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History Channel - Vikings
- Thread starter Unprofessional
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Ragnar admonished Bjorn in battle because he was careless and wound up on the ground. That's an easy way to get killed in a fight. He was lucky that he didn't wind up getting axed while he was down there. Ragnar recognizes that, and his chiding of Bjorn is ultimately far less cruel than being killed in battle.
I suspect that Ragnar is always wary of what may happen to Bjorn if Ragnar were to be killed. Bjorn would become a target in any succession fight and is unprepared to be a leader. And being the Earl of Kattegat has proven to be a fairly precarious position for everyone. I think that Ragnar is hard on Bjorn because they live in a hard world.
I suspect that Ragnar is always wary of what may happen to Bjorn if Ragnar were to be killed. Bjorn would become a target in any succession fight and is unprepared to be a leader. And being the Earl of Kattegat has proven to be a fairly precarious position for everyone. I think that Ragnar is hard on Bjorn because they live in a hard world.
I don't mind where the Ragnar character is going. I just think the storylines are getting careless. The whole scene where Ragnar is watching the party from behind some curtain, like a peeping Tom. That was weird too. It felt like a 60's or 70's psychedelic party. I kept waiting to see Iron Butterfly playing In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida. Then Rollo shows up like he is the only one who knew Ragnar was standing there.
This is when TV shows start to lose me. I'll keep up with this one since I am intrigued with this part of human history, I just hope it doesn't turn into a soap opera. Back to season one with the Vikings sailing around raiding villages, then coming home to enjoy the victory.
-Mike
This is when TV shows start to lose me. I'll keep up with this one since I am intrigued with this part of human history, I just hope it doesn't turn into a soap opera. Back to season one with the Vikings sailing around raiding villages, then coming home to enjoy the victory.
-Mike
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- Dec 3, 2003
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That ship has already sailed as far as I'm concerned. I bailed a couple of weeks ago, although I may easily catch the later episodes eventually. Still beats "reality" TV.
Yep that was for sure a weird episode. What a waste, with only 4 episodes left. The rest of them better be good!!
I just heard 24 is coming back! Jack is BACK!
Totally agree. He gets Aella's help for trouncing that other third, small kingdom, his son probably gets placed in charge of that or something. I say Ecbert ultimately kills Aella. I also think Ecbert seriously WANTS the Vikings to become part of his land....on a certain level he considers the Vikings analogous to the Romans who had defeated his country yet had wondrous knowledge and appreciation for the arts.
Rollo addresses the "Siggy you've been bonking King Korik" issue. She was pretty fast to fess up but claim it is for "us". Rollo has been totally emasculated. Looks like he couldn't even pull the trigger on some revenge sex with her. In today's world the dude would need years of therapy and some serious meds.
I think the Borg was right - Ragnar has some thought that he could usurp King Horik. Both Ragnar and Horik need to cover their ass ....both are men of violent action.
Borg was made to fly like an eagle - wow was that brutal.
Logertha is back - yeah!!! Sucks that Ragnar is back to treating her like he's the flame and she's the butterfly. She has nowhere else really to go, her son is there, she like the people there. I think she is over Ragnar but Ragnar is not over her.
Floki as a Dad - he's right, poor kid.
His lady is pretty. Seemed in bad taste not to invite Ragnar to the wedding...one of the few signs of resentment toward Ragnar he has shown.Story line was kind of weak this weak but I'll stay tuned.
Floki's wife is Michael Hirst's daughter in real life 
I think she was also in The Tudors which didn't he also write that story line as well? She has great hair! They actually all do.
It was down right uncharacteristic of Floki not to invite Ragnar. I've been thinking could it be that Ragnar and Floki are actually up to something? Like the secret trick they used to get Borg? A quiet underground plot of some kind?
