Milly Flyer rolls off the chainlift and crest the turnaround, you might be lucky enough to pass between a burst of flame from the twin fire wolves that crown the structure. The tips of their snouts, bolstered by a pair of flamethrowers, are the highest points of the entire ride, and when they flare at night they are beacons that can be seen from across the park. These fire wolves probably do not represent specific characters from any previously-existing Norse material, but they could be a portmanteau of fire god Loki and his feared wolf son, Fenrir.
Hel.
Before we even board the ride, walking through the queueline, we encounter various suggestions that we are moving between the nine worlds, while always being nestled safely in the bosom of Yggdrasil. The cave-like setting of the first section of indoor queue indicates that we are in Helheim, the underworld that can be regarded as an equivalent of Hell in Judeo-Christian traditions. The focal point, the very core of the ride is defined by its structure. At the base of the supports for the turnaround and first drop, the plummeting parallel lines fuse into one around a small circle. Here, at the epicentre of this sprawling ride sits Hel herself, daughter of Loki, and the empress of Helheim. In numerous depictions of her over centuries, we see her sitting on an unadorned throne, as she does at EP. In one hand she holds a skull, with its obvious associations, and in the other an hourglass, reminding us of the time we have left before death.
The Ice Giant.
In Snorri Sturluson's Prose Edda, she is described as being “half black and half flesh-coloured”, as she appears at EP. Her human side is highlighted by the detailing of her eye, the pupil and the iris, where there is simply a blank space on the other. In Grímnismál (reference), Hel is described as living at the base of three roots of the mighty tree Yggdrasil. There is a clear parallel here with her position at EP, where she sits at the base of the highest parts of Wodan's massive structure – the wooden branches of the ride soar, tree-like, above her and all around her. After meeting Hel, we venture back inside and enter Niflheimr, the ice world of nine frozen rivers. Niflheimr is described in the glossary of The Ásatrú Edda: Sacred Lore of the North thus:
Niflheimr (NIV-l-haym-r) “Mist-Home”, “The World of Fog or Mist”. The name for the
land of cold in the far north of Jörmundgrund. Its primordial frost blended with southern
elements of warmth, nurtured by the well of wisdom, Mimisbrunnr, to create life.
In Wodan's queueline, this is represented by the arctic blue room, with light emanating from the crystals above, which almost seem to be causing the roof to collapse. Niflheimr is one of the 'lower' of the nine worlds, so the light above could represent Asgard above, ruled over by Wôdan. But of course, the ceiling does not collapse, as a mighty figure is holding it up with what looks like the strength of Atlas, carrying the world on his shoulders. This is undoubtedly one of the Frost Giants, of which there are many in Norse mythology. Continuing along a corridor, guests arrive at Niflheimr's counterpoint, the fire realm of Muspelheim. Here we meet a pair of towering Fire Giants, each in a suit of armour and grasping a sword.
Asgard.
Our final stop before ascending to the ride station is Mímisbrunnr, or the Well of Mímir, and it is the climactic scene of the queueline. Mímir is an immensely wise and knowledgeable being, who is decapitated by Wôdan during a war between two rival sets of gods. We meet Mímir, or to be more precise, Mímir's face, dispensing wisdom from his well underneath Yggdrasil. An event that takes place here has been written into modern English by Byock (2006) and is described like this:
'As these events occur, Heimdall stands up and blows the Gjallarhorn with all his strength.
He wakens all the gods, who then hold an assembly. Odin now rides to Mimir's Well, seeking
Mimir's counsel for both himself and his follower. The ash Yggdrasil shakes, and nothing,
whether in heaven or on earth, is without fear.”
And, just as in that text, as we stand in the queueline immediately before the Well, we periodically hear a mighty horn, followed by the rattling and shaking of wood, as if the whole world around us is about to collapse. It's probably no coincidence that at this moment, we are right under the mechanisms of Wodan, or Odin, itself. From this room we ascend along with our fellow guests to Asgard, home of Odin. I think there is a chance that the actual ride itself represents Æsir–Vanir, the rival god war mentioned above in which Mímir so unfortunately loses his body.
