Why Ragnar Will Be So Important To Valhalla (Despite His Vikings Death)

Why Ragnar Will Be So Important To Valhalla (Despite His Vikings Death)

Vikings season 4 saw the death of the great Ragnar Lothbrok, but he is still important to Vikings: Valhalla – and here’s why.

Vikings: Valhalla is the sequel series to Vikings, and even though Ragnar Lothbrok died in the main series, he is still important to Valhalla. In 2013, people met Ragnar Lothbrok (Travis Fimmel) and company in Vikings, created by Michael Hirst, which aired on History Channel before moving to Amazon Prime Video for its final episodes. Vikings began as a miniseries but was quickly renewed for a second season, and so it lived on for six seasons, coming to an end in December 2020. The spinoff series, Vikings: Valhalla, is set 100 years on from the original and premiered on Netflix.

Vikings initially followed the travels and raids of Ragnar Lothbrok, a legendary Norse figure whose existence is still debated among historians. Still, Ragnar led Vikings during its first seasons. But as the characters’ stories progressed, Vikings shifted its focus to Ragnar’s sons and their own travels. Once Ragnar died in season 4, his sons took over the series, with Björn Ironside (Alexander Ludwig) and Ivar the Boneless (Alex Høgh Andersen) leading it until the very end. Vikings brought the arcs of its main characters to a close and left very few loose ends. But this isn’t the end of this world, as it’s explored further in the spinoff series Vikings: Valhalla.

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Related: Vikings: Valhalla Makes Leif Erikson Almost Unrecognizable From History

When the final season of Vikings was announced in January 2019, so was the sequel series Vikings: Valhalla. Set a century after the events of the main series, Valhalla covers the final years of the Viking Age and the most important events during that time, such as the rivalries for the English throne after the death of King Edward the Confessor, Leif Erikson’s (Sam Corlett) travels across the North Atlantic, and more. As it’s set many, many years after Vikings, Valhalla features new characters, such as Freydís Eiríksdóttir (Frida Gustavsson), Harald Hardrada (Leo Suter), and Norman King William the Conqueror. So the characters from Vikings don’t really have a place in the series – except for Ragnar Lothbrok.

In Vikings: Valhalla, Ragnar Is Still A Hot Topic A Century After Vikings

Vikings: Valhalla Netflix

Ragnar Lothbrok met his fate in Vikings season 4 when King Aelle, after torturing him and cutting a cross into his head, threw him into a pit of snakes and left him there to die. Ragnar returned a couple of times after that in visions and flashbacks, so he was never truly forgotten, and the same happens in Vikings: Valhalla, through word of mouth. Even though Valhalla is set long after Ragnar’s time, it still explores his legacy. Vikings established him as a key figure in the first years of the Viking Age and father to some of the greatest Vikings (Björn and Ivar). The characters in Valhalla carry the legacy of all those Norse warriors that came before them and fight to defend their honor and history, so the series must acknowledge Ragnar’s actions and their impact somehow.

This doesn’t necessarily mean that Travis Fimmel made a cameo appearance, as Ragnar only featured in Valhalla as a trending topic of conversation. Newer generations of Vikings discuss Ragnar’s most notable actions and the impact of his raids and plans in Viking culture, further linking both shows. Ragnar Lothbrok’s presence continues to be felt through Vikings: Valhalla without the story revolving around him, but it has to acknowledge how important he was to Viking history.

Vikings Valhalla Season 2 Is On The Way

Leif asks for help in Vikings Valhalla

Vikings: Valhalla season 1 ended on a nail-biting cliffhanger — but, thankfully, Valhalla season 2 has already wrapped. The series has also been renewed for a third season. This isn’t surprising, as the premiere pulled in massive viewership for Netflix, and the action left people begging for more. Valhalla season 2 doesn’t have a release date. However, the next installment has finished filming, and most of the season has already made it through the editing process. The upcoming chapter should be released sometime in 2023, probably around the same time of year Valhalla season 1 came out in 2022. Sam Corlett and Frida Gustavsson will be returning as Leif and Freydís, respectively. In addition, characters like King Forkbeard and King Canute still have scores to settle. Therefore, they should be making their reappearances.

Related: King Canute True Story & What Happens To Him In Vikings: Valhalla

Valhalla season 1 left off with the titular city of Kattegat burning to the ground — and many are ready to administer some revenge. The plot for Vikings: Valhalla season 2 is not yet known. However, it’s been revealed that people will see the Vikings voyaging off to distant lands in season 3. While Vikings did explore some of the Vikings’ most famous exploits, Valhalla is sure to kick it up a notch. Given Ragnar’s impact on the show’s predecessor, the spinoff has a unique opportunity to make his presence known on the show.

Next: How Valhalla Connects To Vikings: Timeline & Story Links Explained

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About The Author

Adrienne Tyler
(3331 Articles Published)

Adrienne Tyler is a features writer for Screen Rant. She is an Audiovisual Communication graduate who wanted to be a filmmaker, but life had other plans (and it turned out great). Prior to Screen Rant, she wrote for Pop Wrapped, 4 Your Excitement (4YE), and D20Crit, where she was also a regular guest at Netfreaks podcast. She was also a contributor for FanSided’s BamSmackPow and 1428 Elm. Adrienne is very into films and she enjoys a bit of everything: from superhero films to heartbreaking dramas, to low-budget horror films. Every time she manages to commit to a TV show without getting bored, an angel gets its wings.

When she’s not writing, you can find her trying to learn a new language, watching hockey (go Avs!), or wondering what life would have been like had Pushing Daisies, Firefly, and Limitless not been cancelled. Breakfast food is life and coffee is what makes the world go round.

Guillermo del Toro said “hi” to her once. It was great.

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