Bjorn looks good in a leadership role.
King Ragnar lives to see another day.
Kalf proves himself to Lagertha.
Lagertha regains a portion of her power.
Rollo betrays just about everyone for his own selfish reasons.
Bjorn decides to leave Kattegat to seek his destiny and takes no responsibility for his young daughter.
Floki is arrested and treated like an animal.
Queen Aslaug looks to be plotting for herself at the detriment of Ragnar.
The Season Premier of Vikings on the History Channel is jam packed with action, filled with answers, and an all around good time.
The Season 4 premier of Vikings is upon us and my official reaction to this epic episode was (and I quote): “HOLY CRACKERS.” With the Season 3 finale leaving us with so many unanswered questions it was beyond satisfying to be given a season opener that practically gift wrapped answers, and not only that, the answers were pretty darned good. King Ragnar (Travis Fimmel) is still in dire conditions with his health. Bjorn (Alexander Ludwig) steps up to lead and dole out punishments, to one person in particular, Floki (Gustaf Skarsgård). Elsewhere, Lagertha (Kathryn Winnick) is presented with a new opportunity and show of loyalty in the last place she had expected with her once second-in-command, Kalf (Ben Robson). Alliances are created in Paris and deep betrayals and murder occur all due to Rollo (Clive Standen) and his further grasps for power with his new marriage to the Princess Gisla (Morgane Polanski).
This episode was a roller coaster ride from start to finish. Beautiful imagery and a breathtaking score further tell a story that is intricately twisted together and leaves us wanting more. Along with a flurry of answers there are several new possibilities put into play and it’s almost like a new beginning for everyone in involved. Power struggles, betrayed friendship, and new adventures are all on the horizon, but for now, let’s sink our axe in to what happened this week, shall we?
Friends and Foes and everyone in between.
There is no question that upon the return to Kattegat, Floki has been fearing for his life and what will become of him dependent upon Ragnar’s health. So when the order for his arrest is made, it is only surprising that it happened so quickly and at the behest of Bjorn.The very fact that Floki still bothered to carve ruins to aid his friend Ragnar’s recovery just goes to show that he cares, though he knows his fate will most likely not be a good one. The way the children treat him after his arrest is heartbreaking, even more so having to watch Helga (Maude Hirst), his wife, chase them away and beg them to stop throwing disgusting things at her husband. When his young daughter brought him food it was almost too much to bear. Floki, besides having murdered Athelstan was and is a great friend to Ragnar, so it not surprising that he delays whatever punishment he has in store for him. It may be prudent for himself to find some way to escape, if only to keep living one more day.
“He will kill me. It was a mistake for me to carve the ruins. Why would I try to save him? What’s wrong with me? Come, my beautiful, faithful wife, mother of my child, Helga. Please help me escape, please. Help me…” – Floki
Ragnar himself is still not in the clear. His health continues to diminish and the fever-dream while he down for the count leaves us wondering just how close to death he actually is. The fact that in his dream he was denied entrance into Valhalla leaves us questioning a couple of things. Is this due to the fact that he had been baptized in France? Albeit, this was part of a deeper ploy to enter the city of Paris, but could it be that the gods are indeed angry at this seeming betrayal of them and this is his punishment for hoping to see his long last friend Athelstan (George Blagden) in the afterlife? Or could it be a sign that he is not yet ready for death and is being shown by the gods that heaven is not yet ready to accept him?
New alliances and old rulers.
Things are much different in other parts of the land after returning from Paris. Having fought in battle together, Lagertha and Kalf, seem to have come to an agreement to rule the land and share the Earldom in peace. Of course, this news does not please those that helped Kalf gain control of the land in the first place. In one of the most shocking and terribly satisfying scenes, Kalf calls out those that would have Lagertha banished rather than allow her to rule over them. Once those that would see her dead are gathered in the center of their meeting place, they are quickly disposed of by those faithful to Kalf and Lagertha. The most noteworthy of those armed with a crossbow being Eriendur (Edvin Endre), the son of the late King Horik (Donal Logue). To further our satisfaction, the leader of the opposers against Lagertha is pinned to the marking post by an arrow to the throat. Just when we think he is going to put out of his misery by an arrow to the head, Lagertha practices her art with a knife and expresses her distaste of the man by removing his family jewels. We can only assume the men under her rule will take extra care in not inspiring her wrath in the future.
“I should have done this a long time ago, Einar.” – Lagertha
Regarding ladies in power, Ragnar’s current wife, Queen Aslaug seems to have some grand aspirations of power of her own. Her questions to the Seer almost indicate that she is waiting for the hasty departure of her husband to Valhalla to secure her place as sole ruler of Kattegat for herself as well as her sons. Since the arrival of the Stranger in the past season and her betrayal of her marriage vows, Aslaug has slunk lower and lower in everyone’s esteem and reflects greed for power and control rather than the continued health of her husband, Ragnar.
