Biggest Unanswered Questions In Vikings
In 2013, Michael Hirst's Viking saga hit the History Channel in a wave of blood and gore. Hoping to capitalize on the star power that "Game of Thrones" had on HBO, Hirst wanted to create a series that would concentrate on the tales of Viking legend Ragnar Lothbrok (originally called Lodbrok in Nordic legend) and his sons (via Collider). Thus, "Vikings" was born.
The series ran for six seasons with the final episode airing on Amazon Prime in December 2020. Since then, Hirst has created the successful spinoff series "Vikings: Valhalla," a show set approximately 100 years following the events of "Vikings." And while the series has enjoyed success, we can't help but miss the Lothbrok men.
"Vikings" introduced audiences to Ragnar (Travis Fimmel) and the birth of his five legendary sons: Björn Ironside (Alexander Ludwig), Ivar the Boneless (Alex Høgh Andersen), Ubbe (Jordan Patrick Smith), Hvitserk (Marco Ilsø), and Sigurd Snake-in-the-Eye (Linnéa Lindström). As the series grew, the story shifted away from Ragnar to the power plays between his sons, which are all remembered in history for their epic battles. Because of this, "Vikings" is a show that follows certain historical accuracies of the Lothbrok men. However, there are times when Hirst takes liberties with the characters in order to keep the story interesting. And it's because of those liberties that several supporting stories are completely abandoned by the show's end. And, if we're being honest, it's extremely frustrating when a show leaves unresolved plot points behind.
Therefore, in honor of the Lothbrok men, we're taking a look at 10 of the biggest unanswered questions in "Vikings."
Major spoilers ahead. You've been warned.
Who was Björn's father?
As the eldest of Ragnar's children, Björn is the only one of his sons who appears in all six seasons of "Vikings." Initially, he's considered to be the most like his father, with all of his younger brothers looking up to him. Much like his historical counterpart, Björn's an incredible warrior with a lust for exploration. In the show, audiences see Björn go on many adventures before taking his place as king of the fictional Viking village Kattegat.
Björn picking up his father's legacy and becoming king initially makes the most sense, as he's positioned to be the most like Ragnar. That's why it comes as a big surprise when his uncle Rollo (Clive Standen) returns to Kattegat from France and tells Björn that he might be his real father.
Rollo is Ragnar's brother and was always destined to live in his shadow. He was jealous of his brother as he wanted everything that Ragnar had — from his fame right down to his wife Lagertha (Katheryn Winnick). While it's clear that Lagertha always loved Ragnar, no matter what he put her through, the tension between her and Rollo was always palpable. So much so that Björn isn't really fazed when Rollo suggests that he could be his father. Instead, Björn calmly says that between Ragnar and Rollo, he looks more like Ragnar, deciding that he's likely his son and not Rollo's.
Unfortunately, that's the only answer the show ever gives us, neither confirming nor denying Rollo's claims of parentage over Björn.
What happened to Þórunn?
Introduced in Season 2, Þórunn (Gaia Weiss) is a servant who catches Björn's eye. Although she's a lower status than Björn, the two fall in love, with Þórunn training to become a warrior shield-maiden like Björn's mother Lagertha. Unfortunately, her time as a warrior is cut short when she suffers a major injury which results in a scar on her face while she's pregnant with Björn's first child.
That's when things take a major turn for the character, as she no longer sees her worth as a woman or a warrior. She gives birth to their daughter in Season 3 but feels no connection to the child. She goes through a deep depression, pushing Björn toward the young Torvi (Georgia Hirst) as she feels like she is no longer good enough for her husband.
Eventually, Þórunn leaves Kattegat, which initially seems to devastate Björn. However, come Season 4, there's really no talk of her as Björn's officially moved on to Torvi (at least, for a little while). It's curious that Þórunn is never seen again, especially since Björn's travels around the globe, and yet he still never comes across his wife. And the show never sees fit to tell audiences exactly what happened to her, or if she ever manages to find peace once more.
What happened to Rollo's family?
As we mentioned, Rollo always feels like he's living in his younger brother's shadow. As an impulsive and emotional character, Rollo is jealous of Ragnar's increasing popularity and strength. And it's because of this that Rollo betrays his brother in many instances.
Nothing compares to Rollo's biggest betrayal when he becomes the Duke of Normandy. This happens after Ragnar orders his men to invade Paris. Once the raid is successful, Rollo volunteers to stay behind with a camp of Vikings to prepare for another siege upon Ragnar's return. However, during his time there, Rollo is persuaded by the emperor to betray Ragnar in favor of defending Frankia from the next Viking attack. He compels Rollo by making him a duke and offering a marriage to his daughter. Rollo agrees and begins to fall in love with his wife and the people of Frankia; he feels they give him more respect than anyone back home ever did.
