S03.E03: Warrior's Fate

[Yeldarbe]

I liked:

Athelstan was so hot in the bath scene with those come hither eyes and getting all close with the wine. I was hoping maybe Lagertha and the King would invite him over.

I liked the scene between Floki and Ragnar... "shut your face"

That look on Ragnar's face after the headbutt. "I forgive you"

the cow scene was a bit much. I got the sense that King E is a freak a leak and is totally down with a little blood play but obviously his men are not.

Looks like shit is about to get real next week!

[caprice]

I'm also curious as to why Kwenthrith wanted her brother spared. I thought he was the one who molested her along with the uncle.

I thought that was her older brother who would join in with the uncle and this was her younger brother. I could be totally wrong.

 

That look on Ragnar's face after the headbutt. "I forgive you"

Right? Wow, that was a textbook case of BAD timing. Ragnar comes from yelling at his son and Kwenthrith drags him into forgiving her brother. Poor guy had other things to deal with.

[mwell345]

 

They didn't even show the animal being cut.

 

Thanks - I'm never really sure how far Vikings will go : )

 

.

Edited March 7, 2015 by mwell345

[Ravenya003]

I'm also a bit disappointed in Athelstan because I don't understand why he doesn't just let the princess down nicely.  He knows how she feels about him, but he also knows she's a married woman.  While I can understand him being flattered by the attention, I think he should know that this won't end well for either of them if he continues with this flirtation.

 

 

I know, especially in the scene directly following the bath when decides to go over to her, wrapped in a towel, kneel at her feet with his hands either side of her and say: "don't worry, you're not doing anything wrong, you should go to bed now." Seriously dude, WTF? I honestly have no idea what's going on his head throughout any of this. The only thing that makes sense is that he's playing her, but that's so contrary to what "our" Athelstan would actually do that it becomes even more confusing.

 

Kinda reminds of Merlin. For Arthur to be conceived/born, Igraine's life was taken in return.

 

 

I thought of Merlin too, although the whole "life for a life" deal feels a LOT more fair than what seems to be going on here: "I'll soothe a baby in exchange for two dead kids!"

 

I'm also curious as to why Kwenthrith wanted her brother spared. I thought he was the one who molested her along with the uncle.

I thought that was her older brother who would join in with the uncle and this was her younger brother. I could be totally wrong.

 

 

Yeah, it was the oldest one (now dead) who raped her. This one, judging by her request to spare him, didn't.

 

I am not finding Athelstan's interesting at all this season - to me, his character works best when he is with Ragnar, because of their history and the mutual respect they seem to have for each other (totally aside from the fact that Ragnar wanted to sacrifice him a few seasons ago).

 

 

I think the core relationship of the show is the one that lies between Athelstan/Ragnar/Lagertha, and the dynamic always feels a bit out of whack when they're separated. That doesn't mean I think they should always be together, only that whenever they're apart, it feels as though the show immediately begins the task of bringing them back together again. I've always felt that Ragnar's threesome proposition way back in season 1 wasn't just to illuminate Viking/Christian cultural differences, but was also as a symbolic gesture of how entwined they were - or would become - in each other's lives (not necessarily physically!) 

 

Now King Ecbert has been set up as a new axis around which Lagertha/Athelstan are revolving, and if the season's climax revolves around Lagertha/Athelstan having to chose between these two kings that exist as foils to each other... well, let's just say I wouldn't be surprised. 

 

That said, I'd like to see more interaction between Lagertha/Athelstan. They lived together for years, and they seems to be rather inseparable now, but I still don't really have a strong fix on what they feel about each other. Fondness, I guess? But only because I see no reason for them not to be fond of each other. It would be great to get a conversation between the two of them about what's really going on with their respective relationships with Ecbert and Judith, as I kind of like the idea that the two of them are quietly playing the Saxons to gain a political advantage for Ragnar's sake. 

 

Not the smoothest edit of a baby swap I've ever seen, trading squalling infant for contented baby. Clearly two different children.

 

 

 

What made me laugh was that when we first see the crying baby, it's clearly pointing at something off camera. So what do we think? Crew-member with scary mask on? Stage-mother pretending to strangle its favourite toy? 

