The Sword of Summer

Magnus’s encounter with Gunilla in Chapter 21 explains several things. Magnus heals Gunilla after she’s burned on the elevator, showing how powerful his abilities are. Though he isn’t strong on the battlefield, he has his own strengths, and the divide between the gods makes the difference clear: Magnus is the child of a Vanir god, and Valhalla is an afterlife primarily for Aesir offspring. Though the groups have mostly worked out their differences, a rift remains, showing how even gods are not immune to prejudices and racism. The hierarchy within Valhalla expands upon the godly divide. Aesir children and einherjar frown upon anyone who isn’t one of their own and especially upon Vanir or monsters. Gunilla’s explanation also foreshadows Magnus’s later visit to Folkvanger.

The quiet of the gods in the last two years symbolizes how the death of Magnus’s mother was not an isolated incident. Around the same time, Sam became a Valkyrie, and Odin disappeared. We later learn Fenris freed himself from Gleipnir’s muzzle two years ago, which allowed him to whisper across worlds and influence events. Magnus, Sam, and Surt are part of a greater plot on Fenris’s part, but none of them are aware of it. As a child of Loki, Fenris possesses his father’s skill at deception, which allows him to manipulate events to his will.

Hiding from the Squirrel and staying one step ahead of the Valkyries put Valhalla’s residents in a new light. Up until this point, Valhalla came across as a place of hierarchies and unfair ranks where everyone only looked out for their own well-being. The threat of Ragnarok’s approach and Magnus’s role in delaying it supersedes the norm of Valhalla and shows how strong the bond is between Magnus and his hallmates. Rather than leaving him to fend for himself, they fend off the Valkyries and forces from the World Tree itself to clear Magnus a path out of the hotel so he can delay Ragnarok.