Th way the fourth season of Vikings ended, it looked like a serious wedge had been driven between the sons of Ragnar Lothbrok (Travis Fimmel). After avenging their father’s death, the brothers disagreed on what to do next to build their family’s legacy. It came to a head when Ivar the Boneless (Alex Hogh) killed his brother Sigurd (David Lindstrom) with an axe, leaving the others stunned into silence.
With the arrival of season five though, the surviving brothers are a united front once again. In this exclusive clip from the History series, Ivar is joined by both Ubbe (Jordan Patrick Smith) and Hvitserk (Marco Ilso) as they lead the Great Heathen Army in a raid of York. The raid is the next step in Ivar’s plan for dominance in England.
This particular attack shows just how unprepared the English are for the arrival of the Vikings. It’s also a perfect example of the great strategist Ivar is. The Heathens manage to open a gate to the kingdom undetected and strike down many of York’s citizens and knights before they realize what’s happening.
While the raid is bound to be a major moment in the premiere, it also has a larger meaning for the rest of the season. It’s here that Ivar will first cross paths with Heahmund (Jonathan Rhys Meyers), the warrior bishop introduced at the end of season four. As trailers for the season have shown, there will be a definite connection between the Pagan and the Christian, though it will be far more adversarial than what his father Ragnar shared with the Christian monk Athelstan (George Blagden) in the show’s earlier years.
With Ragnar dead, Ivar is stepping to the forefront of the series this year, and based on the clip, he looks practically unstoppable. With more raids in his future and a looming war with Lagertha (Katheryn Winnick), the woman who killed his mother, it’s shaping up to be a bloody season for the ruthless warrior.
Vikings premieres Wednesday, November 29 at 9:00 p.m. on History. Are you excited to see the rise of Ivar the Boneless? Sound off in the comments below or tweet me at @ChrisHayner.
Images: History
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