Sif

As the Goddess of Hunt and Harvest, Sif serves as a shield maiden for Asgard. She defends her realm from such villains as Mangog, Loki, and Surtur, and has even saved Thor from Hela, the Goddess of Death herself. Often she leads rescue missions, and fights alongside Thor, Balder, and the Warriors Three.

Her loyalty to protect Asgard extends to the All-Father Odin's favored son, Thor—"Who strikes at Thor must strike at Sif!" And while she and Thor often share romantic sentiments towards one another, Sif occasionally suffers the ache of love unrequited. Though her commitment never falters as an unending ally showcased through her uncanny strength, skill with a sword, and sacrificial nature for love of Thor and her homeland.

While her parentage is unknown, Sif is sister to the ever faithful Heimdall. Before becoming a shield maiden, she attended the Asgardian warrior's school as the only girl in her class.

In an act of childish jealousy, Loki cut Sif’s golden hair while she slept. The God of Mischief, fearing retribution, bargained with the dwarves Eitri and Brokk to fashion Sif new locks. However, because Loki reneged on their payment, the dwarves caused the hair to turn black when placed on her head.

Sif met Thor when they were both young after he rescued her from a pack of wolves. Afterward they were inseparable, growing up together, and having intermittent love affairs as they grew older. Sif was captured by the storm giants' King Rugga who traded her to Hela for immortality, but when Thor offered himself in his ally’s stead, the Death Queen was moved by his sacrifice and freed them both.

Sif and Thor spent years apart as she furthered her training. It was not until Thor battled The Unknown that the warrior woman came to his aid and helped him vanquish the beast.Like all Asgardians, Sif is extremely long-lived and immune to conventional disease. She has superhuman strength, able to lift 30 tons, and durability. Sif uses her enchanted sword to bypass space and move between dimensions. She sometimes rides a winged horse into battle.

While briefly serving as regent of Asgard, Sif possessed a small portion of the Odinpower. She formerly used the Norn Stones to trace an aura across space, levitate, teleport, become invisible, and create flashes of light. Sif is a skilled warrior, highly trained in combat and proficient with a sword and bow and arrow.

Anyone, demon, god or otherwise that seeks to harm or usurp the Asgardians and their leader, Odin the All-Father, is opposed to Sif's solemn duty as shield maiden. Such opponents include other immortals such as Loki, the God of Mischief, as well as various death gods and goddesses, and Surtur the fire demon.

Loki is directly responsible for Sif's golden hair being changed to a raven hue. His jealousy of adopted brother Thor causes constant turmoil landing Sif in a position of either saving or defending her love, and the rest of Asgard from his machinations. Such schemes include when Loki occupied Sif's body and cast her into that of a dying elderly mortal to survive Ragnarok; he also nearly forced mighty maiden to marry him in his attempts to rule Asgard and usurp Odin.

Loki isn't the last unwanted suitor that Sif has faced. The childlike Him, later Adam Warlock, and the vampire Dracula desired her as a mate and opted to either abduct her or turn her into a vampire, respectively.

As a warrior, Sif engages in many battles to protect Asgard and encounters such adversaries as Pluto, the Olympian death god, the Egyptian death god Seth, the Goddess of Death Hela, ruler of hell Mephisto, and all their respective minions.

Sif holds a candle for Thor and sometimes faces those who would use love spells to entrap him, like Amora the Enchantress and the goddess Lorelei.