1'500 years ago most of Europe...
had abandoned its own believes and turned to the Christian faith.
Only in the North did the people hold on to the Gods of their ancestors.
The most powerful of these Gods was Odin.
He reigned among the stars in Valhalla, and his ravens...
gave him wisdom and memory.
But whilst the fire of the ancient powers faded...
a wonderous tale arose that captured the hearts of the people.
It told of a blacksmith who slew a mighty dragon...
and won a legendary treasure: The dragon gold.
Too many.
Where are we going? - Quick!
We can't hold the south wall any longer! - Take our son and go, Sieglind.
I'm not leaving you!
Siegfried!
Xanten whelp!
Go now, go.
My brother always watches out for me!
This way, my lady.
What do we do? - We must cross here, my queen.
Over there! Come on!
Get up here, Siegfried. Hold on tight.
Hold on. My son.
Little early for a morning swim, isn't it? Who are you, boy?
What happened?
- I don't know.
I can't remember.
Oh...
12 YEARS LATER
What do you see? - Be patient, child.
Odin's power is in the runes: They never lie,
but they won't be rushed. - Hallbera, don't keep me waiting.
Fire will rain down from the sky very soon.
Tell me more! - And the light of that fire...
will reveal your destiny.
So far from home. What destiny could I have here?
After the fire a man will come,
a man as strong as you.
The warrior's strength will match your own. He'll even beat you in battle.
No one's ever done that before.
No one else ever will.
We should anchor for the night soon.
I better get the cargo ready for the king.
You work on this till it's cool. - All right.
Greetings. How can I help you? - We look for Eyvind, the blacksmith.
That's me.
They say your iron's the best around.
What can I do for you? - What swords have you got?
Right now nothing at all.
I can see a lot of "nothing" right there inside. - Oh, those...
were made for King Gunther of Burgund. - But he's not here,
and we are.
Meaning that you plan to steal King Gunther's property?
"Stealing", he says. Just count yourself lucky we aren't offended.
Erik. I think your iron is getting cold.
Good day.
I don't like Saxons. - I do once in a while.
Yeah, I know... for sword practice.
Look at that pale path of light...
That's the road to Valhalla...
I wish I could see them sitting up there, all the great heroes...
at table with the Gods.
And they are watching over us mortals. - But why do they care about us?
They need us just as much as we need them.
We'll fight on their side, when the evil powers attack us.
How do we know what they want us to do? - They map out our destinies.
Think about all the signs in the sky. And if they see from up there,
that we do something that's bad for us, they get furious!
The Christians say their God is all about forgiveness.
The Christians.
They are a strange lot.
Oh, look!
It's Ragnarok! The Gods go to war!
I want to take a closer look! - No, no.
Don't go! We should never meddle with the Gods! Never!
You're the woman from the longship.
And you're the man from the smithy.
A tamer of fire and the elements.
Then maybe you can tell me what this is.
Some kind of strange metal. I've never seen something like this before.
Imagine the weapon one might forge from it.
Is this metal the reason you came here? - No.
You are.
Never mind him, blacksmith.
Tell me something.
Do you believe in destiny?
Why?
We were both sent a sign that would bring us together here.
That sign was big enough for the whole country to see.
The only ones here are you and me.
Today the runes promised...
to lead me to a man whose strength would be as great as mine.
And you defeated me.
I just wrestled you down. - No one has ever done that before.
Until now.
So you see...
We were meant to meet.
Why don't you stay here with me?
Oh, Erik, I would love to.
But like you I have duties to perform.
But I will wait for you. - But where will I find you?
Iceland.
But there might be more than just one Brunhild in Iceland.
Not more than one who's queen.
You're the queen of Iceland?
Yes.
Does that make a difference?
No.
Not to how I feel about you. - Good.
Because no matter what happens, I will love you forever.
I promise I will come.
Well, the Gods wanted it to happen.
But I'm a blacksmith, and she is a queen.
Up north are many tales about blacksmiths who became kings.
Really?
There've always been things that are different about you, son.
Maybe she felt them, too.
Father, take me with you on your journey to Burgund this year. - Why?
Maybe the river holds an answer to what happened before you found me.
You were never curious about it before.
It never really mattered before.
Maybe last night changed you.
I don't know anything about myself,
I've never even left the smithy. And now I feel I must.
Let's get the boat ready. We leave tomorrow morning.
Thank you!
Thank you, father.
What's that?
Is it a war?
