User Reviews

There are two journeys started here, one for riches and one for political gain. The Vikings have gone to Paris once more, while King Eckbert sends his son to Rome on a pretense of pilgrimage to better position himself. The new crew of Vikings is pretty varied, rambunctious bunch but certainly not without their own lingering ambition and angst.

Its finer scene is the gathering of ships before they set sail, it always gives certain romantically grimy feel of the era. This is a more colorful collection of warriors, more divided but somehow stronger. Ragnar has developed addictive attachment to his oriental companion and her leaf. It's not a permanent fix as he still shows occasional suffering, on both physical and mental front.

Bjorn has become a force equal to his mother and father. He realizes the ploy against him, but this may pose a complication as the man responsible is under his mother's banner. Lagertha, on the other hand, is unpredictable. She's cold and stern, but she shows more repulsion to Ragnar for their past, a reaction not seen for a while from her, but her former groom could attest to her ability to hold grudge.

There's a caring motherly side of her beneath the scheming earl and shield maiden leader, but this ship may have sailed a long time ago. The same can be said about Rollo, although he doesn't play much role here. Paris' side is still very much the same, torn between its royalties, although the pillow talk is creepily appealing. It doesn't show a rival as strong as the wilder army of Vikings, a message the show clearly conveys with the brutal massacring.

Admittedly, the landing scene could show more action, but the tone of this episode is to announce their arrival, and the standoff does an appropriate closure to such effect.