Hel is the Norse goddess of death. She is the daughter of Loki and the giantess Angrboda, and is the ruler of the underworld. Hel is often depicted as a half-living, half-dead figure, with half her body being alive and the other half being a decaying corpse. She is also associated with the goddess of the dead, Hela. Hel is a figure of both fear and respect in Norse mythology, and is seen as a powerful and mysterious figure.