Wrath of the Northmen

"**Wrath of the Northmen**" is the second episode of the first season of *Vikings*. It is the second episode of the series overall. It premiered on March 10, 2013. It was written by creator Michael Hirst and directed by Johan Renck.

## Plot

The stage is set for the first journey west by Ragnar Lothbrok as he gathers a crew willing to risk their lives to travel into the unknown.

## Summary

### At Eric's Home

Ragnar heads to Erics home for the secret meeting of all those who will join Ragnar on the endeavour West. Rollo joins Ragnar, as the two head to the meeting. The two enter the building and are greeted by Eric, who welcomes them to his home. He tells Ragnar that he has done as he asked and has gathered loyal men who will not go running to Haraldson about Ragnars secret voyage. Eric tells Ragnar that all of them have sworn upon their sacred rings to keep this a secret. Leif asks Ragnar what they are here for, Ragnar tells them that firstly because they have nothing better to do and that they have built a new boat. One capable of sailing over long distance seas to the west. Torstein questions about how would they steer across an open sea, Ragnar tells them they have a way. Rollo tells the men that Ragnar has promised them that they will all be equal and share equal spoils of the raid. Ragnar meets Knut, promising him that he has heard witnesses, Knut tells him it is just stories. To which Ragnar repeats, he says "All things begin and end as stories." Eric brings up the fact that Haraldson has ordered them to sail east, Ragnar tells them he does not know about their new boat nor the new ways of navigation. Leif says he could kill them, Ragnar agrees that he could, but that he can offer them a chance to shine in battle and impress the gods. He tells them they will bring back such plunder that they have never seen before. Ragnar asks them who has the "balls" to join him. Eric, Kauko, Arne, Torstein, Leif and all others present agree to go with Ragnar. Ragnar asks Knut, who tells him that he is, as he wishes to tell a good story to his children. Ragnar tells eeryone to prepare for leaving in the coming weeks and to tell no-one who doesn't need to know.

### In Haraldsons Halls

Olafur returns to Haraldson, addressing him of the meeting at Eric Marteinn's home. The Earl intrigued asks if Ragnar was there, to which Olafur confirms. Olafur asks if they should show them the axe. Haraldson denies and says that it is too soon, he says they need to wait and see. To which Siggy says "Only good things come from watching" Olafur looks to her as she says "And waiting." Earl Haraldson sees Olafur being attentive to his wife's words. He says that if Siggy wants to sleep with him, he will allow it. Olafur walks into Haraldson and Siggys bedroom, telling Svein to leave he rushes to the bed where Siggy is. Moments later Siggy punches Olafur in the face repeatedly, Haraldson walks in saying "Now I know who to trust. And who not to trust." Haraldson's bodyguards take Olafur outside, Svein takes a dagger and stabs Olafur through the chest with it, twice before spitting on his body. Haraldson's guards proceed to hack his body up with axes. Back in Haraldson's room Siggy tells him honor is rare, Haraldson follows this by saying "Almost as rare as those in whom I can trust." Siggy tells him they have enemies everywhere and that they cannot prevail. After the Vikings set sail a day later, Knut tells his brother Haraldson that they have set sail. Haraldson states that they will never be heard from again. Knut brings up the question of "What if Ragnar is right?" Haraldson yells that there are no lands to the west.

### At Ragnars Home

Ragnar returns home and is greeted outside by his son Björn. Lagertha asks Ragnar when they sail, to which Ragnar states to her that he does not want her to come. Upset, Lagertha questions "Why not?" Ragnar says that he needs to leave the farm and his kids in the hands of someone he trusts. He asks her what would happen if the Earl were to show up at his home and one of them wasn't there. Lagertha disappointed, tells Ragnar that this voyage West was going to be the most exciting voyage of their lives. Not listening Lagertha flicks water in Ragnars face saying she has dreamed of it many times and that in those dreams they were always together. Ragnar questions, what if there is no west and how it would be the most stupid voyage ever. He looks at her and says "What if we both die? Then who would take care of the children?" Ragnar flicks water back in her face. Ragnar continues from his question saying "Rollo?" Lagertha turning her back tells him he has no right to say that. Ragnar clearly seeing her disappointed tells her that she can go and that he will stay behind. A drunk Ragnar later at night heads to his bedroom for Lagertha, who hiding hits him in the head with a shield knocking Ragnar to the ground. She yells for him to get up, Ragnar slowly gets to his feet spitting his blood into the fireplace. Lagertha begins to swing the shield at Ragnar saying how dare he, while Ragnar tries defending himself with objects in the home. Ragnar begins to laugh as Lagertha kicks him back saying "Am I not good enough for you? Am I not strong enough for you?" Ragnar disarms her of the shield and kicks her onto their bed. He climbs on her and tells her to "Listen", Lagertha fights him back, grabbing his hair saying "You listen!" She continues to fight Ragnar punching him in the face and hitting him with wooden sword. Björn comes out of his room and gets between them yelling for them to both "Stop!" Björn tells them they could of killed each-other, Björn tells them to never argue like that. Ragnar shoos him back to bed. Ragnar laughs and says "It's a funny thing when the little pig teaches the boar a lesson." In the morning he asks Lagertha if she is still angry, she denies this and says how her heart is still in pain that she cannot come because she wants to be with him. Ragnar hugs Lagertha before departing to Floki's home. After Ragnars departure, Lagertha tells Björn and Gyda the story of Jörmungandr the sea Serpent, she tells them that one day Thor was fishing in the sea for the serpent using a balls head for bait, in which he tried to battle the serpent but it got away back into the depths of the sea.

