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Today is free-for-all combat. I love Tuesdays!

–Mallory during battle practice in The Sword of Summer.

Mallory Audrey Keen was a Northern Irish Norse demigod, daughter of Frigg, before becoming one of the einherjar. She died while trying to disarm a car bomb during Bloody Friday and ended up in the Hotel Valhalla.[1] She is the on-again-off-again girlfriend of Halfborn Gunderson.

History[]

Early Life[]

Mallory Keen was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland to Frigg and an unnamed man. Mallory had a poor relationship with her father due to his alcoholism.

Bloody Friday and Death[]

On 21 July 1972, which later became known as Bloody Friday, Mallory decided to join the attack after two of her friends were attacked by British officials. Loki disguised himself as one of Mallory's friends and tricked her into installing a car bomb on a school bus, claiming that soldiers were on board instead of children.

Her mother, Frigg, knowing Mallory would die, appeared to her disguised as an old hag and convinced her to disarm the bomb, giving her two knives. The car bomb blew up, killing Mallory, but since she died a heroic death with a weapon in her hand, she was taken to Hotel Valhalla.

Early Days in Valhalla[]

In Valhalla, she would turn Halfborn Gunderson and Thomas Jefferson Jr., a Viking age berserker and union soldier who were enemies from over a century, into friends. For decades, she would think the old woman who gave her her knives was Loki in disguise and vowed to kill him with those very knives.

Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard[]

The Sword of Summer[]

Mallory lives in the Hotel Valhalla and is Magnus Chase's hallmate. She, along with T.J., Halfborn, and X, invite Magnus to breakfast with them in the lounge where they discuss about the nine-worlds and Magnus's fate. With icing sugar around her mouth, Mallory reminded Magnus of a reverse-color-scheme Joker. When the group enters battle practice, Mallory stays by Magnus' side until dying from an arrow through the neck.[2]

Mallory and her friends are recruited by Gunilla to help track down Magnus and drag him back to Hotel Valhalla in disgrace. While their attempt to get him in Midgard was failed by Hearth, the group successfully meets them again in Lyngvi. However, she and her hallmates side with Magnus over Gunilla and aid him in defeating Surt. At the end of the book, she, along with Magnus, Samirah, T.J., Hearthstone, and Blitzen, are complimented by Odin as the true heroes of Valhalla. 

The Hammer of Thor[]

Mallory is first seen chasing her new hallmate with her boyfriend Halfborn when they run into Magnus. They search her suite and find the symbol of Loki. Before battle practice, Halfborn was adjusting her armor, much to her annoyance. A murder of ravens come and bring their new hallmate to them. They are shocked that Alex is female, as they were told she was male. They head into battle against the dragons, and she covers her hallmates during the mock battle.

At dinner, she sits with her hallmates as they talk about Magnus' dream about Loki. She, T.J., and Halfborn escort Alex back to their corridor after dinner.

During the wedding between Samirah and Thyrm, Mallory, T.J., Halfborn, Hearth, and Blitz fight the giants. Following their victory, they return to Valhalla to celebrate.

The Ship of the Dead[]

Mallory has broken up with Halfborn and is part of the crew preventing Naglfar from launching. She along with her hallmates board Magnus' bright yellow ship and they frantically try to prep the boat and narrowly avoid plunging into the void. She talks with Magnus after his vision of Loki. After picking up Sam and Alex they are dragged underwater by nine women. They surface in a cauldron and are fished out by Aegir. She supports an unconscious Halfborn and sees Hearth and Blitz are prisoners about to be cooked. She and T.J. support a semi-conscious Halfborn while Alex, Sam and Magnus free Hearth and Blitz. Just as they are about to eat one of the sea god's daughters calls out Magnus. They eventually get Aegir to calm down and convince their host to let them leave if they can escape his daughters. Mallory drives her knives into one of the maidens and uses them to stay in place. She escapes when Njord arrives and Hearth takes out a wall. When they surface, she and the others head below deck to get food while Magnus, Blitz and Hearth speak with Njord.

She talks with Magnus about the absence of Blitz and Hearth. She insults Halfborn, who is within earshot, before climbing the mast.

