Journeying Unto Death, Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth: Part 1

Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth is a special game and one I knew very little about until one of our patrons, Dr. Parker Cook recommended the game to me. It was a thought-provoking journey on how to reflect with people as they reflect upon their lives as well as what it means to invite people to service. A brief note: I have just completed this game on normal mode. The story adds a lot more beats on hard mode when pursuing the true ending so I will do a two-part series now on normal mode and on beating hard mode I will do another two-part series when I beat the game in the future. Valkyrie Profile is a perspective based game so I want the blog entries to feel the same way.

There are two themes which fascinate me in Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth, one is the reflection on the final scenes of the Einherjar’s lives and the second is theme of resilience and empathy which Lenneth shows as a god in a variety of different situations. The other gods are relatively self-absorbed in conflict and Valkyrie just is not. This dissonance I think has a great payout when playing in hard mode but there were enough hints of what is happening in normal mode. Spoilers for normal mode of Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth follow.

This was a game from the PS2 era and this is a pretty screenshot. Yes, this from a Remastered PS5 edition but it is just lovely!

The Mechanics of Valkyrie Profile

Lenneth is an interesting character to study. Lenneth is a Valkyrie who is assigned to go to Midgard and collect the souls of people to help the gods fight in Ragnarok. These souls are Einherjar who accompany Lenneth to combat problems happening both in Midgard and during the final battle of Ragnarok. Since Einherjar can only be collected as they are approaching death, the scenes in Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth, are mostly encountering people as they approach their death.

Valkyrie Profile operates in eight chapters of 24 periods each. When Lenneth takes an action, periods are spent in the chapter. The flow of the game gives a great sense of a key attitude in accompanying others. Lenneth has to take 2 periods to spiritually concentrate to find where someone is and then takes 1 period to see the person’s journey as they approach death. Lenneth needs rest and introverted time to concentrate and figure out where someone is and then take a period to assist. This same process also unlocks dungeons which cost 2 periods to explore.

Reflection is vital to accompanying others well whether that is introverted reflection or extroverted reflection. Lenneth prefers introverted reflection. Reflective moments are those which center people on their own hearts and/or souls and their response to the world around them. Being able to honestly assess reality and not sugarcoat what is happening is vital to being able to journey with others. Lenneth reflects before going anywhere and I found this mechanic itself to resonate with my own experience. I move slowly but deliberately throughout life and it is good to see a game built on that reality and built with introversion as the core gameplay loop. It makes me feel good as an introvert.

Lenneth’s Spiritual Reflection Cutscene

Patience

To accompany others well, it is also important to be attentive to the stories of individual lives in all their joys and sorrows. Being attentive takes patience and finding your own sense of quietude helps increase one’s ability to be patient. Patience is important because other people’s journeys will challenge your own beliefs. Below is a great example of Lenneth being challenged in her beliefs by someone she is sent to gather for battle.

Lenneth has to approach someone who is saying that his work is to desecrate Midgard for Lord Odin. This is contrary to the message Lenneth was given at the beginning of the game. The fanatic is frightened when the ghost pretending to be a messenger of Odin turns into a terrifying monster but Lenneth’s resolve allowed her to see through the illusion and prepare for battle. Patience is key to seeing through ruses as well as listening to people as they reveal their authentic selves.

Resilience

The goal of finding your quietude, whether processing by yourself or with other close friends, is to strengthen your resilience as you become more aware of what is going on in the world. Resilience is a key trait for accompanying others well because life is very difficult in many unique and individual ways. Below is a scene where Janus is reflecting on the mistakes of his life and how he dedicated his life to making his father happy.

It’s not an easy conversation reflecting with someone about their regrets and their suffering. Lenneth is a great example of someone has built the right disposition for resilience to be able to engage in the suffering of others as well as their joys. Janus’ story is tragic and this reflection is filled with betrayal from key leaders in his kingdom. Being exposed to the harsh realities people face, while not overreacting and making the space unsafe to share takes great resilience and restraint. I love how Lenneth has this restraint but a lot of feelings at the same time.

Good disposition and self-care is needed to be present for moments like this one.

Empathy and Risk

Empathy is the final disposition necessary to be a good guide like Lenneth. Empathy always comes with great risk; however, because it exposes you to the cruelty of the world through the suffering others share. Lenneth is a great example of sensitivity even if she is not aware of the fullness of her past. There is a romance scene with Lucian which I want to post below to see the beauty of this connection. Lucian lost a dear friend who looked very similar to Lenneth. While he is navigating his emotions, Lenneth approaches him. She gives a gentle kiss and looks very sad after he ascends to fight in Asgard. She is sure about a significant memory but cannot recall it fully in normal mode. Sometimes a gentle movement is vital to help people feel connected and secure. Lenneth’s desire to help Lucian feel safe and connected strengthen him on his journey.

After Lucian is ascended to fight in Asgard

Empathy and strong support can be brutal which is why I utilize the last picture in this sequence. Very powerful moments cause us to slow down and sometimes words to speak are hard to create. Lenneth has such a big heart and it really comes out in normal mode in this scene and a couple of others where she cries about atrocities which are happening. Lenneth’s empathy is truly her strength and gives her resolve to continue in her difficult work. She always takes the risk to care and it creates a great community of Einherjar and a strong leader in Lenneth. I can’t say enough positive things about Lenneth. I always love a strong female lead but Lenneth has become one of my favorites in a very short time.

Lenneth’s character arc and examples of her disposition are so important for us all. We all need patience, empathy, and resilience, and Lenneth’s story shows why these traits make us more connected with others and how a community comes together to solve major problems. We have very few introverted heroes who show emotions regularly as a grounding for their strength other than anger. I’m truly impressed with what SquareEnix and Tri-Ace accomplished in this game. My only knowledge of Lenneth before playing this game was as a secret boss in Star Ocean: Until the End of Time and I never could beat her. It was to see a game where she is the protagonist and shares her story.

Part 2 is going to focus on the purpose behind the mission in Valkyrie Profile and whether it is a moral purpose and how Lenneth has to navigate the challenges and dissonances between what she is requested to do and what that means for everyone involved.