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Did Lagertha Become A Valkyrie In Vikings?
Vikings saw the rise and fall of many great warriors, among them Lagertha (Katheryn Winnick), who died in the series’ final season – but did she become a Valkyrie after her death? Although the first seasons of Vikings focused on the travels and raids led by legendary Norse figure Ragnar Lothbrok (Travis Fimmel), as the series grew and expanded, Ragnar shared the spotlight with the characters closest to him, such as Lagertha, his first wife and mother of Gyda and Björn Ironside (Alexander Ludwig), as well as a skilled shield-maiden.
After Ragnar cheated on her with Aslaug (Alyssa Sutherland), Lagertha left Kattegat with Björn and went through hell and back from that moment on, including being trapped in abusive relationships and fighting many battles. Of course, Lagertha earned various enemies during her time in Vikings, and while she survived many battles, she met her fate in season 6 when she was killed by one of Ragnar’s sons, as prophesied by The Seer. As Lagertha was a fierce shield-maiden, does that mean she became a Valkyrie after she died?
Vikings: Why Lagertha Probably Became a Valkyrie
The characters in Vikings believe in Norse mythology, some more passionately than others (like Floki), but they all hoped to go to Valhalla after they died. In Norse mythology, Valhalla is a majestic and enormous hall in Asgard ruled by Odin, but not everyone can cross the gates. Half of the warriors who die in combat are chosen by Odin and taken to Valhalla, led by the Valkyries, while the other half goes to Fólkvangr, a meadow ruled over by the goddess Freyja, and in both cases, warriors fight each other daily and prepare for Ragnarök, which is the end of the world and its end. It’s believed that shield-maidens could go to Valhalla as well if they fought and died with valor, proving themselves worthy of entering Valhalla, but just like warriors, not all of them made it to Valhalla.
Now, Lagertha might have made it to Valhalla, which doesn’t automatically mean that she became a Valkyrie, but one of the promotional videos for Vikings season 6 might have hinted at Lagertha becoming one. In it, a Valkyrie introduces herself, describing herself as “Valkyrie, Chooser of the Slain, the Angel of Death”, and when she says that “for the chosen, the end is near”, Lagertha is shown. This could hint at Lagertha joining the Valkyries after her death, which is further supported by how Vikings showed Lagertha entering what's understood to be Valhalla escorted by the Valkyries while wearing a white dress like those of the surrounding Valkyries. In addition to that, it was speculated during Vikings’ run that Lagertha was a Valkyrie walking among men, not just due to her great fighting skills, but also because she never really seemed to age.
Was The Real Lagertha A Valkyrie?
Lagertha appears in Saxo Grammaticus’ Gesta Danorum, but the veracity of it has been disputed, and as Ragnar most likely wasn’t a real person, the same happens with Lagertha. However, historians believe that Lagertha could be a representation of the Valkyries, as Saxo described her as “flying around” to the rear of the enemy, attributing to her the power of flight. Lagertha, then, most likely wasn’t a real person, and instead was created to better represent the role of the Valkyries on Earth, as these were believed to not only reside in Valhalla but also to live among the Vikings on Earth and have relationships with human men, though these usually ended badly for everyone, just like with Lagertha and Ragnar.
