Monsters and Critics has received the first five episodes of Vikings for this second leg of season 5. No spoilers here, we promise! But read between a few lines and get the gist of what is going down as Lagertha, Bjorn, Ubbe, and Torvi are facing Hvitserk, Ivar, King Harald and…Rollo?
Not to mention King Alfred’s rapid ascendancy in England.
Let’s organize what we know and can share ahead of this amazing wrap up to season five. Trust us, you will not want to miss one moment of it.
How many episodes are there?
Season 5 of Vikings was a big fat double order of twenty episodes, which were split into two parts of ten episodes each.
We’ve already seen the first half of Season 5. Now the second half will premiere on November 28.
What happened in the midseason finale of Season 5?
Travis Fimmel as Ragnar is now gone from the story, and the fifth season is all about the adventures and the power plays and personal schisms between his sons.
They are Bjorn Ironside (Alexander Ludwig), Ubbe (Jordan Patrick Smith), Ivar the Boneless, (Alex Høgh Andersen) and Hvitserk (Marco Ilsø). Remember that Ivar killed his brother Sigurd in Season 4.
In the mid-season finale, the divide between the Lothbrok family sees the split widen and Ragnar’s sons are battling each other to rule the world. Ivar is pitted against Bjorn, and Ubbe and Hvitserk must choose sides.
There is a victory going to Ivar the Boneless who stills vows vengeance against Lagertha (Katheryn Winnick) for killing his mother Queen Aslaug.
Meanwhile, Floki’s Iceland colony is trying to get established. Floki urges Eyvind to not seek revenge for Bul’s death, making him a lawgiver in exchange for not starting a blood feud.
When Thorgrim is found dead, Floki proposes that he be sacrificed to the gods.
Kattegat drama unfolded as the ambitious Margrethe has lost Ubbe to Torvi. She also consulted with the Seer who dismissed her notions of ever becoming Queen of Kattegat.
The allegiance of Ivar and Harald continued. Hvitserk is torn but will stay with Ivar.
A pregnant Astrid was finished off by Lagertha. Harald killed his brother Halfdan. Then Ivar ordered the Frankish reserves to battle which made Lagertha and Bjorn retreat.
Bjorn abandoned Kattegat, only to find his mother Lagertha mentally suffering, a bit broken as her hair turned white. The last shot was an aged Rollo arriving in Kattegat with his Frankish army.
What is likely to happen in the second half of Season 5 on Vikings?
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Age catches up with Lagertha and Rollo physically as we see by social media posts from Katheryn Winnick and the still of Rollo showing his hair too is reflecting the time passage.
It is the lingering shot from the finale of the first half of season five that leaves the biggest questions.
Will Duke Rollo (Clive Standen) actually fight for and support Ivar? Fans who have watched this series from the beginning know Rollo loves Lagertha and always will, and there may be a VERY surprising thread to that fact which you will find out.
Kattegat now has Ivar the Boneless as King. While King Harald is lurking in the wings. One is not sure with him, he killed his own brother and we know from his past actions that Harald is a very ambitious Viking.
Meanwhile, Bjorn, Torvi, Ubbe, and Lagertha have fled the scene. Bishop Heahmund (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) is also part of their group.
The new Dark Age has taken over with the despotic Ivar ruling, and cruelties abound.
Predictions are that the sons of Ragnar not allied with Ivar will try anything to defeat his rule.
England is a wildcard as well as Bishop Heahmund longs to return and reclaim his princely role in the Catholic hierarchy in England.
In Iceland, Floki (Gustaf Skarsgård) will likely either have an epiphany and a breakthrough with his fledgling colony or be done in by the people who followed him there.
Who are the wildcards?
We see three big wildcards for this leg of season five.
Jonathan Rhys Meyers’ lusty and power-hungry Bishop Heahmund, after his initial appearance in the fourth season’s finale.
Clive Standen as Duke Rollo, Ragnar’s brother. He was granted the title of Duke of Normandy by Emperor Charles.
And lastly, King Alfred of Wessex and Mercia (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo) who is now calling the shots and ruffling the feathers of the Catholic Church with his mother Judith’s wise counsel.
The trailer for the return of Vikings Season 5
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xewPXOrfqQ&fbclid=IwAR0B09E1lqHBxjebWhQU2mipYzXCya6Itt2rRjFhuv-wLsI7_SlkxDWF3Ps
When does Vikings return?
Vikings returns on Wednesday, November 28 at 9/8c on the History Channel.