Vikings season 3/4 (major spoilers obviously)

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Angry Ram

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*Don't read more if you don't want to be spoiled*

Wow what a season this has been so far.

King Ragnar and his merry men go back to Wessex, and agree to team with King Echbert and Princess Quintrith (aka Princess Koo-Koo) to take over Mercia. They do so, and Echbert allows some of the Vikings to start a farm settlement, lead be Lagertha. Speaking of Lagertha, she's no longer earl of her land as a dude named Kalf has usurped her.

Meanwhile, the women of Kattegat meet a wanderer that randomly shows up. They are naturally suspcious of him, but he ends up removing Ivar the Boneless' pain. When Rangar returns, Floki tells him it was a god, most likely Odin. This wanderer was also a factor in (highlight to see who) Siggy's death. That was a major surprise.

There have been other deaths that have been surprises too. First, (highlight) Torstien, Ragnar's best friend and last of his season 1 men.
Next, was (highlight) Siggy.

And last night, was the most shocking, with (highlight) Athelstan getting killed by Floki.

Despite all that, Ragnar is prepping to go to Paris with dissension and betrayal by some of his allies. Could this be the last we see these guys as true Vikings before the inevitable conversion to Christianity begins?
d
f
 

RhodyRams

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let us not forget the fact that (highlight) King Eckberts daughter in law has a child by Athelstan. Also Eckberts son, Aethelwulf, wipes out the northerners farm settlement, leaving no survivors but a few.

There have been quite a few subtle plots at work, too much to type
 

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The last line of the latest episode sets up the next episode pretty well. "Forgive me my friend not for what I've done but for what I'm about to do." - Ragnar. Could Floki be next once the ships are built?
 

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The last line of the latest episode sets up the next episode pretty well. "Forgive me my friend not for what I've done but for what I'm about to do." - Ragnar. Could Floki be next once the ships are built?
No way they kill off Floki, besides Ragnar, he is the best and most untouchable character IMO. Lagertha would be killed off before him.

Edit:just finished the latest episode....wow. Was not expecting that person to be killed. Not yet at least. That is gonna play a big mind fuck on Ragnar.

Also, PrimeTime, I think that last line is more in reference to what he is going to to do to the Christians, not to Floki or anyone around him because of what happened to the setlesment in Wessex and the betrayal from the Christians. Though I could be wrong cause him putting on that crucifix kinda throws up red flags, but I still think Im right in this.....maybe. Maybe him putting on that crucifix is more of a reminder than to his religious beliefs.
 
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Elmgrovegnome

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I don't fully understand why Ragnar didn't want others to know what happened to the settlers in Wessex. Is he thinking they will question his leadership at Kattegat and overthrow him? Or is he thinking that if they go there as a group and discover the settlers being gone the rest of the Vikings will be more enraged and berserk on Wessex even moreso?

I really thought he would be going right back there and getting revenge. This whole Paris thing is a bit odd. It is too far away. It is a walled city. And they have other matters to tend to. I don't get it.

I am intrigued by what the seer told Rollo too. "You would dance on the beach if you knew what the Gods had in store for you". Good teaser. I like that character. I also liked Siggy too. I was sad to see her go.

And if it was me....there is no way I would have left Laegertha. Katherine Winnick is a Smoking hot. I am not so crazy about Ragnar's horsefaced wife.
 

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No way they kill off Floki, besides Ragnar, he is the best and most untouchable character IMO.

Floki murdered the only man Ragnar loved and trusted. Besides he's been a bit of a bitch lately. I wouldn't miss the Floki character. He reminds me of a nagging wife. :sneaky:

I don't fully understand why Ragnar didn't want others to know what happened to the settlers in Wessex. Is he thinking they will question his leadership at Kattegat and overthrow him?

That makes the most sense.

And if it was me....there is no way I would have left Laegertha. Katherine Winnick is a Smoking hot. I am not so crazy about Ragnar's horsefaced wife.

Laegertha couldn't give him any more children. Hey, even horsefaced wives need love. :)
 

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I don't fully understand why Ragnar didn't want others to know what happened to the settlers in Wessex. Is he thinking they will question his leadership at Kattegat and overthrow him? Or is he thinking that if they go there as a group and discover the settlers being gone the rest of the Vikings will be more enraged and berserk on Wessex even moreso?

