Blood Eagle - Recap
<-- Previous EpisodeNext Episode -->King Horik enters Ragnar's hall and asks if he will proceed with the execution of Borg. Ragnar does but Horik warns they won't be able to raid Wessex without him. He wants to wait until they have a new partner to do the execution. Ragnar says that at least they are still allies. Horik wants his revenge on Ecbert and also asks Ragnar to come with him.
King Aelle and his men arrive in Wessex and Ecbert welcomes him. He wishes to join Wessex and Northumbria in order to save the country. The crowd joins in a chant of "God save England."
Helga informs Floki that she's carrying his child. This excites him but he doesn't think that he'll be a good father. He changes his mind and says the three of them will be happy. He suggests that they get married but says Ragnar will not be at their wedding. Floki says Ragnar has everything but will not have them as well.
Ragnar asks Bjorn what's bothering him. Bjorn thinks that Ragnar didn't tell him about the plans for Borg but Ragnar says a man was sent to find him. He explains where he was and Ragnar takes it as his decision to be with the girl rather than him. Bjorn asks to be kept in his confidence and Ragnar says that he will be the judge of how far he will be let in.
Auslag worries about her pregnancy and tells Siggy that she's worried. She made a prophecy about having a monster if he forced himself on her after his return. Auslag fears it may come true now.
Siggy hands some guards money so that Horik can sneak in to Borg's cell. Horik tells Borg that he will take no pleasure in his death. Borg accuses Ragnar of embarrassing him and says that it shows his true ambitions of being king. He warns that Ragnar will not stop murdering leaders until he's in charge. Horik believes him and asks what he should do. Borg suggests that he be allowed to escape, kill Ragnar, and make Rollo the Earl of Kattegat. Horik presents Borg with the skull of his first wife.
Ragnar visits the Seer and asks of Athelstan. The Seer says that he's neither in Valhalla or Hell, and Ragnar takes this to mean he's alive. The Seer says that his spirit is tormented and that Athelstan is with Ecbert.
Ragnar watches Rollo as he wrestles men blindfolded in the hall. Rollo kisses Siggy and asks Ragnar what will be done about Borg. He thinks the execution should be swift but Ragnar has made promises to Horik because he's the king.
Bjorn tries to talk to the servant girl but she isn't interested. He talks to Floki about the girl and receives some advice. Bjorn says that Floki is wise but he only considers himself a joker.
Siggy asks Helga why Floki isn't happy about her pregnancy and she only says that he's complicated. She says they will be married but Floki thinks he only needs the blessings of the gods, not Ragnar.
Ragnar watches from the shadows as Siggy tells Horik that Floki is upset with Ragnar.
Ecbert tells Aelle that Ragnar isn't alone and is likely to return. If their armies are allied they will have a better chance to defeat the invaders when they return. Ecbert clears the room so that he's alone with Aelle. He reminds him of the unrest in Mercia and says it doesn't suit either of them to have a neighbor like that. Their alliance can stop the Vikings and also overcome Mercia. They can divide the province as they see fit but Aelle asks what's stopping Ecbert from turning on him afterwards. Ecbert says that there's nothing stopping him right now and proposes a marriage between Aethelwulf to Aelle's daughter Judith. Aelle agrees to this and they cheer each other.
Floki uncovers a skeleton and takes a sword from the grave.
The wedding between Aethelwulf and Judith takes place in Wessex, cementing the alliance between Ecbert and Aelle. Meanwhile in Kattegat, the marriage between Floki and Helga takes place. Both couples exchange rings in their respective traditions.
A rider dismounts and tells Rollo that he's there to speak to Ragnar about important business. Rollo escorts him to the hall where Ragnar and Torstein are playing games. The rider comes from an Earl who has agreed to join Ragnar in the raid. Ragnar has never heard the Earl's name before and asks why he isn't here himself. The rider says that the Earl wanted to be sure Ragnar was still in need of an ally. Ragnar asks when he can meet him and says he looks forward to it.
Rollo tells Siggy about the new ally they have found in Earl Ingstad. He says he will arrive in a few days and Borg will be executed. While they have sex, Rollo hurts Siggy and asks why she sleeps with Horik. She claims to do it for Rollo but he doesn't know what Horik can do for him that Ragnar can't. She suggests that they could have a falling out so he shouldn't doubt how much power Horik has.
Horik enters Borg's cell and says that he's decided to take his advice. He will free Borg and use the people who pretend to be loyal to Ragnar. Horik then plans to kill Ragnar.
Ragnar explains to Bjorn what a blood eagle is. He outlines the method of execution before returning to his bath. If Borg suffers in silence, he will enter Valhalla. If he screams, he will never enter. Torstein interrupts him and says Earl Ingstad has arrived but chose to stay in the woods.
Ragnar rides out to meet Earl Ingstad in the woods. He approaches a man but when he gets close, Lagertha reveals herself. She didn't use her real name because she thought Ragnar would turn her away. Lagertha explains that they are now equal and Ragnar has no problem with this. She has four ships and over a hundred warriors. He agrees to ally with her if she's still the same Lagertha and not Ingstad. They ride back to town together.
Bjorn enters Borg's cell and offers him some food. He sits near the door and watches Borg.
Ragnar and Auslag discuss their good luck in Lagertha joining them. He asks what she thinks about his ex-wife joining them, and Auslag is glad it's her because she's formidable.
In the night, Borg is led out of his cell and into the town square. He passes Horik and Floki and sees Ragnar standing in the center of a platform. Borg places the skull of his first wife nearby as he prepares for his blood eagle. He kneels down and looks to his wife. Ragnar takes a knife and uses it to make the first cuts. He grabs the axe and chops Borg's ribcage open from the back. Ragnar proceeds to rip Borg's lungs out and places them on his shoulders. Many members of the crowd have a hard time watching the blood eagle.
