Vikings: Valhalla, or simply Valhalla, is a historical drama television series created by Jeb Stuart for Netflix that acts as a sequel to Vikings. The eight-episode first season premiered on February 25, 2022. With a 24-episode order announced in November 2019, the series was officially renewed for a second and third season in March 2022. The second season premiered on January 12, 2023. The third and final season is set to premiere in 2024.
Premise
Set more than 100 years after the events of Vikings; in England, tensions between the descendants of the Vikings (Norse or "Danes") and native English reach a bloody breaking point. The Norse also clash amongst themselves over conflicting Christian and pagan beliefs.
In the Danelaw, a region of England settled by Vikings, it is Saint Brice's Day and Harald Sigurdsson leaves for Norway. Meanwhile, King Æthelred II, the ruler of England, orders all Danish settlers in England to be killed, including Harald's brother Sten Sigurdsson. King Canute, the ruler of Denmark, calls all Viking warriors to meet in Kattegat to form an army to exact revenge. Greenlanders Leif Erikson and Freydís Eiríksdóttir travel to Kattegat through a great storm, unaware of the massacre, as Freydís seeks revenge on the man who raped and scarred her years earlier. She soon discovers the man responsible, Gunnar Magnússon, a follower of Harald's older half-brother Olaf Haraldsson, a devout Christian, who doesn't trust pagans. Leif later defends himself due to the reputation of his infamous father Erik the Red and Harald promises him glory if Leif joins his forces in England. Later that night, Freydís sneaks into the great hall and kills Gunnar. Before an enraged Olaf can kill Freydís, JarlHaakon, the ruler of Kattegat, stops him. Harald informs everyone that Gunnar's death was justified as Freydís reveals a cruciform scar on her back. Haakon states that she will render judgment in the morning.
2
2
"Viking"
Steve Saint Leger
Jeb Stuart
February 25, 2022 (2022-02-25)
Freydís challenges Olaf to a trial by combat but is denied. Instead, Harald has Leif join him in England to help exact revenge on the Saxons. Freydís bids farewell to Leif before he and the majority of the Greenlanders leave Kattegat with Canute's Viking army. Haakon sends Freydís to Uppsala, so that she may seek her destiny. During the journey to England, Jarl Gorm, one of the Viking leaders, and his son Arne Gormsson grow distrustful of Leif. Gorm later attacks him, killing the Greenlander Birger, which results in Leif killing Gorm just as they arrive on England's shores. In England, Æthelred and his advisor Godwin discuss the imminent Viking invasion as Æthelred's health deteriorates. Æthelred's wife, Queen Emma, later visits her now bedridden husband, who warns her that London needs to be defended. Emma sends her step-son Prince Edmund, the heir to the throne of England, to seek aid from the ealdorman of Mercia, Eadric Streona. Edmund is successful in convincing Streona to supply Mercian soldiers to help repel the Vikings but on his return to London, bells toll, signalling Æthelred's death.
The Viking army sack Kent and they learn of Æthelred's death, so they now set their sights on his son. The army later makes camp near London, as Leif and Harald lead a scouting party into the nearby marshes. They are soon ambushed by Mercian soldiers and are forced to retreat, whilst the Greenlander Ulf is killed, and Leif is left behind. Harald later returns and saves Leif before they make their way onto the bridge to London, where they discover that it has a drawbridge in its centre. In London, Edmund practices his fighting skills whilst Godwin teaches him that he must be more ruthless to win a real battle. Edmund successfully gets the full support of the other ealdormen who wish to move forward with his coronation and Edmund is officially crowned King of England. In Sweden, Freydís and several other pilgrims are attacked by a berserker who kills the Greenlander Toke and seriously wounds Yrsa. Freydís kills the attacker and brings Yrsa to a healer's hut before continuing her journey to Uppsala alone. Later, the Christian zealot Jarl Kåre finds the body of the berserker and begins to follow a trail of blood left by Yrsa.
