I am sure most people are familiar with Iguin and Qifrey connection. Whether twin, clone or something else. But i think i found something that closer to be called 'evidence' or 'important detail' for this connection, this mytology and Qifreys origin. Its long but stick with me, anyway.
All this search started with one youtube video, made by 'Anime Balls Deep'. They talked about Qifrey and Iguin's possible connection so i had to dig in harder.
Freá, Fro, Yngvi, Ing, Ingui, *Fraujaz Ingwaz
The Old Norse name for the god of fertility, peace, and prosperity is Freyr. However, in Old Norse texts (such as Snorri Sturluson's Ynglinga saga in the Prose Edda), he is frequently referred to as Yngvi-Freyr.
When you look at the name on Google, you will see the name has several different readings or pronounces. Yngvi can be read as Ing, Ingui, Igui etc. It is very close to 'Iguin'. And Frey is very (Q-frey) similar to Qifrey.
Yngvi is the old ancient name and Frey means 'lord' so it is more like a title, in norse mytology. Basically, Yngvi and Frey are actually same person. Its name just changed later. Sometimes, he is called Frey, and other times Ing-Frey or Yngvi-Frey. It is like, Iguin and Qifrey combined.
Of course, this immediately brought up the idea of 'clon theory' but this is just the beginning. And I kinda found it interesting that Ing name is more like origin name, ancestor name while Frey is more like dehumanized 'nickname. Maybe, Iguin was the name of 'origin body' and Qifrey was clone.
Bonus detail: And since we dig into this name topic, i have to mention how every wha character has repeatition in their name (whether its how they are read as japanese or more), including Iguin. Everyone except Qifrey. Interesting, isnt it? As if story is already hinting us that Qifrey is the outsider to everyone. As if he isnt part of this world or maybe someone who wasnt supposed to exist or live.
This lead me to think: If clon theory is true, i believe Qifrey is Iguin's clone. Another detail, Iguin have no interest for Qifrey. Usually, 'abandonded children' would resent 'golden child' but instead, we see opposite. Iguin doesnt seem to care much for Qifrey. Because he isnt 'important' for them/him. It fits the narrative of 'failed experiment'.
Part 2: General knowledge about Ing-Frey
Now who is this Ing-Frey in norse mythology?
Freyr was the Norse god of fertility, peace, and good weather. He was worshipped widely to bring personal virility and good weather for crops.
Frey is god-like existence. God of fertility, harvest. Interesting, isnt it? Kinda similar to silverwood story and how its used to serve witches. This connection might be symbolic or literally since it is a fantasy world with mysterious creatures.
Freyr was one of the most widely and passionately venerated divinities amongst the heathen Norse and other Germanic peoples. One Old Norse poem calls him “the foremost of the gods” and “hated by none.”[1] The reasons for this aren’t hard to understand.
It shouldn’t be surprising, then, that Freyr was a frequent recipient of sacrifices at various occasions, such as the blessing of a wedding[4] or the celebration of a harvest. During harvest festivals, the sacrifice traditionally took the form of his favored animal, the boar.
Harvest, sacrifice, rituals...Remember the graveyard Iguin was standing on. There were hundreds of graves as if they were sacrificed to gain magic ink. We know how 'blood' makes forbidden magic and Qifrey was literally found in the cabin. As if he was one of the source of harvest or something to be experimented on.
Freyr’s residence is Alfheim, the homeland of the elves.[8] This could mean that Freyr is the ruler of the elves, but since this is never stated explicitly in the surviving sources, it must remain a fascinating conjecture. The relationship between the gods and the elves is sufficiently ambiguous to allow for a number of possible connections between Freyr and the elves.
Another one of Freyr’s signature possessions is his ship, Skíðblaðnir, which always has a favorable wind and can be folded up and carried in a small bag.[9] Its name, which means “Assembled from Pieces of Thin Wood,” suggests that it served as the mythological archetype of ships that were constructed for particular ritual purposes and were never meant to be seaworthy.
This is where Frey's connection to elves starts. While Frey was known to be 'good god who brings peace', elves are mentioned as more opposite way. Even though, Frey was described as 'the lord of elves'.
(There is also a detail of his death. Being burnt to death by big fire creature. But i hope not--)
Before we get to the elves, i would like to mention the famous 'missing eye' from norse mythology.
