Spoiler alert! As you might guess when reading an article about open ends at the conclusion of a video game, a majority of the talk is going be about, you know, the end of that video game. So if you have yet to complete Assassin’s Creed Valhalla and want to keep the story as a surprise, turn back now. Otherwise, let’s ponder together about all of the questions raised by this game.
For a game that was so long, it’s really a heart-breaker that the ending is so dark. Well, if not dark, then at least perplexing, right? Clearly, the world is in a lot of hot water, our protagonists are either dead or trapped, and villains have gained access to the last known chance of freedom. It’s time to try and put all of these pieces together and wonder where Ubisoft will go from here.
20 What Became Of Styrbjorn?
Styrbjorn chose to pledge his loyalty to a new king rather than hand the title over to his son Sigurd as a way to avoid a needless war. Sigurd and Eivor took great offense and decided to cut themselves off from their father, only returning later in the game but again treating Styrbjorn with contempt.
The last he was seen, Styrbjorn was a drunkard and all alone but didn’t regret his actions. Considering Eivor died by herself in Vinland, it’s unclear if Sigurd returned to his father. It’s also not certain what his status was in his homeland anymore, something that’s too big to ignore.
19 Why Did Eivor Die In Vinland?
Eivor went to Vinland a few times during the game which is the land that eventually became America. While her travels to Vinland itself is something to ponder over since history states that the first Vikings only got there a century after she did, it’s more of a mystery why she died there.
After all, Eivor had established her base with the Raven clan and spent all her efforts in keeping the place running. It doesn’t add up why she would choose to die in a faraway land, and with no clarification provided, it’s something that will keep on nagging fans.
18 Are There Other Beings Like The Reader?
The Reader is confirmed to be Desmond Miles, and there were heavy implications that Bayek and Ezio were around as well. However, it’s not known exactly how one becomes such a being and if there are more of them out there.
The series hasn’t shown such beings before but the introduction of one, and that too being Desmond, carries a lot of potential for other characters to show up this way as well. For now, the main question remains over who all gets to become such an entity.
17 Other Isu Reincarnations Within The Hidden Ones/Assassin Brotherhood?
Basim was revealed to be the Isu Loki and basically used the Hidden Ones for his own plans. Centuries later, after he was freed, Basim again began using the Assassin brotherhood by promising them his help but actually hoping to get his children as Loki back.
This raises the question of whether or not there are more reincarnated Isu within the Hidden Ones or the Assassin brotherhood. The reincarnation angle is essentially the same as the Sage had been, but the revelation that figures like the Norse gods can be reborn in human bodies is something that needs clarification.
16 What Are The Templars Planning Now?
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla strayed far away from the usual story as the Templars didn’t factor in it at all. The only hint made toward them was when Basim mentioned he would help the Assassins take the fight to the Templars.
With all the focus on the Isu this time around, it’s not known what the Templars have planned. The angle of the world coming to an end again doesn’t seem to factor in the Templars, but it’s too large of a question hanging over the series as to what the faction is up to during this time.
15 Who Will Drive Out The Vikings Now?
This part came as probably the biggest twist in the entire game. King Alfred (Aelfred in the game) is a real person who is historically accredited with driving out the Vikings. The game is aware of this, they even feature him doing so in the trailer, for goodness’ sake.
After beating the game, there is lots to do, including killing the rest of the order which has been infiltrated by… Alfred? Uh, he’s a good guy now? He is revealed to be leading the Order of the Ancients so that he can leak their secrets and destroy them from the inside. Is Ubisoft sticking with this and, if so, who are they going to have to drive back the Danes?
14 Does Eivor Understand What Is At Stake?
If you’ve played previous games, you’re going to notice some stark contrasts between this game and the rest. One of the more notable occurrences is that Eivor is never officially inducted into the Assassins.
The Assassins and the Templars, called the Hidden Ones and the Order of the Ancients in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, are outside groups to Eivor. Does Eivor understand why the Hidden Ones are good or why the Order is bad? Does he even care?
13 What Is Sigurd Going To Do Now?
The side quests can be amazing, but they won’t change the ending of the game. Ultimately, the fate of Sigurd will depend entirely on how you interacted with him and his friends.
Regardless of whether he departs for Norway or comes back to the settlement, it’s questionable what Sigurd is going to do now. He’s ditched his girl, forfeited leadership, and been utterly disgraced. So what’s his next move?
12 Where Are The Other Isu?
As if the game couldn’t be any bigger as you get to play kingmaker, you get to play godmaker as well with Havi through the eyes of Eivor. But where are all the other gods at this time?
It is revealed that the Norse gods are another group of Isu deities. Then where are the other Isu during Ragnarok? Are they cool to let their own get murdered? Did something bad happen between the two groups?
11 When Did Alethia Fall In Love With Loki?
The one crossover that we do get between the two Isu groups is the connection between Alethia and Loki who are, apparently, in love. If so, they’ve spent thousands of years apart, maybe more.