When they arrive at York she, Sam, and Halfborn watch the ship while Magnus, T.J., and Alex scout out the town. During that time they defend the ship and Halfborn cuts her hair when a water horse grab hold. She tells Magnus that Loki both tricked her into setting up the car bomb that killed her and into disarming it by giving her the knives.

When Magnus and the others return, they are considered because he consumed the blood, but she brushes it off as a temporary boost in his powers. They arrive in Flåm split up to find a train station, she goes with Sam and Magnus while T.J. and Alex go with Halfborn. Within a few minutes, she finds the woman who gave her her knives and goes after her. They track her down to the train station and board a train. Sam and Magnus keep her from attacking the woman and they speak with her. She addresses Mallory by her full name and the events that lead to her death. The woman reveals herself as Frigg and reveals that she is Mallory's mother. Mallory is shocked and angered by the revelation and scolds the goddess for not telling her sooner. Frigg gives her daughter a walnut shell and leaves. Mallory jumps out of the window of a moving train and breaks her arm, which Magnus heals. She is still in shock that the queen of Asgard is her mother. Sam talks to her about Odin inspecting her at floor nineteen, as well as sending Alex and Magnus to the floor, and how she is the one who holds them all together. They set out to find the mead and they devise a plan of action. She comes up with a plan to help the thrall by sharpening their scythes with the whetstone. She tricks them into impaling each other and they move on. They pry open the doors using her knives and the assistance of Gunlod, the mead keeper's daughter and prisoner. She gives them the mead and her father and uncle return. They agree to let Magnus stay and fight on of the giants while she, getting sucked into a nutshell, is carried by Sam and they take the mead. Luckily, Baugi follows then while Suttung stays behind. She spends the fight in the nutshell and apologizes to T.J. for killing the slaves. They leave Flåm and reach Jotunheim by morning.

The Big Banana can not get through the ice so they walk to shore. Just as they reach it they are invited in by Skadi to explain themselves. They bathe and have a hot meal with the giantess. She tells the group Loki will launch Naglfar by noon the following day.skadi gives them permission to spend the night. In the morning they have breakfast before skiing over to Naglfar.

When they arrive, she, Blitz, Hearth, T.J., and Halfborn leave to destroy Loki's forces and give Magnus a better chance during the flyting. Magnus hears her curse in Gaelic from a distance. She hobbles over to the flyting with a broken foot. She watches the match and is concerned for Magnus, but is pleased with his compliment of her. She is the first to receive a compliment, Magnus tells the Naglfar crew how she sacrificed her life to correct the mistake of setting that bomb and saved the lives of the schoolkids. Upon being reborn, she is the fiercest fighter and the best curser in Valhalla and holds floor nineteen together as a team. He reveals to the giants how she opened Suttung's doors with her knives, defeated the thralls using trickery, and didn't even attack Frigg when she told her she was her mother. After the flyting, she imprisoned Loki in the walnut. She scoops up the walnut just as the hoard attacks and they make their way to the edge and jump off at Sam's request. They land on the backs of water horses and they get out of the harbor just it is freezing over.

They spend three days at sea. During this time, she watches over Loki and becomes closer with Halfborn. They arrive on Vigridr, the battlefield they will die on during Ragnorok, and are greeted by the gods. She is embraced by Frigg and hands Loki over to the Aesir. She is given a signed copy of Odin's new autobiography, a feast in her honor, and a Turkish bathrobe. When they get back to Valhalla, she and Halfborn get back together and throw plates at each other and kiss.

9 from the Nine Worlds[]

Nice Doggy[]

She offers T.J. a slice of pizza she bought for Halfborn before going to the berserker.

So’s Your Face[]

Halfborn tells her he has to go to Vanaheim for dragon scales and denies the daughter of Frigg entry to his room. She throws a slice of pizza at him before storming off. She wanders through a door and ends up in Niflheim with the door vanishing behind her. She puts on a magical poncho to keep herself warm before hiking up a glacier. Just as she is about to climb Thor jogs by, leaving a train cleared of snow by his farts. Mallory tries to get his attention, but she fails and decides to follow his trail.

