S02.E10: The Lord's Prayer

[Joystickenvy]

Also, I loved crafty Ragnar playing drunk at the feast.  Horik fell for it hook, line, and sinker.   

 

Speaking of the feast, I was laughing at them getting down to the music.  I was waiting for someone to yell "Wave your hands in the air!  Wave 'em like you just don't care!"

I also enjoyed Floki's soap opera level over-acting when they discovered "dead" Thorstein, particularly when combined with his flamboyant "I am a trustworthy person!" prior performance.

[David T. Cole]

FYI it is Torstein, no H.

[Haleth]

Holy moley, that was intense. And also incredibly beautiful. This season's direction has been magnificent. The cinematography was superb. There were so many shots that were works of art, not the least of which was the final image.

According to an interview Michael Hirst gave to Entertainment Weekly, it was Travis Fimmel's idea to have The Lord's Prayer be the only dialogue that Ragnar says in the entire episode. My admiration for Mr. Fimmel grows with every episode he's in.

I didn't even notice. That is awesome.

Anyway, Erlendur has been impressed by the idea of going to farm in England. And in his pocket he has a handful of mud, earth from England. When Ragnar sees him with this handful of dirt, he knows that he’s thinking along the same lines, that they’re connected in some way. So he spares him

We really should have gotten to see this. Edited May 3, 2014 by Haleth

[Zalyn]

Great episode, and I'm also happy it was not an evil cliffhanger.  Floki's double agent act worked on Horik and us, though I was puzzling about the mushrooms (especially after Rollo was fine - I was wondering if alcohol made them toxic).  Good little touches too, like Siggy leaving the axe for Rollo right before shit went down.  And Ragnar's berserk button going primal on Horik; I guess because Horik was going to kill his family and children?

 

Poor Bjorn:

"There are plenty of other women."
"That is your first mistake."

 

Best women's small talk ever:

"So, I heard you killed some dude, hardcore."

"And how'd you become an Earl? "

"I killed my husband."

"That's awesome.  Lagertha Awesome."

 

I'm also a bit disturbed that the little messenger kid Floki terrified didn't seem more scared by the story/threat. Then again, kid Vikings are probably made of tougher stuff.  Given that foreplay consists of beating each other up, everything is just turned up a notch or two.

[jnymph]

Wow! Never did I think a historical drama could replace my beloved "Rome". But I'm pleasantly surprised.

Lagertha Awesome! Loved the fight w/ Horiks wife & it was made even better by the fact his wife looked like RHOC Vicki Gunvelson LOL!

Aw. Floki is a true Viking / I was so happy to see that but leave my man A-Stan alone. Damnit!

The Lord's Prayer scene was breathtakingly beautiful !

I'm still very confused by the whole poison mushroom thing though !!! Were Rollo /Torstein aware of this whole plan ???? Anybody that can set me straight I will be eternally grateful to !!!

Edited May 3, 2014 by jnymph

[Babalooie]

JNYMPH, I think that Torstein was in on the plan with the magic mushrooms, but not Rollo until Floki actually put them in his mouth.  He didn't try to resist, so at that moment he knew what was going on.  I am still confused, however, on whether they both injested the same type of mushrooms.  They had different reactions, unless alcohol did play a part in Torstein's.

[Zalyn]

JNYMPH, I think that Torstein was in on the plan with the magic mushrooms, but not Rollo until Floki actually put them in his mouth.  He didn't try to resist, so at that moment he knew what was going on.  I am still confused, however, on whether they both injested the same type of mushrooms.  They had different reactions, unless alcohol did play a part in Torstein's.

I was wondering the same thing until Torstein's non-death was revealed.  It could have been easy for him to use something for "fake" blood (probably real blood from some other animal), and there were no storytelling cues to suggest they were different mushrooms (they looked exactly the same, and while that happens in RL, for the show they would have shown them differently just for the audience's benefit unless the main idea was that one was poisonous and one wasn't). 

 

Is it possible that they actually help heal a bit after you wake up ?  Rollo went from lying in bed nearly comatose to struggling to walk after the shroom bender. 

[SingleMaltBlonde]

I think the mushrooms had healing powers for Rollo and Torstein was in on it (the glance after he ate the mushrooms) so he ate harmless mushrooms.

[PityFree]

Your S02.E10 edition of The Gardies.

http://previously.tv/vikings/who-will-be-crowned-viking-of-the-year/

Bravo!! Well done!

