Goblin Slayer is a strange show on several fronts, mainly that none of the characters have any names. They are all called by what it is they do, such as Goblin Slayer or Priestess. It's a strange method to use, but one that works with it being a blatant telling of a tabletop game, something the characters even reference.
One of these characters is the Sword Maiden, a character with a past that slowly gets revealed during the series. She was part of the hero's party, who once slew the Demon Lord before his revival during the current timeline. Below we are going to delve into her past, revealing everything from the original series as well as the spin-offs.
8 She Likes The Goblin Slayer
This one isn't much of a secret. She can be subtle about it, like when she perked up before a festival after hearing he was going to be there, while also being very overt, when blatantly asking him if he understood why she felt the way she did.
While it's understandable why she feels as she does, you have to wonder if what she feels is really love. She only seems to enjoy the comfort of knowing that he is dedicated to eradicating goblins, rather than anything about him personally. Given her traumatic experience with goblins though, you get why that would be enough.
7 She Used To Be An Appraiser
Before helping defeat the Demon Lord, pictured above, she was an appraiser of adventuring goods. Two adventures were hassling her, telling her she needed to find a new line of work. That's when the Captain stepped in, offering her a place in his party. Despite still being traumatized from what the goblins did to her, she accepted.
It shows what a good judge of character the Captain had, as Sword Maiden proved vital in the defeat of the Demon Lord. She was the one that helped resolve the party into advancing to the tenth floor of the Dungeon of the Dead, stating there may never be a next time.
6 She's Very Childish
You see this in full any time she has to do anything as an archbishop. During the festival, she threw a hissy fit because she had to see to her duties rather than getting to go. It's strange of someone at such a high standing in the world.
5 She No Longer Wishes To Be An Adventurer
In the later volumes of the series, Sword Maiden is asked this very question by Goblin Slayer. She says she doesn't have the courage for the job anymore, being too consumed by her fear of goblins. That didn't stop her from rushing to the aide of Goblin Slayer and his party while they were in the Dungeon of the Dead. She and some warrior-priests helped take out the remaining goblins.
Sword Maiden could barely move during the action, however, proving that while she may have the courage to still adventure, she couldn't get over her fears. What the goblins did to her was far beyond anything she could hope to overcome.
4 She's A Skilled Cartographer
While with the Captain, she detailed every inch of the Dungeon of the Dead, making her incredibly valuable later in the volumes when the princess is taken by goblins. The goblins were using the dungeon as their new nest. Her knowledge led to The King asking her to go with Goblin Slayer and his party to retrieve the princess.
Naturally, Sword Maiden couldn't due to her fears, thankfully getting saved by Noble Fencer. With her cartography knowledge, she was able to provide the party with detailed maps, helping even when she couldn't physically do so. Even Lizard Priest was impressed by how detailed they were.
3 She Has PTSD
This one is fairly obvious if you've seen any part of the show, but her deep-seated hatred of goblins goes beyond just a fear of them. The torture they put her through was awful, able to scar even the most mentally tough adventurers. As the series goes on, you see that there is no recovery from what happened.
While the Goblin Slayer can ease the fears within her dreams, he can't change how she feels when coming face to face with one of these green midgets. This is shown on numerous occasions in the show, especially with the small comments she makes, like wishing all goblins would disappear.
2 She's A D&D Cleric
With how blatant the parallels are to Dungeons and Dragons, it shouldn't come as a shock that someone who is a high priestess is a version of the games resident healer, the cleric. Many of the spells she uses are similar, from her healing to the protective wards she can give others.
Perhaps most glaring is her ability to resurrect people, a spell only a high-level cleric such as herself could use. The way her staff looks like a sword lays even further credence as many clerics aren't afraid to get up close and personal with their foes.
1 Her Torture Was More Physical Than She Lets On
Despite how strange this anime can be with its names and how light-hearted it can be at times with its adventures. At its core, this is a very dark story, Sword Maiden being the most tragic of tales. While it is never outright stated by her, you see what goblins do to women they capture in the first episode.
Add in the markings along her body that are slowly beginning to heal, and you can put two and two together. It makes you truly understand why Sword Maiden is the way she is. Anyone who underwent such an act as often as she may have would never be the same again.