Magnus is the protagonist of The Sword of Summer and a reluctant hero. Before his death, Magnus has “skin so pale you could trace the road map of blue veins” (109). After his death, he is built more like a warrior. His physical change represents his slower emotional transformation. For much of the book, Magnus doesn’t understand why he was chosen for Valhalla and doesn’t feel as if he belongs among warriors who died bravely. Rather than train for Ragnarok, Magnus wants to find his mom and live out his afterlife wherever she is, his initial motivation for setting out to find the sword. As the stakes rise and Ragnarok approaches, Magnus comes to understand the responsibility he carries. He steps into his role as hero, completing his character arc and matching his emotions to his new warrior’s physique.

As a son of Frey, Magnus approaches conflict from a place of peace and warmth. His godly abilities, particularly his quick healing of both himself and others, make him sensitive to the wounds sustained on the battlefield and in the heart. When Gunilla is wounded in Chapter 21, he heals her without a second thought, even though Gunilla embarrassed him and got Sam kicked out of the Valkyries.