4
4
"The Bridge"
Steve Saint Leger
Declan Croghan
February 25, 2022 (2022-02-25)
The Viking leaders discuss their impending assault on London by using the bridge to their advantage and drawing out King Edmund. Meanwhile, Edmund discusses his plans for the defence of London with Streona, who will outflank the Vikings and trap them on the bridge. Whilst impressed by the king's strategy, Streona states that the Mercians will suffer heavy losses, but Edmund promises him that Mercia will have all the glory if they're victorious. As the Viking army arrives outside London, Canute taunts Edmund into charging into battle alongside his soldiers, against the advice of Emma and Godwin. Vikings and Saxons fight until Canute leads the Saxons into an ambush on the far side of the bridge. Meanwhile, Leif, Harald and several others successfully weaken the drawbridge, attach ropes to its supports, and use Olaf's longboats to pull it down. Emma notices the Viking's plan and commands Saxon archers to fire at the saboteurs, killing the Greenlanders Skarde and Njal. Godwin informs Edmund of the bridge's impending collapse, but Edmund fails to cross in time and is trapped, forcing him to surrender. Streona arrives to witness the Saxon army's defeat and decides to abandon Edmund.
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5
"Miracle"
Hannah Quinn
Eoin McNamee
February 25, 2022 (2022-02-25)
The Viking army successfully conquers London, taking Emma and the other nobles captive. Harald attempts to exact his revenge by executing Edmund but is stopped by Canute. He later promises to make Harald the king of Norway and reveals that Olaf has a secret son, Magnus Olafsson. Meanwhile, Leif discovers that Liv has survived the battle and the two become romantically involved. He mourns the deaths of his fellow Greenlanders, giving them a Viking funeral, but has a crisis of faith. During a celebratory feast, Canute awards his warriors the spoils of war and releases Leif from his sister's debt. Canute then executes Streona for breaking his oath to Edmund and crowns himself the first Viking King of England, who will rule alongside Edmund. He also befriends Emma and rescues her children who had been taken captive by Olaf. In Uppsala, Freydís takes part in a pagan ceremony that provides a glimpse into her past. During a vision, she is visited by The Seer who gives her a cryptic warning. Kåre arrives at the healer's hut seeking vengeance and kills Yrsa. Freydís then awakens from her vision and leaves Uppsala.
6
6
"The Last Daughter of Uppsala"
Hannah Quinn
Vanessa Alexander
February 25, 2022 (2022-02-25)
Freydís reaches the healer's hut and confronts Kåre who tells her to warn Haakon that he is coming to kill them all. Freydís returns to Kattegat and trains to become a shieldmaiden with Altöra, Haakon's second-in-command. Haakon recounts her own vision of The Seer and claims that Freydís is the "Last Daughter of Uppsala". Meanwhile, Kåre reaches Uppsala and receives his own mysterious vision from The Seer. Olaf leaves England with his forces and heads to Denmark whilst Leif and Harald return to Kattegat. In Denmark, Olaf asks Canute's Mercian wife, Queen Ælfgifu, for her support in becoming the ruler of Norway. Harald's forces soon arrive in Kattegat and Leif, Freydís and Liv reunite, now the only remaining Greenlanders. Freydís later beats Altöra in single combat and becomes a shieldmaiden by pledging herself to protect Kattegat. In London, Canute makes Godwin and Emma his advisors, with the latter informing him that the ealdormen are close to rebellion. Canute takes the ealdormen captive and reveals to them that he will restore their titles in return for their loyalty. Canute and Emma later become romantically involved but Canute becomes concerned after receiving a letter from Denmark.
Kåre sends the corpses of the priests of Uppsala to Kattegat as a warning. Leif, Freydís and Harald head to Uppsala and witness the aftermath of Kåre's massacre with the survivors claiming that Kåre's God ordered him to destroy all pagans. Olaf meets with Kåre and forges an alliance to take Kattegat in an effort to unite Norway. Harald learns of this, and his forces help Haakon prepare for Olaf and Kåre's arrival. In London, Edmund discovers that Canute has left England to fight the Wends in Denmark, but not before marrying Emma in secret. Canute's father, King Sweyn Forkbeard, arrives to rule in his place with Forkbeard's granddaughter Gytha serving as Emma's lady-in-waiting. Edmund and Forkbeard are confronted by Sigeferth, the ealdorman of Wessex, who is later killed by Forkbeard after insulting him, and Godwin is made the first earl of Wessex. Angered by Forkbeard's presence, Edmund attempts to form a resistance, but Godwin betrays him by setting a trap and stabs him in the heart, leaving Canute as the sole King of England. Ælfgifu arrives in London, bringing with her Canute's fleet, and threatens Forkbeard that she will order it to aid Olaf and his conquest.
