[QuickTidal]

I'm also curious why Ragnar told Ivar to get revenge on Ecbert and not Aella (I assume they'll get revenge on both to be honest)...does that stem back to the killing of the viking village...or is it more about Ragnar attempting to clear the path to the throne for Alfred in honour of Aethelstan? Or was it just Ragnar being a dick? It just seemed like he and Ecbert had a rivalry/friendship...while Aella is a horrible, disgusting human who needs icing.

[Traveller]

I didn't quite get that either as they seemed to trust each other at the end.

Maybe his plan was to just take as much of England as possible, via his sons, as his last act, and implicating Ecbert would spare no one.

[Abyss]

Iirc, while he blamed Aethulwulf, Ecbert was behind the purge of the Viking settlement, or at least turned a knowing blind eye to it.

Ragnar may have liked him and enjoyed his company, but he knew or guessed this. Aelle was just a convenient way to avoid spending the rest of his life in a cage, and/or Ecbert killing Ivar. I doubt Alfred factors in, altho its an interesting theory.

Also, i think Ragnar just loved the idea of his sons bringing a massive army of vengeance down on England after all the trouble it gave him.


Relatedly it was pretty funny to see Rollo offer farmland and peace to the Vikings before he left the ships... umm, yeah Rollo, you kind of personally massacred the last bunch of people who took you up on that offer. Dick.

[QuickTidal]

Abyss, on 12 January 2017 - 06:54 PM, said:

Iirc, while he blamed Aethulwulf, Ecbert was behind the purge of the Viking settlement, or at least turned a knowing blind eye to it.

Ragnar may have liked him and enjoyed his company, but he knew or guessed this. Aelle was just a convenient way to avoid spending the rest of his life in a cage, and/or Ecbert killing Ivar. I doubt Alfred factors in, altho its an interesting theory.

Also, i think Ragnar just loved the idea of his sons bringing a massive army of vengeance down on England after all the trouble it gave him.


Relatedly it was pretty funny to see Rollo offer farmland and peace to the Vikings before he left the ships... umm, yeah Rollo, you kind of personally massacred the last bunch of people who took you up on that offer. Dick.

And yet out of all the people in the story...it's Rollos line that leads to William the Conqueror and the settlement of Norman England proper. Dick knew what he was doing moreso than anyone else....except MAYBE Floki who comes a close second to "knowing what he was doing".

[Abyss]

QuickTidal, on 12 January 2017 - 07:06 PM, said:

Abyss, on 12 January 2017 - 06:54 PM, said:

Iirc, while he blamed Aethulwulf, Ecbert was behind the purge of the Viking settlement, or at least turned a knowing blind eye to it.

Ragnar may have liked him and enjoyed his company, but he knew or guessed this. Aelle was just a convenient way to avoid spending the rest of his life in a cage, and/or Ecbert killing Ivar. I doubt Alfred factors in, altho its an interesting theory.

Also, i think Ragnar just loved the idea of his sons bringing a massive army of vengeance down on England after all the trouble it gave him.


Relatedly it was pretty funny to see Rollo offer farmland and peace to the Vikings before he left the ships... umm, yeah Rollo, you kind of personally massacred the last bunch of people who took you up on that offer. Dick.

And yet out of all the people in the story...it's Rollos line that leads to William the Conqueror and the settlement of Norman England proper. Dick knew what he was doing moreso than anyone else....except MAYBE Floki who comes a close second to "knowing what he was doing".

So yay for Rollo's sperm.
Guy still wiped out his own people just to prove he was worthy of knocking up the French princess.
...and then kindly offered to do it again (the massacre, not the knocking up, tho i'm pretty sure that followed once she was done punching him in the face) (which was awesome)!

[Malankazooie]

Who is the scarred fellow who is in cahoots with Harald and Halfdan in looking for weaknesses in the defenses being built up for Kattegat? Is he a viking? He doesn't have the same markings of the other vikings if he is.

