After six seasons, History's Vikings finally came to an end in December 2020. It started off as a show about Ragnar Lothbrok, an adventurous farmer who wanted to see what lies beyond the horizon on the west. As the story progressed, many characters came and went. The Norsemen were fierce and proud people, afraid of nothing - not even death.
While some Vikings had a very dramatic character arc, filled with twists and turns, others stayed in the background and supported their leaders on their quests. Not all of them were as remarkable and interesting as Ragnar.
10 Torvi
One of the things that make no sense about Torvi is why she stuck around for so long. Her character arc didn't seem to have any direction. She just kind of went along with whatever other notable characters were doing.
She went from being with Bjorn to having a family with Ubbe. On the one hand, she was a fierce shield maiden, but then again, she had no qualms about getting baptized.
9 Hvitserk
The most forgettable of Ragnar's sons, Hvitserk, ended up as a monk after Alfred spared his life in season 6. The highlights of Hvitserk's life include him killing Lagertha and choosing Ivar over Ubbe and Bjorn, which were both really bad decisions.
Hvitserk was renamed as Athelstan, honoring the beloved monk that Ragnar captured in season 1. In reality, Hvitserk's character barely compares to the charming and intelligent Athelstan, though.
8 Ubbe
Ubbe was a peaceful man with a tame character arc. In some ways, he was the most like Ragnar: he just wanted to explore and be left to do so in peace.
He is the one who actually accomplished what his father wanted the most - he discovered a new land beyond the horizon, filled with opportunities.
7 King Harald Finehair
Harald Finehair joined the show when Ragnar was set on attacking Paris together with his brother Halfdan.
He went on to expand his territory, join Bjorn's expedition to the Meditteranean, marry Astrid and lose her, and finally met his death in season 6 when he was killed by Alfred's second-in-command, Bishop Aldulf.
6 Bjorn
Bjorn's character arc was building him up to be the next living legend, like his father. The first half of season 6 especially was all about him trying to outdo his father and unite his people. In return, his brothers turned their backs on him, killed his mother, and took his rule away.
Bjorn Ironside was Ragnar's most accomplished son. His character arc is definitely interesting because he is the only main character who started out as a 12-year-old boy and died a magnificent man in season 6. Other sons of Ragnar grew up in a heartbeat, but Bjorn's transformation from a boy into a man was much more nuanced.
5 Athelstan
Athelstan's story was one of the most interesting ones in the Vikings. Ragnar brought him home from his first raid on the British Isles ever and ended up befriending him.
Athelstan went from being a devout Christian to learning about the Norse gods, fathering a future king of Wessex and Mercia along the way. His death changed Ragnar forever and left a mark in King Ecbert's heart as well.
4 Floki
Floki the boatbuilder didn't change much when it comes to his personality, but his journey is quite a story to tell. He stood by Ragnar's side as he explored new lands, saw the Meditteranean with Bjorn, discovered Iceland, and ended up in North America. One could argue that he is one of those characters who got worse as the show progressed, but his character arc is interesting nonetheless.
It's not just his actions that count, though. He also suffered an existential crisis or two along the way, which made him into a humble and wise old man that he turned out to be by the time the series ended.
3 Ivar
Ivar the Boneless was set up to be an unforgettable character the moment he was conceived. Against all the odds, he grew up to be a man who instilled fear in people. It was impossible to ignore certain horrible things about him, such as the fact that he was clearly a psychopath. He killed his own brother and his wife, went to war with two other brothers, and planned on destroying an entire civilization, all the while believing he was an actual god.
Despite the fact that he was among the least likable characters on the show, he kept things interesting after Ragnar's death. He joined forces with Prince Oleg and brought Bjorn to his knees. His character arc was pretty amazing, aside from his anticlimactic death.
2 Lagertha
Lagertha's talents would be wasted if she spent her entire life on that tranquil farm. While Ragnar was away raiding in season 1 and she ruled in his stead, she did an awesome job. Even though Ragnar and Lagertha were perfect together, their relationship fell apart by the end of season 1 when Ragnar met Aslaug.
Lagertha went on to live a thousand lives, being badass right until the very end. She got King Ecbert to give her some of his land, murdered those who wronged her, and fought in some of the best battles in the show.
1 Ragnar
Vikings were initially a show about Ragnar and his rise from being a simple farmer to becoming a living legend. In the process of gaining power, he just got worse and worse. He lost his first wife Lagertha, Bjorn, and his slave turned best friend, Athelstan.
Ragnar is the one character who went through the most profound transformation. He learned about other world religions, succumbed to addiction, and destroyed everything he cared about in the process. He died a tragic, cynical man, unsure of whether Valhalla even exists or not. While the show was hurting without him, it was definitely his time to go by the time season 4 rolled in.
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February 10, 2021 at 04:30AM