It sure looks like that. But who is the enemy?
King Gunther is at peace with the Saxons.
Up here!
Alberich. - Lord Hagen.
I see you have not changed.
Nor have you! - I got your message.
What is it you want now? - Fafnir, the dragon, is awake.
You must convince King Gunther...
to gather his best warriors and kill Fafnir.
Why would I put their lives at risk and mine?
I don't care about the dragon. - You wouldn't say that...
if you knew what was hidden in his cave. - Go on!
The ancient treasure hoard of the Nibelungs!
You've been babbling about that ever since they cast you out...
for trying to thieve it. Now you want me to believe that the hoard is here?
The dragon was sleeping on it!
So you've wasted years of the mortal Life they cursed you with,
and the treasure was under your nose the whole while!
That's funny.
You won't laugh so hard when you've seen it.
You've never dreamed of such a hoard of gold and jewels.
But why would I help you and not keep the whole hoard for myself?
We know each other too well, you and I. Some of my blood...
courses through your veins too. - Don't ever dare to speak of it!
You know it's true. - Be quiet with you!
I know that you're ashamed of "where you are coming from".
But remember how many times I've helped you with my magic.
We could help each other now.
Very well,
I choose the best of the king's men.
Move fast.
Then again... why do things have to be halves?
All right, Kriemhild. - Ready? Let it go.
Go!
So much for the pidgeon. - I must work on its hunting technique.
If he ever comes back...
Good to see you! - Good to see you, my friend.
There he is!
Are you sure he'll come back to you? - Of course!
He knows I'm his lord and master! - Very well, "lord and master",
go get him back!
What a beautiful bird.
He belongs to me! - What's it's name?
Arminius. - Oh, like the great hero who...
chased the Romans out of the country. - Yes! Now give him back to me, boy.
Who are you calling a boy, boy?
I'm the king's brother, and I call common men what I please.
Did you hear that? What?
What's that?
Aha.
He says I'm no common man, but the tamer of fire and the elements,
and that's what you should call me!
Shall we try again? - Stop this nonsense, Erik!
Give back the hawk to Prince Giselher!
At once!
I hoped you wouldn't give up so easily.
I'll get you a new one.
Eyvind! - Oh, Lord Dankwart!
I'm glad you got here safely. - We saw the devastation...
coming up the river. - It is a dragon. Fafnir, they call it.
The monster came out of nowhere and started killing, destroying everything.
I will tell the king you are here! - Yah. Thank you!
Now, look at this. This is even better.
You have a good eye for blades, my king. Forges and tempered by my son,
here it's well balanced in order to make it move like an extension of your arm.
You've learned your craft well! - Thank you, my king.
I've always said: There's no better weapon maker in the land.
Eyvind, you arrived just in time. I need your best iron to help my men...
fight the dragon. - Brother,
with this sword I could fight the dragon at your side. Let me come with you!
You know my answer, Giselher. It would not be wise to put 2 princes...
of Burgund in danger at the same time. - You handle it very well!
The balance is perfect for you. Please, keep it. It's yours. A simple gift.
Thank you. - This creature should be hunted down.
I too ask to join your quest against the dragon.
That is a task for only those warriors most honoured and favored by the king.
Please excuse his impetuous youth, my king.
I know exactly how you feel.
What did you think, Erik? That the king would be waiting for you
to kill the dragon for him? - I can do it!
With your mouth you can! Make sure it reaches the right temperature.
Aren't you helping me with this? - It's your sword.
Didn't I teach you how to do it? - Yes, you did.
Then do it!
I will love you forever.
To the forest of Fafnir!
May God be with us and grant us swift victory!
Don't stare at the princess. It's not polite.
I'm not starring.
She is, though.
Tamer of fire and the elements, may I enter?
You may. And please do call me Erik!
And I'm Prince Giselher. - Well, would you care...
to pump the bellows, prince?
Thank you!
I came to thank your father for his sword. I neglected to do so earlier.
Oh, he's asleep now, but I'll let him know that you stepped by.
I've never met a blacksmith who knows how to use the sword so well.
My father always says you can't forge a good sword...
if you don't know how to use one. What about your father?
My father was killed in battle years ago.
My mother died soon after.
How do you know when the iron's ready? - The feel. The way it looks.
This one will need hammering for days.
Isn't it wonderful to make such things? - Do you have a talent or a craft?
I'm a prince. I'm not allowed to work.
It would disgrace my brother, the king.