King Aelle and his men arrive in Wessex and Ecbert welcomes him. He wishes to join Wessex and Northumbria in order to save the country. The crowd joins in a chant of "God save England."
Helga informs Floki that she's carrying his child. This excites him but he doesn't think that he'll be a good father. He changes his mind and says the three of them will be happy. He suggests that they get married but says Ragnar will not be at their wedding. Floki says Ragnar has everything but will not have them as well.
Ragnar asks Bjorn what's bothering him. Bjorn thinks that Ragnar didn't tell him about the plans for Borg but Ragnar says a man was sent to find him. He explains where he was and Ragnar takes it as his decision to be with the girl rather than him. Bjorn asks to be kept in his confidence and Ragnar says that he will be the judge of how far he will be let in.
Auslag worries about her pregnancy and tells Siggy that she's worried. She made a prophecy about having a monster if he forced himself on her after his return. Auslag fears it may come true now.
Siggy hands some guards money so that Horik can sneak in to Borg's cell. Horik tells Borg that he will take no pleasure in his death. Borg accuses Ragnar of embarrassing him and says that it shows his true ambitions of being king. He warns that Ragnar will not stop murdering leaders until he's in charge. Horik believes him and asks what he should do. Borg suggests that he be allowed to escape, kill Ragnar, and make Rollo the Earl of Kattegat. Horik presents Borg with the skull of his first wife.
Ragnar visits the Seer and asks of Athelstan. The Seer says that he's neither in Valhalla or Hell, and Ragnar takes this to mean he's alive. The Seer says that his spirit is tormented and that Athelstan is with Ecbert.
Ragnar watches Rollo as he wrestles men blindfolded in the hall. Rollo kisses Siggy and asks Ragnar what will be done about Borg. He thinks the execution should be swift but Ragnar has made promises to Horik because he's the king.
Bjorn tries to talk to the servant girl but she isn't interested. He talks to Floki about the girl and receives some advice. Bjorn says that Floki is wise but he only considers himself a joker.
Siggy asks Helga why Floki isn't happy about her pregnancy and she only says that he's complicated. She says they will be married but Floki thinks he only needs the blessings of the gods, not Ragnar.
Ragnar watches from the shadows as Siggy tells Horik that Floki is upset with Ragnar.
Ecbert tells Aelle that Ragnar isn't alone and is likely to return. If their armies are allied they will have a better chance to defeat the invaders when they return. Ecbert clears the room so that he's alone with Aelle. He reminds him of the unrest in Mercia and says it doesn't suit either of them to have a neighbor like that. Their alliance can stop the Vikings and also overcome Mercia. They can divide the province as they see fit but Aelle asks what's stopping Ecbert from turning on him afterwards. Ecbert says that there's nothing stopping him right now and proposes a marriage between Aethelwulf to Aelle's daughter Judith. Aelle agrees to this and they cheer each other.
Floki uncovers a skeleton and takes a sword from the grave.
The wedding between Aethelwulf and Judith takes place in Wessex, cementing the alliance between Ecbert and Aelle. Meanwhile in Kattegat, the marriage between Floki and Helga takes place. Both couples exchange rings in their respective traditions.
A rider dismounts and tells Rollo that he's there to speak to Ragnar about important business. Rollo escorts him to the hall where Ragnar and Torstein are playing games. The rider comes from an Earl who has agreed to join Ragnar in the raid. Ragnar has never heard the Earl's name before and asks why he isn't here himself. The rider says that the Earl wanted to be sure Ragnar was still in need of an ally. Ragnar asks when he can meet him and says he looks forward to it.
Rollo tells Siggy about the new ally they have found in Earl Ingstad. He says he will arrive in a few days and Borg will be executed. While they have sex, Rollo hurts Siggy and asks why she sleeps with Horik. She claims to do it for Rollo but he doesn't know what Horik can do for him that Ragnar can't. She suggests that they could have a falling out so he shouldn't doubt how much power Horik has.
Horik enters Borg's cell and says that he's decided to take his advice. He will free Borg and use the people who pretend to be loyal to Ragnar. Horik then plans to kill Ragnar.
Ragnar explains to Bjorn what a blood eagle is. He outlines the method of execution before returning to his bath. If Borg suffers in silence, he will enter Valhalla. If he screams, he will never enter. Torstein interrupts him and says Earl Ingstad has arrived but chose to stay in the woods.
Ragnar rides out to meet Earl Ingstad in the woods. He approaches a man but when he gets close, Lagertha reveals herself. She didn't use her real name because she thought Ragnar would turn her away. Lagertha explains that they are now equal and Ragnar has no problem with this. She has four ships and over a hundred warriors. He agrees to ally with her if she's still the same Lagertha and not Ingstad. They ride back to town together.
Bjorn enters Borg's cell and offers him some food. He sits near the door and watches Borg.
Ragnar and Auslag discuss their good luck in Lagertha joining them. He asks what she thinks about his ex-wife joining them, and Auslag is glad it's her because she's formidable.
In the night, Borg is led out of his cell and into the town square. He passes Horik and Floki and sees Ragnar standing in the center of a platform. Borg places the skull of his first wife nearby as he prepares for his blood eagle. He kneels down and looks to his wife. Ragnar takes a knife and uses it to make the first cuts. He grabs the axe and chops Borg's ribcage open from the back. Ragnar proceeds to rip Borg's lungs out and places them on his shoulders. Many members of the crowd have a hard time watching the blood eagle.
