Helgi
the Mad King of Fjöturlund
King Helgi, called the Mad King, was a Midgardian ruler who sought the hand of the Valkyrie Sigrún. When her father refused the match, Helgi sacked the kingdom of Fjöturlund and slaughtered her family, and he died on the spear of her brother Dagr.
King Helgi, remembered as the Mad King, was a ruler in Midgard whose obsession with the Valkyrie Sigrún brought ruin upon her home and death upon her family. His name was spoken with contempt by those who had known him, and he met his end on the spear of Sigrún's own brother. (God of War Ragnarök)
The refused suitor#
In the days of Sigrún's youth, Helgi sought her out for marriage. Her father, King Högni of Fjöturlund, knew the king's true nature and would not give his daughter to such a man, and he refused the match. Helgi took the refusal as a grievous slight. Rather than accept it, he resolved to take Sigrún by force, and so he turned his soldiers against her father's kingdom. (God of War Ragnarök)
The sack of Fjöturlund#
On the Mad King's orders his army fell upon Fjöturlund, sacking it and killing any who dared stand against the union he meant to force. Most of Sigrún's family was slain in the assault, her parents among the dead. Only her brother, Prince Dagr, survived. Burning with rage and bound by honor, Dagr swore to avenge his family and to keep Helgi away from his sister. (God of War Ragnarök)
Death and curse#
In time Dagr came upon Helgi and the two fought. The prince ran the Mad King through with his spear and killed him. Sigrún, who had loved Helgi and did not yet know that he had massacred her kin, was stricken with grief and laid a curse upon her own brother for the deed. Only afterward did she learn that the man she mourned had destroyed her family, and by then the curse was already spoken and could not be called back. (God of War Ragnarök)
Frequently asked questions
- Who was Helgi in God of War?
- Helgi, known as the Mad King, was a Midgardian king who sought to wed the Valkyrie Sigrún. When her father King Högni refused the match, Helgi invaded the kingdom of Fjöturlund and killed most of her family.
- Why was Helgi called the Mad King?
- He was named the Mad King by those who knew his nature, including Dagr, Högni, and Mimir, for the cruelty and ruin he brought upon Fjöturlund in his obsession with claiming Sigrún by force.
- How did Helgi die?
- Helgi was impaled on the spear of Prince Dagr, Sigrún's brother, who had sworn to avenge his slaughtered family and protect his sister from the Mad King.
- What did Sigrún do after Helgi's death?
- Sigrún, who loved Helgi and did not yet know he had massacred her family, cursed her brother Dagr for killing him. By the time she learned the truth of what Helgi had done, it was already too late.
Sources
- GameGod of War Ragnarök, Santa Monica Studio, 2022
Spotted a factual error or a primary source we missed? Email a correction. Every flagged claim gets reviewed.
Followed from this entry
Dagr
Prince Dagr was the last surviving son of King Högni of Fjöturlund and the brother of the Valkyrie Sigrún. After King Helgi sacked his kingdom and slaughtered his family, Dagr avenged them by killing Helgi, only to be cursed by his grieving sister.
Sigrun: the Valkyrie Queen Kratos freed
Odin's curse drove the Valkyrie Queen mad, so Sigrun imprisoned her eight sisters and then herself. Kratos and Atreus beat her and freed her spirit.
Midgard: Kratos' home, shaped from Ymir
Odin shaped Midgard from the body of the giant Ymir. Kratos settled there after leaving Greece, and Fimbulwinter later froze the Lake of Nine.
The Valkyries
The Valkyries were female warrior-spirits who served Odin by escorting the honored dead to Valhalla. After Freya fell from favor, the All-Father cursed nine of them into maddening corporeal forms, until Kratos and Atreus freed their spirits and Freya reborn them as the Shield Maidens.
Also in Norse Era
How Did Kratos End Up in Midgard?
Kratos survived stabbing himself at the end of God of War III, left a ruined Greece behind and wandered until he settled in Midgard, where he married Faye. The games never show the trip itself. Here is what they do show, and what the Fallen God comic adds.
How Did Kratos Meet Faye?
Kratos met Faye in Midgard after he left Greece, and their first meeting was a fight. The games never show it, only the spot where it happened and what grew from it. Here is everything they do tell us about how the two came together.
Mentioned in2 entries
Dagr
Prince Dagr was the last surviving son of King Högni of Fjöturlund and the brother of the Valkyrie Sigrún. After King Helgi sacked his kingdom and slaughtered his family, Dagr avenged them by killing Helgi, only to be cursed by his grieving sister.
Sigrun: the Valkyrie Queen Kratos freed
Odin's curse drove the Valkyrie Queen mad, so Sigrun imprisoned her eight sisters and then herself. Kratos and Atreus beat her and freed her spirit.
Get new articles in your inbox
No spam. New lore drops, canon conflicts, and deep dives only when they’re worth reading.
Some links on Lore Fortress are affiliate links. If you buy through them we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.