Járnsaxa ("Iron-knife") is a jötunn and the
mother of Thor’s son Magni. Mentioned briefly in Gylfaginning, her name suggests warrior-like qualities, possibly linking her to battle or ritual. Students should note that Thor’s unions with giantesses (like Járnsaxa and Skaði) produce heirs who survive Ragnarök, indicating the importance of hybrid divine–giant lineage in renewal myths. Though she has no independent myths, Járnsaxa’s role highlights Thor’s complex relationships with the jötnar—not just as enemies but as kin. In poetic analysis, "Járnsaxa’s son" identifies Magni and underscores inherited strength. Her name exemplifies how Norse myth uses evocative, weapon-related epithets for
female figures, challenging simplistic gender binaries in the mythological
record.