A Sashurai’s Review: Vikings – Season 4×08 (So that’s why we keep discovering ships in the middle of the forests)

 

SUMMARY

While Ragnar convinces his people to move the boats across the land to attack Paris from the opposite side of the river, Odo attempts to persuade King Charles to capture Rollo because he can’t be trusted. Therese and Roland devise a plan to ruin Odo which sets Charles to choose Rollo over Odo especially when finding out Gisla is with child. In Wessex, Ecbern returns a conquering hero and proclaims to Kwenthrith that he now rules both lands. Distraught by his turn against her, she attempts to leave the kingdom but is easily captured. Desperate for release, she kills a guard at night and tries to kill Ecbern in his bedchamber, but Judith is there and stabs her in the back, killing her. Back in Kattegat, a distrustful Sigurd shows Aslaug that Harbard has been sleeping with other women. Angered, she confronts him, but Harbard confesses his role as someone who takes away the pain of others. Disappointed, he seemingly leaves town. Near Paris, Ragnar desires more of Yidu’s medicine and when the two argue over freedom and secrets, he drowns her while his sons watch from afar.

 

INITIAL THOUGHTS

Now the deaths are beginning to seep in like blood to a dry cloth as our fourth season of Vikings draws closer to its first break. One must remember that political servitude barely holds a candle to personal ambition and desperation can lead to no good outcome in this world. Ragnar once again proves how his sparks of brilliance can ignite the will of his people when they’ve all but labeled him the cornerstone of failure. Paris was moderately tame compared to the wicked trappings of Wessex and Kwenthrith’s struggle to remove herself from Ecbern’s reach. There’s a sad story here that escalated for greater than I would have anticipated given the speed of this season’s plot, but change is often welcome if it propels the story forward. If Hardbard’s appearance and departure don’t reasonably give Aslaug a new lease on her issues of trust and power then I can’t say for certain her plot-thread is holding much more meaning either. As a whole though, what we’ve seen tonight is a flash of excellence that finally treats these separates plots as stories that could potentially stand on their own.

 

THE GOOD

Ragnar never quits thinking outside the box, and tonight he’s attempting a very risky move, one that takes the rudimentary functions of land and water and turns them in on itself. How long this will take, I’m certain it will be weeks, but if it plays out, Paris will once more be in peril and Rollo will have plenty more on his hands then a disarmed Odo trying to betray him. The radiant moment is coming, one I very much want to see pay off with the Viking fleet dawning upon the city from the opposite direction. Ragnar’s ability to adapt makes him more dangerous than any character on this show and that’s why he can afford to look crazy every second of the way.

 

Kwenthrith’s demise came at Judth’s expense for the love of Ecbern is quickly turning her into a morbid and ever-evolving character, one that I wonder won’t continue down a darker path as the weeks edge forward. I would think this will have a drastic effect on her, but at the same time, she could write it off as necessary and find the means to dispel it from her thoughts should a guilty conscience make its way to the surface. She’s turning into a very complicated character and one I would think Ecbern will realize he can’t control.

 

THE BAD

While I’m glad Aslaug stood up to Harbard, I can’t help but find the climax of this plot thread a bit disappointing. Harbard is very much an interesting character, but he hasn’t seriously been challenged yet and remains an enigma who appears for reasons truly unknown. He is beyond the realm of the living then they should continue to play off with more strange occurrences and not turn Harbard into a womanizer that has no real power beyond a charismatic smile. In the end, this is on History, so we have to ground as much as we can, but the surreal exist in this reality, and once we’ve established the fantastic, it’s safe to maneuver as much as we want to tell the best story they can.

 

King Charles has these moments where he’s both exceptionally aware of the situation and completely blind. That kind of trait makes him unpredictable to a fault, but right now Rollo’s plight to remain the king’s most trusted servant isn’t shaping up to be anything special right now, which is why they need Rollo and Ragnar to confront each other as soon as possible. Rollo isn’t meant to be politically confident, he’s still a vicious warrior and needs to remind the people of Paris of that even though he’s on their side. And we need to be entertained.

