When we talk about iconic video game protagonists, we often think of the invincible, the charming, the ones with flashy powers or larger-than-life personalities. Senua isn’t like that.
She’s quiet. She’s haunted. She’s stubborn in a way that feels more like survival than heroism. And yet, she’s one of the most unforgettable characters I’ve ever met in a game.
Who Is Senua?
Senua is a young Pict warrior from the Orkney Islands, living during the late 8th century, a time when Viking raids and Norse mythology shaped every shadow on the horizon.
She’s a skilled fighter, but her life has been defined less by her sword and more by her mind. Senua experiences severe psychosis: hearing voices, seeing visions, and perceiving the world in ways others don’t. In her village, this wasn’t understood.
Senua’s Childhood
Her father, Zynbel, was strict and controlling, believing Senua’s visions were a curse from the gods. He isolated her, kept her apart from others, and made her think she was broken. Her mother, Galena, also experienced visions, but was taken from Senua under tragic circumstances.
This early trauma shaped everything about Senua – her self-doubt, her determination, and her tendency to internalize guilt for things far beyond her control.
Dillion
In her teens, Senua met Dillion. He was gentle, kind, and accepting in a way that no one else had been, and so he became her safe place.
But tragedy struck when a plague and a violent Norse raid hit her home. Senua returned to find her village destroyed and Dillion sacrificed in a brutal ritual to the Norse gods.
That’s when her journey began. With grief consuming her, she made a vow: travel to Helheim and bargain with the goddess Hela to return Dillion’s soul. This vow becomes the backbone of Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice.
The Journey Through Hel and the Mind
Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice is both a physical and psychological journey. Every step through the Norse underworld mirrors a step into Senua’s own fears, grief, and memories.
The voices in her head – sometimes cruel, sometimes encouraging – never stop. The visions are relentless. The danger is constant. And through it all, she keeps moving forward, not because she’s fearless, but because her love for Dillion outweighs everything else.
Why Senua Matters
I could give you plenty of reasons why Senua matters. However, I think it’s better to point out the most important ones. So here are my top three reasons why:
- Realistic representation of mental health: Her psychosis is depicted with depth and care, developed in collaboration with neuroscientists and people with lived experience. It’s not a gimmick or a trope; it’s part of her reality.
- Strength in vulnerability: Senua’s power isn’t in being unstoppable; it’s in being breakable but refusing to give up.
- Emotional storytelling: Senua’s journey is deeply personal; she experiences grief, trauma, and survival all at the same time. This is so realistic that it creates a bond between the player and the protagonist that feels intimate.
- A Performance for the ages: Melina Juergens, a video editor at Ninja Theory with no acting background, delivered a performance that’s raw, painful, and beautiful. It’s still one of the best in gaming.
Note
Senua matters because she embodies the shift from “hero as power fantasy” to “hero as human journey.”
Final Thoughts
Senua isn’t a character you “play” so much as one you walk beside. She’s a reminder that strength isn’t about never breaking – it’s about breaking and choosing to keep going anyway.
If you haven’t experienced her story yet, my advice is simple: put on a pair of headphones, clear a few hours, and step into the darkness with her.
