"Bloody, Wise, and Gentle"...The Vikings on the History Channel

I keep looking for Ragnar to show up...but, I guess that is not going to happen.

  Yet, the Viking series does continue to get interesting. King Ecbert demands Judith return to her husband Aethelwulf. He seems to be more of a good guy. He takes time to let Alfred ( Aethelwulf's adopted son kinda,) how good and great a man Athelstan was.
  Floki sums up a conversation he overheard with Ragnar's sons: " This is what he meant the little piggies will grunt?" Ivar and Bjorn are challenging each other as the true leader. Although Bjorn is still the Viking's Great Army leader, Ivar is showing his military tactic skills...introducing guerrilla warfare. Ragnar recognized this skill in Ivar...the skill of being unpredictable.

  Kattegat is under attack, yet Lagertha sees their plan and defeats the Viking opposition led by Egil, who is left..."roasting on the fire." To save his wife, Egil mentions Harold Finehair is behind the rebellion against Queen Lagertha. Egil is given the title "Egil the Bastard" by the queen of Kattegat. This can't be good.
  Then, the Earl of Denmark received an axe in his forehead, courtesy of King Harold Finehair. It is soon followed by a sword in the back by Finehair's brother into the Earl's wife while she was sexually involved with King Finehair while secretly carrying a knife to kill him. Halfdan the Black ( King Harold Finehair's brother) summed it up: " It seems after all I do know women a lot better than you."
  In the midst of blood and war emerge Floki and Helga in a touching scene. The "adopted daughter" has ran off. Helga is hysterical and Floki goes out and finds her. As he approached her, he gently says: " I'm sorry. You hate us. I don't know what to do." The girl returns, looking into the eyes of Floki as she enters their home.

  Yet, the center of attention seems to circle around Ivar the Boneless. His suggestion to use the countryside to fool the army of Wessex into desperate scenarios proved brilliant. Ivar says to Bjorn, "The Saxons now have a great army. Do you want to fight in a different way? Do you want to win? Use the landscapes (to our advantage.)" Bjorn responds after liking the idea of Ivar: " If it works, it is a good plan, if it doesn't, then it is a bad plan."

It worked beautifully. Aethelwulf and his Wessex army are left to make a final charge in a desperate and futile attempt to win.
Ragnar was right...Ivar the Boneless strength lies in his ability to be...unpredictable!

" The gods are ready!" Lagertha: Queen of Kattegat

  " How the little pigs will grunt
     When they hear how the old boar suffered."
                                       Ragnar Lothbrok


      It did not take long. The death of King Ragnar enlarged his image...from a mere man to larger than life itself. He quickly became a Viking legend and his lore was branded into the hearts of all Viking warriors. After all, was he not a true son of Odin?
     Ivar, the crippled yet most powerful son of Ragnar, might have said it best: "In the name of Ragnar, our father, the greatest hero of our country, we declare war...on the whole world."

     I personally would consider this episode as one of The Vikings best! I knew it might get interesting when Lagertha spoke of a need for sacrifice to the Nordic gods. It turned out to be not what to sacrifice, rather, whom to sacrifice.

     Enter King Harold Finehair. He has been a true Viking, supported Ragnar and faithful to his sons.  Harold's brother, Halfdan the Black, has always been at Harold's side. Suddenly, a Princess enters. In Harold Finehair's mind, she is his one and only soul mate. She confirms what Ivar had spoke of earlier in reference to creating The Great Army. She speaks to King Harold, "... the whole world has come to Kattegat." Yet, King Finehair,(Norway originally, ) now finds her desired princess married to an Earl from Denmark. Although King Harold is a king of a clan from Norway, he thought he was close to becoming King of all Norway. He could not rationalize how "his princess" could settle to marry an Earl from Denmark.

     I always enjoy Floki entering the scene. His wife Helga asks Floki if he is alright, suggesting a change of behavior since the death of Ragnar. Floki responds "He left me!" Helga asks if Floki is going with the Great Army. Floki then says "Of course." Helga informs Floki that her and their new adopted daughter are going too...because now they are a family. Helga brought to Floki's attention his change in behavior seems to have started at the mosque. Floki rationalizes how he is confused and does not want to be imprecise. Helga suggests this inner turmoil Floki is facing is "...not a  riddle."

    And then there is Margrethe, the former slave girl now wife of Ubbe. She has been sexually used by the sons of Queen Aslaug, yet their friendships seem decent. Although she is now married to Ubbe, it appears her true love seems to be Ubbe's brother Hvtserk. So, Ubbe, on his wedding night decides it would be proper to share her love...like in a 3-some. Margerthe asks them how could they not be jealous of such an arrangement. Ubbe answers " Because we are Vikings." Margerthe then says " Let's see if its true," and kisses each brother in front of the other. Hmmm? I wonder where this might lead?

     Bjorn, son of Ragnar and Lagertha, then declares he will lead the Great Army, although Ivar the Boneless has aspirations of doing so. Bjorn commands that all of Ragnar's sons will obey him, culminating with an interesting and direct question to Ivar " How many battles have you... lost ?
     There was a comet with a large tail of meteorites going through the blackened skies that evening, giving an impression the gods were with them. Meanwhile, Bjorn kept his eyes on...Ivar.