Edited March 7, 2015 by Ravenya003

[VillaVillekulla]

Not exactly on topic, but the other day I got accidentally hit in the head with a small light fixture. I'm fine, but the bulb in the light fixture broke.

 

I thought of Ragnar and his headbutts. I must have a thick viking skull. ;)

[green]

^ No it was an older brother, not her younger brother, Prince Wimpy, here.

[jnymph]

GAh!!! Yet another episode I loved with a passion ... Must process my thoughts and give coherent input later!

But for now:

sexy hot Roman bath ! Torstein -Valhalla !

Athelstan - Abs!

Edited March 7, 2015 by jnymph

[Ria]

Athelstan - Abs!

 

Yes, nice abs. But with the pulled back hairstyle and clothes, from a distance I thought he was General Zod from the old Christopher Reeve Superman movie. Not an attractive look, IMO.

[tennisgurl]

I just love whenever they do the Viking Culture stuff. Its just so strange and beautiful. And I loved Athlestan`s face when the Norse were all cheering at the cows head being cut off. While all the Saxons around him all looked freaked the hell out, he almost seemed to be smiling. He does seem to be pretty much Team Viking, even though he can understand both the Christian and Viking ways. 

 

I figured Ragnar`s reaction to Bjorn had something to do with Ragnar`s whole obsession with immortality. He wants to have a family line, a great legacy, so when he sees Bjorn possibly putting his future grandchild in danger, he freaks out. He way overreacted though. Like, Bjorn tried to get her to stay behind, what was he supposed to do? Hit her over the head and lock her in her room?  

 

Of course Siggy is the one who`s the most suspicious of The Wanderer guy.  I love stories surrounding Norse mythology, and I really like the actor playing The Wanderer, I re watched the whole story telling scene twice. I keep trying to figure out who he might be. A Norse god? Seer? The Wondering Jew (or some equivalent in Norse mythology)? It seems like he might be assuring more magic into the magic realism of this show.  

 

Shut your face, Floki!  

[Lillybee]

It might be interesting if Lagartha got pregnant with the King's child.

[jnymph]

I thought the Roman bath foursome party was sexy; I understand why Lag was seduced by the King & his fancy villa.

At first I thought it was cheesy plot line to drag Torstein to battle, but when they got there I understood why. Torstein was a warrior & it was an honor to die in battle ( he took one guy out!)

& this was his sure way to Valhalla

The RHOK (real houswives of Kattegat ) & the wanderer was interesting, so glad he could relieve lil Ivars pain. But hope it wSnt at the expense of the 2 drowned boys! Anyways can't wait to see where this goes,

What happened in re: to athelstans stigmata ?

I guess that Lag wrapped it in gauze & we will revisit all thAt later??

I loved all the religious thoughts expressed .... I like how they referred to "the Christ God"

"In the meantime shut your face Floki!" Hee

Still can't handle the modern looking makeup especially on Aslaug talking to the wanderer this episode. I like how Helga & Flokis makeup look though ..,, in my head vikings era makeup would be like that. All freakish.

And Lag with not a stitch of makeup at the sacrifice looked so gorgeous !!!!! She really is stunning.

All in all another episode I loved!!!!

[Haleth]

("Fertilizing."  "Planting seeds."  Real subtle there, Ecbert.)

 

Plus he brought her a brand spankin' new plow.  What girl doesn't like to get shiny new toys?

 

I think Ragnar was right to berate Bjorn.  If he wasn't forceful enough to convince Porunn to stay out of the battle for the sake of their baby, all he had to do was tell Ragnar (yeah, tattling) who would have forbade her from participating.  In as much as Bjorn caved, they were risking three lives: Porunn's in the heat of battle, the baby's (ditto battle), and Bjorn's as he was distracted by keeping an eye on Porunn.  

 

I hope the show isn't going there with the Wanderer being a magical figure with a healing touch while sacrificing other children.  I'm as much a fantasy fan as anyone (thus using an obscure Tolkien character for an avatar), but I like this show to be grounded in reality and history, not myth and legend.  The Wanderer gave me a Rasputin vibe too.

