Vikings: Valhalla Season 1 Episode 2 Recap – Viking

Leif and Freydis are detained while they wait for Jarl Haakon’s decision. Leif asks his sister if she feels justice after what she did. Freydis says she does, and she feels cleansed. Leif says it’s good that she feels such because people are planning to kill them. Freydis is hopeful and believes Jarl Haakon will deliver the right judgment. Leif reminds his sister that even Jarl Haakon is in a difficult position. If she lets them go, it might start a war among the warriors. Leif adds it’s in Jarl Haakon’s best interest to have them killed.

The siblings are brought back to the great hall to receive judgment. Jarl Haakon says it would be within Freydis’ right to take revenge in the old ways, but they now live in a different time. Olaf questions the credibility of Freydis’ story, so Freydis tells Jarl Haakon that she wants a trial by combat. She says if she is lying, the gods won’t protect her. Olaf just laughs at her and thinks it’s funny that Freydis wants to fight him. He tells King Canute that the death of Gunnar will affect their strategy and compromise their plan. Harald steps in and gives his suggestion. He says that since they lost a valuable army member, Freydis should give something equal. He tells King Canute to take Leif, the son of Erik the Red and Freydis’ brother. People start to talk when they hear that Leif is the son of Erik the Red. Harald tells King Canute that Leif piloted their ship through open waters in the middle of the storm, destroying hundreds of boats and killing hundreds of men. He also says he has seen Leif’s fighting skills. Jarl Haakon comes to a decision and says she ransoms Freydis to King Canute. And for Leif to repay her debt, he should pledge service to his cause. Leif accepts the terms to save his sister.

Back in England, King Aethelred receives information that the Vikings are gathering to prepare for an invasion. He immediately blames it on the nobles who told him before that the Norse are too busy fighting with themselves. His counselor tells him he only did what had to be done to keep the nobles in line. When Queen Emma arrives in London, the king’s cough has already worsened. His health continues to get worse because he worries about the invasion. He hands Queen Emma a letter about what needs to be done. He wants to pay the Vikings and negotiate, but the queen says she doesn’t want to negotiate — she intends to fight. She reveals her plans to send Prince Edmund to Mercia to ask Eadric Streona to bring his army. The king is against this because he believes Eadric Streona will only try to take the throne from Edmund. The queen insists Streona will not do anything like such until the Vikings have been defeated. 

Harald says goodbye to Freydis. He adds that they’ll be gone for five months or so. Freydis says goodbye to her brother and to the rest of the crew who will be joining Leif. She hands a necklace to Harald and says five months will be a long time. Harald shows Leif the ship he’ll be using. Jarl Gorm says he has agreed to fight with the Christians but not row with them, but Harald tells him he doesn’t have a choice since he’ll be sharing the ship with the warriors. Leif tells everyone on the ship to put their weapons in the barrel. He adds that all they have to do is row, so the only reason someone would want to keep their weapons with them on a ship is if they plan to kill someone. Leif adds that he will deal with the problem in case it arises. Jarl Gorm puts his weapons in the barrel except for the ax under his coat.

Queen Emma moved the military operations to the Roman fortifications in the old city. She also plans to concentrate their forces on the south. She tells Counselor Godwin to accompany Prince Edmund. Queen Emma tells the prince that it‘s important that Eadric Streona bring his army to London and follows their instructions. She tells the prince not to allow himself to be drawn into any negotiation. Godwin also tells the prince not to worry because he won’t be asking for help. He will only be relaying an order from his father, the king. The prince knows his father won’t be alive anymore when he returns. Queen Emma tells him he will be king when he returns, but he will not have a long rule unless he is successful in his mission. 

The Vikings start their long journey. Olaf explains to King Canute how vital the bridge in the city is. He says it connects everything and provides a way to escape. And since the bridge can’t be taken down, he suggests they do what has never been done before: to attack from the south. The south is nothing but marsh, so he is sure that King Aethelred won’t expect them to attack from there. A storm is coming, and Harald worries about Leif and the warriors on his ship. Harald tells King Canute he trusts Leif because of his confidence in his abilities.

Prince Edmund doubts his own abilities and if he is the right person to rule after his father. Godwin gives him some words of encouragement to boost his confidence and make him feel better. When they arrive at Mercia, Eadric Streona says it will be a mistake to send the men to London. He says Canute will attack from the north, so they should first stop him in Mercia to defeat him in London. He thinks King Aethelred doesn’t have a plan and has put the kingdom‘s fate at the hands of a foreign queen and the boy prince. Prince Edmund then tells him to do nothing if that‘s what he wants, but he adds that someday he will be king and promises that he will remember Eadric Streona’s doubt and his decision to refuse an order. Eadric Streona says he will follow, so Mercia will be there as ordered.

There is no other ship in sight. Jarl Gorm worries they are lost. He blames Leif and the Christians. Leif assures him they are near land and the weather is improving. Jarl Gorm gets angry when a Christian warrior laughs at him, so he kills him with his ax. Jarl Gorm says he will take over the ship and tells Leif that he is not a bear and Leif is not a Viking. He thinks Leif can‘t kill him, but as they fight, Leif kills Jarl Gorm. 

On their way back to London, Edmund and the guards hear the sounds of the bells. Godwin gets down from his horse, and he and the other guards kneel to Edmund. The young prince is now their new ruler. 

Meanwhile, Jarl Haakon gives Freydis a tour of Kattegat. She notices Freydis’ beliefs in her gods are so strong. She tells her to go to Uppsala to seek her destiny. She says Uppsala is the most sacred site in their Viking world. Leif’s ship is the first to reach England. When the other ships arrive, Harald sees the two dead bodies on Leif’s ship. He walks towards Leif and calls him a Viking.

Our Thoughts

Leif just proved himself. Of course, that was not his intention. He just wanted to serve Canute so he could pay his sister’s debt. We think it’s good that Harald gave the suggestion to King Canute and Jarl Haakon. Instead of punishing Freydis, they just chose to take Leif and make him captain of a ship. But seeing how good he is at fighting, we think they will ask him to do more than just be a captain. Harald admits it himself that he trusts Leif. We are sure Leif will not disappoint.

As for Edmund, he looked so scared when he was beside his father. But it’s evident he believed what Godwin told him, and he got his strength from his words. At the end of this episode, the king died, so maybe in the next episode, the young prince will be king. He needs a quick character development here because their enemies are planning an invasion, and he will have to deal with it as soon as he is crowned king.