Soughter

What are some of your favorite stories of women from the sagas? Who were your favorite characters? Do you ever use them as inspiration for writing your own characters?

I have to contradict Hirst on these characters specifically because the fact that they use weapons is what makes them "badass" to many people, and that is only using them in a way as decoration. They only exist to support Lagertha, they have no unique or independent identities of their own. That makes these characters completely one dimensional, dependent on Lagertha and their ability to be recognized as female warriors, AKA, their ability to be "useful" to the audience. We have no more women who are independently wealthy, who manage their own estates, or businesses, leftover by their husbands or sons who have died, and no more seeresses who would be seen as valuable to their society. No more female characters who can tell a version of the history and mythology of the culture outside of the story of revenge and warfare Lagertha is telling. No intrepid settlers or adventurers or skilled merchant women. We just have dumb slutty slaves and cultish warrior women. Lagertha is the only viking woman who is allowed to be distinguished and honored in this show, apparently, and it just illustrates the writer's lack of ability to write for a diverse culture of Middle Ages historical- or saga-based women, imo. Just as not all the male characters revolve around supporting one male lead, so the female characters should be as well if things were anywhere close to being equal as the creator suggests.

I feel that Aslaug was one of your best written characters, and no one has been able to replace her. She was a lady of the house (something this show is woefully short on, viking, non-shiledmaiden types anyway) a person born with a certain prestige, and she had innate supernatural abilities. She was also a mother and a queen. A very outspoken and one-dimensional side of the fan base have made it their duty to emphasize her qualities in every negative light possible. And it seems like a crime to ever suggest to them that these types of quaities of women were as important as shieldmaiden or farming types in the literature and in history. What can you say that is positive about Aslaug as a character, that is also unique and contributes to the story of women in the viking world and as a mythological and legendary figure?

They would have never heard of the Vikings? But yet they have been shown in Kattegat trading slaves and other marketable items?

Why are shieldmaiden-type women your only main character viking women in this show? Do you realize how unrealistic it is to advertise to your fanbase that this is the only type of women from the viking age worth remembering and exalting?