 

the real housewives of Kattegut

 

Ha!  Love it!

[Lugal]

So I'm not the only one who got a Rasputin vibe from the Wanderer.  Real curious to see where this Real Housewives of Kattegat story goes.  My uninformed wild guesses for the identity of the Wanderer: Eysteinn Beli or Bragi Bodasson.  Maybe Harald Klak.

 

I think Ecbert's genuinely interested in Lagertha because she's increabily beautiful, and she's a leader in the Viking community.  Of course I think the pagan stuff really freaked him out.  Turns out her gods are not like those old Roman frescos.  I did notice during the sacrifice both Ecbert and Judith crossed themselves, but Athalstan did not.

 

Sorry to see Torsten go, but he's on the way to Valhalla now.  I have to agree with Ragnar, Bjorn should have kept Thorunn out of the battle, but I wonder if since she was a slave up until a year ago her reaction to everything now is "You're not the boss of me!" and she thinks she can do what she wants and gets herself greviously injured in battle.  It left Thorunn, the baby and Bjorn vulnerable as well as anyone hurt because of them.

 

I do have to say the music for the battle and the sacrifice were incredible.

[Captanne]

What I don't understand is why Athelstan is leading the woman on?  "He's a man with a functioning penis" is a bullshit answer.

[green]

Plus he brought her a brand spankin' new plow.  What girl doesn't like to get shiny new toys?

 

I think Ragnar was right to berate Bjorn.  If he wasn't forceful enough to convince Porunn to stay out of the battle for the sake of their baby, all he had to do was tell Ragnar (yeah, tattling) who would have forbade her from participating.  In as much as Bjorn caved, they were risking three lives: Porunn's in the heat of battle, the baby's (ditto battle), and Bjorn's as he was distracted by keeping an eye on Porunn.  

 

I hope the show isn't going there with the Wanderer being a magical figure with a healing touch while sacrificing other children.  I'm as much a fantasy fan as anyone (thus using an obscure Tolkien character for an avatar), but I like this show to be grounded in reality and history, not myth and legend.  The Wanderer gave me a Rasputin vibe too.

 

Ha!  Love it!

 

I agree with the first bold part.  Ragnar convinced Lagertha to stay home during the first raid.  He used logic - the kids, fears of the Earl taking over the farm with both of them away.  He used humor - you lead the raid and I'll stay home with the kids knowing full well both knew his crew wouldn't accept that set-up.  He didn't get upset when Lagertha nearly killed him showing him her shield maiden stuff until young Bjorn intervened.  Bjorn should have learned and found a way to protect Porunn from her need to prove herself because a baby is also involved.  And not only did that put all three at risk but Bjorn was distracted from the bigger aspects of the battle and could well have let comrades die by running off to Porunn's side.

 

As to the second point. Sometimes myth and legend ARE history and reality.  Not even everyone today accepts modern day western historical methods.  It is just the latest craze as to what is true or not linked to this "modern era" only so far.  Maybe craze is going to far.  But maybe not too.  We forget sometimes we might not know true reality either.  We use our 5 senses and the mind and technical instruments that simulate the same and leave reality just at that level "scientifically" speaking.  But is that all that is real?

 

Not so much back then.  Back then the reality may well be what skeptics in the modern era think of as legend and myth.  But who is to say what reality is in the long run.  Perhaps it is simply what we perceive in any culture and time frame and we are no different then anyone else in that our perceptions of what is real may be changed radically by future generations too.

 

Michael Hirst, the creator of this series, from the get go has taken us to live back in their era, not ours.  To see the world through their eyes, not ours.  Both Viking and English.  I really respect that he did this show this way.  So I accept totally their reality then.  As a result I think of it as valid a reality as we have now.  Just different than ours.

Edited March 7, 2015 by green

[Ohwell]

Back to Floki:  He is such a whiny little monkey.  If he was so upset about fighting for the Princess Krazypants and Ecbert, then why didn't he stay home and protect Helga and his child, and the others in Kattegut?  Maybe if he had stayed home, the Wanderer wouldn't be creeping people out.

