Robert Eggers directed ‘The Northman’ is already featured in the top 10 lists of many critics. Like his previous works, ‘The Northman’ is based on folklore and legends from history books. This time, it is about the tale of Prince Amleth, whose destiny was tied with avenging his father, King Aurvandil’s murder by his brother, and erstwhile King Fjolnir from Scandinavian mythology. Eggers prefers authenticity in every aspect of production; this film is no different. Every little detail, right from the costumes to set design, is immensely important. However, the Northman Ending is still something that is worth diving deep into.
A little-known fact about the character of Amleth was that it inspired one of William Shakespeare’s most cherished and lauded works, ‘Hamlet.’ At the end of ‘The Northman,’ Amleth kills Fjolnir and ascends to Valhalla, having been fatally stabbed in their fight by Fjolnir. Although the film ends a little predictably, several layers of the story still deserve attention. ‘The Northman’ is fiercely enthralling and packs a powerful punch. This explainer of this movie will go into detail to answer all the questions about its plot, themes, and, most importantly, the ending.
The Northman Plot & Story
King Aurvandil is overrun and betrayed by his brother Fjolnir. Before being killed, he ties his son Amleth’s fate to his own. He partakes in a ceremony with him to show him the family tree in the cosmos. Fjolnir takes Gudrun, Aurvandil’s wife, and the queen hostage. Amelth is ordered to be killed but escapes, vowing to “Avenge father, Kill Fjolnir. Free mother”.
Years later, Amleth is with an elite group of vagabond Vikings. They ravage a small village. At night, Amleth sees an apparition of a witch, who tells him that Amleth must not lose vision of his destiny. An invigorated Amleth trudges on to fulfill his destiny and promises to Aurvandil. Along the way, Amleth meets his future wife and learns the shocking truth about his parents.
Aurvandil and Gudrun: Mirrors to Amleth and Olga?
If one looks at the two pairs of characters, we see a lot of similarities. Even when we look at them physically, they appear to share the same skin. The male and female pairs have the exact origins – royalty and luxury, slavery and hardships, respectively. But when one inspects them more profoundly, they cannot be any more different.
The truths that we learn about Aurvandil and Gurdun’s marriage in the scene where Amleth comes to reveal himself to his mother completely change the complexion of their characters. Aurvandil’s cruelty to Gudrun is a trait of toxic masculinity and entitlement. Amleth put his father on a pedestal – he was his hero and God. But this reality changes his revenge plot’s course.
Gudrun reveals her fanaticism and abetting part in Aurvandil’s murder. For Amleth, this is a breach of the sacred bond of marriage. But more importantly, her dismissal of Amleth as her son and her repulsion to see a reflection of Aurvandil in him is what galvanized him against her. Olga, despite her treacherous past, loves Amleth. She carries his twins with warmth and love. Their children are not born out of compulsion or lack of free will but passion and mutual engagement. Amleth and Olga are what Aurvandil and Gudrun hoped they would be. But their actual actions spoke otherwise.
How does Amleth Locate Fjolnir?
After Amleth’s group is able to capture the small village, he ventures out in the darkness of the night, called by a voice. In the local temple, now destroyed and with only a semblance of the previous structure, he meets a blind Seeress. She knows his name, his family, and the promises he made. She is the one who points Amleth to Fjolnir, revealing that the brother lost the kingdom to the King of Norway and now resides in secluded farmland off the island with Gudrun and their sons.
At this instant, Amleth decides to use deceit to get closer to Fjolnir. He poses as an enslaved person and jumps on a slave ship transporting them to Fjolnir’s use. That is how he infiltrates the group and spreads Viking terror in their hearts. He proves himself a loyal and worthy servant and gets rewarded with added responsibilities and state.
Why does Amleth have divine help to defeat Fjolnir?
A witch, or Seer, is burdened with the curse of knowing it all. Prophecies are only speculation unless you know they will actually happen. As the Gods have ordained life to happen, so it will. This is the biggest reason why Amleth has divine help to complete the course of events. It might also be conscious on their part, certainly in Heimir’s case. Aurvandill, with whom Heimir the Fool worked, had a deep personal attachment to him. Heimir was determined, even after death, to maintain Aurvandill’s bloodline. Amleth was thus led spiritually to the sword he would eventually use to kill Fjölnir.
Every word he spoke came alight as the truth—this theme in ‘The Northman’ points towards a larger belief in those legends. One could not have changed their fates, their destinies. What will happen cannot be changed. Only when that thing is the threat of not happening will the Gods intervene, as they did in Amleth’s case. The Gods will do anything to preserve their supremacy, even using humans to maintain order. That is why Amleth has help from the Gods to defeat Fjolnir. A path set by them cannot change radically without any external force.
What is the meaning of the scene where Amleth sees Valkyrie?
Fjölnir discovered Amleth’s plot, so he and Olga fled Iceland. Having rescued Amleth from near death, he witnesses Valkyrie flying him on a winged horse into Valhalla. Death is sure to be a sign of Valkyrie escorting one to Valhalla, but in this case, it suggests an omen. The events of Valkyrie would not allow Amleth to ascend to Valhalla, but it was still too early for him to climb.
To reach Valhalla, he realized he had to complete his mission. Having been close to death before seeing Valkyrie, he realized he had to achieve the task. Instead of Valkyrie, Amleth is greeted by Olga and their twin children when he ascends to Valhalla the next time, having stabbed Fjölnir through the heart. The knowledge that his family has survived is enough to reward him.
The Northman Ending Explained: Does Fjolnir kill Amleth?
If we look at the course of events in the climax, it goes something like this. Fjolnir brings the bodies of his son and Gudrun to the Gates of Hell. This is the spot where he asked Amleth to come to have a final battle to settle their scores. Amleth arrives on his horse and pays his respect to the dead. He finds Fjolnir deep in the hole in the middle of hot lava flowing around him. The epic battle ensues. Defying expectations, Fjolnir is able to overpower Amleth. He does so by cutting his arms so that he cannot lift the sword again.
God’s word proves to be the only truth that brings the universe into motion. Despite having him at the tip of his sword, Fjolnir gives Amleth a fair chance to get up. Amleth does so and flies back gloriously. Just as he is about to land that final blow, Fjolnir responds with a deadly move. The two men kill each other and collapse to the ground.
The Valkyrie takes his body to Valhalla. The Northman is not just about the revenge plot for Amleth but takes shape as a graver take on the character and his coming-of-age journey. Amleth’s hatred of his uncle and his actions may fuel his rage, but he’s looking for what he wants in life.
This poetic ruse to his journey is flavorful and adds a nostalgic color to the overall plot. Bloodline was one of the most essential things for Amleth, something he learned from his father. The ritual he performed with Aurvandil sealed his firm belief in putting the future before him. That is why he can make peace with his death, confident that Olga and the children will be safe.
The Northman Movie to Watch: Yay or Nay
Eggers’ narrative is facetious with Amleth. It does not allow him to become the great King we hoped he would be by the film’s end. Instead, it respects the choices of vengeance and hatred that Amleth tied himself to when he took the vow to kill Fjolnir.
He dies in peace because he finally feels that he has fulfilled his purpose in the altered version of his life. As he knew it, he was, in his eyes, a true warrior who died protecting his family’s honor. ‘The Northman’ is a unique film you must check out if you are a fan of fantasy stories and hard-core action sequences.
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