In the traditional Norse society portrayed in Vikings, the majority of women raise families, but a few choose to take up arms too. While the existence of shield-maidens in history has been widely debated, their inclusion in the historical drama maintains the themes of female empowerment and equality.
The show is packed with countless battles, and in them, a number of the shield-maidens distinguish themselves as more skillful than their male counterparts. Others have also been major players in social developments while a few have gone on to be great rulers, thus creating refreshing changes in the male-dominated society.
Gyda
Unlike other shield-maidens, Gyda never gets to step onto the battlefield. Instead, she volunteers to be a human sacrifice so she can be buried with Lagertha and ascend with her to Valhalla.
Offering oneself as a sacrifice is a great gesture in the world of the Norsemen, which is the reason Gyda makes the list. Nonetheless, her character development is nil, and she would have been easily forgotten if not for her sacrifice. She never gets to train or fight on-screen either, making it impossible to measure how skillful she would have been.
Runa
Runa is one of the shield-maidens who happen to be residing in Lagertha's village during the attack by White Hair and his bandits. Though she had retired, she briefly takes up arms in order to defend the village.
Runa does a great job of protecting the children, but she appears more cautious than daring. She is reluctant to engage in any fights and wields her weapon only when confronted. Interestingly, she is a major part of the celebrations after White Hair's defeat. Fans might judge her harshly, but her reluctance to fight presumably stems from age-related fatigue.
Egil's Wife
Egil the Bastard refuses to give Lagertha any information when she tortures him, but she softens up when his unnamed wife is bought to him. Egil's wife is revealed to be a shield-maiden who fought alongside her husband in many battles.
Egil's wife has the same arc problems as Gyda. She is introduced only to make Egil soften his stance. What makes her a better character is her most noticeable trait: her good-heartedness. Even when Egil breaks up with her and disowns her, she stays by his side, encouraging him that all will be well. Though not witnessed, her achievements on the battlefield are explained through speech, confirming that she is indeed good at her craft.
Skadi
After hearing about the raid on Lagertha's village, Skadi shows up with Gunnhild to engage White Hair and his bandits. She puts on a brave fight but dies in battle.
Skadi is the ultimate daredevil. She has no business going to help Lagertha since she isn't close to her in any way but she still does so. This creates the impression that she simply loves to fight. She slashes through opponents with ease too and keeps charging, no matter the risks. As a shield-maiden, she clearly provides plenty of entertainment. Unfortunately, she gets beheaded while charging at White Hair.
Amma
Amma is part of the group of warriors that returns to Kattegat to dethrone Ivar. She is assigned to watch other Kwenrith's bastard son Magnus and discovers he is Christian. And while living in Kattegat, she forms a bond with Hvitserk, helping him manage his mental health struggles.
The shield-maiden preeminent traits are her awareness and keenness. These traits have made her very valuable since she can always be counted to warn others before an ambush. Furthermore, she is more focused on war than trivial matters, and that's why she isn't too keen on revealing Magnus' secret to others. Amma also deserves commendation for being there for Hvitserk when everyone else snubs him.
Thorunn
Starting out as a slave, Thorunn's resolve to be a shield-maiden impresses Alsaug who chooses to release her from servitude. She begins a relationship with Bjorn but that quickly turns sour when she becomes withdrawn after getting injured on the battlefield.
Thorunn's courage is unrivaled, and so is her determination and endurance. Being pregnant with Siggy doesn't prevent her from going to war. Watching her brave abdominal pains as she slaughters Mercians is as concerning as it is impressive. Before becoming a shield-maiden, she also shows extreme dedication, training every day and reminding everyone of her dreams.
Astrid
While serving at Lagertha's court in Hedeby, Astrid falls in love with the ruler and the two begin a steamy relationship. Shen then marries Harald in what turns out to be one of the worst relationships in Vikings. She eventually becomes Queen of Vestfold-Rogaland but she becomes disgruntled and forces Lagertha to kill her.
Only the best get to rise to high positions and Astrid's stint as Lagertha's second-in-command puts a stamp on her abilities. She is an expert at coming up with defense strategies during battle, such that even when King Harald's capable forces attack Hedeby, she successfully repels them and incapacitates Egil. The shieldmaiden has plenty of notable highlights too, with her most notable one being the luring of Ubbe and Sigurd into a trap during the Kattegat raid.
Gunnhild
After her marriage to Jarl Olavsonn ends, Gunnhild marries Bjorn, someone who is as passionate about war as her. She ultimately becomes Queen of Kattegat after Bjorn is given the Sword of Kings.
Gunnhild's fighting skills are far better than those of her counterparts. She confirms this by defeating the much capable Bjorn during a fight and successfully leading a group of fighters to defeating White Hair, one of the best Vikings characters introduced after the first season. Gunnhild can also boast of having one of the biggest battlefield achievements on the show, killing the extremely skilled Bishop Heahmund during the Battle of Marton.
Torvi
Initially, Torvi isn't too keen on matters of the battlefield but she chooses to go that route after killing her husband Erlendur for threatening her. She ends up being so good that she is appointed Lagertha's right-hand maiden in Hedeby.
There have been many moments when Torvi was a standout fighter on the battlefield, including the second Paris raid and the attack on Hedeby. Being an incredible maiden herself, Lagertha has an eye for talent, and her decision to appoint Torvi as chief henchwoman shows how highly she values her. Additionally, Torvi's ability to move on is laudable, a trait that is valuable in the violent world of the Vikings. She loses two husbands as well as her son Guthrum but she soldiers on.
Lagertha
From an early age, Lagertha is trained by her father to be a shield-maiden. During the early forays by the Norsemen into the West, she gladly volunteers and proves to be one of the best fighters in Vikings.
Lagertha is undoubtedly the greatest ever shield-maiden because of her accomplishments. Not only does she never die in battle, but she is ambitious. She uses her skills to acquire power, unlike her counterparts whose only goal is to get to Valhalla. Her mastery is also confirmed by the fact that she is a tutor, with her ability to teach others how to maneuver the battlefield even drawing the admiration of her marital rival, Aslaug.