The face of Mímir.
As is probably patently obvious, I know next to nothing about Norse mythology. It's extremely complex, with hundreds of characters, and dozens of plot-lines interwoven into indecipherable knots. It makes the plot of the Bible look relatively straightforward in comparison. It's obvious that the designers of Wodan undertook some serious research into the themed elements of the ride. Whether they just took random ideas from the mythology and dotted them throughout the experience, or if the ride actually represents a specific story from those 13th century epic poems, I cannot say. It would probably take a real expert on the Norse – or an interview with the ride designers – to work that one out.
All I can do is point out some of the ride's symbolic elements and have a vague stab at what they're supposed to represent. If anyone out there is an expert on the Norse, or knows somebody who is, then it'd be great if you could enlighten us – I've probably got it all ass-backwards. But if nothing else, I hope my ham-fisted attempt at 'reading' this ride demonstrates the awe-inspiring amount of thought that has gone into it. Where other rides go for the jugular, and hit you with the 'wow factor', Wodan really does allow you to engage your brain with it, if you choose to. If you don't, and just want to take the beautiful theming at face value, then that's fine too. There really is nothing like it.
It's not fair to say that Wodan Timburcoaster at Europa-Park is a ride based on, or themed around, Norse mythology. Although the Icelandic words, wooden carvings and atmospheric dioramas may initially seem like aesthetic window-dressing, on closer inspection the mythology and folklore of Northern Europe is woven so tightly into the ride that every element of the experience, from the queueline to the coaster, is inextricably linked to ancient stories of Scandinavian gods. They cannot be separated – neither the rollercoaster or its story would work if they were divorced. Together, they combine to create a powerful experience that has resonated well with guests. This is not mere 'theming'. It is a ride that is more than the sum of its parts, a ride that is more emotionally engaging than any mere rollercoaster has a right to be.
Have any other rides incorporated elements of mythology? Rides and spaces themed around Ancient Greece have become a staple for theme parks. Without the requirement for any background knowledge, everybody instantly recognises the cultural touchstones of the Greeks: Zeus, Poseidon, the columns of the Parthenon. Rides like Poseidon at Europa-Park and Tonnerre de Zeus at Parc Asterix use these symbols in quite a cartoon-like style. While they may be beautiful, they're rather obvious and clichéd, and they don't allow for much taxing of the brain or freedom of the imagination.
Pre-fab wooden poll-botherer Balder at Sweden's Liseberg may be named after the Norse god of beauty but that's about as far as the idea goes. Similarly, Gerstlauer bobsled coaster Thor's Hammer at Danish park Djurs Sommerland doesn't make it much further than a few tacky lightning bolts and longboats painted on the side of the cars. What is remarkable about Wodan is that not only does it draw inspiration from more obscure parts of Norse mythology that have made little impact on popular culture, it also actively rejects the more 'headline' aspects from the ancient religion. Hammer-wielding poster-boy Thor? Not a mention. Ancient indoor-arena Valhalla? Try Blackpool.
Yggdrasil, as depicted by Heine (1886).
One of the most obvious references the ride makes to mythology is also probably missed by most. The name – Wodan – is a pun. The first undeniable meaning is the similarity to the English word 'wooden', and although it is a German theme park, most of the big rollercoaster names are in English. You can be sure that every park guest will understand the Wodan/wooden connection. This simple pidgen-English title, and the subtitle 'Timbur Coaster' is probably marking the significance of it being the park's first wooden coaster after ten steel ones. Compared to other parks with a high number of coasters, Europa are quite late to the modern woodie game. 1991's Mean Streak was the seventh to be built of Cedar Point's currently operating rollercoasters, while Magic Mountain's Colossus is the fourth oldest ride in the park. After thirty-seven years, it's not surprising that the park are proud enough of their first wooden rollercoaster to give it a simple, eponymous title.
