The Valhalla Murders Review: A Shocking Reveal Changes Everything
The second half of The Valhalla Murders wastes little time raising the stakes. Just as Kata and Arnar appear to be closing in on the killer, a series of revelations forces them — and the viewer — to question whether the case has been solved at all.
At the same time, Kata is dealing with a deeply personal crisis involving her teenage son Kari, while the investigation begins uncovering a disturbing secret hidden at Valhalla itself.
The two episodes move quickly, delivering several twists while continuing to explore one of the drama’s recurring themes: the complicated lengths parents will go to in order to protect their children.
A Suspect Emerges
Episode five begins with the investigation gathering momentum.
Arnar and the team examine CCTV footage, fingerprints extracted from a photograph and evidence surrounding a grey Yaris. The clues eventually point toward Steinþor Jonsson as their new suspect.
Kata and Arnar pursue separate leads, eventually finding themselves drawn toward an isolated garage. Inside is what appears to be the killer’s lair, complete with photographs and newspaper clippings covering the walls.
The discovery leads to a tense confrontation that brings the episode to a dramatic close.
But the apparent breakthrough is not what it seems.
The Killer Wasn’t Steinþor
Earlier in the investigation, Kristjan, the father of Tomas, the boy who attended Valhalla and whose bones were found at Hvalfjörður, learns that police believe they have identified the killer.
Kristjan wants justice for his son and is frustrated by Kata’s insistence that the police will eventually catch whoever is responsible. Steinþor’s identity is also leaked on social media, making the situation even more volatile.
The eventual revelation is that Steinþor was not the murderer.
The real culprit is Kristjan.
He had been seeking revenge against the people and institution he believed had destroyed his son’s life and ultimately contributed to his death.
It is another example of the familiar vigilante-parent storyline, with a grieving father deciding that justice is something he must deliver himself.
But with the series only halfway through, Kristjan’s downfall clearly cannot be the end of the mystery.
And it isn’t.
Kata’s Personal Crisis Deepens
The confrontation between Kata and Kristjan ends violently.
Kristjan knocks Kata unconscious before taking her gun and shooting himself. In the aftermath, Kata is suspended from the police force.
The suspension gives her an opportunity to turn her attention to the crisis unfolding at home.
Kata confronts Kari over the sexual assault video that had implicated him. He denies being involved, insisting that he was not present and that the video had simply been sent to him.
He is furious that his mother could believe he was capable of such a crime and leaves for his father’s home.
His father then reports the video to the police and takes Kari away to live with him.
For Kata, the consequences are devastating.
She has worked hard to maintain a relationship with her son, and watching him leave forces her to confront how fragile that bond has become. Once again, the series places parenting and the protection of children at the heart of its story.
Two Detectives Deal With The Aftermath Differently
The episodes also offer an interesting look at what happens to Kata and Arnar when the intensity of the investigation finally subsides.
Kata is emotionally shattered after coming so close to death during her confrontation with Kristjan.
Arnar takes a very different approach. Eventually agreeing to attend his father’s funeral, he is soon forcibly removed from the church by two men during the service.
The exact reason is not immediately clear, although the reaction strongly suggests that his deeply religious family has not accepted his sexuality.
Later, Arnar goes to a club, gets drunk and kisses a man in a bathroom — entirely on his own terms.
The contrast between the two detectives is striking.
Kata appears desperate to shut down her emotions after everything she has experienced, while Arnar seems determined to feel something, anything, after the pressure of the case.
Both responses underline the psychological toll that a difficult murder investigation can take on the people responsible for solving it.
A New Problem Emerges
Just when the police believe the case has been resolved, pathologist Hugrun discovers something that does not fit.
Her findings from Gudmundur’s autopsy suggest that his death was different from those of the other victims.
There is another important clue.
In Kristjan’s garage, photographs and clippings relating to Thor, Omar and Brynja were found — but there was nothing about Gudmundur.
Steinþor also makes a significant statement from his hospital bed, saying that Tomas was killed at Valhalla and that he and Tomas had been close friends who were planning to escape that night.
Suddenly, the case looks far from finished.
A Hidden Room At Valhalla
Meanwhile, in Borgarnes, Hakon takes a closer look at Valhalla.
His search leads him to a secret room hidden in the basement. Unsure who else to contact, he calls Kata.
Kata receives some unexpected encouragement from Magnus, who sends her a touching message telling her to remain calm and reminding her that she is the best policewoman in the city.
She then heads to Borgarnes.
Inside the hidden room, Luminol reveals traces of evidence suggesting that someone — possibly more than one person — was slaughtered there.
Tomas appears to be one of the victims.
But who else was there?
The discovery adds another disturbing layer to the Valhalla mystery.
The Cover-Up Points Toward Magnus
Further investigation uncovers something even more troubling.
There was a police car at Valhalla on the night Tomas was murdered, but its presence does not appear in the official report.
That immediately raises the possibility of a police cover-up.
For Kata, the revelation is especially difficult because the suspicion begins pointing toward Magnus, her mentor and one of her strongest supporters in Reykjavik.
Magnus had already sent her an unexpected message, while Arnar had been sent back to Norway after bringing Magnus the new evidence suggesting that another killer might be involved.
Then retired policeman Tryggvi Sighvatsson provides the crucial connection.
He identifies Magnus — whom he calls “Maggie” — as the officer who wrote the report on the night in question.
The implication is difficult to ignore.
Another Twist, But Not Entirely Unexpected
The revelation that Magnus was responsible for the report is certainly significant, even if it may not come as a complete surprise to every viewer.
The suggestion of a cover-up, combined with the suspicious behaviour surrounding Magnus, creates a trail that points toward corruption within the police themselves.
For viewers accustomed to crime dramas built around compromised officers and institutional conspiracies, the clues may feel familiar.
Still, the discovery changes the direction of the story once again.
Kata is now faced with a particularly difficult situation: the person she has trusted and relied upon throughout the investigation may be connected to the darkest secret the team has uncovered.
A Strong, If Familiar, Mid-Season Turn
Episodes five and six continue to make The Valhalla Murders an engaging and often gripping crime drama.
The pacing remains strong, particularly during the investigation and the confrontation between Kata and Kristjan. The series also continues to benefit from characters who feel emotionally involved in the mysteries rather than simply functioning as pieces of the plot.
However, some of the twists are easier to anticipate than the show perhaps intends.
The vigilante parent seeking revenge is familiar territory, while the possibility of a corrupt or compromised police officer is hardly new ground for the genre.
Even so, the combination of atmosphere, strong character work and fast-moving developments keeps the story compelling.
And with only two episodes remaining, the biggest question is no longer simply who committed the murders.