 

Shut up, Floki!

[mla40]

Ragnar looks puffy in the face, I don't like it.

I love that the Vikings all look so happy and at peace to go to Valhalla.

[SherriAnt]

I kind of think Athelstan is an agnostic leaning towards Norse gods rather than Christian.

[Perfect Xero]

Athelstan isn't agnostic IMO, he's a polytheist who believes that the Christian and Norse gods both exist.

 

I think that Ecbert is very likely agnostic or atheist who pays lip service to being Christian for political reasons.

 

That's why the episode started with him being all, "Hey, this new plow will help your harvest, by allowing you to turn over the soil and mix fertilizer in. Science is cool!

 

And then it ended with Lagartha being all, "Oh, sure that plow might help, but you know what else will help? Slaughtering an animal and having its blood poured all over me while I beseech a magic super-being to have sex with the Earth!"

 

Then Athelstan went to join in. That look on Ecbert's face was just, "Oh shit, these people actually genuinely believe this stuff, they don't think it's all just weird stories."

[pasdetrois]

Laughing at the real housewives schtick - RHOK.

 

 

Helga and Aslaug just seemed completely enamored/captivated by him.

 

Like another poster, I was reminded of Monty Python...when the knight showed up at the convent and was swarmed by sexually frustrated nuns.

 

Bjorn is physically massive. So when Ragnar was berating him I was thinking "ya big loot."

 

Loved the looks amongst the men as they allowed stricken Torstein to confront the soldiers. They knew they were seeing him alive for the last time.

 

The princesses are seriously miscast. Aslaug resembles a NYC fashion model (especially the perfect makeup and hair), Crazy Pants is, well, Crazy Pants, and the timid married one annoys me.

[Captanne]

I've never liked Aslaug's casting.  I asked earlier but got no response yet -- does anyone understand or know why Athelstan is leading Judith on?  Just saying, "He has a functioning penis" is not a good enough answer.  In fact, it's lazy and slightly offensive.

 

Any ideas why?  Did I miss an ulterior motive?  It certainly cannot be because she's alluring because -- holy cats, she's dull as dishwater.

[SingleMaltBlonde]

I've never liked Aslaug's casting.  I asked earlier but got no response yet -- does anyone understand or know why Athelstan is leading Judith on?  Just saying, "He has a functioning penis" is not a good enough answer.  In fact, it's lazy and slightly offensive.

 

Any ideas why?  Did I miss an ulterior motive?  It certainly cannot be because she's alluring because -- holy cats, she's dull as dishwater.

I think Athelstan is an innocent....I think he is playing in the shallow end with the Princess because she isn't a threat (let's be honest a threesome with Lagetha and Ragnar is the deep end).  I don't htink he realizes he's leading her on.

[Captanne]

Really?  He looks like he's leading her on to me.  Especially when he sidled over to her, both of them nude, in the bath, reached behind her for the wine and then brought it back to himself.  

 

That is not a man unaware of his space and his presence in hers.

[SingleMaltBlonde]

I think Athelstan is just figuring out his sexuality....he knows he's getting a reaction but I don't really think he knows what to do with it? 

 

During his era people didn't have a lot of choices and he's ended up in a place where he has a lot of them.  Monks were not people with a calling but kids sent off to serve, perhaps because of an apptitude.  He accepted his position (including his celebacy) but with getting taken and going Viking and now having Eckbert and Ragnar battling over him maybe he's feeling his oats?

 

 

[Captanne]

He's feeling his oats all right! I'm just not clear on the motivation. (It doesn't help that she's such a nuthin'.)

[Perfect Xero]

My theory: Constantly hanging out with Largatha for the past couple of episodes has made Athelstan horny.

[Captanne]

Loll! Marvelous answer.

I still think it's OTC for such a serious-minded monk/pagan in a state of theological confusion.

Edited March 9, 2015 by Captanne

[benteen]

Back to Floki:  He is such a whiny little monkey.  If he was so upset about fighting for the Princess Krazypants and Ecbert, then why didn't he stay home and protect Helga and his child, and the others in Kattegut?  Maybe if he had stayed home, the Wanderer wouldn't be creeping people out.

