Diksha Sundriyal
The third and final season of Netflix’s ‘Vikings: Valhalla’ takes Freydis, Leif, and Harald on a journey that tests their mettle, both physically and mentally. The protagonists are faced with the choices that will make or break them, and often, they come close to being defeated by their circumstances. However, they are lucky to be surrounded by people who believe in them, which helps them tread through the worst situations. Freydis especially benefits from the arrival of a new character called Stigr. He quickly becomes her most trusted confidant and is given a pivotal role in her plans. However, the man remains one of the fictional creations of the show.
Stigr’s Character is Not Mentioned in Freydis Eiríksdóttir’s Story
‘Vikings: Valhalla’ fictionalizes the account of real people who lived during the last century of the Viking age. While most of the characters in the show are based on real people, some are either composite of real-life people or entirely fictional, created to suit the show’s narrative. Stigr happens to be one of them.
Freydis in the Netflix series has a real-life counterpart, but with very little information available about her, the show leans heavily on fiction to imagine what she must have been like and how her journey would have transformed her. Because there are already so many made-up elements in her story, the writers of ‘Vikings: Valhalla’ take more creative license when presenting her side of the narrative, which is where Jomsborg and characters like Jarekr and Jorundr come into the picture. Their parts in the show are also more in line with fiction than fact, and Stigr’s storyline follows in their footsteps.
In real life, Freydis Eiríksdóttir is known to have had a partner who was with her even as she sailed to Vinland (called “the Golden Land” in the show) and became a part of the Viking’s settlement in North America. However, we don’t have much information about her partner, which allows for the creative liberties in the Netflix series. A man named Stigr is not mentioned concerning Freydis, proving his fictional nature in the show.
Stigr comes to Jomsborg as a tried-and-tested explorer who has traveled to distant lands and learned all kinds of things from them. Even his fighting style reflects the knowledge he has amassed during his travels, and this experience brings an air of calm and serenity to him. This immediately attracts Freydis, who has only begun to get a taste of stability, having forged peace with Kattegat and other Christian kingdoms.
Stigr and Freydis’ immediate connection makes sense, especially considering the years since Freydis and Harald parted ways. The seven-year leap taken by the third season also allows Freydis to settle down as a mother and a leader of Jomsborg. She is much more relaxed now that she has got the hang of her situation, and she welcomes and pleasantly entertains the idea of a new love interest. Stigr’s presence also allows the narrative to expand, especially in the final episodes where Freydis needs to let go of her baggage to take the fight to Magnus in Kattegat and ensure the survival of her people. In Stigr, she finds a reliable person she can trust to take care of things while she is away, ending the fights that have gone on for too long.
Read More: Vikings Valhalla: Are Harekr and Jorundr Based on Real People?
