S03.E07: Paris

[Shermie]

I don't find the blond women - Lagertha, Helga, Porunn - look alike at all, other than having the same hair colour. And isn't it just as offensive to say "all blonde women look alike" as it is to say "all black men look alike"? I mean, really. Same for the brunette women.

After all, you might as well say all the men look alike, they all have beards and unkempt hair, after all.

That said, if Porunn is ashamed of her scarred face, maybe she should stop shaving all her off on that side. Her long hair covers her good side.

Riddley Walker, I find your speculation intriguing.

I do hope this show, and Fimmel especially, receive some Emmy love this year.

[RiddleyWalker]

I saw some interesting comments on another recap site mentioning that Porunn seems to be suffering from postpartum depression and PTSD. I think that's very likely and it explains my confusion, irritation and frustration with the character completely and is very much the reaction that I expect a person IRL suffering from this would experience from those around them. 

 

I have to applaud the writers and the show for this portrayal (if this is what they are,indeed, portraying) as it is is far more realistic and subtle than the usual portrayals of psychiatric illness on TV with big red flags saying "PSYCH CASE". 

 

What was the understanding of mental illness in Viking culture? I doubt it was very helpful and I'm now very worried about Porunn and her baby...

Edited April 4, 2015 by RiddleyWalker

[bandella]

So I've been doing some reading (thanks, Wiki!) and am a little puzzled. This can't be Charles the Fat (heh), can it? But he was supposed to have been the head honcho in Paris at the time of the first Viking raid, not Charles the Bald. Hmm. But Charles the Fat was also apparently seen as ineffectual and not a very great leader, which did come across a bit in this episode. He seemed awfully wishy-washy and easily influenced. 

 

As someone pointed out back on the first page, I'm guessing that "not the living, but the dead will conquer Paris" refers to those oh-so-delightful siege tactics of hurling dead bodies over city walls to spread disease among the enemy population until they either died off or surrendered. Is it too soon to hope Floki's one of those flung over the wall? 

 

Or there's also a twist I find even more interesting: what if "the dead" refers to Athelstan--and, more broadly, his faith? I highly doubt Ragnar's converted to Christianity, but as this show's so fond of drawing parallels between him and Ecbert, he is absolutely not above using Christianity to his advantage. If he wanders up wearing a cross and a (partially) shaved head reminiscent of a monk, along with the robes Athelstan wore when they first met, the Parisians are more likely to consider talking than just killing him outright. That might also explain why Ragnar asked Athelstan to forgive him not for what he had done, but for what he was about to do when putting on the cross. 

 

Also very intrigued with Pri--Queen Krazypants and her mystery baby that just showed up. I'm not buying that the kid's hers, though with the weird time jumps on this show, I suppose it's possible. Definitely not buying that it's Ragnar's kid in any case. 

[jnymph]

I thought I was going to miss Athelstan too much to enjoy this episode. Happily I was wrong - seems this show is rarely letting me down.

The opening shot of Ragnar staring down Floki was great!

Other great shots:

•Ragnar looking down on Paris holding Athelstans cross.

• Queen krazypants's digs suited her krazyness- so quirky!

• the long shot of everything prepped for the raid w/Floki standing on one of the platforms doing his Floki-isms

•princess whatshername in the candle lit church was beautiful - loved the looks on people's faces

• yummy shirtless Rollo !!

Usually I don't pick up on these things; but watching Porunn & her weirdness my brain immediately went to postpartum. I still don't care about her, although her "V" for Viking scar suits her. I like it.

The war planning commission reminded me much of a meeting I had at work today. They had cooler chairs though.

Edited April 4, 2015 by jnymph

[green]

I don't find the blond women - Lagertha, Helga, Porunn - look alike at all, other than having the same hair colour. And isn't it just as offensive to say "all blonde women look alike" as it is to say "all black men look alike"? I mean, really. Same for the brunette women.

