In Record of Ragnarok, the anime cuts the property’s best death at the start of the tournament, hiding Brunhilde’s secret motivation and trump card.
As Record of Ragnarok proceeds, it’s safe to say the Valkyrie Brunhilde cuts a shady figure. Initially, she recruits warriors from the annals of history to fight for Earth, hoping they can get to seven wins first and stop the gods from destroying the planet. But in time, fans learn she’s gaslit her sisters, imbuing weapons with the souls of these Valkyries.
The problem is, if the humans lose their fights, the weapons shatter and their souls dissipate into nothingness. It means the sisters’ sacrifice will be in vain, robbing them of that happy ending in the Halls of Valhalla. This leaves the youngest sister, Göll, wondering why the leader’s become so dark and, in a sense, untrustworthy. However, had the Netflix anime kept in a brutal murder from the manga, it would’ve hinted at what was to come.
Record of Ragnarok’s Manga Killed Incubus
The Record of Ragnarok manga opened with Incubus, a sadistic dream demon, preying on Brunhilde before the tournament. He met her when the competition’s first bout was gearing up, mentioning how sinister she was, especially with her secret plans for the gods. After all, the souls would make the weapons god-killers. As they bantered, however, she knelt, making the egoistical Incubus happy.
He did, after all, want to protect her in exchange for sexual favors — but she insisted she wasn’t kneeling for him or to sate his lust. She was avoiding Thor’s hammer, which flew in and smashed Incubus to pieces in a gruesome death that showed how badass the Odinson was. Brunhilde lapped up the murder, with Thor sauntering off to fight Lü Bu. It spoke to his honor, and also how he loved fighting. As for Brunhilde, it was one less toxic male in her life — but it did leave Göll shocked by what transpired, not knowing Incubus was cluing her in to how far Brunhilde would go to win.
Record of Ragnarok’s Anime Hid Brunhilde’s Intentions
Season 1 of Record of Ragnarok‘s anime instead just had Brunhilde and Göll watching from the stands as Thor battled the Chinese warlord. There was no meeting with Incubus, which would have added drama and tension, especially as he used his Venom-like tongue to lick the Valkyrie and solicit something more than just a working relationship. It would have fit the brand of the series too, as Zeus often ogled Brunhilde, as well as Aphrodite, reiterating how these deities could be quite creepy.
More so, had this scene been included in the anime, it would have had Thor warning Brunhilde after overhearing Incubus mentioning her to be a traitor. Thor had no clue she gave her legion powered-up weapons to kill folks like him, but he still left her some caustic words not to cross him, or he’d kill her. It’s better off hidden in the anime as this conversation — and his being suspicious — doesn’t occur.
It makes Thor being surprised in battle so much more palpable when Lü Bu uses his halberd against the lightning god. In the process, the Record of Ragnarok anime shapes Brunhilde as likable and altruistic at first, hiding her true intentions from the enemy and the viewers alike. It masks her from Göll too, who has no clue how cold Brunhilde is — that is, until Randgriz dies with Lü Bu, affirming how the Valkyrie boss used her kin as sacrificial lambs, doing whatever it takes to win.