The second meaning of the name though, is the Old Saxon spelling – Wôdan – of Norse super-god and father of Thor, Odin. He is our popular image of a Norse god that has been solidified by the Lord of the Rings books – elderly and wise, with a sturdy wooden staff, a round-brimmed hat and a flowing beard that became the standard look for wise old men in literature and the movies from Gandalf to Dumbledore. It's clear why EP would want to associate their mighty, powerful and imposing new ride with such a figure. The ride seems to embody his characteristics, both physical and personal. Amongst his other duties, he is the god of war and conflict, and as the coaster plunges down its first drop into an underground tunnel, it feels borderline apocalyptic.
Although it's not explicit, the ride experience does seem to centre around conflict, some kind of battle. The Milly Flyer trains roll out of the station like they're beginning a conquest, and the galumphing score sounds like a call to arms. In the station, the head-turning figures are wearing warrior helmets and carrying spears. Written triumphantly on the side of the station is not the name of the ride, but the word 'ASGARD'. Asgard, or Ásgarðr, is one of the nine worlds centred around the mighty tree Yggdrasil, and is ruled over by Odin, or Wôdan, as he is also known.
Odin, as depicted by Carl Emil Doepler (1880).
Yggdrasil, I think, is key to understanding the link between the ride's Norse theme and its hardware. In the stories of the Norse, Yggdrasil is a colossal tree that links all nine worlds together, from the underworld of Hel, to Mímir's well, both represented in the queueline. Verse 47 of the definitive English translation of Voluspo, one of the most important constituent poems of the Poetic Edda, describes the tree as follows (my brackets):
47. Yggdrasil shakes, | and shiver on high
The ancient limbs, | and the giant is loose;
To the head of Mim [Mímir] | does Othin [Odin or Wôdan] give heed,
But the kinsman of Surt | shall slay him soon.
The huge wooden structure that surrounds you and envelops you as you queue for the ride is Yggdrasil – the actual ride itself and its mammoth structure represent the tree that contains all worlds. Its endless roots stretch out, wrapping their serpentine tentacles around the entire world, from Portugal to modern Iceland. And of course, as the trains thunder around the track, EP's Yggdrasil does indeed “shake” and “shiver on high.” Are we, the riders, the “kinsman of Surt”, dispatched to slay Mímir? When the train rolls off the lifthill, it certainly feels as if a “giant is loose”.
Although the ride doesn't push a story explicitly onto riders, the references and links are easy to find if you're looking. As your Milly Flyer rolls off the chainlift and crest the turnaround, you might be lucky enough to pass between a burst of flame from the twin fire wolves that crown the structure. The tips of their snouts, bolstered by a pair of flamethrowers, are the highest points of the entire ride, and when they flare at night they are beacons that can be seen from across the park. These fire wolves probably do not represent specific characters from any previously-existing Norse material, but they could be a portmanteau of fire god Loki and his feared wolf son, Fenrir.
Hel.
Before we even board the ride, walking through the queueline, we encounter various suggestions that we are moving between the nine worlds, while always being nestled safely in the bosom of Yggdrasil. The cave-like setting of the first section of indoor queue indicates that we are in Helheim, the underworld that can be regarded as an equivalent of Hell in Judeo-Christian traditions. The focal point, the very core of the ride is defined by its structure. At the base of the supports for the turnaround and first drop, the plummeting parallel lines fuse into one around a small circle. Here, at the epicentre of this sprawling ride sits Hel herself, daughter of Loki, and the empress of Helheim. In numerous depictions of her over centuries, we see her sitting on an unadorned throne, as she does at EP. In one hand she holds a skull, with its obvious associations, and in the other an hourglass, reminding us of the time we have left before death.
The Ice Giant.