 

I think this was brought up because some viewers, including me, didn't figure out who Bjorn might be talking to early on in that one scene since the woman looked a bit like Helga. Turned out it was Torvi.  Also turns out the actors playing those two women are sisters in real life.  So yeah some blonde women do look alike.

 

Nor is it offensive or prejudice in any way shape or form to not be able to figure out secondary characters who share major biological markers on a TV show on the fly.  You have to be able to have something stand out for these secondary and even tertiary characters so they don't meld in with others of somewhat similar looks. 

 

If there are two tertiary characters that have different hair color or skin color it makes it easier for the audience to remember who is who in their less than a minute or so in passing appearance in any given episode.  (These characters don't sit still like for a portrait while we stop to look them up on ye olde Viking roster sheet after all).  That's just common sense as well as how the human brain has been shown to work.

 

To this day I couldn't tell Eric and Leif and even Thorstein (who lasted a lot longer) apart on the fly.  But One Eye with his, well, one eye and his darker, shorter hair I could always spot.  Again it's our biology to sort people looking at the obvious first.  So gender, race, hair color are primary markers and dramatists of all stripes usually use that to help set characters apart for the audience.  Nothing offensive about that.

Edited April 4, 2015 by green

[LittleIggy]

I was glad Lagertha shouted down Kalf at that council. Upstart prick.

[caprice]

Shirtless Rollo! Thank you.

King Ecbert just keeps rockin' it.

I'm happy with every moment of Shirtless Rollo.

"I was taking a bath." Wow, must have been some bath! ;-)

It all depends on your bath time toys....

"The walking stick Ragnar was using now does add to showing his aging though."  Without any special aging make-up Fimmel sells it that he has aged since we first met him (as a contrast see Jeremy Piven in Mr Selfridge, although at least a decade has passed in that show Piven seems to be preserved in aspic.)  To be honest I was only vaguely aware of Fimmel as an "underwear" model, but the dude can act.

I honestly hadn't registered the walking stick or any methods of aging Ragnar. I must've been distracted by Shirtless Rollo. Still, that really speaks to how well Fimmel is portraying the character and how time is passing. Bravo!

[RiddleyWalker]

 

 The walking stick Ragnar was using now does add to showing his aging though. 

 Oh boy, I hate to disagree, @Green, but I don't think the point of the walking stick (and his monkish clothing) has anything to do with age. I think this is totally an homage to Athelstan and, perhaps, part of a ruse to infiltrate Paris as a monk. I may be wrong on this point, but I doubt it. In a season or two they may need Fimmel to play old, but not at his point.

Edited April 4, 2015 by RiddleyWalker

[VillaVillekulla]

Praise the gods for shirtless Rollo.

 

Also, Floki, about that snake and that mouse Ragnar was fiddling with -- guess which one you are, friend.

[Lillybee]

Since Porunn was introduced as a slave, I thought that she was a captive from some Viking raid, perhaps Ireland. I think that explains why she gave her baby to Ragnar's wife. She said that she wanted her daughter to be Viking. I believe that she feels inferior to those of true Viking blood.

[Captanne]

I don't understand Porunn at all.  I'm not sure that's because I haven't been critically watching -- I don't think she's been explained very clearly which brings in comments by Lillybee and green.  Lilly makes a good point about confusion when it comes to Porunn's arrival/ancestry (I was baffled by the "true Viking" comments about the daughter) and green mentions that secondary and tertiary characters "on the fly" can be ill defined as well as not well paid-attention-to by those of us who aren't hanging on every word of every player.

 

I like Porunn and I get the postpartum depression (I think, if that's what it's supposed to be?)  And it's kind of cool the show would be dealing with that.  (To demonstrate that it confuses the men and sort of annoys the women -- "Women's lot is hard; deal with it" is essentially what Aslaug told her.)

 

It's odd, I didn't miss Athelstan this episode because he was present -- as Floki said, "As long as you wear his cross, he's present."  (Also, cross or not, his name came up in almost every single on-going plot line from Ecbert and Alfred to Floki and Helga.)

