Summary

• Many of the deaths of the characters in Vikings do not match those of their historical counterparts due to the creative liberties taken by the writers.
• The existence of Ragnar Lothbrok is debated by historians, as there are not many historical records to his existence. The show depicts him being thrown into a snake pit, but there are different theories on how the "real" Ragnar could have died.
• Lagertha, a beloved character in Vikings, is believed to be a reflection of Viking warrior tales or Norse deities. Her death in the show is caused by a mistaken stabbing by her hallucinating son. There are no s of how the real Lagertha could have died.

When Björn dies in Vikings, it brings up questions about the characters' historical counterparts and if their deaths on the show matched up to real life and historical legend. Vikings initially followed Ragnar Lothbrok, a legendary Norse figure who is said to have been one of the greatest Vikings to ever live. Yet, his existence continues to be debated by historians. As the series progressed, it shifted its focus to Ragnar’s sons, with special attention to the arcs of Björn Ironside and Ivar the Boneless.

Luckily for Vikings watchers, season 6 gave closure to the arcs of the remaining main characters. Audience-favorite Bjorn dies in Vikings and not all the characters make it out alive. Some didn’t even reach the final season. Vikings saw some of its main characters die in battle. Others were captured and some died in unexpected circumstances. Although Vikings aimed to be historically accurate, there are not many historical records about some of the characters, and the writers had to take a lot of creative liberties.

Ragnar Lothbrok

Season 4, Episode 15 - "All His Angels"

Although Ragnar was the leader on Vikings in its first seasons, he might not have been a real person. There aren’t many historical records that can his existence. It’s believed the figure of Ragnar is based on three different men: Viking leader Reginherus, King Horik I of Denmark (who was included in the series), and King Regindfried. Ragnar died in season 4’s episode “All His Angels,” where after King Aelle tortured him and cut a cross into his head, he was thrown into a pit of snakes.

Ragnar died as a result of the snake bites, and that was the end of his arc — though, some viewers still wonder what happened to his body and if he died in the pit. The sagas in which Ragnar appears reveal he was defeated by English forces and thrown into a snake pit. But when taking into that he might be a combination of historical figures, then the “real” Ragnar could have died in different ways: murdered (like Reginherus), killed in battle (Horik), or during an attempted invasion (Reginfrid).

Lagertha

Season 6, Episode 6 - “Death And The Serpent”

Lagertha (Katheryn Winnick) was a shield-maiden, mother of Björn Ironside and Gyda, the first wife of Ragnar, and one of the most popular and beloved characters in Vikings — and just as Björn dies in Vikings, so does his mother. Lagertha appears in Saxo’s Gesta Danorum alongside Ragnar, so her existence is debated, with historians explaining she might be a reflection of tales about Viking warrior women, or the Norse deity Thorgerd, though she could also be a representation of the valkyries.

In Vikings, Lagertha died in the season 6 episode “Death and the Serpent,” where she rode back to Kattegat after killing White Hair and sustaining serious injuries. Once there, she arrived at Hvitserk’s home, but he was in a state of delirium and hallucinated a serpent he believed to be Ivar. So he stabbed it, but in reality, Hvitserk stabbed Lagertha. Given that it’s unclear if Lagertha was a real person or not, there are no s of how the real one could have died.

It’s worth noting there was an Icelandic woman named Thorgerd Egilsdottir who appears in several Icelandic sagas alongside characters seen in Vikings, such as Helga and Torstein. But there are no details about her death. The goddess Thorgerd Holgabrudr is considered an example of a guardian goddess and has been compared to the valkyries, but the tales don’t offer any clues about how the "real" Lagertha could have died. There are no real or mythological characters that hint at what happened to Lagertha.

Bjorn Ironside

Season 6, Episode 11 - "King Of Kings"

The unfortunate answer to "Does Björn die in Vikings?" is yes. Björn Ironside was Ragnar and Lagertha’s son, who spent a large part of his time in Vikings in constant conflict with his half-brother Ivar the Boneless. Unlike Ragnar and Lagertha, Björn Ironside is one of the few characters in the series based on a real-life Viking chief. Björn was a legendary Swedish king and the first ruler of the Munsö dynasty. The touch of fantasy comes from the Scandinavian legends that say he was the son of Ragnar and Aslaug.

Björn dies in Vikings season 6 after being stabbed by Ivar with a sword. He didn’t die on the spot and managed to pull one final trick on his enemies. However, Björn's wounds were so severe he eventually ed away, but his legacy continued until the final episode of Vikings. As for the real Björn Ironside, there are no records on how he died, so it’s assumed that he either died of old age or illness, but he had a more peaceful death than his fictional counterpart.

