• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

History Channel - Vikings

#401
As to Ragnar and the cross: Ragnar likes to understand as much as he can about other people, and understanding Christians is completely in line with his behavior. I think he wears the cross to lead Christians to believe he may convert as much as it is to piss off Floki who I'm sure he knows killed Athelstan.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MJ5150
#402
Webtroll said:
..... to piss off Floki who I'm sure he knows killed Athelstan.
Click to expand...

I was wondering about this the last couple weeks. We saw the scene how Floki sneaked into Kattegat to kill Athelstan, unseen by others, but come one. I think it's obvious to Ragnar that Floki hated Athelstan. How could Ragnar not know it was Floki? But then again, he hasn't actually confronted him for it yet. Just the subtle comment about missing Athelstan, which Floki replied about them being OK.

Do you think we've seen what Ragnar asked for forgiveness for? Letting Floki lead his people to death and destruction? I was thinking maybe this is what he meant when he said 'forgive me, not for what I've done, but what I'm about to do'.

-Mike
 
  • Like
Reactions: Webtroll
#403
sagagirl said:
okay skipping over comments until I'm done watching..but I wanna know, how the hell does Rollo never get an arrow to his bare, unprotected chest??? All those arrows raining down on them and I just watched Rollo, Beorn and Ragnar jump out of those boats with no shields are they nuts????
Click to expand...

Because they are the main stars in the show of coarse. ;) Lagertha survived too after being KOD, and pulled back from the front, but I don't see how Bjorn survived with those two huge spikes sticking out of his back - they didn't have modern medicine back then. Also - I wonder how long it actually took Floki and his men to build all those floating ladder contraptions - it wasn't overnight. I guesstimate at least 6 months minimum with the tools of the day.

I didn't really care for how Rollo was forcing his people up the ladder while watching all those bodies falling - many on fire. He was obsessed - so was Floki, and lost track of how badly they were losing - not good. I wonder how many lives they lost, and how many are left(?)

This episode sure was exciting, but what a blood bath! I didn't realize that so many Vikings left the homeland with Ragnar this trip. It really put into perspective how many there were when we saw the fleet moving towards the castle walls.
 
#405
Webtroll said:
As to Ragnar and the cross: Ragnar likes to understand as much as he can about other people, and understanding Christians is completely in line with his behavior. I think he wears the cross to lead Christians to believe he may convert as much as it is to piss off Floki who I'm sure he knows killed Athelstan.
Click to expand...

I had a feeling what happened tonight was going to happen. Don't want to post any spoilers.
 
#408
MJ5150 said:
Wow this week too, but I'll wait a little longer to comment so others can watch. I'm going to go watch it again.

-Mike
Click to expand...

I think a lot of the fans are disappointed that...

A. Instead of going after Wessex for what they did to the Norse settlement, Ragnar opted to go after Paris.

B. Floki is still alive. Many thought Ragnar would take care of Floki.

C. I wasn't to surprised by it, but I think many were surprised that he converted to Christianity. When he started wearing the cross and dressing more like a monk, I had a feeling he was at least becoming more apologetic to Christianity.

It also appears Ragnar will be out after this season. Considering that the siege of Paris was based more or less on Rollo's 880's attacks with the failed fight at the bridge and the assaults on the Vikings with hot oil, I see this series becoming more Rollo oriented. Although scholars are not sure if that specific French Princess Gisela existed, one chronicle does mention her marrying Rollo.

The story will become more Judith and Rollo oriented later since its her descendants and his who have a huge impact on the English throne and other thrones in Europe.
 
#409
I think Ragnar will survive this season (He does not die to disease & his method of death has already been foreshadowed)

Bad episode for hands! I laughed my ass off when Earl Siegfried pulled off his trick, but the missionary's test was pretty gruesome.
 
#410
To toot my own horn, I called the Ragnar/Christianity angle a couple weeks ago. I saw that one coming with how enamored he was with Athlestan from when they raided England and captured him.

I also agree that we are about to see the end of Ragnar, which is really unfortunate. I felt like there was more to develop with his character and I just really like him. Ragnar made some comments alluding to his departure. When speaking with everyone about negotiating with Paris, he talked about how he became Earl and then King not on his own ambitions, but because of the actions of others. Thus setting the stage that one of them would be become King because of his actions making it necessary. Personally, I predict that Ragnar is going to ask Bjorn to kill him and end his suffering, thus making Bjorn king and keeping it from Rollo. That then allows Rollo to hook up with Gisla which I also thought was coming after the way he was scoping her out in the first raid and then the second raid when she was checking him out. The bear comment too by the French, and that was what the seer talked about.

