Vikings 04×09 Review: “Death All ‘Round”

The journey travelled is fraught with death on this week’s Vikings. Not everyone will survive and the sacrifices made are great. But is it all worth it in the end?

The last time we checked in on the Vikings, they were all set to hoist their ships and drag them across mountainsides and through forests to get them into the river beyond the death towers they had faced last time. When we return, they are in the middle of the crazy plan devised by Ragnar (Travis Fimmel) and they are set to succeed as long they keep working to get the boats back into the river in due time without running into trouble with any of the residents of the area. Back in Wessex, King Ecbert (Linus Roache) is crowned king of Wessex and Mercia, much to the disappointment and anger of his once happy ally, King Aelle (Ivan Kaye) while Alfred receives accolades and an appointed consulate from the Pope as Aethelwulf (Moe Dunford) watches on, having completed his holy journey. Emperor Charles (Lothaire Bluteau) makes the happy announcement that his daughter Princess Gisla (Morgane Polanski) is expecting her first child and cementing the alliance between Paris and the northmen by her marriage to Rollo (Clive Standen) but also announces his allegiance and support of Roland (Huw Parmenter). Power and trust is shifting drastically, not just within the workings of the kingdoms in Frankia and England, but also within the men of the north. Let’s discuss what happened this week.

And the rage burns on.

What may have perhaps been the craziest battle plan ever by moving a legion of ships up a mountainous slope and across a vast forest, the hard labor paid off and the northmen successfully put their ships back into he water and closer to Paris without the watchtowers hindering their progress as last time. Ragnar’s plan is hailed as genius, but he himself is still not within his right mind. Bjorn (Alexander Ludwig) checks on his father frequently through his own trials along the journey and is openly worried about Ragnar’s wellbeing. His unstable attitude is on the brink of breaking through with the lack of the Chinese medicine he had been supplied by his late servant, Yidu (Dianne Doane). Without the drugs, he has become crazy and almost unreliable but we soon learn, he has a small amount of the drug left that he is saving in order to be stable while facing his traitorous brother Rollo, in battle. It seems nothing can quell the rage that’s burning deep inside Ragnar’s heart and what was a journey to take back Paris has become nothing but a journey to settle a score with his brother. This was not the first time that Rollo had betrayed Ragnar and his own tribesmen, but it may well be the last, considering the deep focus and Ragnar’s repeated mutterings of how he must kill the man. If I were Rollo, I would be very afraid right about now.

“Erlendur has told me to kill you… to avenge the death of his father.” - Torvi

Speaking of rage and settling of scores, Erlendur (Edvin Endre) goes one step too far in the plan to avenge his late father. By putting the task into Torvi’s (Georgia Hirst) hands to kill Bjorn, he misread and misjudged his used-to-be wife by asking her to kill his foe. The crossbow bolt meant for Bjorn ends up soundly in Erlendur’s chest by way of Torvi and Bjorn is saved this fate and seals his contempt for the dying man by placing the ring he had taken from the dead assassin as a final kick to Erlendur’s face. Torvi has gained so much confidence since she chose to go along with Bjorn. His strength lifts her up and in turn she has made a place for herself without fear. Now that Erlendur is dead, hopefully she will no longer live in the fear of losing her child or to be asked to do things she would rather not do. I’m looking forward to seeing more of Torvi in the future and how she will evolve in the care of Bjorn, who I think is also destined for great things.

We’re all mad here.

If there was an award for ‘Worst Mother Ever’, it would most definitely go to Queen Aslaug (Alyssa Sutherland). She was not happy when Ragnar took their two eldest boys on the raid along with them, but it looks like he made the correct decision considering her current activities back in Kattegat. Last week, her lover Harbard (Kevin Durand) scolded her about trying to possess him and took off for parts unknown. Thanks to Floki’s (Gustaf Skarsgard) visions, we know that she is distraught and is not really in taking care of the children mode. That is confirmed when a child under her care discovers the body of the youngest girl, Siggy, Bjorn’s daughter, dead in the river. When confronted about the death, all she has to say is: ‘Who? I thought someone was watching her.’ It’s apparent that after her lover has gone, she has taken to consuming as much wine as possible and spending her time in the company of her increasingly bratty son, Ivar who shoots a ‘who cares’ about the little girls death. This whole situation is horrifying and I can’t help but wonder what will happen when Ragnar and the rest of the traveling villagers come back to the havoc of what she has done.