 

ETA:  This has to be one of the coolest shows on television.  I've not watched Game of Thrones (because I'm an old GRR Martin fan but, after trying the first three, it just didn't capture my attention.  That's not to say it won't someday but just not now.  Vikings is SO much more fascinating, imo.  I think that's because I'm older and want to see some reality in the historic basis rather than straight-up fantasy.  I don't know but that sounds good.)

Edited April 4, 2015 by Captanne

[pasdetrois]

 

There's been very little Lagertha in the last two episodes. I'm a little surprised, knowing how popular she is.

The show's weakness is how it treats the female characters, with the exception of Lagertha and Siggy.  I think it has to do with acting prowess. The various princesses are not pulling off their characters with any authenticity; they just seem like random actresses to me.

 

As someone posted, it would be so easy for Travis Fimmel to overplay his role - to make it cartoonish and broad. He nails it week after week and I enjoy it immensely.

 

Agree that the costumes are evolving to reflect exposure to other cultures, and it's brilliant.

Edited April 4, 2015 by pasdetrois

[green]

 Oh boy, I hate to disagree, @Green, but I don't think the point of the walking stick (and his monkish clothing) has anything to do with age. I think this is totally an homage to Athelstan and, perhaps, part of a ruse to infiltrate Paris as a monk. I may be wrong on this point, but I doubt it. In a season or two they may need Fimmel to play old, but not at his point.

 

But Athelstan never ever used a walking stick and Ragnar is now middle aged by our times and bordering on or actually old by 800's times when people didn't live anywhere near as long.  So I'm sorry but I can't see a walking stick having anything to do with Athelstan or monks in general.  But it is always fine to agree to disagree.  Wouldn't be fun here otherwise.

[RiddleyWalker]

But Athelstan never ever used a walking stick and Ragnar is now middle aged by our times and bordering on or actually old by 800's times when people didn't live anywhere near as long.  So I'm sorry but I can't see a walking stick having anything to do with Athelstan or monks in general.  But it is always fine to agree to disagree.  Wouldn't be fun here otherwise.

Too true!  

I just see the stick as a pilgrim's staff, perhaps, and the whole shaving the head, monkish clothing and wearing the cross as part of his assuming the role of a pseudo-christian pilgrim as a sort of proxy for  Athelstan who is not able to make the pilgrimage to Paris. I don't think we'll see him continue to use the staff after the Paris episodes.  I guess we'll see...

[SingleMaltBlonde]

I 

 

But Athelstan never ever used a walking stick and Ragnar is now middle aged by our times and bordering on or actually old by 800's times when people didn't live anywhere near as long.  So I'm sorry but I can't see a walking stick having anything to do with Athelstan or monks in general.  But it is always fine to agree to disagree.  Wouldn't be fun here otherwise.

 

Ragnar seems to be aging but Rollo is looking better...so I do wonder if it's a ruse?

 

Edited April 4, 2015 by SingleMaltBlonde

[Ankai]

So is Porunne or whatever her name is not a Viking? She said she wants her kids to be Vikings.

Don't take this as the truth, since I don't know for certain, but she could be referring to being one of the people going raiding and bringing back treasure, not simply being Norse. Those who know more than I say that they did not call themselves Viking the way that we cal them Vikings now.

[LittleIggy]

I know Ecbert, like Ragnor, had a guy crush on Athelstan, but I don't get why he treats baby Alfred like his grandson. Kings were all about continuing their bloodlines and Alfred is not of his blood.

[Babalooie]

1.  I thought that Viking simply means Pirate.

 

2.  Could this King Charles be Charles the Simple?  He sure acts like it.

[Captanne]

LittleIggy, I think Ecbert is so hepped up on Little Alfred because he's Athelstan's son and Ecbert, aside from everything else, is a true believer.  

 

Didn't he actually allude to that in the last episode when he was ordering her ear cut off?  She announced Athelstan's name and Ecbert stopped the torture session immediately.  He was in awe that Alfred is Athelstan's.  I think he literally said that but I'm not good enough to find the youtube evidence.

