Vikings has many elements related to Norse mythology, with some characters believed to either be descended from them or be gods in disguise. When taking a closer look at the main characters of the series, they surely have some traits in common with a couple of Norse gods – and here’s which one each character represents. Created by Michael Hirst (The Tudors), Vikings debuted on History Channel in 2013, and even though it was originally planned as a miniseries, it was quickly renewed for a second season.
Since then, Ragnar Lothbrok (Travis Fimmel) and his travels alongside his Vikings brothers. As the series progressed and Ragnar’s story got more complicated, it shifted its focus to Ragnar’s sons – Bjorn Ironside, Ivar the Boneless, Ubbe, Hvitserk, and Sigurd – and their own journeys, making them the protagonists.
Vikings is currently on a midseason break and it's unclear when it will come back. In the meantime, it’s worth taking a look back at the characters that have shaped the series and the inspiration behind them. Vikings takes a lot of elements from Norse mythology, and the characters have even shared their devotion to them, but as it turns out, the main characters share some traits with a couple of Norse gods.
Ragnar - Odin
Odin is quite present in Vikings in different ways: Ragnar (and Bjorn as well) was visited by ravens (implied to be Huginn and Muninn, Odin’s companions), Ragnar was said to be a descendant of the Allfather. Whether he was a son of Odin or not, there are many details that point at him being, at least, a representation of the Allfather, as the ravens followed him around, he served as king for a while – as Odin was believed to have been a real person, specifically a king, and only became a God when he died – and had many visions throughout the series. Odin is associated with wisdom, healing, death, royalty, war, victory, and knowledge, and is mostly known for having many sons, including Thor and Baldr – Ragnar can also be associated to those things (some in a bigger capacity than others, of course) and even though he didn’t have as many sons as Odin, four sons and one daughter are enough.
Floki - Loki or Heimdallr
Floki is one of Ragnar’s closest friends and a very skilled shipbuilder, but he’s also a prankster and the most eccentric of the group. That, along with his name, have made many fans believe he could either be a descendant of Loki, the god in disguise, or a representation of him, which could be right – to an extent, as he also shares some characteristics with another Norse figure. His similarities with Loki go beyond his eccentric personality and his name being almost the same: following the murder of Athelstan, Floki was imprisoned in a cave by Ragnar, very much like Loki in the Norse tale “The Binding of Loki”, where the god was imprisoned for his role in the death of Baldr.
However, many viewers have pointed out that Floki could also be Heimdallr. Floki often acts as a “gatekeeper” in the sense that he saves people from death, and Heimdallr is a gatekeeper figure for Asgard. The god also had foresight, which many link to the Seer’s reaction to Floki: when Floki went to see him, the Seer licked Floki’s hand, instead of Floki licking his, as everyone else did as it’s a sign of respect. Many Vikings fans believe Floki will become the new Seer, which would definitely fit with the Norse god Heimdallr.
Lagertha - Freya
There has been some debate among viewers as to which Norse goddess Lagertha represents – Freya or Frigg – but looking beyond her links to Ragnar/Odin, Freya would be the one. This goddess is associated with love, beauty, and fertility, and was sometimes represented as a war-goddess. As such, she’s the leader of the valkyries, female figures who choose those who may die in battle and those who may live, and in the context of Lagertha's funeral, she was shown ing Ragnar, ing the idea that she represents Freya.
Björn - Baldr or Thor
Björn Ironside is the son of was most likely killed.
Björn also has some similarities to none other than the god of thunder, Thor. The god is associated with lightning, storms, strength, and the protection of mankind, and was known for his relentless slaughter of his foes and battles with the monstrous serpent Jörmungandr (who, by the way, is Loki’s child). Björn’s warrior side is more fitting to the figure of Thor, but he also has a lot of Baldr in him. Whether these similarities between the characters from Vikings and Norse gods are intentional or not is unknown, but they’re fun details that make the series even more interesting.