Also, wouldn't Ragnar's direction to Ivar to attack King Ecbert instead of King Aelle ensure the death of Athelstan's son? (or at best he would be a slave if they fall?)

Finally, were chariots ever employed by vikings? (Ivar's wheelchair of war). Is that historically accurate or is that an embellishment by History Channel?

[Lycaenion]

I absolutely loved that when Ubbe/Ivar wanted to fight Lagertha, she actually focused on Ivar and showed only her back to Ubbe. She doesn't underestimate Ivar. She's probably the only one who doesn't.

[Abyss]

Lycaenion, on 13 January 2017 - 06:12 PM, said:

I absolutely loved that when Ubbe/Ivar wanted to fight Lagertha, she actually focused on Ivar and showed only her back to Ubbe. She doesn't underestimate Ivar. She's probably the only one who doesn't.

Yeah, it was unclear whether they were both challenging her or just Ivar as he had before... tho technically Ubbe challenged her even before that and got beaten down by Astrid and co. Even so, turning her back on Ubbe to face Ivar was VERY telling, altho I was expecting her to kick both their butts, just because she's Lagetha.


It's a neat touch w Ivar, that only Ragnar and Lagetha recognize he's actually the most dangerous of Aslaug's sons. Ubbe seems to think so as well but he tries, poorly, to assert himself as eldest. The split between them over avenging Aslaug was interesting, with Sigurd and Hicky basically content to drop it because as far as they are concerned Aslaug was an asshole.

Also interesting that Ubbe doesn't want to clash with Bjorn while Ivar could not care less.

[QuickTidal]

Abyss, on 13 January 2017 - 07:47 PM, said:

Lycaenion, on 13 January 2017 - 06:12 PM, said:

I absolutely loved that when Ubbe/Ivar wanted to fight Lagertha, she actually focused on Ivar and showed only her back to Ubbe. She doesn't underestimate Ivar. She's probably the only one who doesn't.

Yeah, it was unclear whether they were both challenging her or just Ivar as he had before... tho technically Ubbe challenged her even before that and got beaten down by Astrid and co. Even so, turning her back on Ubbe to face Ivar was VERY telling, altho I was expecting her to kick both their butts, just because she's Lagetha.


It's a neat touch w Ivar, that only Ragnar and Lagetha recognize he's actually the most dangerous of Aslaug's sons. Ubbe seems to think so as well but he tries, poorly, to assert himself as eldest. The split between them over avenging Aslaug was interesting, with Sigurd and Hicky basically content to drop it because as far as they are concerned Aslaug was an asshole.

Also interesting that Ubbe doesn't want to clash with Bjorn while Ivar could not care less.

Re Bolded. This is their historical position too. Ivar is traditionally the leader even through younger, while Ubba is just his brother and muscle, though older.

[Lycaenion]

I was very happy that basically Sigurd/Hicky are like 'meh' about avenging their mother. Sigurd knows how she really was, Hicky remembers the ice and that Ragnar took them with him because he didn't believe they were safe with Auslag. I feel for Ubbe it's more about duty...I don't think he's that broken up about it really. Only Ivar. Bjorn couldn't care less, but let's be honest: he never liked Auslag in the first place. My favourite scenes of s2 were with baby Bjorn and his dislike for Auslag. I mean, if Lagertha is your mum, no one else compares. I did feel kinda angry about how he was to Torvi when he came back. What's up with that anger Bjorn? And why are you dicking your mum's plaything?

[QuickTidal]

QuickTidal, on 12 January 2017 - 02:06 PM, said:

Since Laegertha is not a historical figure (like Aslaug was) she's a total wild card with regards to the events. Like we know where historically everyone else ends up, Rollo, Floki, Bjorn, Ubba and Ivar, ect. But Laegertha was invented, so they can do anything with her.

I looked it up and was wrong. Laegaertha IS a real figure. Doesn't say what her eventual fate is...does have her down as a queen.

the Ecbert and Alfred scene was gold! I love how they are setting him up for his future "great"ness

EDIT: Blue Jay Josh Donaldson will be in the next episode!

