Valkyrie

Origins and The Choosers of the Slain

The Valkyries (Old Norse: valkyrja, meaning “chooser of the slain”) are among the most famous and complex figures in Norse mythology. They are a host of female figures who serve Odin, the Allfather and god of war, wisdom, and death.

Their primary and most crucial role in the cosmos is to observe the chaos of human battlefields and determine the course of conflicts. More importantly, they are tasked with selecting half of those who die in combat to be taken to Valhalla, Odin’s majestic “hall of the slain.” (The other half are chosen by the goddess Freyja to go to her field, Fólkvangr).

The warriors chosen by the Valkyries become the einherjar. These brave souls train endlessly in Valhalla, preparing for the apocalyptic battle of Ragnarök, when they will fight alongside Odin against the forces of chaos and destruction.

Appearance and Attributes

The popular modern image of a Valkyrie—a beautiful, blonde woman riding a pristine white winged horse, clad in shining silver armor and a horned helmet—is largely an invention of 19th-century Romanticism and Richard Wagner’s epic opera cycle, Der Ring des Nibelungen (The Ring of the Nibelung).

In original Old Norse poetry and sagas, their description is far grimmer, more terrifying, and deeply rooted in the brutal reality of Viking warfare:

• Riders of Wolves and Ravens: Rather than winged horses, early texts often describe Valkyries riding wolves, or taking the form of ravens—animals intrinsically linked to battlefields and scavenging the dead. The sky was said to rain blood when they rode forth.
• Armor and Weaponry: They were fierce, formidable warriors in their own right, armed with spears, swords, and shields. They wore mail armor and helmets, but not the horned variety.
• Weavers of Fate: In poems like the Darraðarljóð from Njál’s Saga, Valkyries are terrifyingly depicted weaving the fate of a battle on a loom made of severed heads and human entrails, using swords as shuttles and arrows as weights. They control who lives and dies with chilling detachment.

Famous Valkyries

While many Valkyries remain nameless parts of a host, several are named in the Poetic Edda and Prose Edda, and play central roles in major heroic sagas:

• Brynhildr (Brunhild): The most famous Valkyrie, central to the Völsunga saga and the German Nibelungenlied. She defies Odin’s will by striking down the wrong king in battle. As punishment, Odin curses her to mortality and puts her into a deep sleep surrounded by a ring of fire, to be awakened only by a man who knows no fear (the hero Sigurd). Her story is a tragic epic of love, betrayal, and revenge.
• Sigrdrífa: Often conflated with Brynhildr, she is a Valkyrie who teaches the hero Sigurd runic magic and wisdom after he awakens her.
• Gunnr, Róta, and Skuld: Three Valkyries specifically named by the historian Snorri Sturluson as the ones who “always ride to choose the slain and decide the battle.” (Skuld is also the name of one of the Norns, the weavers of ultimate fate).

Life in Valhalla

When not riding to battle, the Valkyries served the einherjar in Valhalla. They poured mead and ale for the fallen warriors and presented them with horns of drink. While this might seem subservient to a modern audience, in the context of Viking culture, serving the elite warriors in the hall of the chief god was an incredibly high-status, respected, and sacred duty.

Cultural Legacy and Symbolism

The image of the Valkyrie has endured as one of the most powerful symbols of Norse culture.

• Pop Culture: They feature heavily in modern fantasy. The Marvel Cinematic Universe features the character Valkyrie (played by Tessa Thompson) as a prominent hero. The iconic piece of classical music, Wagner’s Ride of the Valkyries, is universally recognized and has been used in countless films (most famously in Apocalypse Now).
• Symbolism: Ultimately, they represent the absolute certainty of fate in the Norse worldview, the inescapable nature of death in battle, and the fierce, protective presence of divine women in the most masculine of arenas.