 

Shut up, Floki!

 

Because she was too nice!  Or some ridiculous crap like that...

 

Ragnar gave them all the choice and Floki chose to go to Mercia.  He has nothing to complain about.

[LilWharveyGal]

 I wonder if since she was a slave up until a year ago her reaction to everything now is "You're not the boss of me!" 

 

That certainly explains her new 'do.

 

Everyone:  Sorry, Thorunn, but that style's not really working for you.

Thorunn:  Shut up!  (feverishly braiding more loops) I'll show you!  You're not the boss of me!

[The Kings Foot]

Athelstan deserves better for what will presumably be his first time.

 

 

His first time was with Siggy's daughter in Season 1. 

[green]

^  And after the time jump in Season 2 the first look we get of Athelstan in the long house was with a woman around each arm and joking about his way with women basically.  You get the idea that he particularly liked this aspect of his new Norse faith the most.

[Kalliste]

Shut your face Floki!

I also didn't have a problem with Ragnar getting angry at Bjorn for letting Thorunn fight while (possibly) pregnant. He should definitely have convinced her to stay behind as Ragnar did with Lagertha back in the beginning.

I was a bit surprised by the bath scene with Lagertha and Ecbert getting it on, I didn't really expect it to happen so quickly (if at all) and wondered if Ecbert had spiked the wine. Which would explain the moves Athelstan was putting on Judith. That lean over to get more wine was slick. I kind of hoped he'd go join Ecbert and Lagertha once Judith had flounced off.

I didn't know there was a scene cut that showed Athelstan losing his V plates. It's frustrating what they decide to cut from this show. 

[ThumperOG]

On 3/5/2015 at 11:08 PM, Eriu said:

Ugh, enough of this argument over whether or not a grown-ass woman is *allowed* to do what she wants. Yes, she's pregnant, and it wasn't the smartest of choices, but it should still be her choice to go raiding or not. And what was Bjorn gonna do to stop her? Tie her to a chair? Stand there and pout?

I also don't see why Ragnar was pissed. He said it himself: "we fight, we die, this is what we do".

I mean she said Bjorn can't stop her but physically yes he can he whooped her ass in the woods so he definitely can physically make her do anything. It's the way women think men are just going to sit there and let them talk lies like ofcourse Bjorn can stop you if he really wanted to. Thorunn just plays mindgames, she dropped that cup of ale near Bjorn on purpose so he would notice her, then act like she doesn't deserve the attention. So annoying.

She is carrying Bjorns child she isn't alone in the decision making upon what is to be allowed to harm his child. Yes she's a woman but she only has the incubator to mold the fetus into a child but the child comes from Bjorns seed. A baby comes from a man. So she cannot decide by herself what is to be allowed to happen to the child.

Edited November 6, 2022 by ThumperOG

[ThumperOG]

I swear was lagertha that blind to the intentions Ecbert had for having her stay behind? Did she really not know why he stared at her more than at anyone or anything else? When she's where she is earl she let's anyone touch her body or stare at her. When she's with Ragnar she's a bitch, oh but when she's with Ecbert she's a 10 year old child who's never seen a bathtub before. Oh and whe she's sacrificing an animal she's back to being a bitch with experience and enough knowledge to know enough to be able to tell what's what. Yet put her in a room with ecbert and she's back to being a 10 year old who doesn't know what it's like when a man is trying to bang her, splashing water saying shit like its so big! Hehe hoho hihi. Judith doing the same shit Thorunn does. Play mindgames with Athelstan saying she fantasized sleeping with him then when she's naked saying it's wrong and leaves. When she asked to see Athelstans scars on his hands he said no and she forcibly grabbed his hands to see them Oh but remove one of her ears and she balls up her hair to hide that. Why don't you let some random man go in to see and kiss your missing ear area or what does she think it's a one way street. That only women can say no and her decision be respected? So men who say no don't have to be respected for their decision? They make me hate their portayel of women.