S03.E10: The Dead

[Tara Ariano]

In the Season 3 finale, Viking troops make one more daring effort to take Paris, and Ragnar requests a favor of Bjorn, one that could alter the course of Viking history.

[jnymph]

I can't believe it's the finale coming up already.   I'm so sad. 

 

At least we have confirmation of Season 4.

[Crackers]

I'm so bummed that tonight is the season finale! There is just not enough.

[jnymph]

Once again, my messed up schedule won't allow me to watch tonight.  I will have to DVR and watch tomorrow night....  (in the meantime I'll have to avoid this forum, I don't want to be spoiled)

 

Wish I had one of these to drink from whilst watching 

http://www.thehornstore.com/

 

 

Enjoy the finale tonight everyone !    I'm sure it will be phenomenal !  

[green]

Once again, my messed up schedule won't allow me to watch tonight.  I will have to DVR and watch tomorrow night....  (in the meantime I'll have to avoid this forum, I don't want to be spoiled)

 

Wish I had one of these to drink from whilst watching 

http://www.thehornstore.com/

 

 

Enjoy the finale tonight everyone !    I'm sure it will be phenomenal !  

 

Just remember Vikings always runs late so if you have a recording device that records by time rather than a "pass" or whatever it is called be forewarned to add extra recording time.  The show always runs 3 minutes late this season but who knows if it runs a bit longer for the finale. 

 

(Think that was the bit we kept getting edited out last two seasons cause of extra commercials on American TV.  Glad they ran it the extra few minutes this season).

Edited April 23, 2015 by green

[Straycat80]

Great finale! Wish this show was twice a year instead of once. Or have a longer season.

Count Odo has a red room like 50 shades of Grey? Okaaaay....

I knew Ragnar wasn't dead, he still looks like he's at deaths door though.

I didn't understand why they fought so hard to get into Paris only to sack it and then leave.

Oh Princess, if you don't want Rollo I'll gladly take him!

Can't wait for season four!

[bandella]

...dang. Odo's a freak.
 

Rollo's eulogy was so hilariously passive-aggressive. I loved it.
 

omgggg FLOKI STFU YOU WORTHLESS SLUG UGH
 

lolol I can't help it. Rollo killed me this episode. When Gisla started telling him off, he *knew* she was giving him what for. I think that's when he decided that, oh yes, if he can't have Lagertha, he might as well have another challenging, strong-willed woman to try to win over.

 

Good setup for the next season, but as a finale, it felt kinda...slow. I got spoiled by the last few episodes and epic raiding adventures, I guess. I don't wanna wait until 2016, though. :(

[Primetimer]

Still, Season 4 totally has romcom potential. Unless it doesn't!

Read the story

[Crackers]

Good heavens! I figured out most of the plot line before hand. Stupid Franks - who wouldn't look in the damn box. Looks like Rollo will have his hands full.

[MrsRafaelBarba]

Rollo got read for filth and liked it.

Count Lacefront reads Fifty Shades during his downtime.

Oh Ragnar, why didn't you shank Floki and toss him overboard?

[SingleMaltBlonde]

on the whole County Odo freak show....a prof in college once theorized that the french didn't have the same industrial revolution as the Brits because they had slower population growth in no small part because of interests in non procreative sex.  So the French have a long history of being freaks.

[Babalooie]

I felt sorry for Floki as he was speaking to the coffin.  Was Ragnar in it at that time?  It would have been hard for someone that ill to breathe inside there.

 

Will Ragnar survive?  Will Floki and Helga go to couples therapy?  Tune in next year to find out.  :/

Edited April 24, 2015 by Babalooie

[peridot]

This was kind of a strange finale.  I was half worried that Ragnar would die, either at his "real" death or when he opened the gates to the city.  Glad that didn't happen.

 

It's nice to see that Lagertha still loved Ragnar, although that might change after his stunt. Every time I see King Horik's son, it annoys the hell out of me.  He tries so hard to look tough, but it's ridiculous.

 

I was surprised they're filming the next season already, I thought it would begin this summer.  Next season can't come soon enough!

[benteen]

Great finale!  I loved the "night of the living Ragnar" moment in the church.  Gustaf was great in the coffin scene even though Floki was back to his "ME ME ME!" ways.  Sorry, Floki, you were usurped by Athelstan a long time ago.

