The post mortem of Ragnar’s assassination at the hands of King Ecbert and King Aelle are being realized by his sons on Vikings. But will his first-born Bjorn and his baby Ivar — born of different mothers — play nicely together?
Tonight the great army is set upon the early English kingdom just as Aethulwulf’s wife and his father’s mistress Judith last week warned her father Aelle it would be, and now the Vikings are nigh.
Will the kings have prepared, based on the understanding of how Vikings swiftly retaliate?
The plan Ragnar planted in Ivar’s head is now realized, as the Viking army land on the coast of Northumbria.
For those unsure of their geography, Northumbria is the northern most area between Scotland and England and has been a staging ground for many historic battles throughout history, from the Romans to the Anglo-Saxons and the Celts.
In historical accounts of this Viking battle, it is said that Aelle was defeated and he suffered the “blood eagle”, which is what Ragnar gave to Jarl Borg back in Season 2. We shall see if it gets that far in tonight’s episode, titled Revenge!
In the first clip below, Bjorn and Ivar war over who establishes the battle plan. Bjorn is the most vocal, but he does not know Ivar’s true self.
“Are you ready to sacrifice your life to honor and appease the Gods?” asks Lagertha in the footage below, which also shows King Aelle doubting his own god as the sons of Ragnar wage their revenge upon his kingdom of Mercia.
The winning question is, will Ivar honor what Ragnar whispered to him before they parted ways — to go after and kill King Ecbert too?
Tonight, we wage war in Northumbria as the story of the great Lothbrok dynasty plays out with all the sons now jockeying for power and a stake in the leadership void and what’s left after their father’s death.
Will Lagertha survive the sons of Ragnar and Aslaug?
Lots of questions and much to discuss. Join us after the battle tomorrow for our weekly recap.
Vikings “Revenge” airs Wednesday, January 18 at 9 p.m. ET/PT