Vikings “The Final Straw”

Ubbe and his party spend this whole episode in a boat, slowly dying from a lack of provisions.  And that is all I have to say about that.

Instead, let’s go to the unlikely event that Ivar and Hvitserk would be welcome back in Kattegat.  Because, you know, they fought alongside the Rus against Bjorn and all.  Sure does look like the people on the dock hate them, mostly by spitting and name calling.  So, does that mean Harald will have them executed?

Um…no.

Harald is a bit disillusioned about ruling, and he’s still not a local.  Hvitserk and Ivar can talk their way into staying by pointing out they are still the sons of Ragnar, and as for attacking earlier, well, they were trying to come home, and as for Bjorn, well, brothers fight all the time.  Harald fought on the opposite side of his own brother and everything.  And Harald…figures he needs someone with strong local ties, even speaking up for the two brothers at a feast, pointing out these things happen, and Ivar stops glowering long enough to take a pratfall and let everyone see him as a clown, so the two brothers are for some reason welcomed back with open arms after trying to take the place over.

I don’t care how charismatic Harald’s speech is–and it is a charismatic speech–but the only reason those two are still alive is the power of plot armor at this point.

Well, having two of the three surviving brothers safe in Kattegat doesn’t mean a whole lot, even if Hvitserk finally scores a night with a beautiful blonde, the real sign one of Ragnar’s sons is actually getting somewhere.

I am only half-joking when I say that.

But if Harald feels unfulfilled, Ivar feels it even worse.  Having flashbacks to his father and finding the chess piece Alfred gave him, Ivar decides he wants to raid Wessex.

Wait, are we going back to Wessex?  Boooo!  Wessex is boring!

Well, maybe we aren’t.  Ivar talks to Harald, Harald makes a big speech about how by then Alfred must have surely driven that Viking settlement out without any actual proof, and soon, everyone is up for raiding Wessex under the leadership of Harald and Ivar.

And yes…we’re going back to Wessex…

We were doing so well not going back there up until now…