 

Did love Rollo in the church at the end.  Great set-up for him next season.  I can't wait to see that.

 

Count Odo is a freak.  Okay...starting to wonder how he really lost that hand.

 

When they showed that footage afterwards of Bjorn with the bear and the words coming soon, I was hoping that meant more Vikings this year.  Alas it wasn't to be.  Can't wait for this show to return.  It gets better and better every year.

Edited April 24, 2015 by benteen

[RiddleyWalker]

Count Odo has a red room like 50 shades of Grey? Okaaaay....

 

Dang! I wanted to do the "50 Shades of Odo"joke first! (BTW, they didn't have a medieval type of Viagra did they?)

 

Great finale with twists I didn't expect. I anticipated the "Christian burial" ruse to get inside the city but hadn't anticipated Ragnar using that to gain a hostage. Unfortunately. the payoff for all that maneuvering was a bit underwhelming.

 

I loved Rollo's response to the Princess's incomprehensible (to him) tirade--"Hello?"

 

I'm worried about Ragnar at this point and have to admit it looks like he's handing off leadership to Bjorn and will be leaving soon. I don't know if I (or the show) can rebound from that. Some actors (looking at you Clive Standen and Alexander Ludwig) will really have to step it up to fill that void if it happens.

 

I'm really starting to like Princess Gisela, she has an off-beat attractiveness and her character's guts and fire make her someone I root for.

 

Can't wait for the next season!

[MrsRafaelBarba]

Still LOL @ how the Emperor caught the vapors and fainted.

[SingleMaltBlonde]

Since they condensed a couple of Paris raids into one here I don't see Ragnar and Rollo going toe to toe...with Rollo as the Duke of Normandy and his children ruling Paris Ragnar can count that as conquer and he can send his extra Vikings to Normandy to farm (if he thought Northumbria was nice...) besides this frees him up to deal with Eckbert and the settlement....Floki has to tell Lagertha in hopes of saving his own skin.

[magdalene]

Hello to you too, Rollo. 

 

I figured Ragnar had faked his death but not that only Bjorn was in on it. Cold, Ragnar, cold.

[BitterApple]

Huh. I was actually a little underwhelmed by the finale. I expected a mind-blowing final scene and I was left with "you killed Athelstan." Yeah, no shit Sherlock, everyone and their mother already knew that. And really? The Franks didn't suspect the Christian burial was a Trojan Horse set up? Come on, now.

[bandella]

Sigh. Gisla. Hon. Let's chat. No matter how "Independent Woman" you wanna be, let's face it: you were pretty much always destined to be married off to someone against your will. I realize Rollo has that scary pagan wolf-man thing going and all, but let's stand him up next to Odo. 

 

Do you see what a bullet you dodged?

[magdalene]

In comparison to Odo and his vintage sadism Rollo is Prince Charming. But of course Gisla doesn't know this.

Edited April 24, 2015 by magdalene

[Sakura12]

Princess Gisla you lucked out, Odo's a freak. He may be a bear but he doesn't have a torture room. I love that Rollo didn't understand a word of what she was saying but liked her assertiveness and was like, yeah I can go for this. 

 

I at first thought Ragnar was dead, then I saw the coffin and immediately thought Trojan Horse! I didn't like that Ragnar only trusted Bjorn with his plan, but he was right it did work and now he knows what everyone really thinks of him. Lagertha still loves him, Rollo is jealous of him and Floki killed Athelstan because he loves him. Now he can use all that for season 4.

 

Wishlist for season 4, Lagertha kicking more ass, she was really underused this season.  

[LittleIggy]

 

Wishlist for season 4, Lagertha kicking more ass, she was really underused this season.

Add to that wish list, much more shirtless Rollo (he had a shirt on this whole episode! :-() and more sexy foxy Ecbert!

My prediction for the next season: Rollo will pull that stick out of Princess Gisla's butt and she will sing "Sweet mystery of life, at last I've found you!"

[tennisgurl]

Ragnar, you magnificent bastard! You even had me fooled!

