Warning: Spoilers for The Northman
The Northman is a historical revenge film following the Viking prince Amleth on his hate-driven quest to avenge the murder of his father, Aurvandill, at the hands of his brother, Fjölnir. As the third cinematic endeavor from acclaimed director Robert Eggers, this gritty drama follows the example of many ancient tales of heroes on a quest for vengeance.
This film features a wide array of characters that in some way factor into Amleth's quest for vengeance. While some of these men and women prove their might and courage through bloodshed and force, others search for ways to prevail against their enemies through cerebral means.
Finnr The Nose-Stub
Finnr the Nose-Stub is the housecarl of Fjölnir the Brotherless and one of the betrayers of King Aurvandill. He is among the soldiers sent to kill the young Amleth, having his nose cut off after momentarily cornering the child. He is the one who lies to Fjölnir, telling him that Amleth has died, thus allowing him to embark on his revenge quest for the ages.
This relatively minor character leaves plenty to be desired when it comes to intelligence. Though his scenes are very limited, it is clear to the audience that Finnr is not the smartest of his compatriots. The soldier lies about the death of Amleth when he has clearly sustained an injury indicting the boy's survival, and eventually is killed for his own failure.
Thorir The Proud
Thorir the Proud is the son of Fjölnir and cousin of Amleth, whose title suggests everything one needs to know about his personality. Haughty and untested by the trials of life, Thorir has an overconfident view of his own skill, one which he cannot live up to.
While not devastatingly unintelligent, where Thorir truly comes up short is in the virtue of self-reflection. The young man has no concept of his own abilities, believing them to be far greater than they truly are. It is this failure to understand his own limitations that causes him to be the only member of his family not to die a warrior's death, being killed in his sleep by his cousin.
Seeress
The Northman truly puts together a remarkable cast of actors with storied backgrounds in Hollywood, including the talented Icelandic singer-actress Björk, who returns to the film industry after a 17-year hiatus. In this film, she plays the Seeress, a prophet that kickstarts Amleth's journey by revealing to him that the time has come for his revenge.
As is often the case in stories of mysticism and prophecies, those who can see the future often know far more than they ever let on. Though she encourages Amleth to embark upon his quest, the Seeress clearly understands more of what is about to happen than she lets on at the time, gingerly choosing the information she gives the hero in a way that will motivate him to set out on his journey without yet letting on that this will be the end of his life.
Gunnar
Gunnar is the child of Fjölnir and Gudrún, as well as the half-brother of Amleth. He is the youngest member of the cast, who is largely unaware of the long history between his family and Amleth. Nevertheless, he has a strong sense of the honor of his father's household, willing to fight to the last to uphold such a tenet, even despite his young age.
Gunnar proves himself to be braver than his half-brother Thorir, though this courage is not always put to good use. While the child is not afraid of charging headfirst into battle, he fails to consider the consequences of his actions beforehand, often leading to injury--and eventually to his own death.
Heimir The Fool
Willem Dafoe has a minor role in the early scenes of The Northman, portraying Heimer the Fool, a jester in the court of King Aurvandill. The character is a loyal servant to his king who eventually finds himself executed when Fjölnir takes the throne.
The fool of a king's court is often the best spoken in the room, even if they use their language for the crass jokes one would expect from a jester. Heimer's wit goes well appreciated under the rule of King Aurvandill, though his successor would not find the jokes nearly as funny, resulting in the fool's execution.
King Aurvandill
Ethan Hawke appears as Amleth's father King Aurvandill, the War-Raven. Aurvandill is the perfect example of a warrior-king, who actively hunts a glorious death in the heat of battle, that he might enter the sacred halls of Valhalla. The character is betrayed and murdered by his brother, however, with his son watching, helpless.
Aurvandill may be a king and father, but his priority first and foremost has always been battle. And, while he proves to be the one of the strongest there is as a warrior, he fails to see the beauty of the life he had built for himself. Though far from unintelligent, the king was not present enough to realize that his priorities were misplaced, eventually resulting in his own death at the hands of his brother.
Fjölnir The Brotherless
Fjölnir is the brother of King Aurvandill, who betrays his king in order to take the throne (and the queen) for himself. He eventually loses his kingdom, however, retreating into the life of a wealthy sheepherder along with his family. It is against Fjölnir that Amleth eventually wages his war of vengeance.
Fjölnir proves to be the smarter brother, prevailing over Aurvandill and seizing his throne. Unlike the War-Raven king, Fjölnir prefers a quieter approach to ruling, one that is less subject to outbursts of wrath. He has many of the qualities that a good king should have but often misuses them for his own benefit.
Amleth
Alexander Skarsgård leads The Northman as the epic hero Amleth, adding to the actor's already impressive resume, which includes last year's similarly action-heavy Godzilla vs. Kong. The film follows Amleth on a mission of vengeance as he hunts down the man who killed his father and sent him into exile.
Amleth may be the picture of an epic hero, but he also often proves to have the intelligence necessary to put his strength to good use. He is much more than a strong fighter, but he is a cunning adversary. While he does not have the strategic capabilities of his lover, Olga, Amleth does have the wisdom to listen to those smarter than him, implementing their advice into his overall plans.
Queen Gudrún
Nicole Kidman is an iconic actress with a number of impressive roles under her belt, the latest being Queen Gudrún, the widow of the late King Aurvandill, current wife of Fjölnir the Brotherless, and mother to Amleth and Gunnar. The character proves to be far more complex than initially thought, whose hands were indeed bloody with the death of her husband.
Gudrún may appear unassuming during the first half of the film, but she is ultimately proven to be one of the most cunning of the cast. She reveals herself to be the mastermind behind her husband's death, all in an effort to finally live the life she wanted with Fjölnir. While her plans ultimately ended in her demise, it was Gudrún's cunning that brought about the death of Aurvandill and the rise of Fjölnir.
Olga Of The Birch Forest
Anya Taylor-Joy makes her second appearance in a film directed by Robert Eggers as Olga of the Birch Forest. Olga is a slave of Fjölnir's farm who allies herself with Amleth on his quest, assisting him in more strategically executing his revenge. She and the hero fall in love over the course of the film, with Olga eventually becoming pregnant with Amleth's twin children.
Olga proves to be far more intelligent than many of those around her, using her wit as her weapon. As she tells Amleth shortly after their first meeting, she prefers to use her cunning to break men's minds, rather than defeating her enemies with brute force. Her strategy and wisdom pave the way for Amleth's victory, securing her spot as the smartest member of the sprawling cast of The Northman.