[RiddleyWalker]

I know Ecbert, like Ragnor, had a guy crush on Athelstan, but I don't get why he treats baby Alfred like his grandson. Kings were all about continuing their bloodlines and Alfred is not of his blood.

I see that too, and Ecbert's reception of Alfred is not what we would normally see from a ninth century English king, but I think Hirst has drawn a character that would set aside continuing his bloodline if it suits his purposes. Ecgbert certainly had a guy crush on Athelstan, but his real loves are art and power and, at the root of it all, his desire to pass on a legacy that might approach that of the Romans he is so in awe of. I think his hope is that Alfred will have the intellectual gifts to bring that about. It's certainly not going to come to pass with Aethelwulf no matter what his other good and useful qualities might be. 

 

And I agree with @Captanne, Ecgbert is in awe and enraptured that Alfred is Athelstan's son, though I'm not sure that it's because he's a true believer.

Edited April 4, 2015 by RiddleyWalker

[Captanne]

I'm totally in on the "art and power" motivation, RiddleyWalker.  

 

Maybe I'm naive, but I think there was a lot to be said for the religion, though.  I'm not exactly sure why there was such an emphasis on the afterlife (maybe because their lives were so short and miserable most of the time?  If it wasn't tooth ache or broken bones or just general shittiness, it was the plague.  Not a whole lot of light in that life.)

 

Also - in that age, religion was both art and power.

[jnymph]

It's odd, I didn't miss Athelstan this episode because he was present -- as Floki said, "As long as you wear his cross, he's present."

)

I love this.

That's probably why I didnt miss him as well ... Floki was right ..... Athelstans presence was there.

ETA;

Upon rewatching; just heard Judith say to Ecbert "So strange. As though he's here talking to us now". Then seems like Juduth & Ecbert got all mutually hot discussing their beloved. Hee :)

Edited April 5, 2015 by jnymph

[bandella]

Don't take this as the truth, since I don't know for certain, but she could be referring to being one of the people going raiding and bringing back treasure, not simply being Norse. Those who know more than I say that they did not call themselves Viking the way that we cal them Vikings now.

This is true. Vikings =/= Norse. "Viking" was a specific term for those who went raiding or just journeyed to other places. 

 

Ragnar is now middle aged by our times and bordering on or actually old by 800's times when people didn't live anywhere near as long. 

Not to be that person, but the idea that everyone died in their 30s and that 40 was ancient in Ye Olden Tymes is actually a fallacy. The average age in various periods is always lower because it takes into account infant and childhood mortality, both of which were very high. But it really wasn't that unusual for people to live relatively long lives.

 

That said, though, you're actually kinda right in this particular instance, as the average life expectancy for a viking warrior was...not great, nor was it even desired. Dying in old age of natural causes, while not precisely "shameful," was still seen as much less desirable than dying in battle with a weapon in your hand. 

 

My immediate reaction to the walking stick was to think it's part of the, "Don't kill me! I'm totally a monk!" ruse, but I really like the idea that it's instead (or perhaps also) meant to show that a lot of time has passed since season one and that Ragnar isn't a young upstart anymore. 

[Lugal]

Floki, those whom gods destroy and all. Seriously, Ragnar's smart, it isn't hard to figure out what happened to Athelstan.  Or who did it.

 

I didn't think the walking stick was to show Ragnar's age when I saw it, but I can totally see it (and the beard, beards will add ten years to a man). Didn't he take an arrow in the leg in season one when Earl Haraldsson raided his farm?  I didn't think the monk look was a disguise, as Ragnar doesn't speak Old French, and the show's been pretty good with the languages.  And Old French would have been much harder for him to learn than Old English.

 

Fortunately the Princesses of the Brown Hair Circle don't hang out together much.  The Frankish one speaks with this show's version of a Frankish accent, the Northumbrian one is missing an ear and the Mercian one is batshit crazy.  I think I will be able to keep them straight.

