Vikings

[WhatTheHeel?]

Thanks to everyone who encouraged me to watch all of Vikings Season 3 that I had on my DVR. I binge-watched the season over the last week or so and really did enjoy it. The writers do a good job of making you love or hate characters and sometimes go back and forth with some characters--Floki comes to mind for me.

I noticed every episode had at least one laugh-out-loud moment, which lightened up a pretty serious show. Don't mean to spoil anything but the best laugh was near the end when the guy's asking someone to hold his hair back while he's beheaded--and what follows.

Now the long wait for season four...

 

[Raising Heel]

I started watching the series last month and knocked out the first two seasons pretty quickly. To my disappointment, Season 3 isn't available on Amazon Prime yet. I've debated buying it, but I think I'll wait.

On the other hand, I did come to realize that Season 3 is available for free now on Amazon Prime...in the UK. I'm thinking about buying a trial membership, watching the whole season, then cancelling. Is that wrong?

 

[prlyles]

The writers do a good job of making you love or hate characters and sometimes go back and forth with some characters--Floki comes to mind for me.

Now the long wait for season four...

I thought the writers of the series "Deadwood" done a good job of making you hate and then love different characters. Both shows are very well written.

 

[Raising Heel]

Okay, found Season 3 online. I have a question.

Spoiler: Episode Four

Do we find out who the Wanderer was? I didn't understand Siggy's death at all. Why did the boys suddenly get up and head for the lake? Why did the Wanderer appear as a woman (a god?) to Siggy? Why didn't Siggy try to save herself?

Can someone who has seen the whole season let me know whether I should be patient, or whether we never find out? TIA.

 

[WhatTheHeel?]

Okay, found Season 3 online. I have a question.

Spoiler: Episode Four

Do we find out who the Wanderer was? I didn't understand Siggy's death at all. Why did the boys suddenly get up and head for the lake? Why did the Wanderer appear as a woman (a god?) to Siggy? Why didn't Siggy try to save herself?

Can someone who has seen the whole season let me know whether I should be patient, or whether we never find out? TIA.

You do find out an episode or two later who the Wanderer is, though I can't remember if they come right out and say it. It seemed pretty clear to me and it was alluded to the entire time. Actually, I think Floki figures it out (if you can understand what he's saying...)

 

[TarHeelNation11]

^ RH, it tells you who it was.

I was happy with that episode for two reasons:

1). Supernatural elements are always present in that show (the Seer, Ragnar possibly being a god or possibly immortal, etc), which is a cool aspect to the show, but these aspects are usually floating in the background. This episode brings the supernatural to the forefront. It's definitely an episode full of fantasy/supernatural.

2). The character you mention in your spoiler who has the certain thing happen to him/her....I could NOT wait for him/her to have aforementioned thing happen *thumbs up emoji*

 

[UNC '92]

^ RH, it tells you who it was.

.........
2). The character you mention in your spoiler who has the certain thing happen to him/her....I could NOT wait for him/her to have aforementioned thing happen *thumbs up emoji*

Really? I liked him/her. At the time he/she seemed like the only responsible one looking out for the place and the kids. But I guess if we discuss to much more we give it away.

 

[Raising Heel]

Really? I liked him/her. At the time he/she seemed like the only responsible one looking out for the place and the kids. But I guess if we discuss to much more we give it away.

If there's one thing I've learned from that show, it's that responsibility is overrated. Seems like the folks having all the fun are eating, drinking, killing, and screwing whatever/whoever they want.

 

[TarHeelNation11]

Spoiler

I just hated Siggy for how she always was scheming against Ragnar and trying any means necessary to regain her spot as Eorl's wife. She kept trying to get Rollo to turn against Ragnar and tried to get anyone else to turn against Ragnar that she could. Even towards the end when she was looking out for Ragnar and Aslaug's kids, I felt like she was doing it more for selfish reasons, namely so she could scoff at Aslaug's parenting ability and also to remind her of her deceased daughter. Plus, the actress that plays her is fairly attractive in real life, but they made her look hideous in this show. So that turned me off as well, no pun intended.

 

[Raising Heel]

Hideous? Dude, the least attractive female character of significance is probably Floki's wife, and that's saying something.

So I watched episodes 5 and 6 last night, as planned, but then had to watch episode 7 as well because 6 ended with Ragnar asking forgiveness for what he was about to do (while bleeding, of course...drink!).

You guys weren't kidding. Every storyline has turned into complete chaos. I can't wait to get to the end of the season, except I'm sure it ends on a massive cliffhanger.

When does season 4 begin?

 

[TarHeelNation11]

When does season 4 begin?

