Badlands Story Hour Ep 126: the Northman

Chris Paul and Burning Bright dive deep into The Northman, exploring its grim aesthetic, Norse mythology, and literary roots in the legend of Amleth, the same myth that inspired Shakespeare’s Hamlet. They dissect the movie’s portrayal of fate, trauma, and identity, examining how the protagonist becomes a tragic vessel for vengeance after being spiritually and emotionally programmed by his father’s deathbed ritual. With nods to MK Ultra, paganism, and berserker myth, the hosts question whether Amleth ever had free will or was doomed from childhood. They contrast the film’s brutal worldview with Tolkien’s mythic optimism and explore the cultural shift from rooted moral frameworks to modern-day spiritual voids.

The discussion expands to themes of slavery, regime control, and historical parallels, culminating in a sharp critique of pagan ritualism in both ancient and modern forms. This is one of the darkest and most complex entries in the Story Hour series, unflinching in its dissection of narrative, power, and spiritual warfare.