This week’s Vikings recap of “The Ice Maiden” had us in tears. It pays homage to one of the most important characters, Lagertha’s (Katheryn Winnick). As one of the original cast members, her send-off is perhaps almost as emotional as Ragnar’s was. The majority of the episode focuses on everyone’s touching farewells, and we loved every minute of it!
Kattegat – Lagertha’s Farewell
Lagertha’s lifeless body lies in the great hall. While Torvi (Georgia Hirst) cries over her death, her thoughts turn to her children. She decides to head for Lagertha’s village to find her children and Queen Gunnhild (Ragga Ragnars).
Meanwhile, as King Bjorn (Alexander Ludwig) sleeps aboard the boat, he abruptly wakes. He senses something is wrong and instructs the men that they must head back to Kattegat.
Amid the discovery of Lagertha, Ubbe (Jordan Patrick Smith) realizes that Hvitserk (Marco Ilsø) is missing and has his men search for him. Although he and Lagertha have history, he too is affected by her death.
“You killed my mother, but I can still weep for Lagertha, the shield-maiden.”
Ubbe watches Torvi sail for Lagertha’s village. His men then notify him that they still can’t find Hvitserk. Therefore Amma (Kristy Dawn Dinsmore) heads out to search for herself. As Ubbe walks away, he stops to talk to Ingrid (Lucy Martin). Torvi had revealed to him the relationship between King Bjorn and Ingrid. He makes sure to let her know that he is aware of this and that hopefully, she does not bear King Bjorn’s wife, Gunnhild, any harm. Ingrid reassures him that she does not.
As with all of Ragnar’s sons, Ubbe also has a moment where he converses with The Seer (John Kavanagh.)
“So it is always the truth that the death of Ragnar would bring calamities beyond imagining.”
He asks that The Seer tell him who is responsible for her death, and The Seer responds with a warning.
“It was Ivar and yet it was not Ivar. Ivar is guilty and innocent at the same time…You will know and yet then you will wish that you did not know. Like Hali, we are all on our way to Valhalla.”
When he hears Hali’s name, he realizes that it must mean that Hali is also dead.
While Ubbe finds out about Hali through The Seer, Torvi arrives at Lagertha’s village and meets her daughter, Asa (Elodie Curry), who tells her of Hali’s death. They visit Hali’s resting place, and Torvi says goodbye. She then goes to Queen Gunnhild and sees that she is wounded.
Queen Gunnhild asks about Lagertha, and Torvi tells her that even though she reached there, someone killed her. Queen Gunnhild then tells her that Lagertha rushed to Kattegat to give them news about White Hair (Kieran O’Reilly) and his bandits. She also wanted to tell Torvi about Hali’s courage. She regrets not going with Lagertha because perhaps she could have done something to help her. Despite Gunnhild’s injuries, she is determined to head back with Torvi.
Meanwhile, as funeral arrangments are underway, Amma enters the woods searching for Hvitserk. She finally tracks him down. He is nearly frozen as he sits in a total daze. He is distraught after what he did. Even after being questioned by Ubbe, he is unable to speak of what happened. The guilt eats at him.
As Torvi and Queen Gunnhild return with Asa, Ubbe apologizes to Torvi and tells her that he also loved Hali. Queen Gunnhild then asks for a sacrifice to help Lagertha ascend to Valhalla. As everyone offers themselves, Torvi also raises her hand, but Queen Gunnhild will not allow it as Torvi is pregnant. The Gods select a young girl, Gyda, instead, and they prepare her for her voyage with Lagertha. During the ritual, the Angel of Death plunges a knife into her. She then comforts her as she dies in her arms.
“The Valkyries will ride alongside and guide you to Valhalla.”
As the ceremony begins, Ubbe, Torvi, and Queen Gunnhild say their goodbyes. Each of them lays down an offering for Lagertha’s journey.
Ubbe wishes that she will be reunited with his father, Ragnar. While Queen Gunnhild hopes Lagertha will teach her more in the afterlife. However, it was Torvi’s sentiment that was especially heartbreaking since her relationship with Lagertha was so special.
“I love you. There is really nothing else to say, Lagertha.”
King Bjorn arrives in Kattegat just in time. As they get off the boat, they notice the eerie silence surrounding the port. There is no one around, and King Bjorn knows something drastic has changed.
As the shield-maidens begin to pull the ship out, King Bjorn walks through the crowd towards Ubbe. Ubbe starts to talk, but King Bjorn stops him. He already knows what has happened.
“You don’t need to tell me, Ubbe. I already know. My mother is dead. And nothing will ever be the same again.”
King Bjorn was the one person that was closest to Lagertha, and therefore his heartbreaking farewell was the most poignant. He vowed to punish her murderer.
The funeral comes to an end as the shield-maidens pull the ship, and the ice breaks below it. Little Asa runs to the frozen water and looks below the ice. There she sees a vision of Lagertha floating below among the Valkyries. She lands next to her love, Ragnar.
“In my dreams, we are always together.”
Kiev
Prince Oleg (Danila Kozlovsky) and Ivar (Alex Høgh Andersen) bide their time as they wait for winter to pass. Prince Igor (Oran Glynn O’Donovan) has many things that he wants to do, as does Princess Katya (Alicia Agneson). She continues to taunt Ivar.
Prince Igor enjoys the winter weather by skating. While Ivar watches him, a messenger quietly stands near him and gives him a message from Prince Dir (Lenn Kudrjawizki). He is still recovering and hopes to help Ivar fulfill his ambition as they are the same as his. The messager gives Ivar a pendant of a cross as a token of Prince Dir’s friendship.
Even though Ivar is miles away from Kattegat, he too senses that something has changed as a result of Lagertha’s death.
Vestfold (Norway)
With King Bjorn gone, King Harald (Peter Franzén) takes his elected place as King of Norway and demands that King Olaf (Steven Berkoff) pledge his allegiance. However, King Olaf can’t and will not do it. He wanted King Bjorn to be the King of Norway.
Because King Olaf refuses to comply, King Harald throws King Olaf into prison until he comes to his senses or dies. King Olaf accepts they he will most likely die there since he has no intention of changing his mind.
Only a few episodes remain after tonight, and the fate of our characters all hang in the balance! The characters will all feel the loss of Lagertha’s presence as they struggle to move on. What will happen to Hvitserk when King Bjorn figures out what happened? Will King Harald come after King Bjorn? What could Prince Oleg and Princess Katya be planning?
The visuals of the Lagertha’s final journey to Valhalla was terrific. We couldn’t have asked for a better way to say goodbye to a pivotal character. We can only hope that she and Ragnar have reunited in Valhalla and will spend eternity together again.
Farewell, our beloved Lagertha! Queen of Kattegat. Mother of Norway.
Farewell, shieldmaiden ⚔️ pic.twitter.com/WBTdvHBVUm
— #Vikings (@HistoryVikings) January 10, 2020
Vikings airs Wednesdays at 9 p.m. EST on History.
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