Vikings: Death All 'Round
April 15, 2016 7:53 AM - Season 4, Episode 9 - Subscribe
The Vikings continue hauling their boats overland toward Paris. Erlender finally attempts his revenge on Bjorn. Ecbert is crowned king of Mercia, to the consternation of former ally King Aelle. Aethelwulf and Alfred arrive in Rome and meet with Pope Leo.
I'm glad we're done with that Erlender's weak revenge story. It never made sense to me that Torvi didn't just up and tell Bjorn "he's trying to blackmail me into killing you" long ago and just be done with it.
Seriously, this was a weirdly lengthy story arc that should have been resolved much sooner. The only thing that makes sense is that Bjorn knew if he waited, Torvi would do what she did and that would be a much more crushing death for Erlender than if Bjorn had dropped him in a heart beat.
I'd forgotten that the girl was Bjorn's daughter, as well. I think we can pretty much agree Aslaug is hitting the same rock bottom as Ragnar,, and what's with Ivar's attitude? Little punk!
During Alfred's coronation as a consul of Rome (isn't that cute they keep that up?), I loved how his not-father still beamed with pride. Kudos points for Aethelwulf. I kept waiting for Alfred to cut himself on the sword. The pope was Leo IV, and the barbarians/savages he was talking about were actually Muslim raiders who had not too long ago attacked and damaged St. Peter's and St. Pauls, according to the wiki.
Ecbert shan't be stopped...or will he?
Given that we're almost done with the season, I'm convinced that the snakes in the ads leading up to the season weren't foreshadowing his alleged execution by the King of Northumberia...at least this season. However, bets are still high on whats their names betraying him at some point.
Thought's on Floki's visions?
posted by Atreides at 9:12 AM on April 15, 2016 [1 favorite]
Seriously, this was a weirdly lengthy story arc that should have been resolved much sooner. The only thing that makes sense is that Bjorn knew if he waited, Torvi would do what she did and that would be a much more crushing death for Erlender than if Bjorn had dropped him in a heart beat.
I'd forgotten that the girl was Bjorn's daughter, as well. I think we can pretty much agree Aslaug is hitting the same rock bottom as Ragnar,, and what's with Ivar's attitude? Little punk!
During Alfred's coronation as a consul of Rome (isn't that cute they keep that up?), I loved how his not-father still beamed with pride. Kudos points for Aethelwulf. I kept waiting for Alfred to cut himself on the sword. The pope was Leo IV, and the barbarians/savages he was talking about were actually Muslim raiders who had not too long ago attacked and damaged St. Peter's and St. Pauls, according to the wiki.
Ecbert shan't be stopped...or will he?
Given that we're almost done with the season, I'm convinced that the snakes in the ads leading up to the season weren't foreshadowing his alleged execution by the King of Northumberia...at least this season. However, bets are still high on whats their names betraying him at some point.
Thought's on Floki's visions?
posted by Atreides at 9:12 AM on April 15, 2016 [1 favorite]
Given that we're almost done with the season
I didn't know this until last night - apparently season 4 is 20 episodes long, so next week is the end of the first 10 episode block. The other 10 are supposed to come sometime later this year.
posted by dnash at 9:40 AM on April 15, 2016 [3 favorites]
I didn't know this until last night - apparently season 4 is 20 episodes long, so next week is the end of the first 10 episode block. The other 10 are supposed to come sometime later this year.
posted by dnash at 9:40 AM on April 15, 2016 [3 favorites]
> coronation as a consul of Rome (isn't that cute they keep that up?)
Was that historically accurate - the respect for the authority (to lend legitimacy) of a past conqueror who retreated from those lands? Was the (not The Holy?) Roman Empire still revered/feared?
The Heroin Hysteria arc is annoying, reusing without creativity film tropes established in the 80's and 90's cinema dealing with intravenous drug use and HIV (like, Trainspotting or Basketball Diaries). All Vikings is missing is a homosexual angle to be a straight homage to the genre.
But the upside is maybe the show has the ambition to dream of continuing with Bjorn, then Ivar in his own turn?
The physical sets were incredible. I wonder how much quicker (and maybe how much better) the modern crew could create engineering works like that (without having to make it look like it was done with period tools/energy-sources) with the same starting material but with modern equipment versus period humans in that geolocation?
posted by porpoise at 8:14 PM on April 15, 2016
Was that historically accurate - the respect for the authority (to lend legitimacy) of a past conqueror who retreated from those lands? Was the (not The Holy?) Roman Empire still revered/feared?
The Heroin Hysteria arc is annoying, reusing without creativity film tropes established in the 80's and 90's cinema dealing with intravenous drug use and HIV (like, Trainspotting or Basketball Diaries). All Vikings is missing is a homosexual angle to be a straight homage to the genre.
But the upside is maybe the show has the ambition to dream of continuing with Bjorn, then Ivar in his own turn?
The physical sets were incredible. I wonder how much quicker (and maybe how much better) the modern crew could create engineering works like that (without having to make it look like it was done with period tools/energy-sources) with the same starting material but with modern equipment versus period humans in that geolocation?
posted by porpoise at 8:14 PM on April 15, 2016
Was that historically accurate - the respect for the authority (to lend legitimacy) of a past conqueror who retreated from those lands? Was the (not The Holy?) Roman Empire still revered/feared?
I believe it's accurate. I've read a bit about Europe and the Papacy in this time period...and right now, I'm not hardly remembering much at all. (How helpful).
But essentially, the Holy Roman Empire really didn't come into existence quite yet. It was the custom, at least since Charlemagne for the biggest, baddest European king to run down to Rome and be crowned "Emperor" by the Pope. I like the idea, though this isn't universal, that it really began with Otto I which puts it in the 900s. We're in the mid to late 800s right now, I think. I do think the Catholic Church would grant these types of titles as essentially honorifics to important peeps, but they really carried no weight, except outside of the realm of the Church/Heaven, so to speak.
I apologize for the hedging, but my memory is just shot this morning.
posted by Atreides at 7:49 AM on April 17, 2016 [1 favorite]
I believe it's accurate. I've read a bit about Europe and the Papacy in this time period...and right now, I'm not hardly remembering much at all. (How helpful).
But essentially, the Holy Roman Empire really didn't come into existence quite yet. It was the custom, at least since Charlemagne for the biggest, baddest European king to run down to Rome and be crowned "Emperor" by the Pope. I like the idea, though this isn't universal, that it really began with Otto I which puts it in the 900s. We're in the mid to late 800s right now, I think. I do think the Catholic Church would grant these types of titles as essentially honorifics to important peeps, but they really carried no weight, except outside of the realm of the Church/Heaven, so to speak.
I apologize for the hedging, but my memory is just shot this morning.
posted by Atreides at 7:49 AM on April 17, 2016 [1 favorite]
In a delightful bit of double casting, Pope Leo is played by John Kavanagh, who also plays the Seer.
posted by vibratory manner of working at 10:28 AM on April 17, 2016 [5 favorites]
posted by vibratory manner of working at 10:28 AM on April 17, 2016 [5 favorites]
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I wondered about the focus on Alfred's visit to Rome so I went to Wikipedia. Seems this is Alfred the Great, who is destined to fight off an invasion of Vikings led by Ivar.
I'm glad we're done with that Erlender's weak revenge story. It never made sense to me that Torvi didn't just up and tell Bjorn "he's trying to blackmail me into killing you" long ago and just be done with it.
posted by dnash at 8:09 AM on April 15, 2016