Ragnar clearly does not trust Horik, and he for sure doesn't trust Siggy and now everyone knows they are sleeping together. So it is possible they are going to try to ensnare Horik and Siggy double dealing. At least Horik. Ragnar seems to have a neutral contempt for Siggy, they never speak and always seem to be shooting each other unfriendly glances. But Horik is a real danger given his irrational and selfish behavior since the beginning. Yes he is the king, and as Siggy said he still has power but ... he is not above the law and he is not above retribution if he is caught double dealing. So maybe Floki and Ragnar are baiting him?? By making it look like they are suddenly estranged?
That would be the only thing that makes their sudden chill make any sense.
But then again...when a man enmasses power, (the only way to do so being to step upon others) people do come to resent. I've been reading some saga's and the theme that goes through them, is as these Earls gain power, and hurt more people to do so, they also gain enemies. So Ragnar is beginning to smell that and he doesn't really know if he can trust Horik but so far he has been able to trust Floki. (which of course is the best character for them to mount a surprise betrayal with because we all think Floki is the number one dude for Ragnar)
Agreed a weak and not very good story line this week.
I think she was also in The Tudors which didn't he also write that story line as well? She has great hair! They actually all do. It was down right uncharacteristic of Floki not to invite Ragnar. I've been thinking could it be that Ragnar and Floki are actually up to something? Like the secret trick they used to get Borg? A quiet underground plot of some kind?
Ragnar clearly does not trust Horik, and he for sure doesn't trust Siggy and now everyone knows they are sleeping together. So it is possible they are going to try to ensnare Horik and Siggy double dealing. At least Horik. Ragnar seems to have a neutral contempt for Siggy, they never speak and always seem to be shooting each other unfriendly glances. But Horik is a real danger given his irrational and selfish behavior since the beginning. Yes he is the king, and as Siggy said he still has power but ... he is not above the law and he is not above retribution if he is caught double dealing. So maybe Floki and Ragnar are baiting him?? By making it look like they are suddenly estranged?
That would be the only thing that makes their sudden chill make any sense.
But then again...when a man enmasses power, (the only way to do so being to step upon others) people do come to resent. I've been reading some saga's and the theme that goes through them, is as these Earls gain power, and hurt more people to do so, they also gain enemies. So Ragnar is beginning to smell that and he doesn't really know if he can trust Horik but so far he has been able to trust Floki. (which of course is the best character for them to mount a surprise betrayal with because we all think Floki is the number one dude for Ragnar)
Agreed a weak and not very good story line this week.
I don't know...I thought Bjorn fought very well and when he went down, lots of other people went down too. It wasn't just him. I don't think he heard Ragnar yelling about the change in strategy Borg had quickly decided on so Bjorn stayed with his line as he should have.
Don't you think if he had heard his father yelling (who he worships and adores) that he would have obeyed? Of course he would have. He didn't hear Ragnar yelling. A lot of others went down too, not just Bjorn. Maybe Ragnar got scared ok I'll give him that, but geez get over it. Lagertha was already right there, covering Bjorn so he had a chance to get up.
No harm was done, and yet Ragnar rode him like an SOB. He didn't deserve that, and given that it was their first battle since being separated, and that Bjorn is only what like 15 years old you'd think Ragnar would have been more gracious. Dang, Ragnar went over the top and I still say he is too hard on his son.
I get where you're coming from Sagagirl. Although I think you're still looking at the situation through the lens of modern conventions about parenting. While it's still a television series, what's being explored in the show are 9th century Norse customs. If Bjorn is supposed to be 15 years old in the show, in that time he would be considered a grown man. And as the son of an Earl he would be expected to have trained in arms, seamanship and other skills so that he might grow into a leader.
No doubt Ragnar is dealing with the aftermath of Bjorn having been the step-son of a man who did not warm to him and did not train him to be a warrior. Ragnar now has to deal with that, as well as possible threat to the power base he has built at Kattegat.
No doubt Ragnar is dealing with the aftermath of Bjorn having been the step-son of a man who did not warm to him and did not train him to be a warrior. Ragnar now has to deal with that, as well as possible threat to the power base he has built at Kattegat.
