Vikings: Valhalla season 1—All episodes reviewed and explained

Episode Six: “The Last Daughter of Uppsala”

In “The Last Daughter of Uppsala,” Freydis comes face-to-face with Jarl Kare for the first time. We finally learn more about him and what his goal is. Meanwhile, back in London, Canute implements measures to solidify his position on the throne.

Leaving Uppsala with a greater understanding of her destiny, Freydis passes the pagan village to find her friend brutally murdered. It’s not just her friend either; the entire village has been beheaded.

Christian leader Jarl Kare is waiting for her. What does he want? Well, his motivations have been shrouded in mystery since his introduction. But we know that he wants revenge on Freydis for killing one of his berserkers. Now we learn that he plans to invade Kattegat.

Aware of Kare’s plans to attack Kattegat, Freydis heads back to warn Haakon of the coming threat. While Haakon isn’t too concerned about the safety of her city, she still decides to prepare for an attack. For the time being, Freydis trains to become a shield-maiden.

In England, King Canute makes plans to ensure that he remains in power. He declares that he will stay in London and rule for the foreseeable future. Meanwhile, Leif, Harald, and Olaf all head back to Norway. The war is over, after all. And they (especially Leif) head back as heroes. It’s a hugely emotional return.

Even though Canute says he will rule alongside Edmund, he is the one calling the shots. So far, Edmund hasn’t managed to get a word in. If Canute is going to fulfill his goal of creating a northern empire with England at its heart, he needs only the best advisors. For that position, he chooses Emma; she knows the country well and is knowledgable about taxes and other matters.

In his first decree to the people of England, Canute says he will restore the lands and titles to the original rulers of each kingdom, promising no more Viking raids. Then he proclaims he will rebuild the bridge, making it even better than before. Lastly, he announces his ambition to forge an empire of the north. He offers all of this in exchange for one thing: loyalty. Of course, this is pretty hard to come by when you’re asking it of people whose country you’ve just invaded.

I’m surprised at how quickly Canute has become a core character in the show. In fact, since the battle in London, I think he’s taken the spotlight off Harald and Leif.

In Denmark, Olaf meets Canute’s wife, Queen Aelfgifu (played by Pollyanna McIntosh, whom you may recognize from The Walking Dead). He tells her of the Vikings’ spoils in England, adding that her husband Canute has decided to remain there. This technically makes Aelfgifu the Queen of England. However, as he’s growing closer to Emma, it appears Canute may take another wife.

All of that said, Olaf didn’t travel to see Aelfgifu simply to tell her the news. He wishes to have her help in his attempt to rule Norway. You can clearly see where the next battle will be.

This wasn’t the most action-packed episode, but there is a scene where a crowd gathers to watch Freydis in her duel to prove herself as a shield-maiden. Even though the fighters should be holding back against each other, it doesn’t feel that way. Eventually, Freydis wins because of course she does. She is presented with a sword and officially sworn in as a shield-maiden. Perhaps, over time, she’ll become as famous a fighter as Lagertha herself.

There are echoes of Ragnar and Lagertha in the relationship between Harald and Freydis: a King and a shield-maiden. And that will ring more true if and when Harald becomes King of Norway, as Canute has promised him. I’m sure Olaf is prepared to fight for the title.

Verdict

There are so many moving pieces in this show that it’d be near impossible to wrap up every subplot in the two remaining episodes. Thankfully, Netflix has already ordered 24 more, so I’m sure everything will reach a satisfying conclusion. Let’s take a look at some of the questions I have after watching this episode:

• Will Aelfgifu assist Olaf?
• When will Kare invade Kattegat?
• Will the English be loyal to King Canute or will there be an uprising against him?