[lawless]

Was the little boy Floki used as the mushroom messenger one of Ragnar's younger boys? If so, which one? He was super cute.

Do we know for certain whether Rollo lived? He was still pretty battered and busted up when those two guys burst in on him -- is he ok??? I just so enjoy watching him in battle, the show won't be quite the same that?

[VillaVillekulla]

Was the little boy Floki used as the mushroom messenger one of Ragnar's younger boys? If so, which one? He was super cute.

Yes, that was Ubbe I think. The two oldest of the younger boys (that is, not Sigurd or Ivar) are Ubbe and Hvitserk.

[Joystickenvy]

FYI it is Torstein, no H.

The H is for quality.

[heyerchick]

but last week's Athelstan/Rollo scene seemed important.

 

Could anyone re-post the link to this missing scene please? I haven't seen that one. Most of the links that have been posted have brought me straight back to this page when I've clicked on them - google chrome fail. Thanks so much.

[Haleth]

As David said, the best line was "I was always loyal to to the gods. And Ragnar."  But I would include the line that followed:  "It was you I betrayed."

 

Head butt!

 

My take on the mushrooms is that they induce a deep sleep and Floki force fed them to Rollo so he'd stay in bed and get some rest.  (That's my explanation and I'm sticking to it.)

Edited May 3, 2014 by Haleth

[PatsyandEddie]

The Lord's Prayer scene was breathtakingly beautiful !

 

That scene was gorgeous and my favourite along with the final shots of Ragnar on the cliff. I didn't realize until others brought it up that Ragnar only spoke in this scene. Nicely done!

Damn TF has the most piercing eyes. Perfect for eyefucking!

[atomationage]

 

Wonder if we'll see what happened to eldest boy next year.

I thought he would be king in title, but a puppet of Ragnar.  I don't think there ever was a King Erlendur though.  The name comes up in connection to the Faroe Islands, which belong to Denmark.  They've made a mess of the story of the actual King Horik of Denmark.

[SingleMaltBlonde]

Could anyone re-post the link to this missing scene please? I haven't seen that one. Most of the links that have been posted have brought me straight back to this page when I've clicked on them - google chrome fail. Thanks so much.

I am having the same problem....I would love to have a timeline.

 

I checked Youtube and there is a funny interview with the guys who play Ragnar, Athalstan, Rollo and Floki.

[LittleIggy]

Horik was an idiot for having his daughters and young sons join him because you underestimate Ragnar at your peril. He gambled with their lives and lost. I assume his wife was in agreement with this since she brought her fighting gear.

[Babalooie]

Just noting that Bjorn's slave/girlfriend is PORRUN, not Thorrun.  That is confirmed by close-caption as well as the "Vikings" website. 

[GreyBunny]

Ragnar gets his threesome with Lagertha and Auslag?  Boo.

 

If anyone deserves to be the filling in a threesome, it should be Lagertha - with Ragnar and a hot viking dude of her choice.  (Or two hot viking dudes of her choice and no Ragnar).

[LittleIggy]

Just noting that Bjorn's slave/girlfriend is PORRUN, not Thorrun.  That is confirmed by close-caption as well as the "Vikings" website.

I still don't like her!

[green]

I also enjoyed Floki's soap opera level over-acting when they discovered "dead" Thorstein, particularly when combined with his flamboyant "I am a trustworthy person!" prior performance.

 

I think everyone views this from, well, their own pov.  I don't think he was giving any kind of performance at all when he protested he was a trustworthy person.  I think this is the point where Ragnar gets through to Floki that it is now a choice between the him and Horik for real.  That and probably the stupid way Horik fought the big battle got through to Floki finally.

 

When Floki told Helga that Horik knew the darker gods better then Ragnar and that they seem to have a pull over Floki I think that was his flirting with darker possibilities within his rather unstable self.  And he truly is unstable and sometimes doesn't know what he will do from one moment to another.  But he finally had to make a choice and, as he declared to Horik, he chose to remain loyal "to the gods" (not the darker gods as Floki views it) and only second mentioned his loyalty to Ragnar.

 

To me Floki isn't some sophisticated Cold War 20th century spy living a couple of years in deep cover.  He is a man trying to find out what his gods are and what they want of him.  It seemed a real struggle but he finds them (and him) on the side of Ragnar in the end.  The episode before this was called The Choice and I think it referred to most characters making their choice in that episode.  Athelstan to return with Ragnar.  Ecbert choosing to make an offer to a weaken Viking army.  Ragnar, Lagertha and even a reluctant Horik choosing to accept Ecbert's offer.  And Floki choosing finally the side of the gods minus the dark part and Ragnar and then beginning to work with him on a plan at that point.  But not earlier..

