Assassin's Creed Valhalla Forgotten Saga Analysis Part 1 – The Niflheim Simulation (AC Valhalla DLC)

It's good that there's actually a story but I genuinely did not like this game mode one bit.

Good video, as always. Looking forward to the second part, maybe more details from the letters? I didn't bother reading them in my playthrough 😀

I thought the same thing, that this is definitely a simulation. Given Hel's tree-themed attacks and design, I think she is plugged into an Yggdrasil device and the design is a hint to it. This would explain how she is both in control but also trapped there, since we've seen multiple people being plugged in and how they couldn't unplug themselves. This would also perfectly fit the idea of a prison simulation. Plug the prisoners in and let Hel play her simulations to torment them.

We've seen something similar, accessed from an Yggdrasil device no less. Valhalla – when Eivor plugs herself in at the end of the main game. It was a too a periodic infinite simulation, where she lost most of her memories, or had to focus very hard to hold onto them and break out of the simulation, just like Odin is doing in the expansion.

So, I think Odin is actually accessing the simulation from the Yggdrasil in Asgard, in the chamber where the secret cutscene from completing all the anomalies takes place. That would explain why gets visited by all the Isu/gods who tell him about the events happening outside. If he really was far away, how and why would they go to him, when they are on the brink of war?

Instead, the far away place is The Grey, or the simulation within it. We know Yggdrasil is used as an interface, or an entry point, into the Grey, since Desmond got "uploaded" there in America, but Layla met him from the Yggdrasil in Norway. Loki says "The Mad one is away, wandering in lands afar." Lands afar being The Grey, which is afar, in a manner speaking, can't access it unless you have a very specific type of technology. Every time Odin dies in the simulation, he gets forced out of the simulation and The Grey, and wakes up in the chamber with the other Isu/gods.

This would mean that a part of Baldr is still alive in the Grey, together with Desmond and Layla and who knows how many more.

Is there a way to actually 'clear' this quest from the quest log? I've 100%'ed the DLC, but also never gotten a single Freya cutscene, only Thor ones, but I don't know if that's because I only died on my first few runs before completing everything else?

Is it just me, or is Odin/Havi the only Isu who isn't an absolute monster? The Capitoline Trio weren't great (Minerva slightly excepted), the Egyptians did nothing (unless they killed Baldr), and the Greeks just sat around building their Atlantis (and also some horrible monsters). Havi's looking at the problem, judging what will work best, fighting to get what he wants, and trying to save everyone.

Been waiting for this! I was not expecting to like the Forgotten Saga so much… and your analysis videos are always a treat.
On another note… I enjoyed seeing Valka again. I really liked her in the White Horse book. It’s nice to see her mistrustful side

Also, do you think Aletheia’s consciousness being moved into the staff could have been related to the Salakar? Like Baldr’s conscious being moved into the Salakar and his body sent to Helheim

I think:
Helheim = Elysium
Hel = Persephone
That zombie dog of Hel’s = Rus (Cerberus)

This Isu’s consciousness is trapped in a simulation, cannot ever escape, and chose to modify this simulation to her taste, demands total worshiping, and treats other souls (consciousness) alright if they do as she says. Underneath, there are rebellions.

Very good work, i thought the same thing, but instead a simulation, i intérpreted as the proper Grey, the isu outer plane, and they began a "colonization" of It, by istabilishing "prision colonies" and thats is what hellhiem was, but It could bê intérpreted as a simulation as well, since looks like the simulations is one of the ways tô reach the grey

so we have a simulation of Niflheim into the "simulation" or genetic memories of Eivor into the Animus simulation. I love that!

I kinda regret skipping all of the cutscenes

22:17 In the library I climbed up to the 2nd floor and there is one stained glass window with no light coming through. Though this was odd seeing how the other windows do so i shot it and another letter was exposed. It said the same thing as the other documents in the room. Odd place for it.