This story is and might be connected to two different character story.
Odin is god of sea. Just like the certain king, king of island, Dean who is ready to do anything to discover the secrets. And he has a very one eye bandach on his head. His similarity to Odin is basically this. Odin talked with Mimiri, the wise one (or Beldaruit). He wanted wisdom to know it all and to achieve that he had to sacrifice one of his eyes. Story symbolize how big things have big sacrifices. (Also later in story, Odin beheades wise one but i really hope this doesnt happen to Beldaruit).
And this is where this story connected to Iguin and Qifrey. There is a picture of Odin with one eye inside of tree. Its like he was trapped there. Maybe he died or he became the tree. Maybe he is the mysterious person Thristas tried to revive.
Then here comes the Qifrey and Iguin. Iguin define himself as the eye of the world. As if he is the Odin who gained wisdom but then, why Qifrey is the one missing eye? Why he is the main trial? Why they need his eye for their main plan? Maybe that is the 'eye that gave them what they needed about forbidden magic'. Maybe they try to revive some dark magician by using his eye so they can learn about ancient magic and maybe its a cult thing. And just like in mythology, eye is inside of tree maybe. Its hidden in there. Story is about Odin's journey to the well of wisdom or power.
And there are some pictures drawn as a man is inside of the tree. Maybe thats someone who gave Odin the power. It looks familar, isnt it? Just like the hosts of silverwood.
What are Iguin and Qifrey? Clones of some dead man? Or maybe, Iguin is that dead man who got what he wanted. Then what is Qifrey. Maybe Qifrey was some empty dead body. Remember the twin bottle magic? Same essence, everything inside the same and if you add something to one, the other one would get that something too. (This also kind of explain why Qifrey is so strong despite having very slim body).
This also remind of me changler story in norse mytology. Its about how elves would kidnap babies and replace them with wood.
And this kidnapping baby story also gave me another theory. There is a child Thristas carried, similar to Qifreys clothing or maybe that child was Iguin or someone else. But this happenned in ancient time, centuries ago so what if they put child in coffin for them to time travel to future? It is magic world, it makes sense.
Then why is that child? Is that child important to that witch or maybe something else. Then it reminded me of the theory that 'Qifrey is coming from royal origin'. He has a lot of similarities to the dead king in legends and current king Dean. Yes, it would mean 'Qifrey is king Dean's grand-grand-grand father/relative, his ancient. Or if Iguin is the original missing prince or king, then it means Qifrey is like their grand-...grand-grand-fathers clone.
I think this would explain Qifrey and Iguin story. And interestingly, it would mean that Dean was just like his grand-...-father who would do anything to gain wisdom. Or maybe they are written to be parallels. And remember, brimhats were trying to reach the king.
The earliest preserved description of elves comes from Norse mythology. In Old Norse they are called álfr, plural álfar. Although the concept itself is not entirely clear in surviving texts and records, elves appear to have been understood as powerful and beautiful human-sized beings. They are commonly referred to collectively as semi-divine beings associated with fertility as well as the cult of the ancestors. As such, elves appear similar to the animistic belief in spirits of nature and of the deceased, common to nearly all human religions; something that is true also for the Old Norse belief in fylgjur and vörðar ("follower" and "warden" spirits, respectively).
God of elves, aka the Freyr. Whether its Frey or elves, this reminds me of wise one's reaction.
This also remind me of wise one's talking about-hinting at 'someone up there', 'something up there' that controls the way magic of world works. This also lead me to believe that maybe there is some kind of entity or supernatural being out there. Though, silverwood itself is supernatural creature that feeds on other living beings and we saw many fantasy monsters. Even if that isnt the case, this would mean 'Qifrey might be 'human-ish being', unnatural being. So meaning can be symbolic too but in any way, its worth to pay attention to details.
In European folklore, elf circles (or "fairy rings") are naturally occurring mushroom circles believed to be caused by elves, fairies, or pixies dancing. In Norse and Celtic traditions, these rings were highly respected and feared; stepping inside was said to trap mortals in an elven trance or transport them to the fairy realm.
