Vikings finally came to an end and the final season was as loud and bloody as you would expect but it wasn't what everyone anticipated. The final season was supposed to bring the ultimate redemption of the Lothbroks and a pathway to a peaceful existence in both England and Norway. It had to change many storylines and characters to achieve both purposes.
The season saw the transformation of Ubbe into the best version of Ragnar Lothbrok anyone could have hoped for. He became the savior of the Lothbrok legacy discovering the haven his family had been looking for throughout the show. Ubbe wasn't the only person that changed in the final season though.
Ivar's Death
Bjorn toppled him in Kattegat, Ivar's story was seemingly finished until he was saved by the Rus. His time with Oleg made him more and more dangerous and vengeful until he was unredeemable.
He retained his cunning nature and used it to convince the Rus to fight with him against Bjorn but when he lost, it was time for him to die. His death was supposed to be at the hands of one of the people he had hurt so much but the final season changed that. The Finale allowed him to choose his own way to die even when he deserved worse.
Hvitserk's Baptism
Hvitserk Lothbrok was the least appreciated son of Ragnar throughout Vikings. He never seemed to serve any purpose apart from being Ivar's pawn and making lots of wrong decisions. However, in the final season, Hvitserk got a brain of his own although he didn't use it much.
He continued to back the losing team, but this time, it was of his own will. Faith in the Norse gods was the one thing Hvitserk was always sure of, so no one would expect him to be baptized in England and of all the names to take, accept to be called Athelstan. His end was acceptable though. The final season redeemed Hvitserk slowly until he was worthy of Ragnar's name in the end.
Bjorn Marrying Two Wives
Polygamy in the Viking culture is one aspect that the show had not explored until the sixth season. When Ragnar attempted it earlier by trying to marry Aslaug and Lagertha at the same time, it crumbled as Lagertha divorced him. The show insisted on the importance that all Viking women put on their honor especially in marriage.
The women also enjoyed lots of freedom as they could move out of the marriage whenever they liked, but with Bjorn, it was very different. His marriage to both Gunhild and Ingrid was a deviation from the trend the show had maintained since the first season.
Gunhild Committing Suicide
Gunhild was a strong woman with her pride and never looked like she would die for any man. Actually, the concept of someone committing suicide because their lover died was foreign in the first five seasons of Vikings. Gunhild loved her first husband so much that she came to fight with him against King Alfred, but she didn't commit suicide because he died.
When she met Bjorn, at first she seemed conflicted about her feelings towards him. She was even open to Bjorn marrying Ingrid while married to her and even showed relative warmth towards Harald's advances. Drowning to be with Bjorn in Valhalla didn't make any sense at all.
Ubbe's New World
Ubbe was the best Lothbrok but no one could have imagined him discovering the new world in the first five seasons of the show. He was more comfortable sitting back and letting the rest of his family lead. In the final season, Ubbe took a new shape becoming more like Ragnar with more curiosity.
His first trip to the unknown landed him in Greenland, a twist that no one expected to happen in Vikings. Like most previous Viking discoveries, Greenland turned out to be harsh and tested Ubbe to his limits. Then he discovered the new world that is believed to be North America which also raised many eyebrows.
Harald Elected King Of Norway
The first five seasons of Vikings were all about Ragnar and his family winning and the kingship of Norway wasn't going to be any different. The crown in Daneland always went to the strongest and the smartest which in this case was Bjorn.
Harald was a weak leader that failed in most of his attempts to take power and who wasn't so good at forging lasting alliances. Bjorn was obviously the most deserving to become the king of Norway considering his prowess as a leader and a fighter. However, for the first time, the show denied a Lothbrok the victory they more than earned.
Lagertha's Death
Lagertha was the greatest shield maiden in all the seasons of Vikings and definitely deserved the honor of dying on the battlefield or in bed at a good old age. The final season denied her that in favor of a prophecy that she would die by the hand of a son of Ragnar.
The sad part was that the killer was hallucinating Hvitserk and Lagertha was completely defenseless and had only come to seek help. It was a sad end for the veteran warrior and a huge shift from the show's culture of giving the Lothbroks an end they deserved.
Ingrid's Witchcraft
Religious and family conflict were the main issues handled and the way to win in Vikings was always through human ability.
Then came Ingrid who seemed like a great woman that managed to sweep Bjorn off his feet. Then she was a contender for the throne of Kattegat and all of sudden, she was performing rituals to turn Erik blind and become queen. After all the fighting and struggling in Kattegat, giving the crown to a witch wasn't fair at all.
Elections In Kattegat
Democracy as a whole was not a concept that the first five seasons of the show explored. In the final season, king Olaf introduced it; or a form of it, when he had all kings and Jarls elect one king for all of Norway.
For Kattegat, there didn't seem to be any other deserving leader that wasn't a Lothbrok. The leadership under Bjorn got more and more liberal and modernized until it culminated in the election. It was a surprising end for the throne which so many had died for because it was always won in blood.
Alfred's Final Victory
A decisive victory for the English was always elusive in the show because the first five seasons were inclined to the possibility of coexistence between Vikings and Saxons. Harald and Ivar's alliance was obviously bound to fail but the traditional approach of the show would have seen it end in a truce.
Previous victories for the English had also been dependent on the help of a Viking ally but this time Alfred didn't have one but he still won. The show gave the English a resounding victory that seemed to give Alfred more credit than he deserved.