Just had to quote that.  Looking forward to see Gisla and Rollo interacting.

 

Ecbert, still a magnificent bastard, although I often think of Mel Brooks when I see him: "It's good to be the king"  I loved his "We'll tie her to four horses and rip her apart, or something like that but we're still good Christians."  I think he knows any son of Athelstan will be a worthy ruler, and we've seen Ecbert is not overly tied to anything, whether it's Christianity or his own bloodline.  It's whatever gets the job done and benefits him.

 

I like Kwenthrith, she's crazy but not stupid.  She knows the settlement is destroyed and she's trying to tie herself to Ragnar, with Ecbert and Aelle on either side of her.  Nice touch that Athelwulf didn't drink until after he saw Kwenthrith drink, although she barely sipped and then she helped him down the whole cup.  You should be more careful, Athelwulf.

[RiddleyWalker]

I'm totally in on the "art and power" motivation, RiddleyWalker.  

 

Maybe I'm naive, but I think there was a lot to be said for the religion, though.  I'm not exactly sure why there was such an emphasis on the afterlife (maybe because their lives were so short and miserable most of the time?  If it wasn't tooth ache or broken bones or just general shittiness, it was the plague.  Not a whole lot of light in that life.)

 

Also - in that age, religion was both art and power.

I've been thinking about what you wrote, and I have to agree about the importance of religion in that time--and really,  ours as well. I don't think Ecgbert is merely using Christianity to advance his plans, but conversion of the Pagans etc. is not high on his "to do" list. I think he looks at his religion -Christianity- much as Ragnar looks at his gods-Odin, Loki, Thor etc. Both of them look beyond the received dogma and prejudices, but I wouldn't call either of them unbelievers.

 

I think it's interesting that Ecgbert associates Rome with paganism so strongly when the Romans were christianized in Britain in the 3rd and 4th centuries. My suspicion it that Ecgbert may be looking (given his ignorance) at England becoming a Christian Rome.

Edited April 5, 2015 by RiddleyWalker

[SingleMaltBlonde]

I know Ecbert, like Ragnor, had a guy crush on Athelstan, but I don't get why he treats baby Alfred like his grandson. Kings were all about continuing their bloodlines and Alfred is not of his blood.

This is a real stretch of a thought but could Ecbert be the "real daddy"?  He drugged her or something?  That would explain why he was encouraging her to hook up with Athelstan.  I get the crush on Athelstan but letting someone make a fool of your son publically and even if he was cool having someone in his line of succession that wasn't related could lead to an unstable monarchy.

[Ohwell]

Didn't he actually allude to that in the last episode when he was ordering her ear cut off?  She announced Athelstan's name and Ecbert stopped the torture session immediately.  He was in awe that Alfred is Athelstan's.  I think he literally said that but I'm not good enough to find the youtube evidence.

This is what confuses me because who else's child could it be but either Athelwulf's or Athelstan's?  Ecbert gave no indication that he thought Judith was having an affair with anyone else but Atlelstan.  I guess I don't understand why he would want her to say Athelstan's name out loud.  

[justawatcher]

He needed her to say the name aloud because only then could he proclaim it a holy birth, etc. He certainly knew who the babydaddy was but he couldn't be the one to say it because then he would be seen as condoning it. It had to come from Judith.

[VillaVillekulla]

That's what I got from it, too -- he absolutely knew before Judith said anything that Alfred was Athelstan's, but she had to be the one to admit it and say it out loud. I'm sure he had that whole 'revelation' planned in advance, that once she fessed up to who Alfred's father really is, he would act all surprised and shocked and then deliver his little speech about how Athelstan is a holy man, this is the work of a higher power, etc. Ecbert is always up to something. I'm not quite sure what he's up to vis-a-vis Judith and Alfred yet, but something.

 

As an aside, my mom (who also watches the show) can never remember Athelstan's name, exactly, and has taken to calling him Applestand. It amuses me greatly.

