Summary
Valheim, despite being in early access, has stuck it out in the survival scene for years with great success. For the title to maintain this longevity,Valheimmay want to look to its mythological grounding for inspiration.
Players can already observeValheimusing its foundations in Norse mythology to keep the title relevant.Valheim’s upcoming Ashlands update, for instance, will be adding new enemies in this vein—such as the Fallen Valkyrie, representing a twisted version of the spirits that assist Odin and carry souls to Valhalla. While the decrepit, undead visages of these creatures are closer to harpies than valkyries, there is a precedent for valkyries having a brutal, unlawful side to them in some parts of Norse myth (particularly older sources).
Loki Could Bring The Chaos Valheim Needs To Stay Fresh
Loki is a being from Norse myth with a level of notoriety that rivals Thor himself. He’s become a pop culture staple as both antagonist and antihero, especially with the MCU’s wildly popular portrayal of the character—gaining him his own spinoff showLokion Disney+. He’s also had his share of video game appearances, with the recentAsgard’s Wrath 2presenting Loki as a villainplayed by renowned voice actor Matthew Mercer. However, Loki’s real mythological story is far more complex than as merely a god of mischief, something that lends well to givingValheimmore than a little creative energy for long into the future.
Loki’s Mischief Is Perfect For Evolving Gameplay
Loki’s an exceptionally chaotic god, not only in his shifting roles throughout sources in Norse myth but through his unpredictable actions. He’s among the Aesir, a subset of Norse gods that includes Thor and Odin (who have both already appeared inValheim). He accompanies Thor on many adventures, such as inThrymskvitha,where the pair scheme to get Thor’s hammer back from a giant who stole it. However, Loki is also responsible for the death of the beloved Baldr by tricking the blind god Hodr into throwing a mistletoe spear at him. This eventually led to him being imprisoned by his fellow gods.
Loki’s dual nature as both ally and enemy cements his trickster qualities—perfect for shiftingupValheim’s gameplay loop. Letting Loki into the tenth realm would be a great opportunity for not only a new NPC, but raid-like events that inject chaos into play. Illusions and shapechanging are staples of the god in popular media and in the Eddic texts, and they’d make for excellent ways to temporarily remix enemies and terrain.
Loki Could Be The Way In For More Direct Interaction With Norse Gods
Valheim’s gods are mostly relegated to Easter eggsright now. The game is foregrounded by lore wherein the player is a champion of Odin, fighting the Allfather’s nemeses. Despite this, Odin and Thor only make brief background cameos. Loki directly toying with the player could be a great way to introduce the Norse gods as a more present force. Whether his machinations manifest as helpful companionship or cruel pranks, he could very well be the impetus for more of the Norse pantheon to get involved.
Loki’s Origins Are As Chaotic As His Actions
In Jan De Vries' 1933 workThe Problem of Loki, a great deal about the god’s conflicting origins is collected. Among Loki’s numerous attestations, he’s been linked to the Ancient Greek titan Prometheus—an enlightening rebel against tyrannical fellows, a presentation seen in Richard Wagner’s opera cycleThe Ring of the Nibelung. However, Christianization has also seen the trickster be linked to the devil, helped along by the theory that the term ‘logi’ (meaning ‘fire’) developed into ‘Loki’, with many scholars accepting the god’s link to fire. These manifold facets allow forValheimto take artistic license with myth; Loki can be anything from a Puck-like trickster to a helpful fireplace deity or giant-kin.
