SPOILER ALERT FOR THE MID-SEASON FINALE OF VIKINGS SEASON 5

This Season had had its up and downs and is probably the weakest season yet. It seems that the show runners used this episode to clean house and get rid of a few unnescary characters which will make this series even more historically inaccurate. This will help with the flow of the narrative so I can forgive inaccuracies and simply enjoy the plot. Interestingly enough the Mid-Season finale was very artistic with many characters having their own personal extensional crisis mid battle, these went off with varying degrees of success, mix that with a lot of gore and you have had one of the best episodes of Vikings in a long time. So for this article I broken it down in sections based around certain characters and my thoughts on each of them.  

Harald and Halfdan – Brothers at odds

The latest episode starts off strong with a very touching moment where Halfdan begins singing in his camp and the echos of the song are drawn towards Harald’s encampment leading him to join in, both brothers continue singing together in one last moment of beauty before their final show down occurs. I know many people cant not fathom why Halfdan chose to side with Bjorn but to me it seems like he wanted to live free of his brothers shadow, he wanted to be his own man and fighting for his brother, whom he loved, would just make him invisible again. On top of that he owed Bjorn a debt of honor, I have seen a lot of people struggle to understand just how much power honor can have over you. God knows I have done foolish things myself in an attempt to pay back an unseen debt, though I have never gone to war with my only sibling, but still I have acted against my own self interest and that is the power of honor.

The Sami People – The Wasted

One of the biggest waste this season was The Sami people. They where hyped up to be a new major power and then they where reduced into becoming a minor foot note not worth remembering. With their king and Princess dead who knows what will happen and does Bjorn marrying their Princess grant him any legitimacy for leadership? Though I will say this, their battle sequence was extremely well shot and executed.

Bjorn Ironside – The Eldest Son

Bjorn will have  a lot of thinking to do in the later half of this season, he kind of ruined his family and lost his new wife in a matter of weeks and by kind of I mean he done fucked up! Bjorn is a restless soul and one that needs a goal, perhaps having a fixed adjective will help him begin to mend the damage he has done. The Mid-Season finale showed that he has become an effective battle commander one that only lost because he was at a massive disadvantage.

Lagertha and Astrid – Star crossed lovers

Two more wasted characters this season. Astrid clearly feels shame for whats happened to her and feels shame for the fact that she cannot choose between her old and new life, so she forces Laergtha someone that clearly loves her into killing her. Meanwhile Lagethera seems to have reached her breaking point. Lagertha did everything she could to rule justly without violence and yet in the end she is completely broken. Though the white hair was a little camp even for me.

Bishop Headmund – A man lost

Another waste, though he continues to do what he does best, kill heathens. He started out with so much potential now all he does is be used by Lagertha for sex, not that any one alive would snub that offer, but still I want to see the angry conflicted man of God return.

Ivar The Boneless – The Youngest Son

Ivar seems to wish he was an only child and is gowning more and more vicious almost psychotic as the season trudges on. He has begun to see everyone as mere meat, already dead and expendable. Another noticeable change for him now his that is one good leg is growing stronger, strong enough now that he can support himself briefly on it, he will never be able to walk but he can at least stand on his own. Which further shows how he has out grown his brothers.

Ubbe and Hvitserk – The lesser sons

Yet another set of siblings locked in battle, both lost and unsure where to go and what to do. Where both do not want to kill each other, hell Hvitserk seems to welcome death at his brothers hands Ubbe instead avoids him. Both have uncertain futures where Hvisterk may have sealed his fate with the death of Torvi’s eldest and Ubbe may have a grander future in store if the seer is to be believed.

Torvi – The Mother

Torvi for the first time in a long time has become interesting with her ready to kill to be near her remaining children and actually going after Hvisterk, “you never mess with a proud mama”! This could be a good turning point for her character and way for her to become a lot more important.

Margrethe – The Mad One

I really do not like her and she seems like a wasted character someone who is going to end up dying a terrible death because she lacks the ability to see how limited she truly is. But her madness continues to grow, I feel like having a former slave scheme her way to the top could have been great but sadly the production team missed the boat on this one.

Floki – The Broken Prophet

Once again Floki manages to have the most interesting plot line, though politically he is now backed into a corner and has offered himself up as a sacrifice to the gods in order to maintain peace on the island, it really does seem like Floki has an altruistic agenda when it comes to his people. Though this could still be a ploy by him to regain control of his people. Interestingly enough it has become Floki who is 

Rolo – The Returned

The dude has a few seconds of screen time and literally does nothing yet he manages to truly steel the show. Though I do wonder what is he planning to do?

That’s us half way through the weakest season yet, but still these last few episodes may have laid the ground work for something even greater.