Let's not forget that Viking world is a cruel and unforgiving world. Bjorn must be ready to operate in Viking world and Ragnar knows this. Ragnar also knows that the price for a serious mistake can be death.
Ragnar is toughening up Bjorn because he wants him to survive.
Ragnar is toughening up Bjorn because he wants him to survive.
The episode this Thursday is titled Boneless. Here is the synopsis: Princess Aslaug's latest prophecy comes to fruition as she readies to give birth once more. Ragnar, Horik and their new ally Lagertha set sail for Wessex–Ragnar and Horik have very different ideas about the true purpose of this trip.
-Mike
-Mike
That title has got to be a reference to Ragnar's son Ivar. Because he was known as Ivar the Boneless.
I get that, but I also don't see Ragnar out there teaching Bjorn any fighting tips like he did for Athelestan. If you want Bjorn to be ready, then train him! Don't yell at him, then ignore him, and not keep him in the loop about taking out Borg (which would have been a very fine teaching moment that Ragnar wasted because he didn't tell Bjorn soon enough for him to be around for it)
Nay I say...Ragnar is doing nothing to "prepare" Bjorn for the "cruel" viking world. He did more for Athelstan than he has done for his own son.
I think Ragnar is JEALOUS of his son...and treating him like cah cah because he is afraid of being out shadowed by his sons as the Seer warned.
I'm not getting that vibe but I have been wrong before. I guess we'll see how it plays out.
Hard to imagine there is only 3 episodes left. They will leave us hanging and wanting season 3 in a big way. I think I just want to see Ragnar and Bjorn be as close as they were when he was young. I also wonder if there isn't some kind of under ground resentment that Bjorn chose to go with his mother when Lagertha left.
Something is not jiving with them, given how close they were when Bjorn was a young lad. Maybe they just don't have the time to develop all the relationships and characters but you'd think the relationship between the hero and his first born son would be getting more attention by the writers.
...and perhaps...I need to learn patience!!
Something is not jiving with them, given how close they were when Bjorn was a young lad. Maybe they just don't have the time to develop all the relationships and characters but you'd think the relationship between the hero and his first born son would be getting more attention by the writers.
...and perhaps...I need to learn patience!!
That is the sense I get. When Bjorn was questioning Ragnar about the raid on Borg's men, Ragnar told Bjorn he chose other activities (being with Porunn) over his father, as he had when Lagertha chose to leave. No doubt some hurt feelings and trust issues for Ragnar.
It will be interesting this week to see how Horik and Ragnar disagree about the raid to Wessex. The previews make it clear Horik has some issues with Ragnar.
-Mike
Quote: "The previews make it clear Horik has some issues with Ragnar."
And Ragnar has some issues with Horik!
I predict, (and said over a week or so ago), that Ragnar is going back to find Athelstan. The Seer told him Athelestan was still alive. Horik wants revenge yet once again Horik brought this on himself. He never should have stayed in Wessex without Ragnar and once again this is not Ragnar's battle with Eckbert it is Horik's because Horik is a turd. I hope Horik bites it! But history seems to say the man is long lived, sadly.
And Ragnar has some issues with Horik!
I predict, (and said over a week or so ago), that Ragnar is going back to find Athelstan. The Seer told him Athelestan was still alive. Horik wants revenge yet once again Horik brought this on himself. He never should have stayed in Wessex without Ragnar and once again this is not Ragnar's battle with Eckbert it is Horik's because Horik is a turd. I hope Horik bites it! But history seems to say the man is long lived, sadly.
It seems to me that Athelstan has a pretty nice gig going working for King Ecbert. There may be meetings (both official and unofficial) between Ragnar and Athelstan but I don't see Athelstan going back to live as a Viking again.
I don't either. It appeared to me there were some barbaric aspects of Viking life that he could not reconcile within himself. It will be interesting though as I am sure this storyline will come to a head too. The preview shows Ecbert and Athelstan discussing Ragnar.
-Mike
-Mike
