I watched Twilight of the Gods sometime back, and it definitely isnt a happy ending type of animation or an animation that is all dipped in good vibes, even from the opening scenes, you already know you're not watching some ordinary animated series. Everything looks violent, huge and ridiculously detailed, like somebody took Norse mythology, threw it into a blender with Zack Snyder's visual style and then decided, " let's make this as brutal as possible." Twilight of the Gods is basically Netflix's big animated take on Norse mythology, following a warrior named Sigrid after her wedding to King Leif is destroyed by Thor. What should have been one of the happiest days of their lives turns into a nightmare, and Sigrid becomes completely consumed by revenge. She gathers a group of warriors around her and sets out on a mission to kill Thor, which is obviously not exactly the kind of person you casually decide to fight. Thor in this animated show is not like the thor we've become accustomed to like in the marvel universe, this thor is brutal, merciless and just bloodthirsty. Suffice to say that i actually liked that setup because the story isn't really about some hero trying to save the world. It's much more personal than that. Sigrid isn't fighting because she's been chosen by some prophecy to restore balance to the universe. She's angry and she's grieving. She has lost something important to her and she wants revenge. That makes her journey feel much more emotional, even when the story gets completely insane.
This show does not believe in letting characters have peaceful lives. The battles are violent, chaotic and sometimes genuinely brutal but they also have weight to them, like when somebody gets injured or killed, it doesn't always feel like another random character disappearing from the screen. There is usually some emotional consequence attached to it.
The Norse mythology was another thing I enjoyed. We've obviously seen Thor, Loki and Odin in countless movies and shows at this point, but as ive said Twilight of the Gods doesn't feel like it's trying to copy the Marvel version of these characters. This is a much darker and more ancient interpretation. These aren't superheroes flying around saving people. They're gods, and they can be cruel, selfish, arrogant and terrifying.
But I think the biggest problem I had with the series is that sometimes it feels like it's trying to do too much at once. There are so many characters and different storylines that some of them don't get enough time to breathe. There were moments where I was like, Wait, who is this person again? and what is their connection to the story again? And then there is the sex. Yeah... there is quite a lot of it. So yep... this is not an animation for the family to watch or for kids to watch. Sometimes it almost feels like the show wants to remind you every five minutes that this is an adult animation. I don't necessarily have a problem with mature themes when they serve the story, but there were moments where I felt like some of it could have been toned down because the actual mythology and revenge story were already strong enough to carry the series. Still, underneath all the violence and spectacle, I think Twilight of the Gods is really a story about grief and just how far it can drive you. Sigrid loses the future she imagined for herself in a single moment, and instead of simply moving on, she allows that pain to consume her. Revenge becomes the thing keeping her moving, it becomes the very purpose for her existence. There is something tragic about watching someone become so obsessed with revenge that they can no longer imagine a life beyond it.
Overall, I think the story could have been tighter, some characters needed more development but when the show is good, it's REALLY good. The animation is beautiful, the action is brutal, the mythology is fascinating and Sigrid gives the whole thing an emotional centre. At the end of the day, I enjoyed it. If you're expecting another Marvel style Thor story, forget that completely. This is darker and much closer to the feeling of an ancient myth where the gods aren't necessarily the good guys and humans are basically caught in the middle of their madness.
Rating: 86/100
Originally posted through scrobble.life/tv.
