In the legendary kingdom of Elbaph, few artifacts command as much reverence and fear as Ragnir a name that translates to "Iron Thunder." But this is no ordinary weapon. Ragnir is a colossal warhammer brought to life through the mysterious power of a Zoan-type Devil Fruit, granting it the ability to transform into a giant squirrel and, most remarkably, the gift of sentience.
A Guardian's Century-Long Vigil
For hundreds of years, Ragnir served as the unwavering guardian of Elbaph's most precious treasure: a legendary Devil Fruit locked away in the depths of Aurust Castle. During this time, the living hammer judged every warrior who dared approach, deeming none worthy of claiming the national treasure. Its standards remained impossibly high, turning away even the mightiest of Elbaph's giants until fourteen years ago, when Prince Loki finally proved himself in combat.
The Hammer's Formidable Design
In its base form, Ragnir is a sight to behold. The weapon's sheer scale befits Loki's stature as an ancient giant, with a rectangular hammerhead crafted from bluish-gray metal that resembles an oversized sledgehammer. The comparatively thin handle, wrapped in white bandages, extends from a raised plate at the head's center and is long enough for a secure two-handed grip.
When Ragnir transforms into its Beast Form, it becomes an enormous squirrel roughly the size of the chest that once contained Elbaph's legendary Devil Fruit. The creature sports a plump body with a magnificently large rolled-up tail, three whiskers on each cheek, and prominent buckteeth. Its light-colored fur is adorned with distinctive dark dorsal stripes a thick central stripe flanked by narrow rows of outward-facing triangles that run from tail to head, tapering to a point between its eyes. In what appears to be a hybrid form, Ragnir can manifest its full-sized hammerhead protruding from atop its squirrel head.
A Sentient Weapon with Standards
Though seemingly incapable of speech, Ragnir possesses full sentience and unwavering dedication to its purpose. For centuries, it repelled every challenger who sought Elbaph's treasured Devil Fruit, its high standards for worthiness unmet until Loki bested the hammer in combat. When the prince finally proved himself worthy, Ragnir became overjoyed at having found someone fit to inherit the treasure. The hammer immediately surrendered the fruit to Loki and pledged its loyalty, becoming his personal weapon and remaining by his side ever since.
Power Beyond Measure
As King Harald once remarked, the Devil Fruit remained uneaten for hundreds of years not because people didn't try, but because Ragnir deemed no one worthy. The hammer's guardianship speaks to both its formidable combat prowess and its remarkable longevity, the source of which remains a mystery.
Even the legendary Prince Loki was stalled for a considerable time during their first encounter. Though Ragnir was ultimately defeated, Loki's previous hammer was destroyed in the process a testament to the living weapon's incredible durability. When Loki's old warhammer struck Ragnir with a full-force blow infused with Supreme King Haki, the living hammer was merely knocked into its squirrel form and left with a bump on its head, while Loki's weapon shattered completely.
When wielded as a weapon, Ragnir reaches its true potential. Its reputation has made even a brainwashed King Harald covet its power, and the hammer proves especially fearsome in Loki's hands. As Hajrudin's apprehension at seeing his younger brother wield it suggests, Ragnir is no ordinary weapon. Loki himself has noted that Hajrudin would be unable to lift the hammer, hinting at its innate unwieldiness that allows no one but Loki to wield it effectively.
The hammer possesses overwhelming mass in its weapon form, capable of bearing down on stone with enough force to smash straight through castle floors. This combination of durability and destructive power makes Ragnir a truly legendary artifact.
The Devil Fruit Connection
Ragnir's abilities stem from a Zoan-type Devil Fruit that allows it to transform between its hammer form, a giant squirrel, and a hybrid state at will. This power granted the hammer sentience and the ability to move independently, effectively allowing it to wield itself a terrifying prospect for any opponent.
Elemental Mastery
Perhaps Ragnir's most devastating feature is its ability to serve as a medium for elemental summoning. Through the hammer, Loki can harness at least two elements: lightning and ice, though the exact nature and extent of this power remains unclear.
