Vikings: Valhalla Season 2 Ending Explained
Vikings: Valhalla season 2 was full of twists and turns and big reveals, and here's what happened to each main character at the end of this season.
What Harald & Leif Will Do In Constantinople
After Freydis left with Jorundr for Jomsborg, Leif and Harald traveled to Nóvgorod to ask Harald’s uncle, Yaroslav the Wise, for help to form an army against Olaf. However, Yaroslav refused to help, so Harald came up with a completely different plan: travel to Constantinople, sell a bunch of furs, and with that money form his own army to fight his half-brother and reclaim what was promised to him by King Canute: the throne of Norway.
However, traveling to Constantinople wasn’t easy, and the group Harald put together was formed by strong and opposite personalities that ultimately clashed. By the time they got to Olbia, half the group was already dead, and there, they were greeted by the Emperor of Rome, who traveled from Constantinople to meet Harald and take the treasure of Vitomir of Chude, which turned out to be his daughter, Eleana.
As Harald and Eleana grew quite close during their journey, Harald was shocked to see her become Empress, but she assured him that “nothing is out of his reach”.
Eleana became the Empress of Constantinople, and as such, the Emperor granted Harald whatever he asked for, as he was in debt to him for delivering Vitomir’s “gift”. Harald couldn’t think of a prize at the moment but told the Emperor he would think about it, while the Emperor told him that a man like him would be of great service to him, and gave him one of his rings. The Emperor told his men to grant Harald’s group whatever they wanted, and they were last seen arriving at Constantinople.
It’s quite possible that Harald will stay in Constantinople for a while in order to be close to Eleana, even working for the Emperor in some way, but he might ask for an army to go after Olaf (who he doesn’t know is now dead) and take back Norway as his pay. As for Leif, he might carry on with Mariam’s legacy and continue learning about astronomy and other sciences, which will come in handy in his future journeys.
Emma's Gift Explained: What The Ring Means To Godwin
Queen Emma’s conflict in Vikings: Valhalla season 2 was a very personal one, as there was someone who tried to assassinate her. After digging deep into possible motivations and growing paranoid, Emma eventually deduced that the one behind her murder attempt was none other than Godwin, who came up with an elaborate plan that would put the Queen at risk, earn him a favor, and ultimately benefit him.
Emma’s investigation led her to a man known as Bear, who turned out to have been Godwin’s guardian after the imprisonment of his father and his mother’s death. However, by the time she and her guard got to the Bear, he was dead, and she took a ring that was on his neck.
Godwin used the Bear to plan the Queen’s death, and she gave Gytha (Canute’s niece and now Godwin’s wife) the Bear’s ring as a wedding present, asking her to wear it at all times. This was Emma's way of giving Godwin a constant reminder that she found out about his plan and didn't trust him anymore, as well as to show him that the Bear is dead.
Does Godwin's Son Become King?
At the beginning of Vikings: Valhalla season 2, Godwin was engaged to one of Emma’s handmaidens, Aelfwynn, to whom he confided that he wanted his future son to be king. This was the first clue to Godwin being the mastermind behind Emma’s assassination attempt, and it was the core of Godwin’s plan, as all this led to Canute making up for Aelfwynn’s death by arranging Godwin's marriage to his niece, Gytha.
This marriage gives Godwin direct entrance into the royal family, thus making it possible for his son to be king one day. In real life, Godwin’s son did go on to become king, but it happened after Godwin’s death. His son, Harold Godwinson, succeeded his father as Earl of Wessex, and with time, Godwin’s sons were on their way to take near-total overlordship of England. Harold succeeded Edward the Confessor and became King of England in 1066, but he was overthrown and killed in the Norman Conquest.
How Did Olaf Haraldsson Die In Real Life?
Vikings: Valhalla season 2 also continued the story of Olaf Haraldsson, who, at the end of season 1, was defeated by Forkbeard. Instead of killing him, Forkbeard made a deal with him in which Olaf would guide and protect Forkbeard’s grandson (and Canute’s son) Svein, who was appointed King of Norway, while Forkbeard protected Olaf’s son, Magnus.
However, this didn’t stop Olaf’s revenge mission against Freydis, as he put a price on her, Harald, and Leif’s heads, and he was eventually led to Jomsborg, where he personally battled Freydis. The “last daughter of Uppsala” seemed to have been nearing her end during the battle, but Freydis impaled Olaf in front of Svein and spared the young king’s life.
Olaf’s death in real life was less dramatic than in Vikings: Valhalla, as he was killed in the Battle of Stiklestad, in 1030 (though the authenticity of the battle as a historical event has been questioned), where he got three severe wounds: in the knee, the neck, and a mortal spear thrust up under his mail shirt and into his belly. A year later, the beatification of Olaf began, and soon he became known as Saint Olaf.
What's Next For Freydis & Jomsborg?
Jomsborg was said to be the new Uppsala, a safe place for pagans who were left homeless and without a temple, and as Freydis is the “last daughter of Uppsala” and “the guardian of faith”, she was taken there and made into their priestess. However, Freydis learned that most of the pagans that were brought there were being exploited in the forest and weren’t allowed to enter the temple nor be trained as shieldmaidens and warriors, and they lived in horrible conditions.
Freydis stood up for herself, her son, and the people of Jomsborg once their leader, Harekr, showed his true colors. After a duel, his wife and the rest of the people of Jomsborg killed Harekr, setting the town and its people free. Following Olaf’s death, Freydis took Svein back to Kattegat and made a peace treaty with Queen Aelfgifu. Freydis is still seen as the guardian of faith, and she opened the temple of Jomsborg to all town residents, putting an end to the inequality they had endured.
With Harekr gone and Freydis taking over, Jomsborg can now be the safe place it should have been from the beginning and should have the peace its residents were looking for, as there’s no one wanting to destroy the town anymore. It’s also highly likely that Freydis will train new shieldmaidens and warriors, which could lead to Jomsborg becoming one of the most stable and strongest towns in Vikings: Valhalla.
Vikings Valhalla Season 3 Setup Explained
The events of Vikings: Valhalla season 2 have changed the course of the stories of the main characters, setting up the show's third and final season. Due to Godwin and Gytha’s marriage, Emma won’t be able to get rid of Godwin, and she will surely continue to keep a close eye on him, as she now knows not only what his true plan is but also how far he’s willing to go to get it without getting his hands dirty. In addition to that, Canute is finally back in England, and he might not trust Godwin anymore, either.
Freydis is now leading an entire town while also raising her son on her own, and though she got rid of Olaf, the Jomsvikings are still the target of Christian Vikings. Meanwhile, in Constantinople, Harald has a new love interest in Eleana, and he doesn’t know where Jomsborg is, so he can’t return to Freydis to raise their son together. The Emperor of Rome also owes Harald a favor, which he could use to finally fulfill his plan of taking the throne of Norway.
As for Leif, with Liv and Mariam dead, all he has left is his friendship with Harald and everything Mariam taught him and left him. Leif's newfound love for knowledge and science might be key in Vikings: Valhalla season 3 finally setting up his journey to the other side of the world, though he would have to leave Harald and Freydis behind. In the meantime, Harald and Leif might stay in Constantinople for a while and work for the Emperor, unless there’s a call to action that leads them to reunite with Freydis and maybe even Canute as well.
