Vikings (TV series)

[REBerg]

Spoiler: New Main Character

 

[REBerg]

5.0 The Saga of Lagertha
With three hours of the new season to watch, I was tempted to skip this episode-sized series recap. I am glad I didn't.
Actress Katheryn Winnick has done a remarkable job of portraying a strong female character and fully deserves this spotlight on her talents. I hope the special signals Lagertha's series longevity rather than her impending demise.
Who knew the Seer was also the Viking historian?

 

[ctg]

How many bishops carry a weapon or plot murders?

 

[REBerg]

5.1&2 The Departed

Spoiler

Looks like the show can go on without Ragnar, although I am expecting a few guest ghost appearances as season 5 marches on. Even 24/7 fighting and feasting in Valhalla might leave a guy like Ragnar a little restless.
I'm also anticipating a prolonged struggle between the Battle Bishop and Ivar "Ironlegs" the Boneless Lothbrok. I'm assuming that the bishop can take enough time off from consoling widows to chase Ivar and his bloodthirsty horde through England./SPOILER]

Spoiler: A storyline abandoned

 

[REBerg]

I the Boneless is clearly crazy; but when it comes to guerrilla warfare, he is crazy like a fox.

 

[ctg]

I the Boneless is clearly crazy; but when it comes to guerrilla warfare, he is crazy like a fox.

You would expect that from the Son of Allfather. He is chaotic, cunning and Ivar follows Ragnar's advice down to the letter. It's just he has no idea about the power of crusader armies, and what it means to be against these men. And their faith.

 

[svalbard]

I see betrayals aplenty down the road. Should be fun. It is interesting seeing the different characteristics of Ragnar in each of his sons. His wanderlust in Bjorn, cunning and ruthlessness in Ivar and his hopes of a new life for his people in Ubbe. It is very well done.

 

[REBerg]

They've been good a juggling multiple settings, but I'm more interested in seeing how things go in York than in Sicily, Norway or Iceland. Dividing each episode five ways is about enough. After all, this isn't Game of Thrones.

 

[svalbard]

They've been good a juggling multiple settings, but I'm more interested in seeing how things go in York than in Sicily, Norway or Iceland. Dividing each episode five ways is about enough. After all, this isn't Game of Thrones.

It's better! I am with you though. York and Kattegat would be enough for me. I am actually beginning to like King Harald.

 

[REBerg]

I am actually beginning to like King Harald.

He is one smooth operator in the lady department.
His solution to getting a queen is to steal one? I wonder if realizes that, if he ever succeeds in consummating the marriage, Astrid will be thinking of Lagertha.

 

[REBerg]

If I should ever acquire a longboat, I know which company to approach for insurance.

GEICO TV Commercial, 'History Channel: Vikings Raid'

GEICO TV Commercial, 'History Channel: Polite Vikings'

 

[REBerg]

Spoiler: 5.05 The Prisoner

Attacking the Saxons from the York sewers seemed like a tactic doomed to failure.
The sewer exits were already surrounded by armed enemy soldiers. Once the element of surprise was gone, I would think they could have dispatched each Viking as he or she popped up -- like Whack-A-Mole.
Is this battle based on history, or History Channel fiction?
Floki seems to be making promises about Iceland that he can't keep. People can see gods at will, but Floki is playing politics by promising uninhabited, rich farmland to those who join him.
By secretly recruiting followers, he seems more likely to be ended by Lagertha than to establish a new farming settlement.

 

[ctg]

Spoiler

People can see gods at will, but Floki is playing politics by promising uninhabited, rich farmland to those who join him.
By secretly recruiting followers, he seems more likely to be ended by Lagertha than to establish a new farming settlement.

This thing actually happened. They knew almost nothing about the Iceland, but it didn't stop them from going there and making a permanent settlement. Some people went even further, reaching Greenland and then Queensland at Canada's coast around 1105. The people who moved into the Iceland felt cheated, because the Explorers promised a land worth of deities. Also you have to take in this context account the fact that Floki is a liar and a trickster, so similar to god we know now as Loki.

 

[REBerg]

Spoiler

This thing actually happened. They knew almost nothing about the Iceland, but it didn't stop them from going there and making a permanent settlement. Some people went even further, reaching Greenland and then Queensland at Canada's coast around 1105. The people who moved into the Iceland felt cheated, because the Explorers promised a land worth of deities. Also you have to take in this context account the fact that Floki is a liar and a trickster, so similar to god we know now as Loki.

Spoiler

Floki's giggling response to being dismissed as insane was telling.
Floki has always been, uh, to put it diplomatically, "different." He went deep into cuckooland by putting his "fate in the hands of the gods" and linking that to accidentally discovering Iceland.
Those listening to him must see that, but seem desperate enough to sign up.

 

[ctg]

Spoiler

Those listening to him must see that, but seem desperate enough to sign up.

Norway is very, very mountainous and Denmark effing small. So Vikings didn't had much of choices if you wanted to raise a family and keep them well fed. Nobody came to raide Iceland, so in that term, it's perfect place to raise couple of Vikings.

 

[svalbard]

The battle scene in York, whilst it was visually stunning, it was a tad contrived. There is no way that plan should have worked.

According to the Norse Sagas a certain Floki Vilgardsson was one of the first settlers in Iceland.

Lots of themes coming through in this series and one of my pet theories on Halfdan seems to have come to pass.

 

[REBerg]

I think Lagertha should immediately follow through on her promise to cut Margrethe's tongue out, and Ubbe should dump Margrethe for Torvi.
Just sayin'

 

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Ubbe should dump Margrethe for Torvi.

Torvi in Finnish is "a trumpet" or "a person, who tends to make stupid things."

Spoiler

I loved seeing Floki struggling with his True Believers. That one woman was the only one, who had balls to go and say "we should follow him," when most of them were prepared to turn around from Floki's safe heaven. The interesting fact is the by the time Vikings found iceland it had 40 to 50 percent of it's land mass covered in forest. Today it's around ten to fifteen percent, because the volcanoes and humans wiped away the rest.

I don't understand Ivar's need to be King of the Kattagat. He is able to raise warparties all on his own, and he doesn't need a throne for that. Besides the point, we would always need a body guard to follow him everywhere, and I don't think dear old Bishop is the best person for that job. He'd rather murder Ivar when time arrives then save his butt.

 

[ctg]

Spoiler

Another thing that I noticed was the reference to Land of Giants. They thought Floki had brought them in Jotunheim, but I believe the reference has a deeper meaning as during the time they were alive, there was a tribe giants rulings a native Indian city. They were wiped out before the Wild West appeared, but, I think Vikings might have been battling with Eastern Tribes that travelled with mammoths.

Sorry for this tin-foil wrapped conspiracy theory. I just had to get it out from my head.

 

[Connavar]

obs...