Ivar The Boneless

Season 6, Episode 20 - "The Last Act"

Many were hoping that when Björn died in Vikings, the series would avenge his death at Ivar's hands. One of Vikings' most hated characters was Ragnar and Aslaug’s youngest son, Ivar the Boneless, who believed himself to be a God. Ivar the Boneless has one of the most complex stories in the series, and his life was marked by hardships from the beginning. Ivar was born with weak bones, his legs twisted and presumed broken, and was in a lot of pain, with Harbard being the only one who could ease his pain.

Ivar grew up to become a ruthless warrior and a feared enemy, who was in constant conflict with his brother Björn. In season 6, after seeing his brother Hvitserk exhausted and injured during a battle, he stepped in, so his brother could survive. Hvitserk pointed out that Ivar’s eyes were blue, meaning he was in danger of breaking his bones. Ivar urged his warriors to continue fighting, then turned around and found a young man with a dagger. Ivar told him not to be afraid, so the young man stabbed Ivar multiple times, killing him on the spot.

Ivar the Boneless, just like Björn, is based on a real person, considered one of the greatest Viking leaders and who was also born with weak bones. When it comes to how he died, there are different versions of the events. Some claim he died due to a sudden and horrible disease, but a mass grave discovered in England might point to Ivar dying in battle, just like in Vikings. Either way, Björn dies in Vikings season 6, as does Ivar, ending their rivalry once and for all.

Floki

Floki Never Died In Vikings

Floki (Gustaf Skarsgård) is based on a real person: Hrafna-Flóki Vilgerðarson, the first Norseman to intentionally sail to Iceland. In Vikings, Floki was believed to be dead after he got trapped inside a cave inside a volcano, which erupted while he was there. However, he returned in Vikings season 6. Floki was implied to have become senile, but still managed to share some wise words with Ubbein in the series finale.

Floki didn’t die on the show, but the real version is believed to have returned to Norway and then to Iceland, where he lived until his death.

Is Vikings: Valhalla Historically Accurate?

How Much Of Vikings Is True?

Though Björn dies in Vikings season 6, his and the rest of the Vikings cast's legacy lives on through the spinoff series Vikings: Valhalla. Like its predecessor, Vikings: Valhalla does take some historical liberties when telling Leif Erikson's story. Valhalla mainly covers Leif's journeys, along with his sister Freydís Eiríksdóttir, and the growing tensions between the pagans and the Christians. While some of this is historically accurate, there are some deviations.

The first comes in the form of Freydís Eiríksdóttir's story. The only information known about her comes from two different sagas, Saga of the Greenlanders and Saga of Erik the Red. In the first saga, she's depicted as a cutthroat, taking a home in Vinland from her brothers and then ordering her husband to kill their settlement. After he obeys her wishes, she then kills all the women in their separate settlement. In the second saga, she's a fierce warrior, who s Leif in his travels and even fights while pregnant.

There's no record of her tense relationship with the Christians, nor her facing an attack at their hands. Another major difference comes in the form of the fall of London Bridge and King Canute's reign. The fall of London Bridge in Vikings: Valhalla was carried out as an intricate plan of Leif's. In reality, Leif had nothing to do with the London Bridge's destruction. In the show, King Canute was able to take the throne as a result of London Bridge's fall.

However, in reality, it happened differently. Canute took over Northumbria, and then later laid siege on London. After a successful venture, Canute was given ownership over everything north of the Thames. Like Vikings, Vikings: Valhalla does change several historical events for the sake of the narrative. But, ultimately, it works well for the scope of the show.

Has Vikings: Valhalla Changed Any Real-Life Deaths?

Vikings: Valhalla Holds Back On The Deaths

Like its predecessor, Vikings: Valhalla is set in a brutal world that constantly sees battle and death. Björn dies in Vikings season 6, but Valhalla has refrained from killing off its most major characters. Villain Olaf Haraldsson (Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson) died in season 2 in quite a dramatic fashion. However, Olaf Haraldsson was a real person, and his death isn't exciting.

After making himself King of Norway in 1015, he found himself in trouble for his defeat in the Battle of the Helgeå. Norway ed King Cnut the Great, and Olaf was exiled to Kyivan Rus. Olaf died in the Battle of Stiklestad, rather than being impaled by Freydis Eriksdotter. Aside from Olaf's death in Valhalla season 2, Valhalla also fictionalized the death of King Edmund. In the series, Edmund is betrayed by Godwin, who tells him to form a resistance against Forkbeard's (Søren Pilmark) forces.

This was all a ruse, and when Edmund fell off of his horse, Godwin stabbed him discreetly. In real life, Edmund died weeks after making a deal with Canute, however, the circumstances surrounding his death do suggest foul play. Vikings: Valhalla seems to be taking a leaf out of Vikings' book when it comes to major character deaths, and as the slaughter continues chances are it won't be historically accurate.