Summary

• Ragnar Lothbrok's sons achieved great things, making them some of the strongest characters in Vikings.
• Each of Ragnar's sons inherited different attributes, but all were charismatic, strong-willed, and powerful in their own ways.
• Ubbe, despite not being the most powerful, was the best of Ragnar's sons, showing resilience, patience, and a strong will to fight for the right thing.

Ragnar Lothbrok knew that his sons were destined for big things, and they were, as their achievements and battles made for some of the juiciest parts of Vikings and made them some of the strongest Vikings characters. "Oh, how the little piggies will grunt when they hear how the old boar suffered," Ragnar told King Aelle before he died - but Aelle didn't understand. Whatever Ragnar didn't achieve during his lifetime, his sons did.

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Although they were chips off the same block, Ragnar's sons were neither similar nor equal. They inherited different attributes of Ragnar with Bjorn taking on his adventurous spirit, Ubbe his leadership, Ivar his violence, etc. All the sons of Ragnar were charismatic, strong-willed, and powerful though. Whether their power was brute strength, political clout, intelligence, or a combination (like Ragnar himself), they were some of the strongest characters in the series.

Magnus

Played by Dean Ridge

Magnus of Mercia was nothing like Ragnar Lothbrok which is why no one believed his claims of being Ragnar's son. While his paternity was vehemently denied by Ragnar (who was never shown actually sleeping with Magnus' mother), the possibility of Ragnar being his father remained alive for part of the show. Of course, Magnus firmly believed himself to be one of Ragnar's sons.

Having been kicked out of the quotable King Ecbert's home when Ragnar dismissed his claims, Magnus grew up without parental love and guidance, which would partly explain his constant hate and poor decision-making. As a person, Magnus was not wise. He wasn't a good fighter, either, which is why White Hair killed him. He was weak-spirited, preferring to follow rather than lead and always begging for attention and recognition rather than earning it. Magnus held essentially no power in the series, physical or social. Magnus is easily the least powerful of Ragnar's sons as a result.

Sigurd Snake-In-The-Eye

Played by David Lindstrom

When Sigurd was born with the "snake in the eye" as foretold, he seemed like he would be Aslaug's favorite son, but he wasn't. Aslaug seemed to forget all about Sigurd the moment Ivar was born, leading him to become self-sufficient and capable. Sigurd was forced to be able to handle situations on his own.

Sigurd showed that he had some real potential as a ionate leader - and he was the first person to suggest that the Great Army be formed to avenge Ragnar Lothbrok, for example. He had grown up with little parental care, but he was strong and seemingly one of the most comionate of Ragnar's sons. Sigurd onished his mother for ignoring Siggy and saw Ivar for the monster he would become, making him more perceptive than most of his brothers.

If he had stayed alive longer, Sigurd could have gained more power, as he seemed to be physically and emotionally strong. As a Viking fighter, Sigurd was just as good as Ubbe and Hvitserk. He never gave up easily, which is why he was still trying to get revenge on Ivar even with an ax in his abdomen. However, his arrogance was his downfall, and his early death means he never had the chance to grow into real power in Vikings.

Hvitserk

Played by Marco Ilsø

Most people judge Hvitserk in the same category as Ivar but that is not completely fair. Hvitserk is more of a follower than a truly terrible person, influenced by the violent actions of others. "Farewell, my brother...the Valkyrie summon you home," Hvitserk said as he watched Bjorn die. He was prouder of Bjorn in the end than he was of Ivar although he had spent more time fighting alongside the latter.

Hvitserk wasn't a charismatic leader nor the smartest son of Ragnar but he was loyal to the family. He loved all of his brothers despite the conflicts that arose between them, and he always tried to do the right thing. Unlike Bjorn and Ivar, however, Hvitserk wasn't a strong-willed person - and this is why he was never particularly powerful. He never cared who was in charge, and Ivar knew that and exploited him most of his life.

He was a great fighter and no opponent could best him in battle, except Ubbe, once. However, when it came to decision-making, Hvitserk wasn't the smartest person. Had he desired power, he may have gained more of it, but he simply seemed uninterested in gaining social standing or power among other Vikings.

Ubbe

Played by Jordan Patrick Smith

If Vikings had a hero, then it would be Ubbe. His power wasn't just in the sword or in the ax alone. It was his strong will to fight for the right thing. He was a good fighter, but he didn't enjoy cruelty and bloodshed, and he knew when to make alliances rather than go his own way. Ubbe didn't seek vengeance against Lagaertha, but wanted to work alongside her.

He was also a good explorer, but he wouldn't allow his people to die because of a piece of land, even if he rightly earned it like in Greenland. He was also a great diplomat who would exploit any avenue for peace to reign over war, like when he chose to fight Frodo himself rather than send everyone to war.

Ubbe was simply the best of Ragnar's sons. He was not the most powerful because he lost his birthright to his little brother. When his side lost the battle in Kattegat, he accepted his fate and went to England where he finally got the land Ragnar failed to get. When he finally took his own path, he was resilient and patient, surviving greater threats than Ragnar and the rest of his brothers. In the end, he found what all of Ragnar's sons would have hoped for with his new life, and while he was one of the strongest Vikings characters, some of his brothers still had more power than him.

Ivar The Boneless

Played by Alex Høgh Andersen

As some of Ivar's quotes demonstrated, he was terrifying and cruel, but a weak man he was not. Everyone underestimated him, and he knew it, so he used it to his advantage. He had to work harder than the rest of Ragnar's sons to become the powerful man he was, but when he finally learned, he became the best. He was also a liar who knew how to get whatever he wanted by invoking a mixture of pity and love from other people.

He understood that Ubbe stood no chance of leading the Great Army, so he let him fail, and then took the chance to prove himself. The saddest part is that he was cruel and selfish, so whatever gains he made, he guarded them fiercely, and many people died because of it. Ivar was a resilient survivor, just like Ragnar. He knew how to turn bad situations to his advantage, like when he was besieged in York.

He was charismatic and smart, and managed to gain the power to rule Kattegat, and even declare himself a God - and found a way to rise to power with the Rus Vikings as well. If he had combined his skills with a little bit of comion, he would have been more powerful than the last of Ragnar's sons.

Bjorn Ironside

Played by Alexander Ludwig

When Bjorn died, Gunhild said the people would never see a man like him again, naming him the true King of Norway, and she was also right. Bjorn made lots of mistakes in his life, but he never stopped fighting to protect Ragnar's ambition while still carving his own path. He was capable of simply creating a new Viking kingdom in East Anglia, but he understood that he was a Lothbrok and that Kattegat was the home he needed to protect.

Bjorn was charismatic enough to win over the of Harald and Olavsson's armies in York, but even with all that strength, he chose not to use it against his own people. He was the mature elder brother in the conflict with Ivar, but he underestimated just how damaged his brother was. If someone needed the right thing done, the person to go to was Bjorn. He earned the respect of everyone, including enemies like Harald.

Bjorn was able to survive harsh Scandinavian winters on his own in the wilderness, proving his force of will and sheer physical strength when he did. In the end, he found power as a ruler, as a commander, and as a King. He commanded armies, and his physical strength was unmatched, making Bjorn clearly the most powerful of Ragnar's sons and one of the strongest characters in Vikings.