 

FAVORITE MOMENT

When Torvi imagined Erlendur killing Bjorn. It was a fine brain-breaking moment because for one, Bjorn is a legend and is essentially safe from death for the time being. And for two, Erlendur is insane if he was actually going to attempt an assassination from such broad daylight in the open. Luckily, it wasn’t a real moment, but it easily could have been as Torvi’s mind played the perfect trick on us. All the while I kept thinking, surely one can survive an arrow through the throat, right? He killed a bear for crying outloud.

 

CHARACTER MVP

Try and she might, Kwenthrith did the one thing every villain is infamously known for, the dreaded monologue. True, words were traded, but Kwenthrith managed to give Ecbern enough fear to contemplate if he made the right decision in keeping her in his capable grip. Kwenthrith had always been an interesting character, it was tragic to witness how quickly she lost her place and her life in tonight’s episode. Resourceful in killing, but not in escaping, she faces Ecbern in that final moment before succumbing to Judith’s stronger ties to the king. I would have liked to have seen Kwenthrith continue, but the truth is, she’s eccentric, but not devious. Still, she gets the MVP tonight in her seemingly last appearance.

 

ENDING THOUGHTS

Speaking of, will this inevitably come back to haunt Ecbern when or even if Athelwulf returns to Wessex? I would think this will be something safely tucked away to bring back later in the season after the break, but this does deserve some kind of reckoning, though more for Ecbern and his personal greed than for Judith and her passion to live free.

 

Will Therese and Roland set their sights on Rollo and Gisla and more pawns to dispose of? Or will they shoot straight for King Charles himself? I don’t doubt there are machinations at work here, but I scarcely believe Therese will distract Rollo in such ways as to make him betray Gisla. If anything I’d expect this plot to wrap up before the next invasion by Ragnar and crew.

 

Yidu’s death had a strange dissonance to it. She’s not the first to have a drowning scene on this show, but it definitely felt harsh and raw with how Ragnar treated her moment of defiance. It’s unfortunate the only purpose he ended up serving for him was his drug supplier as their surreal moments back in Kattegat were left in the cold.

 

In a way, Ragnar’s idea for hauling the boats up and over the land gave Flocki more reason to build trust, and though I’m sure he’s still angry and resentful toward Ragnar, Flocki may have been strangely satiated by the ingenuity needed to accomplish such an outlandish task. This could all build up to a scenario where it’s Flocki’s turn to save Ragnar and he indeed does.

 

OVERALL SCORE

8 out of 10. Ragnar proves he’s still able to lead his people into new directions even though he also killed someone who wanted to be free alongside him. That’s a reoccurring theme that came to Kwenthrith and Judith as well, with the former being released from life. Even Harbard gave a harsh tone to Aslaug about not wanting to be or feel possessed. While on the opposite end, Odo wanted to be shackled and became stripped of everything, the dichotomy here is balance between personal needs of freedom and the overt desires of power and how wanting too much or either can lead to death and destruction.  Only two episodes remain until the break and by then we’ll know if Paris will once more be in control of Ragnar or his brother. Thanks for reading.

 

 

No more words

A Sashurai’s Review: Vikings – Season 4×06 (When the blind man sees him, then he will know)

 

SUMMARY

Ragnar declares that two of his sons who are old enough to view a raid will join their father on their return to Paris. Yidu convinces him to take her as well. When the Vikings depart, Harbard returns to greet Aslaug who reintroduces Ivar to him. In Wessex, Ecbert decides to send both Aethelwulf and his son on a pilgrimage to Rome which includes the departure of Prudentius. Meanwhile in Paris, Odo continues to conspire his own rise to Therese which includes killing Rollo and the emperor to claim the throne himself after the Vikings are defeated. Ragnar and the others arrive in Europe and discover beacons of fire have been lit announcing their presence. They kill nearby sentries and travel down river. On their way, they spot Rollo who is seen dressed in Paris garb without his brethren, prompting the Vikings to believe he has once more betrayed them.

