One of the clearest conclusions from last week’s cliffhanger is that Hvitserk is a hell of a lot more observant and tuned in to how his brother’s reign is going down with the people who matter, the residents of Kattegat. As he told his younger brother earlier on in A New God, they do not love him, and that fact was plain to see as they were cowed down into kneeling before their king as he was charioted passed them through the street. We have witnessed many rituals and sacrifices over the years, especially in the show’s spiritual home town, yet I cannot recall its residents ever not being an integral part of the pomp and spectacle taking place before. Dragging them from their beds in this manner is a very different process, and strikes more of tyranny than the hand of love that Ivar professes later on in the episode.
I imagine some of the townsfolk will perhaps never grow to respect him if this is how he intends to act out his god-like status above them. Fear him? Yes, I saw that on some of their faces, and whilst that is one way to rule over your subjects it can also be a way to lose their trust and numbers if a better offer entices them away. I think that Ivar is gambling all on who is under that hood, so if he’s made a bad choice that doesn’t go down well with the already wavering crowd then he may well lose them altogether. On the other hand, if he does manage to pull off a win here, then perhaps he’ll find some of those who were feeling like an underdog when Lagertha was in charge stepping up and thriving under his rule instead.
Thorunn’s disappearance in Iceland was probably no big surprise last week. This side of the show’s storyline feels like it’s been dragging forever with a far larger body count than in actuality as the two families go around in circles blaming each other. With Floki, once a beloved character, now reduced to looking forlorn in the rain as he attempts to play peace-maker in between mourning the loss of his contact with the gods. Floki’s first experiences of Iceland were incredible. There was a sense of the extraordinary and otherworldliness to his scenes as he explored after the shipwreck beached him on its shores, making his return to persuade others into joining him in setting up a community there feel like it would be a rewarding and satisfying adventure.
However, it has felt as though this side of the Vikings plot has been put on hold while the rest of the characters elsewhere get caught up with their own tales enough for Iceland to become a viable option to include as part of their narrative too. The very first of these plot points comes this week, and it’s one that we’ve been waiting on for more than thirty months. It forces Floki to make a hard decision which I am sure will only lead to more problems in the future, but I am hoping that this shift in gears will at least bring a more layered approach to the Icelandic plot than we have had so far.
Back in Wessex, Bjorn finally introduces Magnus to the rest of the family, which goes down about as well as you can imagine. With Harald’s fleet sailing up river it’s a bad time for these exiled Vikings to not be operating as one and showing a united front whilst in the king’s villa. Alfred is already on shaky ground with the Bishop’s coup in motion behind closed doors and needs them to be firmly on side in the upcoming battle if he is to win people over to his side after allowing them to stay.
Alfred decides that one of the best ways he will gain strength of leadership in the eyes of his people is if it is him in person leading his troops against Harald, which makes complete sense for both the time and how much valour it brought his ‘father’ Aethelwulf. Though this does mean that he will require some basic training in weaponry, but luckily his new bestie Ubbe is more than happy to oblige, and ideally suited for this kind of crash course, hands on approach to getting someone battle ready. He also copies Bjorn after taking note of how changing one aspect of himself makes him seem more opposing, and it definitely is an improvement to his outward appearance if he is going for the more authoritative look.
The Lost Moment airs on Wednesday December 19 at 9pm on the History, below are a few teasers to see you through until then. If you want to have a go at guessing who said what to whom, I will fill in any correct answers before it airs.
“Your decisions are worthless Floki. You are not king of this island, and I am law giver”
“That’s because Alfred has corrupted you, and you now call yourself a Christian”
“They will already know that we are here and they will possibly try to block the way through”
“She said that she was unhappy. That she did not want to bring, a child into this terrible world. And that she would make sure that it did not happen”
“I can teach you the ways to fight with a sword, an axe or a shield. To stay alive. But if you’re afraid, then you are already dead”
“I sacrifice **** in the name of Odin, and in the name of my fellow gods. I sacrifice **** to cleanse this kingdom of its evil spirits”
“I am no ordinary man. I am no ordinary ruler. I expect you to rejoice for you are especially privileged”
“They are after all only human. The axe will kill them too”
“Can you tell me where this trench is?”
“My father was Ragnar Lothbrok, the most famous of all Vikings. That’s all I care about”
Hell Teasers
“The Franks call it a catapult. They used them against us in Paris”
“So Ubbe, tell me. What are you doing fighting with the Christians?”
