In the world that’s created by the new series Vikings: Valhalla, it is often a force of arms that determines the fate of nations and peoples. What’s more, it's those who are willing to commit horrendous acts of violence that ultimately emerge from various armed conflicts victorious.
However, it also has to be said that it takes a fair amount of intelligence and strategy to both win a battle and to hold onto the gains. Thus, it’s worth taking a look at the various characters that inhabit this brutal world in order to see which of them are the smartest.
Prince Edmund
Prince Edmund does the best job that he can do, considering that he comes to the throne at a time when England is on the verge of conquest by the Vikings.
Though he tries to do the best that he can, the truth is that he often lets his better judgment, and his strategic intelligence, become clouded by his impetuousness and his desperate desire to prove himself to his people and to the ghost of his father. As a result, he is often at a disadvantage when dealing with the smartest Vikings.
Eadric Streona
Edric Streona is one of the more duplicitous characters to be found in the series, the type of man that is willing to sacrifice the life of his king if it means that he will somehow manage to profit from it.
However, though he likes to think that he is intelligent, the truth is that he is easily outwitted by those with a more ruthless approach to politics than he does. In fact, he isn’t even smart enough to realize that Canute has planned his death until it is too late.
Olaf Haraldsson
Even though he is a Christian, Olaf is one of those people who is more than willing to put his scruples aside when it comes to the pursuit of power. While he tries to scheme and manipulate others around him, he very often proves that he doesn’t have quite as much intelligence as he likes to think.
As a result, he tends to find himself outwitted by others in the game of power that everyone in this series is playing, in one way or another.
Freydís
There have been many great female characters that have appeared in the Vikings series, and Freydís is sure to be seen as one of those. She has a fierce determination to survive that allows her to survive when others wouldn’t have, and she also knows how to achieve what she sets out to do.
What’s more, she has a sort of mystical intelligence that allows her to have a deeper connection with the old gods of her people than many of her companions do.
Harald Hardrada
Harald Hardrada is one of the best characters in the Vikings franchise, and he shows from the very beginning that he has the makings of a great king.
While some of this is due to the fact that he is a formidable warrior–willing to take chances and able to make sure that they pay off–it’s also due to his canny sort of intelligence. He knows when to make an alliance with others who have power, including Canute, and he knows how to make the best of it.
Earl Godwin
The mark of a good period drama is its ability to craft compelling characters who know to navigate the waters of politics. Of all of the characters that appear in Vikings: Valhalla, it is Earl Godwin who is the canniest strategist, able to seize the main chance and snatch personal victory from the jaws of defeat.
He has a subtle grasp of politics and strategy that allows him to emerge from the Viking conquest with even more power and influence than he had before they took over his homeland.
King Canute
Like all of the best Vikings characters, King Canute has a perfect blend of military and political intelligence. Even though he sets out to England with the goal of avenging the death of his fellow Vikings, he’s quick to realize that there is more to be gained than just revenge.
Through his maneuvering, he manages to take the throne, and, what’s more, he also shows that he is genuinely invested in making sure that the country flourishes under his rule.
Leif Erikson
As soon as he arrives on the shores of his father’s homeland, Leif Erickson makes it clear that he will be one of the smartest characters in the Vikings franchise. He has a strategic mind that allows him to see the opportunities in even the bleakest moments, which is what allows him to see the possibility of bringing down London Bridge in order to defeat the English.
Time and again, he shows that, without him, the Viking conquest of England wouldn’t be possible.
Jarl Haakon
Jarl Haakon joins the ranks of the many other great female characters in the Vikings saga, and she repeatedly demonstrates that she has a formidable intelligence. She would have to possess such an ability in order to survive in this cutthroat world.
She shows that she has the type of subtle mind that allows her to thrive in this environment and, just as importantly, to gain the loyalty of her people, who clearly look up to and respect her and the types of justice that she delivers to those who are under her dominion.
Emma Of Normandy
Of all of the characters that appear in Vikings: Valhalla, Emma is arguably the most intelligent. She not only manages to survive the overthrow of England by the Vikings, but she also continues her ascent to power. Like Leif, she has a good mind for strategy, and she very nearly manages to undo his plan to bring down London Bridge.
However, it has to be said that her greatest show of intelligence is in making herself indispensable to the conquering King Canute and going on to play a key part in his efforts to build a vast northern empire.