[Captanne]

Also, Ecbert was flirting with Judith himself, I swear.  I wasn't the only one to notice that, right?

[rozen]

This is a real stretch of a thought but could Ecbert be the "real daddy"?  He drugged her or something?  That would explain why he was encouraging her to hook up with Athelstan.  I get the crush on Athelstan but letting someone make a fool of your son publically and even if he was cool having someone in his line of succession that wasn't related could lead to an unstable monarchy.

 

I had been wondering if Ecbert had been cuckholding his son the whole time, and Athelstan was just a convenient cover. With his fascination with self-flagellation and sex issues, Aethewulf desperately needs some other outlet for his aggression. Or he's going to be the kind of king who crucifies everyone who doesn't to go mass twice a day because that's the only way he can get his rocks off. Hopefully, Kwenthrith will show him another outlet for The Crazy.

 

That's some stone cold political maneuvering from Ragnar. Everything you do is in the name of the God? Ok, bro, go siege one of the most well-fortified cities we've ever seen, using tech we've never tried, and see what the "Gods" have to say for you. I do worry that Floki will doing something crazy if he loses, like sacrifice Helga. I love how Floki went from raging and defiant after killing Athelstan, to a little kid waiting for his whupping when he's with Ragnar. 

 

I feel like if someone doesn't take Bjorn's daughter, Porunn is going to end up jumping into the ice lake with both of them so she can be done already. 

Edited April 5, 2015 by rozen

[Ohwell]

He needed her to say the name aloud because only then could he proclaim it a holy birth, etc. He certainly knew who the babydaddy was but he couldn't be the one to say it because then he would be seen as condoning it. It had to come from Judith.

Ok, thanks for the explanation.  Ecbert is such a tricky, oily bastard that sometimes I don't understand his motives.   

[RiddleyWalker]

 

Ecbert, still a magnificent bastard, although I often think of Mel Brooks when I see him: "It's good to be the king"  I loved his "We'll tie her to four horses and rip her apart, or something like that but we're still good Christians."  I think he knows any son of Athelstan will be a worthy ruler, and we've seen Ecbert is not overly tied to anything, whether it's Christianity or his own bloodline.  It's whatever gets the job done and benefits him.

 

Yes! I mentioned on the other "Speculation" thread about Ragnar being the epitome of the "Magnificent Bastard," but Ecbert is certainly one as well.  Two "Magnificent Bastards" on one show--that's hard to top! 

[raven]

Linus Roache as Ecbert is fun to watch, but give a choice between that and Ragnar/Floki, there is no contest - more of the latter, please.  The stare off at the beginning, the mouse/snake and the siege planning - with Ragnar watching over everything - were tremendous to watch.  Ragnar knows exactly what he's doing, exactly who killed Athelstan and who he needs for a successful invasion of Paris.  Floki's reckoning is coming. 

 

 

Floki is just so much fun to watch. His facial expressions match perfectly with what he's saying. Acting is exceptional.

ITA.  He transforms so easily from zealot,  to uneasy/unsure, to defiant, to exultant.  I can't be sure what he's going to do next.

 

I loved the scene where Ragnar, shirtless Rollo (yay), Lagertha, et al stride through the woods to see what Floki's built; everyone looks impressed except Ragnar, who just squints and asks if everything's ready.  Floke waving his arms conductor-like on the platform was mesmerizing IMO; the musical score is always on point.

 

I don't think Ragnar needs the walking staff - at one point he holds it over his head and drags it along a ladder I think - he didn't look like he's having trouble walking to me at all.  Maybe he just found a hiking staff he liked heh.

 

I also enjoyed Lagertha's verbal smackdown of Kalf.  I hope a physical one is coming from her to him soon.

 

Though it was nice to see that Aethelwulf stand up for himself, the Kwenthrith storyline leaves me cold.  Back to Ragnar and company please.