In Snorri Sturluson's Prose Edda, she is described as being “half black and half flesh-coloured”, as she appears at EP. Her human side is highlighted by the detailing of her eye, the pupil and the iris, where there is simply a blank space on the other. In Grímnismál (reference), Hel is described as living at the base of three roots of the mighty tree Yggdrasil. There is a clear parallel here with her position at EP, where she sits at the base of the highest parts of Wodan's massive structure – the wooden branches of the ride soar, tree-like, above her and all around her. After meeting Hel, we venture back inside and enter Niflheimr, the ice world of nine frozen rivers. Niflheimr is described in the glossary of The Ásatrú Edda: Sacred Lore of the North thus:
Niflheimr (NIV-l-haym-r) “Mist-Home”, “The World of Fog or Mist”. The name for the
land of cold in the far north of Jörmundgrund. Its primordial frost blended with southern
elements of warmth, nurtured by the well of wisdom, Mimisbrunnr, to create life.
In Wodan's queueline, this is represented by the arctic blue room, with light emanating from the crystals above, which almost seem to be causing the roof to collapse. Niflheimr is one of the 'lower' of the nine worlds, so the light above could represent Asgard above, ruled over by Wôdan. But of course, the ceiling does not collapse, as a mighty figure is holding it up with what looks like the strength of Atlas, carrying the world on his shoulders. This is undoubtedly one of the Frost Giants, of which there are many in Norse mythology. Continuing along a corridor, guests arrive at Niflheimr's counterpoint, the fire realm of Muspelheim. Here we meet a pair of towering Fire Giants, each in a suit of armour and grasping a sword.
Asgard.
Our final stop before ascending to the ride station is Mímisbrunnr, or the Well of Mímir, and it is the climactic scene of the queueline. Mímir is an immensely wise and knowledgeable being, who is decapitated by Wôdan during a war between two rival sets of gods. We meet Mímir, or to be more precise, Mímir's face, dispensing wisdom from his well underneath Yggdrasil. An event that takes place here has been written into modern English by Byock (2006) and is described like this:
'As these events occur, Heimdall stands up and blows the Gjallarhorn with all his strength.
He wakens all the gods, who then hold an assembly. Odin now rides to Mimir's Well, seeking
Mimir's counsel for both himself and his follower. The ash Yggdrasil shakes, and nothing,
whether in heaven or on earth, is without fear.”
And, just as in that text, as we stand in the queueline immediately before the Well, we periodically hear a mighty horn, followed by the rattling and shaking of wood, as if the whole world around us is about to collapse. It's probably no coincidence that at this moment, we are right under the mechanisms of Wodan, or Odin, itself. From this room we ascend along with our fellow guests to Asgard, home of Odin. I think there is a chance that the actual ride itself represents Æsir–Vanir, the rival god war mentioned above in which Mímir so unfortunately loses his body.
The face of Mímir.
As is probably patently obvious, I know next to nothing about Norse mythology. It's extremely complex, with hundreds of characters, and dozens of plot-lines interwoven into indecipherable knots. It makes the plot of the Bible look relatively straightforward in comparison. It's obvious that the designers of Wodan undertook some serious research into the themed elements of the ride. Whether they just took random ideas from the mythology and dotted them throughout the experience, or if the ride actually represents a specific story from those 13th century epic poems, I cannot say. It would probably take a real expert on the Norse – or an interview with the ride designers – to work that one out.
All I can do is point out some of the ride's symbolic elements and have a vague stab at what they're supposed to represent. If anyone out there is an expert on the Norse, or knows somebody who is, then it'd be great if you could enlighten us – I've probably got it all ass-backwards. But if nothing else, I hope my ham-fisted attempt at 'reading' this ride demonstrates the awe-inspiring amount of thought that has gone into it. Where other rides go for the jugular, and hit you with the 'wow factor', Wodan really does allow you to engage your brain with it, if you choose to. If you don't, and just want to take the beautiful theming at face value, then that's fine too. There really is nothing like it.