This post has been edited by QuickTidal: 16 January 2017 - 02:14 PM

[Abyss]

This ep.
Was.
FUCKING.

INSANE.

[Abyss]

That wasn't a battle it was a massacre.
The battle(s) will be next week.

[Malankazooie]

Just got caught up with last week's episode.

Holy sphincter clench! The magnitude and size of the heathen army looks like it could have rivaled any thing in GOT, "Battle of the Bastards" episode. Man, just think if Vikings has that director and budget for these episodes.

And man, was that another "Blood Eagle" performed? Damn smart to begin the carving of the flesh with a red hot glowing blade so it cauterizes the bleeding. Prolongs the suffering and anguish. .

Sweet, I get to roll right into tonight's episode!

[Malankazooie]

Lagertha and the shieldmaidens have Kattegat on lock. She's all "come at me bro", with the result being: "oh shit, I'm being roasted alive on a spit, what the! How'd this happen!?"

Heh, Ivar likes to talk ish to his brothers.

And those damn Vikings and their north living stamina. Sucks to be Aethelwulf.

[Abyss]

Torvi. Took a level in badass but didn't make it, sadly.

Speaking of badass, Lagertha.... damn.
Good fun Ivar and Bjorn using brains for a change. Looking fwd to next week's kiilfeste.
And damn... Floki at war is fucking intimidating.

[Malankazooie]

Abyss, on 26 January 2017 - 05:17 AM, said:

And damn... Floki at war is fucking intimidating.

This. I get hyped when I see him square off on the battle field with a new war paint design on his face/head/neck.

He's all around a great character. If not my favorite, a close second. I loved when he put the brothers in their place when he chortled and said (paraphrasing): so this is what is meant by the little pigs grunting. (or something to that effect).

Also, did it seem to you guys that the slave/daughter that tried to get away from Floki and wife (Helga) seemed to be scared of Helga, but seemed to be at ease with Floki when returned with her?

[Abyss]

Cheesewiz, on 26 January 2017 - 05:23 AM, said:

Abyss, on 26 January 2017 - 05:17 AM, said:

Torvi. Took a level in badass but didn't make it, sadly.

I'm unsure about this still. It showed her blink and that's the last we saw. I would think Lag would say something about her dead daughter in law at the roast but nothing.

You saw her blink?Cuz she looked pretty unblinking to me.

Malankazooie, on 26 January 2017 - 05:34 AM, said:

Abyss, on 26 January 2017 - 05:17 AM, said:

And damn... Floki at war is fucking intimidating.

This. I get hyped when I see him square off on the battle field with a new war paint design on his face/head/neck.

He's all around a great character. If not my favorite, a close second. I loved when he put the brothers in their place when he chortled and said (paraphrasing): so this is what is meant by the little pigs grunting. (or something to that effect).

Also, did it seem to you guys that the slave/daughter that tried to get away from Floki and wife (Helga) seemed to be scared of Helga, but seemed to be at ease with Floki when returned with her?

Tataruz' reaction was interesting. I think she feared Helga would be angry and had just started to get over her fear of Floki.

[Malankazooie]

I noticed the blink too. Hopefully they'll tie things up with viking funerals so we know for sure. I am leaning towards her being dead so it can propel forward a potential conflict between mother and son (Lagertha/Bjorn) over Astrid. Which then would give Bjorn the incentive to allow Ivar to avenge Aslaug's death (or at least make the attempt )

[acesn8s]

Malankazooie, on 26 January 2017 - 11:27 AM, said:

I noticed the blink too. Hopefully they'll tie things up with viking funerals so we know for sure. I am leaning towards her being dead so it can propel forward a potential conflict between mother and son (Lagertha/Bjorn) over Astrid. Which then would give Bjorn the incentive to allow Ivar to avenge Aslaug's death (or at least make the attempt )

That's a pretty cool theory. I'm onboard with it.