Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice was an extremely interesting title with a unique take on its portrayal of a main character with mental illness, and many are likely thrilled it is getting a sequel. However, many may also want to relive the story of the original to prepare for the sequel.
A playthrough of Hellblade is an intense, often emotional experience, yet the standard gameplay loop of searching for parts of an environment that overlap to look like a rune can feel extremely linear. The story and visuals of Hellblade are worth experiencing, but the gameplay may not be enough to keep many people present for the full tale.
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Hellblade’s main story focuses on the experiences of someone with a very intense mental illness, so a lot of the imagery is up for interpretation as to the meaning behind Senua’s journey. Yet, much of the story of Hellblade is in learning about what happened before the very distorted events of the game.
Setup
Senua is a warrior from a Pict tribe in Orkney, Scotland, around 900 AD. After her lover, Dillion, is killed, she believes that his soul has been taken by the Norse gods, and sets out with his severed head (the seat of the soul) to try and bring him back to life. The main events of Hellblade are all a part of Senua’s journey through the mythological afterlife realm of Hel.
She travels through several underworld realms, fighting mythological figures like Surtr and Hela as well as various monsters. Surtr likely represents Senua’s fear of fire and destruction, while Hela is an embodiment of Senua’s grief. Dying repeatedly causes the rot in Senua's body to spread, inflicting Senua's own paranoia on the player. Valravn, Surtr, the sword Gramr, the trials of Odin, and the great wolf can all be interpreted as representations of Senua’s fears or the stages of her life story.
How representative Senua’s journey through Hel is of actual events is completely unknown. However, at the end of the game, Senua does have wounds in the real world, suggesting that she did go on an actual journey that she interpreted through lens of a trip to the afterlife. The journey of the game is meant to be a story of emotional change rather than physical travel, though.
Paying attention to the nuanced expression of emotion is perhaps more important than trying to figure out what is actually happening in the real world as Senua battles monsters and solves puzzles. The most tangible parts of the story are the details of the events that led up to Dillion’s death, which are uncovered slowly as Senua journeys through her metaphorical trials.
The Past
Senua grew up in a small village, the daughter of a Druid named Zynbel and a woman named Galena. Senua, like her mother, heard voices in her head and often suffered from hallucinations. The two women’s illnesses were only exacerbated by Zynbel’s treatment of them. He believed that punishment and penance was the only way to cure the “curse” that they harbored within.
Galena died when Senua was only five years old. From what Senua initially believed at the start of the game, her mother committed suicide due to the darkness within her. Later in Senua’s journey it is revealed that Zynbel actually spurred the villagers in their hometown to burn Galena at the stake as a form of penance.
Zynbel’s treatment of Senua only grew worse after her mother’s death. She was tortured, raised in isolation, and locked in a rune-covered cell. On the rare occasions that she was not under Zynbel’s watchful eye, Senua would venture outside. On one of these excursions, Senua first saw the man who would become her lover.
Dillion was a young warrior practicing his swordsmanship, and Senua was entranced by his graceful movement. She began to make a habit of watching him and copying his movements in secret. Perhaps as a result of her condition, she was able to rapidly recognize the patterns that he displayed, and learned swordfighting very quickly.
Eventually, Dillion noticed her, and, impressed by her talent, wanted to get to know her better. Dillion pushed Senua to go through the trials to become a warrior for the village. As Dillion and Senua trained together, they fell in love. Dillion was understanding of Senua’s mental illness, and her condition became less and less of an obstacle because of his support.
Dillion convinced Senua to live with him instead of her father. Unable to prevent her from leaving, Zynbel told Senua that her curse would ruin the lives of those around her. Senua’s life proceeded relatively happily though, until a string of tragic events convinced her that she really was cursed.
The water supply of the village became contaminated by bodies left behind after Viking raids. Senua noticed this, but her warnings were disregarded as crazy ramblings. A plague soon struck the village, and rumors spread that Senua’s curse brought the plague upon them. Senua was terrorized by a mob of villagers, and when Dillion’s father died from the plague Senua became convinced that she was the true cause of the outbreak and that Dillion would hate her for it.
Senua attempted to commit suicide to purge her curse, just as she believed her mother had. Dillion convinced her to spare herself, but she still decided to go into exile in the woods as penance for causing the plague. Senua promised to return to Dillion once she payed her penance as an outcast.
Senua’s mental health only deteriorated while she was alone in the wilderness. Eventually, however, she came across a companion. She found Druth, and old man wounded and on death’s door in the woods. Senua managed to prolong his life, but he ultimately could not overcome his injuries. However, while Druth and Senua spent time together, he told her stories about Viking myths and legends.
Druth had been a scholar named Findin who was sold into slavery to the Vikings after his family was killed. The Vikings used him to provide information on villages to raid, which eventually drove him mad from guilt. He became known as “Druth,” a Viking word for fool. Druth eventually escaped the Vikings by running through the flames of a burning village. This act caused the injuries that would kill him, but not before he shared much of his wisdom with Senua.
The End
Senua returned to her village, only to find it destroyed by a Viking raid. In a cutscene unlocked after collecting all of the game’s lorestones, it is implied that Zynbel may have been the one who tipped the Vikings off to the location of the village. The Vikings killed everyone and brutally strung up Dillion’s corpse.
Dillion’s brutal death sent Senua spiraling. She took his head, convinced that she could take it to Hela and bargain for Dillion’s soul. This is when the main events of the game take place.
After defeating Valravn, fighting Surtr, claiming the sword Gramr, passing through the trials of Odin, and fighting a great wolf, Senua finally reached Hela.
Hela forced Senua to fight hordes of all the enemies that she had defeated on the way, eventually causing her to submit. Senua bargained with Hela, hoping to sacrifice herself for Dillion’s soul. Hela showed no mercy and dropped Dillion’s head into the abyss.
When the camera pans back, Senua stands in Hela’s place, with Hela dead on the ground where Senua once lay. Hela represented the conflict within Senua, and letting go of Dillion finally allowed Senua to come to terms with her grief and defeat her internal suffering. Senua manages to overcome many of the negative aspects of her mental illness without "curing" it or just willing it away. The support of other people combined with personal growth is necessary, making Hellblade one of the best portrayals of mental illness in video games.
Senua walks forward into the next steps of her journey, now more in control of her illness. The voices are still present, but Senua is now ready for what will come. This sets the stage for Hellblade 2: Senua’s Saga, one of the most-anticipated games of 2020.
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice is available now on PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One. Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 is coming to the Xbox Series X and PC.