The Asgardian warrior Valkyrie has lived many lives within mortal hosts on Earth
In short: Created as a disguise for the Enchantress, the Asgardian Brunnhilde evolved into a mainstay of the Defenders. Her essence has inhabited various mortal women, from Barbara Norriss to Samantha Parrington, while she navigated centuries of exile, mythological tragedy, and the complex politics of Odin’s realm of Asgard.
Brunnhilde, the original Valkyrie, was chosen by Odin to lead the Valkyrior, a group of warrior goddesses tasked with selecting fallen heroes for Valhalla. Her history is marked by a profound sense of duty and recurring tragedy. According to one account, she defied Odin to protect his son Thor’s mortal incarnation, Siegmund, only for Odin to orchestrate his death. As punishment, she was stripped of her powers and cast into a trance, later becoming entangled in a cycle of love and betrayal with Siegfried, another mortal version of Thor. This mythological background, rooted in the Volsunga saga, remains contested, as its source was a sentient, disembodied eye claiming to be Odin’s.
For centuries, the Valkyrie gathered heroes until a pact between Odin and the Celestials barred her from Earth. Bitter and aimless, she was eventually trapped by the Enchantress, who used her spiritual essence to empower various pawns. This led to a long, fragmented existence where Brunnhilde’s consciousness was often displaced into mortal hosts like Barbara Norriss. These hosts frequently served as members of the Defenders, a team she joined to provide texture to the group. Her journey involved constant battles against cosmic entities like the Dragon of the Moon and internal struggles to reclaim her true body and identity from the Enchantress’s manipulations.
The character’s legacy has been defined by her adaptability. Beyond the original Brunnhilde, other figures like Samantha Parrington have held the mantle, and Jane Foster assumed the role following the death of the Valkyrior during the War of the Realms. Her portrayal has also shifted in modern media, with Tessa Thompson’s performance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe inspiring new iterations in the comics. Whether wielding the enchanted sword Dragonfang or riding her winged horse Aragorn, the Valkyrie remains a symbol of Asgardian strength, even as her physical form and mortal connections continue to evolve across decades of storytelling.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Valkyrie (Marvel Comics)
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