It’s hard to categorize this as a bad or a good storyline so much as it is weird. Is Alethia the mother of Fenrir, or did Loki cheat on her? How is either one of them the parent of an animal? And when did these two devise this zany plan to get back together?
10 Are All Of The Sacred Relics Isu Inhabited?
If what is making the Staff of Hermes so polarizing is the spirit of Alethia locked away inside of it, then what is going on with all of the other Isu artifacts? The Apples of Eden and the Sword of Eden make their users lose their minds, is Isu influence to blame?
Clearly, some of the Isu have persisted either in their current forms or in other human-like vessels, but we don’t know why or how or where. These are questions we wished we knew the answers to before Assassin’s Creed Valhalla started, and we still are wondering about them all the more afterward.
9 Is Odin Dead Forever?
So if Odin (called Havi) transferred his consciousness into Eivor, and Eivor is dead (not much room for debate there, look at the bones), then is Odin, too, gone for good?
And how about the Tyr and Sigmund hybrid? If so, this is a disaster for the immortal Isu and for the Assassins in general, especially with Loki now in full control of everything with no one else in the way to stop him.
8 Is A New Group Forming?
Perhaps one of the reasons the game has stopped talking about the Assassins and Templars, even going so far as to invent different monikers for them, is because there is a third option on the horizon.
After years of hunting down Templars only to betray the Assassins with his final breath, Desmond is back. Layla is with him and she, too, has had a history of checkered loyalty. Are the two going to oppose both groups at once?
7 What Happened To The Elves And Dwarves?
We get a chance to meet Ivaldi, the blacksmith, who makes a rope for Havi to tie up Fenrir. It is revealed through conversation that he is a dwarf and part of a larger dwarven kingdom.
Earlier in the game, the gods discuss the elves and their people. So with the fall of Asgard, the link to many of these locations, what happened to the dwarves and elves? We’ve checked all the great fishing spots and it doesn’t look like they’re hiding out on earth next to any rivers or lakes.
6 Will the Franchise Go Back To Stealth?
After the first few games seemed to demand stealthy gameplay, the progression of Assassin’s Creed has only loosely used elements of stealth. In Valhalla, it’s almost gone entirely. Players will need to pick up a few tips for fighting if they hope for victory, staying invisible really isn’t a valid option.
Stealth was one of the coolest parts of the franchise. There was a time in the middle where players could try direct fighting or the more subtle approach. Will this ever become the norm again, or have the golden years for quick and quiet assassinations set sail?
5 Is Magic Real Now?
After going through the Wrath of the Druids expansion, there is a significant break between this DLC and the rest. Most of the time in Assassin’s Creed, when supernatural things happen, there is an explanation behind it. Sometimes it’s an Isu artifact or even time travel, but usually an explanation behind the supernatural.
The druids, however, seem like they’re capable of magical powers completely outside of the game’s normal scope. Some items might seem magical, like the incredible light bows in the game, but this direction would be in a different direction.
4 Are The Games Going To Keep Getting Bigger?
The rate of growth in these game’s frankly cannot continue. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, with its huge map, unsurprisingly has one of the lowest completion rates in the history of gaming. So, by that logic, the developers should probably get the message that these maps either need to get smaller or need to have more interesting plots and events.
But the announcement of Assassin’s Creed Infinity has players confused to this end. The game will be pivoting from an RPG to a live service game. These kinds of games tend to be bigger, so it’s worth wondering if this abysmal finishing rate will improve.
3 Might Battling On the High Seas Make A Comeback?
As much as veterans long for the nostalgia of the first few Assassin’s Creed games, it’s undeniable that battle on the high seas was a fantastic addition to the franchise. There were advancements on this idea until the entire concept was scrapped in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla.
Could DLC bring this concept back? Will the next game bring it back? Or is the direction going closer to a landlocked combat style? It will be exciting to see if either this or modern aerial combat somehow makes an appearance in the upcoming plans.
2 Is There Going To Be A Pacifist Twist?
If the Siege of Paris DLC taught Eivor anything, it’s that sometimes abstaining from war is a good thing. No side is innocent and the entire battle is a mess. Though there seems to be a right thing to do, it doesn’t appear that any amount of fighting will make that come about.
Though assassinations are part of the series, there was a time when they were performed to end wars and not start them. Some characters gave their lives trying to prevent bloodshed. Has Assassin’s Creed Valhalla set the franchise up to take a firmer stance against war?
1 Is The Next Game Or The DLC Going To Deal With This?
This is a gigantic can of worms opened at the end of the game and fans were already dealing with the many cans of worms opened by previous installments. Instead of more answers, we got more questions.
So is Ubisoft going to carry over these issues into the next game? Or are they going to resolve some things in the DLC? It will be interesting to see if gamers will be waiting months or years until finally getting to the delicious carrot at the end of the stick.
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