Áile, known more commonly under the title of the Seid-Kona was one of the characters recruited for Sigrid's revenge in Twilight of the Gods. She is an original character, not based directly on a mythological figure, but has origins in Norse culture.
Biography[]
A world tree crafted by the Seid-Kona tells her the future.
It was said that the Seid-Kona was a witch who ate her own son to gain the favor of Freya. This was long believed, but not so. The original Seid-Kona did have a son, but she looked into the future and saw that her child would live a woman's life. Her child grew up to take her place as the new Seid-Kona, feared as the original. When Sigrid came to find a witch to help hunt a god, the Seid-Kona was already aware of their goals, their roles, and that her destiny was entwined with theirs.
The Seid-Kona ensnares a Bolverkr.
The Seid-Kona journeyed with Sigrid and when Sigrid took up the cursed weapon, Antler, she plucked a pair of cursed daggers from Andvari's forge for herself.[2] They rode for Vanaheim and were hunted by Bolverkrs, but after the Seid-Kona discovered that the Bolverkrs had laid a trap, the group managed to escape them. With Thor hot on their tail, they found refuge in the kingdom of the Vanir.[3]
The end for Fafnir.
The Vanir refused to help Sigrid's quest unless the group was able to bring them the apples of immortality, so they set out to face Fafnir the Snow Dragon who guarded them. Leif freed Egill from his servitude during the pre-battle feast, and the Seid-Kona, who was starting to develop feelings for him, encouraged him to leave them behind so that he might survive. The group, sans Egill, fought as a complete unit for the first time, and after Leif split the belly of the beast, the Seid-Kona opened the wound and disemboweled Fafnir, which was instrumental in their victory. They returned with the apples only to find that they'd been poisoned by Loki Laufeyson, forcing them to flee from the wrath of the Vanir. Leif was captured to help them flee.[4]
Egill returns.
The group was eventually cornered by the Vanir and set to fight, outnumbered by the powerful beings. Prepared to give their lives, they didn't have to, as Egill returned. He'd told Sigrid's story to the jötun kingdoms and they came to support her quest for revenge against the Open Hand giants. This enabled Sigrid to take Hoenir's head, freeing Leif and Loki, the latter of whom took credit for the poisoning, setting the story straight for the Vanir and giving them a reason to fight for Sigrid instead of against her.[5]
The Seid-Kona joins the assassination plot.
The Seid-Kona drew what power she could from Ulfr on the eve of the war,[6] and then fought alongside Sigrid and her other companions, taking down a monstrous creature with goat horns and an eye in its abdomen to make way for Sigrid's mission to plant King Tiwaz's crown at the base of Asgard's wall. After the battle, the crown's roots grew into the wall enough to open a passage where the group could secretly enter to assassinate Thor. The Seid-Kona left Egill asleep to save his life and split up from the group with a goal of her own.[7]
The Seid-Kona takes Odin's memory.
With her ability of foresight, the Seid-Kona knew Egill would die in the coming battle, but saw another path. Instead of helping with the assassination of Thor, she ventured upward to Odin's throne at the peak of the kingdom. She knew he would come for her, killing Egill in the process, so she went to him, instead. She couldn't see her own future past their meeting, so she believed she'd come to die. Odin wanted to see his future and the Seid-Kona held Freya's power to show it. She informed him that it would come at a cost, then took his Memory from him. Odin disemboweled her and left her for dead.
The Seid-Kona becomes a goddess.
Egill arrived to find her gravely injured, but the Seid-Kona's magic reawakened, restoring her injuries and transforming her. With the Vanir power of Freya's foresight and the new Aesir power of Odin's memory, she had become a new goddess. Her previous life as a human became clouded. Though she could look back on it, she could no longer feel it, so her growing love for Egill was lost. Egill sought to start over with her.[8]
Physical appearance[]
Seid-Kona was a very beautiful woman. She had pale skin with a slightly pointed face and marked cheekbones; long, dark blonde hair with two strands that fell over her shoulders; red lips; and violet eyes.