Eventually, she loses track of the god, and a blizzard covers the trail. However, she finds a stream that leads to Hvergemir, the hot spring at the roots of Yggdrasil. She finds a root and starts to climb it before realizing that the root is actually Nidhogg, the Dragon at the roots of the world tree. She hears him thin of insults for Vedrfolnir, the eagle at the top of the tree. She feels that she can get safe passage up the world tree if she trains him in insults. She goes up to Nidhogg and tells him her offer, the dragon agrees and eventually gets the hang of it. He asks the daughter of Frigg to stay for dinner but she declines and climbs the world tree. She eventually reaches Valhalla and ends up right in front of Halfborn. She hugs the berserker.

Well, That was Surprising.[]

Moments after it happened, Halfborn mentions him trying to prevent the daughter of Frigg from seeing his mosaic.

I Play with Fire[]

She and Halfborn are shown kissing when Alex Fierro leaves the berserker’s room. Later, she and Halfborn, along with T.J., Blitzen, Hearthstone, and Samirah, go to Muspellheim to help the child of Loki fight Surt, only to realize she has already bested the fire lord.

Appearance[]

Mallory is described as having green eyes, a reddish face and frizzy red hair. She has a short stature in comparison to her hallmates.

Personality[]

"She's a sweetheart, once you get past the fact that she's a horrible person."

Halfborn Gunderson

Mallory is shown to be brash with little filter, saying whatever comes to her mind. This has her sometimes come off as rude, but getting past that, she's a sweet person. As an einherjar, Mallory has developed a liking for battle. While she regularly insults and berates her hall mates, she, in fact, is very close to them and is considered the den mother of the group.

Abilities[]

  • Fighting Skills: Mallory is shown to be a strong fighter, being able to attack multiple enemies once.
  • Bilingualism: Mallory can speak both English and Irish Gaelic.
  • Knifemanship: Mallory has spent decades training with knives.

  • Persuasion: Mallory is shown to be quite persuasive, being able to turn century old enemies, Halfborn and T.J., into close friends. As well as tricking the thralls into impaling themselves. She is also able to calm down her friends when they experience something, as she did when Magnus became able to talk to animals after accidentally consuming Alderman's blood.

  • Enhanced Strength: Mallory is stronger and faster then any other human.
  • Einharjar Immortality: She can not die permanently as long as she is within Hotel Valhalla.

  • Magical Items[]

    • Serrated Knives: Just before her death, she was given two indestructible knives by her mother.
    • Magical Poncho: Mallory has a magic poncho created by Blitz and Hearth that is designed to radiate heat. She has had this since her quest to Naglfar.

    Relationships[]

    Love Interest[]

    Halfborn Gunderson[]

    Halfborn

    Halfborn Gunderson, her on-again off-again boyfriend.

    Mallory has had feelings for the berserker for some time prior to The Sword of Summer. She would blush whenever he complimented her and would insult him in return. After the battle on Lyngvi, she burst into tears at the thought of him dying permanently. However, he recovers and the two form a relationship. They continue on as before, however, he teases the daughter of Frigg more often.

    The two eventually broke up prior to The Ship of the Dead. They constantly fight throughout the quest, but show signs off making up as well. After the crew of the Big Banana captures Loki they rekindle their relationship.

    They have a brief falling out in 9 from the Nine Worlds over Halfborn keeping a project but they quickly make up.

    Family[]

    Due to his alcoholism, Mallory did not get along with her father.

    Frigg

    Frigg, her mother.

    When she planted the bomb on the school bus, Mallory assumed she was Loki. For the next thirty years she would go on believing this until the queen of Asgard told her herself. After learning of this revelation, Mallory is stunned and angered but eventually warms up to her mother.

    Friends[]

    Magnus Chase

    Magnus, her good friend and floormate

    Mallory and Magnus first met in The Sword of Summer, when Mallory invited him to breakfast with the others. The two warmed up to each other very quickly and talked at breakfast. Mallory said that Magnus was giving Floor 19 a bad name, but Halfborn told him to not mind her. Mallory and Magnus later fought at battle practice, where Magnus realized that Mallory had a crush on Halfborn. Mallory was killed during the battle, and Magnus stuck by her side and tried to heal her. After the battle, Mallory told him that he used magic unfit for a true warrior, and punched him, saying she liked him already. Mallory also helped Magnus escape with Hearthstone and Blitzen, even though she only knew him for less than a day. Later, Mallory turned against Gunilla and helped Magnus fight Surt and Fenris Wolf. The next day, when Magnus chose to stay in Valhalla, Mallory kissed his cheek and called him a huge idiot, but then whispered, “thank you”.