[thuganomics85]

When Odo was leading the lady into the dungeon, I made the obvious crack they were going 50 Shades of Odo on us.  And, then that's what totally happened.  Heh, did not see that coming.  Paris is showing itself to be an entertaining place.

 

Speaking of which, Rollo is sticking around, and the Emperor is forming an alliance with him, by offering him land, more riches, and Gisla.  Gisla isn't happy about that at all, but, hey, she has no idea that there are worst out there.  She's lucky she never had the honor of meeting Horik.  As for Rollo, his "Hello" at the end, complete with the big smile, was the best.  He really looked so happy that he learn out to say that in their language.  Oh, Rollo, you big lug.

 

Totally knew Ragnar was pulling a Trojan Horse of some kind on Paris.  They really should have made sure that casket had a lock on it.  He still looks like shit though, so who knows if he'll ever recover from that.  Interesting that he only told Bjorn, but left Rollo, Lagertha, and Floki in the dark.  Certainly made their reactions better. Liked the mourning scenes, and how they all acted.  Lagertha still has some kind of feelings for him, Rollo's admits he still resents him on some levels, and Floki is just so, so pissy, that Ragnar picked Athelstan over him.  Hee!

 

No time to check in on Ecbert and Wessex, I see.  I'm sure they'll be back though.

 

Kind of a quite finale.  Seemed more of a set-up for what is to come next season, with Ragnar letting Floki know he's on to him, and the idea we could end up with another Ragnar vs. Rollo scenario.  It was interesting, but it lacked the big moments of last season, when we find out Ragnar and the gang totally played Horik.  That was still a beautiful moment.

Edited April 25, 2015 by thuganomics85

[TiffanyNichelle]

I thought they were going to do it. I really thought they were going to have Ragnar die off screen without confronting Floki and without

the snake pit

. And even though part of me was hoping Ragnar had a plan (because he always has a plan) I was still surprised when he busted out of that coffin. It's a shame he didn't tell Lagertha. I can see why he didn't inform Rollo because even though Rollo has come to terms with Ragnar look at what he did at the end. Back to his old tricks again.

 

That ending with Ragnar telling Floki to his face that he knows was so satisfying.

 

ETA, what's up with the random kinky sex with Count Odo? So not needed.

Edited April 24, 2015 by TiffanyNichelle

[LittleIggy]

Ragnar made me laugh when he let go of the Princess, was all like "shoo, go," then gave her a push in the right direction.

[slf]

I'll be honest: I never cared about Athelstan. He was the male equivalent of the Bella Swan-type female characters that all the men drool over, inexplicably. I didn't find him charming or smart or adorably naive. He was well-educated but otherwise beige. I know I was supposed to be all "Oh SHIT!" when Ragnar said, "You killed Athelstan" but I just rolled my eyes. And then got mad that THAT was the last scene of the season. I genuinely do not care if Floki never pays for that, I do not care what Ragnar does about it, I don't miss Athelstan.

This show needs to stop wasting Lagertha.

I feel like the writers hadn't decided who they wanted Rollo to be when they had him rape that slave girl, and that's unfortunate, really. (And just to get this out there: Knut was a rapist and the show clearly took the position he was a villain and Lagertha was right to kill him.) Clive Standen is a good actor (I saw him previously in Camelot and liked him there as well) and if you hadn't watched the first season you'd have no reason to think Rollo is anything worse than a morally grey man struggling with being in his brother's shadow. He was actually great in this episode; his 'eulogy' made me laugh and his interaction with Gisla was the cute shit I assume my granny's Harlequins were made of. But as it stands? Odo may not actually be any worse than Rollo. Less attractive? Absolutely. But BDSM whipping ain't rape and I'm pretty sure that slave girl didn't have a safeword.

Ragnar's rise from the dead was fantastic but the payoff was a letdown. All of that for a minor raid? They looted the city a bit and we didn't even get to see it? Just a few dozen Vikings storming main street? Okay, show.

Edited April 24, 2015 by slf

[green]

I didn't understand why they fought so hard to get into Paris only to sack it and then leave.

 

 

That was about all they could do.  They can't conquer and hold land.  Too small a population for that and too many Franks to have to rule.  Plus this lot have never ruled anyone before.  It would be like the Bedouins in Damascus at the end of Lawrence of Arabia.  Ruling a city is still beyond them at this point.  Especially one teeming with irate Christians.  Raiding is fun, ruling isn't.

