After more than a decade, the world of Vikings is coming to an end. For 11 years, Michael Hirst and now Jeb Stuart have traced the history of the Vikings and their raids on England and the rest of Europe, becoming explorers, conquerors, kings, and warriors across not only that continent, but Asia, Africa, and even North America. The most recent chapter in this combination of history and myth, Vikings: Valhalla, set out to show us the Vikings’ decline, portraying their conversion to Christianity and how that forever changed Scandinavia. But in its third and final season, the series sprints to the finish line, condensing storylines and rushing to a conclusion that feels forced, leaving several characters underserved, their stories open-ended and lacking in resolution. Still, there are glimpses of greatness in this season that echo the best of the original Vikings.
The new season jumps forward in time seven years, though there’s little physical changes to main characters Leif Erikson (Sam Corlett), Freydís Eiríksdóttir (Frida Gustavsson), and Harald Sigurdsson (Leo Suter) – at least Vikings had the decency to change hairstyles or add some makeup every once in a while. While the original show gradually expanded its split, Game of Thrones-style storytelling as the saga became too big and the characters too spread out for a single point-of-view, it’s clear from the first episode of Season 3 that Valhalla has too much going on, and not nearly enough time to dedicate to everything. In addition to our main trio, these eight episodes fritter away precious minutes on King Canute (Bradley Freegard) managing his North Sea Empire, Magnus’ (Set Sjöstrand) quest to avenge his father’s death at the hands of Freydís, Earl Godwin (David Oakes) and his endless political schemes, and the ambitions of Harald Harefoot (Ruben Lawless). Only Canute’s and Harald’s stories receive proper arcs and resolutions, even if the latter grows meandering and predictable thanks to Harald’s constantly delayed return trip from Constantinople and rivalry with a fellow commander.
By far the best aspect of this final season is its take on the history of religious conflict. It’s a theme that has always been at the core of the franchise; Season 3 is all about how hateful, violent, and stupid such clashes of faith are. We see this most clearly through Canute and his efforts to legitimize his empire in the eyes of the Pope and the Catholic Church. He’s mocked as a brute who built his empire on blood – ironic, given how every other European kingdom was made, or how half the season focuses on the atrocities the Christian Byzantine Empire commits in its war against the Muslim-ruled Syracuse. Indeed, if there is an upside to Valhalla’s lack of resolution, it’s its illustration of how destructively endless these conflicts and ideas are. Even if the war between Christians and pagan Vikings is over, the persecution of those considered “other” won’t end, and the loss of people, knowledge, and culture is insurmountable.
Also satisfying to watch are the battle scenes in Season 3, particularly the centerpiece depiction of the Siege of Syracuse. It’s epic in scope, with many moving parts, dozens of actors and some impressive stunts, plus it’s followed by many a single combat scene with dynamic camera movements and kinetic choreography.
Still, it’s hard to overlook the simple fact that characters like Freydís and Leif, as well as other supporting players, are left hanging before their story comes to a conclusion. Leif, for one, is a much more interesting character than either Canute and Harald Harefoot, and Sam Corlett does a compelling job playing the famous explorer as a world traveler and keeper of knowledge. (His inner conflict over the use of his inventions for the sake of warfare is complicated since, you know, he’s a Viking whose career started by helping destroy the London Bridge and killing countless people.) Valhalla promised to show us the end of the Viking era; unfortunately, Season 3 doesn’t fulfill that promise.