 

I could be entirely wrong but the writing hasn't been jumping the shark in the least on this show and Floki playing some elaborate ruse for a couple of years and even making weird comments to his wife when entirely alone with her would just be a too lazy, modern day contrivance for a man at the dawn of the 9th century.  I respect the writing more then that.  Again it could be written this way.  But if it is it would be the first major criticism I would have of this series who tries to create a different world then ours and not fall into standard Hollywood tropes.  A world undergoing a major change as the Vikings we see are exposed and and react to new cultures and a new god.  A world that forces men like Ragnar and Floki to look deep within themselves to see how they will react to this massive upheaval to their core beliefs, to their souls if you will.  I guess I prefer a Floki coming through a real struggle and making a choice more then just playing a game for a couple of years. 

 

If Michael Hirst has said or written otherwise then yeah that is canon for the show.  But until I read that from him I'll keep my pov of Floki.  I like him as a warrior who battled his demons and won better.

[LoLo]

I don't know about anyone else, but the ending was very predictable to me. I knew that they were not going to kill Ragnar's family. I need more of a "Ned Stark" moment to happen soon. Someone important needs to go to make this more believable.

[Babalooie]

According to Michael Hirst, creator of the series, Floki was never swayed by Horick.  He was a spy the entire time.  Video is posted on the Floki thread.

[Orphan Cat]

Just noting that Bjorn's slave/girlfriend is PORRUN, not Thorrun.  That is confirmed by close-caption as well as the "Vikings" website. 

My daughter is studying Old Norse. She's not an expert but she is a hardcore nerd. She says it may be spelled that way but there are two ways to pronounce spelled TH. And one way, which is how you pronounce this character's name, is sort of a mix of the P and the TH sound. Like a breath with P sound and then the TH.

Edited May 4, 2014 by Orphan Cat

[LilWharveyGal]

I don't know about anyone else, but the ending was very predictable to me. I knew that they were not going to kill Ragnar's family. I need more of a "Ned Stark" moment to happen soon. Someone important needs to go to make this more believable.

 

Of the core group, I could deal with sacrificing Floki, Aslaug, or Siggy for emotional impact.  But everyone else needs to stick around for eye-candy purposes.

[SingleMaltBlonde]

Of the core group, I could deal with sacrificing Floki, Aslaug, or Siggy for emotional impact.  But everyone else needs to stick around for eye-candy purposes.

I can't imagine Aslaug or Siggy are long for the Vikings world.  Ragnar gets another wife and I don't see her leaving him to rule her own lands.  Same thing for Siggy, Rollo at some point is a grandfather so he needs to be a dad and that isn't happening with Siggy and given how she has stood by him I don't see him running off with someone else just because she's cute.

[VillaVillekulla]

My daughter is studying Old Norse. She's not an expert but she is a hardcore nerd. She says it may be spelled that way but there are two ways to pronounce spelled TH. And one way, which is how you pronounce this character's name, is sort of a mix of the P and the TH sound. Like a breath with P sound and then the TH.

Yes, this (I study Old Norse in my free time, your daughter and I would get along well!). The name may appear to be spelled Porunn on various websites, but that's probably because a lot of them aren't capable of displaying the Þ (thorn) character, or they think people will mistake it for a P so they just use one anyway. It's actually a TH sound. The name Þórunn (also spelled Thorunn, these days) is still used in Iceland to this day.

[David T. Cole]

__....----====* ÞE MÓRE YOU KNOW

[green]

According to Michael Hirst, creator of the series, Floki was never swayed by Horick.  He was a spy the entire time.  Video is posted on the Floki thread.

 

Thanks for the info.  I think, heh.  There goes my non-Hollywood version of Floki down the drain.  Time to embrace Secret Agent Man Floki I guess if it is canon ... except in my alternate universe where he is still more batshit crazy then super spy.

 

Also though I gave thumbs up to the "Gardies" I also wanted to add a written thanks to Master Cole here.  I can't get On Top of Old Smokie out of my head now though.  "On top of Norse Mountain / All covered in mist / Floki picks mushrooms / Now that he's pissed."  Dude you got me humming that to myself now.  You are so totally evil!!!  (Hah).  Thanks for all the "Gardies."  If you have time, you should retro some of the missing episodes to help us during the downtime maybe.  Even do Season 1?

