Floki quickly became a favorite among Vikings viewers, and like the rest of the characters, he has had a complicated story and can’t really be labelled as good or bad. Floki is one of the few characters from season 1 to make it to season 5, where his fate was left unknown. With Ubbe now looking for him, the big question can’t be avoided anymore: is Floki still alive, somewhere? Created by Michael Hirst, Vikings debuted on History Channel in 2013, and was originally intended to be a miniseries, but it was quickly renewed and it’s now enjoying its sixth and final season.
Vikings initially centered on the legendary Norse figure Ragnar Lothbrok (Travis Fimmel) and his travels alongside his Viking brothers. As the series progressed, it gradually shifted its focus to Ragnar’s sons – Bjorn, Ubbe, Hvitserk, Sigurd, and Ivar – and their own travels, making them the protagonists. However, Vikings has also explored the stories of other characters that, although they were not related to Ragnar, they were part of his life. Among those is his best friend and boat builder, Floki (Gustaf Skarsgård).
A well-known trickster, exceptional boat builder, and very eccentric individual, Floki was introduced in season 1, and was very loyal to Ragnar and the Gods. Floki’s story wasn’t safe from tragedy, and the last time viewers saw him was in season 5’s episode “What Happens in the Cave”, where he got trapped in a cave. So far, Floki hasn’t appeared in season 6, but is there still hope for his return?
Vikings’ Floki Might Not Be Dead
As mentioned above, Floki was very loyal to the Gods, to the point where he avoided doing things that could make them mad. This is one of the reasons why he never liked Athelstan (and why he killed him), as he was a Christian whose influence got to Ragnar. It’s this same fanaticism which led Floki to enter a cave he believed was an entrance to Helheim, as he became disillusioned with the Gods after his settlement in Iceland slowly fell apart. Once inside, Floki didn’t find the answers he was looking for, and instead came across with a Christian cross. What he didn’t know was that the cave was inside an erupting volcano, and as he laughed, the volcano erupted and trapped him inside.
It’s unknown to both viewers and characters within the series if Floki is still alive, which is why Ubbe is now looking for him in Iceland. Of course, neither Hirst nor Skarsgård have confirmed if Floki is dead or not, though a post on Skarsgrård’s Instagram account made fans believe that Floki is no longer in the physical realm. However, Skarsgård was spotted on set months ago (though he could have been there to film flashback scenes, which haven’t been uncommon this season), and he later teased in an interview that Floki could still be alive.
For now, Floki is simple considered as “missing”, and the odds of him being alive are 50/50 at this point. Whatever the case, fans are hoping season 6 of Vikings will address his situation and give closure to it, as it has been strangely quiet about it, and fans are (understandably) getting impatient – especially because the series is nearing its midseason finale.