Which Movie Is About a Goal That Stops Mattering
Many movies build around big goals like revenge or victory, but one stands out where the main goal loses all meaning by the end. That movie is The Northman, a 2022 Viking epic directed by Robert Egger. It follows Amleth, a prince played by Alexander Skarsgard, who grows up swearing to avenge his father. From boyhood, he repeats his mission like a chant: avenge father, save mother, kill Fjolnir. This drive shapes his whole life as he trains as a slave raider and hunts his uncle Fjolnir, the man who murdered his dad and took his mom.https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/robert-eggers/the-northman-ending-spoiler-culture
Right from the start, the film shows you where it all leads. The opening shot is a volcano, the exact spot where Amleth will die. The story drips with talk of fate, fire lakes, and inescapable doom. You know the end, but the movie says that is not the point. Amleth learns hard truths along the way. His mother was not kidnapped; she chose Fjolnir and killed her husband herself. The noble father image crumbles too. The revenge goal that fueled him turns hollow.https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/robert-eggers/the-northman-ending-spoiler-culture
What takes over is something bigger. Amleth falls for Olga, a fellow slave played by Anya Taylor-Joy. They have kids, and he sees a new path. The goal shifts from blind payback to breaking the cycle of violence. In the final showdown, a wild nude sword fight in that volcano, he fights not just to win but to end the curse for his family. He cuts the thread of fate, not to cheat death, but to choose life over endless revenge. The original goal stops mattering; the journey and what he learns replace it.https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/robert-eggers/the-northman-ending-spoiler-culture
The Northman even pokes fun at people scared of spoilers. It tells you the plot upfront to prove story matters more than surprises. Like old tales such as Beowulf, the how and why of the path beat the what-happens-next. Amleth’s arc shows goals can change when truth hits, leaving room for growth and legacy.
Sources
https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/robert-eggers/the-northman-ending-spoiler-culture
https://www.mathnasium.com/math-centers/ofallon/news/words-weapons-deep-dive-story-behind-great-debaters-2007
https://filmobsessive.com/film/film-features/film-lists-rankings/the-best-films-of-2025-part-two/
