Siegfried establishes larger-than-life heroic characters who are defined by tests of valor and rigid codes of honor. In order to win the hand of Kriemhild, Siegfried must win a bride for her brother, King Gunther. Kriemhild's Revenge begins after the death of Siegfried, and weaves the treacherous tale of his widow's ungodly vengeance upon his murderers. The noble qualities of the first film become liabilities in the second, as the blood oaths and vows of loyalty bring about a maelstrom of violence that results in the slaughter of entire armies.