I really thought he would be going right back there and getting revenge. This whole Paris thing is a bit odd. It is too far away. It is a walled city. And they have other matters to tend to. I don't get it.

I am intrigued by what the seer told Rollo too. "You would dance on the beach if you knew what the Gods had in store for you". Good teaser. I like that character. I also liked Siggy too. I was sad to see her go.

And if it was me....there is no way I would have left Laegertha. Katherine Winnick is a Smoking hot. I am not so crazy about Ragnar's horsefaced wife.

I think his followers would start to turn on him. Ragnar was the one who convinced everyone that Wessex was the future and could trust the Christians. It obviously failed.

Athelestan was giving Ragnar pointers on how to invade Paris by drawing the city in the sand (seen in the last episode).

That leads me to Rollo, If you know what happened to the real Rollo, it was pretty obvious, but (highlight) he was standing over the sand Paris with a bow and arrow, it was foreshadowing he'll be the future ruler.

BTW, Ragnar didn't leave Lagertha, it was the other way around. All b/c of Asslaug the brood mare.

let us not forget the fact that (highlight) King Eckberts daughter in law has a child by Athelstan. Also Eckberts son, Aethelwulf, wipes out the northerners farm settlement, leaving no survivors but a few.

There have been quite a few subtle plots at work, too much to type

Yup. All the offspring are gonna be big names in the future.
 

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I am intrigued by what the seer told Rollo too. "You would dance on the beach if you knew what the Gods had in store for you". Good teaser. I like that character.

http://www.latinpost.com/articles/9...vikings-season-2-who-real-rollo-lothbrook.htm

Ragnar Lothbrook is one of the most famous Vikings in history, but his brother, Rollo, is also a major player in the Viking saga. So, who was the real Rollo Lothbrook?

Well, the chances are pretty good that he wasn't a "Lothbrook" to begin with! In fact, the chances are pretty high that, in The History Channel's saga, it was Rollo, not Ragnar, that made the biggest impact on England.

Rollo (c. 846 - c. 931), who was baptized Robert and so is sometimes numbered Robert I to distinguish him from descendants, was a Norse nobleman of Norwegian or Danish descent. He was founder and first ruler of the Viking principality which soon became known as Normandy. His descendants were the Dukes of Normandy, and following the Norman conquest of England in 1066, kings of England.

Rollo is the great-great-great-grandfather of William the Conqueror. Through William, he is an ancestor of the present-day British royal family, as well as an ancestor of all current European monarchs and a great many pretenders to abolished European thrones. A genetic investigation into the remains of Rollo's grandson Richard I and great-grandson Richard II has been announced, with the intention of discerning the origins of the famous Viking warrior.
 

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http://www.latinpost.com/articles/9...vikings-season-2-who-real-rollo-lothbrook.htm

Ragnar Lothbrook is one of the most famous Vikings in history, but his brother, Rollo, is also a major player in the Viking saga. So, who was the real Rollo Lothbrook?

Well, the chances are pretty good that he wasn't a "Lothbrook" to begin with! In fact, the chances are pretty high that, in The History Channel's saga, it was Rollo, not Ragnar, that made the biggest impact on England.

Rollo (c. 846 - c. 931), who was baptized Robert and so is sometimes numbered Robert I to distinguish him from descendants, was a Norse nobleman of Norwegian or Danish descent. He was founder and first ruler of the Viking principality which soon became known as Normandy. His descendants were the Dukes of Normandy, and following the Norman conquest of England in 1066, kings of England.

Rollo is the great-great-great-grandfather of William the Conqueror. Through William, he is an ancestor of the present-day British royal family, as well as an ancestor of all current European monarchs and a great many pretenders to abolished European thrones. A genetic investigation into the remains of Rollo's grandson Richard I and great-grandson Richard II has been announced, with the intention of discerning the origins of the famous Viking warrior.

All this time I thought it was a fictional story. Ole Ragnor was quite he leader with great vision.
 

Angry Ram

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More spoilers from last night's episode:


Ragnar and Co. finally get to Paris. Nothing major really happened, except for meeting the French king and royal folks.