 

INITIAL THOUGHTS

We’re on the precipice of another major battle, which has been building in promise for quite some time. In a way, this episode represents the foam of the tide, holding shimmers of gallant moments but a very loose narrative that doesn’t deliver much beyond the familiar art of traveling from ocean to river. There are spots of brilliance, but they come far and few between making this portion of the tale a rather tame and indistinctive one. Certain supporting antagonists are already paving the way to their own demise which, if carried out, won’t be much of a surprise beyond the method of departure.

 

THE GOOD

The flashes of poignant moments do include Ragnar’s conversation with the seer, a chilling verbal vision of how Ragnar will finally see his end. We can spend weeks conjuring how literal the meaning may be, but it’s also good to believe in more surreal imagery rather than the cold hard truth of it. Ragnar’s subsequent vision of Lagertha, the white horse, and his family on the shore was also a very lively painting intermixed with his cold drug-induced stare, a calling to simpler days made flesh, foretelling of a kinder future where having a family meant more than the conquest of cities. Also, the return of Harbard promises even more atmospheric madness, as his very presence brings laughter to Ivar, who is growing stranger by the day. These are sharp needles sticking into a dull fruit of story that I did find fascinating and wanted to see more of.

 

THE BAD

In reality, nothing much happens aside from the bulk of traveling and a few Viking-style executions by fire and by tying a man to a board and sending him away through the river. Our characters are busy getting prepared for the worst in violent acts, yet in order to preserve the moment and make it sublime to the audience, we have to be treated to just more than random acts that have yet to correlate to one another. If those in Wessex have no bearing on Ragnar and his quest to take Paris, then it stands to reason the interest in those characters will fade, and rightly so. I was interested in Aethelwulf’s passion for Kwenthrith, but by removing it, I’m left with Judith and Ecbert who alone aren’t enough to carry the English plot without some interaction with the Vikings. And it’s too easy to figure out that Odo won’t be able to accomplish what he’s setting out to do, and the worst of it is that he trusts his consort too much to notice how fallible his actions are on the very subject. It’s telegraphed to well unless the twist is he actually succeeds, which even then wouldn’t be very entertaining.

 

FAVORITE MOMENT

Ragnar’s vision of Lagertha and the horse on the shore. The music and the images were of a superior blend, one of which I greatly appreciated. I was reminded of Hans Zimmer’s magnificent approach to a score and felt the same strings reach out in that hallucination. It was extraordinary and beautiful at the same time. Katheryn Winnick will always be stunning regardless of her stature as a shield-maiden or a simple wife and mother caring for her family. This felt like a rare moment beyond the culture and beyond the world of Vikings, but more about the man who saw not only a different fate, but one of great sorrow for not having pursued it when he had the chance.

 

CHARACTER MVP

Not much in the way of scene stealing happened tonight, but I think it’s fair to give Ragnar the honor for how he initially handled the inclusion of his sons to the trip and for both seeking the seer on his fate and handling Rollo’s betrayal with a sense of repetition. There’s enough evidence to support the concept that this may be his last raid on this world. If it’s enough to earn his place in Valhalla we can only speculate, but he’s trying his best while dealing with the fountain of possibilities that Paris has to offer should he fail or succeed in claiming it.

 

ENDING THOUGHTS

I think by giving Odo the fear that Rollo will return to his brother is evidence enough that it won’t happen. I’m hoping to be wrong mainly because Rollo does better as a real antagonist and not as someone who’s constantly living in the shadow of Ragnar.

 

At this point, I would suspect that Bjorn will deal with Erlendur either during the raid of Paris, or directly after in regards to the assassination attempt on his life. If it happens more organically, then I would expect Torvi will push for Bjorn to act sooner to help protect herself and her child.

 

Considering what Harbard represents, I ponder if he’s truly in the mood to help Aslaug or if he’s simply creating mischief and chaos to satiate his own desires and agenda. He appears when Aslaug needs help the most and there isn’t anyone blocking his way this time unless he and the seer meet up, which I’d like to see.