 

Finally I was thinking about the last scene and how it was so totally different because they chose to stage it like a theatre piece.  It would be interesting to find out who came up with that.  It seemed I had been transported to the impressive stage of The Grand Viking Theatre Company's production of "King Horik's Doom."  Complete with traditional entries and exits and stage lighting and everyone moving in a choreographed pattern and the very stylized killing (well until Ragnar went all beserker at the end that is) and so forth.

 

I liked it cause it was different and I like the theatre choice because even though it doesn't mesh with the naturalistic style of the rest of the series; it still worked somehow by not meshing if that makes any sense.  Like it was a grand payoff -- along with the awesome last shot -- to us fans to give us a wonderfully satisfying exit out of Season 2 to help hold us over until next year.  Far better then those endless stupid cliffhanger series that seem like they are kicking dust in the face of their fans instead.  Those types of endings just annoy.  This ending has me all pumped up for Season 3.  Bring it on!

Edited May 5, 2014 by green

[VillaVillekulla]

Speaking of Ragnar going all berserker...another fairly useless fact from the linguistics nerd (me), 'berserker' comes from the Old Norse words for 'bear' and 'shirt.' So, you know, you put on your bear shirt and go nuts. I wish I had a bear shirt.

[Zalyn]

Speaking of Ragnar going all berserker...another fairly useless fact from the linguistics nerd (me), 'berserker' comes from the Old Norse words for 'bear' and 'shirt.' So, you know, you put on your bear shirt and go nuts. I wish I had a bear shirt.

So Ragnar got a bear shirt to match his hairy breeches? Awesome.  

 

"Honey, I'm putting on my bear shirt tonight." 

"Does this bear shirt make me look angry?"

"I like to be stylish when I go nuts, that's why I shop Abearcrombie."

 

Okay, stopping now.

[Dagny]

He is not farted by the gods to be with homely Thorunn.

Please don't correct this.

OMG!!!!!!!!!!!! That's what I get for waiting to have coffee until after I posted. *hangs head*

 

I guess I'm so used to snark that I thought you meant to type "farted".

[Ohwell]

Aaaack!!!  I'm so bummed that I have to wait until next year to see this show again!  Damn.  I miss Ragnar and Lagertha and Rollo and Bjorn and Athelstan and Torstein--and, yes, even Floki--already.  I miss Ecbert in that tub or whatever. 

 

Come to think of it, I just had a thought for next season.  I want Ragnar to walk in on Ecbert and Lagertha just relaxing in the bath together.  Ragnar needs to be made jealous, dammit.  I still love him though, just like Lagertha.

Edited May 5, 2014 by Ohwell

[Curious5]

I'll miss the show until next year. I can't imagine the cost and time for production but feel longer seasons can only help expand viewership. At this point you almost have to record the final shows of the year to remember everything as a new season starts. Will Vikings be on Netflix I wonder...??

[LittleIggy]

Amazon Prime has the first season. Maybe they will have this one too.

[green]

I'll miss the show until next year. I can't imagine the cost and time for production but feel longer seasons can only help expand viewership. At this point you almost have to record the final shows of the year to remember everything as a new season starts. Will Vikings be on Netflix I wonder...??

 

The History Channel ran Vikings Season 1 marathons before Season 2 I believe.  I'm sure they will do the same next year.  Probably will even run both seasons even if it cuts into their "real" history show time where we learn that ancient aliens invented the wheel because we puny humans could never figure out that something round can roll.

[SingleMaltBlonde]

Amazon Prime has the first season. Maybe they will have this one too.

Is Amazon Prime the full British version or the shorter American version.

[duckyone]

Amazon Prime has the edited versions. I had to buy the Blu-Ray to get the uncut European versions.

[henripootel]

I miss Ecbert in that tub or whatever.

Pretty sure that's a genuine Roman bath Ecbert has there, which is pretty awesome.  At that time there was still plenty of Roman stuff above ground, heck there is still some stuff today.  The Romans built to last - imagine the bathing facilities built by the guys at Jamestown still being used.  

Edited May 6, 2014 by henripootel

[attica]

I've been wondering if Ecbert's tub might have actually been in present-day Bath. Which was part of Wessex, if not very close to the coast. I might just fanwank it.

[Ohwell]

This episode re-airs on Wednesday at 11 pm Eastern time.  I can't wait. 

[CommodusMad1]

I'm still mourning over the end of Season 2 and even more so to wait 10 months.... that's all I got. I need time to heal.