The biggest thing was that Ragnar knew Floki killed Athlestan. Making Floki leader of the Paris raid, a dude that's clearly insane, does not bode well for him. I'm thinking this is the last few eps we see of Floki.
 

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I'm thinking this is the last few eps we see of Floki.

Hope so. He's grown tiresome. Even his old lady could see that he's gone over the edge and ran away from him.

Ragnar has a grand vision that includes embracing all people and all religions because he has a hunger for knowledge. Floki, on the other hand, is stuck in the old ways and will need to be eliminated so that Ragnar's vision for his people will come to fruition.
 

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The time jumps screw me up at times, that and how there always seems to be just enough Vikings to make war on ???
I'm not sure why they are including the English sub-plot at the same time as the Paris raid? Floki is pretty weird, but Ragnar is a bit of a trip too.
 

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The time jumps screw me up at times, that and how there always seems to be just enough Vikings to make war on ???
I'm not sure why they are including the English sub-plot at the same time as the Paris raid? Floki is pretty weird, but Ragnar is a bit of a trip too.

I agree that the way Ragnar is being portrayed now is a bit of a venture from the original character. I don't know if it is he actors choice, coached, or bad acting. I think he is supposed to be wise and mistrusting, but he seems to have an aloofness that does not fit.
 

Angry Ram

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Hope so. He's grown tiresome. Even his old lady could see that he's gone over the edge and ran away from him.

Ragnar has a grand vision that includes embracing all people and all religions because he has a hunger for knowledge. Floki, on the other hand, is stuck in the old ways and will need to be eliminated so that Ragnar's vision for his people will come to fruition.

I don't, b/c he's one of my favorite characters. An intolerant asswipe? Yup, but I like it. His fighting style is unique. While other warriors use their brute strength, Floki fights like a damn honeybadger.
 

Angry Ram

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Holy shit, what an episode.

Loved the beginning when they were getting ready. The song (Rotlaust Tre Fall) fit the sequence perfectly.
 

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I remember reading somewhere, and I think it was a legitimate source, that Norse religion was not recorded until many years after it was no longer practiced. If this is the case, I wonder how much of the Norse religion is lost forever. - Sorry for mentioning something that is more relevant to season 1 or season 2.

Lagertha would be killed off before him.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!! Not Lagertha!

And if it was me....there is no way I would have left Laegertha. Katherine Winnick is a Smoking hot.
It's one thing to be beautiful all dressed up in makeup with hair done nicely but Katherine Winnick is hot even when she's dressed in dirty furs and covered in blood and bruises.
 

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Holy crap, what an episode.

Loved the beginning when they were getting ready. The song (Rotlaust Tre Fall) fit the sequence perfectly.

That episode was incredible. Loved it all even though it didnt turn out good for them. Wish there were more than 2 episodes left, but they are going to be great ones im sure.
 

Angry Ram

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It's one thing to be beautiful all dressed up in makeup with hair done nicely but Katherine Winnick is hot even when she's dressed in dirty furs and covered in blood and bruises.

Dude I thought she looked best this week:

tumblr_nmkokvsoQM1s7xoeto1_500.gif
 

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http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/vikings-take-paris-a-by-787064

'Vikings' Take on Paris: A By-the-Numbers Look at the Show's Most Ambitious Episode

In any given episode of History's Vikings, plenty goes into making the production as visceral and authentic as possible to the time period in which the Norsemen pillaged and plundered. In any given scene, there are at least 200 animal bones lying around.

Each hair extension is made from real human hair. All garments take a minimum of two people and two weeks to create. It requires 20 people to move one of the longboats created for the series. Each battle scene is choreographed to perfection, and CGI is used minimally in the final scenes.

Thursday's epic "To the Gates!" episode is poised to see the drama up its game when Ragnar (Travis Fimmel) leads the raid against Paris, re-creating a famous historical battle with a huge fight scene — fire and all.

"We wanted to go to a new world. In terms of Viking society and where we've gone in the show, it's gotten bigger and more ambitious," showrunner Michael Hirst tells The Hollywood Reporter. "We have these wonderful guys who choreographed the battles. They had hundreds and hundreds of extras. We had loads of stunt guys and women. We do use CGI, but as little as possible. Our guys really fight."

