Odin is a fascinating character, perhaps the most psychologically complex pagan god of Europe. Odin is a liar, plain and simple he is a rogue and a scoundrel. He gambles his own head to test his knowledge of arcane lore and barely escapes. He is a reckless trickster who is continually seeking to match wits with powerful supernatural creatures to con them out of secrets and treasures like the mead of inspiration. He travels in disguise, often as a woman. He continually quests for ways to hold off the end of the world, risking his own life to protect humanity, and most of the time it is guile and cunning more than any magical power or show of force that allows him to come out on top. I can't think of the head of any other pantheon that is as much of trickster as Odin or as actively protective of humans. In the ultimate sacrifice Odin actually dies to achieve knowledge of the runes then gives them to humanity freely. Odin is proactive, intellectual, shrewd, sensitive, and cunning, traits rarely seen in a pagan god.
But there is something dysfunctional about the Allfather. When he feasts in Valhalla he eats no meat, giving all the food put in front of him to his pet wolves and seems to live on mead, honey wine. Odin is a sullen, brooding alcoholic. He takes no joy in the glorious revels of Valhalla, spends no time dallying with valkyries, does not smile or laugh. Do you know why? Because the root cause of the end of the world is his own greed and selfishness. The Twilight of the Gods, the end of all existence, is Odin's fault, tracing back to his breaking of a treaty with the Giants because he wanted to keep a treasure of gold for himself. Odin is responsible for the Giants hating humanity and the gods, and the destruction of the universe. I don't know about you, but that would certainly make ME want to drink...
