Eye for an Eye is the fourth episode of the second season of Vikings. It is the thirteenth episode of the series overall. It first aired on March 20, 2014. It was written by creator Michael Hirst and directed by Ken Girotti.
Synopsis[]
A meeting between two great men may pave the way for future compromise as Ragnar and Ecbert come face to face. Jarl Borg now rules Kattegat with an iron fist and Rollo must now become the leader his people need in Ragnar’s absence.
Recap[]
Rollo, Siggy, Aslaug, and her and Ragnar's sons arrive at a farm, having fled Kattegat after the attack of Jarl Borg. Aslaug complains that is too dirty for her and her children to live, but Rollo says the winter is coming soon and they are less easily found here than in a larger place like an Earl's hall. Siggy comforts Aslaug by telling they will survive there together, and will become stronger and so will the children.
In Kattegat, Jarl Borg seizes leader ship over the remaining citizens. He tells them he is a fair ruler, that Kattegat is an important trading settlement and thus he wants it to flourish. Borg notices The Seer is watching him skeptically during his speech. He promises a reward to the person who give him the whereabouts of Ragnar Lothbrok, his children, and Rollo.
Jarl Borg visits The Seer to ask some questions. He asks if he forsaw the attack on Kattegat, to which The Seer replies he sees what the Gods allow him to see and says what the Gods allow him to say. Jarl Borg mockingly remarks that he either saw nothing or said nothing. He then asks what will happen to him. The Seer replies that he see an eagle hovering over Borg, but that the Jarl is the eagle himself as well. Jarl Borg takes it as a good sign.
King Ecbert wishes to talk to the Northmen in Wessex before they fight. He says to accommodate such thing both camps need to exchange hostages. Ecbert elects his own son Aethelwulf to be the hostage for the Northmen, as a hostage of the highest value is the safest hostage, but he only will do so if the Northmen delivers a hostage of equal value. The bishop of Wessex doubt it will work as the Northmen in his eyes don't value the life of anyone. King Ecbert denies, saying that before they became Christian, they were pagans themselves but still cared for their families and children.
A small band of Northmen, including Ragnar, King Horik, and Athelstan, arrive at the gates of Wessex, where they are met by Aethelwulf. Ragnar and Aethelwulf trade over. Ragnar is led to King Ecbert in his bath house and joins him. King Ecberts asks Ragnar why they haven't left Wessex yet as they got a lot of treasury from Winchester, to which Ragnar replies he doesn't care about treasure. He is curious about the farming in England, as he is a farmer himself in Kattegat. King Ecbert proposes giving Ragnar some land in exchange for helping the King fulfilling his ambitions.
Back in the camp of the Northmen, Ragnar informs King Horik and the others of the proposal of Ecbert. Horik asks what he wants in return, but before Ragnar can answer, a horn is sound from an arriving ship. It is one of Horik's ships bringing the news of Jarl Borg's attack on Kattegat and the flight of Ragnar's family. Ragnar immediately decides to return to Scandinavia. He leaves Athelstan behind to act as a translator between King Ecbert and King Horik, as the latter doesn't speak the language of Old England.
Bjorn arrives somewhere in Earl Sigvard's territory in Scandinavia to deliver the news of the invasion of Kattegat by Jarl Borg to Lagertha. He says Rangar will return to fight for his land and they should help him. Lagertha says they can't because it is not Earl Sigvard's quarrel.
Rollo went on a journey to see who is willing to fight against Jarl Borg, but he only found thirty warriors, not enough to drive Borg out of Kattegat, but perhaps sufficient to torment him by attacking outposts and disrupting supplies before Ragnar returns, making sure Borg never feels secure in Kattegat. Siggy smiles, as she sees Rollo finally believing in something again. Rollo says his brother Ragnar forgave him, something he thought impossible, and he found in his heart he always loved him, despite his jealousy for his brother.