Here THR breaks down by the numbers, exactly what went into filming the episode by the numbers:

In most shots, 12 stuntmen on fire when the towers are set ablaze. As a safety precaution, 150gallons of protective fire gel were used.

A total of 206 stuntmen were hired to work on "To the Gates!" — and at least 500 stunt boxes were crushed.

There were 86 high falls from walls and towers into water and box rigs.

A 4,800-square-foot set was built to re-create the interior of the Paris Cathedral and Palace. The wall ramparts came in at 1,000 square feet.

Outside, the Parisian street and entrance to the Tower and Bridge totaled 8,000 square feet of space. That brings the new sets to a whopping total of 13,800 square feet.

The episode required two storyboard artists, 18 storyboards and 422 slides. Meanwhile, 59concept drawings were drafted for Paris alone.

There were 1,100 flagstones used to construct the floor of the Paris Cathedral — and it took200 liters of paint to create the marble. A total of 3,700 pieces of marble were fitted.

It took 150 candles to light the cathedral, and 450 replacement candles to keep them lit for one day of shooting.

An astounding 2,000 iron studs were used on the cladding of exterior Paris, while 176 panes of glass were fitted into the new exterior and interior sets.

In total, three siege towers were constructed for "To the Gates!" They were then replicated to produce more than 40 siege towers on screen.

While the entire third season of Vikings featured a total of 5,000 extras, this specific episode required 500 alone.

One new Viking boat was constructed for season three to accompany the three preexisting boats. The four boats were then digitally replicated to appear as a fleet of more than 100Viking ships descending upon Paris.

Twitter: @amber_dowling

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/vikings-athelstan-dies-784676

'Vikings' Creator, Star: Latest Shocking Death Will Have "Huge Payoff"
history_vikings.jpg


When series creator Michael Hirst first conceptualized Athelstan (George Blagden), he was a device to bring Western audiences into a pagan world. Before long, he became one of the show's most complex characters thanks to his inner conflicts and religious debates, and served as a mediator of sorts between the Vikings and those they sought during their raids.

That all came to an end Thursday when Athelstan finally found God again. The priest publicly declared his convictions by throwing the arm ring Ragnar (Travis Fimmel) had gifted him into the ocean, right when the Vikings learned King Ecbert (Linus Roache) had slaughtered their people back in Wessex. Despite Ragnar's attempts to protect his confidante, it was too much betrayal for Floki (Gustaf Skarsgard), who slaughtered the priest in a bid to "save" Ragnar.

The Hollywood Reporter caught up with Hirst and Blagden for their takes on Athelstan's final journey.

Read more 'Vikings' Actress on Shocking Exit: She "Let the Gods Take Her"

Why was now the time for Athelstan to go?

Hirst: When I started writing the bible for the season, I realized I needed to resolve Athelstan's situation — that I could no longer go on showing him torn between two cultures and faiths in a continued spiritual crisis. It would be just going around in circles. I thought it would be an amazing thing for him as a character to recover his faith. What joy that would bring him. What relief. What certainty of a better life in death.

Then I had to say, well what does that mean? Is it plausible that an ex-monk who has recovered his belief can live in a pagan society? To which the answer is obviously not. And the logic also pointed to the fact that Floki now was so desperate to save Ragnar from the influence of Athelstan that he was spreading the word to other Vikings that they ought to get rid of him. So I came to this terrible, terrible conclusion that I would have to kill my friend George.

Blagden: Michael sent me this five-page-long email explaining why he needed to make that choice this season. It was a lovely email explaining how Athelstan had always been one of his favorite characters and he didn't want to overextend it. He was saying the most successful characters in television are the ones that never outlive their sell dates — in terms of knowing when a character has experienced all they need to experience in that particular story and knowing when to close the book. I totally agreed with everything he said, that this felt like the moment in which Athelstan had come to the end of his journey.

If Athelstan knew about his son would that have changed his view of martyrdom; could he have brought him back to Kattegat?

Hirst: There was no question of him being able to bring the baby back because the baby, Alfred, becomes one of the most famous kings in English history. He becomes Alfred the Great. Historically speaking, he fights against Ragnar's sons. So it was clear the baby had to grow up in Wessex and had to become, in due course, king of not only Wessex, but of England. Just as Eckbert says he will.

