Welcome to Picture Perfect, a column dedicated to analysing photos from throughout army history. This week, we will be diving into the rebranding of the Golden Guardians into the Water Vikings, a decision that introduced the historic army to the CPPS era.
Water Vikings: Pre-CPPS Era
One of the staple armies of the original Club Penguin era, the Water Vikings, was founded by Jed Pen and Zakster after a merger of the Masked Vikings and Water Troops in 2010. First appearing as the third-placed army in the Small/Medium Army Central’s Small Top Ten, the Vikings grew to achieve maximum sizes of 15-20 penguins. Placing second in the Small/Medium Army Brawl, the Water Vikings grew to Number One on the Medium Top Ten. The first generation of the Water Vikings concluded after a brief feud with the Tacos, however, the army returned and reached sizes of 25-30 penguins.
WV Tournament Battle Against Fire Warriors
Despite numerous shutdowns and generations, the history of the Water Vikings endured until the closure of Club Penguin in 2017. Notable Viking leaders included Bepboy9, Dashing Snow, Kingfunks4, and Change. No strangers to war, the Vikings fought against major superpowers such as the Rebel Penguin Federation and the Ice Warriors. The Water Vikings also experienced success in tournaments, reaching the finals of both Legends Cup VI and VII. Though the army would eventually disappear until the beginning of the 2020s, the Water Vikings had undoubtedly left a significant mark on the community.
WV VS. RPF: Legends Cup VI Grand Finals
Golden Guardians
In 2020, Water Vikings veterans Pjayo, Buddy, Tymatt, and Adden banded together to form the Golden Guardians. Following the shutdowns of the Shadow Troops and Warlords of Kosmos armies, both Thomas83514 and Superhero123 joined the Guardians’ leadership. Achieving an average size of twenty-five penguins during their opening battle against the Metal Warriors, their numbers peaked above thirty during their month of activity.
Golden Guardians VS. Medal Warriors
Though short-lived, the Golden Guardians were a force to be reckoned with, spearheading a war against the Pizza Federation. Following a successful run, the Golden Guardians decided to rebrand into the Water Vikings, instating KingFunks4 as leader.
CPAH Interview of Pjayo
Post-Rebrand
It is impossible to deny the significance of the Golden Guardians rebrand. Though the Water Vikings had a rich and extensive pre-CPPS history, the CPPS era opened a new door of possibilities for the historic army. While there were significant golden ages before the shutdown of Disney’s Club Penguin, the army undeniably reached its peak in the new era. To this day, the Water Vikings have continued to leave their mark on the army community. The Vikings secured the Christmas Chaos XIII trophy in 2023, marking their first major tournament win in history. Additionally, WV’s success has resulted in noteworthy Major Legend inductions, such as Aaronstone in 2022. With extensive conquest along the way, such as a myriad of wars against the Templars, the Vikings remain one of the community’s largest armies to date.
WV VS. EGCP: Christmas Chaos XIII Grand Finals
The rebranding of the Golden Guardians into the Water Vikings was arguably one of the most successful rebrands to date. Though the Golden Guardians were successful in their own right, the return of the Water Vikings brand undoubtedly assisted them in the return of many veterans. With the Vikings continuing to reach new heights, it is unlikely we will witness the Golden Guardians return any time soon. The return of the Vikings is a tale filled with extensive triumphs, one that may inspire other older armies to rekindle their former glory.