I don’t know about you, but I’m still slowly coming down off of that Vikings: Valhalla Season 1 ending, which was incredibly emotional, and filled with a number of twists, and the loss of some very good characters. And, while every episode of the dramatic spinoff’s freshman season delivered on the promise of picking up the Vikings mantle from its predecessor, there are still several questions that viewers are left with after watching the season finale.
So, here are the six most important questions that Vikings: Valhalla will need to answer in Season 2. Be forewarned, though! This entire story is FILLED to the brim WITH SPOILERS, much like a Viking longship ready for battle is filled with warriors. Beware if you haven’t finished the season!
Where Did Harald And Freydis Go After The Battle For Kattegat?
Harald really came very close to totally screwing up his burgeoning romance with Freydis after he appeared to switch sides to fight with his brother, Olaf, and her archenemy, Jarl Kåre. Luckily, it was just a way for Harald to get the inside scoop on their plans and pass info to Jarl Haakon and her forces at Kattegat. As we saw, though, it ended up not mattering much, as the city was lost.
Harald was seriously wounded in the battle, but with Freydis realizing that he put his life on the line to get them what they thought was good intel, she helped him get out of Kattegat after finding him injured. They left on horseback before Forkbeard’s forces arrived, but where did they go to recuperate? Harald had been headed back to his home in Norway at the start of the season, so it’s possible they headed there. With Forkbeard seriously pissed at Olaf’s traitorous behavior, though, reclaiming Harald’s official position as the future king of Norway might yet be too dangerous for him, in case the much older warrior decides to make Harald pay for his brother's misdeeds. Speaking of which…
Will Forkbeard Find Olaf?
Olaf managed to take Kattegat after using Kåre and his forces to wear the much smaller army down and then storming in to finish them off. With Kåre finally killed by Freydis, Olaf was able to celebrate ruling Kattegat for roughly 40 seconds before realizing that Forkbeard had arrived to make him pay for colluding with Queen Ælfgifu against Forkbeard’s son, King Canute.
The last we saw of Olaf, literally all of his men had abandoned him to try to run away, and he himself seemed to have given up hope, removed the trappings of his increased jarldom, and was leaving the great hall. But, we don’t know if he was also attempting to run or had decided to go out and take a swift and likely very final punishment from Forkbeard. My guess is on the former, which begs the question of whether or not our no nonsense friend Forky found Olaf immediately, will find him soon into Season 2, or will need to spend some time looking for the traitor on Canute’s behalf.
Did Jarl Haakon Actually Die From Her Wounds?
Despite the fact that there have been complaints about Jarl Haakon’s existence on the show, many fans really love the character, so this is a tough one. After making sure that Kattegat was a peaceful community that welcomed pagans, Christians, and other faiths alike, Haakon had to try to protect her city from Olaf and the way more bloody-minded Kåre. She led her people bravely from one of Kattegat’s towers, but was struck by two arrows during the battle.
Freydis and some other shield maidens managed to get her to the great hall, but Haakon was clearly very badly injured and her future did not look bright. But, we didn’t actually see her die on screen. So, was Haakon mortally wounded, or will she pull through only to be subjected to Forkbeard’s whims once she recovers? Honestly, I don’t like either option, and get the sense that Haakon would rather head to Valhalla than deal with Forky.
Will Leif Be Changed For The Worse Because Of Liv’s Death?
For much of Vikings: Valhalla, Leif was trying to avoid either comparisons to his already legendary father, Erik the Red, or being blamed for his supposed sins. While Leif was already a formidable opponent in any fight, he was also shown to be relatively quiet, kind, thoughtful, and contemplative away from battle.
But, you ask? Well, Leif had only just gotten together with Liv, the last of the Greenlanders who arrived in Kattegat with him and Freydis. And while they were good as a couple and partners in battle, he watched as Olaf ran her through with his sword, and, uh, he did not take losing Liv well. After hearing about his father’s violence all season, we saw that come out in full force in Leif after Liv died, and now we have to wonder whether or not her death will change him for the worse, or if he can eventually return to his old self.
What Will King Canute Do About Queen Ælfgifu?
Well, well, well… What is a king to do when he takes another queen (England’s Queen Emma) while still technically married to the first one (Danish Queen Ælfgifu, the mother of his children)? Ælfgifu heard from Olaf about Canute’s betrayal and attempted to get him back for it by keeping his ships from him. Canute’s dad, Forkbeard, and Queen Emma took care of that, though, and Ælfgifu looked to be in some big trouble by season’s end.
If Emma and/or Forkbeard haven’t already had Ælfgifu killed by the time Canute returns to England from defending Denmark from its Wend invaders, what, precisely, is he going to do about the queen he tossed aside?
How Many Times Can Godwin Double Cross Folks Before Someone Takes His Head?
Listen, guys, I can admire (from afar, lest I get wrapped up in a dangerous plot which might see me lose my life) the fact that Godwin is a survivor through and through. However, how long can he continue to double cross people before someone gets tired of him working every possible angle and kills him?
When Canute, Harald, and Olaf won the battle for London, Godwin (previously advisor to newly crowned boy-king, Edmund) was quick to sidle up to Harald and try to get into his good graces. He also quickly swore allegiance to Canute, and later helped Forkbeard dispatch of Edmund behind Emma’s back, as well as distracting Ælfgifu so they could find Canute’s fleet that she was hiding. He reminds me a lot of Littlefinger from Game of Thrones, with the main difference being that he seems more interested in staying alive (totally a good idea) than gaining more power. But, the way Godwin turns on folks could see his desire to live a long life backfire in a big way, potentially sooner rather than later.
We have no idea when Vikings: Valhalla Season 2 might premiere on Netflix, but while we wait you can see what to watch if you enjoyed Vikings: Valhalla, the 2022 TV premiere dates, and check out what else is coming with the 2022 Netflix TV schedule!