Blagden: That is the most tragic part of that whole relationship, that Athelstan never knew that he had a son. We saw in episode five the conversation between himself and Ragnar, where they talk about marriage and children. Athelstan said, "At least you have children." It precursors this fact that Athelstan becomes a father and never knows it. Had he known he had had a son, it may have changed his outlook on life. But that's the beauty of life, right?

What went into filming the death scene itself?

Blagden: In the room at the end, with Gustav and I, it was very connected. We were very present with each other and very much on the same page about what we wanted to achieve in this neutral understanding between the two characters. The comprehension and a mutual respect for each other's religions as well.

Hirst: When I first wrote the episode, I don't think there was a burial scene; the burial scene came out of Travis and I spending quite a lot of time talking. He wanted to have a scene put in which he says farewell to Athelstan. Then it became a major scene. By the end of six we were already kind of on the water going toward Paris, so I pulled that back just to make the statement that this episode was a kind of standout episode to mark the death of Athelstan — because he was such a pivotal, wonderful, central character in the show that it was only fair that I did that.

Without Athelstan, who will Ragnar rely on to guide him in Paris?

Hirst: In episode one of season one, Ragnar talked about meeting a Wanderer who told him about sailing to England and had filled his imagination with tales of other countries and other civilizations. It's this wanderer, Sinric (Frankie McCafferty), who is going to reappear in Ragnar's life and help him to Paris.

What kind of lasting affects will Athelstan's death leave?

Blagden: Travis has always said that Athelstan is the only one Ragnar really trusts in season three. He's had a lot of fractured relationships with pretty much every other character in the show: his family, his ex-wife, his new wife, his brother, his cousin. The fact that that has now vanished before his eyes leaves him open to danger and leaves a big weak spot for him as a character.

Hirst: It affects Ragnar at the deepest level. The first acts that he does afterward, when he shaves his head off is actually partly (an homage) to when Athelstan steals the knife in the first season and you think maybe he's going to try and stab Ragnar, but no. He gets a bowl of cold water and he starts to shave his head and re-create his tonsure. It's partly a tribute to that when Ragnar shaves his own hair. But what he's also saying is that he's a changed man.

He inevitably becomes a darker figure who isn't going to trust people. It's not just Floki. Floki is one amongst many Vikings who could have killed Athelstan. Of course deep down Ragnar knows he is going to get revenge once he knows who did kill Athelstan, but he doesn't talk about it straight up because he has more emotional things to think about. Moving forward, that becomes a very important issue. It's had a profound effect, initially inwardly but then more and more outwardly and in his behavior.

How will it affect King Ecbert, who also loved Athelstan?

Hirst: There is going to be a huge payoff of that relationship in an unexpected way, but it's quite a lot further down the line.

Any parting words?

Blagden: It was sad to leave Vikings; it's a really original show. I'll have to find a way of sneaking back on the set in this upcoming season four and maybe be a background artist — see if anyone notices me!

Hirst: That was the hardest, most emotional and emotionally difficult episode that I've written on Vikings. I was losing myself, I was losing a character who had become a friend and then I was losing an actor who'd become a friend from a fairly tight knit group of people. I've lived day in and day out with Athelstan and Lagertha (Katheryn Winnick) and Ragnar. They're real people to me. So to kill one of them, to be responsible for the death of one of them, is actually strangely really hard. I miss him to pieces. Not to say that we won't get glimpses of him in the future, I can't say, but I do miss him.
 

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http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/vikings-take-paris-a-by-787064

'Vikings' Take on Paris: A By-the-Numbers Look at the Show's Most Ambitious Episode

In any given episode of History's Vikings, plenty goes into making the production as visceral and authentic as possible to the time period in which the Norsemen pillaged and plundered. In any given scene, there are at least 200 animal bones lying around.

Each hair extension is made from real human hair. All garments take a minimum of two people and two weeks to create. It requires 20 people to move one of the longboats created for the series. Each battle scene is choreographed to perfection, and CGI is used minimally in the final scenes.