Next year, presumably mid-winter into spring. It's only on once a year, unfortunately. But I understand why....this is the History Channel's baby. They put a ton of money into this show, hoping it would do well. Its huge success (in terms of viewer numbers) I feel has given them confidence to do other awesome stuff, like the Texas Rising miniseries that's currently on (which is also pretty badass).

But yeah, you're in for an epic last 3 episodes.

ETA: The next episode up, episode 8, is.......well I won't ruin anything, but it's intense and should be viewed at your very earliest convenience lol.

Also....who else likes King Ecbert? I think he's an awesome character. He's so scheming like Ragnar, and you can never be sure if you can take anything he does or says at face value. I like him a lot.

 

[WhatTheHeel?]

OK, so I have a question for those who have seen it straight through.

Spoiler: Spoiler

The missionary who showed up at the end of the season was put to a test where he had to carry a hot iron bar in his hands. It shows him do it unharmed once and then a second time it sears his hands. My question is was the first time how he pictured it playing out and the second time was reality? Or, the first time had he done something to allow him to pull the trick off (like coated his hands with something) but it wasn't enough to work twice?

 

[TarHeelNation11]

Spoiler: Answering your question

I think that it was just too hot for him the second time. He either coated his hands with something or did something. On the second attempt, they showed the guy heating the iron longer, so whatever caused him not to burn the first time was negated the second time. I think that whole scene (plus the later scene in the episode where they ask Aslaug what to do with the Christian and she replies "kill him") is to set up storylines for next season. I think they'll start to bring the Christianity vs. Norse religion more in to play. I realize Ragnar's main motivation for the Baptism was to make his Trojan horse plan successful, but he's also shown to by sympathetic to Christianity as well. I can't imagine he'll be pleased when he finds out his people killed a Christian missionary. We shall see, I guess.

@WhatTheHeel?

 

[Raising Heel]

^^^^^ You bastards. I'm exercising every ounce of self-restraint in my body.

 

[WhatTheHeel?]

Thanks THN11, I wasn't sure if I had blinked and missed something. And I agree with your assessment, especially given a recently departed character.

RH, my question was not about a huge plot development--at least not for this season, maybe means something down the road.

 

[TarHeelNation11]

RH, did you watch episode 8 yet?? Such an awesome, intense episode.

 

[Raising Heel]

I finished Season 3 last night.

 

[TarHeelNation11]

I finished Season 3 last night.

ALL THE LIKES.

Well? Thoughts? Were your hands slightly shaking by the end?

 

[WhatTheHeel?]

Gotta love Rollo...

 

[Raising Heel]

ALL THE LIKES.

Well? Thoughts? Were your hands slightly shaking by the end?

There are certainly a lot of unresolved story lines going on. At least a half dozen if I were to guess, so I'm excited for Season 4.

That said, I was a little frustrated with one of the story lines.

Spoiler: Episode 10

I mentioned in another Vikings thread that I got tired of the on-again, off-again alliance with King Horik. Well Rollo has done the same thing to the nth degree. The "I'm tired of playing second fiddle/I'm going to fight my brother" storyline has been exhausted IMO. They shouldn't have used it again to add suspense to the Paris situation.

Also, King Ecbert is the SOB that you love to hate. Looking forward to seeing how the situation in England plays out.

By the way, somewhere during Season 2 I tried learning a little about Viking raids in England to get an idea of how historically accurate the series is. Didn't find much to confirm or deny it. But then I stumbled upon a Wikipedia entry for Ragnar Lodbrok last night that shows there's definitely historical basis for the story. Warning: there's a bit of a spoiler in there about how Ragnar might meet his end.

 

[TarHeelNation11]

By the way, somewhere during Season 2 I tried learning a little about Viking raids in England to get an idea of how historically accurate the series is. Didn't find much to confirm or deny it. But then I stumbled upon a Wikipedia entry for Ragnar Lodbrok last night that shows there's definitely historical basis for the story. Warning: there's a bit of a spoiler in there about how Ragnar might meet his end.

I also did research on it and it PISSED ME THE HECK OFF that that sniveling pansy (in the show he is at least) King Aella spoilerspoilerspoilerspoiler Ragnar spoilerspoiler his sons spoilerspoiler and stuff.

But in general, record-keeping from England during that period was very poor so not a ton is known. Certain aspects are known though. Bjorn Ironsides was a real person, it's just unclear if he was fathered by Ragnar....it's also unclear if Ragnar Lothbrok ever actually existed. From what I read, most historians tend to believe that Ragnar only existed in legend, or that Ragnar is a legend that aggregates actions/deeds/fates of multiple Viking eorls/kings into one man.

I'd like to believe that the King Aella part is only legend, just because Ragnar is such an awesome character in the show.

Also......Raising Heel, about your spoiler, you may want to research said character and said character's relationship to William the Conqueror. *thumbs up emoji* THAT is why they've repeated that storyline and why it's come to what it is now.