Lightning: By striking a surface with Ragnir, Loki can instantly summon thunderclouds that send massive lightning bolts crashing down on the hammer-struck location. The attack can be performed consecutively, and the lightning often starts large fires wherever it strikes particularly dangerous on Elbaph given the Treasure Tree Adam's vulnerability to lightning and flame. After summoning lightning, the entire hammer becomes cloaked in electricity, shocking anyone who comes near.
Ice: When channeling ice, cold air swirls around Ragnir. Upon striking a target, Loki can instantly flash-freeze his opponent solid. This technique, called Niflheim (meaning "Primordial World"), was first seen when Loki used it to freeze a gigantic Draugr monster in Elbaph's Underworld. The move encases enemies in a thick layer of ice with a single hammer blow a devastating finishing technique.
A Tragic History
Long ago, after consuming its Zoan Devil Fruit and gaining sentience, Ragnir was entrusted with guarding Elbaph's national treasure. For hundreds of years, the living hammer judged countless warriors, finding none worthy.
Fourteen years ago, everything changed. Prince Loki ventured to acquire the legendary Devil Fruit at his father's behest, intending to prevent King Harald from eating it while under the effects of Imu's brainwashing. When Loki opened the treasure chamber door, Ragnir launched itself at the prince, barely missing and breaking a pillar instead. The hammer continued its assault, maneuvering independently to attack Loki and thwart his attempts to claim the fruit.
The battle culminated in a clash between Ragnir and Loki's own hammer a clash that finally overpowered the guardian. Forced into its squirrel form and slightly dazed, Ragnir made its judgment: Loki was worthy. The hammer became ecstatic as Loki consumed Elbaph's treasured fruit and transformed for the first time. Shortly after, in one of the most tragic moments in Elbaph's history, a weeping Loki used Ragnir to strike down his father, Harald.
Six years ago, when Shanks captured Loki and brought him back to Elbaph, Ragnir remained at the giant's side as he was chained to the Treasure Tree Adam a loyal weapon even in its master's imprisonment.
Recent Events
When Monkey D. Luffy and Roronoa Zoro nearly freed Loki from his chains, the prince immediately reached for Ragnir. Threatening to destroy Elbaph if his last restraint wasn't removed, Loki struck the Treasure Tree Adam, summoning lightning that ignited a fire in Elbaph's Underworld. The threat proved to be a bluff, however, as Loki collapsed from injuries previously inflicted by Shamrock and released the hammer.
Later, after recounting the events that led to his father's death, Loki was finally freed from his shackles. When a giant Draugr monster fell into the Underworld, Loki volunteered to handle the threat before joining others in the Sun Realm. He leaped at the creature, struck it with Ragnir, and used Niflheim to freeze it solid in ice a demonstration of both his and the hammer's formidable power.
Mythological Connections
Ragnir draws rich inspiration from Norse mythology, befitting its role in the giant kingdom of Elbaph:
The name itself appears to be a portmanteau of "Rag-" from Ragnarök (the prophesied end of the world in Norse myth) and "-nir" from Mjölnir (Thor's legendary hammer). The kanji meaning "Iron Thunder" and Ragnir's lightning-summoning abilities directly reference Mjölnir, though unlike Thor's weapon traditionally described as a small sledgehammer with a short handle designed for throwing Ragnir is a massive two-handed warhammer.
The ice attack Niflheim takes its name from the primordial realm of ice in Norse cosmology, one of the Nine Realms that existed at the beginning of creation.
Ragnir's squirrel form may reference Ratatoskr, a squirrel from Norse myth that lived on Yggdrasil and scurried up and down the world tree relaying messages (and insults) between the eagle in the treetops and the dragon-serpent at the roots. Fittingly, Ragnir was first seen alongside Loki, who was chained to the base of Elbaph's giant Adam Tree.
Based on the dorsal stripes visible in its squirrel form, Ragnir might be inspired by the Siberian chipmunk, a species native to northern Asia, including northern Japan.
Legacy
Ragnir stands as more than just a weapon it represents the pinnacle of Elbaph's warrior culture, a living testament to the kingdom's values of strength, worthiness, and honor. From its centuries-long guardianship to its role in one of the nation's most tragic moments, the living hammer has been inextricably linked to Elbaph's fate. As both Loki's loyal companion and a fearsome instrument of war, Ragnir continues to shape the destiny of giants and all who dare challenge the might of Elbaph.