 

King Harald is also a bit of a wildcard as he stated very candidly what he intends to do and claiming Paris himself would seal his proclamation on becoming king of Norway. He’s a likeable character but has so far been fulfilling the typical routine of an untrustworthy friend on the side of Ragnar during an important raid. It could go sour at any point should the focus on Rollo shift to closer enemies.

 

OVERALL SCORE

6 out of 10. Placing all the characters before the battle can sometimes be a grueling task, making storytelling a bit flat, but tonight’s episode did pepper some scenes with some rich images and compelling scores. The crew are now aware of Rollo’s betrayal and Harbard has returned to Kattegat, two strong elements that will undoubtedly help propel the next episode into uncharted waters. Whether Ragnar has a death-wish remains to be seen, but I would expect Bjorn to shine even brighter once he’s dealt with Erlendur. Flocki was very reserved tonight which diminishes some of the flavorful parts of the story that involve his crass behavior and overall, I wasn’t interested much in Wessex’s storyline. There’s more to have next week which I imagine will spill much more blood on it’s way to the emperor’s stronghold. Thanks for reading.

 

 

No more words

A Sashurai’s Review: Vikings – Season 4×05 (Never forget a shield-maiden’s promise)

 

SUMMARY

Lagertha tells Kalf that she’s with child, prompting an excited Kalf to propose they marry. In Wessex, Judith defies Aethelwulf over their mutual infidelity while Ecbern assures Kwenthrith they will take Mercia. Ragnar grows closer to Yidu and discovers she is the daughter of the Chinese Emperor. Charles is given light to Odo’s ambition for power while Gisla attempts to convince Rollo of the same. While playing with a band of children, Ivar attacks and kills a child with Flocki watching. King Harold (sp?) attempts to persuade Ragnar his men will help take Paris as Torvi reveals Bjorn’s captured ring belongs to Erlendur. On their wedding day, Lagertha murders Kalf and proclaims herself the sole Earl of the land.

 

INITIAL THOUGHTS

All signs point to a second invasion of Paris, this time with a new pseudo-ally that Aslaug may or may not exploit while utilizing Flocki for her own means. Trust and secrets are the themes rippling throughout tonight’s episode giving light for some and aggressive charge for others. Most of the elements are played casually yet close to heart leaving the only real highlight here at the end when Lagertha followed through with her promise to kill Kalf. Some logical moments play out as intended giving the episode somewhat of a predictable feel. It doesn’t change the heightened sense of mood as we perceive Ragnar’s guilt and curiosity projected onto Yidu who could still be the spy Aslaug wants her to be. Once Paris becomes the prime target, it may not matter unless he takes Yidu with him. Overall, not a superb episode but a solid introspective glance into the mindsets of most of our regional characters.

 

THE GOOD

With Ragnar forever on a path of self discovery it’s important that we understand his motives as much as possible. He teased and danced around Yidu until he finally caved in and chose to trust her first, earning hers in the latter moments of the plot. Like all pursuits, Ragnar discovers what allures them both together and magnifies those feelings, creating an intense atmosphere of emotions and rampant change in his approach to another love in his life. He needs to be given the energy and motivation to pursue both his earthly desires and the means to understand his choices in life. Conquest is secondary to his primal nature to absorb new cultures through one person at a time. Yidu is quickly replacing Athelstan which could be Aslaug’s key to undoing him. It’s the most sensual and exotic plot of the season, almost trumping the need to invade Paris again, almost.

 

THE BAD

Paris’s political power plays are still very much a low-point in the show. Rollo is showing signs of being manipulated by Gisla who on the surface, seems to understand Rollo to a fault, but if she has an agenda of her own, it likely will mean using Rollo to accomplish those tasks. In any case, we know nothing will happen here until the Vikings or Wessex decide to intervene. With the exception of Charles’s strange attitude, these segments might be best left for later parts of the season.