Floki...yeah, his story line is played out. I think he's still on the show due to perhaps contractual obligations. As soon as he can be eliminated, I think he will be. I don't know where you go with his story now, especially with Ragnar leaving.

I did read some comments online how the producers indicated season four will be more about Bjorn.

-Mike
 
  • Like
Reactions: Solarmist
#411
I feel like Ragnar's baptism in this past episode was not just an attempt to be with his friend Athelstan again but also a Macavellian move to throw the Parisians off-balance; as part of Ragnar's negotiation and alliance with the King of Wessex Ragnar had to have one Viking baptized (Rollo) to Christianity to allegedly create a "peace between brothers of faith" and I'll bet he's taking that same strategy here in Paris. Considering the Church's influence at this time I think that Ragnar is banking on the Church not allowing Paris to fight since technically Ragnar is now a Christian in their eyes and this will allow Ragnar a tactical advantage in finding a way to take Paris off-guard.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: MJ5150
#413
MJ5150 said:
To toot my own horn, I called the Ragnar/Christianity angle a couple weeks ago. I saw that one coming with how enamored he was with Athlestan from when they raided England and captured him.

I also agree that we are about to see the end of Ragnar, which is really unfortunate. I felt like there was more to develop with his character and I just really like him. Ragnar made some comments alluding to his departure. When speaking with everyone about negotiating with Paris, he talked about how he became Earl and then King not on his own ambitions, but because of the actions of others. Thus setting the stage that one of them would be become King because of his actions making it necessary. Personally, I predict that Ragnar is going to ask Bjorn to kill him and end his suffering, thus making Bjorn king and keeping it from Rollo.

-Mike
Click to expand...

I called that one as well; I could see through the previous seasons that Athelstan, and his Christian beliefs had more of an influence on Ragnar than was let on.

You may very well be right on how Bjorn may be asked to end his fathers life so he will become King, and I'm sure Lagertha plays a roll in that decision as well.

I liked how the guards were so amazed at the fact that Rollo stopped the oversized spiked thread spool single handedly - I think that's when they partially decided they better come to some agreement on splitting up riches or they may be killed ... they knew they would never stop coming until they did.

TUEP said:
I think a lot of the fans are disappointed that...
A. Instead of going after Wessex for what they did to the Norse settlement, Ragnar opted to go after Paris.
Click to expand...

I was - I thought that invasion of the settlement would have caused enough rage to put Paris on hold, and deal with Ecbert/Athelwulf. I think the thought of the conquest of Paris, and greed got the best of him.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MJ5150
#414
Solarmist said:
I was - I thought that invasion of the settlement would have caused enough rage to put Paris on hold, and deal with Ecbert/Athelwulf. I think the thought of the conquest of Paris, and greed got the best of him.
Click to expand...

Same here.

Then again, when you think back to the farmer reporting to Ragnar the events around the slaughter, Ragnar looked to me like he faking being upset. Then he suffocated the poor guy to death.

-Mike
 
#416
Who else thought Ragnar was alive in that casket? The exchange between Ragnar and Bjorn after Count Odo left the tent, I had a feeling they were plotting something.

Rollo...come on man. Don't betray your brother.

I figured Floki already knew Ragnar knew he killed Athelstan.

The whipping scene with Odo, what was that all about? It was odd and out of place. It felt like a waste of plot time to me. What's the point?

-Mike
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Boom762
#417
MJ5150 said:
Who else thought Ragnar was alive in that casket? The exchange between Ragnar and Bjorn after Count Odo left the tent, I had a feeling they were plotting something.
.......
Click to expand...

As they reached the entrance to the city,carrying the casket, it hit me that he had to be alive and it was a trick....His death had been too much of a non-event. There was no way his real death would have been depicted like that.
 
#419
I learned where Rolo ends up while doing some research on my ancestry but couldn't figure out HOW he got there. After the season finale it makes a lot of sense. Can't wait to see season 4. I like how they slowly mention Ragnar's other sons like Ivar. Just finished a documentary a week or so ago on Ivar the Boneless and how he likely was deformed.
 
  • Like
Reactions: TUEP
#420
Boom762 said:
I learned where Rolo ends up while doing some research on my ancestry but couldn't figure out HOW he got there. After the season finale it makes a lot of sense. Can't wait to see season 4. I like how they slowly mention Ragnar's other sons like Ivar. Just finished a documentary a week or so ago on Ivar the Boneless and how he likely was deformed.
Click to expand...

Rollo is in my family tree also. Now to go rock out "Immigrant Song" LOL!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Boom762

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back