Vikings Season 4 Episode 6: What might have been

The sixth episode of the 4th Season is titled "What Might Have Been." What we see in this episode? At one point, we see a large fleet of Viking ships leaving the shores of Kattegat heading for Paris as Aslaug (Sutherland Alyssa) and her youngest sons Ivar (James Quinn Markey) and Sigurd (Elijah O' Sullivan) watch as the ships sail off.

In the fifth episode where this show left off, we saw King Harald Finehair and Ragnar in an uneasy arrangement after Harald while residing in Kattegat, announces that he would join Ragnar on his upcoming raid on Paris. In this episode of The Vikings we see this alliance carry on as the raid on Paris progresses. For Harald, having Ragnar who still isn't as strong as he was previously and heading to a raid that will very likely involve a personal conflict ensuing between Ragnar and Rollo his brother may be a blessing in disguise. If Ragnar gets killed during the raid, Harald’s job will be complete and he won’t have to face the consequences of personally killing the commander of Kattegat by himself. However, the fact that Harald is trying to become king of Norway places him in a very tentative position given that Ragnar has several heirs that can his place. Also, considering that Bjorn’s recent time spent in the wild and also that he can comfortably take a berserker down, Finehair shouldn't assume that the takeover will be an easy one.

And even as Halfdan, Harald together with their troops join Ragnar on his second attempt to raid Paris, the king of Denmark has already recruited 2 more warriors into his ever growing army: the two are his sons Hvitserk and Ube. Towards the ending of this footage, we see Ubbe and Hvitserk staring at the shores of Kattegat all this while the boat they’re in drifts away from home. "Do not waste your precious time looking back. You are not headed that way," Ragnar informs his sons.

This show's obvious efforts to integrate Aslaug's sons and Ragnar to the story is not surprising because the creator of this series Michael Hirst has remained very vocal about his plan to continue this epic saga after the predetermined death of Ragnar.

Alyssa Sutherland

We also see the arrival of Ragnar to the shores of Paris, his lips red-stained from the betel nut addiction that he was introduced to by Yidu, his new mistress in the previous episodes of Vikings. Isn’t really any wise for him to go back to meet his brother while under the influence of such a powerful drug? Will Ragnar really be ready to battle Rollo who’s still very strong and not injured as Ragnar is?

The arrival of the Vikings in Paris is seemingly met with some hesitation as can be seen in the faces of Bjorn ironside, Lagertha and Erlendur. Perhaps this is the introduction of the battle changes that had been previously suggested (in previous episodes) for the French capital by Rollo to Emperor Charles. However, the Vikings somehow will get through because the teaser video also shows King Harald having a good Viking time, burning the Parisians.

This episode will also see Ecbert, the ruthless king of Wessex; send Aethelwulf his son and Alfred his grandson on a trip to Rome. This should see the beginning of Alfred's era as England’s greatest ruler.

This episode was aired Thursday night, March the 24th at 9pm central time in The History Channel.