History Channel’s first scripted series, Vikings, uses the 793 Lindisfarne raid as its pilot ignition, arguing that the Viking Age began not with blind savagery but with one farmer’s calculated rebellion against the status quo. Show-runner Michael Hirst frames Ragnar Lothbrok as a start-up CEO in bearskin: he prototypes a faster longship, recruits a skeptical crew, and pivots from Baltic leftovers to the lucrative West, turning medieval entrepreneurship into must-binge television. In the pilot alone, Ragnar’s sun-compass and secret beach-side launch echo the network’s documentary heritage while delivering the adrenaline hook cable dramas demand.
Shot in Ireland on a USD 40 million budget, season one compresses decades of saga into nine propulsive episodes that made history the network’s youngest-skewing demo. Travis Fimmel’s half-smirk and Katheryn Winnick’s shield-maiden lethality turned blood-feuds into streaming-era cliff-hangers, while the fictional village Kattegat—built full-scale on the Wicklow coast—became a tourism magnet. By pairing scholarly props (sun-stones, recreated keel designs) with soap-opera stakes (brother vs. brother, Earl vs. upstart), the series cracked the code cable had chased since Rome: edu-tainment that feels like prestige drama and still lands six million live viewers, History’s biggest scripted launch ever.
Ragnar Plans Western Raids
In 793 AD in the eastern Baltic, Ragnar Lothbrok (Travis Fimmel) and his brother Rollo (Clive Standen) emerge victorious from battle against Baltic tribesmen. Ragnar returns home to Scandinavia to reunite with his wife Lagertha (Katheryn Winnick), daughter Gyda (Ruby O’Leary), and son Bjorn (Nathan O’Toole). He announces that Bjorn will begin training for raids. While Ragnar and Bjorn train away from home, two men attack Lagertha. She ushers Gyda to safety and swiftly cuts them down.
At Earl Haraldson’s (Gabriel Byrne) hall, Ragnar proposes abandoning the eastern raids in favor of sailing west to richer lands. Rollo initially doubts the vast ocean can be crossed. Ragnar reveals he has developed navigational tools—a sun compass and a sunstone that can guide them across open water even on cloudy days—winning Rollo over to his vision.
At a tribal assembly, Haraldson executes men under his rule who’ve committed offenses. When Ragnar asks about this year’s raid destination, Haraldson announces they’ll head east again. Ragnar speaks of the western lands, but Haraldson firmly refuses, insisting he will not risk the unknown. Haraldson later warns Ragnar privately never to mention the west again. After this rejection, Ragnar decides to sail west without Haraldson’s knowledge.
Ragnar and Bjorn visit a blind Seer, who hints that Ragnar is favored by the gods and that Bjorn will grow into a formidable warrior. They then meet shipbuilder Floki (Gustaf Skarsgard), who has been secretly constructing a vessel for Ragnar’s plan. Rollo insists on equal standing in the mission, and Ragnar agrees. Floki completes the ship quickly, and it performs excellently in trials.
Ragnar and Rollo approach Erik (Vladimir Kulich) and his men, warriors who despise Haraldson. Ragnar lays out his western plan: equal rank and fair division of plunder. The warriors agree, but a spy overhears and reports to Haraldson, who kills the informant. Lagertha announces she wants to join the raid. Ragnar refuses initially, but she demonstrates her lethal combat skills.
On departure day, they embark on what many consider a highly risky voyage, sailing west into uncharted waters. Knut (Eric Higgins) reports to Haraldson that Ragnar has set sail, but Haraldson dismisses it. Fierce storms batter the crew, but Floki rallies them. After the struggle subsides, the appearance of seagulls signals that land is near.
Lindisfarne Raid and Feud
They arrive at a monastery on the coast of Northumbria, and the Vikings storm the building, slaughtering monks and taking treasure. This raid on Lindisfarne marks the beginning of the Viking Age. Ragnar finds a frightened monk named Athelstan (George Blagden) behind an altar. When Rollo moves to kill him, Ragnar stops him, deciding Athelstan could be useful. The raiders leave with treasure and captive monks.
The villagers welcome Ragnar’s group as heroes. Meeting with Haraldson, Ragnar displays his plunder and requests ships and warriors for a larger western expedition. Haraldson refuses, seizing all of Ragnar’s treasure and allowing him only one item. Ragnar chooses Athelstan as his slave, knowing the educated monk possesses valuable information. Rollo reveals he secretly hid some jewelry. Ragnar angrily warns him against such mistakes.
That night, Ragnar treats Athelstan respectfully, sharing drinks and gathering information about the west. He asks Athelstan to teach him the western language. After learning what he can from Athelstan, Ragnar visits Haraldson again with his newfound knowledge to propose another western voyage. Haraldson, seeing the treasure Ragnar brought back, agrees on one condition: Knut, his trusted man, must join the mission.