Don't you get bored? - Yes! If it weren't for my sister,
I'd go mad. - She's quite a pretty girl.
Every nobleman in our kingdom wants her. She doesn't want any of them.
Who does she want then? - Why do you ask so many questions?
Are you smitten by her, too? - My heart is elsewhere.
I just hope my brother is able to kill the dragon.
The king! The king is returning!
Gunther!
The dragon's hide was hard as iron. Our weapons were useless against it.
Take him in.
He will be avenged, my lady!
I swear it!
This is your masterpiece, my son.
What will you call him? - I don't know. Why?
A sword as great as this deserves a name.
Then I shall call you Balmung!
Balmung? Balmung was the sword of the last King of Xanten,
destroyed in battle Why do you want to call it that?
I just like the sound of it.
Fafnir!
Come out! Come out, you worm!
Fafnir! I'm right here!
That's it.
Come out! Come on!
If you are wise, you will leave empty-handed.
This gold is not for humankind.
It belongs to us.
I think it belonged to the dragon. - We are the keepers of the gold.
Gold that only we can hold.
The hoard was ours 'til Fafnir stole it from us.
Heed our warning, or you too will pay.
Who are you? - We are the Nibelungs.
The people of mist and twilight. You gave the gold back to us...
by slaying Fafnir. And we thank you for it.
Thanks are very well, but I'm the one who risked my life to kill the dragon!
That should be worth something. - It is not worth a single coin...
of this treasure, not when it comes with a curse.
I don't believe in curses. - The proof is outside.
Fafnir lies dead because of it. - I think he lies dead because of me.
And what's this? - This is he ring of the Nibelung,
the oldest thing in the hoard: Its heart.
The one who possesses it, is the treasure's owner.
It's beautiful. - And as deadly to you...
as anything else here.
It's going to take more than just words to frighten me today.
I'll be back for it soon.
When the curse begins to bite, beware of it. It will find your weakness,
and through it, destroy you.
What sorcery's this? - Give it back! - Who are you?
I should have known better. - What?
The dragon's blood has made your skin impenetrable. - Listen,
what's to stop me from killing you, too? - The magical Tarnhelm!
You can keep it! It made me take your shape.
What do I need that for? I look like me already.
Yes, but with it, you can wear any shape you desire.
Prove it! - Put it on your head.
Listen, are you trying to fool me? - No! You must say the magic words!
"Shadows and vapors, all the same", and you must think of who it is...
you want to turn into. - Shadows and vapors, all the same!
You look really ugly!
Then I must look like you.
Are you going to spare me?
Go!
Another mistake, young mortal. Now you also own his enmity...
and the curse. - Why? Who is he?
His name is Alberich, and he was one of us.
But greed awoke in Alberich. He wanted the treasure all for himself,
like you. When he tried to steal it,
we cast him out and stripped his immortality away.
What about if we make a bargain? I'll only take half the treasure,
and you keep the rest. Wouldn't that be fair?
Half the treasure, all the treasure, or just that single Ring is enough...
to bring the whole curse down on you.
It's all mine now.
Lady, you set tests for your suitors.
They are almost an insult to their rank. These men who ask for your hand...
are royal kings and princes! - And I'm a queen, their equal.
And I have the right in my own land to make whatever laws I please.
Then tell them that the Queen of Iceland will only wed the man...
who passes the tests she sets, and who can defeat her in single combat.
But no man can hope to succeed at such tasks, Majesty.
One man will succeed. And one man will marry me.
And I will know that man as soon as I see him. You may go.
You're thinking of the man you met on the night the star fell, aren't you?
The blacksmith? - I've thought of that man ever since.
And I will marry no one else, Hallbera. Not a prince, not a king,
not the Roman Emperor himself.
And if your handsome sword-maker does appear, what then?
And is he strong and brave enough to pass whatever tests you've planned?
He has defeated me once already. Only he will defeat me again.
The runestones do not lie.
It's Erik.
Where have you been? - Hunting. Any luck?
What is it? What does it look like?
It's a dragon's claw.
Where did you find it? - On a dragon's foot.
Of yourse you did. You think you can fool your old father?
If you don't like this claw...
how about its head?
What?
I don't believe it. It really is the dragon!
It's wonderful.
Fafnir is dead! Erik, the blacksmith...
killed the dragon! - Yes, he's dead.
Do you hear?
The dragon is dead.
Erik killed the dragon!
It's over, it's over.
Thanks, I'm fine.
