Jeri Jacquin

Coming to Bluray and DVD from Creator/Showrunner/Executive Producer Jeb Stuart and Warner Bros. Discover Home Entertainment with VIKINGS: Vahalla – The Complete First Season.

It has been over 100 years since the events of Ragnar Lothbrok and Ivar the Boneless as tensions between the Vikings and England are tense once again. King Aethelred II is the ruler in England and has decided to be rid of all the Danish settlers including Sten Sigurdsson. King Canute (Bradley Freegard), the ruler of Denmark decides to bring revenge to England’s doors by bringing Viking warriors to Kattegat to plan. Among those who want to war are Leif Erikson (Sam Corlett) and Freydis Eiriksdottir (Frida Gustavsson) from Greenland. Freydis has her own reasons for going as a man named Gunnar Magnusson caused her great harm and scared her. Leif goes to clear his reputation from his late father Erik the Red.

Stopping Gunnar’s death by the hands of Olaf Haraldsson (Johannes Haukur Johannesson), Jarl Estrid Haakon (Caroline Henderson) listens to the reasons and tells them she will decide what to do. Leif is asked by Harald Sigurdsson (Leo Suter) to him in the fight against England along with Canute’s army. Haakon’s decides to send Freydis to Uppsala to find her destiny. There are those who don’t trust Leif and it causes serious problems. Playing the middle man in it all is Godwin (David Oakes) who is advising Aethelred. His wife, Queen Emma (Laura Berlin) knows that England needs defending and turns to Eadric Streona.

The Vikings are getting closer and its not without discovering Mercian soldiers before coming to the bridge to London. Edmund (Louis Davison) is trying to obtain the crown of England but it is Canute who makes it clear of his intentions. When they battle is over, Canute must decide what he plans to do with the boy. Freydis and her group are attacked by a berserker and companion Yrsa is injured (Alfrun Laufeyjardottir). What they don’t know is that a fanatical Christian, Jarl Kare (Asbjorn Krogh Nissen) is following them both.

Now in London, Queen Emma and the nobles are under their control. Now Canute is making promises as to who will be king in Norway and beyond. He also wishes to make peace with Emma but he doesn’t know that his wife, Queen Aelfgifu (Pollyanna McIntosh) has other plans as well. Leif is thrilled that Liv (Lujza Richter) has survived the battle but not happy that other Greenlanders have fallen. Freydis in Uppsala is visited in a hallucination by The Seer who gives her warnings about what is to come, referring to her as “The Last Daughter of Uppsala”. She also becomes a shieldmaiden who wants to protect Kattegat.

When Canute has to return to stop a rebellion in his country, his father King Sweyn Forkbeard (Soren Pilmark) has come in his place. Edmund is not happy about Canute’s replacement and makes it clear to Godwin. Olaf is not someone the other Vikings trust but it must be put aside as a plan is forged with Kare to take Kattegat. What Olaf wants is for Kattegat to become a Christian place but they city would rather fight.

Corlett as Leif is a man who is trying to create his own reputation and get away from his father’s. Finding friendship with Harald offers him a chance to fight for the right side. He soon discovers that fighting for that side comes with much intrigue and secrets. Corlett does a really good job of giving us Leif Erikson. Suter as Harald is also trying to do the right thing by his people and sees something in Leif that causes him to befriend the Greenlander. He also has feelings for someone he doesn’t think he should while dealing with his own challenge of faith.

Gustavsson as Freydis is a woman warrior of the most fantastic kind. She also fights for those who cannot fight for themselves. Once Hare decides that she is his target, Gustavsson’s Freydis takes up the sword and knows there will come a showdown between the two. Freegard as Canute is thrilled to take England by storm and finds himself drawn to its queen. The games are twisted and he knows that the plots need to be taken down one at a time.

Johannesson as Olaf is a sly Viking who thinks he knows better than everyone else how the game is to be played. His moves are covered in friendship but when push comes to shove, you never really know what side he’s on till he’s on it. Johannesson does a wonderful job of being the trickster. On the English side of things, Oakes as Goodwin is Olaf’s mirror in that he also knows how to play the game to his advantage. Oakes has always been an actor I’ve watched and here he gets to be as sly as he wants to be – and does it exceedingly well.

Berlin as Queen Emma is a Norman who became an English queen and she has not forgotten where she came from. When Canute takes control, she makes it clear the understanding of how to survive with a crown on your head instead of around your neck. Henderson as Haakon leads Kattegat and its people but also sees something in Freydis that can help. She takes the girl under her protection knowing that when called upon, Freydis will help her and the city.

Nissen as Kare is a religious fanatic that believes the only good heathen is a dead one. His goal is to rid the world of non-Christians and especially Freydis. He sees her as taking something from him that only these two share and that is The Seer. He is vicious, unfeeling and has no problem with killing. Kattegat is his goal and the prize is not money. Pilmark as King Forkbeard is watching over England while Canute is away. He is a stern leader who doesn’t take kindly to those who want to bend the rules in their favor, especially when it is the nobles trying it.

McIntosh as Queen Aelfgifu believes she is entitled to sit on the throne of England as its queen. Now Queen Emma might have something to say about that. I just love McIntosh, she is such a versatile actress but man when she turns the power on, she’s a force. Davison as Edmund is a prince who isn’t sure he can be king. When he tries on his King wings, its clear that this kid has a lot to learn about being a good king.

Other cast include Gavan O’Connor-Duffy as Njal, Kenneth M. Christensen as Jarl Nori, Paaru Oja as Arne Gormsson, Henessi Schmidt as Princess Gytha, Bosco Hogan as King Aethelred II, Wolfgang Cerny as Sten Sigurdsson, Yvonne Mai as Merin, Frank Blake as Birger and John Kavanagh as The Seer.

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The Season One episodes include The Greenlanders, Viking, The Marshes, The Bridge, Miracle, The Last Daughter of Uppsala, Choices, and The End of the Beginning.

VIKINGS: Valhalla is a wonderful addition for those who miss the VIKINGS franchise (as my family does). The first season introduces the new players and where the Vikings and English are going and that the bitterness between the two has continued. The Vikings are not only fighting to get to England but betraying one another along the way in a power struggle and that what makes for good storytelling.

Kattegat has always been central to the story in the VIKINGS franchises and it is no different here. The gathering of the armies starts in Kattegat and the battle to hold the crown and the waterways lands in Kattegat. It is not the small city it once was but instead is now the center of the Viking world. Also, in the midst of it all is The Seer who has made his way into the lives of two characters especially but both for different reasons.

The action is intense, the battles are not for the meek and the betrayal among those in power affect everyone. Twists and turns are to be expected in this world but some of them change the dynamic for it only to be changed again and again. The third and final season of VIKINGS: Valhalla will premier in July of 2024. That gives everyone time to catch up with the first season on Blu-ray!

In the end – their story is not over!

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