At home, Ragnar tells Lagertha he’s sailing west again and wants her to join. Athelstan is given responsibility to watch their children. Rollo warns Knut not to betray them. After a long voyage, they return to Northumbria’s shores. Ragnar initially claims they’ve come to trade, but when Floki impulsively grabs a soldier’s necklace, a fight breaks out. Ragnar’s group easily wins, though one soldier escapes.
They continue with a captured soldier as guide and marvel at a magnificent city. The escaped soldier reaches King Aelle (Ivan Kaye) and reports the attack, prompting the king to mobilize his forces. After breaching the wooden gate of a fortified town, Ragnar’s group storms through the settlement. When Lagertha sees Knut attacking a Saxon woman, she intervenes. Knut then turns on Lagertha and tries to force himself on her, but she kills him in self-defense.
After completing their raid, they head toward the beach, where kingdom soldiers ambush them. The Vikings shift instantly into combat mode. Their superior skills send the soldiers fleeing, although they lose one member. The surviving soldiers report to the king that these raiders are extraordinarily strong and fearless, knowing only one name: Ragnar.
In Kattegat, Bjorn grows impatient waiting for his parents and decides to head to the beach. Athelstan tries to forbid the trip, but the stubborn boy ignores him. That night, Athelstan contemplates his fate and begins doubting his God. He goes to Bjorn and agrees to accompany him to the beach.
Ragnar Takes Earl’s Title
Ragnar’s group arrives carrying mountains of gold and jewels, welcomed joyfully by locals and even Haraldson. Noticing Knut’s absence, Haraldson asks where he is. Ragnar states that Lagertha killed Knut in self-defense after he attempted to rape her. Haraldson grows furious at losing his trusted man and orders his men to imprison Ragnar. Secretly, Haraldson summons Rollo, offering him a special position and his daughter Thyri (Elinor Crawley) in marriage if he sides with Haraldson.
When the villagers see Ragnar bound, everyone grows anxious. Believing he has secured Rollo’s loyalty, Haraldson asks him to testify against Ragnar. Rollo, however, refuses to betray his brother and explains what truly happened, making the punishment unjust. Haraldson falls silent, and Ragnar is released. That night they celebrate, but attackers suddenly strike and kill one of Ragnar’s men.
Haraldson visits the seer to learn his future. The seer predicts conflict and warns that his position is threatened. Days later, Ragnar goes hunting, and Haraldson’s men attack Kattegat. Lagertha prepares to defend the settlement, and even Athelstan takes up a Viking axe. Ragnar senses something is wrong and rushes home. When he arrives to find the village in chaos, he fights Haraldson’s men, sustaining serious injuries.
After reuniting with his family, Ragnar urges them to flee by boat to avoid Haraldson’s men. When Haraldson’s forces close in, Ragnar fights his way through them but sustains serious injuries. Cornered at a cliff’s edge, he jumps down to where Lagertha is waiting in a boat below, with Athelstan pulling him aboard to safety. Bjorn brings his wounded father to Floki’s house, where Floki panics and quickly treats him.
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Haraldson, suspecting Ragnar still lives, seeks to consolidate his power by marrying his daughter Thyri to his ally Sven (David Pearse), a powerful jarl, despite her lack of consent. Haraldson’s wife Siggy (Jessalyn Gilsig) is shocked and furious. When winter arrives, Torstein comes to Floki’s house. That night, Torstein mentions that Haraldson has detained all ships. Ragnar says once he recovers, he’ll have Floki build ships and continue their voyages.
At Thyri’s wedding feast, Rollo suddenly appears, claiming Ragnar is dead and asking to rejoin Haraldson. Meanwhile, Lagertha and the others hide while Ragnar heals at Floki’s home. At Thyri’s wedding feast, Rollo appears claiming Ragnar is dead and asking to rejoin Haraldson’s service. After the feast, Siggy secretly warns Rollo to flee because Haraldson plans to kill him, but as he steps outside, Haraldson’s men ambush and capture him. Haraldson interrogates and tortures him. Torstein tells Ragnar what happened, and Ragnar, furious, sends Floki to Kattegat with a message: he challenges Haraldson to a duel.
Floki delivers Ragnar’s challenge, and Haraldson remembers the seer’s prophecy. As earl, refusing would bring disgrace, so he accepts. Lagertha begs Ragnar to cancel the duel, fearing his wounds will cost him his life, but he insists. Haraldson admits to Siggy that Ragnar’s spirit reminds him of his own youth. When the day arrives, Ragnar limps out to face him. At first he struggles, clearly weakened, but his ferocity surges through, and he defeats Haraldson.
