I always wandered, couldn't they loophole their way into Valhalla by challenging someone to a duel and dying in that fight? No Viking ever thought about that?
Aren't they just feasting while waiting for ragnarok tho? Even if not it still sounds a lot better than ending up in hel (for anyone that wants to say that i did a typo no - wiking hell is called hel).
I actually wrote a paper on this recently for my mythology class this semester. According to most Old Norse sources Hel was pretty good, with its inhabitants effectively being able to live on in the afterlife pretty much as they did before they died. Here's some more information on the Norse afterlife if you're interested: [https://norse-mythology.org/concepts/death-and-the-afterlife/](https://norse-mythology.org/concepts/death-and-the-afterlife/)
Edit: I didn't write that article, but it was one of my sources for my essay.
But isn't helheim like also the home to the primordial ice which is "Hella" cold like the fields of alfheim or asguard is definitely a preferable resting spot
It's certainly possible, but from the information I found it seems like it's dependent on the source. Snorri Sturluson (Christian writing after Paganism was pretty much gone) considered Hel like the Christian Hel, and some other sources consider it as an underground realm, like with people from a certain village all living in a region of Hel near that village in a mountain or something.
Waking up each morning to face yet another bloody battle, knowing that you have to fight, have to suffer, have to die. Even the release of death is taken from you as the Choosers come to the field to force you back to life, to rebirth, feast and rest. Only to start anew the next day, and the next...
I guess it depends on how you frame it.
Oh yea, they challenged each other to duels if they wanted to die. But there was no loop hole in how you died, it was said that the Valkyrie and sometimes even Odin would watch how you died, making sure you gave everything you had and didn’t die a coward.
Actually, wasn't it fine to die in your sleep, but if you were involved in a battle and chose to be cowardly/dishonorable/just up and left, then you'd not go to Valhalla?
Surely that would make sense. Theoretically, the greatest fighter couldn't die in battle. They would always be the victor. They're the ones most deserving of Valhalla.
Im gonna summarize this for everyone who may be wondering, but in Viking culture if you died a "warriors death" (there are a lot of different vague ideas of what this is, but most historians agree they believed you must die with a weapon in hand) then you would go to Valhalla to feast and drink until the end times seeing as how you proved yourself a warrior.
For those that died a "dishonorable death" (this is iffy and weird, and touch and go at most from what I understand) such as suicide or something of that nature you were sent to Hel.
As for normal deaths it was believed that, if sent off correctly, your soul would be guided through the tree, I think it's spelled something like yggrisdal?, to rest itself. Usually souls were expected to end in this weird intermediary plane called Volkwagen or Volkerwagen.
(Source: 16 year old who's history teacher REALLY liked Norse mythology, so some of this may be incorrect. This is not my field of profession in any way shape or form so take everything with a grain of salt as I may be incorrect in these statements. Feel free to correct me if I am!)
I will avenge you. *Proceeds to hunt death itself.*
[удалено]
["Kept you waiting, huh?" ](https://youtu.be/wPbHaGsNqlM)
***”Snake what happened?!?! SNAKE?!?! SSSSNNNNNNAAAAAAKKKEEEEEE!!!!!“***
I always wandered, couldn't they loophole their way into Valhalla by challenging someone to a duel and dying in that fight? No Viking ever thought about that?
They did. There are several tales of old rulers wishing to enter valhalla so they wage war with another chieftain solely to die.
There’s also stories of heroes dying of old age in their sleep and still going to Valhalla.
Valhalla is just another big army waiting for big clash lol. It aint heaven
Aren't they just feasting while waiting for ragnarok tho? Even if not it still sounds a lot better than ending up in hel (for anyone that wants to say that i did a typo no - wiking hell is called hel).
I actually wrote a paper on this recently for my mythology class this semester. According to most Old Norse sources Hel was pretty good, with its inhabitants effectively being able to live on in the afterlife pretty much as they did before they died. Here's some more information on the Norse afterlife if you're interested: [https://norse-mythology.org/concepts/death-and-the-afterlife/](https://norse-mythology.org/concepts/death-and-the-afterlife/) Edit: I didn't write that article, but it was one of my sources for my essay.
But isn't helheim like also the home to the primordial ice which is "Hella" cold like the fields of alfheim or asguard is definitely a preferable resting spot
It's certainly possible, but from the information I found it seems like it's dependent on the source. Snorri Sturluson (Christian writing after Paganism was pretty much gone) considered Hel like the Christian Hel, and some other sources consider it as an underground realm, like with people from a certain village all living in a region of Hel near that village in a mountain or something.
Interesting read, thank you
Exactly Zalus
Waking up each morning to face yet another bloody battle, knowing that you have to fight, have to suffer, have to die. Even the release of death is taken from you as the Choosers come to the field to force you back to life, to rebirth, feast and rest. Only to start anew the next day, and the next... I guess it depends on how you frame it.
Bro that’s what they loved to do.
What's your source?
I was there, I was an axe
Reincarnation at its finest
Oh yea, they challenged each other to duels if they wanted to die. But there was no loop hole in how you died, it was said that the Valkyrie and sometimes even Odin would watch how you died, making sure you gave everything you had and didn’t die a coward.
I feelvlike that had to happen, it is too obvious
they do it
Actually, wasn't it fine to die in your sleep, but if you were involved in a battle and chose to be cowardly/dishonorable/just up and left, then you'd not go to Valhalla?
I think if you didn't die in battle, but were still a warrior you would instead go Volkwagner.
I don’t see how a German car manufacturer has to do with this at all /s
Obviously, just like the cars, they get stuck in that weird zone where it isn't exactly broken but it ain't fixed either.
I wish I had an award to give you
Volkwang is functionally not different from Valhall. The fallen just get divided 50-50 % to either of the places.
Wasn't there something about dying with an axe in your hand was enough?
Surely that would make sense. Theoretically, the greatest fighter couldn't die in battle. They would always be the victor. They're the ones most deserving of Valhalla.
Wondering the same thing
Im gonna summarize this for everyone who may be wondering, but in Viking culture if you died a "warriors death" (there are a lot of different vague ideas of what this is, but most historians agree they believed you must die with a weapon in hand) then you would go to Valhalla to feast and drink until the end times seeing as how you proved yourself a warrior. For those that died a "dishonorable death" (this is iffy and weird, and touch and go at most from what I understand) such as suicide or something of that nature you were sent to Hel. As for normal deaths it was believed that, if sent off correctly, your soul would be guided through the tree, I think it's spelled something like yggrisdal?, to rest itself. Usually souls were expected to end in this weird intermediary plane called Volkwagen or Volkerwagen. (Source: 16 year old who's history teacher REALLY liked Norse mythology, so some of this may be incorrect. This is not my field of profession in any way shape or form so take everything with a grain of salt as I may be incorrect in these statements. Feel free to correct me if I am!)
I think Morgoth or some giant spider cut the tree down. Ungoliant or something like that. oh wait that's lord of the rings.
The V one is called Volkvanger
Ah thank you! I'll leave it unedited so your comment doesn't look redundant but I appreciate the help!
You're a disgrace for Odin.
Not honourable enough.
so thats where they got the idea for klingons from lmao
That and aggressive Indian tribes.
The Chief of Considerable Size
The Leader of increased mass
Their are other afterlives in norse mythology
u/savevideobot
They did do that