Everything You Need to Know About Hela in Marvel Rivals

Marvel Rivals draws power from every corner of the Marvel Universe—gods, monsters, heroes, and villains alike—and few characters embody power and fear Hela, the Asgardian Goddess of Death. With her control over the dead and the realms of Hel and Niflheim, Hela is one of the most dangerous mystical threats in existence, capable of bringing even the gods to their knees.

In Marvel Rivals, Hela steps onto the battlefield as a devastating villain who can deal massive damage in an instant with her enchanted blades. She’s a top-tier pick for players who want to dominate with dark magic and overwhelming precision.

This article explores Hela’s comic book origins, powers, and in-game abilities, offering a full breakdown of one of Marvel’s most terrifying divine beings.

Image: Marvel Comics

Who is Hela?

Hela first appeared in Journey into Mystery #102 (1964), created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. Based on the Norse goddess Hel, she is the daughter of Loki (in the original comics, not the MCU version) and the appointed ruler of Hel and Niflheim—realms that house the souls of Asgard’s dead.

While Odin grants her control over the underworld, Hela has long sought more power and dominion over all the Nine Realms, often clashing with Thor, Odin, and the Avengers in her quest to expand her rule.

Hela is both majestic and monstrous—a tragic and terrifying figure who commands the dead with unwavering control and seeks balance through conquest and inevitability.

Character Lore

The Goddess of Death

As the Asgardian Goddess of Death, Hela’s role is to guide the souls of Asgardians who do not fall in battle to the afterlife. She rules over Hel and Niflheim, but her ambition and disdain for Odin drive her to expand her dominion, especially into Valhalla, the realm of honored warriors.

Rivalry with Asgard

Hela’s most bitter conflict is with Thor and Odin, whom she sees as usurpers of her rightful power. She has battled Thor on numerous occasions, often pushing him to his limits. She even attempts to claim Odin’s soul as her ticket to ruling all of Asgard. Hela believes in balance through death, and she sees her actions not as evil but as inevitable—a cosmic truth that even gods must face.

The MCU Interpretation

In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Hela was reimagined as Odin’s firstborn, a conqueror goddess banished for her bloodlust (Thor: Ragnarok, 2017). While this differs from her comic book origin, the MCU version preserves her regal, terrifying nature, and her popularity introduced the character to a new generation of fans.

Image: Marvel Comics

Hela’s Powers and Abilities

Superhuman Asgardian Physiology

Like all Asgardians, Hela possesses enhanced strength, durability, speed, and reflexes. She is immortal and resistant to most forms of damage, capable of battling gods and cosmic beings.

Necromancy & Soul Manipulation

Hela can raise the dead, summoning undead Asgardian warriors to fight at her command. She can also trap souls, weaken her enemies by draining life force, or prevent fallen enemies from resurrecting.

Enchanted Weapon Conjuration

Her signature ability is the creation of Necroswords—black, bladed weapons she conjures from nothing. She can rapidly summon and hurl hundreds of blades, impaling enemies across vast distances. But what is truly terrifying is how these blades are strong enough to pierce through Thor’s armor and Asgardian flesh.

Her Story in Marvel Rivals

Hela seeks to expand her domain beyond the nether realms and into all time and space. When the Timestream Entanglement shattered and rewove realities, Hela saw an opportunity—not only to claim new souls but to harness the mysterious Chronovium left in the wake of these temporal disruptions. While her alliance with Loki was meant to further her reach into the realm of the living, her true ambition is to claim Yggsgard’s throne and eventually control all souls across the Ten Realms and beyond. Through her crows and spells, she collects Chronovium imbued with Hel's power, intent on using it to spread her influence not just spatially but through time itself.

When a symbiote emissary arrives from Knull, the dark god of the abyss, demanding the soul of a Celestial now trapped in Hel, Hela refuses. She asserts her rule, warning that what enters Hel becomes hers forever—even Knull. Though she releases the messenger, she sends a clear message in return: She is not intimidated. Preparing powerful enchantments with the Hel-infused Chronovium, Hela plans to conquer past, present, and future alike—ensnaring the living and dead as subjects of her endless army. The Ten Realms are merely her first step toward a far greater dominion.

Image: Marvel Comics

Essential Hela Comics

For fans looking to explore Hela’s most iconic appearances, here are some must-read comics:

Thor (1966–1996) by Stan Lee & Jack Kirby

• This is when Hela was introduced as part of Thor’s mythos, establishing her role as Goddess of Death and her ties to Hel.

The Mighty Thor (2011) by Matt Fraction & Pasqual Ferry

• This explores Hela’s conflicts with other underworld gods and her involvement in battles that test the boundaries of death itself.

Journey Into Mystery (2011) by Kieron Gillen

• This iconic series focuses on Loki’s rebirth. But his interactions with Hela showcase her manipulative and dangerous side.

Thor: God of Thunder (2012) by Jason Aaron & Esad Ribić

• While Hela isn’t the primary villain, this run deepens the Asgardian mythos, especially as it connects to the Necrosword, a weapon closely linked to her powers in later versions.

Angela: Queen of Hel (2015) by Marguerite Bennett

• Hela becomes a key figure as Angela challenges her for Hel, offering a unique take on her character and power struggle.

Hela is more than just a villain—she is a cosmic constant, a ruler of the dead, and one of the most fearsome sorcerers in the Marvel Universe. In Marvel Rivals, her presence is felt with every thrown blade, every summoned soul, and every dark curse she casts.

Whether you’re controlling the battlefield with necromantic magic, striking fear into your enemies, or unleashing waves of black blades, Hela is a force of death and inevitability that demands respect.