 

I liked the three farewells to Ragnar.  Lagertha still has the hots for him and hopes they can have a rousing good time Viking-style in Valhalla if he can get a day pass from Athelstan's heaven, hah. 

 

Rollo is all yeah I envied you and thought you'd live longer.  Who knew.  Guess Odin.  Oh well everybody's got to die so whatever, bro.  Laters.  Gotta go dance naked on a beach somewhere. 

 

And Floki was all Tommy Smothers.  Mom always liked Athelstan best.  Loved the delivery of the line "Give Athelstan my regards!"  And he is still in the dog house with Helga. Ah, the poor Flokmeister was having a bad eye liner day.

 

"Odo, heard about your secret chamber.  Can I come over and play?  Yer new friend, Aethelwulf the Whipped."

 

Princess Gisla:  "I would never marry that filthy heathen ... rant ... dog ... vent ... unwashed pig ... rant ... not a piece of meat for him ... vent ... he disgusts me ... rant ... I vomit at his sight ... rant ... no soup for you!"

 

Rollo:  (proud of his linguistic command of one word and fascinated by her)  "Hello."

 

Not the grand finale style of Season 2 but I didn't think that could ever be topped.  I'll take Ragnar still alive and out thinking everyone around him in any finale though.  And poor Floki officially fingered and left hanging in fear until 2016.

 

Next season.  Snow!  A bear!  Davy Crockett ... err, Bjorn!  (About time we had some deep snow.  They are Vikings.  They do live in Scandinavia in the raiding off season.).

[DHDancer]

I expected more.  Did love Rollo's Hello.  Showing gothic vaulted ceilings in the French cathedral took me out of it (yelling anachronism!)

[magdalene]

 

and if you hadn't watched the first season you'd have no reason to think Rollo is anything worse than a morally grey man struggling with being in his brother's shadow.

I watched the first season and to me Rollo isn't anything worse than a flawed guy capable of both great bravery and loyality and generosity, and also capable of pretty shitty stuff on occasion. By the moral standards of his time and his society I think he is actually a pretty decent guy all things considered.  If this was a contemporary drama I would find Rollo's behavior in season 1 unforgivable but this is a historical drama about Vikings and their society. And that society had both free men and women and slaves. And those slaves didn't have any rights that we take for granted. That included the right to sexually refuse a free Viking man. That's awful but callously using a female slave for sex is IMO  hardly more awful than the other brutality and savagery done on this show since it began. Like the human sacrifice. And the blood eagling of enemies. And the slaughter of defenseless monks. All of those savage acts endorsed by our hero Ragnar. So, I do judge Rollo by the standards of his time and by those standards I can't condemn Rollo for one callous act.

 

About the finale - I think maybe part of the reason the Emperor was so quick to sell out his daughter to Rollo was that she had constantly shown him up in bravery and maybe he resented that on some level.

 

For Lagertha and Rollo it had to smart badly that Ragnar left them out of the loop. This also probably gave Rollo more incentive for accepting the hospitality and gifts of the Franks at the end.

 

Kalf and Horik's son lived through the season. I certainly never expected that.

Edited April 24, 2015 by magdalene

[whoknowswho]

I thought Ragnar knew all along that Floki had killed Athelstan? How or who did he think had done it if it wasn't Floki?

Second thing I noticed- but only because I'm Canadian, and this is a Canadian-Irish production- there's a mistake on the "Salut". "Salut" is a very informal French (Canadian) salutation, and one that's used amongst equals and friends, both as a hello and goodbye.

I would say "Salut" to a friend- but to my husband's mother I would say "Enchante de vous contaitre" (Pleased, or enchanted to meet you.) or "Bon Jour" (Good Day)

Perhaps it's also used in France, but surely not in the middle ages...

Count Odo- I never saw or read 50 shades of anything- but I immediately thought of the Marquis de Sade.

A bit underwhelming a finale...but Rollo was priceless with his charmed smile.

[David T. Cole]

History Channel: between season webisodes that take place in Ecbert's Hot Tub Planning Machine. Send royalty cheques ℅ Previously.TV, thanks.

