What a harrowing direction Vikings has taken.
Lagertha had to lose someone close to make her change course and return to a life on the battlefield, and she lost Hali on Vikings Season 6 Episode 4.
While killing off kids is par for the course on shows like Vikings, it was still a punch to the gut. If only the child had stayed hidden for about 30 seconds longer, he would have survived.
Saying goodbye to any character is tough, but Hali’s demise will have ripple effects throughout the rest of the series. Torvi is not going to be able to forgive herself for leaving the kids in Lagertha’s care, while Ubbe will feel like an idiot for not taking Gunhild’s vivid dreams seriously.
If you watch Vikings online, you know nothing is left up to coincidence in this world, and the characters would be wise to remember that.
Gunhild doesn’t exactly have a big crew with her, so that doesn’t bode well for her to actually make it to the village before the next attack. If anything, she will likely have to battle her way through the bandits to get there.
All Lagertha has known is loss, and the strongest aspect of her character is the way she channels her anger into doing things that will help in the long run.
Odin will take you to Valhalla.
Lagertha
Without her, the village would have fallen instantly. Her ability to be strategic when the odds are against her are second to none, so she will likely be able to hold off another few attacks before having to go on the run.
The women, children, and elderly men coming together to fight the impossible was worth watching. All of these people had personal reasons for standing their ground, and they did so without thinking about going on the run.
The easiest thing for their survival would have been to run, but thanks to Lagertha’s strong words of wisdom, they managed to be the best version of themselves, and are now counting down the minutes until they have to defend their village again.
Lagertha is a born leader, and I appreciate the way the producers have allowed her to rise back up from the doldrums after announcing her retirement. She’s not the type of person to give up, and this is a battle she will want to see through to the bitter end.
It’s hard not to think about the endgame, however, and I firmly believe she will perish defending the village. Her calling in life has mostly been to fight and to protect her family against the bad guys. Dying defending people would be the best way out.
After the events of the opening episodes of Vikings Season 6, it’s tough to imagine her going out as an old lady with a lot of stories to tell. Lagertha is, and always will be, a legend, and if she is not spoken about on the forthcoming Netflix sequel, there will be hell to pay.
Ivar’s storyline is playing out well. It was apparent he wanted to cause some carnage based on the way he tried to get closer to Prince Igor.
Letting the child know about the power he has over the people was a good move. One, because it will get under Oleg’s skin. Two, because it will further strengthen the bond between him and the Prince.
It is time to elect a king and what better man than you, Bjorn Ironside?
King Olaf
Oleg has all the makings of a mad ruler. He’s considerably more depraved than King Olaf, and that’s saying something. Oleg likes to be the person pulling the strings from behind the scenes, and that’s mostly why he wants Ivar to be King.
That’s not something Ivar wants. What’s the point of ruling if you don’t get to make any of the decisions? Reaping the rewards of being a ruler should mean making those tough decisions.
Ivar has never been the type of person to be boxed in by someone. He’s ruthless and loves to cause problems for people. While Oleg is planning the next part of the mission, Ivar will continue to be the weak link that prepares Oleg’s undoing.
Turning to Dir was a good move because it showed that Ivar is willing to work with anyone to take Oleg down. When you think about it, the villain of this particular storyline is Oleg. Oleg will burn villages with kids, and pin all the blame on Ivar.
You can be very useful to me, but don’t every betray me.
Oleg
You have to give credit where credit’s due, and Oleg deserves some for trying to get things done. The flaw in his logic stems from Ivar not wanting to roll over like a dog with a bone.
We need some more progression on this plot before Ivar pulls off his big plan. Taking Oleg out of the equation in the next few episodes would be too soon. Viewers need to see more of what he’s capable of before we get to that point.
Ubbe cutting all ties with Hvitserk was the most frustrating development. Everyone pled with him to take pity on his brother, but instead, he ousted him from Kattegat.
That was a cold move, but this obviously harkens back to everything Hvitserk has done during his time on the series. Hvitserk needs help and fast.
He’s going to kill himself while trying to run from the sins of the past. The more intriguing aspect of this plot is how badly it will affect Ubbe if something happens to him. People will will likely turn on him.
“All the Prisoners” was successful at raising the stakes, while giving a much-needed boost to some of the storylines.
What did you think of the death?
Will Lagertha make it her mission to kill White Hair?
Hit the comments.
Vikings returns January 1, 2020.
Paul Dailly is the Associate Editor for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.