TV Recap: Vikings "Unforgiven"

TV Recap: Vikings "Unforgiven"

By: Sue

Siggy goes to the Soothsayer. She wants her own position back, she’s bitter. Everything she had, that she was is striped away, and her anger is eating away at her, threatening to drown her. He tells her that she should be grateful, Ragnar could have had her kill her when he killed her husband. She wants to know if the Gods will smile again upon her. He tells her that the Gods will always smile upon brave women, and she’s satisfied by his words.

King Horik comes to Kattegat. The people of the city watch the oncoming ship. Ragnar holds court, but the feast is slim pickings, they’ve had a hard winter, and had to burn their grain stores to rid themselves of Jarl Borg. Ragnar asks about the happenings after he left England, of Athelstan. King Horik doesn’t want to talk about it. They were betrayed, and he hopes that Athelstan died in battle. Ragnar left him his friend, and he was left behind. King Horik calls Athelstan a worthless individual. Bjorn has fnd memories of him, but Floki tells them that they should rejoice his death. Ragnar asks for his future plans. King Horik wants revenge, and a new raid. Rollo wants to get in on the raid, and Ragnar too, but after getting revenge on Jarl Borg first. A servant girl spills wine on Bjorn, he takes notice of her, and she scurries away. King Horik reminds Ragnar of his agreement and dream, but they don’t have the men or ships to raid as they wish. He thinks that they need Jarl Borg that they should go back to the previous alliance. Princess Aslaug whispers to Ragnar not to do this. Rollo asks who should go to Jarl Borg, and King Horik thinks it should be Rollo. He knows Jarl Borg better than anyone else.

Siggy says her goodbyes to Rollo. King Horik wishes him success. Siggy kisses him goodbye, all while Ragnar watches. Torstein wishes Rollo well, even though the words are hard for him. Off they go.

Siggy sits with King Horik and his son drinking wine before the fire. He hopes she does not mind him bringing his son to watch the game that he plays with her, that Ragnar tries to play with him. She invites him to her bed for a reason, tells him about Ragnar for a reason. She tells him all she does is for Rollo, that if he rises so does she. He sees that she needs his help. His attention turns to his son. He’s been with few women, and he wants his son to be with an experienced free woman. Siggy rises, toying with the idea before deciding to do it. She undresses and calls the boy over while King Horik watches the whole exchange.

Lagertha has returned home to her charming husband. Earl Sigvard remembers the good times when his hall was filled with laughter and fellowship. His wife has returned, though she left without his permission. He says that he is happy that she came back, though she did not bring back his stepson. The Women begin filling out of the room. She tells him that she wanted to stay with his father, and he’s old enough to decide, at least she came back. There was nothing she could so she says, his father is Ragnar Lothbrok. Sigvard insults Ragnar, and his parentage, unhappy that Bjorn chose to stay with his father, and Lagertha rises in his defense. He believes that Lagertha’s intentions are less than honorable, that she did not go to repulse a foreign invader like she told him, but because she is in fact still in love with Ragnar. He’s raging drunk, stumbling away. He tells her that she can sleep alone tonight, he’s made other arrangements. Lagertha lies alone in her bed, when she hears rustling outside. She blows out her lights, and a group of men come in. Lagertha takes them by surprise, beating them back, but she eventually falls beneath their blows. They beat her into unconsciousness.

Bjorn takes an interest in the servant girl who spilled wine upon him, Porunn. He offers to help her with her water buckets but she declines. She does take up his offer to sit and talk for a moment. He asks where she sleeps, with the other servants, and if she has a boyfriend, she does. Princess Aslaug notices Ragnar’s stares, and mentions that the girl is good looking, but Ragnar brushes it aside. She does not know why he submits to King Horik’s demands concerning jarl Borg. She says that she suffered much because of him, and that her father would have never stood for it, but her father is gone.

Rollo pays Jarl Borg a visit, on his table is the skull of his first wife, his advisor. Rollo lays out the deal to build the alliance between the trio, Ragnar, Jarl Borg, and King Horik. Ragnar finds the benefit in a united country, he looks beyond revenge, being a practical man. Bottom line is that they need Jarl Borg’s help to raid. Luckily the skull thinks he should go.