[rozen]

Somehow, I feel it was in Ragnar's calculations to park Rollo's butt and have him take up the Emperor's offer. Ragnar quickly assessed that he is weak, and it was the daughter that would get compliance from the army/populace. Rollo wasn't going to feel sorry for his first round of betrayal forever, so better to offload him and 50 other Ragnar-doubters far away where they'll never be in his hair again. The way Bjorn hopped in to forbid Floki from staying makes me think Ragnar gave him that order, too. I loved Rollo realizing he was getting called everything but a child of god, but gamely going along with everything. Sorry Gisla, but the love of his life stared him dead in the eye and said she wasn't sure if she'd care if he died. Then left him an axe to crawl across the floor for if shit got too real. Nothing you can do is going to shake that man.

 

I dunno why, but the Emperor's deference to Odo and his obsession with weird masks made me wonder if he's a regular visitor to the Dom dungeon. It would be interesting if, for once, the mustache-twirling male deviant was a sub instead. "Interesting to break her," indeed. Go on to that camp, Gisla, this is by far the better bargain. 

 

Lagertha was soooo 0.20s away from pulling the mom card, but Bjorn quickly barrel rolled into "He's the King." You could see everyone in the room basically go, well goddamn it.

 

Now that Ragnar went and got himself baptized, I wonder if Aslaug will finally put her foot down. Floki is going to need someone to protect him once Ragnar can do anything other than piss blood.

[Ravenya003]

Aaaaah, so good. Not as good as the season two finale, but I don't think that'll ever be topped.

 

I saw Ragnar's Trojan Horse ploy coming a mile away and yet I STILL gasped when he jumped out the coffin.  Interesting that Bjorn was the only one he trusted with this... because then who chose his pall-bearers? Surely THEY must have been in on it too, as they immediately reached for the weapons that were hidden in the coffin. So did he decide not to let his trinity of closest allies (Lagertha, Rollo, Floki) in on the secret because he wanted to save them from the potential danger of the gambit OR because he wanted the chance to hear them say their goodbyes? Methinks it was probably the latter. 

 

I know reception on Gisla has been somewhat mixed, but I think she's great. She tried to take on Ragnar all by herself! With no weapons! Just out of instinct! That was awesome, as was the way she was vindicated over the Franks not wiping out the Northmen when they had the chance. 

 

I'm willing to chalk Rollo's first season rape scene down to Early Instalment Weirdness. It's a shame it happened, and I sometimes wonder if Michael Hirst regrets filming it, but it DID make me wonder if the otherwise pointless Fifty Shades of Count Odo scene was to let the audience know that despite past events Rollo was still a MUCH better match for Gisla.

 

And I genuinely laughed when Rollo reacts with delight with what is CLEARLY a stream of abuse. You can see the exact moment he falls in love with her. And interesting how no matter how far he comes, he still ends up in the same place: being asked/tempted to betray his brother. 

 

I was pretty satisfied with this finale, though it's going to be a long wait for season four.

[slf]

I watched the first season and to me Rollo isn't anything worse than a flawed guy capable of both great bravery and loyality and generosity, and also capable of pretty shitty stuff on occasion. By the moral standards of his time and his society I think he is actually a pretty decent guy all things considered.  If this was a contemporary drama I would find Rollo's behavior in season 1 unforgivable but this is a historical drama about Vikings and their society. And that society had both free men and women and slaves. And those slaves didn't have any rights that we take for granted. That included the right to sexually refuse a free Viking man. That's awful but callously using a female slave for sex is IMO  hardly more awful than the other brutality and savagery done on this show since it began. Like the human sacrifice. And the blood eagling of enemies. And the slaughter of defenseless monks. All of those savage acts endorsed by our hero Ragnar. So, I do judge Rollo by the standards of his time and by those standards I can't condemn Rollo for one callous act.