One of Haraldson’s men orders the soldiers to kill Ragnar, but Rollo immediately buries his axe in the man’s chest. Siggy then kills Sven, avenging the forced marriage of her daughter and eliminating a key Haraldson ally, before declaring Ragnar the new earl. An aging warrior pledges loyalty. Ragnar announces that next summer they will gather a larger force and raid the western lands. Ragnar explains that, despite their rivalry, Haraldson was a great leader and deserves an honorable farewell.
King Aelle’s Failed Treachery
Time passes, and the following raiding season, Ragnar leads a much larger force on another western expedition. A soldier reports to King Aelle that the Vikings have returned, and the frightened soldiers refuse to fight. Aelle, enraged by their cowardice, throws one soldier into a pit of venomous serpents as punishment. He commands his remaining soldiers to prepare for battle and sends word to his brother Aethelwulf (Moe Dunford) to bring reinforcements. After Ragnar’s group arrives at Northumbria’s borders, they set up camp. Aethelwulf and his forces conduct reconnaissance, locating Ragnar’s camp.
Aethelwulf and his officers consider an immediate attack, but Aethelwulf orders them to keep watch and wait for the right moment. Unbeknownst to them, Ragnar’s scouts have already detected their presence. That night, while Aethelwulf and his men sleep, the Vikings strike with brutal precision and take them prisoner, gaining superior weapons. When King Aelle learns his brother has been captured, he grows anxious and gathers his advisors.
One advisor argues that Ragnar may desire wealth and recommends offering him money. Aelle says he will consider it. Ragnar’s group travels to Aelle’s palace, where they are welcomed. During the feast, Aelle asks what he must provide for Ragnar to release Aethelwulf and leave Northumbria. Ragnar demands 2,000 pounds of gold and silver as ransom for Aethelwulf’s release and as tribute to leave Northumbria.
Aelle’s advisors protest that Ragnar’s demand is extortion and that they should never negotiate with raiders. Aelle, unwilling to risk his people’s safety, agrees and asks for several days to prepare payment. He adds one condition: one of Ragnar’s men must be baptized as a Christian as a gesture of good faith. Ragnar laughs at the request, seeing through the manipulation, but Rollo steps forward and accepts, willing to perform the ritual for the sake of securing the treasure.
Meanwhile in Kattegat, Athelstan escorts Siggy to meet Lagertha. Siggy wishes to serve as Lagertha’s handmaid. Lagertha hesitates until Athelstan explains that such service carries no shame. On the day of Rollo’s baptism, Ragnar’s group watches the ritual unfold. Afterward, Aelle instructs the Vikings to return to their camp while he gathers the payment over several days. During the wait, Floki vents his anger at Rollo, accusing him of betraying their gods by accepting baptism, even for tactical reasons. The tension breaks when the king’s messenger arrives carrying what appears to be Ragnar’s reward.
The group celebrates, only to discover the chests are empty. Aelle has betrayed them and sent soldiers to wipe them out. Ragnar reacts quickly, and his warriors slaughter Aelle’s forces. After defeating Aelle’s forces, Ragnar confronts Aethelwulf, expressing his disappointment in Aelle’s treachery before executing Aethelwulf as retribution and a warning to the king. Back in Kattegat, Lagertha struggles through the difficult birth of Ragnar’s child. Once Ragnar secures the tribute, he and his men depart in high spirits. Aelle, humiliated, vows before God to wage everlasting war against the Vikings.
Loss, Plague, and Uppsala
Upon Ragnar’s return to Kattegat, he learns devastating news: Lagertha lost their unborn child, and worse, their daughter Gyda died during a plague that swept through the village. Torstein stays by Ragnar’s side as he wrestles with why the gods would take his children. Seeking answers from the gods, Ragnar announces a journey to Uppsala, the sacred temple site, and invites the villagers to join, including Athelstan. When they arrive at Uppsala, they find preparations underway for a major sacrifice ritual held every nine years.
While waiting, the group spends days drinking, feasting, and enjoying each other’s company. Athelstan begins to falter, gradually drawn into the freedoms of Viking life. While at Uppsala, Ragnar takes the opportunity to meet with King Horik (Donal Logue), a powerful Danish king. Horik receives Ragnar warmly, having heard of his successful raids. Ragnar proposes that Horik and his forces join him in a massive coordinated attack on England. Athelstan describes the wealth of his homeland, and Horik agrees.
Elsewhere, Siggy is with Rollo. She tells him that Ragnar is meeting King Horik and boasting of his achievements. She adds that if Rollo were truly valued as Ragnar’s brother, he would have been invited. This leaves Rollo deeply disappointed. During their discussion, King Horik mentions that Jarl Borg, a neighboring chieftain, has been encroaching on territory Horik claims, and there are disputes about rightful ownership. Horik asks for help, and when settled, he will be forever indebted. Ragnar considers this a minor problem.