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8
"The End of the Beginning"
David Frazee
Eoin McNamee
February 25, 2022 (2022-02-25)
To prevent Ælfgifu from sending Canute's fleet to Olaf, Forkbeard seemingly banishes Emma to Normandy. Ælfgifu and Godwin then travel to Mercia and convince the Mercians to give Forkbeard their support. However, in Ælfgifu's absence, Forkbeard locates Canute's fleet and Emma retakes the throne of England. In Norway, Harald chooses to side with Olaf but secretly informs Leif of Olaf's attack plan. As the Battle for Kattegat begins, Kåre's forces assault the city walls and whilst defending Kattegat, Haakon, Altöra and Arne are killed by Kåre's followers. Obsessed with killing Freydís, Kåre hunts her down to the great hall but she is able to outmaneuver and behead him. Knowing his brother would betray him, Olaf's attack plan is revealed to have been a ruse in order to weaken both Haakon and Kåre's forces. Olaf's army arrives in Kattegat with little resistance and Olaf mortally wounds Liv who dies in Leif's arms. Harald is wounded during the battle, but Freydís comes to his aide and they flee. Olaf claims victory, but after Forkbeard arrives with Canute's fleet, Olaf's forces quickly abandon Kattegat. Forkbeard's grandson Harold Harefoot then discovers several of Kåre's followers slaughtered and an enraged Leif covered in blood.
Following the Battle for Kattegat, Forkbeard's forces capture Olaf and his surviving men. Leif hunts for Olaf with the hope of avenging Liv's death and whilst in Kattegat, meets Jorundr Torvilsson, a mysterious stranger. To prevent his own execution, Olaf strikes a deal with Forkbeard that keeps his captive son Magnus alive in exchange for Olaf helping advise Canute's eldest son, Svein Knutsson, to rule as King of Norway. Forkbeard's forces then depart from Kattegat. In London, Godwin grows concerned regarding Emma's safety due to Canute's continued absence and successfully prevents an assassination attempt. Meanwhile, Freydís and Harald are in hiding and learn that many pagans now revere Freydís whilst Jomsvikings are taking them to Jomsborg for safety. They soon reunite with Leif who had tracked down bounty hunters sent to kill Harald. Jorundr, having followed Leif, reveals that he's a Jomsviking and agrees to help them escape. They successfully evade Olaf's forces and are rescued by Jorundr's longships and Freydís secretly reveals to Leif that she is pregnant with Harald's child. Leif and Harald then depart, hoping to get aid from Harald's uncle in Novgorod whilst Freydís sails for Jomsborg.
10
2
"Towers of Faith"
Ciaran Donnelly
Declan Croghan
January 12, 2023 (2023-01-12)
In Norway, Olaf hunts down escaping pagans and has Svein kill one of them. Upon returning to Kattegat, Olaf meets with Ælfgifu who grows concerned for Svein's safety. In London, Godwin tortures the captured assassin, but he is later secretly killed to prevent Godwin from discovering who sent him. In Jomsborg, Freydís arrives and meets its rulers, Lord Hárekr and Lady Gudrid, who hope to turn Jomsborg into a "new Uppsala" with Freydís as their gyðja. In Novgorod, Leif and Harald arrive and meet with Harald's uncle, Grand Prince Yaroslav the Wise, and Lord Vitomir. However, Yaroslav refuses to aid Harald so he can continue trading with Canute's empire whilst the trade route to Constantinople is blocked by invading Pechenegs. Leif meets Mariam, an Astrolabe maker, and has vivid hallucinations of Liv. Hoping to buy an army with gold, Harald fights against the African warrior Kaysan, but despite Harald's victory, Kaysan and his partner Batu flee with the winnings. Impressed by Harald's fighting ability, Vitomir agrees to pay him to help escort precious cargo past the Pechenegs. In an attempt to hallucinate Liv once more, Leif takes opium and after nearly falling to his death, he collapses.