Thursday's epic "To the Gates!" episode is poised to see the drama up its game when Ragnar (Travis Fimmel) leads the raid against Paris, re-creating a famous historical battle with a huge fight scene — fire and all.

"We wanted to go to a new world. In terms of Viking society and where we've gone in the show, it's gotten bigger and more ambitious," showrunner Michael Hirst tells The Hollywood Reporter. "We have these wonderful guys who choreographed the battles. They had hundreds and hundreds of extras. We had loads of stunt guys and women. We do use CGI, but as little as possible. Our guys really fight."

Here THR breaks down by the numbers, exactly what went into filming the episode by the numbers:

In most shots, 12 stuntmen on fire when the towers are set ablaze. As a safety precaution, 150gallons of protective fire gel were used.

A total of 206 stuntmen were hired to work on "To the Gates!" — and at least 500 stunt boxes were crushed.

There were 86 high falls from walls and towers into water and box rigs.

A 4,800-square-foot set was built to re-create the interior of the Paris Cathedral and Palace. The wall ramparts came in at 1,000 square feet.

Outside, the Parisian street and entrance to the Tower and Bridge totaled 8,000 square feet of space. That brings the new sets to a whopping total of 13,800 square feet.

The episode required two storyboard artists, 18 storyboards and 422 slides. Meanwhile, 59concept drawings were drafted for Paris alone.

There were 1,100 flagstones used to construct the floor of the Paris Cathedral — and it took200 liters of paint to create the marble. A total of 3,700 pieces of marble were fitted.

It took 150 candles to light the cathedral, and 450 replacement candles to keep them lit for one day of shooting.

An astounding 2,000 iron studs were used on the cladding of exterior Paris, while 176 panes of glass were fitted into the new exterior and interior sets.

In total, three siege towers were constructed for "To the Gates!" They were then replicated to produce more than 40 siege towers on screen.

While the entire third season of Vikings featured a total of 5,000 extras, this specific episode required 500 alone.

One new Viking boat was constructed for season three to accompany the three preexisting boats. The four boats were then digitally replicated to appear as a fleet of more than 100Viking ships descending upon Paris.

Twitter: @amber_dowling

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/vikings-athelstan-dies-784676

'Vikings' Creator, Star: Latest Shocking Death Will Have "Huge Payoff"
history_vikings.jpg


When series creator Michael Hirst first conceptualized Athelstan (George Blagden), he was a device to bring Western audiences into a pagan world. Before long, he became one of the show's most complex characters thanks to his inner conflicts and religious debates, and served as a mediator of sorts between the Vikings and those they sought during their raids.

That all came to an end Thursday when Athelstan finally found God again. The priest publicly declared his convictions by throwing the arm ring Ragnar (Travis Fimmel) had gifted him into the ocean, right when the Vikings learned King Ecbert (Linus Roache) had slaughtered their people back in Wessex. Despite Ragnar's attempts to protect his confidante, it was too much betrayal for Floki (Gustaf Skarsgard), who slaughtered the priest in a bid to "save" Ragnar.

The Hollywood Reporter caught up with Hirst and Blagden for their takes on Athelstan's final journey.

Read more 'Vikings' Actress on Shocking Exit: She "Let the Gods Take Her"

Why was now the time for Athelstan to go?

Hirst: When I started writing the bible for the season, I realized I needed to resolve Athelstan's situation — that I could no longer go on showing him torn between two cultures and faiths in a continued spiritual crisis. It would be just going around in circles. I thought it would be an amazing thing for him as a character to recover his faith. What joy that would bring him. What relief. What certainty of a better life in death.

Then I had to say, well what does that mean? Is it plausible that an ex-monk who has recovered his belief can live in a pagan society? To which the answer is obviously not. And the logic also pointed to the fact that Floki now was so desperate to save Ragnar from the influence of Athelstan that he was spreading the word to other Vikings that they ought to get rid of him. So I came to this terrible, terrible conclusion that I would have to kill my friend George.

Blagden: Michael sent me this five-page-long email explaining why he needed to make that choice this season. It was a lovely email explaining how Athelstan had always been one of his favorite characters and he didn't want to overextend it. He was saying the most successful characters in television are the ones that never outlive their sell dates — in terms of knowing when a character has experienced all they need to experience in that particular story and knowing when to close the book. I totally agreed with everything he said, that this felt like the moment in which Athelstan had come to the end of his journey.

