The Prisoner is the fifth episode of the fifth season of Vikings and the fifty-fourth episode overall. It aired on December 20, 2017.
Synopsis[]
Ivar meets his match in Bishop Heahmund; Floki returns to Kattegat; Bjorn receives a lavish welcome in North Africa.
Plot[]
In York, the Saxons celebrate their victory although Heahmund still wonders why the rats are above ground. Below, the Vikings situate themselves to attack. They crawl from the sewers and engage the Saxons in battle.
The Second Battle of Yorktown is a fierce and bloody battle. Prince Alfred demonstrates his might as a soldier. He fights against a Viking Berserker who wields a large Warhammer and is picking through the Saxons. The Berserker sees Alfred and decides to take him out next. Alfred is driven back but manages to survive. Mannel sees his nephew is in trouble and comes to his rescue by running his sword through the Berserker. The Viking turns to fight Mannel, with Mannel's sword still driven into his stomach and out his back! Alfred impales him with his own sword, which seemingly takes him out. But the Berserker gets on his feet, follows them, and uses the last of his strength to bash Mannel's head in. Said swords still attached. Hvitserk witnesses this and is confused at first but then bursts into laughter.
Elsewhere during the battle, the Vikings have surrounded Bishop Heahmund and they take out his horse with arrows. Ivar interrupts the fighting and commands one of his men to bring Bishop Heahmund his own horse. Heahmund is promptly given Ivar's horse and the fight continues. Ivar does this because he believes Heahmund is too great of a warrior to fight on foot. In the end, the Vikings secure a victory and drive the Saxons out of York again, Mannel dies, and Bishop Heahmund is captured and taken into Viking custody.
Kassia, Commander Euphemius, Bjorn, Halfdan, and Sinric travel by caravan across the desert. They are on their way to meet Emir Ziyadat Allah.
Aethelwulf returns to his camp where he reveals to Judith that Mannel died while he and Alfred escaped.
Bjorn arrives at Emir Ziyadat Allah's home. He is welcomed by the Emir who offers to come to a trade agreement with them.
Floki has returned to Kattegat. Lagertha and Ubbe greet him and Floki tells them about the special place that he found. How there are no humans there only the gods. Lagertha asks him why he came back and Floki tells her that he wants to share this place with those who are true believers of the gods. Lagertha forbids Floki from taking her best warriors when there could be an attack from Harald.
In the desert, Bjorn and Halfdan are given women to pleasure them. Bjorn finds his satisfactory while Halfdan seems disappointed because his wasn't actually a woman. Bjorn asks if that was a problem for him but Halfdan changes the subject.
Floki goes behind Lagertha's back and tells a group of people about the special place. He tells them that the gods were waiting for the right people to find it.
Ivar is told that the Saxon army has abandoned their camp and left. Ivar says that they should pursue them but Hvitserk says that they should instead look to Kattegat. That they might lose their home base if Ubbe is crowned king. Hvitserk says that they must kill Lagertha and Ubbe so that Ivar can be crowned king. Ivar mentions that they should make an alliance with King Harald since he too wants to invade Kattegat. Hvitserk asks what about Heahmund and says that they could offer him back to Saxons as ransom. Ivar talks to Heahmund who offers to bring Ivar to salvation and eternal life if he becomes a Christian. Ivar asks if he knows who he is and Heahmund says that he does. Ivar says that people like to tell stories and that not all of them are true. Heahmund asks how will he know and Ivar says that he's going to go on a journey with them.
Bjorn learns that Commander Euphemius managed to escape from imprisonment. Ziyadat has the guards that were supposed to be guarding him killed. Halfdan says that they haven't been the best bodyguards and Bjorn agrees.
Floki and Ubbe talk and Ubbe reveals that he's fallen out of touch with Ivar. Floki asks if they can be reconciled and Ubbe says no that it's more likely that one day they will go to war against each other. Ubbe asks him if he really believes that he found the land of the gods and Floki says that why would he lie to him.
Ziyadat throws a feast and Bjorn and his group are unaware that they're eating Commander Euphemius. Ziyadat says that they ate him because he had tried to return to the Roman Emperor. Sinric says that they should return to the ship because Kassia is the one behind all of it and that makes her dangerous.
Floki tells his new followers that they will meet in nine days time to go to the new land that he's found.
Halfdan asks Bjorn what they're going to do right before they are captured by Ziyadat Allah's guards. Sinric notices that a storm is coming and says that if they can stay alive for a few moments longer then maybe they can escape. Kassia approaches and tells the guards to kill them.
Cast[]
Main[]
- Katheryn Winnick as Queen Lagertha
- Gustaf Skarsgård as Floki
- Alexander Ludwig as Bjorn
- Jasper Pääkkönen as Halfdan
- Moe Dunford as Aethelwulf
- Alex Høgh as Ivar
- Marco Ilsø as Hvitserk
- Jordan Patrick Smith as Ubbe
- Jonathan Rhys Meyers as Bishop Heahmund
Guest Starring[]
- Kal Abol Naga as Ziyadat Allah
- Adam Copeland as Kjetill
- Kris Holden-Reid as Eyvind
- Ida Marie Nielsen as Margrethe
- Ferdia Walsh-Peelo as Alfred
- Georgia Hirst as Torvi
- Jennie Jacques as Queen Judith
- Albano Jerónimo as Euphemius
- Karima McAdams as Kassia
- Frankie McCafferty as Sinric
Additional Cast[]
- Jonathan Delaney Tynan as Lord Cuthred
- Paul Reid as Mannel
- Darren Cahill as Aethelred
- Daryl McCormack as Young Arab Man
- Leah McNamara as Aud
- Ben Roe as Guthrum
- Kieran O'Reilly as White Hair
Uncredited[]
- Jordan Coombes as Shield-maiden
- Jennifer Florence as Shield-maiden
Episode Deaths[]
Trivia[]
- WWE's Adam Copeland makes his first appearance.
- Kris Holden-Reid shares credits with Jonathan Rhys Meyers in another historical drama, The Tudors, in which he played William Compton during the show's first season.
Gallery[]