Leif awakens in Mariam's lodgings, having been rescued from the cold, and discovers that she is terminally ill. Harald meets with Gestr, a slaver, and agrees to protect his boat on the journey to Constantinople but must first find a crew. He recruits the warrior Kaysan, con man Batu and the blind Pecheneg Kurya who can guide them along the Dnieper river. Leif invites Miriam to join them whilst Vitomir and his servant Eleana join the crew carrying a precious silver chest. Together, the crew leave Novgorod on a sled but shortly after beginning their journey, one of Gestr's slaves dies from the cold. In London, Emma discovers that Ælfwynn, one of her ladies-in-waiting and Godwin's lover, is the sister of the assassin and that Godwin has proposed marriage. In Jomsborg, many of the pagan refugees are forced into labour while Hárekr goes raiding, leaving his nephew Jorundr in charge. Hrefna, a young girl who idolises Freydís, is tricked by Jorundr to journey alone to a nearby boneyard to prove her worth. Freydís finds Hrefna injured and defends her from a wild boar, before returning her home.
In Kievan Rus', the crew journey along a frozen river until it breaks and the sled becomes trapped. Whilst the sled is eventually freed, the ice dam that kept the river frozen has since thawed. The crew are forced to release the boat from the sled but both Eleana and Vitomir fall through the ice. Only Eleana can be saved in time as Vitomir drowns and Eleana is revealed to be his daughter. In Kattegat, Olaf receives word that Harald has met with their uncle in Novgorod and plans to travel there with Svein. In London, Emma imprisons Ælfwynn and she is tortured by Canute's huscarl Agnarr for information about her brother and Godwin. Ælfwynn reveals that Godwin wishes for his future children to rule England as she succumbs to her wounds. Emma informs Godwin of Ælfwynn's death and Gytha confides in him. In Jomsborg, Gudrid chastises Jorundr for mixing with the pagan refugees and becomes suspicious of the now heavily pregnant Freydís, who wishes for the refugees to be treated as equals. Hárekr returns from raiding and angered by Freydís' actions, commands the Jomsvikings to massacre the refugees and imprisons both Jorundr and Freydís.
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5
"Birth and Rebirth"
Jan Matthys
Niall Queenan
January 12, 2023 (2023-01-12)
On the Dnieper river, the boat's rudder breaks, forcing the crew to stop. Leif and Harald travel to nearby ruins and smith a new rudder as Leif tells Harald about Freydís' pregnancy. A lone Varangian, Baggi, discovers the grounded boat and recognises Kurya as the disgraced brother of the Pecheneg Khan before departing. A paranoid Gestr is then overthrown and locked inside the boat. Baggi later returns with several others, and they fight with the crew. As Leif and Harald arrive, Baggi and his men are killed and Gestr is stabbed to death by his slaves. In London, Emma prays for forgiveness for having caused Ælfwynn's death as Godwin and Gytha mourn her. Agnarr informs Emma that Godwin paid a large sum of money to a man known as "The Bear" days before her attempted assassination. Imprisoned in Jomsborg, Freydís gives birth to a son, who she names Harald. Hárekr immediately takes the child to claim as his own, angering the neglected Jorundr. Hárekr tells Jorundr that he must kill Freydís in order to regain his trust. However, Jorundr rescues the baby and helps fake Freydís' death before escaping Jomsborg. Hárekr intercepts them and Freydís is forced to flee alone.
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6
"Leap of Faith"
Jan Matthys
Niall Queenan
January 12, 2023 (2023-01-12)
In Sussex, Emma and Agnarr search for "The Bear" only to discover that he has been killed, although they find Godwin's father's ring. Canute returns to London and doubtful that Godwin is behind the assassination attempt, betroths his niece Gytha to him. In Novgorod, Olaf meets with Yaroslav and promises to stop the Jomsvikings from raiding the Baltic trade routes. In Jomsborg, Hrefna helps a weakened Freydís recover. Jorundr is put on trial, and after Hárekr frames him for Freydís' death, the Jomsborg elders decide to have Jorundr's right hand removed before he's exiled. Freydís later challenges Hárekr, who easily defeats her, but the Jomsvikings rise up and stone him to death, allowing Freydís to be reunited with her son. On the Dnieper river, after reaching a large waterfall, only Harald wants to keep going. Leif becomes romantically involved with Miriam who plans to eventually ingest poison to end her suffering as her illness has worsened. Eleana tells Harald that Vitomir was bringing the precious cargo to Constantinople to stop raids on their home in Chude. Harald then removes most of the cargo and the mast from the ship and together the crew heads over the waterfall.
