Major spoilers for Episode 3 of Vikings Season 6 entitled “All the Prisoners” are discussed below!
If you had a bad feeling heading into Lagertha’s return to battle on Vikings, there was a reason. I could not help sensing the uneasy foreshadowing that permeated Season 6’s “All the Prisoners” as it wore on. The previous installment of the History series had set the stage for a lot of game-changers, and it delivered many in Episode 3.
Ever since the first teaser trailer for Season 6 showed Lagertha saying that a “he” died for “us all,” it was clear someone's death was imminent. I thought Lagertha might be referring to Bjorn, since it was clear the person meant a great deal to her. Vikings took an unexpected turn as it revealed the tragic outcome.
The First Major Death of Season 6
Katheryn Winnick’s speculation-inducing tease before Vikings’ final season started is all making sense. Lagertha waged a significant clash during her final chapter by taking up arms against the bandits, aka the branded men Bjorn exiled. After spurring everyone to take action, the battle (not the war) was almost won.
That is when Lagertha’s little grandson, Hali, raised up a sword and beckoned his grandmother to look. As a horrified Lagertha looked on, the crazy leader of the bandits raced towards Hali on horseback with his sword drawn. Lagertha tried to stop but him, but he struck the little boy, murdering him. It was an incredibly heartbreaking death and the first major one of Vikings Season 6.
Bjorn Elected King of Norway
King Olaf finally got to what he wanted. As teased in the trailer for Season 6, King Olaf revealed his plan for Norway. After outmaneuvering Bjorn in the previous episode, he managed to have a lot of leverage. King Olaf did not use it as you may have expected. Instead, he brought up something he could be heard mentioning in Vikings’ teaser.
It turns out that all King Olaf wants is unity among all of the warring parties in Norway. In his desire to bring everyone together, he suggested electing Bjorn as Norway’s King. It is a title that Bjorn ended up accepting, alongside a (newly freed?) Harald. What a difference an episode of Vikings can make!
Ivar Schemed Oleg’s Downfall
The complicated relationship between Ivar and Prince Oleg on Vikings just got even more complicated. Ivar told Igor that he owns everything and not Oleg, which was a total king-maker move. After engendering feelings of entitlement from Igor, Ivar then paid Oleg’s tortured brother a visit. In the end, Oleg shared his vision for the future with Ivar.
His proposal? Ivar serving as a puppet king to do Oleg’s bidding. Oleg clearly has not watched Vikings, or he would know that Ivar is a no-strings-attached kind of ruler. Ivar did not tip his hand too far in announcing his dismay with the plan. In private, he made a lot of progress against the tyrannical leader.
Ubbe Banished Hvitserk
Hvitserk could not get on top of his addiction. After one attempt at trying to get Hvitserk sober, Ubbe banished his brother from his sight. Ubbe’s harsh treatment did not win any favors with Torvi or Bjorn’s new wife. Hvitserk was last shown on Vikings hitting a new low, wandering through the rain as Ivar haunted his living nightmares.
Can Hvitserk somehow find his way out of the tragic hole he is in? I have a feeling that Hvitserk may end up dying before he gets a chance too. He does have the support of his sisters-in-law and the young woman who has come from nowhere and tried to help him. Otherwise, his Vikings future looks bleak.
Final Thoughts
Vikings did not waver from tragedy with its twist. Gunnhild was heading to Lagertha’s at the end of the episode to do a wellness check after a disturbing nightmare. No one was aware of anything for certain in Kattegat, hence, Torvi and Bjorn were both unaware of their son’s death as the episode ended.
It was a highly emotional episode, and it ended as Lagertha vowed to avenge the dead. She cannot and will not retire, especially after the death of her grandson. Vikings seems to be setting up a huge David and Goliath fight between Lagertha and her grandson’s killer. I really hope she wins.
It merits adding that Katheryn Winnick and the young actor playing Hali were outstanding in the crushing scene where Lagertha comforted her grandson as he died. Many Vikings scenes will haunt me forever, and that will be one of them.
As for Bjorn’s false belief that Kjetill killed Floki, it is another example of Bjorn being off-base. The truth is, the maybe-god ventured into a cave, went berserk, causing it to cave in, and he probably died. Unfortunately for Kjetill, that is going to be tough to prove. There is more to come on that front, so Vikings has time to entirely confirm that.
The show is also in need of an Ingrid update. She is the woman Bjorn cheated on Gunnhild with before leaving Kattegat. That storyline is undoubtedly far from over. As you can tell, there is a lot of drama to sift through as Vikings continues!
Find out how Vikings handles all of these game-changers when new episodes of Season 6 air Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET on History. The riveting drama’s return is part of this winter's premieres.