### At Floki's Home

Ragnar places a knife to Floki's neck asking where the anchor for the boat is. Floki assures him it was promised for today, Ragnar questions that the blacksmith may be a liar. Floki says he does not think so as he has a piece of his daughters hair, saying that if he went to Haraldson he would kill her. Ragnar does not see Knut with the others, Floki says "Well that's because he isn't here." Ragnar rolls his eyes at this and says that it troubles him. The blacksmith arrives and Floki gives him the piece of his daughters hair back. Floki's slave brings the men a bowl of water to prepare for their journey west. The men prepare the shields and weapons on the ship and load everything on board. Rollo looks for Floki's slave girl and rapes her before they leave. Rollo rejoins the men and they begin to make sail and begin their journey west.

### At Sea

Rollo tells Ragnar that it is noon, and to look at the sun-board. After placing the board in a bucket of water, Ragnar discovers they are not too far south or too far north. A storm falls upon the men at sea as they continue their voyage. Rollo yells "Thor." As thunder can be heard. With the oncoming storm Floki tells them they must take down the sail, and row in the storm. He tells the if they don't move forward they will be soaked. by the sea and sink. The men begin to take down the sails with haste and deploy the ores out the sides of the boat. They begin to pull the tent up to cover them from rain while they row. Ragnar asks Floki if he is afraid. Floki tells him he his but not for himself, instead for the boat. Rollo yells that Thor is hammering his anvil and is angry with them and wishes to sink them before smiling looking up at the storm. Floki says it is true, but that Thor is not angry with them. Floki joyously says he is celebrating and that he is full of good news. Floki says he wants to show everybody that he can't sink their boat because he loves the boat. Floki begins to hysterically laugh, Ragnar joins in while telling him to sit down because Floki cannot swim.

### At Lindisfarne

The Monks hear the thunder from the sea and begin murmuring to each other. They all stop working and look at each-other. They shake the noise of the storm off and proceed to work again. The thunder continues to grow stronger, as many Monks begin to look out the window of the Monastery. The terrified Monks begin to pray. A young Monk Athelstan makes his way to find Father Cuthbert. Athelstan tells him that they can all see the signs and that "Judgement day is at hand." Father Cuthbert tells him enough, to which Athelstan continues to state it is true. Cuthbert orders him back to his dormitory where he can pray and that everything will be back to normal when the storm passes.

### On The Northumbrian Coast

Ragnar begins to look for the sun with the sun-stone. The men continue to row, Hakon begins to shake his head while rowing saying there is no lands to the West. He begins to say they are not sailing to any new country and that Ragnar, Rollo and Floki tricked them out to their death and that Floki is Loki the god. Kauko tells him to shut up, Hakon gets angrier. Ragnar turns his head and says "If anyone is mad, it is you." Hakon stands to his feet saying he is not the one who convinced all the men to sacrifice their lives for a dream and an illusion. Hakon begins to tell them they are all going to die for nothing. Ragnar tells him to sit back down and shut up. Hakon then accuses Ragnar of being Lloki the god of mischief, he then curse the day he ever came with Ragnar to go west. Ragnar grabs Hakon's knife and jabs it into his throat, killing him. Ragnar tells the men to release the ravens, so they know that if they come back there is no land, but if they don't then there is.