    By The Hammer of Thor, the two are close friends and Magnus trusted her as much as he trusted Annabeth. They ate lunch and dinner together with the others every day and fought together in battle. Magnus trusted her enough to tell her about Loki's plans, Randolph Chase, and his dreams. Mallory also confided in him her suspicions about Alex Fierro and what an argr was.

    In The Ship of the Dead, the two were together on the Quest to stop Naglfar from Sailing, and spent a lot of time together. Magnus could tell that Mallory had a little crush on Blitzen. Mallory was stressed out on the ship however, and lashed out at Magnus, telling him that it was stupid for volunteering for a flyting, saying he was just as bad as Halfborn. Magnus wished that he wasn’t on the ship with her while she and Halfborn were feuding. Mallory eventually opened up to Magnus about her past and how she died, and Magnus was shocked that she set a bomb, and didn’t know who she was anymore. However, Magnus still trusted her to go to York with her and Samirah al-Abbas. When Frigg told Mallory, Sam, and Magnus the rest of the details about her past, Magnus felt sorry for her, and they became even closer. He also understood why she was angry when finding out that Frigg was her mom. After, Magnus managed to pull her out of a bush after screaming, and healed her wounds. Magnus comforted her, and they did well fighting Baugi.

    After their experience in Norway, Magnus began calling Mallory “Mack”. Magnus also praised Mallory for her deeds to Loki during the flyting. Mallory calls Magnus Beantown.

    Tj viria

    T.J, a close friend and floormate of Mallory

    T.J and Mallory met in 1972 when Mallory became an Einherji at Hotel Valhalla, and became close. Mallory helped Halfborn and T.J become friends. The two ate lunch and dinner together with the others every day, and told each other about their pasts. Mallory often teases T.J and is often hostile, but never means anything of it. Mallory stated that she thinks that T.J is less annoying than Magnus. The two also ordered Santarpios pizza together twice: before the events of the series, and in 9 from the Nine Worlds.

    In The Ship of the Dead, T.J knew that Mallory and Halfborn broke up before Magnus did. T.J also sympathized that Mallory was going to England, because it was near Ireland, where she died. After Mallory killed the thralls in Norway, T.J was very angry that Mallory killed slaves, and Mallory apologized genuinely, something she never does, saying it was a bloody mess. After that, she spent time with T.J comforting him. The two made up by 9 from the Nine Worlds.

    Alex fierro

    Alex, a floormate and friend of Mallory

    Mallory and Alex met when she welcomed Alex to Valhalla with Thomas Jefferson Jr. and Halfborn Gunderson. Alex was not happy to meet her and threw insults at them, angering Mallory, making her afraid that she would destroy the hotel, calling him a demon. Alex and Mallory later met formerly, and Alex promised not to kill her unless she had to. Mallory was also the most confused when Alex said that he was a she, and almost started arguing, and was angry when Alex and Magnus stood in the battlefield chatting instead of fighting. At dinner, Mallory was very suspicious that Alex was a spy sent by Loki, but was angry at Halfborn when he called Alex an argr, defending her. The next day, Mallory watched Alex to make sure she didn’t try anything. However, after a few days, the two warmed up to each other.

    In The Ship of the Dead, they were both on the Quest to stop Naglfar from Sailing, and were both friends at that point. Mallory liked the name Alex named the ship and told her that she loved it. Mallory and Alex also put up the mooring lines up together when they arrived in Norway. Alex also defended Mallory later, saying that she did the right thing by killing the thralls.

    In 9 from the Nine Worlds, Alex helped Halfborn make a surprise anniversary present for Mallory and kept it a secret from her. Alex mentioned how she would rather face a dragon than Mallory, because she could get angry. Alex also complimented Mallory, saying she and Halfborn were so cute together it made her sick. Mallory later rushed to Muspellheim with the others to help her when they found out she was facing Surt.

    Samirah Al Abbas

    Sam, her friend and ally

    In The Sword of Summer, the two didn’t know each other very well, and all Mallory knew about her was that she brought X and Magnus to Valhalla. Mallory still fought alongside her against Fenris Wolf and again against Loki.

