The upcoming DLC for Assassin's Creed Valhalla, Dawn of Ragnarok, allows players to fight and play as gods from Norse legend, but its depiction of Odin looks like just another assassin. Odin, the All-Father and ruler of the Æsir, isn't portrayed very accurately, in both his appearance and his personality. Those familiar with Norse mythos may find his depiction strange, and even frustrating to a degree.
Assassin's Creed Valhalla's Dawn of Ragnarok, when it releases, will depict the series' interpretation of the events that lead up to Ragnarök, a great battle between the Æsir and the giants, or Jötnar. Interpretations of it vary widely, but something that's almost universal is the death of many gods during the battle, among them Odin, their leader. Traditionally, Odin is depicted as wise and all-knowing, and having incredible godly power. AC Valhalla: Dawn of Ragnarok's Norse myth characters were never going to be wholly accurate to legends, but Odin seems pretty far from it. He's fated to be swallowed whole by the wolf Fenrir, son of Loki, who will then fall at the hands of Odin's son, Víðarr. Some Æsir survive the conflict, however, and go on to rebuild the world.
Odin's depiction in Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Dawn of Ragnarok isn't quite the wise leader of the Æsir that most Norse legends describe. His body and clothing are inaccurate and impractical, and they look much younger and well-groomed than other traditional interpretations. The disparities with Nordic lore are impossible to ignore for those familiar with it, and may take away from the experience of the DLC. Odin also essentially plays like any ordinary Assassin's Creed character, utilizing weapons from Valhalla but with a slight change in that some of them have different powers. AC Valhalla: Dawn of Ragnarok's gameplay preview has given fans a glimpse of what the story will be like, and it may even be that Odin changes over the course of the story, but they still just look like any ordinary protagonist from the series' past.
AC Valhalla: Dawn Of Ragnarok's Portrayal Of Odin
In most Norse myths, Odin is the ruler of the Æsir gods, and a wise, elderly man associated with wisdom and healing, among other things. He rules over Valhalla, the Norse afterlife for the honored dead, and commands an army of einherjar. Though depictions vary wildly, some things about him are universal, and many of those things are in direct opposition to Dawn of Ragnarok. He does have a beard, one eye, and battles with the spear Gungnir, but aside from that, he's not very accurate. The raven feathers on his armor are a nod to Nordic legends, but the armor itself looks like something out of TV, as does the character's likeness in-game. AC Valhalla's new DLC takes players to Norway, but Odin lacks the physique of a traditional Viking warrior, and looks more like a movie star. The Vikings were known for their grooming, but Odin here is immaculate to a fault. God of War got this right, but it would appear that AC Valhalla doesn't with Odin's bodybuilder-like frame.
Odin's personality and weaponry also clash with myth, as he takes several selfish and unreasonable actions in the upcoming story. Without spoiling too much, he becomes desperate to survive Raganarök, and takes many harsh actions in order to achieve this goal, making him far from the wise leader that most stories depict him as. His weapons don't match up, either. Dawn of Ragnarok introduces a lot new to AC Valhalla, but it might have been better off without some of it. Odin does use a spear, presumably Gungnir, but he also uses the hidden blade that Assassin's Creed is known for, which is hardly historically or mythologically accurate.
Odin's Depiction In Assassin's Creed Clashes With Legend
Although Odin's depiction is less than accurate, Assassin's Creed is a video game at the end of the day, and full accuracy is never expected. The reason that it ruins the All-Father is because it takes a wise, honorable warrior and almost makes a caricature out of him. The disparities with the mythos are too blatant to ignore. There are many Assassin's Creed games that take liberties with their heroes, and as assassins, they've never quite been "the good guys", but Odin is just plain selfish. Whether it's manipulating his wife, Frigg, or stepping on other gods and the rest of the Æsir in his desperate quest for immortality, Odin's lack of regard for others makes him a protagonist that few can sympathize with.
The main reason that Dawn of Ragnarok ruins Odin, however, aside from the lack of compassion that he will display, is that his character is twisted to fit the series. From what's been revealed so far, Odin doesn't feel like Odin; he feels like Assassin's Creed's version of Odin. Yes, it is a video game, and yes, full historical accuracy is an unreasonable expectation, especially since so much of Norse legend has been lost to time, but it almost feels like the series whitewashes the All-Father. The best Assassin's Creed Valhalla DLC expansions bring history and legend to life, which it doesn't look like Dawn of Ragnarok is going to do. God of War managed to make unique versions of the gods that weren't rebuilt to fit the game's needs, so it's disappointing that AC Valhalla has opted for a different approach.
Odin Shows The Limits Of Myth-Based Assassin's Creed Games
Although Odin accomplished some less than noble deeds in Norse mythology, depicting him as a selfish manipulator afraid of his own mortality seems like an odd choice for a Nordic god, especially one so important and influential as their leader. The physical changes are fairly obvious, as is the odd weaponry. Assassin's Creed is a stealth series, even if more recent titles have strayed away from it, and so a giant, burly Viking warrior would be out of place. AC Valhalla's small details enhance the story, but its big ones can make or break the game. Introducing some of the series' signature weaponry is something to be expected, and it may have been surprising if it was missing, even if it is impractical in Dawn of Ragnarok's setting.
Odin's personality changes may also serve their own purpose. His mad quest for immortality will lead him to seek reincarnation after Ragnarök, which he succeeds in accomplishing. It's revealed that his reincarnation is Eivor Varinsdottir, the protagonist of the base game of AC Valhalla. Not all of the Assassin's Creed protagonists come from the same bloodline, but this serves as a reflection of the themes of history and progeny that are so prevalent in the series, and may have even inspired the Animus system. Valhalla isn't the earliest Assassin's Creed game chronologically speaking, but its events had a deep impact on the world's history. Odin's drive to live in Assassin's Creed Valhalla kicks off the events of the game and influences the series as a whole.