Edited April 6, 2015 by raven

[Haleth]

I'm not at all interested in Queen Krazypants or Prince Aethelwolf so I think way too much of the episode was focused on them and not the Vikings. I hope it leads somewhere. That said I laughed out loud at Ecbert's speech about what they would do to Krazypants, i.e. tear her apart (glances at bishop) "or something like that." Crosses self like a good Christian. But please, Eckie, leave your DIL alone.

Ragnar so knows Floki killed Aethelstan and is plotting a delicious revenge.

And there is never enough shirtless Rollo.

[Shanna]

Shirtless Rollo! .

This show knows how to give me what I want apparently which is more rollo! Preferably shirtless. Happy about the Paris developments.

And yes, Ragnar is totally setting Floki up. But those floating ladders were funny.

I would say more but history is a spoiler right?

Why was helga on this raid?

[patchwork]

I think Ragnar likes the theatric potential of a walking stick, it can make him seem weaker than he truly is like he needs it to help him walk, it's a weapon hidden in plain sight and you get to use it for dramatic gesturing! 

 

More seriously I think it's part of his plan to a)get revenge on Floki b)raid Paris. I'm not sure what the plan is there but Ragnar's moments of Magnificent Bastardy are what makes me like the character despite his douchiness towards the women in his life.

[bandella]

I think Ragnar likes the theatric potential of a walking stick, it can make him seem weaker than he truly is like he needs it to help him walk, it's a weapon hidden in plain sight and you get to use it for dramatic gesturing! 

Speak softly and carry a big stick. Ragnar just happens to take that literally.

[jnymph]

Why was helga on this raid?

This bothered me so much.  Why isn't she back home with the other Real Housewives of Kattegut?  And where is their daughter?  With Aslaug?  Poor Aslaug has all these kids to care for AND has to deal with messy Porunn on her own, now that Siggy is gone.  

 

Speak softly and carry a big stick. Ragnar just happens to take that literally.

THANK you, for using the word literally correctly.   Makes me happy. (obviously my pet peeve is the phenomenon of mis/over use of that word these days.)

Edited April 6, 2015 by jnymph

[Captanne]

Perhaps Helga is here to represent Floki's descent into madness?  How would we know if we only had his spastic body movements to tell us?  We need her here to be his punching (strangling) bag.  *yawn*

 

But seriously, I think the encampment showed a much more village-like, semi-permanent setup than the later English raids.  Maybe more family members were along? Don't both Auslag (sp?) and Porunn have newborns to take care of?  (Auslag bore the child of Odin, yeah?  And Porunn is having postpartum depression and her child is still teeny.)

[Haleth]

Why was helga on this raid?

 

Doesn't every girl want to go to Paris?

[Amerilla]

So many nice little details in a fairly slow episode.

 

My heart just cracked for Helga, realizing what Floki has done and watching him spin off into deeper and deeper mania. It cracked a little more when Ragnar was standing on the bluff alone, looking at Paris and holding Athelstan's cross.

 

I was more fascinated this week by Wessex than Paris.

 

Unlike the endlessly whinging Porunn, Judith seems to be in survival mode - I can easily see her clinging to Ecbert because they are united though love of Athelstan, and because he provides the best chance of survival for her and for Alfred. You could almost see her running scenarios in her head after Ecbert gave her that very not-father-in-law-like kiss. 

 

Still hate Aethelwulf, and I wouldn't have minded if Queen Crazypants's guys had capped him, but I felt a twinge of sympathy for him. Dude's been openly cuckolded and forced by his overbearing father to raise this wife's bastard as his own child. Plus, he made it clear he knows his father would let him be killed if it served Ecbert's greater purpose. His life is no fun whatsoever right now.  

 

At the moment, I see it as an equal chance that:

a) Aethelwulf cracks like an egg and shivs Ecbert, or;
b) Ecbert has Aethelwulf taken out so he can marry Judith and raise Alfred as his own.