Meanwhile, Athelstan is approached by the Uppsala priests who have chosen him as a human sacrifice for the gods. When questioned about his faith, Athelstan firmly declares his Christianity and refuses to renounce his God. The priests then announce he cannot be sacrificed because the offering must be a true believer in the Norse gods and go willingly. One of Ragnar’s warriors, Leif (Diarmaid Murtagh), volunteers to take Athelstan’s place. The next day, Leif is offered in the ritual.
Betrayal and Infidelity’s Seed
After the ritual, Ragnar brings Bjorn and his warriors to meet Jarl Borg (Thorbjorn Harr) to discuss the land dispute with King Horik. During their meal, Ragnar asks Jarl Borg to name a fair price for the disputed land to resolve the conflict peacefully. Borg refuses any monetary settlement, explaining that the territory is enormous and rich in resources. He then makes a deliberately impossible demand: he will only trade the land for King Horik himself, essentially declaring the negotiation a failure. Ragnar prepares to leave, ready for war. Borg stops him and proposes an alternative, asking that one of Ragnar’s men deliver this offer to Horik.
While awaiting Horik’s response, Borg invites Ragnar to see the great ash tree. In exchange, he asks that one of Ragnar’s men stay behind as collateral. Ragnar chooses Rollo, leaving Rollo unsettled. Back in Kattegat, Lagertha visits the seer, troubled that Ragnar is in danger. The seer confirms there is a dark prophecy but refuses to reveal details. That night, Jarl Borg manipulates Rollo by sharing a tale about his own brother’s betrayal, drawing parallels to Rollo’s situation and subtly suggesting that Rollo deserves more recognition than Ragnar gives him.
Meanwhile, Ragnar and his men are on their way to the ash tree and stop to rest. When two of Ragnar’s men go to the river to fetch water, they encounter a mysterious woman bathing. They explain they are traveling with Ragnar Lothbrok to see the great ash tree Yggdrasil. The woman, who introduces herself as Aslaug (Alyssa Sutherland), claims she has heard tales of Ragnar. She sets a test: if Ragnar is truly as clever as legends say, he must come to her neither clothed nor unclothed, neither hungry nor full, and neither alone nor in company..
The men return and deliver Aslaug’s message. Curious, Ragnar invites her to meet him. When she arrives, he is immediately drawn to her. Ragnar invites her to join the group, and they continue until they reach the large ash tree. Back in Kattegat, Siggy suddenly looks pale and collapses. She is not the only one—a mysterious illness is spreading rapidly through the settlement. Soon many villagers, including Gyda and Athelstan, fall sick with high fevers. Meanwhile, Ragnar becomes increasingly infatuated with Aslaug, who claims to be the daughter of the legendary hero Sigurd and the shieldmaiden Brynhildr.
Bjorn notices Ragnar growing intimate with Aslaug, which leaves him deeply unsettled because he is convinced his father is betraying his mother. Meanwhile, Floki arrives in King Horik’s territory to deliver Borg’s message about the disputed land. Horik rejects the proposal and insists he wants only the legitimate rights to the territory. Troubled and angry, Bjorn confronts his father about his affair with Aslaug, unable to accept what he sees as a betrayal of his mother Lagertha.
Back in Kattegat, Lagertha becomes increasingly anxious as more villagers succumb to the mysterious illness. She gathers villagers for a small ritual in hope of restoring balance, yet nothing changes. Athelstan, himself barely able to breathe from the illness, checks on Gyda and discovers she has died from the plague, devastating Lagertha when she learns her daughter is gone.
After Floki arrives and recounts everything, Ragnar and his men prepare to return to Borg’s base. Before Ragnar departs to return to Jarl Borg’s territory, Aslaug reveals that she is carrying his child. When they arrive at Borg’s base, Floki relays that King Horik refuses to negotiate and asks Borg to offer his best price. Borg responds with unwavering refusal. Jarl Borg then forces Ragnar to choose: will he honor his alliance with King Horik and go to war, or will he abandon Horik and join Borg’s cause instead. Floki realizes a great war is approaching.
That night, Ragnar appears troubled, torn between his obligations to Horik, his complicated feelings for Aslaug, and the guilt over his family back home. He seeks out Aslaug for comfort. Meanwhile, Jarl Borg approaches Rollo with a tempting offer. Recognizing Rollo’s ambition and resentment at living in his brother’s shadow, Borg offers him a position of real power: to be his equal partner in building a new kingdom. Rollo, who has long felt undervalued and dishonored, sees this as his chance to finally step out of Ragnar’s shadow and accepts Borg’s offer, setting the stage for a devastating betrayal.