And there is the elves rings. Kinda similar to magic rings. It is circle, just like its origin. In mythology, they are desribed as dangerous. They use those 'magical circles' to lure other humans to their world. The tree or circle can be considered as a gate between two different worlds. Elves world, and humans world.
Part 5: The Mythology of Elf Circles
Fairy rings were seen as sacred or magical spots with distinct lore surrounding them:
The Elven Dance: The most common legend suggests that the circles are formed by elves or fairies holding hands and dancing in a ring under the moonlight.
Portals and Dinner Tables: In Celtic and Scottish mythology, the rings act as portals to other realms, or places where fae folk gather to hold feasts, using the mushrooms as tables.
Shakespearean Magic: William Shakespeare frequently referenced these circles in his plays (such as A Midsummer Night's Dream), painting them as places where sprites and fairies gather to bless the land.
Perils of the Circle
Folklore strongly warns mere mortals against interacting with elf circles due to heavy consequences:
Eternal Dancing: If a human steps inside, they risk angering the spirits and being forced to dance alongside them until they pass out from exhaustion or perish.
Time Slipping: Many tales describe mortals who stepped into the circle and emerged decades later, unaware that only minutes had passed for them in the fae realm.
If elves or some unknown supernatural entity exists, does it makes sense more why Wise ones were afraid? And doesnt this explain how whoever kid Tristas buried traveled through times. While 'elves' may not be involved later in this story, the role of silverwood plays this role well.
It is luring people with magic and it needs other living things to exist as if it is hunting them. It is very dangerous and the source of all magic. It is the mystical creature that is the bridge between magical world and ordinary world. Whether it is symbolic or literatelly, silverwood is a gate to magical worlds.
And then i found another detail about elves.
In folk stories, Scandinavian elves often play the role of disease spirits. The most common, though the also most harmless case was various irritating skin rashes, which were called älvablåst (elven puff) and could be cured by a forceful counter-blow (a handy pair of bellows was most useful for this purpose). Skålgropar, a particular kind of petroglyph (pictogram on a rock) found in Scandinavia, were known in older times as älvkvarnar (elven mills), because it was believed elves had used them. One could appease the elves by offering a treat (preferably butter) placed into an elven mill.
In order to protect themselves and their livestock against malevolent elves, Scandinavians could use a so-called Elf cross (Alfkors, Älvkors or Ellakors), which was carved into buildings or other objects. It existed in two shapes, one was a pentagram, and it was still frequently used in early 20th-century Sweden as painted or carved onto doors, walls, and household utensils to protect against elves.The second form was an ordinary cross carved onto a round or oblong silver plate. This second kind of elf cross was worn as a pendant in a necklace, and to have sufficient magic, it had to be forged during three evenings with silver, from nine different sources of inherited silver. In some locations it also had to be on the altar of a church for three consecutive Sundays.
Since elves were considered dangerous, they made 'pentagram' for protection. As if it is meant to be protection spell. Does this pentagram looks familiar?
Isnt this just like map Qifrey showed to his students. The 5 tests that every witch has to take, the so-called adventure is also drawn as pentagram in map. I hardly find this concidence. The librarians probably know this and made that pentagram to protect people from 'elves' or 'some mystical creatures. And 'silver' is one of the things used for protection against them.
The idea of elves can be grouped in different types, they might be strong creatures, monstrous or human-ish like creatures. Maybe they exist in this story or this will stay as the symbolism for magic, forbidden magic. Because i dont think brimhats are elves or supernatural beings. But they use that mysterous power. Its also interesting that Coco is 'hope' for them. What if the world itself is already in danger and while wise ones try to avoid fight, brimhats trying to be saved from whatever that is?
I think Iguin was /is normal human. Qifrey isnt human. That also fits the conflict of the story and Coco's dilemma perfectly. Because it would mean that his existence is the forbidden magic.
Remember how Coco is drawn as Alice and Qifrey as white rabbit. Coco will always be curious and chase after mysterious rabbit into magical world and white rabbit will lead her to worlds of magic, to the rabbithole. When she fell, world will fall apart. (Also, every time i saw Coco with tree in official art, i think of she looks like some sacrifice to ritual or something. Her and Qifrey.
Anyway, Norse mythology and elves hae very detailed storyline so i tried to summarize and show its connection the best way possible. Those are the sources i used for research.
Source: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12.
