It gladdens me to know that Odin prepares for a feast! Soon I shall be drinking ale from curved horns. This hero that comes into Valhalla does not lament his death. I shall not enter Odin’s hall with fear. There, I shall wait for my sons to join me. And when they do, I will bask in their tales of triumph. The Aesir will welcome me. My death comes without apology. And I welcome the Valkyries to summon me home!
Ragnar Lothbrok
Ragnar was so ready to die and was happy to die there. He feels like his whole plan has worked, and his kids were coming to avenge him and get revenge on Ecbert,” explained Fimmel who, according to Hirst, had “strong ideas” about how Ragnar’s death should play out in the series. Fimmel was also fully on board with the idea of Ragnar’s death not coming at the end of the season.
Speaking with THR, Hirst explained why he chose not to make Ragnar’s death the focus of the season four finale. “This is the saga of Ragnar and his sons. I didn’t want to suggest to the audience that the death of Ragnar meant some huge breaking point in that saga; it’s just part of the weight. So Ragnar’s sons will continue the saga. This isn’t the end of Ragnar Lothbrok.
Ragnar will live on in his fame. He will live on because he was the most famous Viking of the time. But he also, of course, will live on through his sons. I never wanted this story to end when Ragnar dies physically. We’ve shot roughly 25 more hours of TV now after Ragnar’s death, and we are a long way down the line. We are really embracing the sons, but Ragnar hasn’t gone away, because Ragnar is still the inspiration.”