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7
"Pecheneg"
Emer Conroy
Vanessa Alexander
January 12, 2023 (2023-01-12)
Having landed downstream of the waterfall, the crew is scattered. A group of Pechenegs find the grounded boat and capture Harald. The rest of the crew reunite and discover that Cadlin, one of the former slaves, didn't survive the fall. Harald is brought before Tyrach, a Pecheneg leader, who tortures him until Leif arrives with Kurya and Tyrach sends word to the Khan of his brother's return. Eleana and the former slaves Brigtoc and Dorn soon free Leif and Harald, who kill Tyrach, but the group are forced to flee when the Khan's forces arrive. They reach the boat and return it to the water but Kurya remains behind to confront his brother and kills him with Miriam's poison. Before Kurya can be dismembered by the Khan's vengeful men, Leif shoots him with an arrow out of mercy. Departing from Novgorod, Olaf begins his search for Jomsborg after his ambitions are renewed when he's blessed by a Bishop. In Jomsborg, Freydís brings the Jomsvikings and pagan refugees together, allowing them to worship in the previously restricted temple, whilst Gudrid regrets allowing Jorundr's exile. Alone and dying at sea, Jorundr is discovered by Olaf.
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8
"The Reckoning"
Emer Conroy
Declan Croghan
January 12, 2023 (2023-01-12)
Olaf's forces arrive in Pomerania, and Olaf tells Jorundr about his father which convinces him to reveal Jomsborg's location. Olaf soon meets with Freydís to taunt her whilst Gudrid gives Jorundr a secret message. Jorundr then leads Hallbjörn, Olaf's second-in-command, to an ambush at Jomsborg's sentinel and they kill each other. Olaf's forces attack Jomsborg but Freydís leads them into a trap, burning them all alive. An enraged Olaf battles Freydís until she impales him with a spear, killing him, and leaving Svein as the sole survivor. Freydís later brings Svein to Kattegat in exchange for peace with Ælfgifu. In London, despite Emma's protests, Godwin and Gytha are married, putting their future children in line for the throne of England. Hoping to torment Godwin, Emma gifts Gytha the ring she recovered from Sussex to act as a constant reminder of Godwin's father's shameful past. On the Dnieper river, Mariam's condition forces the crew to stop. Alone with Leif, she gifts him the key to her home in Constantinople before succumbing to her illness. The Byzantine Emperor, Romanos III, travels to meet the crew, revealing Eleana as his betrothed and Harald gains his favor. Their journey complete, the crew finally reach Constantinople.
Production
Development
On January 4, 2019, alongside the announcement that Vikings would end after its sixth season, it was announced that Michael Hirst and MGM Television were developing a spin-off series with writer Jeb Stuart.[5] On November 19, 2019, it was announced that this series, titled Vikings: Valhalla, would take place a century after the end of the original series and would be released on Netflix.[6] The 24-episode series was made by MGM Television, and filmed primarily in Ireland, working from the same Ashford Studios in County Wicklow. The series focuses "on the adventures of Leif Erikson, Freydís Eiríksdóttir, Harald Sigurdsson and the Norman king William the Conqueror".[7]
On March 9, 2022, the series was officially renewed for a second and third season.[8] On November 21, 2022, it was announced that the second season would premiere on January 12, 2023.[9] The third and final season is set to premiere in 2024.[10][11]
Vikings: Valhalla started filming in October 2020 at Ashford Studios, Wicklow, where the previous series Vikings was filmed. Shooting was suspended due to a number of positive COVID-19 tests, only to resume after a few days. At the time a number of cast and crew were reported to have tested positive; however, it emerged that the production had received a number of false positive tests.[17][18] Directors for the first season included the BAFTA-winning Danish director Niels Arden Oplev, Steve Saint Leger, who directed several episodes of Vikings,[12] and Hannah Quinn.[15]
Filming later resumed at Ashford Studios in August 2021[19] and production on the second season wrapped later that year in November.[20]
Production on the third season began in May 2022 and wrapped later that year in October.[21]
The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reports a 90% approval rating for the first season based on 29 reviews and an average rating of 7.0/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Reveling in the glory of straightforward adventure storytelling, Valhalla is a bloody-good dramatization of Leif Eriksson's conquests."[23]Metacritic gave it a weighted average score of 70 out of 100 based on reviews from 13 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[24] The second season has a 100% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 7 reviews and an average rating of 7.7/10.[23]
Vikings: Valhalla, a mobile strategy game developed by Emerald City Games, was released on iOS and Android on September 7, 2023 and requires an active Netflix subscription to play.[26]