 

With the walking stick and the masks during the church scene, they feel to me like throw-away bits of symbolism..easy to overthink (as I've been doing), but maybe not all that important to the overall story.

 

Ragnar is dresssing like a monk and he's on a sort of pilgrimage; monks on pilgrimages would often use walking staffs, and historically that's part of early Christian/Catholic iconography. Since the monk attire and the wearing of the cross is All About Athelstan, I would not be surprised if it turned out the staff was from wood taken from near Athelstan's gravesite or something like that, which would combine Norse animism with Christian iconography.

 

I did some searching for anything on the wearing of masks in early French Catholicism, and haven't come up with anything conclusive yet. It may be that it was merely done to show that the Frankish/French Church was different/more opulent/more "advanced" than anything we're seen in Wessex. But if someone comes up with something better, please post it, because I'm fascinated!

[Babalooie]

I can only guess that Helga's presence will be crucial in the Ragnar vs. Floki grudge match throwdown.  She holds the confession secret and will possibly be pushed to reveal it when she tires of Floki's madness.  Hate to see a Skarsgard exit the show.

Interestingly, here's the younger brother Valter as an extra.

 

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CBcT9a8VEAAe1E2.jpg

Edited April 6, 2015 by Babalooie

[bandella]

I think Ragnar likes the theatric potential of a walking stick, it can make him seem weaker than he truly is like he needs it to help him walk, it's a weapon hidden in plain sight and you get to use it for dramatic gesturing! 

 

Hey, it worked for Gandalf at Edoras. It can work for Ragnar.

 

...that totally makes Floki Grima Wormtongue.

 

Why was helga on this raid?

I guess it was a camp wife thing? I have no idea if vikings did this, but women often went along with armies (and "armies") to serve as cooks, seamstresses, laundresses, etc. But it does seem weird that this is the first time we've seen her go along on a raid. I was going to say maybe it was because Paris is the farthest Ragnar's group has gone, but that doesn't make sense because it's basically the same distance as Wessex. 

[Captanne]

Hey!!  I called Floki "Wormtongue" ages ago.  :-)

[Haleth]

Maybe Helga decided that since Siggy was dead she didn't want to be stuck with Aslaug and mopey Porunn.

[Captanne]

Bandella -- it was during a discussion of Gollum and Floki's movements - although they are similar, I pointed out that the similarity ends there.  That's when it occurred to me that he's more like Grima Wormtongue. 

 

If only Brad Dourif played Floki.....sigh.  But, I do like the guy playing Floki, I just don't like his acting choices.  I mean I really really  don't like his acting choices.

 

Hey, tomato -- tomahto.  NBD.

[SingleMaltBlonde]

Hey, it worked for Gandalf at Edoras. It can work for Ragnar.

 

...that totally makes Floki Grima Wormtongue.

 

I guess it was a camp wife thing? I have no idea if vikings did this, but women often went along with armies (and "armies") to serve as cooks, seamstresses, laundresses, etc. But it does seem weird that this is the first time we've seen her go along on a raid. I was going to say maybe it was because Paris is the farthest Ragnar's group has gone, but that doesn't make sense because it's basically the same distance as Wessex. 

 

Maybe she's there as the Floki Whisperer?  Like Lassie or a racehorse has a companion to calm their nerves.

[Lugal]

 

I think Ragnar likes the theatric potential of a walking stick, it can make him seem weaker than he truly is like he needs it to help him walk, it's a weapon hidden in plain sight and you get to use it for dramatic gesturing!

Also kind of makes Ragnar a more odinnic character, a wanderer with his walking stick.  All he needs is a slouchbrimmed hat and an eyepatch... 

 

Which is kind of funny because Ragnar is very in character with Odin, a wise, calculating figure, while his son Bjorn parallels Thor, who is strong, straightforward and blunt.

[Captanne]

So, if Ragnar resembles Odin then maybe he shouldn't be pissed that Auslag fell for the god while Ragnar was overseas plundering?  Maybe he should be flattered!

Edited April 9, 2015 by Captanne