Athelstan works on his book, which King Ecbert finds pleasing, thinking that it is a divine gift. The pagans have nothing like the brushes and coloring. King Ecbert asks about the strange Gods of the Pagans, and Athelstan is quick to tell him that their Gods are old, and there were similarities to their own. King Ecbert shows him some Pagan paintings, feeling a kindred spirit. The paintings are beautiful, but the artist unknown to King Ecbert. Athelstan tells him that the Romans did the paintings, and they worshiped false gods. King Ecbert tells him to keep the conversation between them, that no one else would understand, that much knowledge has been lost with the Roman, whose Pagan Gods allowed them to rule the world.

Bjorn watches Porunn dance with ferocity. He tries to figure out which one is her boyfriends, but she shows no favor to any of the men watching.

Athelstan writes his scriptures when he begins to bleed. The blood comes out of his palms, from where her was crucified, and around his head where his crown of thorns was. When Æthelwulf tells him that his father wishes to see him, the blood disappears. King Ecbert wishes to show him more Roman treasures. The room is full of Roman scrolls, all of which he can read. King Ecbert gives him the task of preserving the scrolls, but in secret. He warns that if Athlestan ever tells anyone about the scrolls he will let them crucify him.

Jarl Borg returns with Rollo and the people of Kattegat sit on the shore waiting his arrivals. During the night’s feast, Jarl Borg sits down with Ragnar to make total peace. He wishes him to know that he will never have reason to doubt him again. Ragnar admits that it was not his idea to band together, but King Horik’s. He realizes what could be gained from the alliance, and then welcomed it. King Horik and Siggy have a little chat, and he’s still surprised that Ragnar went along with the alliance. He also thanks Siggy for making his son a man, but she reminds him that she’s no whore. Perhaps not for his sons, but he for him she is. Floki overhears it all. When King Horik leaves her side, Siggy asks if he can keep a secret, to which he giggles and tells her no.

Sigvard asks his battered wife what is the matter with her at the night’s feast, she does not talk or smile. He grabs her and kisses her temple. He’s not done punishing her. He wants to do better. He tells the men that his wife has the most beautiful breasts, that they are like the goddess Freya’s breasts. When he goes to expose her breasts, she stabs him in the eye with a dinner knife. Lagertha has had enough. Sigvard howls in pain, and when one of his men approach, Lagertha still has her guard up, but he silences Sigvard’s screams but removing his head.

Princess Aslaug tells her children a bedtime story about the Giant King and King Horik prepares for bed. He spots Ragnar outside with an eagle on his arm. Aslaug continues her story about Loki eating every scrap of meat. Rollo leaves Siggy taking his ax and refusing to tell her where he’s off to. Loki ate all the meat, and the strangers as well. Jarl Borg rests uneasy in the barn. His strange eagle prophecy is repeated. The Giant king proclaimed Loki the loser. Aslaug’s son doesn’t wish to sleep because in dreams you cannot tell what is real. Torstein locks the barn door and tells the men inside if they want to live to stay silent. Rollo lights the barn on fire.

Floki is not where he was supposed to be, and Bjorn was not with him. Bjorn was off saving his servant girl, Porunn. She offers her his bed to sleep in, and she tells him that she cannot sleep there. Her wants don’t matter she tells him, and Bjorn doesn’t want to order her. She takes down her top and ask if that is what he wants.

Rollo and his men pay Jarl Borg a visit. He was warned that Rollo always looks for revenge. One of the men go to hurt Jarl Borg’s pregnant wife, but Rollo stops him. Instead making her watch Torstein and Floki beat him. King Horik is upset over the commotion, and Ragnar apologizes for the ambiance of Kattegat. The men arrive dragging in Jarl Borg, who isn’t dead but wishes he was. King Horik asks why he’s done this. Forgiveness was never an option for Jarl Borg, a man who tried to kill his family. Ragnar tells him that since he consorts with the eagle he will draw a blood eagle on his back. Jarl Borg tells him no, but Ragnar is intent to draw a big spread winged eagle.

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