Vikings go to Valhalla when they die, what happens to shield-maidens when they die in battle? Historical dramas have become quite popular in recent years, and one of the most successful TV shows from this genre is Vikings, created by Michael Hirst, the same mind behind The Tudors. Vikings premiered in 2013 and lived on for six seasons, coming to an end in 2020 after many battles, betrayals, and heartbreaking losses.
Vikings covered the beginnings of the Viking Age, from the Lindisfarne raid (shown in season 1) onward, and it initially followed legendary Norse figure Ragnar Lothbrok (Travis Fimmel) and his travels alongside his Viking brothers. As the series progressed, it shifted its focus to Ragnar’s sons Björn, Ubbe, Hvitserk, Sigurd, and Ivar, who carried the story until the end following Ragnar’s death in season 4. Although it wasn’t always historically accurate, Vikings gave the audience a taste of what Viking culture and life were about, and some of the most interesting and popular characters were the shield-maidens, especially Lagertha (Katheryn Winnick), Ragnar’s first wife and mother of Björn.
Throughout Vikings, viewers witnessed some truly memorable battles between different armies, but the Vikings weren’t alone during those battles – women fought too, and these were the shield-maidens. Contrary to what many may believe, there weren’t many gender barriers in Viking culture, so women were allowed to fight alongside men, and shield-maidens are considered the female equivalent of Vikings (though, just like Ragnar, it’s unclear if shield-maidens truly existed or they are fictional characters made for the sagas). Now, it’s mentioned throughout Vikings that they want to die in battle so they can go to Valhalla, where those who die on the battlefield are taken to by the valkyries to be with Odin, but if that’s where the Vikings go, what happens to shield-maidens when they die?
There are two answers to what happens to shield-maidens after they die. First off, only half of those who die on the battlefield are chosen by Odin to go to Valhalla, and the other half is taken by Freyja to the field Fólkvangr. In it, and very much like in Valhalla, warriors fight each other every day and prepare for when Ragnarok comes (which is the end of the world and its rebirth), and while some of them can be injured, their wounds eventually heal. The only difference between Valhalla and Fólkvangr, then, would lie in how to enter each one – some are chosen by Odin, others by Freya. However, there are some who argue that shield-maidens can go to Valhalla if they fight and die with valor, proving themselves worthy of entering Valhalla, though that would mean (again) that not all shield-maidens go to Valhalla.
The story of Vikings isn’t over, and it will continue with the sequel series Vikings struggled to be historically accurate, Vikings: Valhalla might too and what it establishes should be taken with a grain of salt.