We know them as the winged choosers of the slain and the fierce female warriors of Valhalla—but who are the Valkyries, really? Are they divine escorts, mortal women with supernatural gifts, or something else entirely? Or perhaps all of the above?

Today, we’re pulling back the veil on these enigmatic wish-maidens to explore how they evolved from the terrifying omens of Old Norse poetry into the complex heroines of modern fantasy. I’m joined by an incredible panel: authors KS Barton and Johanna Wittenberg, the co-hosts of Shieldmaiden: @WomenoftheNorseWorldPodcast podcast, and academic researcher from the  ...