Marvel’s ‘Thor Love and Thunder‘, directed by Taika Waititi not only featured Jane Foster as Lady Thor for the first time but also Thor’s magical goats who pull his royal chariot. The goats first caught everyone’s eye in the film’s trailers and other promotional materials.

In the film, they are given as gifts to Thor for helping a tribe protect the sanctity of their temple, despite their god having been slain. 

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Who Are Tanngrisnir and Tanngnjóstr?

The names – Tanngrisnir translates roughly as “teeth barer or snarler,” while Tanngnjóstr is literally “tooth grinder.” 

The characters Toothgnasher and Toothgrinder first debuted in a Marvel comic in 1976’s Thor Annual 5. They were created by Steve Englehart and John Buscema. At the withers, or shoulders, the couple stands about 6 feet tall and weighs roughly 1700 pounds. These goats are more stronger than the typical goat in addition to being the magnificent big boys that they are (even with size adjustment accounted for). The goats harmed even Mjolnir’s nearly indestructible uru metal.

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Their principal duty is to tow Thor’s chariot. Thor normally leaves the goats to guard and carry others safely through the cosmos because he himself can fly with the use of his hammer. Both are able to fly between the ten kingdoms.

The goats have their roots in Norse mythology, just as many other components of the comic book Thor. A number of Norse gods rode in chariots drawn by animal familiars. 

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They carried Thor anywhere he desired and were originally called Tanngrisnir (Toothgnasher) and Tanngnjóstr (Toothgrinder). When he needed meat, Thor would also boil them and consume their flesh. Thor utilised the power of Mjolnir to bring them back to life each morning after eating them. If their bones are shattered when eating, they just sustain injury.

Zack Stentz, the original screenwriter for ‘Thor’, attempted to include the goats belonging to Odinson way back on 2009. The screenwriter wrote on Twitter –  “we proposed Thor riding to battle in his goat chariot pulled by Tanngrisnir and Tanngnjóstr back in 2009, and Feige and company looked at us like we were nuts. Now there they are in the Love and Thunder trailer!”