The successor series to the historical drama Vikings will begin streaming on Netflix on February 25; all eight episodes of the first season will be available immediately. Vikings: Valhalla takes place a century after the legendary Jarl Ragnar Lothbrok (also named Lothbrok, depending on the language), the protagonist of the first four seasons. Kanobu contributor Mari Grigoryan tells us if the spin-off writers were able to offer anything in exchange for the memorable characters and compelling story of the rise of a Viking and his descendants.
The plot of Vikings: Valhalla
After the events of the original series plot, the Vikings have been at peace with the Anglo-Saxons since Ragnar's son, Hvitserk, was baptized by the English king. Political tensions rise and the English suddenly decide to commit an act of treachery: destroy the Viking colony and all its inhabitants. Only the Viking nobleman Harald Sigurdsson (Leo Souter) escapes the punishment.
A year later, Harald and his brother Jarl Olaf (Johanness Højkür Johannesson) arrive in Kattegat, a city that once flourished under Ragnar. To avenge the murder of their countrymen, they join the march of the Danish king, the ambitious Knud the Great (Bradley Frigard). He wants to seize the opportunity, take the weakened throne of England and create a great northern empire. After the Viking campaign begins, the old English king dies, leaving behind a teenage son and a second wife, Emma of Normandy (Laura Berlin). But on his way to power over England, Cnud must first crush the other pretenders to the throne.
Another hero joins the march to England, the brave and cunning warrior Leif Eriksson (Sam Corlett). He has come from Greenland with his sister Freydis (Frida Gustavsson); she dreams of finding the Christian who raped her as a youth and taking revenge on him. After Freydis finds and punishes the culprit, Leif is left with no choice: to pay for his sister's crime, he must go under the banner of King Knud.
An interesting historic period
"Vikings: Valhalla" will cover an incredibly dramatic period in the history of the Scandinavian Vikings: the end of their era, the end of their forays into England. Indeed, the title already hints at the fate of the heroes and cities introduced in the first episodes. The place of the legendary Viking Ragnar Lothbrok has been taken by another historical figure: Harald III the Hard, who in the first episodes does not yet have his famous nickname. In the 11th century, he led his troops in the legendary battle of Stamford Bridge, lost it and ended any attempt to conquer England.
And it's interesting to watch because it's not immediately clear how history could have led to the Vikings' downfall. At the beginning of the season, Knud, Harald and their associates look like a powerful destructive wave that sweeps away all resistance. The kings and jarls (but not all of them) easily agree, unite and retreat fairly quickly to the territory of England. What must happen for Knud's plans to fail?
Even those who have not seen the original Vikings may be overwhelmed by the twists and turns. Some of the action takes place in the main town, the Norwegian market town of Kattegat, and the names of the characters occasionally appear in conversation. Emma of Normandy, for example, is mentioned as one of the descendants of Rollo, the Viking who betrayed his people, chose to live with a Frankish princess and became the first Duke of Normandy. But in general, not knowing the history or the plot of Vikings does not prevent one from immersing oneself in what is happening.
Especially since the struggle for the English throne plays a major role in the spin-off. While Knud tries to conquer England and nurtures the dream of a new empire, the other dukes fly to London like vultures. The king is dead, his heir Edmund is too young to rule alone, and not all subjects are ready to support Emma of Normandy: it's time to insinuate themselves into the royal family and gain a better position, even take the crown for themselves.
The shock of the old and the new world
Another major conflict in the series is the division among the Vikings over their faith. Some of the Vikings have been baptized and practice Christianity, but many do not want to abandon their paganism and continue to worship Odin, Freyja and other gods. This line developed widely and consistently among the Vikings; a century later, the issue is even more acute.
In the oblivion and destruction of the old religion, one can see the signs of the fall of the Vikings themselves, who do not live as comfortably as in Ragnar's time. They must assimilate and accept the new faith or disappear.
Inventive battles and a high level of production
The Viking spin-off begins with a massacre reminiscent of the Red Wedding from Game of Thrones. From that point on, there is hardly an episode without a fight scene. All conflicts are resolved by brutal fights in which you can be killed; much of this conflict falls on Leif, who has a bad reputation as an overbearing father. The scenes are not necessarily bloody, but they are certainly suspenseful. For example, Freydis has to fight a Christian who attacks her unarmed, wearing only a braided bracelet (spoiler: that's enough).
But we really feel the atmosphere of the old series from the fourth episode, when the Viking army besieges London. Combat power is not enough here, and the protagonists have to refer to their intelligence. Nearly half of the series is spent talking about the siege, preparing for battle and partying on the river bridge, and it can be confusing. The series ends in such an epic way that it is sure to leave the viewer spellbound.
And overall, Valhalla seems very much in line with the original series, both in terms of costumes, makeup and hairstyles, as well as the choice of actors. There's no need to worry about Netflix's occasional productions, which even domestic costume designers could do without.
Too many characters - and none of them are exceptional
The one big problem with Vikings: Valhalla is that it can ruin much of the impression of the series. Not a single character is introduced who is lively enough to stand up to Ragnar Lothbrok, his fellow fighter and first wife Lagertha, the eccentric Floki, played by one of the actors from the Skarsgård dynasty, or the dark and ambiguous Rollo.
Leif and Harald have the potential to be developed in the next episodes, but for now they are nothing more than standard images of honest and courageous warriors. The characters on the side of the English enemy are also unimpressive so far, except perhaps Count Godwin (David Oakes, from The Borgias): this character changes his plans and betrays his allies so often that he becomes completely unpredictable.
At the same time, there are many plots and characters in the show at once: one can trivially confuse the dukes and the jarls, given their outward similarity. It is also difficult to distinguish the pagans from the Christians, as the only distinguishing mark is the cross around the neck. One could afford a lapse in attention while watching, but new characters are constantly being added to the series, and not all of them are equally interesting and important to the overall plot.
Freudi's mystical line
Mysticism and superstition have always been present in the series: the characters constantly consult a seid (wizard and diviner), the character of Harbard appears in Kattegat with healing powers, etc. From the first episodes, many refer to Ragnar as a descendant of the gods and the chosen one. The creators of the series decided to do something similar with a new character, Freydis: they sent her to the Norwegian city of Uppsala to "discover her destiny".
Without a clear storyline or interesting development, she looks like a typical Mary Sue, the name given to heroines with exaggerated powers. Throughout the season, Freudice is treated as the chosen one, repeating words about her importance, and this is more annoying than intriguing.
The verdict: watch it if you liked the atmosphere of the original series - especially the last seasons.
"Vikings" was primarily the story of Ragnar Lothbrok's rise from a mere peasant to a jarl, and then to a major driving force for most Vikings. The story develops gradually, with a slow build-up of characters and small military campaigns, and Ragnar gains his influence little by little.
The spin-off series is structured differently, immersing viewers early on in a fledgling empire that is already trending toward decline. There is much more politics involving the Anglo-Saxons, more intrigue and internal friction than in the first season of the original series. As a result, there is a lot of action on screen, with political clashes alternating with country clashes. Sure, the season is interrupted by a sudden cliffhanger, but it will be even more interesting to follow the next two (or more) seasons.
But it cannot be said that Vikings: Valhalla has reached the level of Michael Hirst's original series. The appeal of the original lay in its ambiguous, vivid, violent but entertaining characters. Ragnar, Floki, Lagertha and other characters had unconventional characters that made the historical events of the series interesting. "Valhalla" is more of an average story with good costumes, imaginative battles and a glorious atmosphere, but no flashy characters to get attached to.
