Vikings: Valhalla Season 1 Episode 5 Recap – Miracle

Freydis arrives at Uppsala for the first time. She gets the attention of one of the priestesses there. And just like the healer told her, they would help her. Freydis says it’s her first time in Uppsala, and she is there because she wants to know her destiny. The priestess prepares Freydis for a ceremony and hands her a drink. After taking a sip, Freydis weakens, so the priests lay her down. The priestess covers Freydis’ body with a white cloth and lifts a sword over her body. Freydis enters into a trance. There, she sees a bird flying high and a devastated settlement. The villagers call her, but she leaves them behind. When Freydis opens her eyes, she finds herself in a forest. She walks and finds the seer waiting for her. The seer tells her she’s “The Last.” He says there is no turning back for her. Then he tells Freydis not to look for him again.

After taking London, Harald is about to kill Edmund, but King Canute stops him and says he needs Edmund alive. Harald gets angry because it‘s not what King Canute promised him, but he can’t do anything because the king’s men surround him. King Canute talks to King Edmund and asks him about the battle strategy he used. Edmund says the plans were all his idea, but King Canute knows he is lying. He asks for the woman on the ramparts on the day of the battle — Queen Emma — but they don’t know where she is. They don’t know that Olaf found the queen first and took her away. He wants to know where the late king is hiding all his gold, but Queen Emma says her husband didn’t tell her anything about it. Olaf takes the queen’s children away until she comes up with an answer.

Leif discovers that his friends died except for Liv, but she has been shot with a double-barbed arrow. If they pull it out, Liv will immediately die. Liv’s flesh will rot if they let it stay, and she will die slowly. Leif knows his friend is too weak to take the pain, but Liv permits him to do what he wants. Leif pushes the arrow through her flesh and takes it out from the other side. Before he leaves Liv, he puts a cross in her hand. 

King Canute tells Harald he’s always been his right-hand man, but Harald is still furious about not killing Edmund. King Canute offers to make him the next King of Norway to make him feel better. Harald thinks he doesn’t need Canute for that because Olaf has already promised to pass him the crown. King Canute reveals that Olaf has a healthy 12-year-old son. Olaf kept it from Harald, so maybe he had no intentions of passing the crown to him as he promised. King Canute orders Harald to find Queen Emma. Harald asks Godwin where the queen is, but he doesn’t know. Harald remembers the room Olaf used when he served the late king. He goes there and finds Queen Emma. 

Streona and his men go to London after it’s been taken by Canute. King Canute recognizes his banner and remembers he was the one who held back and didn’t attack. King Canute says they could’ve been defeated if Streona had decided to attack, so he expresses his gratitude to the Ealdorman. Streona says he did it because sometimes rewards can be gained without a fight. To celebrate their success, all the warriors and their leaders feast together. Not only the Vikings are there, but also Queen Emma, King Edmund, and Streona.

Canute expresses his gratitude to his men, especially Olaf, Harald, and Leif. He plans to gift them the gold they have taken from the city. Canute even compliments the boy king, Edmund, for his bravery on the battlefield. He also compliments Queen Emma for her brilliant strategy that almost defeated them. The warriors cheer for Leif as Canute tells them it was him who pulled down the bridge. He then tells Leif that Freydis’ debt is paid in full. King Canute also expresses his gratitude towards Streona for holding back his army. Streona offers his service to Canute and says he can be an ally and ruler of the land who will support Canute. King Canute says they can’t have a traitor with them since they are celebrating new beginnings. The warriors bring in a stump in the hall and take Streona. King Canute takes an ax and chops off Streona’s head in front of everybody. He says he will be the next King of England, ruling jointly with King Edmund.

Queen Emma silently reveals to King Canute that her children have been taken from her, but she can’t say more because their captor is at the table. Canute says he will find the children for her. Harald goes back to Godwin to ask for his help. Godwin says he can’t do anything for Harald. That’s when Canute walks in and offers him something in return. Godwin finds the children guarded by Olaf’s men. He pretends to be a priest, kills the guards, and takes the children away. Canute then gives the boys back to their mother.

Meanwhile, Leif admits to Harald that it might not be luck that saved his life. He says the arrows fell like rain and killed the others, but not him. He takes out the cross and says he thinks someone is protecting him. He says a girl gave him the cross when he was in the marshes. Harald says it was a miracle and not luck. Then he explains to Leif what the word miracle means.

A man named Kåre arrives at the village looking for the person who killed one of his Berserkers. He says he followed the blood trail, leading him to the healer’s house. The healer says many people go to her asking for help. She reveals the person he’s looking for is in Uppsala. Kåre says there are two traces of blood. The healer can’t do anything anymore, so she silently reveals where Yrsa is. After the ritual, Freydis is about to return to the village to take Yrsa. The priestess hands her a sword. Freydis accepts it and then rides her horse as fast as she can under the heavy rain.

Our Thoughts

Will Freydis become some savior? She saw a battle where many people died but left them behind. Then the seer told her she was avoiding the situation. Maybe Freydis is to become a warrior to protect her people. We know that when she finally reaches the settlement, Yrsa will be dead already. We can’t really blame the healer. She couldn’t do anything. Kåre was holding her baby, so she wouldn’t do anything to anger him. The initial attack badly wounded Yrsa, and she was still healing when  Kåre came. With her condition, we can assume she died without fighting back.

Leif came, wanting to avenge his sister. But now, he is a hero to the warriors. He made a name for himself and will no longer be just someone’s son. He also became closer to Harald, becoming like brothers who fight side by side. If Harald made a deal with Canute, then a time would come that he would have to fight Olaf should Olaf choose to pass the throne to his son.