US: Vikings - anyone else watching this ?

Soldato
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That was quite possibly my least favourite episode. I don't share the hate for the Ivar character that some seem to have, however I did find it a bit over the top. He's never fought a battle (or been seen to study tactics) but comes up with a brilliant plan. The Vikings have never fought in that way, but overnight learn the tactics and follow them based on a few horn blasts. And a large, trained and experienced Saxon army (in armour) run up and down a hill a few times and then go charging off the battlefield straight into his prepared trap?

:rolleyes:
 
Soldato
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Another great episode. Now the long wait till the next season :(

Who was the mad ******* at the end?? :o

I ABSOLUTELY cannot wait.I love this series:

Vikings creator Michael Hirst, already deep into production on the 20 episodes of season 5, found Rhys Meyers’ character in his research. “I was looking at the history books, and I came across these warrior bishops,” he tells EW. “The antecedents of the Knights Templar: these are people who were absolutely religious, yet they put on armor and they fought. Don’t let their priestly status fool you, either. “They were crazy! They believed totally in Christianity and the message, and yet, on the battlefield, they were totally berserk.”


One figure jumped out at him in particular: a warrior bishop named Heahmund. “He’s a man of Wessex, and he’s gonna come in as a worthy opponent to Ivar,” Hirst promises, comparing the character to Richard III. “His whole life is about deeply passionate commitments. He’s a wild card who happens to be [played by] Jonathan Rhys Meyers, who is himself kind of a wild card!”
 
Caporegime
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Brilliant ending. Finally the vikings have got a badass to go up against rather than a load of scaredy cat incompetents.

Ecbert has tricked Bjorn hasn't he? He's escaped the blood eagle for a more peaceful death by surrendering lands to Bjorn, but they are not his to surrender as he relinquished the crown and all his dominions to Athenwulf. The treaty isn't worth the paper it's written on.
 
Soldato
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The one thing that never got explained was what happened to Ragnar's body? I honestly thought Ecbert had somehow got it back to his estate as after Ragnar's execution he is seen lingering around after everyone had gone so I thought, if he had the body, he would trade it to the son's hoping they would spare him.

Then there was the scene with Aela and Judith where he shows her where Ragnar died and the body wasnt there

Still, theories aside it was a great episode and cant wait for season 5 :D
 
Soldato
Joined
28 Oct 2011
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8,405
Brilliant ending. Finally the vikings have got a badass to go up against rather than a load of scaredy cat incompetents.

Ecbert has tricked Bjorn hasn't he? He's escaped the blood eagle for a more peaceful death by surrendering lands to Bjorn, but they are not his to surrender as he relinquished the crown and all his dominions to Athenwulf. The treaty isn't worth the paper it's written on.

Yeah, Ecbert was clearly ready for the big sleep, he probably hoped for Athenwulf to hold the fort for a while before Alfred takes over at some point. Clearly Alfred was the apple of his eye and no doubt there's a big future for Alfred in this series.
 
Soldato
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13 Mar 2007
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Finally got round to watching S4 over weekend, bit of a slog being 20 episodes and all but enjoyed it for the most part.

Will have to see what s5 now brings considering it's pretty much a soft reboot at this point. I don't care for the Ivar character and I get the feeling he's going to play a main part in s5 :(
 
Soldato
Joined
28 Oct 2011
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8,405
Finally got round to watching S4 over weekend, bit of a slog being 20 episodes and all but enjoyed it for the most part.

Will have to see what s5 now brings considering it's pretty much a soft reboot at this point. I don't care for the Ivar character and I get the feeling he's going to play a main part in s5 :(


I like him, he's got a lot more about him than Bjorn who's a bit of a thicky. I think Ivar is going to be a major protagonist for sure.
 
Caporegime
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I like him, he's got a lot more about him than Bjorn who's a bit of a thicky. I think Ivar is going to be a major protagonist for sure.
Ivar has zero charisma and likability, and he is imo overacted to the point where he is a pain to watch on-screen. The actor simply doesn't do him justice.

Bjorn is the opposite, likable and acted well with just the right amount of restraint needed to convince you that he is a wise leader and a fearsome warrior.
 
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