Chapter Seventy-Five: Varg – The Fury of the Gods Chapter 80 Summary & Analysis
⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.
Summary
The world appears to be ending inside the collapsing chamber. Varg, having just killed Leif in a feral rage, finds Einar dead with a wound in his throat. Grief sweeps through the Bloodsworn as Refna, Edel, and Æsa mourn. The ground shakes, fissures open, and blocks of stone rain from the roof. Ulfrir arrives and announces they must escape through the tunnels because the main gate is blocked by rubble. Varg spots Grend, Uspa, Berak, and others carrying Hrung in a sailcloth sling. Against Ulfrir’s urging, Varg calls them back, and Ulfrir uses his jaws to help carry the giant. As they reach the tunnel entrance, a massive fissure destroys the far wall, revealing the serpent Snaka, who calls Ulfrir his son. Ulfrir whines but turns and leads everyone into the dark.
Key Events
- Varg kills Leif by tearing his throat out after Leif’s voice had been controlling him.
- Varg finds Einar dead; the Bloodsworn grieve: Svik kneels, Refna weeps, Æsa wails, Varg howls.
- The hall collapses: chunks of roof fall, flames spread, fissures tear the ground.
- Ulfrir arrives and orders a retreat to the tunnels; the main gate is blocked.
- Varg hesitates and sees Grend’s group carrying the wounded Hrung; he shouts for them.
- Ulfrir carries Hrung’s sling in his jaws while shielding the group.
- As everyone enters the tunnel, the far wall explodes inward, revealing the serpent Snaka.
- Snaka speaks, addressing Ulfrir as “my son”; Ulfrir whines and then leads the escape into the tunnel.
Character Development
Varg – His berserker nature fully takes over when he kills Leif, biting his throat while snarling “I am no thrall.” Afterward, he mourns Einar, the first Bloodsworn he ever fought, and this grief tempers his rage into loyalty. He risks the escape to fetch Grend and Hrung, showing growth from a lone wolf to a protector of his found family.
Ulfrir – The great wolf demonstrates both authority and vulnerability. He takes command of the retreat, shields Hrung with his body, but visibly trembles when confronted by Snaka, his father. This encounter reinforces Ulfrir’s tragic backstory as a son tied to a monstrous parent.
Svik and the Bloodsworn – Their grief for Einar is raw but short-lived; survival forces them to move. Svik, Refna, Edel, and Æsa each express loss differently, highlighting the band’s deep bonds.
Snaka – Though only glimpsed for a moment, the serpent’s arrival is terrifying. His sibilant voice and enormous reptilian form dwarf the survivors, and his words to Ulfrir introduce a personal dimension to the cataclysm.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Wrath of the gods / natural destruction – The collapse of the hall is literal world-breaking, with Snaka’s appearance framed as divine or cosmic retribution. The earth tremors and falling sky echo Ragnarok-like imagery.
- Found family and sacrifice – Varg chooses to risk his life for Hrung and the others, and Ulfrir shields the wounded giant with his own body. The theme of protecting one’s pack overrides individual survival.
- Monstrous parenthood – Snaka calling Ulfrir “my son” reinforces the motif of children rebelling against or being haunted by their monstrous sires, seen also with Elvar and her father.
- The wolf and the serpent – Ulfrir (wolf) and Snaka (serpent) embody the classic mythic opposition, here given a personal, familial dynamic.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter is the climax of the Battle of Snakavik. It confirms Einar’s death, a major emotional blow to the Bloodsworn and to Varg’s arc. The hall’s destruction and the appearance of Snaka raise the stakes to mythological proportions. The decision to flee into the tunnels rather than fight means the survivors are now trapped underground with a godlike serpent hunting them. Varg’s choice to save Hrung sets up a debt or bond that will affect the group’s survival. The confrontation between Ulfrir and Snaka is a long-awaited reveal with direct ties to Ulfrir’s origin story.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why does Varg kill Leif so savagely?
Leif had been using a voice to control Varg, keeping him from reaching Einar. When the chamber collapses, Varg shakes off the control, declares “I am no thrall,” and lets his wolf nature take over, biting Leif’s throat fatally. It is an act of rage, freedom, and vengeance for Eniar’s death.
2. How does Ulfrir react when Snaka appears?
Ulfrir whines, his lips curl in a silent snarl, and he stares up at his father with visible tension. He does not attack or speak; instead he turns and leads the group into the tunnel. This shows both fear and a hard-won discipline—he prioritizes protecting his pack over confronting his monstrous parent.
3. What does Varg’s decision to call out for Grend’s group tell us about his character?
It demonstrates that Varg is no longer a solitary fighter obsessed only with revenge or survival. He risks the entire group’s escape—and Ulfrir’s disapproval—to save Grend, Uspa, Berak, and especially the grievously wounded Hrung. This loyalty to the Bloodsworn is a key development from his earlier berserker isolation.