WARNING: Contains major spoilers For Vikings: Valhalla
History Channel's saga of Ragnar Lothbrok and his sons had come to an end with the Vikings season 6 finale - but that's not the end of the story, and Vikings: Valhalla season 2 is continuing the saga. While Vikings season 7 never materialized, fans were once more invited to Kattegat in the sequel/spinoff series, which picked up more than 100 years after the events of the original show. Just like Vikings was a stylish dramatization of the real-life Viking Ragnar Lothbrok, Vikings: Valhalla retells the story of Leif Erikson, the man who would one day "discover" America.
Loosely based on the Norse and Icelandic sagas, Vikings began around the year 793 and explored a period of several decades thereafter. Initially focusing on the legendary Viking ruler Ragnar Lothbrok, the focus shifted to Ragnar's sons after he was killed off in season 4. In Vikings season 6, Ragnar's first-born son Bjorn Ironside campaigned to become King of Norway and fought off an invasion by the Rus (who were joined by Bjorn's brothers, Hvitserk and Ivar). Meanwhile, Ragnar's second-oldest son Ubbe led a group of settlers across the sea in search of a rumored "Golden Land" - known today as North America.
Rather than pick things up for season 7 for further tales of Ragnar's sons, History Channel opted to refocus on a different but equally violent and bloody period of Norse history. The Vikings were a culturally dominant force in Europe for centuries, and the source material available is far wider than the decades shown in Vikings. Vikings: Valhalla returned to Kattegat at an equally significant time in Norse history. As many fans noted, Valhalla is the afterlife in Norse mythology, and the title is deliberate – Vikings: Valhalla chronicles the story of the beginning of the end of the Viking age. The series continues with season 2.
Why Vikings Season 7 Didn't Happen
Though many Vikings fans felt that the show wasn't as engaging after Ragnar died, the series wasn't canceled due to a drop in ratings or interest. Rather, showrunner Michael Hirst said that bringing the story to a close in Vikings season 6 was a creative decision. Speaking to Variety in 2019, Hirst explained:
"I always knew where I wanted the show to go and more or less where it would end if I was given the opportunity. What I was trying to do was write the saga of Ragnar Lothbrok and his sons. After six seasons and 89 episodes, that’s what I felt — finally — I’d done. We stopped shooting the final episode in November last year and I felt that I’d said all I needed to say about Ragnar and his sons. I told my saga."
By the end of Vikings season 6, only one season 1 character remained, and his arc had reached a natural conclusion. While there are certainly ways that the show could continue to follow Ragnar's surviving sons, there was already a sense in season 6 that Vikings was running out of stories to tell. The series was brought full circle with a final raid on Wessex by Ivar and Hvitserk, while Ubbe's adventures in the west fulfilled Ragnar's dream of exploring the world. Vikings season 6 wrapped in December 2020. But while the story of Ragnar Lothbrok and his sons was finished, the story of the Vikings was not. Netflix returned to the world of Norse history in the spin-off series Vikings: Valhalla, set 100 years later, that followed well-known historical figures like King Canute (Bradley Freegard), Emma of Normandy (Laura Berlin), and Leif Erikson (Sam Corlett).
Everything We Know About Valhalla Season 2
Filming has already wrapped for Vikings: Valhalla season 2. The last scenes were shot in November 2021, and although there was some talk of a June 2022 release date, it's most likely that Vikings: Valhalla season 2 will be on Netflix in early 2023. Netflix confirmed in March 2022 when season 1 aired that the Viking's spin-off would return for a second season, and season 3 has also been greenlit. There aren't many story details yet, but it's likely Valhalla season 2 will pick up where the previous season left off. Vikings did have their share of time jumps, however, so there's also a possibility that several years have passed since Forkbeard arrived with Canute's fleet in Kattegat at the end of season 1.
Vikings: Valhalla Season 2's Plot
Details on Vikings: Valhalla season 2's plot are scarce, but a few things have been confirmed. Most of what's known has come from interviews with the cast and crew. Jeb Stuart, the creator of Vikings: Valhalla, has shared a few details on what fans can expect from the upcoming season. Stuart revealed (via Gamesradar+) that times aren't good for Kattegat's residents in season 2. Jarl Haakon's (Caroline Henderson) death left a need for new leadership – one that several characters are violently eager to fill. "What I like about the launchpad for season two is that we're not going to return to Kattegat and everything's going to be great," Stuart said on the state of affairs after season 1's dramatic finale.
As for who will take the place of Kattegat's Jarl, speculation abounds. Many of the prime candidates, like Harald or Olaf, fled Kattegat when Forkbeard arrived with Canute's fleet. Whether Forkbeard can hold Kattegat remains to be seen. The port town is key to controlling Norway- a prize that rulers from Denmark to Mercia will go to any means to seize. Stuart suggested that his ultimate end-game for Valhalla is, ideally, 1066 and the end of the Viking age. Since season 1 is set in 1002, they have several decades to cover before reaching that point. It's possible that a time jump might be on the cards, although there's nothing to suggest whether it's impending in Vikings: Valhalla's season 2 (or season 3).
Exploration out of Scandinavia will also be a big theme for season 2. The real Leif Erikson is most known for his exploits as an explorer, and Stuart revealed that Vikings: Valhalla will follow him gaining the tools and experience he'll need to cross the Atlantic and reach North America. “We know Leif was an explorer," Stuart says, "but what did we have in his toolbox that allowed him to get there? It can’t just be courage. If it was just courage, the Vikings would have found the New World way back. Did he have to learn something about navigation that wasn’t apparent to him or anybody else?”
Related: Vikings: Valhalla - 10 Things Only History Buffs Know About Leif Erikson
Who Will Return In Vikings: Valhalla Season 2?
Since he is clearly integral to the plot, it's a safe bet that Sam Corlett's Leif Erikson will be returning for Vikings: Valhalla season 2. Bradley Freegard's King Canute and Søren Pilmark as Sweyn Forkbeard will probably also be returning, given that season 1 ended with the former using the latter's fleet to end Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson's Olaf's brief stint as Kattegat's Jarl. Lara Berlin's Emma of Normandy ended season 1 having just retaken the throne of England from under Pollyanna McIntosh's Ælfgifu's nose with the assistance of Forkbeard and David Oake's Godwin. It's more than likely they'll all be making a return for season 2. Otherwise, the incredibly intricate betrayal arc is entirely wasted.
Several characters didn't make it to the end of season 1. Jarl Haakon (Caroline Henderson) met her end at the hands of Olaf and Kåre's forces. Leif and Freydis' crewmate Liv (Lujza Richter) was stabbed by Olaf, passing away in Leif's arms, joining Louis Davison's Prince Edmund on the list of deceased characters that won't return. Season 1 antagonist Kåre (Asbjørn Krogh Nissen) was decapitated by Freydis in the battle, so he's firmly out for season 2. Freydis, Frida Gustavsson's fearless shieldmaiden, ended season 1 tending to a wounded Harald Sigurdsson (Leo Suter), and both are expected to return for Vikings: Valhalla's second season. However, by the time Vikings season 6 finished, only one of the series regulars had been present since season 1. Regardless of who returns for Vikings: Valhalla season 2, they'll almost definitely be joining a roster of new characters. If Vikings: Valhalla season 2 is anything like its predecessor, these fresh faces will shake things up for Leif and the returning cast.
More: Vikings: What Valhalla Is Explained (& Why Only Some Characters Go There)