 

FAVORITE MOMENT

It’s rather short as intended to be, but Lagertha’s murder of Kalf was overdue and oddly unexpected for what may seem like obvious reasons. I choose to believe Lagertha’s heart when it’s in the moment, so her murdering him came as a little surprise even though I knew she swore she’d kill him just like Ragnar swore he’d take Paris. I’ll never doubt her convictions again. But the exact moment was when she and Kalf kissed as though he wasn’t taking a serious wound. He could have fought back in anger, or bled in fear, but he took the strike and still met her with a loving embrace. It was tragically romantic if not for his part in trying to assassinate Bjorn, something we knew he wasn’t one-hundred percent behind.

 

CHARACTER MVP

Yidu and Ragnar tie this week. Together, they made this episode very amorous most notably the wash scene with Ragnar cutting her hair at the end. There’s a strong dynamic here, one I wasn’t positively sure of when she first appeared. Her history is slowly coming out as is his own secrets that she’s no doubt compiling to either retain or spill to Aslaug, depending on where she lands. It’s too early to tell if there’s betrayal in her heart, but one would suspect it will be an issue of note in the next few episodes.

 

ENDING THOUGHTS

I believe the rune Flocki was showing Ivar was the letter “o” or “os” aka Ansuz which is the rune for Futhark. I barely caught it, and it could have been something else. What’s interesting is even though he showed it to Ivar, there wasn’t a response of identification, we only caught the end of the lesson shortly before Ivar went axe on the kid for trying to take the bag from him.

 

We know now that Bjorn was trying to ascertain the ring’s origin and now he knows thanks to Torvi. It would probably be best if Bjorn wrapped up this side plot before they descend on Paris again. And I suspect it will be a vicious axe kill much like we saw earlier.

 

Is Lagertha really pregnant? Or did she make it up to subdue Kalf into the marriage proposal? I’m not sure that’s the case, because they weren’t actually married before she killed him, at least I don’t think they were. It could easily be more of a message to the people as she seems to be making those in abundance, reconfirming her place and power. With the exception of Erlendur, she has no opposition, which hopefully puts her in a position to rejoin Ragnar in taking Paris, unless she really is pregnant in which case, she’s likely not going anywhere till after.

 

OVERALL SCORE

7 out of 10. A lot of finesse went into propagating Ragnar’s relationship with Yidu which was shot and made very convincingly, but the surrounding segments were more than a little disjointed because of it. Ragnar’s new “ally” is being placed in the line of sight as a villain, yet he tries to convince Bjorn of his intentions to help. There’s an easy summary to decipher here, but with 5 episodes left, it’s still too early to tell how this will play out. Flocki’s influence on Ivar is already showing aggressive results which may not reach Ragnar’s radar for the time being, due to his fascination with Yidu. The Paris and Wessex plots are again, stifling our Viking tale, something I think should be avoided until all parties can once again reunite. Lagertha makes an impact and I’m glad she followed through with her promise, but in a way I’m also sorry for Kalf who seemed like he wanted to do good by her and was unfortunately cast as an evil accomplice of Erlendur’s, who will see a reckoning quite soon. Next week I imagine will speed some things along appropriately. Thanks for reading.

 

 

No more words

A Sashurai’s Review: Vikings – Season 4×04 (Tell me that make-up on Ragnar doesn’t look like Road Warrior Animal!)

 

SUMMARY

Ragnar learns of Yidu’s past as he invites her to his home away from home and partakes in some of her organic mind-altering substances. Meanwhile, Aslaug brings her youngest son to Flocki to learn the ways of the Viking heritage and tradition. In Wessex, the king of Umbria arrives but finds hostility toward Kwenthrith when he proclaims his intentions to still kill Ragnar. Rollo reveals his understanding of the French language and convinces Gisla to remain a wife to him. Bjorn is attacked by the berserker but kills him, taking the ring Erlendur gave the assassin. Bjorn later arrives in Lagertha’s town and retrieves Tovi as they make their way back to Kattegat. After an evening of traditional celebration, a Viking crew arrive on shore led by the acclaimed King Harold, who tells Aslaug that he intends to become king of all Norway. Aslaug realizes this means he’d have to overthrow Ragnar and ponders on the opportunity as Ragnar returns to greet the aforementioned king.