“Don’t call me stupid…. Because I am the only reason you are still alive.” - Queen Aslaug

This is not the only child death seen this episode. In a sad turn of events, Lagertha loses her unborn child and miscarries while they are in the process of moving the boats through the forest. It is unclear if this miscarriage is due to the strenuous activities she had been putting herself through in the sake of keeping her loyalty and support to Ragnar alive, or if it is as she had said, the fates coming to their wicked truth. It’s a very touching moment, though sad, when Ragnar comforts her and her son Bjorn sits quietly by. For a moment, they are a family again, but it is short lived at her request that she be left alone. With this loss, I think that Lagertha is feeling her loneliness keenly again and the want to be with Ragnar despite his past misdeeds against her. On a more positive note, Princess Gisla is expecting her first child and in doing so, makes the bond between Paris and the vikings, by way of Rollo, a more official occurrence. Though the marriage is going successfully, Emperor Charles, may not be looking to help this bond much more than he already has. By his promotion of Roland to Count and asking permission for his sister Therese (Karen Hassan) to be his mistress, the power and trust that Gisla seeks could be going elsewhere. We know that Roland and Therese have agendas of their own and now having the Emperor as a powerful ally and lover, it could mean that they will be getting away with a lot more than they had originally expected.

All things change and are not certain.

King Ecbert is the master of having two faces. He has shown in the past that he cannot be trusted for any sort of alliance. He says what everyone is wanting to hear, while he turns around and carries out the actions that only help his own cause. With the brief alliance with Ragnar and his people, they set up a settlement only to have it raided and destroyed by his son with his approval. Now with recent events, he has taken it upon himself to accept the kingship of not only Wessex but also Mercia. All of this gained by being rid of Kwenthrith (Amy Bailey) and without informing Judith’s (Jennie Jacques) father, King Aelle, of his intentions after he had promised to divvy up the lands between the both of them. It just goes to show you that Ecbert is not a man of his word and that he believes whole heartedly in change. Especially if that change means he is more powerful and the elected leader of all around him. I predict there will be no easy alliance to be had with him and that England will soon be within a civil war to establish a rightful king of the separate kingdoms rather than keep them united as he is working towards.

“We had an alliance as equals, but as you can plainly see we are no longer equals. Everything has changed. For both of us. You must get used to it.” - King Ecbert

The journey of Alfred has also ended, him safely reaching the Holy City and meeting the Pope as King Ecbert had wished. The city itself looks fraught with riffraff and the Pope himself brings his well wishes of peace within their kingdoms and grants Alfred a consulate position within Rome, comparing him to Julius Caesar. This is a great honor, and though Aethelwulf looks on with a smile on his face, you can’t help but wondering if the bitterness is still there hiding behind that mask, as Alfred is not his son, but the son of a devote now deceased monk, Athelstan (George Blagden). The purpose of granting Alfred this honor is unclear other than Ecbert wanted his son to be out of the picture while he was procuring his throne in Mercia, rather than giving it back to Ecbert’s crazy pregnant lover. There will be some bad blood between them once the party returns back to Wessex and all is made known of what has occurred in Aethelwulf’s absence.

Conclusion: More blood will be spilt. One brother will conquer.

The battle has only begun. Ragnar is intent on shedding Rollo’s blood and making him pay for the heavy losses suffered at the initial battle to retake Paris. His betrayal was unexpected and the last straw in what was before a very fragile friendship and bond between the both of them. Everything will lead up to an epic face-off between the two and Rollo may find himself at a loss with what has been occurring in Paris under his nose concerning loyalties and trust. For what it’s worth, there has to be some resolution set forth there before Ragnar can go back to focusing on his recovery and putting things right back in Kattegat and within his kingdom. The other outlying plots of the kingdoms of Wessex and Mercia may very well come into play soon as the impending threat of the northmen is frequently discussed.

The production on this episode was breathtaking as well as macabre. Director Jeff Woolnough did a fantastic job of setting up the scenes especially through the woods and portraying the hard labor involved in moving several viking ships through the wilderness. The wide shots of the aftermath of the separate little farm raid of Finehair and Halfdan and their men was particularly chilling. The blood smeared on the walls and the family laying in repose as the vikings sang and washed up after taking their fill of whatever goods they could manage to partake of was on point and artistically done. The only thing that struck me as strange were the shots later in the episode of the boats back in the water. The men were clearly rowing but the boats were clearly anchored in place. It’s nit picky and little, but that little scene and obvious flub undid some of the magic for me. Next week, if there are any boat shots, I hope to see a little more movement or at least some more effort in making it look as if the boats were moving. Otherwise, this was a very thought out episode and though there was not a lot going on as far as action, several plots were tied up as well as laid out for further exploration.

Comments, Questions & Concerns

• Bjorn is growing strong and looking to be a leader of quality and compassion while Ragnar is steadily failing in that role.
• Floki is certainly upping his vision skills, though they seem to be primarily focused upon Kattegat and the dealings of Queen Aslaug as of late.
• Lagertha is one kick ass viking woman. Even the loss of a child does not stop her from looking forward to raiding Paris and a battle.
• Torvi is on the horizon of becoming equally as kicks as Lagertha.
• Good riddance, Erlendur.
• Queen Aslaug cannot be trusted with children. Ever.
• Will Ragnar ever recover and will he get his revenge upon his brother for his betrayal?