 

I get that to a point but this show tries to have it both ways. Aethelwulf killed a child when he attacked the Viking settlement and the show, through the way the scene was filmed (and the music, etc.), took the position: this guy is kind of villainous. Whereas Ragnar, Bjorn, etc., 'our' characters, have been shown to not kill little kids. Rollo, during the first season when he was being written as an antagonist and potential enemy for Ragnar, raped a slave girl- but he wasn't the only one. Knut did as well and he was also positioned by the show as a villain. Again, the show has not had Legendary Viking Warlord Ragnar commit rape and he's had plenty of opportunities. Floki was shown to be 'going over the edge' when he was manhandling Helga but, I'm just guessing here, that probably wasn't all that uncommon in Viking communities...so why use it the way they did? This show uses violence from that era, yes, but also uses modern tones and perspectives. Ragnar, who has killed people, hasn't killed children or raped women. Lagertha hasn't killed children (or raped anyone) either. Neither has Bjorn or the other 'good' characters. (Notice also how the show, thankfully, doesn't employ rape that often? Like, if it's really just there to be historically accurate then why have Rollo rape just once? Why have Ragnar never rape anyone?) And given that they do use a modern perspective (and it's not that people back then didn't appreciate what rape was, it's just that all the people who had a say in that system benefited from it; there are countless writings going back thousands of years that acknowledge rape for the atrocity it is) it's a little grating to me that shows like Vikings break out a rapist character that I'm meant to root for or sympathize with when, even in modern times, rape isn't taken that seriously; also adding to that, rape is a crime overwhelmingly committed by one group against another. Have a white character kill black characters? Okay. But...maybe don't expect me to root for the racist p.o.s.? Have a man rape a woman- rape exists, I'm not new to the world. But don't hand me a rapist and say: find him charismatic, root for him, want him to get this girl. Because: no. Again, it's the show's tone that's getting under my skin.

 

Everyone's got a line, though, right? This is just mine, I guess.

 

I dunno why, but the Emperor's deference to Odo and his obsession with weird masks made me wonder if he's a regular visitor to the Dom dungeon. It would be interesting if, for once, the mustache-twirling male deviant was a sub instead. "Interesting to break her," indeed.

 

Oh ew, lol. I did not need that mental image.

 

Somehow, I feel it was in Ragnar's calculations to park Rollo's butt and have him take up the Emperor's offer. Ragnar quickly assessed that he is weak, and it was the daughter that would get compliance from the army/populace. Rollo wasn't going to feel sorry for his first round of betrayal forever, so better to offload him and 50 other Ragnar-doubters far away where they'll never be in his hair again.

 

That's an interesting idea. I'd assumed Ragnar looking back at Rollo meant he was unsettled by his brother's choice, that maybe keeping him out of the loop had been a mistake. But this would be much cooler than rehashing the ol' rivalry.

Edited April 24, 2015 by slf

[Stratego]

I watched the first season and to me Rollo isn't anything worse than a flawed guy capable of both great bravery and loyality and generosity, and also capable of pretty shitty stuff on occasion. By the moral standards of his time and his society I think he is actually a pretty decent guy all things considered.  If this was a contemporary drama I would find Rollo's behavior in season 1 unforgivable but this is a historical drama about Vikings and their society. And that society had both free men and women and slaves. And those slaves didn't have any rights that we take for granted. That included the right to sexually refuse a free Viking man. That's awful but callously using a female slave for sex is IMO  hardly more awful than the other brutality and savagery done on this show since it began. Like the human sacrifice. And the blood eagling of enemies. And the slaughter of defenseless monks. All of those savage acts endorsed by our hero Ragnar. So, I do judge Rollo by the standards of his time and by those standards I can't condemn Rollo for one callous act.

 

About the finale - I think maybe part of the reason the Emperor was so quick to sell out his daughter to Rollo was that she had constantly shown him up in bravery and maybe he resented that on some level.

 

For Lagertha and Rollo it had to smart badly that Ragnar left them out of the loop. This also probably gave Rollo more incentive for accepting the hospitality and gifts of the Franks at the end.

 

Kalf and Horik's son lived through the season. I certainly never expected that.

No.  This was a practical/political solution (Gisla's marriage to Rollo), that was for the best interest of the Emperor, the family, and East Frankia.  The Aristocracy (especially Royals) were always arranging marriages for long-term family benefit.  After all, that's how all of Europe's monarchs would (eventually) be able to trace lineage to Rollo--through marriage.

