Shield-maiden forgetfulness given to Sigurðr so he forgets his previous relationship with her. Brynhildr is upset not only for the loss of Sigurðr but also for the dishonesty involved. Similar to her male counterparts, the shield-maiden prefers to do things straightforwardly, without the deception considered stereotypically feminine in much of medieval literature. She enacts her vengeance directly, resulting in the deaths of herself, Sigurðr, and Sigurð's son by Guðrún. By killing the child, she demonstrates an understanding of feud and filial responsibility; if he lived, the boy would grow up to take vengeance on Brynhildr's family. Guðrún has a similar concern
Mythology in Rick Riordan's works isolated comments on the subject during various interviews, as he has never released a list of any kind. These sources begin with the myths and the derivations thereof that he was exposed to as a child. Unnamed "novels on Norse mythology", suggested to him by a teacher who noticed his interest in "The Lord of the Rings", were his first introduction to mythology and continue to influence his writing today.<ref name="rr int w/ rick"></ref> The author also claims to have read such notable classics as "The Iliad" and "The Odyssey", and to use his "general knowledge" of a given mythology