When the Northmen return for another siege, they are shocked to see Rollo fighting against them. And since he knows all of their tricks, they are defeated and sent back to Kattegat. Rollo is later seen with his wife and three children who he proudly shows off to his nephews. But after that, we never find out what happens with his family. Do his sons go on to become great warriors like their father? Do they know that he was born a Viking and is not originally from Frankia? These questions are never answered because Rollo's entire family is abandoned after this moment. They are never seen or mentioned again.
That is, until the plot of "Vikings: Valhalla" loosely connects Rollo's family back into the story.
Will Rollo reunite with his nephew Hvitserk?
And speaking of Rollo, we can't help but wonder if he and his nephew Hvitserk will reunite once more. Now that they are both living as baptized Christians in a similar part of the world, it would make sense if Hvitserk seeks out his uncle for some guidance. They are essentially the only two Vikings living in Christian countries. Unfortunately, "Vikings" doesn't even consider this idea.
By the end of Season 6, Hvitserk and Ubbe are the only sons of Ragnar left alive, and with Ubbe living in Newfoundland, the chances of a family reunion are slim. But luckily, Hvitserk has his uncle he can lean on.
Following the death of his brother Ivar, Hvitserk chooses to stay in Wessex as he believes that he's destined to bring peace to both Viking and Christian people. He takes a page out of his father's book and decides to get baptized by King Alfred as a symbol that he finds peace in both religions. Once he's baptized, he's given the Christian name of Athelstan as a way to honor his father's late best friend and the father of King Alfred.
And while this worked for the characters, it was also a very intentional choice by creator Michael Hirst as he didn't want to end the series without paying one last homage to the fan-favorite character Athelstan, who was portrayed by George Blagden (via Express.co UK).
What was so special about Sigurd?
Sigurd is the third son of Ragnar and Aslaug (Alyssa Sutherland). Growing up, he has a difficult relationship with his younger brother Ivar, as he is often considered to be their mother's favorite son. Because of her obvious favoritism, Sigurd often feels left out as a child as he's too young to go to war with his older brothers. Instead, he's forced to stay behind with his mother and younger brother, Ivar.
And throughout his childhood, Sigurd isn't the only one neglected, as he finds his niece Siggy dead because Aslaug was not watching her. When tells his mother of her death, both she and Ivar show no empathy, suggesting that someone else should have been keeping an eye on her.
Before Sigurd was born, Aslaug prophesied that he was a child of destiny who would be born with the image of a serpent in his eye — the very same serpent that her father killed. When he was born, Aslaug named him Sigurd 'Snake-in-the-Eye' after her father, and she warned Ragnar that he would have special powers.
However, Sigurd isn't that special of a character. In fact, the only important thing he really does is die at his younger brother's hand. Sigurd's death serves as a boost in Ivar's character arc, as it showcases that the youngest Lothbrok son would soon become the most dangerous. So was it Sigurd's destiny to die? Unfortunately, the show never really answers that question.
What happened to Kassia and Ziyadat Allah?
In Season 5 of "Vikings," Björn travels to Africa in the hopes of making powerful alliances and building outposts for trade. Upon arriving, Björn meets an emir named Ziyadat Allah. He is a powerful ruler from the Mediterranean who currently controls Ifriqiya, aka Northern Africa.
Initially, the emir (Kal Naga) comes across as a welcoming and friendly man, making Björn believe that he's found a true ally. He introduces Björn to a famous and powerful nun named Kassia (Karima McAdams) as they begin to talk of trade between their two people. Unfortunately, things take a turn for the worse during a dinner held in the middle of the desert. Kassia suggests to the emir that they kill a man who has betrayed them and serve his flesh as a meal to Björn and his fellow travelers.
Once Björn realizes what's happened, he sees that the emir is a devious man with a strategic mind and lust for power. They begin to fear what the emir and Kassia are capable of, realizing that she holds more power than meets the eye. Luckily, a sandstorm occurs and acts as the perfect cover for Björn to make his escape. He returns to his ship and sails back to Kattegat, leaving his entire adventure behind him.
It's pretty random that "Vikings" introduces such powerful and intriguing characters only for them to disappear a few episodes later. We'll never know what kind of threat the emir and Kassia could have held over the Norsemen.
How did Floki survive the volcano?
Floki (Gustaf Skarsgård) is Ragnar's best friend and loyal companion. He's a character that's likely gone through the most ups and downs, as he experiences losing his family, the death of his best friend, and a momentary loss of faith in his gods.
