TV Recap: Vikings Season 1 - Episode 7 - ‘A King’s Ransom’

Brace yourselves folks for an episode of crude jokes and fighting . It is breathtaking how the scene sets, such an adoring feeling fills you with the waves crashing as the show starts.

Scruffy handsome men and gorgeous curvy women fill our screens as we watch on the dark, violent,  deceptive and erotic tales of Vikings. If seven ever was a lucky number this episode proved that all the rest were worth having waited for, with  some great fighting scenes and a plethora of crude allusions. References including drinking from your mothers bosom, paints quite a disturbing picture.

The episode starts with Ragnar who is sailing ships towards the land of King Aelle. Despite Ragnars beautiful eyes , the lies beneath are more than King Aelle could ever imagine. Meanwhile , a woman has had a child, which could potentially be that of another man.  While her husband is ashamed and embarrassed at the situation, he is told by Lagertha that it may be the child of one of the Gods and to rejoice, drink wine, and sacrifice an animal. This can either be seen as a biblical parallel to Christianity or as a crude joke on humanity. Despite all efforts for him to show that he is upset, Lagertha leaves him with final warning. She says to him that if he harms her or the child, that he report to her directly. I suppose it’s acceptable since she saved the child. But what about fidelity. Where do her loyalties lie ?

Just when you thought things could not get more intense, a fight breaks out in the middle of the night. Fire blazes and blades are clashing in the distance.  Men dressed like knights in the night. Horses amid the anguish.  They have come to break up the camp through pillaging and defending honour.

Lagertha has had a miscarriage and the only one that can truly be there for her is Siggy, who isn’t anyone’s favorite in the least bit. Though, it is probably not a good thing that Lagertha has Siggy as a  slave for her in the long run of things. She says that she will never treat them as a servant, but the tone behind her verbage foreshadows a way in which she  will use Siggy and/or her daughter for her own benefit.

Ragnar proposes, in a drunken-like state, to King Aelle that he will release the Kings brother for no less than 2000 gold and silver.  The King says that he will pay but only if one of the Vikings is baptized. While the King says that he wants this so that he can have someone as a part of his church , versus an enemy, you can feel that in the King’s heart, he is not sure that this will actually be the last time that they will return.

Despite Rollo volunteering to be baptized,  Floki does not let him get by easy having made this decision. This seems odd considering the entire time Floki is usually the person always laughing at every opportunity. With many acts of impulse, fans are filled with dark and erotic twists and turns, with themes of lies and deceit.

Despite everything cunningly deceitful that Ragnar has done, his drive for what he wants is somewhat inspiring. The fact that he is able to leave, having one of them throw a coin into the water off of the ship, shows that it was more about his interest in what the King Aelle will do for him under certain circumstances, rather than the actual monetary gain.

This episode left me thinking that one question needs to be asked of all of us: Are you a lover or a fighter, or do you fight for love?

Get excited fans, ’cause Vikings has been renewed for a SECOND SEASON!