Gná

**Gná**, also known in Old Norse as **gnɑ**, is the Vanir Goddess of Wind and Fullness, and Freya's former handmaiden. She is introduced in *Ragnarök* as the new Queen of the Valkyries, since Sigrún regained her freedom following her defeat at the hands of Kratos and Atreus.

Carrying forth Odin's will with zeal, Gná most notably leads the Einherjar during Ragnarök, trying to protect what she vowed to serve until death. Following the destruction of Asgard, she takes command of the surviving forces still loyal to Odin. Gná makes her last stand in Muspelheim where she awaits for Freya and Kratos, daring them to fight her. Putting up a desperate but formidable fight against her powerful opponents, she remained utterly loyal to the All-Father until the very end. Unable to let go of her hatred, Gná insisted her former friend finish her off.

## Biography

### Prior to *Ragnarök*

Gná was a Vanir who sided with Asgard after the end of the Aesir-Vanir War. She and Freya were once good friends, but Gná's loyalty to Asgard strained their friendship. Feeling abandoned by her former queen after her exile, Gná grew to hate her, causing the two to become enemies. After Sigrún was liberated from her corruption by Kratos and Atreus, Odin named Gná as the new Queen of the Valkyries.

During Atreus' time in Asgard, he and Odin encountered Gná while some of the Einherjar were busy training. She informed her master that her men were ready for his blessings.

When Ragnarök finally came to Asgard, Gná participated in the battle, with Freya seeing her and realizing that her former friend had become the new Valkyrie Queen. While pursuing Fenrir, she accidentally entered a realm tear caused by the giant wolf, causing her to unintentionally leave Asgard midway through the battle. While she therefore survived, Ragnarök ended in a crushing and total defeat for Asgard, with Odin being killed and the Realm destroyed. As the highest-ranking survivor of Asgard's destruction, Gná took charge of the remaining Einherjar to continue fighting in Asgard's honor.

Kratos and Freya later came across Gná in Muspelheim. In blind rage for the death of Odin and the destruction of Asgard, she proceeded to vengefully engage them in ferocious combat. However, Kratos and Freya gained the upper-hand and subdued her after a lengthy battle. While Kratos held Gná down, Freya tried to get her to let go of her hate and lust for vengeance. However, the valkyrie insisted that Freya finish what she started. With no other choice, Freya agreed. Kratos let go of her and, after readying herself, Gná allowed her former friend to behead her.

When returning to the shelter of the Ragnarök survivors in Midgard, Kratos and Freya informed the Shield Maidens Sigrun, Eir, and Gunnr about Gná's death. The three were overjoyed with the news, and fantasized possible ways Gná would be finished off, but Kratos simply told them that her death was swift and just.

## Appearance

Much like the other Valkyries, Gná appears as a very tall and athletic woman whose most characteristic feature remains her majestic metal valkyrie wings, as sharp as razor and as sturdy as steel. Her face is hidden and protected behind a shining golden mask whose design is strongly reminiscent of a Centurion helmet, emphasizing Gná’s status as the Queen of the Valkyries. This impression is eventually reinforced by the bouquet of brown feathers springing from the top of her helmet. But the most striking sight certainly is her glowing purple eyes, seemingly fuelled with Bifröst much like Heimdall’s. It is also interesting to notice that the combination of her feathered helmet with the blue war paints all around her burning eyes make Gná looks like an ancient Aztec warrior, a characteristic perfectly fitting with her inner nature: ruthless and untamed.

Her armor itself appears to be quite simple, even letting her upper chest naked and unprotected, with a high quality fabric suit covering her up to the breast, much like her sisters Hrist and Mist. A pair of thick and brown leather shoulder straps held by beautifully crafted gold medallions complete her warrior outfit. As for her arms, they are covered with long and pastel blue gauntlets, though her fingers are left naked. It is worth pointing out her affinity with the blue, as it is traditionally associated with the Aesir throughout the series: this might be yet another hint to Gná’s staunch loyalty to Asgard. She also wears high boots seemingly made of the same pastel blue material as her gloves. By emphasizing the blue, Gná seemingly accentuates the difference between herself and Sigrún, as her predecessor valued the red instead. But all in all, her upright and proud stand displays discipline and pride, a characteristic common to all the Valkyries.

## Personality

Gná is Odin's most zealous and loyal Valkyrie. Despite being a goddess of the Vanir, one of the greatest enemies of the Aesir alongside the Jötnar, Gná is extremely dedicated to Asgard's ideals, especially Odin's. Even after Ragnarök ended with Odin's death, she chose to carry out his will with the remaining Einherjar by killing Kratos and Freya, the latter whom she regarded as a traitor and a coward. In her final journal entry, she accused Freya of constantly playing the victim and being at fault for all the bad things that have happened to her, while still implying Odin is blameless. Gná is also vengeful, as she fought Kratos and Freya to the death so she could get back at Freya for their falling out, and even refused to surrender when she lost the battle

## Powers and Abilities

Following the events of Baldur's death and the liberation of the Valkyries, Gná has been chosen by Odin as the new Valkyrie Queen to replace Sigrún after the latter's defection. Such an honor can only be bestowed upon the most powerful and loyal beings in service of Asgard, and Gná is no exception. First and foremost, her status as a Vanir goddess implies that she likely possesses significant knowledge of Vanir magic, though the extent of her true powers isn't really shown in game. Gná is also immortal and therefore, can only be harmed or killed by godly weapons or sufficient powerful beings. Like her former friend Freya, it is likely that Gná is in reality a millennia old, although she retains the appearance of a young woman thanks to her divine nature.

As the Queen of the Valkyries, she holds tremendous levels of power and battle might, far surpassing the other Valkyries (as noted by Mimir) and can only be rivaled and surpassed only by Freya and Sigrún, the other Queens of the Valkyries. Gná's formidable strength makes Freya regard her as a problem to both Kratos and Freya herself, so much so that the latter directly expressed her concern to the Ghost of Sparta.

Gná holds tremendous levels of superhuman strength and durability and is exceptionally skilled in using her atgeir, shurikens, and wings, allowing her to take extreme punishment from Kratos and Freya for an extended period of time to a much greater degree than the other Valkyries, even Sigrún before being defeated, and can go blow-to-blow with and even overpower Kratos, who had to require Freya to break out from her attacks.