     King Ecbert continues to have a struggle with his son Aethelwulf, whom is in charge of the entire army of Wessex, granted to him by his father. In one scene, King Ecbert and Aethelwulf are sitting at a table. News had been received the "Great Heathen Army" has arrived in Northumbria ( a kingdom in England ruled by King (A)Ella. Aethelwulf says to his father " They're here." He goes on to blame his father King Ecbert for their arrival. Aethelwulf expresses how his father had manipulated, humiliated, and used him. He even took his wife and forced him to adopt a bastard son ( son of Athelstan.) He also mentioned how King Ecbert loved Ragnar more than him ( Aethelwulf.). He mentions how the people of Wessex now view King Ecbert as distracted, withdrawn. and confused. Aethelwulf asks his father " What kind of father are you?" Then the big question came: " Do you even love me, do you love me as your son? I really need to know."
King Ecbert remained...silent.

     My favorite part of this episode came when King Ella was about to receive communion. A messenger bursts in and King Ella, visibly upset yells out: "I was about to receive the body and blood of Christ our Savior!" The messenger replies " You are about to receive the Great Heathen Army! They have landed on the coast!" Love it!
     King Ella met a gruesome end. The Great "Heathen" Army got their revenge and defeated the English Army of Northumbria. King Ella was dragged behind the chariot of Ivar, only to meet his death at the sacred site of Ragnar's death. He met his death through Bjorn, executing him...with the infamous Blood Eagle style of death while King Ella's hands were nailed to a large tree which had fallen to the ground.
     Floki spoke to King Ella just prior to nailing large spikes into King Ella's hands: "I heard your God was a carpenter. Guess what? So am I!"

Only 2 more episodes left in Season 4......

"The Great Army"...remember Ragnar!

  It is new and odd to me not to see King Ragnar. His loss, although tragic in this historical fiction, is a part of why this story is so great...and quite addictive! Although the absence of Ragnar's presence is still fresh in the viewer's mind and heart, the development of the other characters allow us to accept and find a bond. I think that is how the character of Ragnar wanted it to be...although there will never be one quite like him. Even Rollo is easing his way back into the hearts of the viewers. You sense the division within Rollo's soul: the love for his people vs. the desire of conquest.

  The early scenes of Judith visiting her father King Ella and mother was very real to me. The anger and bitterness of her arranged marriage to Athelwulf was prevalent along with her romantic relationship to King Ecbert, which is known to all. Judith's statement of " a woman's desire to be free," certainly identifies with our modern culture's beliefs in America.
  I thought it interesting as Rollo left his " brother Vikings," returning to the French, Floki's wife Helga says good bye to Rollo. Hmmm? Helga herself has grown attached to a captured girl with Muslim faith, and has adopted her as her own daughter. Floki seems to accept Helga's decision along with having a spiritual experience at the Mosque. Yet, his anger and perhaps hatred toward Rollo is apparent, wishing they had killed Rollo before he returned to the French kingdom.
  Princess Gislam the wife of Rollo, did not welcome him home. She expressed her frustration and wrath, particularly when she belted Rollo on the nose.

  King Ecbert seems lost if not a little mentally unstable since the death of Ragnar. His focus now was on teaching the young boy Alfred on the importance of reading books and the philosophies of great men in that era. He describes how a leader of people needs to be a teacher to people. His analogy of carrying the burdens of a people like "dragging a stone up a hill, only to perpetually roll back down," Then, he gave Alfred wine while Ecbert drank water. His point to Alfred was never allow others to influence him, one must think their own thoughts ( Alfred did not want so much wine.)

Judith, upon seeing the place where Ragnar had died, declares to her mother and father that it is a sacred place. She again warns them of the retribution coming from the sons of Ragnar. King Ella seems to take the warning lightly, commenting he and his countrymen are already prepared.

  In yet another scene, a man pays respect to Lagertha as he and many are now joining this "Great Army" to avenge the death of King Ragnar. His comments include the great stories and poems of past adventures of Lagertha and Ragnar. Lagertha responds that perhaps her and Ragnar should have done things differently. The man responds, " No, that would be the fault of the poets." Lagertha was visibly touched by his words.

  Yet, the sons of Ragnar are not an exactly cohesive unit. Lagertha murdering Queen Aslaug, has not gone well with her sons Hvitserk, Sigurd the Snake-Eye, Ubbe, and most of all, Ivar the Boneless.
At one point Bjorn ( son of Ragnar/Lagertha) steps in and says "If you kill her (Lagertha,) you will have to kill me." Gotta love Ivar's reaction, " Maybe we should."...followed by a brother saying " Shut-up!"

  It is amazing to me how the director Michael Hurst is committed to keeping this story accurate. You see, there really was a Great Army formed, and they did attack England. Their opponent was led by a man known in history as "King Alfred the Great."

  Love it!

  Oh, the chariot Floki built for Ivar...Priceless!