Vikings' first protagonist Ragnar Lothbrok met a tragic end, became a legend, and changed the course of the History Channel drama forever.
Premiering in 2013, the historical drama Vikings originally followed the journey of legendary Norse hero Ragnar Lothbrok. Actor Travis Fimmel, who starred in the Warcraft movie, played the character for the first four seasons. That is, until the Season 4 episode "All His Angels" depicted Ragnar's gruesome death at the hands of one of his greatest enemy, King Ælle. While the series frequently killed off main characters, from the beginning, Ragnar Lothbrok's death was the most shocking by far.
Vikings was inspired by the adventures of legendary figures from Scandinavia during the Viking Age. Ragnar started out not as a legend but as a farmer trying to raise his family with his shieldmaiden wife Lagertha (played by Katheryn Winnick). Ragnar's journey began with his dream of sailing west, believing that great treasures waited across the ocean for him and his people. Ragnar made several successful conquests throughout Europe, elevating his popularity among the people of the small community of Kattegat. By the end of Season 1, Ragnar overthrew the local leader, becoming the new earl of Kattegat, and, later, king of Denmark.
How Does Ragnar Die on Vikings?
After being betrayed by the defection of older brother Rollo to West Francia in Season 4, Ragnar was filled with rage. He decided to raid Paris, driven by revenge. However, Rollo was fully prepared for Ragnar's attack, and was able to repulse his brother's forces. Ragnar returned to Scandinavia humiliated, and decided to leave Kattegat, isolating himself from everyone and living as a recluse for years. He resurfaced as a changed man, resenting that his best days were behind him. Upon his return to Kattegat, Ragnar realized he was left with one choice: take his life -- or, rather, his death -- into his own hands.
Ragnar decided to travel to England one last time, so he could die on his own terms. He went to Wessex, and surrendered himself to King Ecbert, and was presented as a prisoner to King Ælle. However, Vikings revealed that it was Ragnar's plan all along to die by the hand of King Ælle, so his sons could return and exact terrible vengeance against his rivals. Not only would he die of his own accord, he would also be immortalized as a Viking legend. After being tortured for days by Ælle, an unfazed Ragnar finally entered the gates of Valhalla when he was thrown into a pit full of venomous snakes.
Ragnar's death in Season 4, Episode 15, floored audiences, who didn't expect Vikings to go as far as killing off its original hero -- and didn't expect it to happen in such gruesome fashion.
Ragnar Lothbrok's Death Served Its Purpose for Vikings
However, Ragnar's plan worked exactly as he had intended, and gave the character the last word. At the end of Season 4, his son Ivar returned to England with Bjorn and the rest of his brothers to decimate the combined forces of King Ælle and King Ecbert. Each of Ragnar's sons went on to have their own legendary adventures, with their stories becoming the new focus of Vikings in Seasons 5 and 6.
Ragnar Lothbrok appears in traditional Icelandic literature, where he is considered figure of legends. However, he is frequently connected to actual historical events and figures. This combination of myth with history has created several different tales about his life and, more importantly, his death. One of the tales about Ragnar's death is the snake-pit story used in the series. Another tale features Ragnar dying from a mysterious illness shortly after battling the Franks. That was adapted in Season 3 of Vikings, in which Ragnar asked the Franks to baptize him and bury him inside the gates of Paris -- just so he could sack the city from within.
While the show wasn't always historically accurate, Vikings succeeded in familiarizing audiences from all over the world with the exploits of Ragnar Lothbrok and several other Scandinavian heroes. A sequel series called Vikings: Valhalla premiered in 2022 and has been renewed for a third season, introducing new characters and stories from the Viking era. But will any of them be as popular as Ragnar Lothbrok -- and will any of them meet an end as shocking as his?