That's right the rippling chested warriors dripping in blood and sweat known as Vikings just wrapped up their third season on The History Channel. This will be a review of past seasons one following my next blog with will be the history that inspired this show.
Ragnar Lothbrok played by Travis Fimmel is a farmer who has dreams of achieving greatness. To smart for his own good he constantly strives towards forwarding his knowledge of the world. He has had visions in his summer raids to the east. We get to witness him see Odin walk over the fallen Viking warriors after a battle with a Russian settlement. After this he is haunted by a number of other vision concluding he is of Odin's blood. His goals are halted by his Earl, the Lord Haraldson.
Ragnar has a vision of sailing to lands that the Northmen have yet to raid, let alone sail to. To a lord a bright warrior and Eager explorer could bring him riche's. But in times of power brought on by conquest, brings the earl to fear for his title.
You meet Ragnar's son Bjorn as he pledge's himself to the Earl as he enters manhood. Bjorn also has a sister both born from Ragnard wife Lagertha a shield maiden. Around this point you meet the anti hero Rollo which is Ragnar's brother. Ragnar seeks his oldest friend Floki the ship builder to construct a new type of vessel that would allow longer travel on the sea to be possible. Floki fulfills his promise and build the mighty Viking long boat that also allows travel up rivers. Ragnar rallies his closest friends and breaks a new command forbidding any raiding to the Western unmapped lands by the Earl. They set sail using a new type of navigation a sun stone which allows you to look directly into the sky to see the position of the sun without glare. They also use a water compass that when you figure out the position of the sun you can tell the proper time to use this compass allowing them to travel west without being lost at sea. On this first journey they came across Lindisfarne on the tip of the British Isles which was a monastery filled with Christian monks who had traveled the known world. They were now scribing there travels onto parchment along with creating new bibles when Ragnar's raiding party landed. They pillaged the monks godly treasures, slaying most of them. One monks life was spared.
His name was Athelstan. Ragnar was taken by Athelstan vast knowledge of the world. Once returning Ragnar faced the Earl's wrath with the sacking of his and his friends lands by those still loyal to the Earl. Ragnar and the Earl face off with the god's to decide their fate. Ragnar wins and becomes Earl Ragnar Lothbrok. He is once again visited by Odin though his visions and he takes it as a sign that he is pleased. The Viking King Horik arrives hearing of Ragnar's travels. All of them travel to Uppsalla a Norse temple to offer sacrifices to the god's. Series one ends with Ragnar traveling to Gotaland on the request of Horik to settle a land dispute with earl jarl borg as the village comes under a attack from a plague losing many including the late earl's children and Ragnars daughter.
(Earl Jarl Borg)
Most of season one builds Ragnar's back story and the bounds of his friends that allow him to reach his goals. The key point is that they are Vikings and as Pagans worshiper's to the Norse gods. Their everyday lives revolve around honoring these religious ties. To people such as the Saxons at these's time there pagan life styles scared, and angered all outside of there culture.
I decided to turn this blog post into 4 parts. This is part one dealing with season one. Part 2 tells Ragnar's historical past and how his legend help shape early Europe. Part 3 will be season two and part 4 will be season 3 and were I think they will go in the last season of the show.
Brace yours self's, the Hashtag's are coming!
Joe the Grey
Brace yours self's, the Hashtag's are coming!
Joe the Grey
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