Gunther!
Erik killed the dragon, alone.
This blacksmith must be blessed by God. - Or the devil.
He succeeded where you and 12 of your best warriors failed.
Whatever power he used against the Dragon he could use against you.
He did this form me.
Open your eyes, Hagen, and let your suspicious mind have a holiday.
People of Burgund! I command...
that Erik the blacksmith be proclaimed a hero of the Kingdom!
Long may he be honoured for his great victory! Long live the dragonslayer!
Even the honour of guarding such a treasure would bring fame to Burgund.
And respect for its king will increase beyond measure, once it is known...
that you have been entrusted with the safety of the hoard.
My king, the dragonslayer is outside. - Send him in.
It sounds most attractive, Hagen, but all of these benefits...
depend on what our young hero has to say.
King Gunther, I am greatly honoured by your offer to hold the treasure...
in safe-keeping for me. But... - You don't trust the king?
I trusted him well enough to kill a dragon on his behalf, Lord Hagen,
did you? - That was a fair hit, Hagen.
Now, Erik, the word "but" usually means some difficulty.
My king,
it's only I'm not sure your treasury has enough room.
Can I see your face? - Oh, no! That would ruin everything!
He is my only son. I brought him up all by myself.
The father of our savior! - Not just that!
I'm also a sword maker, favored by the kings.
And still a pagan! - The hammer of Thor,
the God of thunder, the working man's God...
is my favorite. Are you baptized?
Yes,
but tonight I am pagan again.
Let's go get some water.
So what does a dragonslayer do now that there are no dragons left to slay?
He goes back to his smithy.
With all the gold you brought back from the cave, you don't need to work!
My father taught me the art of changing charcoal and ore into iron,
and I enjoy doing it.
Defeat dragons with iron, but win maidens with gold!
How many? One? Two? A dozen?
None.
My heart is pledged already.
And who is this fortunate lady? High-born or low?
High, I think... or fear.
Maybe too high.
Perhaps she doesn't know you love her so deeply,
all sorts of arrangements might be made for such a great hero...
Would I know her? - No.
She lives far away.
So. To whom is your heart pledged? Are you married?
No, I'm not.
If I ever marry, it would only be for love.
Will you finally come to me?
I'm waiting for you, my love.
Do you know who you are at last?
They call me Erik the blacksmith, Erik the dragonslayer,
and Erik, the hero of Burgund.
But these are just titles.
One honest, one honoured,
one honourable.
But none of them are who you really are...
The twin kings have struck at Odinwood. They burned out towns...
and took our people as slaves. Even as we speak, Bonna is under siege.
Damn them. Damn them both. We've lived in peace with the...
Twin Kings for almost 10 years. - Yes, but for most of those 10 years,
Burgund's treasury hasn't been filled to overflowing with Fafnir's hoard.
Greed will negate any treaty. - How strong is their army?
4'000, perhaps 5'000 men. - We can match in strength.
But they're on the move. It doesn't matter. Send messengers to all our towns.
Muster the army of Burgund. We'll leave at once. - My king...
Erik owes you no allegiance, but he killed Fafnir on your behalf.
If he agreed to join the army, it certainly would encourage our warriors.
And discourage the enemy.
To meet a man who slew a dragon would give anyone pause for thought.
Command... no,
ask that he rides with the Burgund host. - Brother, I also wish to...
Giselher, I honour your intention. But his is not about glory.
If we don't come back, you must live to defend Burgund.
And your sister. Meanwhile we ride.
Go.
King of the Burgunds! My masters, the good Kings Thorkwin and Thorkilt,
do not wish fort his battle!
Since we outnumber you, I believe that. - We will spare your lives and...
spare Burgund its certain devastation, if you yield up to us the dragon's gold!
I am the wrong man to ask for the gold, messenger. If your masters...
want the gold they must take it up with the man who slew the dragon.
Let me talk to them, my king. - No,
I will never allow this! We will fight them together.
It is my treasure, my king. And enough blood has been spilled over it already.
My King, if the dragonslayer can help avoid more blood shed...
then let him.
If he fails, we'll attack.
Another messenger...
I hear you want something of mine.
I am the lord of the dragon's gold. If you want it,
you're welcome to try to take it. But you'll have to fight me first!
Big words for a blacksmith!
It takes more than gold to make a man worthy to fight a king.
And it takes more than a crown to make a man to be a king.
You're nothing more than a Burgund whelp!
Xanten whelp!
