Viking theme adventure RPG Assassin’s Creed Valhalla calls back to some of the UK’s best features and stories, both past and present, the most obvious being the rule of King Alfred the Great and how he changed the country. However, there’s even more that can be explored by scouring the game’s many side quests. Some are played more for comedy, like the man who sits with an axe in his head. Others play on the classic tropes that came with the time, like saving a damsel locked away in a tower. But every so often, certain side quests take a meta approach.
A great example of this is The Prodigy, a mission that can be found just below the viewpoint in Essex to the right of Saint Maria’s Abbey. Should players go through the side quest without any context, it just seems like a funny story about a group of musicians trying to play to a crowd. However, to older audiences or those that are fans of Electronic Dance Music, they may notice that this mission is actually a clever homage to the iconic band The Prodigy.
The Prodigy got its start in 1990 when they were formed in Essex, England by Keith Flint, Liam Howlett and Leeroy Thornhill, along with Maxim and Sharky. The band defined the EDM genre in the ’90s and quickly grew in popularity, with songs appearing on soundtracks for films like The Matrix and Hackers and a plethora of international hits like Firestarter and Breathe. Bearing in mind their storied discography and EDM influence, it makes their tribute in Valhalla all the more peculiar and fantastic.
Once Eivor reaches the quest location, they encounter a man named Keith who is playing music with his friends. He explains to Eivor that the bishop in their area won’t let them play and calls their singing the “devil’s bagpipes.” Eivor, being a person who believes in freedom of expression, goes to speak to the bishop. Upon their meeting, the bishop explains how his role was given to him by God while he was drunk and he believes it’s his duty to steer people away from the band. This leads to Eivor fighting him, all the while Keith looms in the background encouraging Eivor to “Smack my bishop!”
Once defeated, Eivor reunites with Keith, who proclaims his thanks and dedicates a song to them. He then sings a new song titled Smack My Bishop as an homage to Prodigy’s 1997 hit Smack My Bitch Up. Most fans of the band may not notice the callback until this point because of how well hidden the Easter eggs are but upon revisiting it, fans will notice that Keith even has the same haircut as Flint, and the band formed in the same area the mission takes place.
While an entertaining side quest, it’s also a somber one seeing as it serves as a tribute to Keith Flint, who died in 2019. Assassin’s Creed Valhballa does its best to honor the English influences that help make up the region, and in their honoring The Prodigy, the same level of detail can be seen. Not only is it a fun mission, but it’s also a great way to acknowledge one of the most beloved electronic bands and performers of the last century.
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