WiC Watches: Vikings season 6
By Corey Smith
Bjorn (Alexander Ludwig) from HISTORY’s “Vikings.” Two-hour season six premiere airs Wed. December 4 at 9PM ET/PT.. Photo by Jonathan Hession.. Copyright 2019
Episode 6×02: “The Prophet”
The sixth and final season of Vikings got off to a solid start with “New Beginnings.” However, “The Prophet” brings that momentum to a halt and gives us some serious deja-vu. The series has long focused on the struggle for Kattegat; our heroes fight to depose whoever is in charge that week, before eventually gaining power themselves. Meanwhile, the deposed ruler flees, finds new allies, and returns to gain control of Kattegat, and on and on. I had hoped that season 6 would break the cycle, and it still might, but for now, it looks like we’re rinsing and repeating.
For such a bold and inexorable enemy on the battlefield, Bjorn is turning out to be quite the namby-pamby king. Last episode, he decided not to execute Ivar’s death squad, which could be seen as an attempt to stop the cycle of bloodshed (even though it will certainly come back to haunt him), but this go round Bjorn can’t seem to make a decision without consulting every last person he knows, even if they’re dead.
The Seer, who has long provided advice and foretold the future for the rulers of Kattegat, was murdered by Ivar during his reign, so it’s unexpected for Bjorn have a full-on conversation with the mystic in his head. Are we supposed to believe Bjorn has gone mad? It doesn’t feel that way, but how else do you explain a conversation with a dead guy Honestly though, its the least of King Bjorn’s problems.
L-R: Bjorn (Alexander Ludwig) and Lagertha (Katheryn Winnick) from HISTORY’s “Vikings.” Two-hour season six premiere airs Wed. December 4 at 9PM ET/PT.. Photo by Jonathan Hession.. Copyright 2019
Receiving a plea for help from the deposed King Harald, Bjorn has literally no idea what to do. Harald, it seems, did not die from the wound he took protecting Bjorn in last season’s finale, and was deposed by their joint ally King Olaf. Bjorn is torn by what he feels is his obligation to help Harald and his desire not to involve Kattegat in the affairs of his neighbors, even if both were nominal allies the last time we saw them.
Bjorn spends the rest of the episode seeking the advice of Lagertha, Ubbe, Torvi and his wife Gunnhild. Bjorn also seems utterly unaware that Hvitserk is sliding down a hill of drinking and self-loathing. That Bjorn would even consider leaving Hvitserk in charge of Kattegat in his condition is a horrifying indictment of Bjorn’s judgement, but luckily we are saved by Ubbe and Torvi, who volunteer to postpone their voyage west of Iceland to lead Kattegat in Bjorn’s absence. Did we mention Bjorn is one episode away from sleeping with his servant despite proclaiming his undying love to Gunnhild? At any rate, Bjorn is off to rescue Harald from Olaf. Rinse and repeat.
Back in the Ukraine, Oleg and Ivar begin their quest to retake Kattegat by raising a fleet. Naturally, Oleg has to murder one of his brothers while outmaneuvering a second and kidnapping a third. Oleg is fun to watch, and the idea that he needs to control his youngest brother as the rightful heir is interesting, but on the flip side I hope we aren’t getting ourselves involved in another situation like the one in England.
We spent several seasons embroiled in the politics of England, where we watched terrible characters do terrible things to other terrible characters, and honestly I don’t need to see it again no matter how much fun Oleg’s dancing is. I get that the producers want to build a genuine relationship between Oleg and Ivar before they head to Kattegat, but at the same time this is the last season of the show; we know the relationship can’t last. And if we spend the next half season embroiled in the power struggles of the Ukraine, a happy camper I will not be.
Outside of those developments, we also saw Flatnose sail into Kattegat alone, and got no hint of Floki’s fate. Ubbe and Bjorn both question Flatnose, and at least Bjorn seems suspicious. Teasing out Floki’s fate actually feels quite fun, but hopefully it isn’t dragged out too long.
Overall, “The Prophet” isn’t a terrible episode, it just feels like we could be headed in the wrong direction, while the show’s most charismatic character flounders. The first two episodes have been light on action (if not on bloodshed), but I’d hate to see the show fall back into the “violence solves plot holes” trope. Season 6 should be about a final reckoning between the sons of Ragnar Lothbrok, and I’d like to see that get underway sooner than later.