The series finale of Vikings will be upon us soon. The show has been a staple of historical drama for years. The epic battle scenes, the convoluted romances, and the political intrigue have managed to keep fans hooked on the series ever since it first premiered. Recently, it has been announced that it's finally ready to say goodbye, with the sixth season set to be the last.
However, the season finale did manage to bring back the feel of the first years of the show and set the stage for what fans can expect of the last few episodes. Many things of importance came out of Ragnarok, and in a lot of ways, it provided us with the closure we needed. There are, however, a couple of issues that fans still felt needed to be addressed. So, with all of this in mind, let's take a look at the things that gave us closure, and the ones that didn't, in the season finale of Vikings.
Did: The Battle
If there is one thing that always set Vikings apart from other shows, it was the battle scenes. The only one we can think of that can rival the epic scenes we were blessed with is Game of Thrones. Vikings never had the same budget as the award-winning GoT, and yet, it managed to always deliver with a bang incredible and visceral moments.
Many people felt that the fifth season of the show failed to deliver in this sense, with the battles we did get being nothing more than a soft echo of what we were used to. However, the battle that transpired in Ragnarok finally managed to bring back everything fans had been thirsting for since season four.
Did: Bjorn & Harald
The best friendships are always the ones that begin with a mutual dislike. Vikings is pretty well-known for its history of alliances and betrayals, and forgiveness followed by further betrayals. However, the story of the reluctant alliance and relationship between Harald and Bjorn has been delightful to witness.
While at first these two became allies for the sake of strategy and survival, their relationship soon evolved to something that actually resembles a friendship. In the season finale, the two embraced after Harald made the choice of saving Bjorn's life, in spite of everything that transpired between the two (we're looking at you, Gunnhild). It was precious, and we can't wait to see what comes next. Hopefully, none of them pulls a Rollo.
Did: Ivar's Defeat
Everyone loves a good villain. After Ragnar's death in season four, and after his children took vengeance, it seemed only natural that the role of the next big bad would fall upon Ivar's shoulders. Throughout season five, his madness and thirst for power quickly turned him into one of the most hated characters—not just in the show, but in television in general.
So, of course, it brought everyone endless joy when his defeat came about. Ivar is no longer King, and he lost in spectacular fashion in a confrontation between brothers that everyone had been waiting for. We only wish it had happened sooner because The Ivar Show was bordering on annoying.
Did: Bjorn's Coronation
While Ivar's storyline was absolutely horrid and turned Vikings into more of a soap opera than the historical drama we all grew to know and love, the fact that it was dragged on for so long actually had a positive side. And we say this in the sense that seeing Bjorn become king brought even more satisfaction, simply because we'd been waiting for it to happen for so long.
We don't exactly know what to expect from Vikings in the next season, but hopefully, we'll get at least a couple of episodes to bask in the glory of seeing Bjorn sitting on the throne, being the ruler everyone needs. Undoubtfully, seeing Bjorn take his father's place was one of the things that brought the most closure to the fans.
Did: Freydis' Betrayal
No one really knew what to make of Freydis. At first, she seemed almost as deranged as her husband. The devotion she had for Ivar was borderline psychotic, even going as far as killing the man who got her pregnant so nothing could come in the way of Ivar being provided with an heir. However, the tables seemed to have turned when he left the baby to die. Which makes sense—Ivar killed her son and almost killed her.
In the season finale, we get to see Freydis' feelings for Ivar come to fruition when she betrays him and tells Bjorn and Hvitserk about her husband's escape plan. Even though Ivar ends up murdering her, it was still a moment of redemption that Freydis deserved. In the end, she managed to help overthrow Ivar, even if she didn't live long enough to see it.
Did: Magnus' Death
Season five of Vikings introduced a handful of new characters, as the show had to find a way to fill the void left by Ragnar's departure. However, the writers didn't really take the time to develop these characters in a way that people would care about their fate, their motivations, and their storylines.
Magnus, however, did manage to strike a chord with audiences. Mostly because he was said to be the son of Ragnar. In the last episode of the show, poor little Marcus comes to the full realization of his heritage, and he's fatally shot by an arrow from Ivar's side of the battle, in a moment that is both slightly ridiculous but somewhat rewarding. He didn't mean much as a character, but there is some satisfaction in witnessing his epiphany, and seeing him, perhaps, ready to meet Ragnar.
Did: Lagertha's Storyline
Lagertha has been with us since the very beginning. This woman is a fierce warrior, an ambitious ruler, and she simply has no quit in her. Some people love her to death, and others can't stand her, but there is simply no denying that as a character, Lagertha is hard to match in her complexity, passion, and emotion.
She has slowly but steadily removed herself from the story to make way for the new generation. In Ragnarok, we also see her witnessing some sort of epiphany. "Life is about suffering," she says, "what’s important is how we deal with suffering, how we deal with the truth." We don't know what is to come for Lagertha, but after seeing her go through so much pain, it was both beautiful and melancholic listening to her words.
Did: Ragnar's Cameo
If you don't know how you can save a show in decline, there's a pretty simple recipe: bring back beloved characters that have departed the show! And although Vikings wasn't in complete decline throughout season five, it was definitely lacking many of the elements that made it so epic in the first place.
Seeing Ragnar again was a moment of pure, raw emotion. Not just for Bjorn, but also for fans of the show. And although he didn't come back to life (that would simply be too much), he did come back as a vision to his son, dropping a few nuggets of wisdom that will surely stay with us: "Power is always dangerous. It attracts the worst and corrupts the best."
Didn't: Floki's Storyline
After the season finale, a few questions did remain in the heads of the audiences. What's going to happen next? Will Bjorn be allowed a few moments of peace, as he establishes himself as the true leader? Who can we expect to die next? But most importantly, where, in the name of Odin, is Floki?!
Floki is one of the most beloved characters on the show, and the actor never fails to deliver stellar performances. His storyline over the course of season five was absolutely ridiculous, and everyone was expecting some sort of closure on this matter in Ragnarok. The show, however, didn't deliver. Whether he's still buried under a pile of rocks or sailing across the sea, nobody knows.
Didn't: Ivar's Fate
Look, we get that the show needs to leave some sort of untied strings in order to make fans tune in for the next season. But did we really have to keep the whole Ivar saga going on? An entire season of witnessing his deranged and psychotic behavior was more than enough. Plus, this character is way beyond any chance for redemption, so what was the point of keeping him alive and allowing him to escape?
The sixth season of Vikings is its chance to recover all the elements that made the show great in the first place. It will be a huge disappointment if we get a soapy storyline of Ivar trying to regain power and fighting against Bjorn and Lagertha yet again. Many fans feel he should've simply died in the last episode, to pave the way for new and better storylines for the next season. Here's to hoping!