I loved the first half of this season but I hated the last episode. I understood what they were trying to do but I didn't need it to understand how emotional it would be for brothers to battle brothers, girlfriends to kill girlfrienfs, etc... A potentially great episode felt long and drug on.
I thought this was the best episode in terms of character development. Every single one of them is losing someone or dying entirely. Which pretty much signals the end of the Viking age as we know it (and as Floki's temple burning to the ground kinda foreshadowed). No lovey-dovey soap opera style stories.
A few peeves. Why would Rollo loan Hvitserk his army? WTF? He could lose a lot of good men. And why favor Hvitserk over Ubbe, Bjeorn and Lagertha? It makes no sense for a French army to fight on the side of Ivar or any Viking for that matter.
Rollo made a deal with him. It's explained here:
He offered to help Hvitserk during the Spain raid. I'd have to go back and see what he said exactly. Also, I don't think Hvitserk is fully on board with Team Ivar.
Here's where he acknowledges him directly, by name.
Also, it was mentioned that season that he'd loan his army as long as he spares Bjorn's life. He's over Lagertha. Rollo doesn't give a shit about Ubbe, as he never interacted with him and wasn't in the Spain raid, either.
I know artist's license allows them to do as they wished but Hafdan was a historical figure for the Vikings. He was also a Lothbrook but that aside I'd prefer if he had escaped death. Ubbe seems to be on the correct historical path. He does not become King of Kattegat but he does become King of something....Norway
Halfdan the Black and Halfdan son of Ragnar were two different people. The former is what you saw on the show, but according to wiki, he was Harold's father (not brothers). So you're right they can manipulate the show for story purposes.