 

INITIAL THOUGHTS

I wonder if Bjorn knows too little or realizes too much as he waltzed in and took Tovi from Erlendur with the confidence of a wolf. Outside of that minor tense moment, tonight’s episode of Vikings explored a few fascinating aspects including Ragnar’s interest in Yidu, Rollo’s steadfast understanding of the French, and Flocki’s renewed sense of heritage as he laughs in the presence of the seer. And just as everything settles down. a new challenger emerges, with an arrogance that Ragnar senses right off the bat. Casually pedantic at times though a bit more introspective than usual, Vikings sees its long episode count and stretches it’s plot into the minor mid-season area with no definitive plan for a siege, invasion, or massacre. But a fight is coming, and it’s going to be closer to home than we might have thought.

 

THE GOOD

Ragnar is always a careful king, one who ponders and observes without making hasty decisions. His new relationship to Yidu offers him the kind of respite he needs from the everyday life a Viking king must endure. He’s not stressed, but he’s perpetually bored, and that makes for a lethargic Ragnar who finds some simple pleasures in being around a new face, one who traveled a long way against her will. They make a fascinating pair, but like all of Ragnar’s previous interests, they too were all very colorful and exemplary at the start. I think one key note to take away is Ragnar’s passionate lure toward other cultures and what he’s willing to experience to gain more insight on himself and his role as the leader of his people. He never abandons his heritage but he’s willing to absorb more of what the world has to offer and in doing so, maintains a layer of awareness and expertise in people and in how to act tactfully.

 

Unexpected, but welcome, I really enjoyed Rollo’s sudden expertise level in speaking Gisla’s language. And furthermore, how easy it came to convincing her to love him. Just one conversation was all it took to understand each other and that’s progress I was afraid wouldn’t happen due to his apparent inferiority to learning, but as it turns out, he’s quite capable when set to the task. The pair are now a dancing fire, vocal and bright. In a way, her explanation to him with how “Viking” it was to kill his own people, almost made the act forgivable in his eyes. I doubt Ragnar will think of it the same way, unless they both have an understanding of culture that transcends their own.

 

THE BAD

The Wessex scenes were a dismal bust in my eyes. I would have preferred more time spent on Flocki or Bjorn than of Judith’s father trying to belittle her or him trying to threaten Kwenthrith with her son’s life should he actually take vengeance on Ragnar. Neither Ecbert nor Aethelwulf spent any quality time with their “love” and nothing was furthered with us knowing that these affairs are silently on-going. If progress is to be made, someone needs to be caught or confess to their situation, at least before the next great war strikes.

 

FAVORITE MOMENT

When Bjorn fought and killed the Berserker. It was the only part of the episode that contained any violent action, and as such was the best shot segment of the lot. Bjorn is learning more and becoming efficient in both survival and in determination. I’d like to think he knows what that ring is and where it came from, but it’s also more likely that he’ll discover the truth down the road and then make a U-turn back to his mother to right the wrong done to him. He’s keeping his thoughts close to home and for now that’s fine.

 

CHARACTER MVP

I’d like to give it to Rollo for his accelerated use of language and with his purpose redefined by Gisla’s hand. If he’s going to be any threat to Ragnar, he needs to gain the respect and loyalty of Gisla’s people now more than ever. And with Gisla on board the others should follow suit. In time, he could be running that castle if Gisla so wishes it.

 

ENDING THOUGHTS

Flocki’s visit to the seer has a different outcome than likely most were expecting. The seer is growing older and more frail in the mind by the looks of it. Whether he sees Flocki as a god or as a manifestation of death itself, it’s too early to be sure and clear. But Flocki finds humor in the Seer’s admiration of him and it could lead to some twisted realizations in the future if we’re given more visions of what’s to come.