Blood does not always guarantee loyalty.
We never had much of choice but to accept Rollo, being that he is Ragnar’s brother. He’s betrayed his own group for less in the past and it looks like that need for personal greatness remains strong within him. Having seen Rollo last apparently accepting Emperor Charles’ proposal, we’re lead right into is wedding with the Princess Gisla. He does not seem bothered at all by Gisla’s weeping and protestations of wanting to die and goes along with the ceremony without question. It’s almost painful to watch the poor woman being dragged along against her will to be married off to an invader that she so staunchly opposed days before.
Though after the wedding we assume that Rollo will force himself upon his new bride right away, as is the custom, we’re given an all too different view of him when he chooses instead to go to sleep and leave his new bride threatening him with a knife. Things go quickly from hard to watch to comical. It’s certain that Princess Gisla is a force to be reckoned with and perhaps the perfect wife for a strong warrior such as Rollo. She stands on her own and is not afraid to defend herself if need be, but also she keeps a strong pride about herself and it may be something that could lead to problems in Rollo’s assumed success among the Parisians.
“Rollo! You have betrayed your own kind but we shall be revenged! Ragnar is coming! Ragnar will revenge us. – Erik
Perhaps the biggest ‘Oh damn’ moment was Rollo’s stark betrayal to his kinsmen. He made no secret when he rode up to the gates of the encampment along with soldiers of Paris to dwindle and eliminate their numbers. He didn’t even lift a finger as all of his northern brothers, along with their wives and children, were murdered without a moment’s notice. The heartlessness in this action certainly shows us that Rollo means to honor his arrangement with the King. Whether that arrangement will be honest and fruitful for Rollo, being as he is will remain to be seen. For now, there will no doubt be a bloody war between brothers in the future, once his black deeds are made known to the vikings in Kattegat.
Conclusion: A kingdom is in peril and friendships and family bonds are tested.
This episode was perfection in so many ways. It started out with immediate action and beautiful special effects by way of the gate to Valhalla, but it also nicely wrapped up some plot questions that had been hanging in the balance from the previous season’s finale. Editing by Aaron Marshall, was key in this episode to serve the plot beautifully. Each scene complimented the other and kept the story going between groups without disturbing the build to the conclusion of the episode. And as always, the score was on point, thanks to score mixer, Phil McGowan, with the haunting norse melodies and driving drum beats that are typical to this series.
As far as notable performances go, I’d have to give this one to Alexander Ludwig for his strong portrayal of Bjorn. The character has evolved so much from a green warrior to man set on finding his own destiny and someone not afraid to take a leadership role in the stead of another. Not only does he exude strength in his portrayal, he also lends a weakness, this case in point being the denial of responsibility towards his abandoned daughter. I liked that the two sides of Bjorn were shown in this way, the somewhat perfect leader everyone seems to like, but also the failed father and a boy after his own father’s way of running off into to new adventures rather than remaining and taking responsibility in what is already surrounding him. Kudos, to Alexander Ludwig for making Bjorn such a likable yet flawed character.
As fort the future plot, Bjorn is set to travel the world and fulfill his destiny prophesied by the Seer. Ragnar is left to either succumb or overcome his plaguing illness all while ruling his kingdom and dispensing justice in the matter of Floki. Lagertha gained a trusted ally in Kalf, whom to until this point was more or less an untrusted usurper and backstabber. Queen Aslaug may be planning a usurping of her own, either for her own gain or for the future gain of her young sons. Rollo did the unthinkable and betrayed all of those he was left entrusted to care for, all for the lure of land and renown.
Questions, Comments & Concerns
- Will Ragnar be able to keep his kingdom in order in his current ill condition once Bjorn is gone?
- Will Bjorn survive his travels and come back to his father once more?
- Does Aslaug plan to have Ragnar killed or is she waiting around patiently for his death and her own gain for the kingdom?
- Lagertha and Kalf seem well suited for one another. Will this union of ruling the earldom together pan out or will they require more of each other in the future?
- Will Helga help her husband in his time of need or will she allow his fate to be met by the decision of Ragnar?
- Will Ragnar actually execute Floki for his crime or will banishment be his decision instead?
- Does Rollo have a heart at all in that burly chest of his?
- We caught a glimpse of the new slave girl Yidu in this episode. She seems to have caught Ragnar’s eye right away. Will she be a key player in the future? Could she perhaps be the key to Ragnar’s recovery?
Vikings Review 4×01: “A Good Treason”
Theresa Peters