Valkyries

Chthonia

This week's episode is about the Valkyries, the "choosers of the slain" who bring warriors to Odin's Valhalla, to fight at the "twilight of the gods," Ragnarok. We look at the original role of the Valkyries as "demonic" feasters on the dead flesh of fallen warriors, and their transformation into beautiful shieldmaidens serving warriors in Valhalla. In particular we look at the theme of "domestication" of terrifying feminine forces, and how much that comes into play with complex female warrior/lover figures from the Otherworld.