In Norse mythology, Hel is the goddess ruling over the underworld, also named Helheim. She is the daughter of the trickster god Loki and the giantess Angerboda. Hel is depicted as a being with half of her body appearing dead or rotting, symbolizing her dominion over the deceased. Her role involves guiding souls who do not die gloriously in battle to their afterlife. Hel embodies the inevitability of death and the afterlife, representing the idea that all humans face mortality, reflecting the Norse beliefs about fate and destiny.