 

This King Harold is an immediate threat, one Aslaug seems to be in favor of even after a short time there. This can play out a few different ways, but since Bjorn has returned, I wonder if he’ll have a bigger part to play in this play for power. He’ll be on his father’s side of course, but if Harold just isn’t some one-off villain of the week, I’d hope this will have a lasting portion of episodes to utilize.

 

It would have been funny or even impressive to see Rollo speaking in actual French, but the show has a way with switching to English to showcase whose language is the dominate one when two are speaking at once. Aw well.

 

I’m not kidding, look up the Legion of Doom and compare Ragnar’s face paint with Animal’s, complete dead ringer.

 

OVERALL SCORE

7 out of 10. Tonight’s episode of Viking’s was polite in its violence but offered a complacent look into Ragnar’s mindset as he explores a new relationship based on mutual understanding rather than just physical attraction. At least, that’s the symbolism we’re privy to at the moment. Gisla’s comfort with Rollo promises new heights for the pair as Bjorn grows closer to his new defined role as a powerful warrior. Floki is very reserved for good reason, but maintains his servitude to the culture that he inhabits, reinforced by Aslaug’s request that her son be trained by him. More promises of strange battles to come as King Harold marches into Ragnar’s home and passively proclaims his intention to become king of all Norway. For most parts I consider tonight a success, but Wessex needs to pick up the slack as they felt the weakest portion of the tale. Thanks for reading, we’ll see you next week.

 

 

No more words

A Sashurai’s Review: Vikings – Season 4×03 (You either learn to draw, learn to speak, or learn to kill the bear)

 

SUMMARY

After Kalf admits his love for Lagertha, Elendur convinces him to send a beserker to kill Bjorn. Rollo attempts to learn French but loses patience in it as Charles fears he’ll abandon them to another Viking invasion. Judith gives herself to Ecbert pressing to be seen as an equal. Both Ecbert and Ragnar dream of Athelstan with Ecbert realizing Athelstan is dead and Ragnar realizing he needs to free Flocki. Aethelwulf and Kwenthrith return to Wessex and are later drawn to each other in bed. Bjorn encounters a bear in the snow and successfully kills the larger beast in battle. Ragnar frees Flocki who had recently learned his daughter had died.

 

INITIAL THOUGHTS

Some of the best imagery comes from this show’s uncanny ability to weave in a surreal atmosphere amidst a historical background. Our ability to understand, sympathize, support, and trust these characters often comes from the subconscious manifested from dreams, hallucinations and sheer will of force. Tonight’s episode brought a myriad of heightened senses most notably from Ragnar, Ecbert, and Bjorn, who the latter draws closer to the legend he’ll one day become. The pace continues to draw out certain encounters, but now more than ever comes the motivation and drive that our three kingdoms are experiencing that will make this season all the more fragrant of lust and power.

 

THE GOOD

I’ve seen many movies where the human tries to battle the bear and more often than not, the bear wins. This is one of those situations where it was vital the bear not win. Given how difficult shooting a scene like this must take, it was fascinating watching the older son of Ragnar bravely face the bear while experiencing the harsh north winter. What’s epic in hindsight is that this is a victory only Bjorn can savor. True he can return to his father with the bear’s head hanging on his head, but I don’t think that’s the point here. He’s facing challenges that only he can witness and survive through. When all is said and done, he can move forward and prove through conscious acts that he’s ready to lead and not rely on proof of his vigilance. He’ll earn it through that sheer will now that he’s faced nature and won.

 

The Wessex subplot remains intact and in fashionable dramatic swing. Now that both Ecbert and his son are bedding each other’s wife, unbeknownst to the other, some questions surface on how this will affect their relationships should either find out. Ecbert is in more of a position to get what he wants in the long run because as king, he pretty much calls the shots. And there’s more betrayal from that perspective from his son stealing bed time with the queen than Ecbert being with Judith. Still, what I like most is how they’re layering these characters and giving them depth so that they can add more meaning to the show that is predominantly about Vikings and their conquest throughout history. Ecbert maintains nobility and some sensible natures while still succumbing to Judith’s unyielding charisma as she claims her place as an equal among him.

