Paul Levinson's Infinite Regress

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George Santayana had irrational faith in reason - I have irrational faith in TV.

Thursday, January 18, 2018

Vikings 5.9: Rollo!

Among the many important developments in Vikings 5.9, the one that stands out the most for me is Rollo's commitment of warriors to Ivar's cause against Lagertha. I was actually hoping we would see Rollo this season - and was wondering why we hadn't - and I would have rather seen a scene in which we actually did see him meet with Hvitserk. But his playing a crucial in this year's story is a lot better than nothing.

But why did he side with Ivar and not Lagertha - or, at least, stay out of the battle between Ragnar's sons? I know he loved Lagertha at some point, and she didn't quite reciprocate, so was this decision motivated by that? If so, that seems, I don't know, a little not in keeping with Rollo's good relationship with Bjorn, who is on Lagertha's side, not to mention disloyalty to Ragnar.

Meanwhile, it was great to see Heahmund and Lagertha together. He'll be a great asset to her cause. But with Rollo's men joining Ivar, it will be a very close call again. I sort of think Ivar will win, but I wouldn't put money on it.

Back in England, Aethelwulf is felled by a wasp or a bee or whatever that was? With our current knowledge, it seems he had a fatal allergy to the sting. I have no idea if that's the way he really died. History does tell us that Alfred will go on to be a great ruler, and unite England.

I also have no idea what the Floki story in Iceland is leading to. Historically, the Vikings did start and stop and resume all kinds of settlements in all kinds of places, some of them completely or mostly barren at first. I'd like to see Floki's settlement be the one that holds on in Iceland. And I'm looking forward to the season in which we see Erik the Red go to Greenland, and his son Leif on to North America a half century before Columbus.

But that's way in the future of this series. And first we have to get to next week's midseason finale, and see who survives and who triumphs.