Summary

• Vikings ended in 2020 after 6 seasons, leaving viewers wondering about Rollo's fate.
• Rollo's story came to an end in Vikings season 5 after a dramatic family conflict.
• Rollo's absence in the series finale wasn't the last viewers saw of his family, with his story being continued by his descendents in Vikings: Valhalla.

Vikings ended in 2020 after 6 seasons, and while it gave closure to the arcs of its main characters, it left viewers with a big question about what happened to Rollo after season 5. Created by Michael Hirst, Vikings premiered on History Channel in 2013 as a miniseries, but it was so well received by critics and viewers that it was renewed for a second season shortly after. This allowed the audience to continue following the stories of Ragnar, Lagertha, Floki, and more. Vikings lived on for six seasons, ending in December 2020.

Vikings initially followed legendary Norse figure Ragnar Lothbrok (Travis Fimmel) and his travels and raids alongside his Viking brothers. Among those ing Ragnar in these adventures was his brother, Rollo (Clive Standen), who lived in his brother’s shadow for years. As Vikings progressed, the series shifted its focus to Ragnar’s sons. It didn’t forget about those close to Ragnar, and even after his death in season 4, the series continued the stories of Lagertha, Floki, and Rollo. Surprisingly though, Rollo was absent from the series finale.

Vikings is available to stream on Netflix.

What Happened To Rollo In Vikings?

Rollo Last Appeared To Help King Harald In Season 5

Floki (Gustaf Skarsgård) and Rollo are some of the few characters from Vikings season 1 that made it to the final season alive, but Rollo’s case is different. His arc is marked by tragedy, betrayal, and drama, especially in his relationship with Ragnar and his wife Lagertha (Katheryn Winnick), to whom Rollo was attracted. It was implied that Ragnar’s oldest son, Bjorn, could have been Rollo’s son. Rollo tells him this in season 5 when he arrives with his troops to aid Ivar, Hvitserk, and King Harald in their war against Lagertha.

Bjorn rejects the offer and Rollo as his father.

Rollo's only condition is that Bjorn’s life is spared. Rollo tries to convince Lagertha and Bjorn to return to Frankia with him (as he was already married to the daughter of Emperor Charles II of Frankia, Gisla). However, Bjorn rejects the offer and Rollo as his father — and that was the last time Vikings viewers saw Rollo.

Where Did Rollo Go After The Final Season Of Vikings?

Rollo's Descendant Played A Role In Vikings: Valhalla

Rollo returns to Frankia with his wife and doesn’t appear in the remainder of the Vikings run. He didn't even return for the series finale. Michael Hirst explained that the reason Rollo was left out of the series finale (and season 6 in general) is that his storyline had already ended in his saga (via the spinoff series Vikings: Valhalla, and even though it is set a century after Vikings, there is one connection to Rollo.

Thanks to William the Conqueror, Vikings: Valhalla allowed Rollo's lineage to continue.

Vikings: Valhalla tells the tales of other famous Norsemen, including Leif Erikson, Freydís Eiríksdóttir, Harald Hardrada, and the Norman King William the Conqueror, who is a descendant of Rollo. As for the real Rollo of Normandy, he continued to reign over that land until around 928 and is believed to have died in 930, at age 70. Although Vikings fans wanted to see Rollo one final time in season 6, his story didn’t fit with the show's story that season. Thanks to William the Conqueror, Vikings: Valhalla allowed Rollo's lineage to continue.