For several seasons, History's Vikings was a character-driven show. The star of the show was Ragnar Lothbrok, an intelligent and adventurous farmer who rose to be a king. The road to power was tumultuous, filled with blood and betrayal. By quenching his thirst for exploration, he paid the price when it came to his family. Throughout the seasons, his mental state deteriorated. In the beginning, he was smart, curious, and lively, which instantly made him the single most likable character on the show. By the end, he was worried, tired, and lonely. His arc ended in season 4. Ever since his death, the show has gotten better on the one hand and worse on the other.
As a leader, he had to make many decisions, some of which unfortunately didn't make any sense. As he said himself, he never wanted to be king. He just wanted to farm and explore. It's no wonder he kept sinking lower and lower.
His Obsession With Having Many Sons
When the series first began, Ragnar and Lagertha were a perfect couple. They were supportive of each other and contributed equally to raising their son Bjorn. Unfortunately, Lagertha couldn't give him any more children and even had a miscarriage mid-way through season 1. Ragnar was deeply hurt and upset by it. If only he was able to let the idea go, he would save himself, his family, and the future of his people much pain.
He was asking the gods why they give and take the way they do. Ironically, once he became a father of several sons thanks to Aslaug, he never participated in child-rearing - he disappeared instead. On top of it all, one grew up in a raging psychopath.
Choosing Aslaug Over His Own Family
Ragnar is instantly mesmerized by Aslaug's beauty and intelligence. Bjorn was visibly upset about his father's new-found priority in life and made Ragnar promise that he will not sleep with Aslaug again. He promised, but little did he know that Aslaug was already pregnant. Ultimately, it was Bjorn who told Lagertha about Aslaug and her pregnancy, not Ragnar.
He might have been a great warrior, but he betrayed his son and his first wife in a heartbeat. He proposed that Aslaug becomes his second wife to Lagertha, but he chose the worst moment possible, thus pushing away his family for good. Lagertha left the town and Bjorn joined her.
The Tale Of Two Brothers
The ongoing conflicts Ragnar had with his brother Rollo contributed to his slow mental decline as well. Season 2 opens up with a dramatic battle of brother versus brother. Men fall to their deaths all around the two, but when all is said and done, Rollo and Ragnar cannot kill each other. Rollo has always lived in Ragnar's shadow. All he wanted was his brother's recognition.
Whenever Ragnar gave Rollo a chance, Rollo betrayed him. No wonder Ragnar slowly got worse with time: he couldn't even trust his own flesh and blood.
He Essentially Raped Aslaug
In season 2, Jarl Borg invaded Kattegat when Ragnar was away in Wessex. Aslaug and the children had to go in hiding. When Ragnar is finally reunited with Aslaug, he wants to bed her right away. She is reluctant and tells him that they have to wait three days, otherwise, they will make a monster. One of the reasons Ragnar liked Aslaug was also her ability to see the future, yet he ignored her pleas.
He forced himself on his wife. That night, they conceived Ivar - who indeed turned out to be a monster. Not because of his physical disability, but because he grew up into a tyrant. Ragnar used to be a loving husband and father but got much worse with time.
He Is King But Doesn't Want To Be
It took Ragnar literally years to realize what he knew deep down from the very start. He never wanted to be king and take responsibility for the lives of his people. When he was a farmer, he was happy. Less responsibility means more freedom. One of the reasons why Ragnar got worse and worse is that he lost the freedom to do whatever he wants. There was always an enemy to deal with.
If Ragnar never wanted the throne, why did he let so many people die for him? Seeing just how pointless it all was, it's no wonder that he slowly lost his mind.
Ragnar Didn't Care That Lagertha Was Usurped
In season 3, Lagertha is an Earl, but the title is taken away when Kalf usurped her. Lagertha asks her ex-husband to help her win her home back. While he does talk with him alongside Lagertha, he doesn't fight with her to take Kalf down. At that time, he was too busy planning a battle that went down as one of the greatest in the show's history: the attack on Paris.
This wasn't the only time he failed to be loyal to Lagertha. He betrayed her on several occasions, as he did Aslaug. Lagertha ultimately swallowed her pride and fought alongside Kalf in Paris.
Athelstan's Death
One of the events that had the biggest impact was Athelstan's death. The tragedy broke his heart in two ways. Athelstan was his favorite person in the world and he trusted him more than anyone. Of all the people, it was his best friend Floki who killed him. Ragnar considered Floki as his own brother but was betrayed by him just as he was by Rollo.
The monk's death set off an unprecedented spiritual crisis in Ragnar. He was torn between Christianity and the Norse gods, doubting and believing in both at the same time. He became less social and he lost his signature spark.
His Relationship With Yidu
One of the worst things Ragnar has ever done was what he has done with Yidu, a slave from China that Ragnar took for his own. Yidu introduced Ragnar to hallucinogenic drugs and Ragnar quickly became an addict. It turned out that Ragnar has an addictive personality and that he cannot make sound decisions. The two became lovers, but Yidu didn't really have a choice if she wanted to stay alive.
When she denied Ragnar the drugs, he got so angry he killed her by drowning. No one held him accountable and no one ever found out just how unstable their leader has become. It seemed that Ragnar was mortified by the sheer anger that got over him and propelled him to kill poor Yidu.
His Failed Suicide Attempt
In his life, Ragnar had two wives, several sons, countless of men who were willing to die for him and friends he could trust. However, he felt completely alone. He was estranged from his people and his culture. All the poor life choices and suffering has led him to try to hang himself. The attempt failed when the crows started picking at the rope.
Perhaps it would be better if he died then. If it wasn't for his failed suicide attempt, his sons would never have to avenge their father's death. Instead, Ragnar started another war with Ecbert and Aelle on his way out. He wanted to sail west again and invited Ivar to go along. Of all the sons, he was the worst one he could pick.
He Slaughtered His Own Men In England
Ragnar, Ivar, and several other men set sail for England. Eventually, Ragnar told Ivar that he never intended to go back to Kattegat. Their ship sunk, but the crew made it to the shores of England anyway. When the men slept, Ragnar and Ivar murdered them. No wonder Ivar grew so confident in his tyranny. The man he worshiped more than anyone taught him that killing your own people is okay - and that was actually one of the few lessons his father gave him.
Ivar inherited Ragnar's knack for psychological warfare. If only he met his father in his glory days, rather than at the end of his life when he has become his darkest self.