In Season 5, Floki starts a small settlement in Iceland — a place he believes to be the land of the gods. Unfortunately for him, the same cycle of violence that always plagues his people starts in the settlement, and its residents start fighting and killing each other. Sick of the constant bloodshed, Floki travels into the cave of a volcano that's erupting, believing this to be the gate to Helheim (aka Hell). Unfortunately, once he arrives, Floki sees a cross, and this breaks him. It would seem that the Christian God has already made it to the land of his gods. And as the volcano erupts around him, the last thing the audience sees is Floki laughing hysterically.
That is, until Season 6. Turns out, Floki is alive and well, living in Newfoundland and ready to greet Ubbe when he arrives. He kind of breezes over how he managed to escape his fate, simply noting that he survived the volcano incident and has been living peacefully with the native people.
According to Michael Hirst, he wanted to bring Floki back to give him a happy ending and "do right" by his character. He envisioned the series ending with characters looking out at the sea as it represented exploration to the Vikings, so that ending between Ubbe and Floki just felt right (via Express.co UK).
Why is Kattegat left without a Seer?
In Season 5, Ivar begins to believe that he is a god king with divine powers to rule over the city of Kattegat. However, there's just one flaw in his plan to convince the villagers of his belief — the Seer (John Kavanagh). The Seer acts as a religious figure for Kattegat, as he is an oracle who interrupts the will of the gods. He often speaks in riddles but is almost never wrong about his cryptic predictions.
When Ivar goes to see the Seer, he tells the young warrior that he is not a god king. Angered by this revelation, Ivar kills him before he can share this prediction with anyone else. As such a prominent character to the people of Kattegat, it comes as a surprise that his death isn't a big concern in the show. And what's more, the town never gets another Seer after his demise.
Perhaps it's because Floki is hinted at being the next Seer in "Vikings." He's a character that once had a deep connection and devotion to the gods, and after his apparent discovery of Asgard, the land of the gods, it feels like he's primed to take over that title. Alas, nothing ever comes to pass, as Floki never returns to Kattegat, and the Seer fades into memory, only to be seen through the occasional vision.
Another reason the town never gets another Seer might be that the city is so consumed with violence in the name of their religion that they no longer honor their gods. And while that's an interesting theory, we'll never really know the truth behind it.
What type of ruler does Ingrid become?
Introduced in Season 6, Ingrid (Lucy Martin) is a servant who becomes Björn's second wife and eventual queen of Kattegat. She has somewhat of a tragic story as she is raped by Harald (Peter Franzén) and gets pregnant with his child. After the death of her husband Björn, she is forced into marrying her abuser Harald as he becomes king of Kattegat.
However, by the end of the series, she learns that her husband has been killed and that no one is returning home from their attack on Wessex, meaning that she is the only true ruler of the village. And the thought scares Ingrid, as she knows that she's not a fighter and has no way of defending herself when the wolves come knocking at her door. Her ending leaves us with questions. What will happen to her child? How will she protect the city of Kattegat? How long will her reign last?
When discussing Ingrid as being the final queen of the city, Michael Hirst shares that he didn't really see that coming for her character. Instead, the idea of her fate was something that came to him while he was building the final season (via Electric Pop).
That being said, one thing is for certain — Kattegat has always flourished under the reign of a queen in the past; perhaps this time will be no different.
Why did Vikings leave the History Channel for Amazon Prime?
After "Vikings" debuted on television, the first five seasons aired on the History Channel. It was such a staple for the network that it came as a surprise when the final season abruptly moved to Amazon Prime. However, there's actually a logical reason for this.
According to The Wrap, the History Channel shifted its focus toward miniseries and documentaries over drama programs like "Vikings." And it's because of this that the series needed to look for another home in order to finish the tales of the Lothbrok men.
Enter Amazon Prime. When discussing "Vikings" move to Amazon with The Wrap, Michael Hirst said, "Prime Video will uniquely expose the series finale to a streaming audience first," arguing that the platform will allow him to give the story a proper send off.
The VP form Amazon Prime mirrored this statement, stating, "Prime Video has already delighted Prime members with all five and a half seasons of 'Vikings'" (via Deadline) as the platform released the episodes in preparation for the shift. However, it's strange that Amazon Prime took the final season of "Vikings" but not the spinoff series "Vikings: Valhalla," as that's being aired on Netflix. And while the reason for the shift is left to our imagination, Hirst shared with IGN, "Netflix gives you obvious advantages and so we're very pleased to be in partnership with them."