Vikings closes its third season with “The Dead,” written as always by series creator Michael Hirst and directed by Ken Girotti. Ten episodes is never enough and like every other episode this season, this episode also flies by. Viewers should find this a satisfying ending to the season with lots of action and several surprises. Just a heads up – the synopsis for the episode on IMDb is completely inaccurate. None of the action in the episode takes place in either Kattegat or Wessex.
Not surprisingly, only Ragnar (Travis Fimmel) is happy about his baptism and conversion to Christianity in the last episode. He continues to suffer horribly for much of the episode from the injuries he sustained in the battle. Ragnar orders Floki (Gustaf Skarsgard) to build him a special boat. An unexpected visitor arrives at the camp and insists on seeing Ragnar. Ragnar visits Athelstan’s cathedral. Rollo (Clive Standen) takes control of his fate and is faced with some choices.
The episode contains a betrothal – possibly. We see that the Emperor Charles (Lothaire Bluteau) is not as stupid as he appears to be. Count Odo (Owen Roe) is revealed to have a very interesting hobby. If you are like me, you will find yourself wanting to slap Princess Gisla (Morgane Polanski) on several occasions and outright punch her in the face at least once.
Here are a number of quotes – taken completely out of context and out of order!
“You will be very rich and very powerful.”
“I win.”
“Breaking her could be interesting.”
“I would rather be burned alive.”
“When the time comes, you must lead with your head, not your heart.”
“Why do you tear me away from myself?”
“You betrayed our future.”
“I would rather be burned alive.”
“All the angels in Heaven are weeping.”
“It happens to all of us sooner or later.”
“Of course, I will allow you to pick the whip.”
“Next time, we will be better prepared.”
The episode features fantastic performances from all the major recurring characters: Fimmel, Standen, Skarsgard, Katheryn Winnick (Lagertha), and Alexander Ludwig (Bjorn).
Don’t miss the finale Thursday, April 23 at 10pm on History.
About the Author - Lisa Macklem
I do interviews and write articles for the site in addition to reviewing a number of shows, including Supernatural, Arrow, Agents of Shield, The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones, Forever, Defiance, Bitten, Glee, and a few others! Highlights of this past year include covering San Diego Comic Con as press and a set visit to Bitten. When I'm not writing about television shows, I'm often writing about entertainment and media law in my capacity as a legal scholar. I also work in theatre when the opportunity arises. I'm an avid runner and rider, currently training in dressage.
