Vikings 6.1-2: Russia!

With Russia and Ukraine so much in the news these days, the sixth (and final) season of Vikings, which debuted on the History Channel on Wednesday with a double-episode that takes place in the 800s, couldn't be more timely with a story about the "Rus" part of the Vikings, that even takes place in Kiev, no less.

The narrative, as always, a colorful and intricate weave.  Ivar's on the The Silk Road, trying to get as far away from Kattegat as he can after last season's bloody defeat.  He ends up in Kiev, and meets a Russian Prince, Oleg - "The Prophet" - who proves to as cunning and deadly as any of the Vikings.  Before the two hours conclude,  Ivar is drawn into Oleg's plot to re-take Kattegat - or maybe it was Ivar who drew in Oleg.

Back home, it's good to see Bjorn as King.  He was always pretty high up on the decency chart, and his decision to support King Harald makes sense.  (Bjorn will certainly need Harald's help when Oleg and Ivar arrive.) Ubbe is a fine second-in-command, in effect, and it will also be fun to see him re-united with Floki, who, with any luck, is on his way to America, or at least Greenland.  Hvitserk's a mess, but we the audience know he is right, and way ahead of his brothers, in being obsessed with the danger Ivar still poses.

Lagertha's arc is enjoyable - she's always been a great character - but more predictable than usual at the beginning of this sixth season.  The hero who wants to retire, and find some years in peace and quiet, but gets drawn back into the conflict to fight a final battle, is a trope as common as swordplay in epics of the past and future.  The difference is that usually this character is a man.  In any case, logic and the coming attractions tell us will be seeing the shield maiden in action before too long this season.  Violence for better and worse has always been an integral part of this story.

And I'll be back here next week with another review.

See also Vikings 5.1-2: Floki in Iceland ... Vikings 5.3: Laughing Ivar ...Vikings 5.4: Four of More Good Stories ... Vikings 5.5: Meet Lawrence of Arabia ... Vikings 5.6: Meanwhile, Back Home ... Vikings 5.7: A Looming Trojan-War Battle, Vikings Style, and Two Beautiful Stories ...Vikings 5.8: Only Heahmund? ... Vikings 5.9: Rollo ... Vikings 5.10: New and Old Worlds ... Vikings 5.11: Rollo's Son ... Vikings 5.12: "The Beast with Two Backs" ... Vikings 5.13: The Sacrifice ... Vikings 5.14: Fake News in Kattegat ... Vikings 5.15: Battle ... Vikings 5.16: Peace and War ... Vikings 5.17: No Harmony in Iceland ... Vikings 5.18: Demented Ivar ... Vikings 5.19-20: Endings and Beginnings

And see also Vikings 4.1: I'll Still Take Paris ... Vikings 4.2: Sacred Texts ...Vikings 4.4: Speaking the Language ... Vikings 4.5: Knives ... Vikings 4.8: Ships Up Cliff ... Vikings 4.10: "God Bless Paris" ... Vikings 4.11: Ragnar's Sons ... Vikings 4.12: Two Expeditions ... Vikings 4.13: Family ... Vikings 4.14: Penultimate Ragnar? ... Vikings 4.15: Close of an Era ... Vikings 1.16: Musselman ... Vikings 1.17: Ivar's Wheels ...Vikings 1.18: The Beginning of Revenge ... Vikings 4.19: On the Verge of History ... Vikings 4.20: Ends and Starts

And see also Vikings 3.1. Fighting and Farming ... Vikings 3.2: Leonard Nimoy ...Vikings 3.3: We'll Always Have Paris ... Vikings 3.4: They Call Me the Wanderer ... Vikings 3.5: Massacre ... Vikings 3.6: Athelstan and Floki ...Vikings 3.7: At the Gates ... Vikings 3.8: Battle for Paris ... Vikings 3.9: The Conquered ... Vikings Season 3 Finale: Normandy

And see also Vikings 2.1-2: Upping the Ante of Conquest ... Vikings 2.4: Wise King ... Vikings 2.5: Caught in the Middle ... Vikings 2.6: The Guardians ...Vikings 2.7: Volatile Mix ... Vikings 2.8: Great Post-Apocalyptic Narrative ... Vikings Season 2 Finale: Satisfying, Surprising, Superb

And see also Vikings ... Vikings 1.2: Lindisfarne ... Vikings 1.3: The Priest ... Vikings 1.4:  Twist and Testudo ... Vikings 1.5: Freud and Family ... Vikings 1.7: Religion and Battle ... Vikings 1.8: Sacrifice
... Vikings Season 1 Finale: Below the Ash

 
historical science fiction - a little further back in time

lots about The Silk Road here too...