Why Odin Has One Eye?

So determined was Odin to gain knowledge that he was willing to make great sacrifices to get it. To satisfy his relentless thirst for wisdom, Odin sacrificed one of his eyes in exchange for a drink from Mimir's well, which gave him the enlightenment he sought.

Why does Odin only have one eye?

Lesson Summary

Odin, leader of the gods, is defined by only having one eye after sacrificing the other eye to gain cosmic wisdom, which was his constant goal throughout mythology. His son, Thor, was defined by a magical hammer named Mjöllnir.

Who took out Odin's eye?

Odin – whether straightaway or after anguished deliberation, we can only wonder – gouged out one of his eyes and dropped it into the well. Having made the necessary sacrifice, Mimir dipped his horn into the well and offered the now-one-eyed god a drink.