 

THE BAD

The least effective scenes in tonight’s episode revolved around Rollo, who unfortunately is no closer to settling in with his new people than when he first started. He is trying to fit in, learn their language and somewhat understand their culture, but one main problem is he isn’t the Rollo we know and engage with on a primal level. The art of learning civility is that there are rewards that should keep him moving forward and they are simply not there for him. Gisla continues to shun him and even declares publicly her desire for a divorce. Rollo reacts poorly to being taught their language and Odo is left to be the one to cater to Rollo’s demands or risk his departure from their kingdom. My issue here is he isn’t interacting with anyone that’s left from his homeland. He’s out of his element and isn’t swinging an axe at anything in a blood-fueled rage. Essentially his scenes are the least entertaining, but they weren’t awful by any means.

 

FAVORITE MOMENT

I’m glad they continue to utilize Athelstan in the show as he had an immense impact on Ragnar, Ecbern, and Judith. I wouldn’t expect them to over due his presence in this season, but this appearance was appropriate and welcome. I never thought I’d feel sorrow for Flocki after what he’d been through but seeing how Ragnar’s subconscious is dealing with his loneliness and unsure feelings, I do think it makes sense that he free Flocki and finds a way to forgive him for killing Athelstan. Great moments both for Ragnar and Ecbert who both miss their friend and ally.

 

CHARACTER MVP

I have to give it up for Bjorn who not only survived his encounter with the bear but is finding all the courage and independence he needs to become the warrior he intends to be. There was a moment where the shot of him laying on the ground and still having the advantage over the bear seemed silly and extremely unrealistic, but I have to shrug at it since shooting scenes with a bear can’t be all that simple even if it is trained for such stunts. Still, in character, I think Bjorn is truly learning exactly what he needs to. Now comes the next test. The berserker.

 

ENDING THOUGHTS

I can imagine there are “spies” around where Bjorn is currently living, but we really don’t have any context into how Erlendur knows where Bjorn is and are not told. Erlendur just knows. I also wasn’t expecting Kalf to commit to allowing Lagertha’s son to be killed after what he told her.

 

It’s too early to tell if Flocki will fall in line with Ragnar again, or if the two will have an extremely unsteady alliance until Flocki proves himself to Ragnar again. It’s also possible Flocki intends to betray Ragnar, an act I can imagine Aslaug nurturing if she decides to truly rule Kattegat for herself.

 

I liked the fact that Flocki was placed under a dripping point in the cave to prevent him from ever falling asleep. Helga’s act in using a bowl to block the water does in fact mirror Loki’s imprisonment as the lore describes. It’s the little things like this that really accentuates these segments. And bravo for Gustaf for looking the part of a weakened man who could barely handle the routine of it all.

 

I hope Ragnar decides to travel again soon. I imagine Bjorn will hopefully return by then to lead the charge. We need everyone to cross paths again or this season will be a very deflated one.

 

I always wonder if the beginning credits are in fact Ragnar’s final voyage before he succumbs to a violent death. The images change throughout the seasons, but the core of the grim and watery fate remains the same. It’s too epic not to duplicate in the series finale if they decided to try it out.

 

OVERALL SCORE

8 out of 10. Very effective piece of storytelling. Probably one of the least violent episodes in the entire saga but also a very poignant one. Bjorn roars toward a stronger path as his father realizes potentially what Flocki means to him. Ecbert and Athelwulf are following their passions while Rollo continues to hit walls with his place in life. Learning and patience are a big part of this episode’s theme along with personal conflict and what it means to long for others. In a lot of ways, Flocki is Ragnar’s only real friend left and maybe it’s time they saw the meaning of it. Well delivered story and though some moments with the bear weren’t shot very tactfully, I enjoyed this episode much more than others in the past. Thanks for reading.

 

 

No more words