Last week’s episode of Vikings saw the devastating loss of the famous shieldmaiden, Lagertha (Katheryn Winnick). If you thought that was heart-wrenching enough and that it couldn’t get any worse, guess again.
This week’s episode of Vikings is far, far worse as the funeral for Lagertha commences.
And, seriously, even with History Channel posting clips of the funeral before the episode, there are no words for just how soul-sucking this is.
Sure, it’s visually stunning and satisfying on an unexpected level. But, when the whole procession is spliced in between the other things occurring in Vikings, it feels like you are bawling for the entire episode.
From the start, when viewers see the frozen remains of their beloved shieldmaiden, you know that you will need to call in sick for work tomorrow.
Then, there are all the quiet little moments when other characters get to have their final words with Lagertha, and you want to curl up in a corner and weep for a week.
Seriously, this episode is hard, but it is done right as far as fan service is concerned.
Then, there are the bigger moments like when Torvi (Georgia Hirst) volunteers as tribute when human sacrifice is called for. Thankfully, Torvi is rejected based on the fact that her unborn child cannot consent to follow Lagertha to Valhalla.
But, then, a girl called Gyda (Emma Willis) is chosen by a raven, and viewers are losing their collective sh*t with the realization that this girl was named after the long-lost daughter of Lagertha.
Bjorn Ironside (Alexander Ludwig) also works out that his mom is dead and turns up during the funeral. Needless to say, it is a hard moment to watch.
Then, the grand finale of all things devastating is when Lagertha’s granddaughter, Asa (Elodie Curry), follows the burning longship containing Lagertha and peers down into the ice. She sees Lagertha falling through the water and finally settling into the sand there.
Where. A. Sand. Version. Of. Ragnar. Is. Waiting.
And, seriously, I can’t even breathe anymore.
As for what else happens in Episode 7 of Vikings, there are important things to note, no doubt, but it all gets swallowed up and lost on account of Lagertha’s funeral. However, here are the important bits.
- Hvitserk (Marco Ilso) gets found. No one knows yet that he killed Lagertha, though.
- Ivar the Boneless (Alex Hogh Andersen) continues to get cock-teased by Katia (Alicia Agneson). I still have no idea is Katia is really Freydis or if Prince Oleg (Danila Kozlovsky) is just very good at reading into things when it comes to f*cking with people.
- Ivar also gets a visit from someone close to Prince Dir (Lenn Kudrjawizki) and notes that they are all on the same page regarding f*cking Oleg over. Prince Igor (Oran Glynn O’Donovan) notices the conversation but still seems to be on Team Ivar.
- Ivar also wants Jesus to heal his legs.
- The Seer (John Kavanagh) tells Ubbe that he doesn’t even want to know who killed Lagertha and, as per usual, the Seer is spot-on. Ubbe is not so sure yet, though.
- King Harald FInehair (Peter Franzen) returns the favor bestowed on him by Olaf the Stout (Steven Berkoff). No, he doesn’t make him king of a country, he pops him in a cell and forgets all about him.
Vikings returns to History Channel with Episode 8, titled “Valhalla Can Wait,” on Wednesday, January 22 at 10/9c.