Powers and abilities[]
Seidr magic: The Seid-Kona was a very powerful witch, being the most powerful of the known mortal magic users. She was knowledgeable in multiple spells and rituals using the power and techniques passed down to her from her mother. She was most well-known for her foresight, believed by many to know all things before they would happen. While not as extensive as that, she did indeed have the power of foresight passed down by Freya, herself. Seidr magic was the magic of entrails. The Seid-Kona could sacrifice living creatures and look into their entrails to read the future. She could also manipulate the entrails, empower them, and use them as weapons. Even aside from using this technique for her own combat, she enhanced Thyra's bowstring, made of entrails pulled taut, giving her arrows a punch that could even kill gods.
Presence masking: The Seid-Kona was capable of erecting a barrier that would block her and her allies from the perception of others, which worked even on the Vanir gods. This technique required her focus and for those within the barrier to remain still and quiet.
Healing magic: The Seid-Kona knew healing spells and was able to heal certain physical wounds with great ease. After Ulfr bit into Egill's forearm, it was expected that he'd lose his hand. She plucked healing magic from her hearth and mended it in seconds. He felt that his hand was no longer his from then on, instead belonging to her, and he was able to use the blood from his hand to find her, but his hand worked as well as before. She also offered to mend Leif's minor flesh wounds, but he refused.
Knife mastery: The Seid-Kona was a skilled warrior using knives and daggers as her preferred weapons. She was able to decisively turn Inge's knife on her from an awkward position and used Andvari's cursed daggers to split the belly of Fafnir the Snow Dragon, which was one of the most important strikes against the beast. These blades went hand-in-hand with her magic, as they could disembowel her enemies while her magic could manipulate the entrails that were released.
Appearances[]
Norse origins[]
Seiðr magic was a set of rituals and other practices meant to foretell and shape the future in Norse culture. Such practitioners could be known by several titles, one of which was "seið-kona," which translates to "magic woman." Anglicized as "seid-kona," this is where the Seid-Kona gets her title. This particular magic was associated with Freyja, who was said to have taught seiðr magic to the Æsir, as well as with Odin, who was responsible for the sorcery in the world and practiced it, himself. This may have inspired the decision for Seid-Kona's goddess form to come about by taking powers from these two deities.
References[]
- ↑ In "Heretic Spear," the Seid-Kona confirms that she was born a son later to live the life of a woman. "There was a Seid-Kona who bore a son, but she could look at me and know that my future was a woman's life and she loved me and made me the Seid-Kona that followed."
- ↑ Caitlin Parrish (writer) & Jay Oliva (director). September 19, 2024. Twilight of the Gods episode 2, "Heretic Spear."
- ↑ Peter Aperlo (writer) & Tim Divar, Andrew Tamandl (directors). September 19, 2024. Twilight of the Gods episode 3, "You Will Gladden His Ravens."
- ↑ Eric Carrasco, Caitlin Parrish (writers) & Dave Hartman, Andrew Tamandl (directors). September 19, 2024. Twilight of the Gods episode 4, "The Worm."
- ↑ Peter Aperlo (writer) & Tim Divar, Andrew Tamandl (directors). September 19, 2024. Twilight of the Gods episode 5, "The Scapegoat God."
- ↑ Eric Carrasco, Caitlin Parrish (writers) & Dave Hartman, Andrew Tamandl (directors). September 19, 2024. Twilight of the Gods episode 6, "Now Hear Of...."
- ↑ Caitlin Parrish, Peter Aperlo (writers) & Jay Oliva (director). September 19, 2024. Twilight of the Gods episode 7, "If I Had a Hammer."
- ↑ Eric Carrasco (writer) & Zack Snyder (director). September 19, 2024. Twilight of the Gods episode 8, "Song of Sigrid."