Róta

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This article contains lore based on real-life sources from Norse Mythology as introduced from the God of War Norse Era.

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Róta
Biographical Information
Title(s)	Valkyrie
Alias	Chooser of the Slain
Birthplace	The Nine Realms
Location	Helheim
Status	Presumed deceased
Physical Information
Race(s)	Valkyrie (formerly) Shield Maiden
Gender	Female
Relationship Information
Family	Shield Maidens Freya (sister) Eir (sister) Geirdriful (sister) Göndul (sister) Gunnr (sister) Hildr (sister) Kara (sister) Olrun (sister) Sigrún (sister) Valkyries Gná (sister, disavowed) † Hrist (sister, disavowed) † Mist (sister, disavowed) †
Loyalties	Asgard (formerly) Freya Sigrún Kratos
Equipment
Behind the Scenes
Voiced by	Nika Futterman
Appears in	God of War (2018) God of War: Ragnarök

“	One of the Choosers of the Slain. Róta was the first to go mad after being imprisoned in a physical form. Sigrún stashed her in Helheim to keep her away from harming herself or others. Mostly others.	”
–Mimir’s remarks about Róta

Róta is a Valkyrie introduced in God of War (2018). She is one of the nine Valkyries who have been cursed by Odin to remain in a corporal form, eventually driving them to insanity. As she became too dangerous, Róta eventually found herself sealed away by the Valkyrie Queen in Helheim. She is nevertheless freed by Kratos and Atreus after they engaged and defeated her physical form. Blessing them with her eternal gratitude, her spirit vanished and eventually reunited with her sisters.

Róta returns in God of War: Ragnarök as a Shield Maiden, having regained a pure physical form thanks to Freya and her Vanir magic. Grateful for having been freed from Odin's curse and having acknowledged Kratos as her General, she actively participates together with her freed sisters to the final assault against Asgard during Ragnarök.

Norse Mythology

In Norse mythology, Róta is a valkyrie. Róta is attested in chapter 36 of the Prose Edda book Gylfaginning, where she is mentioned alongside the valkyries Gunnr and Skuld, and the three are described as "always [riding] to choose who shall be slain and to govern the killings." Otherwise, Róta appears in two kennings, one by Egill Skallagrímsson and one by Hallfreðr vandræðaskáld. Theories have been proposed about the possible appearance of Róta in Gesta Danorum and the meaning of her name.

Appearance

God of War (2018)

Like all Valkyries, Róta's face is never shown and each Valkyrie would wear a very different type of helmet, the helmets would be themed together based upon a different creature. Róta wears a golden helmet inspired by a Deer, these masks are extenuate in all different directions, from various color choices to metalwork designs. The masks emitted regal beauty, while still being creepy in nature. Due to her corruption, her skin is an unhealthy pale blue. But one of the most striking elements of the Valkyries came in the design of their wings. Like the other Valkyries Róta had extremely large mechanical wings, Róta's wings were red, they are covered in golden metal plates as armor thus why they are mechanical in the first place. Like her sisters, her design showed her both skilled and refined. With each Valkyrie, hints of their past would be shown off in their armor sets – not looking completely polished and showcasing a long-and-tired past, such as in the torn feather designs on the helmets.

God of War Ragnarök

After Freya resurrected Róta and her sisters with Seidr magic, their skin returned to its original healthy color. Additionally, like all Shield Maidens, her original Valkyrie wings were replaced with more organic-looking birdlike wings.

Combat

Róta is relatively easy to predict, but it is the difficulty of pulling well-timed dodges consistently in rapid succession that really makes her encounter arduous. Róta uses grappling attack frequently, which unless the player has stellar Defense and Health loadout, means easy defeat when hit. In GMGOW, her grapples inflict so much damage that applying loadout around health and defense against her becomes absurdly impractical. Róta's own health pool and stagger resistance is average.

Róta is able to use both Swooping and Plummeting grapple up to thrice in a sequence and all of her attacks usually leads to either one of these two grappling moves. Her plummeting grapple is often executed after a Cyclone wing attack, while her Swooping grapple usually follows up her aerial projectiles and she might even do without prior moves. If Róta somehow do not execute the grapple move thrice, she might stride backward and execute a quick thrusting attack which while not nearly as powerful, could kill Kratos at low health.

Róta's grapples bypass Spartan Rage armor, thus relying on that ability is ill-advised against her.

Róta can also do the 4-hit and blockable wing Slash, which she can follow up with the unblockable Mace swing (which leads to Plummeting grapple), or a Scythe slash that Kratos can counter with the Guardian Shield.

Rota can also do the blockable aerial homing energy attack, which she always follow up with Swooping grapples.

Trivia

• In legend, Róta is a Chooser of the Slain, where like Gunnr and Skuld, she oversees judgement of the fallen, making sure that the worthy enter Vahalla and Hel doesn't overflow with souls.
• Róta's repeated plummeting grab attack has a faster rhythm than Gondul.
• Róta's armor design is based on a deer.

Gallery

Credits: @TPach_Aaron

Rota kicking Kratos

The Valkyries in a God of War poster by Lineage Studios.

Concept Art