The big question whenever we get a new mythological series from Rick Riordan is which god will be the main character’s parent. Here, we speculate about Magnus Chase’s origins!

We’ve been offered a few clues as to who will be Magnus Chase’s godly parent in the first Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard series, titled Sword of Summer. The biggest neon sign we have so far is the summary for Riordan’s next book:

“Magnus Chase has always been a troubled kid. Since his mother’s mysterious death, he’s lived alone on the streets of Boston, surviving by his wits, keeping one step ahead of the police and the truant officers. One day, he’s tracked down by an uncle he’s never met—a man his mother claimed was dangerous. His uncle tells him an impossible secret: Magnus is the son of a Norse god. The Viking myths are true. The gods of Asgard are preparing for war. Trolls, giants, and worse monsters are stirring for doomsday. To prevent Ragnarök, Magnus must search the Nine Worlds for a weapon that has been lost for thousands of years. When an attack by fire giants forces him to choose between his own safety and the lives of hundreds of innocents, Magnus makes a fatal decision. Sometimes, the only way to start a new life is to die…”

We’re offered several important details here. First of all, Magnus’ mother died mysteriously. Secondly, he has a dangerous uncle. Next, his father is a Norse god, and Magnus must prevent Ragnarök. Lastly, Magnus will start a new life by dying.

The Norse myths are as full of different stories and characters as the Greek, Roman, and Egyptian myths we’ve seen in the past. Additionally, we must always be wary of different versions of these ancient tales, as the details can vary greatly between different authors. Even consistent spelling of the gods’ names can prove tricky!

Related: Cover Reveal: The Crown of Ptolemy by Rick Riordan

The biggest clue the above synopsis gives us is the fact that Magnus’ mother has died and his father is the Norse God. Believe it or not, that cuts down quite a few possible parents from our list, and now we can just look at the male deities to see who would be a possible fit as Magnus’ father.

The second most important clue is found in the last line, when the synopsis says, “Sometimes, the only way to start a new life is to die.” If you search for gods of rebirth, you’ll quickly stumble upon Baldr, who seems to fit the description the other clues offer us.

Baldr is the second son of Odin, and he was one of the most beloved gods in Norse mythology. Both he and his mother Frigg had a dream of Baldr’s death, so Frigg made every object vow not to ever harm her son. It would have made him invincible, except mistletoe never made that vow. Loki, that mischievous god pop culture is so fond of, then tricked Baldr’s brother into throwing a spear of mistletoe, thereby killing Baldr the Good.

This dangerous uncle mentioned in the above synopsis could be Höðr, Baldr’s brother and the one that ended up killing him. If Höðr is seeking out Magnus, perhaps he is attempting to redeem himself after his fatal mistake.

What really convinces us that Baldr is Magnus’ father is the fact that Magnus will be tasked with preventing Ragnarök, which is the Norse version of the Apocalypse. In the mythology, Baldr’s death is the first sign of Ragnarök.

And that whole rebirth thing? After Ragnarök, both Baldr and Höðr are meant to be reborn. Perhaps by the end of the series Magnus will get his father back, and the two of them can have a happy ending. At least they’ll have something in common, considering they’ll both have been killed and born again.

If Baldr is Magnus’ father, what can we expect from Magnus? After all, we know from the various Percy Jackson stories that demi-gods tend to take after their godly parents. Percy had the ability to control water and speak with horses, and Annabeth was an intelligent strategist and fierce warrior.

Baldr was described as being light and pure. He was good, through and through, and loved by (nearly) everyone. He was described as “The Shining God,” and although he did not have a lot of power, his character was what made him stand out.

Perhaps Magnus’ power will be like Piper’s in the Heroes of Olympus series. She had the ability to Charmspeak, which meant she could convince another person to do whatever she wanted them to do. Magnus’s abilities could range from a literal translation of him being the son of a “shining” god, to him being able to befriend and love any and all manner of creatures.

Of course, we can never be certain as to who Magnus Chase’s godly parent is until we read it in The Sword of Summer, but we definitely have enough clues to at least narrow down our list of possibilities. Magnus’ connection to the Percy Jackson world still remains shrouded in mystery (although we do know for a fact that he’s related to Annabeth), and his abilities and complete story will also be unknown to us until Sword of Summer is released on October 6, 2015.

Who do you think Magnus Chase’s godly parent will be?

Updated: Picture correction on April 27, 2015.