Lagertha meets a drunk Sigvard, to talk about helping Ragnar in taking back Kattegat from Jarl Borg. Sigvard angrily replies he is not interested in anything that has something to do with her ex-husband. She tells him Jarl Borg will not stop with Kattegat and sooner or later will attack Sigvard as well. He is not interested and only wants to make love to her. When she denies, he attempts to rape her. but she kicks him in the groin, telling him he should treat her as his wife and not a whore. Outside the room, Bjorn listens, taking his knife out to defend his mother. Lagertha opens the door and tells him to go to his bed, as Sigvard is asleep and will not harm her, but she thanks him for him being willing to protect her.
In Wessex, Athelstan retreats to his tent after being disgusted by the Northmen drunkenly raping women captured in Winchester. He picks the Bible he secretly kept and when he sees an image of the crucified Jesus, he hallucinates seeing blood seeping out of his wounds.
King Ecbert is informed that some ships of the Northmen left Wessex.
Aslaug, still disgusted by the life in their refuge home, hallucinates Ragnar coming for her and his children.
Ragnar and his men arrive at Floki's home where they are met by Helga. She will bring them to Ragnar's family but first they need to rest.
Athelstan and some Northmen are hunting in the woods when they are attacked by bowmen. Athelstan manages to flee and falls asleep, only to be awaken when he is found by King Ecbert's men. He surrenders, saying he is one of them.
Ragnar is finally reunited with his family. Ragnar angrily tells Rollo he wants to kill Jarl Borg. Rollo says they have too few men to do so.
Jarl Borg is informed of Ragnar's return in Scandinavia. He tells his men Ragnar's vanity will kill him, but then he says he himself will kill the Earl.
Athelstan is crucified by the bishop of Wessex for his betrayal of Christianity. When he is about to be finished off with a spear, King Ecbert arrives to tell them to spare the former monk and cut him loose from the cross.
A pack of warriors is approaching the hiding place of Ragnar's family. Thinking it is Jarl Borg, Ragnar confronts them only to see it is Lagertha and their son Bjorn, now grown up since the last time Ragnar has seen him. Ragnar jokingly asks who he is and when Bjorn wants to answer, he is embraced by his father. They want to help him fighting Borg. Ragnar is proud of seeing his son has become strong and wise. Bjorn says for a long time all he felt was memories, but now with both his father and mother back in his life he feels reborn. Touched by the words of his son, Ragnar embraces Bjorn once again before walking off together, leaving Lagertha ignored by her former husband.
Cast[]
Main[]
- Travis Fimmel as Earl Ragnar
- Katheryn Winnick as Lagertha
- Clive Standen as Rollo
- Jessalyn Gilsig as Siggy
- Gustaf Skarsgård as Floki
- George Blagden as Athelstan
- Alexander Ludwig as Bjorn
- Alyssa Sutherland as Princess Aslaug
- Donal Logue as King Horik
- Linus Roache as King Ecbert
Guest Starring[]
- Thorbjørn Harr as Jarl Borg
- John Kavanagh as The Seer
- Morten Sasse Suurballe as Earl Sigvard
Additional Cast[]
- Morgan C. Jones as Law Giver
- Philip O'Sullivan as Bishop Edmund
- Edvin Endre as Erlendur
- Moe Dunford as Prince Aethelwulf
- Duncan Lacroix as Ealdorman Werferth
- Jefferson Hall as Torstein
- Richard Ashton as Thorvard
- Maude Hirst as Helga
- Georgia Hirst as Torvi
- Cormac Melia as Ubbe
- Cathál O'Hallin as Hvitserk
Uncredited[]
Episode Deaths[]
- N/A
Trivia[]
- The Seer describes Jarl Borg's future to him. He talks about the eagle being the Jarl's destiny. Borg sees this as a good sign as the sagas with eagles are always a good sign. However, the Seer did not either see or tell the full future, it turns out Borg's future is the Blood Eagle. The Blood Eagle is one of the worst ways to die.
