Hallgrímr

*"You! You, woman! You come with us."
"You don't belong here. Fjölnir wants you close."*
―Finnr and Hallgrímr to Olga[src]
**Hallgrímr** Half-Troll is a follower of Fjölnir the Brotherless.

## Biography

### Delivering Slaves

*"Look, you...sneer at the king all you might, he's ever-still your brother. You have station."
"He smiles on my mis-chanced birthright. I'm ever still the bastard."
"Many would wish to be in your fine shoes."
"Like a stallion's cock, even the finest leather shrinks with age. And my shoes no longer fit..."*
―Hallgrímr and Fjölnir[src]
Hallgrímr accompanies Fjölnir as he oversees the delivery of slaves upon his and Aurvandil's return to Hrafnsey. He notices Fjölnir looking bitterly towards the keep and hears him referring to Aurvandil a "proud preening peacock". Hallgrímr tells him that he can sneer at the king all he might, but he is still his brother and that he should appreciate his station. Fjölnir replies that Aurvandil smiles at his mischance of birth and that he is ever still the bastard. Hallgrímr points out that many would wish to be in his shoes, to which Fjölnir scoffs and tells him that like a stallion's cock, even the finest leather shrinks with aid and his shoes no longer fit. Hallgrímr laughs at Fjölnir's comment.

### Murder of Aurvandil

*"King Aurvandil is dead, long live King Fjölnir!"*
―Hallgrímr[src]

Hallgrímr is among the soldiers who accompany Fjölnir when he ambushes Aurvandil outside of a temple. Aurvandil's young son, Amleth, attempts to defend his father, who tells him to run. The men bring Aurvandil down by shooting him with arrows and stabbing him with spears before Fjölnir decapitates him. Hallgrímr declares that King Aurvandil is dead and long live King Fjölnir. Fjölnir orders his men to bring him Amleth's head and they search the forest for him.

Hallgrímr accompanies Fjölnir back to the keep, where they perform a coup. Fjölnir carries Queen Gudrún out of the keep slung over his shoulder. Hallgrímr comments that King Fjölnir has found himself a queen, which prompts a laugh from the other soldiers. Finnr then arrives, having had his nose cut off, and informs them that he has killed Amleth and dropped his body in the ocean.

### Fleeing to Iceland

*"Fjölnir fled to that frontier backwater with his wife and son after King Haraldr of Norway, took his kingdom. He killed his brother for nothing, now he's a sheep farmer!"*
―Eiríkr to Amleth[src]
Hallgrímr continues to serve Fjölnir during his kingship. However, Fjölnir is later overthrown by King Haraldr of Norway and flees to Iceland with Gudrún and his son Thórir. Hallgrímr accompanies them and continues to serve them as they set up a farm in Freysdalur, where Fjölnir and Gudrún later welcome a son Gunnar.

### Delivering Slaves

*"Fjölnir, my lord, your shipment is here."*
―Hallgrímr[src]

Years later, Hallgrímr and Finnr travel to the coast and collect a shipment of slaves who have been sent to Iceland from the Land of the Rus. They shackle the slaves together and set off on horseback while the slaves follow on foot. As they progress, Hallgrímr orders two slaves to keep silent as they talk to one another.

Once they reach the farm, Hallgrímr alerts Fjölnir that his shipment has arrived. He orders the slaves to their feet and and line up, allowing Fjölnir to inspect them. One of the slaves catches Fjölnir's attention with his aggression and on his master's orders, Hallgrímr holds him still and pulls his mouth open, allowing Fjölnir to inspect his teeth and gums. Fjölnir decides to keep the slave, who introduces himself as "Björnulfr", and Hallgrímr unchains him and drags him to the oxen shed, where he must sleep with the other male slaves.

The next day, Hallgrímr and Finnr see Olga talking to Björnulfr and order her to come with her, as Fjölnir wants her close. They then drag her away.