    In The Ship of the Dead, the two were on the Quest to stop Naglfar from Sailing and became friends. Sam threatened to blast Mallory and Halfborn if they didn’t get along. The two and Halfborn Gunderson helped fight water horses off the cost of York. Mallory was impressed over Sam’s skillset and was very impressed. The two later went with Magnus to get Kvasir's Mead. When Mallory saw an old woman she thought was Loki, she was tempted to kill her, but Sam managed to calm her down, a feat that not many people were able to do. Sam was very impressed and excited when she found out that Frigg was Mallory’s mom, but Mallory was angry and told Sam to stop fangirling, while Sam told Mallory to stop being callous and that it was good Frigg was her mom.

    After they left Frigg, Sam dragged Mallory out of a blueberry bush so she could stop screaming. Sam comforted Mallory about what happened, and told her how Frigg is the one who controls Asgard, and how Mallory is like her mother because they both hold Floor Nineteen together, and how she is Frigg's chosen agent in Valhalla. Sam said she was honored to fight on her side, and Mallory said her own version of “thank you” to her. The two then got Kvasir's Mead and fought Suttung.

    Etymology[]

    • Mallory is an English surname often used as a feminine given name meaning “an unfortunate person”.
    • Audrey is an English feminine given name meaning “noble strength”.
    • Keen is an English surname derived from the Irish surname “O’Cahan”.

    Trivia[]

    • She is in a relationship with Halfborn Gunderson.
    • She calls Magnus 'Beantown' as a joke.
    • She, along with Magnus, Samirah, T.J., Hearthstone, and Blitzen are complimented by Odin as the true heroes of Valhalla.
    • She has unbreakable knives that were gifted to her by her mother, Frigg
    • It is hinted that she may have been abused as a child, as she mentions her father’s drinking and anger in her conversation with Frigg
    • Her initials are M.A.K, causing her old Northern Irish friends and the residents of Floor 19 to call her Mack.
    • She speaks Gaelic; It is mostly seen during battle or in fits of anger when she curses.
    • By the time of The Sword of Summer, Mallory claims to have already visited six of the Nine Worlds.
    • Ironically or perhaps coincidentally, Mallory's name means "luckless". In The Ship of The Dead, on page 197, she says, "Trust? Right. I've got about as much of that as I have luck." 
    • She is the second character from Ireland, the first being Sean Ryan from The Kane Chronicles

    References[]

    1. The Sword of Summer pg 115
    2. The Sword of Summer pg 126
    Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard
    Core Series: The Sword of Summer | The Hammer of Thor | The Ship of the Dead
    Main Characters: Magnus Chase | Alex Fierro | Blitzen | Halfborn Gunderson | Hearthstone | Loki | Mallory Keen | Samirah al-Abbas | Sumarbrander | Thomas Jefferson Jr.
    Secondary Characters: Randolph Chase | Gunilla | Natalie Chase | Amir Fadlan | Alderman
    Minor Characters: Annabeth Chase | Frederick Chase | Helgi | Hunding | Vala | Junior | Lars Alhstrom | Stanley | Inge | Percy Jackson | Stan | Alviss | Miles | Wildflower | Sunspot | John Henry
    Norse Gods: Freya | Thor | Balder | Ullr | Frey | Odin | Heimdall | Vidar | Sif | Frigg | Tyr
    Minor Gods: Skírnir | Mimir | Ran | Hod | Hel | Sigyn | Aegir | Nine Billow Maidens | Njord | Kvasir | Holler | Forseti | Glum | Lofn | Sól | Idunn
    Jotnar: Surt | Gerd | Norns | Utgard-Loki | Harald | Ymir | Geirrod | Gjalp | Greip | Thrym | Thrynga | Tiny | Little Billy | Hrungnir | Red | Tattoo | Gunlod | Suttung | Baugi | Skadi | Hrym | Eggther | Norns
    Monsters: Jormungand | Ratatosk | Vedrfolnir | Nidhogg | Fenris Wolf | Lindworm | Wight | Brunnmigi | Siersgrunnr | Garm
    Magical Creatures: Dwarf | Elf | Sleipnir | Stanley | Marvin | Otis | Hulder | Nøkks | Vatnavaettir | Nisser | Troll | Raven | Hugin and Munin
    Related Content: Rick Riordan | Hotel Valhalla Guide to the Norse Worlds | 9 from the Nine Worlds
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