The fifth season of fan favorite show Vikings has recently come to an end. The series will always be remembered by the Oscar-worthy performances of the cast and, of course, the brutal war scenes that characterize it. Staying true to its historical origins, Vikings was never shy about depicting the vicious nature of the era. Simultaneously, it gives us constant character development of our favorite warriors and complex storylines that hooked us from the very beginning.
The show will always be remembered for its overall consistency and quality. Over five seasons, it delivered amazing scenery, interesting characters, and top-notch production value. There is always plenty of screen time to offer both dialogue and action-packed scenes, which makes the series one of the best historical journeys of all time. With Vikings set to come to an end with season 6, it's about time we count down the most vicious fighters that ever graced the show. Pick your weapons, it's go time!
Hvitserk
It's hard to make up our minds about Hvitserk. Growing up without his father around made him bitter and angry, but we still got to see him being joyous around his brothers. Often times, Hvitserk seemed to be the softest of them all in terms of personality, but his vicious and brutal nature seemed to always be boiling under the surface.
Hvitserk is a gifted warrior, but not so much in technique, as it is the case of many other characters on the show. What makes him such a fierce fighter is his blood lust and love for violence. Hvitserk is a sadistic person, and his true colors always saw the light of day when the time came to slay his enemies. The fact that he could match Aethelwulf in single battle says a lot about young Hvitserk's skills. And even though he loses in skill, he gains the upper-hand in viciousness.
Heahmund
Many fans dismiss Bishop Heahmund as a fighter, but that's far from being the truth. First of all, he is one of the most complex characters we've seen on the show. Being an extremely religious man, he is also human and flawed, with unholy passions for women and wine. But that's not the only reason made for such a compelling character - he is also a true killing machine.
Heahmund death toll clocks in on 40 slain people, and every single frame we got of him in battle, he's fighting like a true born warrior. When we see him during the first civil war battle, Heahmund is in the front line, killing people as if he was born to do it. Two great testaments to his skills as a fighter are the fact that he impressed Ivar himself, and even in the battle where he met his demise, Heahmund took down almost a dozen men with ease.
Ubbe
Ubbe might not surpass his brother Hvitserk in violence, but he does in skill. As a character, he is a great example of someone who carries a deep love for his family, and who is always concerned about the well-being of others before his own. Perhaps Ubbe's mellow nature wasn't the best trait to possess when you're a Viking, but that's why we loved him in the end.
Even though Ubbe was bested by Heahmund in battle, and eventually lost the leadership of the army to his brother, that doesn't take away from his fantastic skills as a warrior. When in battle, he's able to bring together strength and wits, and when it's time to fight he seems to have absolutely no problem leaving his sweeter side at home.
Floki
When it comes to fighting, Floki deserves to rank pretty high. With the third highest death toll, during his time on the show Floki has been responsible for killing almost 40 people - that we've seen. One of the most beloved characters on the show due to his personality, he has also established himself as a warrior enemies should fear and respect.
Swaying his axes from one side to the other with impressive skill, he's also a witty fighter, with abilities that go well beyond the battlefield. His physique is far from impressive, but Floki is smart and knows how to take advantage of his skills rather than his strength, and has bested men with far more impressive muscle mass. Floki is a perfect example of how being a vicious fighter doesn't ultimately come down to body alone.
Harald
Arguably one of the most interesting characters on Vikings, Harald is the bad guy we all hate to love. He's not exactly a strategist, and his skills in battle have little to do with being cunning. Ambition is one of the greatest drivers a person can have, and soon we learned that Harald would stop at nothing to achieve what he wanted. Often committing horrifying atrocities due to his hate for Christianity, he was nothing short of vicious.
Harald is the opposite of a shy warrior, and when it comes down to the moment of battle, he's the one we see in the front line. His sadistic nature completely comes alive when he is fighting, and he seems to enjoy the bloodshed as if he were enjoying a night at the movies. Brutal and relentless, Harald has established himself as one of the most skilled warriors on the show.
Lagertha
Many made the mistake of underestimating Lagertha, and they paid the price for it. Even though this was the era of the Vikings, and gender wasn't perceived as much of a barrier as it was during middle ages and forward, many men still thought they could best Lagertha in battle. However, she always made a point to prove them wrong. A just and brave ruler, she was never afraid of using her power to viciously defeat those who wronged her.
Lagertha's death toll comes under only that of Ragnar, Rollo, Floki, and Bjorn. She is an intelligent fighter, who knows she can't best most of the opponents when it comes to physicality. However, she knows exactly how to overcome this problem, and has survived countless battles ever since the show began.
Aethelwulf
It was a pity that such a strong character met his demise in such a mundane way. Aethelwulf's death was a great reminder that even the greatest fighters, the ones who seem invincible, are still nothing more than mere mortals. Had he been any other character, he would only be remembered due to circumstances of his death. But Aethelwulf was not just any character.
One of the few non-Viking characters that stole the spotlight, he made a huge impact on the series. he wasn't the smartest cookie in the bunch, but he was an incredibly skilled fighter, with leadership and motivational abilities worthy of a Ted Talk. Aethelwulf was tough, and the man had no quit in him. One of the strongest and most exceptional fighters on the show, it's more than understandable if fans choose to completely ignore the way he died.
Ragnar
Would Vikings be Vikings without Ragnar? Absolutely not. Even when it comes to history, Ragnar has earned the status of legend. The stories are so unbelievable, experts aren't even sure he was a real person, and are pretty unanimous in the belief that he's more likely an amalgamation of several Viking warriors. Because he is such a myth, Ragnar was one of the pillars of the show, and his character is responsible for attracting many fans in the first place.
What sets Ragnar apart from everyone else is the fact that the man is a true visionary. When we see him in the battlefield, he completely transforms into a raging lunatic, slaying everyone who attempts to face him. But it's also his strategic thinking that makes him such a fierce warrior. Even after he passed, his memory remained a great catalyst for the events that followed, and Ragnar goes down as a true legend.
Bjorn
It made for incredibly compelling television to witness Bjorn's struggle. Imagine having an icon like Ragnar as your father in a time when what said the most about you was the kind of warrior you were. It has to be incredibly hard, but it did give Bjorn all the motivation he could hope for in order to prove he was worthy of his name, and of honoring his father's legacy.
Bjorn is hands down one of the most consistent fighters in the whole show. He went as far as venturing into the wilderness and fighting a bear - a fight which, by the way, he won. Even Leonardo DiCaprio was impressed! He bested every single person he fought with in single combat, and as the show progressed, he proved to be an even better warrior than his father.
Rollo
If this list was a popularity contest, Rollo wouldn't have made number one. However, since we're counting down the most vicious fighters on the entire show, this one is a no-brainer. Rollo is powerful, he's skilled, and he's pretty much human embodiment of the word Viking, from head to toe, down to his bloodthirsty nature.
With almost a hundred kills to his name (that we've seen, it's definitely way higher off-screen), Rollo established himself has the fiercest, strongest, most ferocious warrior we've ever seen. Every time he's in battle, Rollo turns into a complete beast, and even in his forties, he inspires terror and fear. In his prime, Rollo would take down anyone on the show and on this list - the most vicious fighter indeed!