You killed my father!
I am Siegfried! Son of Siegmund, king of Xanten.
You're beaten, and your Kingdoms will be devided between the kings...
of Burgund and Xanten.
I should kill you both for what you did,
but that wouldn't give me any satisfaction.
Just get out of my sight.
I want him tied to the house of Burgund forever.
What do you have in mind, my king? - My sister will marry him.
And I'm sure you will not find this too difficult to arrange.
Go now!
Father, I'm awaken at last.
I finally know who I am.
A king and worthy, I hope, of a queen.
Come to Iceland, my love, and find out. - Soon my love.
But I've won a mighty treasure, and I want to bring it home for you.
Siegfried,
you are the only treasure that I wish for.
Hurry, my love, I'm waiting.
Now, you sent for me. What do you want?
Siegfried means to take the treasure back to his father's castle in Xanten.
He must be stopped. - A whole army couldn't stop him.
The king wants him bound to the house of Burgund through marriage to Kriemhild.
But there is some other woman. - What do you have in mind?
One of your spells or potions...
If he could forget his other love and find the princess attractive instead,
then the gold stays where it is.
I think I can help you. If the price is right.
What do you want? - That boy took something from me.
It looks like a mask. The man who knows its secret can look like anyone else.
Siegfried knows that secret. - Interesting.
Get me the tarnhelm back, and the potion's yours.
The potion first, thief. Once I have proof that it works, then...
you'll get your Tarnhelm. - You'll have it the day after tomorrow.
Don't ever call me that!
If killing you would change that, I would have done it long ago.
As the moon wanes the heart wanders,
sweet memory dwindles, the heart grows cold:
Drinking the draft makes new love sweeter,
past love a memory, withered and old,
'gainst potion's power nothing prevails...
grey iron nor silver,
jewel nor gold.
Father?
Father!
What's the matter? Are you sick?
If old age is a sickness, yes.
You just were working for a long time. You don't have to work any more.
There's all the gold we could ever need. - Don't tempt me with gold, son.
Iron is my metal. - You're just tired, father. That's all.
I'll get you something to eat and drink. - "Father",
can you still call me that?
Your true father was a king.
You knew. - I suspected it.
I saw the mark of the royal house on your tunic.
And later I learned that the Twin Kings were looking for the lost son,
but never found him...
Because you gave me another name to protect me.
It would be a lie to say that that was the only reason.
You see, I never had a wife, but with you...
I got a son.
And it was such a joy to be a father... your father!
And I've always been proud of you. I wanted you to know that.
And whatever I am,
it's because of what you thaught me.
Listen... The world around us is in the throes of a great change
and the new powers struggle with the old for domination.
And I've done my part in that struggle.
So when my time comes, my body can be sent to the Gods...
in the old way,
the way of fire and water. But you...
and your Queen are children of the old world, too.
The Gods gave you wonderous powers.
And you must fulfill your destiny together, wherever it leads you.
I will bring my love with me to Xanten as my wife.
I promise you.
But you're going to come with me!
I have no more travelling left in me.
I've hardly even breath anymore.
There's still so much for you to do, so many swords to make.
My best blade is forged.
There's no need to bother with lesser ones.
My throat is dry, son. That drink you said you were going to get me...
I could use that now.
Of course, father. I'll be right back.
Father?
Father!
Animals die,
people die,
everyone on earth must die.
But a real hero never dies,
he will be remembered forever.
My love,
so near to my heart and my mind.
And yet so far from my arms and my body.
How much longer?
How much farther?
Yes?
My lady Kriemhild,
may I please speak to you?
I wish to be alone, Lord Hagen. - It's about Siegfried.
What about him? - I'll expect him back any day.
Of course he will come back...
for the treasure. - And not because of you?
What are you implying? - I noticed your feelings for him.
You speak of matters you know nothing about.
I know, my Lady Kriemhild, that you have loved the dragonslayer...
since the first moment you saw him and I have come here to help you.
Once the treasure is gone, there is nothing to keep him here.
What is that? - Certain herbs with interesting properties.
Which if correctly brewed, will make a heart grow warm.
That is wrong! That is no Christian thing.
It is the old magic of spells and curses.
All he must do, is to drink this, mixed with wine and as long as...
it is you who gives him the cup, any love for any other woman...
would be forgotten, and only you will burn in his heart...
from that moment on.
But why...
In battle and in council, I have always served the house of Burgund,
and the best interests of the kingdom.