### The Chieftain's Feast

*"Thórir will choose our strongest. Tomorrow we'll prove Hákon Iron-Beard's men are born of mud and water."
"Mud will be all that remains of them."*
―Fjölnir and Hallgrímr[src]

Later that night, Hallgrímr and several others meet with Fjölnir and they discuss the Chieftain's Feast, which is due to take place the next day. Fjölnir tells of his plan to beat the slaves of Hákon Iron-Beard in a game of knattleikr. He states that Thórir will select their strongest slaves, who will prove that Hákon's men are born of mud and water. Hallgrímr comments that mud will be all that remains of them. Fjölnir's dog, Rakki, begins to bark and they search for the cause, but Fjölnir orders them to take Rakki home and get themselves to bed, as it is nearly dawn. Hallgrímr and Finnr return Rakki to the longhouse before going to bed.

The next day, Fjölnir's slaves win the game of knattleikr thanks to Björnulfr, who also saves Gunnar's life when he runs onto the field and is attacked by Thórfinnr Tooth-Gnasher. On the orders of Thórir, Hallgrímr brings Björnulfr before him, where he informs him of the rewards he will receive for his bravery and loyalty.

### Murders at Freysdalur

One morning, Thórir's friends, Hersveinn Battle Hard and Hjalti Battle Hasty, are found murdered and dismembered, their bodies nailed to the barn in the shape of Sleipnir. Thórir promises bloody revenge on those responsible and accuses the Christian slaves. He begins attacking them and on Fjölnir's orders, Hallgrímr and Finnr restrain him. Fjölnir calms his son and promises that his friends will be avenged. He then orders Hallgrímr to remove him and he leads the tearful Thórir away.

Later that night, howling is heard in the distance. It drives the dogs mad and causes them to attacks their owners, who kill them in self-defence. Hallgrímr and Finnr accompany Fjölnir and Thórir to the temple, where they find the temple priestess, Áshildur Hofgythja, bound and gagged and her assistant, Hallur Freymundur, castrated and disemboweled. On Fjölnir's orders, they free Áshildur from her binds.

The next morning, Hallgrímr and Finnr accompany Fjölnir as he arms the male slaves to defend the farm.

### Thórir's Murder

*"Down with you! Down with the lot of you!"*
―Hallgrímr to the slaves[src]

The next morning, Thórir is discovered to have been murdered with his heart cut out. Hallgrímr orders the slaves to their knees as, at Gudrún's urging, Fjölnir begins killing them, demanding to know which of them aided in his son's murder. As he prepares to kill Olga, Björnulfr appears and offers the return of Thórir's heart in exchange for her life. He reveals that he is Amleth and declares his intention to avenge his father's death. They attack him and he fights back until they overpower him. He suggests that the heart may instead be that of a rabid dog killed two nights before. Fjölnir suspends him in the barn, beats and questions him, but he does not reveal the location of Thórir's heart. They return to the barn after Thórir's funeral, but find him gone.

### Death

Several nights later, Amleth returns to the farm under cover of darkness. Hallgrímr guards the byre when Amleth finds and disembowels him. He stumbles through the door and attempts to hold in his intestines before falling dead.

## Personality

*"King Fjölnir has found himself a queen!"*
―Hallgrímr[src]
Hallgrímr is a devoted follower of Fjölnir, aiding him in his murder of Aurvandil. He serves Fjölnir during his rule of Hrafnsey and continues to do so after he is overthrown by Haraldr Fine-Hair and sets up a farmstead at Freysdalur. He transports slaves for Fjölnir and follows his orders diligently, serving him up until his death.

## References

1. ↑ Eggers, Robert; Sjón, *The Northman* Deleted Scene: "Fjölnir and Hallgrímr at the Slave Shed", Focus Features, USA, April 22, 2022
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Eggers, Robert; Sjón, *The Northman*, Focus Features, USA, April 22, 2022