[AzureOwl]

Second thing I noticed- but only because I'm Canadian, and this is a Canadian-Irish production- there's a mistake on the "Salut". "Salut" is a very informal French (Canadian) salutation, and one that's used amongst equals and friends, both as a hello and goodbye.

I would say "Salut" to a friend- but to my husband's mother I would say "Enchante de vous contaitre" (Pleased, or enchanted to meet you.) or "Bon Jour" (Good Day)

Perhaps it's also used in France, but surely not in the middle ages...

Wait, they're speaking French? I thought they were speaking Frankish, the same way the Saxons are shown speaking Old English.

[nowornever]

I'm not convinced that Ragnar will be angry that Aslaug ordered the execution of the Christian missionary.  He stabbed the priest, didn't he?  Despite what he said to the ghost of Athlestan, the baptism seems more like part of his plan to invade than anything genuine.

[attica]

Hello to you too, Rollo.

 

God, his line reading made me laugh, hard. So very Joey Tribbiani: "How you doin'?

[theschnauzers]

Having now had a good night's sleep, let me add some things about Ragnar and Bjorn. Ragnar is teaching Bjorn how to lead, and he's doing a great job of it. (Given that Bjorn is a confirmed historical figure associated with the Vikings' raids on France and much of the European coast in that period, the writers are trying to reconcile what is known or is thought to be known about Ragnar and Bjorn. The Trojan Horse plan was brillant. I think Bjorn individually told the pallbearers in confidence that their weapons would be in the ship casket, whether the pallbearers knew specificly that Ragnar was in fact inside is a more open question.

The third and successful attempt to enter Paris did several things -- first it showed that the Vikings, or Ragnar, in any case, were perfectly capable of improvising a strategy to counter what they were facing. Time, as it turned out was on the Vikings side, as the city was running out of food, manpower, and resources. Taking a lot more than the bribe to leave also reduced the resources the Emperior and the city will need to prepare for the inevitable spring raids to come. I think Rollo is playing along with the French, knowing perfectly well, he will turn his back against the French when the others return.

Hard to say if Ragnar survives into season four or not, but don't be surprise if Bjorn becomes the de facto leader when the Viking raiders return to Paris, possibly as King after Ragnar. The personality and physical similarlties between Bjorn and Ragnar are just stunning. Casting Alexander Lugwig as Bjorn has turned out to be genius, and it would not surprise me that the writers always had in mind that Ragnar would die while Bjorn was just reaching maturity. No one hates Bjorn and as Ragnar told Bjorn in this episode, he had to lead with his brain and not with his heart.

Floki is a dead man walking, and Floki now knows it. That betrayal will come back on Floki now that Ragnar knows, and I'm sure Bjorn knows as well. We're seeing every sign that Ragnar trusts Bjorn the most. The set up for the nest season --with that brief clip of Bjorn taking on a bear -- seems to have been the primary aim for these last three episodes. I see a lot of potential and you have to admire the producers and History for being willing to limit themselves to such a relative short number of episodes each year, and leaving us always hungry for more.

Edited April 24, 2015 by theschnauzers

[Lila82]

Re: Rollo

I'm giving him a Chuck Bass pass, ie, I was willing to forgive him attempting to rape Jenny in the pilot because it was so poorly planned and his character, like many, had an overhaul by the second episode.

[SingleMaltBlonde]

Vikings were raiders not colonial powers, had everything gone really well I don't think the plan would have been to take over.  Ragnar wasnted to see Paris like Athelstan and I doubt any Norsemen are going to mistake him for being Christian after he slit a Cardinal's thoat in a Cathedral.

 

I also think Ragnar would say yes to the marriage to Gisela, 

 

Gisela is also beyond naive if she thought she got to wait around and marry whoever she wanted.  Daddy apparently doesn't have any other heirs so she needs to produce a few and Rollo would be able to protect the throne with Gisela on it and hopefully father children closer to Granddad to keep it beyond that.

[Damiano]

Ok people, it's not for showing off, but, as you can easily check on this forum, I told you exactly how it would end 5 episodes ago!

I.FXXXXXG.WON.EVERYTHING.

thank you so much, I'm available for autographs.

Ok that was all about showing off, I couldn't help myself.

SORRY.