[green]

I'm still mourning over the end of Season 2 and even more so to wait 10 months.... that's all I got. I need time to heal.

 

That's why we all come here.  To mourn the end of the season and heal by keeping it alive by talking about it here.  Pull up a bench and move close to the fire and we will pass you a hollow horn full of wine as we re-live seasons past together.  Too bad the spin-off "The Horiks" (trademark Master Cole here on his Gardies page) had to be shelved, hah.  (That screenshot makes them look like the Viking Waltons).

Edited May 6, 2014 by green

[CommodusMad1]

That's why we all come here.  To mourn the end of the season and heal by keeping it alive by talking about it here.  Pull up a bench and move close to the fire and we will pass you a hollow horn full of wine as we re-live seasons past together.  Too bad the spin-off "The Horiks" (trademark Master Cole here on his Gardies page) had to be shelved, hah.  (That screenshot makes them look like the Viking Waltons).

Thank you friend, thank you for the horn of wine.... *wipes tears off face*

[Babalooie]

In the meantime, I'll just study the Skarsgard brothers.

[CommodusMad1]

I don't know why I'm disappointed that Lagertha granted Ragnar's wish for a threesome, but I am.  I mean, I understand that she still loves him and is a willing participant, but damn.  I wanted her to have a fling with some big, gorgeous Viking who treated her like a queen and fucked her loopy, just to make Ragnar sick with jealousy.  He deserves that.

To the contrary I found it funny and high five to Lagertha.

 

As you see in the scene, it's Aslaug in the middle. In that position, it looks like she has been shared by Lagertha and Ragnar, the two equally powerful people (or at least it was before Ragnar officially took the King's Sword). Lagertha is a fierce woman who fights and rules like a man. Of course she can probably have all the men at her feet (and hopefully the good ones if there are any in the future) but she may also not want any and be on her own, which is also understandable, after all what happened. When she was still married to Ragnar, had she been sharing him with Aslaug back then, it would have meant to also share the power in Kattegat, it would have meant she has actually no power hands on her own destiny, only the shieldmaiden wife of Ragnar, it's also a reason of why she left (cf "you insult me, you humiliate me"). Lagertha now is in a league of her own as a powerful Earl, so she has no problem sharing Aslaug's husband for fun, the roles are reversed. Ragnar is Aslaug's husband and she is sharing him with another powerful person. Lagertha and Ragnar have history, and they are at peace with it, so eh, let's have fun with the stupid husband who has been longing for that threesome.

And Aslaug, attracted to power, claimed Earl Ragnar when he got her pregnant. She wasn't caring for Lagertha back then since she wanted her place next to Ragnar, but now she has a new found crush on Lagertha ever since she came back to help them with the Borg situation. Now she sees Lagertha as that powerful woman and respected Earl so it's enticing and exciting enough to hop in bed with two powerful people. Had Lagertha still been Ragnar's wife back then, no way the situation would have been bearable, Aslaug would have pushed Lagertha to the secondary position by playing the royalty card ("I'm a Princess, I have your sons, she is only a shieldmaiden"). Things are different now, Aslaug knows Ragnar would never leave his sons thus never leave her (or at least until further notice), and Lagertha has moved on to better things like raiding and ruling than rushing back to an ex husband... and Ragnar who is no saint, could have hopped in bed with any other woman no matter how much Aslaug wouldn't have liked it, he still wanted to have sex with Lagertha. An ex husband who still wants you and the new wife who also desires you? Yep, more power to Lagertha.

Edited May 6, 2014 by CommodusMad1

[Ohwell]

Yeah, well, you can spin it that way, that's fine, and maybe Lagertha told herself that she's in a better place now.  But all I can tell you is that, as a woman myself, no amount of spinning can hide the fact that another bitch came in and stole my husband, who was quite willing to be stolen.

[CommodusMad1]

Yeah Aslaug has her share of fault but originally Ragnar knew Aslaug was pregnant (after all she told him) and he left her behind and he would have never told it to Lagertha if it wasn't for little Björn (bless him!) telling his mother. And to me I don't think Ragnar was willing to be stolen, he was willing to have his cake and eat it by wanting both women, and it didn't go the way he hope.

 

Of course no one can forget how things happened. But Lagertha looks like she is in a better place. If she wasn't, I doubt she would have agreed to that threesome, after all she is the one who left Ragnar when he humiliated her.

[Ohwell]

If my ex-husband had told me I was in a better place, I would have blood-eagled him.