Vikings: Promised
March 19, 2016 7:52 PM - Season 4, Episode 5 - Subscribe
Ragnar shares confidences and finds solace with the slave girl Yidu, even as many in Kattegat seem to have thoughts of plotting against him. More court intrigues in Wessex and Paris. Bjorn finds out who sent the berserker assassin against him. Lagertha has a special wedding day....
Nobody does crazy eye quite like Travis Fimmel. I'd cross the street to avoid him.
I still don't understand why we're supposed to be interested in Wessex anymore.
I think Ragnar's sons are going to have a lot to do with Wessex, probably in the next season, given they were supposed to be the leaders of the Great Heathen Army that nearly brought down King Alfred. And there's been at least one fairly major timejump when Bjorn grew up.
But I agree, right now, a lot of the poisonous inter-kingdom backstabbing isn't all that interesting or seemingly relevant.
posted by Happy Dave at 1:29 PM on March 20, 2016 [1 favorite]
I still don't understand why we're supposed to be interested in Wessex anymore.
I think Ragnar's sons are going to have a lot to do with Wessex, probably in the next season, given they were supposed to be the leaders of the Great Heathen Army that nearly brought down King Alfred. And there's been at least one fairly major timejump when Bjorn grew up.
But I agree, right now, a lot of the poisonous inter-kingdom backstabbing isn't all that interesting or seemingly relevant.
posted by Happy Dave at 1:29 PM on March 20, 2016 [1 favorite]
I've also had the same thoughts on Wessex, other than the writers really like Wessex's characters. What is interesting, though, is that they brought what's his name, King Alle (thank you IMDB) of Northumbria back into the realm of stuff happening. We then take this and compare it against the ad campaign which shows dozens upon dozens of snakes slithering toward Ragnar, and one has to wonder if they're considering tossing Ragnar in the snake pit at the end of the season. Obviously, the snakes also, in the ad campaign, can represent those coming at him, which are weekly growing larger and larger.
Lagertha has a problem. She's just too awesome. My question is whether she figured out the deceit on her own or if Bjorn send her a note after he realized who was behind his attempted murder. I'm leaning towards the former given her reaction to seeing the conniving pair earlier in the episode. But, speaking of Bjorn and ring, I've been waiting a whole episode for someone to key Bjorn into who it belonged to.
Rollo needs to get himself to Normandy, stat. Don't trust that French Emperor. Concerning him, I'm still a bit confused on his reaction to the Odo condemnation. After the siblings left, did he act kind of gleefully?
Biggest wish: Ragnar fools everyone and takes them on a raid of the Mediterranean.
What's with this "medicine" Yidu is giving him? I think we're meant to conclude it's opium? (but does the history of opium in China actually go back that far? Somehow I thought it didn't.)
There's that, and then, where is Yidu getting the poppies?
posted by Atreides at 7:15 AM on March 21, 2016
Lagertha has a problem. She's just too awesome. My question is whether she figured out the deceit on her own or if Bjorn send her a note after he realized who was behind his attempted murder. I'm leaning towards the former given her reaction to seeing the conniving pair earlier in the episode. But, speaking of Bjorn and ring, I've been waiting a whole episode for someone to key Bjorn into who it belonged to.
Rollo needs to get himself to Normandy, stat. Don't trust that French Emperor. Concerning him, I'm still a bit confused on his reaction to the Odo condemnation. After the siblings left, did he act kind of gleefully?
Biggest wish: Ragnar fools everyone and takes them on a raid of the Mediterranean.
What's with this "medicine" Yidu is giving him? I think we're meant to conclude it's opium? (but does the history of opium in China actually go back that far? Somehow I thought it didn't.)
There's that, and then, where is Yidu getting the poppies?
posted by Atreides at 7:15 AM on March 21, 2016
. My question is whether she figured out the deceit on her own or if Bjorn send her a note after he realized who was behind his attempted murder.
When the show cut to the wedding, I expected Bjorn to show up in a classic nuptials interruptus move, some viking equivalent of "speak now or forever hold your peace."
posted by dnash at 8:33 AM on March 21, 2016 [1 favorite]
When the show cut to the wedding, I expected Bjorn to show up in a classic nuptials interruptus move, some viking equivalent of "speak now or forever hold your peace."
posted by dnash at 8:33 AM on March 21, 2016 [1 favorite]
She says that she's a daughter of an emperor. Assuming China, her feet would likely have been bound [trigger warning].
But wow Ragnar going The Crazy. But probably a dull re-tread of him playing poker/being a long-game strategist.
Love Alexander Ludwig/Bjorn's new haircut.
Was the Bjorn/"new wife" discussion a discussion on... her having an STI(nfection)?
In absolute love with the character written for and executed by Katheryn Winnick (Lagertha) but I would have no hesitation if Princess Kwenthrith (Amy Bailey) offered to be my medieval manic pixie dreamgirl.
posted by porpoise at 6:54 PM on March 24, 2016 [1 favorite]
But wow Ragnar going The Crazy. But probably a dull re-tread of him playing poker/being a long-game strategist.
Love Alexander Ludwig/Bjorn's new haircut.
Was the Bjorn/"new wife" discussion a discussion on... her having an STI(nfection)?
In absolute love with the character written for and executed by Katheryn Winnick (Lagertha) but I would have no hesitation if Princess Kwenthrith (Amy Bailey) offered to be my medieval manic pixie dreamgirl.
posted by porpoise at 6:54 PM on March 24, 2016 [1 favorite]
>where is Yidu getting the poppies
Papaver somniferum pods and seeds have been found in European excavations since the neolithic. Perhaps its use was unknown locally?
Plants have ripened their seeds as far north as latitude 69°n in Norway... in the cooler climate of Britain these compounds are not formed in sufficient quantity to make their extraction worthwhile. [PFAF]
So, dunno?
posted by porpoise at 6:38 PM on March 25, 2016
Papaver somniferum pods and seeds have been found in European excavations since the neolithic. Perhaps its use was unknown locally?
Plants have ripened their seeds as far north as latitude 69°n in Norway... in the cooler climate of Britain these compounds are not formed in sufficient quantity to make their extraction worthwhile. [PFAF]
So, dunno?
posted by porpoise at 6:38 PM on March 25, 2016
She came via France rather than Britain, not sure whether that would be enough to make any difference.
posted by biffa at 5:13 AM on April 17, 2016
posted by biffa at 5:13 AM on April 17, 2016
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I'm definitely into what's going on in Kattegat. It seems bizarre that Ragnar is being so distant, given the obvious number of people plotting against him. What's with this "medicine" Yidu is giving him? I think we're meant to conclude it's opium? (but does the history of opium in China actually go back that far? Somehow I thought it didn't.)
Man, that ending with Lagertha... it's not quite the Red Wedding from Game of Thrones, but damn close! I think we knew she was onto his treachery, but still, wow. Do NOT mess with Lagertha!
posted by dnash at 8:04 PM on March 19, 2016