### At Kattegat

Earl Haraldson accompanied by Svein and his bodyguards approach the Blacksmith who made the anchor for Floki and Ragnar. He asks them if he made an anchor for them, to which he denies and asks them not to hurt his daughter. The Blacksmith confesses to building an anchor and is held down against the fire and murdered as the Earl walks off. His daughter watches on helplessly

### At Lindisfarne

The ravens come back. Rollo says with disappointment that their is no land. Seagulls are heard and the men begin to mutter. Arne yells "Seagulls!" The men joyfully cheer as they have been successful in finding land to the west. Ragnar and Rollo stare forward to the oncoming land. The Monks sing in their Monastery. One strolling along the beach hears voices in the sea getting closer, he sees a ship head come out of the fog. In terror he flees back to the Monastery to warn the others. The bells begin to toll as the Monks flee to Father Cuthbert. Cuthbert tells them to lock the doors and stay inside. The Vikings get ready on the shore, Ragnar tells them not to throw away their lives to impress the gods. They begin clanging their shields as they march up to the Monastery. Ragnar stands on a hill and sees where the bells are ringing from, he smiles and they make their way to the gates. Floki peeks over and sees no-one. Arne is ordered by Rollo to get the gate open. The Monks wait in fear as they hear the metal clanging from the gate. Cuthbert tells them not to be afraid and to pray. After the gate is knocked down, they enter slowly, Ragnar hears them praying and the doors the kicked down. The Vikings stare at the terrified Monks. Rollo stabs Cuthbert with his knife. The Monks flee in terror causing the Vikings to pursue. The Vikings begin to slaughter every Monk they see, Ragnar takes Leif and Eric to see what they can find. Outiside a Monk runs into Rollo, he cuts him down with repeated hits to his back before chasing the others. Rollo then hears weeping coming from the Monks toilet, Rollo pulls him out to a vile stench, Rollo stomps the Monk to his death. Ragnar, Leif and Erik head into the main building of the Monastery. Ragnar grabs a young Monk Athelstan who begs for his life in Ragnars language. Ragnar is intrigued and lets him live. Rollo comes in and questions why he is not dead yet. Ragnar tells him he is going to sell him as a slave, Rollo debates this and says he will kill him. Ragnar forbids this to which Rollo says "how can you forbid it little brother. We are all equals, and I say he dies." Ragnar pushes Rollo away saying does it really mean that much to him. Floki finds scrolls in one of the buildings of the Monetary and begins to burn them. Heading back to the ship the Monks turn to see Lindisfarne on fire, Floki runs back to rejoin them and Ragnar asks if that was Floki's doing, to which Floki laughs. On the shores a Monk tries to run into the ocean, Rollo catches him and begins to drown him. He then picks him up and throws him back in line. The Vikings sail back home looking back at Lindisfarne burning.

## Appearances

### First

* Erik
* Leif
* Arne
* Torstein
* Kauko
* Knut
* Hakon
* Kattegat Blacksmith
* Blacksmith's Daughter
* Floki's Slave Girl
* Athelstan
* Brother Cenwulf
* Father Cuthbert
* Lindisfarne Monk 1
* Lindisfarne Monk 2
* Old Lindisfarne Monk
* Osiric

### Deaths

* Olafur
* Kattegat Blacksmith
* Hakon
* Father Cuthbert
* Many Monks

## Cast

**Main Cast**

* Travis Fimmel as Ragnar
* Clive Standen as Rollo
* Jessalyn Gilsig as Siggy
* Gabriel Byrne as Earl Haraldson
* Katheryn Winnick as Lagertha
* Gustaf Skarsgård as Floki
* George Blagden as Athelstan

G**uest Starring**

* Vladimir Kulich as Erik
* David Pearse as Svein
* Nathan O'Toole as Björn

**Additional Cast**

* Diarmaid Murtagh as Leif
* Tadhg Murphy as Arne
* Jefferson Hall as Torstein
* Jouko Ahola as Kauko
* Eric Higgind as Knut
* Eddie Elks as Olafur
* Paul Kealyn as Kattegat Blacksmith
* Carolyn Murray as Blacksmith's Daughter
* Amber Jean Rowan as Floki's Slave Girl
* Ruby O'Leary as Gyda
* Will Irvine as Brother Cenwulf
* Des Braiden as Father Cuthbert
* Eddie Jackson as Lindisfarne Monk 1
* Nathan Gordon as Lindisfarne Monk 2
* Martin Phillips as Old Lindisfarne Monk
* Sebastiaan Vermeul Taback as Osiric

## See Also

Wrath of the Northmen on Wikipedia

Wrath of the Northmen on IMDb