If Athelstan knew about his son would that have changed his view of martyrdom; could he have brought him back to Kattegat?

Hirst: There was no question of him being able to bring the baby back because the baby, Alfred, becomes one of the most famous kings in English history. He becomes Alfred the Great. Historically speaking, he fights against Ragnar's sons. So it was clear the baby had to grow up in Wessex and had to become, in due course, king of not only Wessex, but of England. Just as Eckbert says he will.

Blagden: That is the most tragic part of that whole relationship, that Athelstan never knew that he had a son. We saw in episode five the conversation between himself and Ragnar, where they talk about marriage and children. Athelstan said, "At least you have children." It precursors this fact that Athelstan becomes a father and never knows it. Had he known he had had a son, it may have changed his outlook on life. But that's the beauty of life, right?

What went into filming the death scene itself?

Blagden: In the room at the end, with Gustav and I, it was very connected. We were very present with each other and very much on the same page about what we wanted to achieve in this neutral understanding between the two characters. The comprehension and a mutual respect for each other's religions as well.

Hirst: When I first wrote the episode, I don't think there was a burial scene; the burial scene came out of Travis and I spending quite a lot of time talking. He wanted to have a scene put in which he says farewell to Athelstan. Then it became a major scene. By the end of six we were already kind of on the water going toward Paris, so I pulled that back just to make the statement that this episode was a kind of standout episode to mark the death of Athelstan — because he was such a pivotal, wonderful, central character in the show that it was only fair that I did that.

Without Athelstan, who will Ragnar rely on to guide him in Paris?

Hirst: In episode one of season one, Ragnar talked about meeting a Wanderer who told him about sailing to England and had filled his imagination with tales of other countries and other civilizations. It's this wanderer, Sinric (Frankie McCafferty), who is going to reappear in Ragnar's life and help him to Paris.

What kind of lasting affects will Athelstan's death leave?

Blagden: Travis has always said that Athelstan is the only one Ragnar really trusts in season three. He's had a lot of fractured relationships with pretty much every other character in the show: his family, his ex-wife, his new wife, his brother, his cousin. The fact that that has now vanished before his eyes leaves him open to danger and leaves a big weak spot for him as a character.

Hirst: It affects Ragnar at the deepest level. The first acts that he does afterward, when he shaves his head off is actually partly (an homage) to when Athelstan steals the knife in the first season and you think maybe he's going to try and stab Ragnar, but no. He gets a bowl of cold water and he starts to shave his head and re-create his tonsure. It's partly a tribute to that when Ragnar shaves his own hair. But what he's also saying is that he's a changed man.

He inevitably becomes a darker figure who isn't going to trust people. It's not just Floki. Floki is one amongst many Vikings who could have killed Athelstan. Of course deep down Ragnar knows he is going to get revenge once he knows who did kill Athelstan, but he doesn't talk about it straight up because he has more emotional things to think about. Moving forward, that becomes a very important issue. It's had a profound effect, initially inwardly but then more and more outwardly and in his behavior.

How will it affect King Ecbert, who also loved Athelstan?

Hirst: There is going to be a huge payoff of that relationship in an unexpected way, but it's quite a lot further down the line.

Any parting words?

Blagden: It was sad to leave Vikings; it's a really original show. I'll have to find a way of sneaking back on the set in this upcoming season four and maybe be a background artist — see if anyone notices me!

Hirst: That was the hardest, most emotional and emotionally difficult episode that I've written on Vikings. I was losing myself, I was losing a character who had become a friend and then I was losing an actor who'd become a friend from a fairly tight knit group of people. I've lived day in and day out with Athelstan and Lagertha (Katheryn Winnick) and Ragnar. They're real people to me. So to kill one of them, to be responsible for the death of one of them, is actually strangely really hard. I miss him to pieces. Not to say that we won't get glimpses of him in the future, I can't say, but I do miss him.

Anybody watch trueblood? Just realized and looked it up after seeing the actors name who plays floki. Floki is brothers with Eric Northman(Alexander skarsgård) from TB.