And maybe it wasn't 5 episodes ago (actually just after the Ragnar's speech after Athy's death)

[Lila82]

Ragnar is really coming into his Jax Teller own: terrible husband, loving father, questionable taste in friends, and excellent planning skills.  About the only thing Jax could do well was pull off the long con, and Ragnar's Trojan Horse was perfectly executed.  And, you know, they have the same face!

 

Lagertha's eulogy was so lovely.   I believe that she loves Ragnar, will always love Ragnar, and that he loves her too even though they will never be together.  She knew their marriage was doomed from the moment he became Jarl, but has held onto the hope that they'll be reunited in the afterlife.  I do wish she'd mentioned Gyda - does anyone remember her?  

 

I think my favorite moment was Ragnar popping out of the coffin all, "I win!"  Those two words summed up everything he's become.

 

I'm willing to chalk Rollo's first season rape scene down to Early Instalment Weirdness. It's a shame it happened, and I sometimes wonder if Michael Hirst regrets filming it,

 

I was going to give him a Chuck Bass pass, but I like this explanation better, especially since I ended up loathing Chuck Bass after he traded Blair for a hotel.  These days, I'm willing to overlook most things in the first three episodes until the show finds its footing and the network finishes its first round of  interfering with character and plot decisions.

[mwell345]

Well done, Vikings, well done - both production and acting wise.

 

I figured Ragnar was alive, because there was no actual death scene, but I was on pins and needles waiting for him to jump out of the coffin.

 

My only disappointments - that we have to wait until next season to resolve the Floki/Althesan murder, and that next season will not be until 2016.   I wish they had longer seasons - it would have been interesting to see the Rollo/Princess arrangement play out some also.

 

We need more episodes or a shorter time span between episodes. And seriously, less commercials - I'm looking at you DirectTV.  The girl on the talking horse can gallop away any time.

[maraleia]

 

I was pretty satisfied with this finale, though it's going to be a long wait for season four.

Me too and it's it always a long wait between seasons for most cable shows. Sighs...

[magdalene]

 

Everyone's got a line, though, right? This is just mine, I guess.

I get where you are coming from and I don't condone Rollo and the slave girl.  It just hasn't prevented me from finding Rollo interesting. And we do all have a line. For example - since Aethelwulf killed those two little Viking boys I am unable to have any sympathy for him.

 

Back to the episode: I don't believe that Ragnar would be pleased about the Emperor and Rollo.  Remember the prophesy of the seer to Ragnar that it would be bad for Ragnar if "the bear married the princess".

Edited April 24, 2015 by magdalene

[green]

 

Back to the episode: I don't believe that Ragnar would be pleased about the Emperor and Rollo.  Remember the prophesy of the seer to Ragnar that it would be bad for Ragnar if "the bear married the princess".

 

I'm blanking here.  I remember Rollo got a good Seer-deal on the naked dancing on beach one.  I remember the bear marries the princess too.  But I don't remember the bear marrying the princess being bad for Ragnar.  How was that phrased?

 

And kudos to John Kavanagh as the Seer.  He is Ireland's most famous and beloved character actor over many decades and it's been great "seeing" him get some decent cameo work in this show.  (Got to see him as Thenardier the innkeeper in Les Mis in Dublin once when I was there).  Though I am sorry for him that he has to get his hand licked all the time in this show, heh.

Edited April 24, 2015 by green

[Quisp]

Season Finale last night and it didnt disappoint me, other than having to wait til 2016 for the next season--sheesh!
Best moment last night was no doubt the Viking Mic Toss.

 

Ragnar with the help of his son Bjorn fakes his death. His coffin is brought into the French castle, then all hell breaks loose. Ragnar jumps out of the coffin, faces the bishop who baptized him and puts a dagger in his neck(honorable mention as top moment). He grabs the princess by knifepoint and takes her out of the cast across the drawbridge. Ragnar is obviously still hurting big time from his injuries.
Before making it all the way out, the door to the entrance opens. Standing there is his son Bjorn, with all the other Vikings standing behind him. Ragnar gives the nod to Bjorn. Then in RockStar fashion, Bjorn raises his arms slowly above his head and drops his hands (Viking Mic Drop) to signal "Kill everything MutherFers" standing still as his clan rolls past him attacking the castle and taking anything they want. It was badass.