It’s been years since Michael Hirst finally closed the book on the Lothbrok saga, but honestly, people are still arguing about Vikings TV series season 6. You’ve probably seen the threads. Some fans felt the Rus’ storyline was a weird detour. Others couldn't get over how Bjorn’s story ended so early in the final batch of episodes. But if you look at the raw ambition of those final twenty episodes, it becomes pretty clear that Hirst wasn’t just trying to wrap up a show; he was trying to deconstruct the entire myth of the "Viking" identity.
The show started with a simple raid on Lindisfarne. By the time we hit the back half of season 6, we were witnessing the literal death of an era. It was messy. It was brutal.
The Bjorn Ironside Problem
Bjorn Ironside was always supposed to be the "greater" version of Ragnar. That’s what the Seer hinted at, right? He was the man who explored the Mediterranean and became the King of all Norway. Yet, his personal life was a disaster. He was a terrible husband and a questionable father. Season 6 doesn't shy away from that.
The mid-season finale, "The Best Laid Plans," left us with that haunting image of Ivar stabbing Bjorn on the beach. Most shows would have saved a protagonist's death for the series finale. Vikings didn't. Instead, it gave us "King of Kings," which is arguably one of the most cinematic hours of television ever produced. Bjorn riding out, half-dead, to face the Rus’ army is pure myth-making. It’s not "realistic" in a historical sense—the real Björn Ironside likely died of old age or illness—but for the narrative, it was essential. He became the hero he couldn't quite manage to be while he was actually alive.
One thing people often miss is how Alexander Ludwig played that final scene. There’s no dialogue from him. Just the effort of raising that sword. It effectively ended the Golden Age of the Northmen. After Bjorn, everything felt smaller, more desperate.
Ivar the Boneless and the Rus' Pivot
Let's talk about the Rus' Vikings.
A lot of viewers felt the move to Kiev was a distraction. Introducing Prince Oleg (played with terrifying intensity by Danila Kozlovsky) felt like a late-game side quest. But historically, the Varangians—the Vikings who went East—were a massive part of the Norse story. Hirst used this to show us a different version of Ivar.
📖 Related: Who is Really in the Enola Holmes 2 Cast? A Look at the Faces Behind the Mystery
In Kattegat, Ivar was a god-king. A tyrant. In Kiev, he was a puppet. For the first time, we saw Ivar care about someone other than himself—the young Prince Igor. It was a redemption arc that didn't feel cheap because Ivar stayed a monster. He just became a monster with a purpose.
The contrast between the cold, gilded halls of the Rus’ and the muddy, familiar streets of Kattegat highlighted how far the world had moved. The Vikings were no longer the biggest sharks in the ocean. They were being absorbed into larger, more organized empires. Christianity was creeping in. The old ways were suffocating.
The Search for the Golden Land
While Ivar and Hvitserk were busy with the politics of the East, Ubbe was carrying the "explorer" torch. This is where Vikings TV series season 6 gets philosophical.
Ubbe’s journey to the "Golden Land" (North America) is a slow burn. It’s a survival horror story at sea. When they finally reach the shores of what we now know as Newfoundland, the show shifts its tone completely. It becomes quiet. Peaceful.
The meeting between Ubbe’s crew and the Mi'kmaq people is handled with a level of nuance you don't often see in historical dramas. It wasn't a conquest. It was a tentative, fragile curiosity. And then, the reveal. Floki.
Seeing Gustaf Skarsgård again felt like a warm blanket, but a weird, tattered one. Floki had evolved from a religious zealot into a man who simply "found the light." He stopped fighting the world and started just... being in it. His final conversation with Ubbe on the beach is the true ending of the show.
👉 See also: Priyanka Chopra Latest Movies: Why Her 2026 Slate Is Riskier Than You Think
- Ubbe: "Is that it? Is this the end?"
- Floki: "Don't bother me with the past. The world is changing."
That's the crux of it. The "Viking" identity was tied to the struggle. Once the struggle stopped, the Viking ceased to exist.
The Tragedy of Gunnhild and the End of Shield-Maidens
We can't ignore Gunnhild.
In many ways, she was the last "true" Viking. Lagertha’s death in the first half of the season was the emotional peak, but Gunnhild’s choice in the second half was the thematic peak. She refused to marry Harald. She refused to be part of a world that didn't value the old virtues of honor and independence. Her swim into the freezing water was her way of joining the ghosts. She knew there was no place for her in the new Norway.
Harald Finehair himself is an interesting study in "winning but losing." He became the King of all Norway, but he had no legacy. No children. No real love. He died in a misty forest in England, killed by a nameless soldier. It was a mundane death for a man who wanted eternal fame.
The Battle of Eddingon: A Final Whimper
The final conflict in Wessex felt different than the earlier seasons. When Alfred the Great faced off against Ivar, it wasn't about glory. It was about survival.
Ivar’s death is frequently criticized. He basically lets a soldier stab him. Why? Because he knew his body was failing. He knew the era of the Great Heathen Army was over. By dying on his feet in the dirt of England, he secured his name in the sagas.
✨ Don't miss: Why This Is How We Roll FGL Is Still The Song That Defines Modern Country
Hvitserk’s conversion to Christianity (taking the name Athelstan) was the final nail in the coffin. It brought the story full circle. Ragnar’s obsession with Athelstan’s god finally won. Not through force, but through cultural osmosis. The Vikings didn't just disappear; they became English, they became French, they became Russian. They integrated until the "Viking" part was just a memory.
Why Season 6 Still Matters
If you're looking for the high-octane raiding of the early years, you might find the final season frustrating. It's melancholic. It's deeply sad. But it’s also the most honest portrayal of how cultures actually end. They don't usually go out in a giant explosion. They fade.
The production value remained top-tier. The costumes, the grit, the soundtrack by Trevor Morris—it all held up. Even the "mistakes," like the pacing issues in the middle of the season, felt human. It felt like a creator trying to say everything he had left to say before the lights went out.
Actionable Insights for a Rewatch
If you’re planning to dive back into the final season, or if you skipped it because you heard mixed reviews, here is how to approach it to get the most value:
- Watch the Bjorn Arc as a Standalone Tragedy: View the first ten episodes as the "Fall of the House of Ragnar." It makes the transition to the new characters in the second half much easier to swallow.
- Focus on the Background Symbols: Pay attention to the recurring imagery of the sun and the moon. Season 6 uses celestial motifs to signal the changing of the "Great Year."
- Track the Religious Shift: Notice how many characters stop calling on Odin by the end. The silence of the gods is a major theme.
- Compare Ubbe and Ragnar: Ragnar wanted land and peace, but he couldn't stop fighting. Ubbe is the only son who actually achieved his father's dream, but he had to leave his home to do it.
The ending of the Vikings TV series season 6 wasn't about who won the throne. It was about the realization that thrones don't matter when the world is moving beneath your feet. It's a heavy, beautiful piece of storytelling that rewards people who pay attention to the subtext rather than just the axe-swings.
The story of the Northmen ended exactly where it needed to: on a quiet beach, looking out at an infinite ocean, wondering what comes next.