Vikings
Season 4 Episode 19: “On the Eve”
Directed by Ben Bolt
Written and created by Michael Hirst
Starring Clive Standen, Katheryn Winnick, Alexander Ludwig, Gustaf Skarsgard, Maude Hirst, Alex Høgh Andersen, Marco Ilsø, Jordan Patrick Smith, David Lindström, Josefin Asplund, John Kavanagh, Linus Roache.
The History Channel
Air Date: Wednesday, January 25th, 2017, 9:00pm

Spoilers below for the last 2 episodes of Vikings:

Last time on Vikings, the “Great Army” took off to avenge Ragnar’s death, headed straight for King Aelle (Ivan Kaye). After a bit of lively brotherly debate, Bjorn (Alexander Ludwig) took the lead. Their voyage was sure to be a success – Lagertha (Katheryn Winnick) sacrificed a willing human to ensure it. They captured Aelle, who showed them where their father died. Aelle was tortured via Blood Eagle (as gross as you remember), and strung up. Vengeance was theirs. Ecbert is next!

Vikings 4.19 “On the Eve” review: Kattegat has its wall. Some men are let in, but Torvi (Georgia Hirst) is suspicious of one of the men. He does not buy anything, although a trader. They attack, but are slaughtered as they are few. They were looking for weakness. Kattegat is then attacked by an army. It is an incredible battle led by Egil (Charlie Kelly), Lagertha joins, as expected and wins with cunning and fire. She spares Egil. I think Torvi is dead. Lagertha tortures Egil and brings his wife. He tells Lagertha it was King Harald. Watching Lagertha question and cook Egil was very satisfying in a twisted way.

A dying bishop is brought into Wessex.

Aethelwulf (Moe Dunford): “How many warriors?”
Bishop: “How many blades of grass are in a field?” I’m guessing that’s a lot.

Ecbert (Linus Roache) softly commands Judith (Jennie Jacques) to go back to Aethelwulf because he needs her, and she catches him in a loving moment with young Alfred. She says goodbye, most lovingly. He leaves to lead his army against the heathen one hurtling towards them.

The boys are arguing amongst themselves. Bjorn tells Ivar to leave if he is trying to break up the brotherhood.

Floki (Gustaf Skarsgard): “So this is what the grunting of the little pigs was all about.”

Helga’s daughter is gone. Floki goes looking for her and finds her. She seems to like him better than Helga. I cannot believe I have gone from loving to hating and back to loving Floki over the course of 4 seasons.

Harald (Peter Franzén) kills the husband of his princess. He is not nice. The princess goes to Harald to profess her love. We all saw a mile away what his brother saw immediately. She was going to kill Harald. Halfdan (Jasper Pääkkönen) sticks a sword through her while the couple is mid-thrust. What a scene!

The armies head towards each other and are but a day away. Ivar suggests scoping out the battlefield beforehand, and Bjorn goes for it. Good job, Bjorn.

The armies face each other, and then the vikings turn away and leave? They disappear and appear on the other side. Then arrows fly from the woods. Aethelwulf is going bonkers, facing them alone in the woods, but there’s nothing there. They are like teasing ghosts. Finally, Aethelwulf decides to go for their boats. Ivar knew it.

Charge!!!!! And scene.

Damn! Two battles in one episode with a cliffhanger like that? Wednesday cannot come fast enough. I really hope Lagertha’s face means that she is going to join in Bjorn’s fight. Although that might mean some teleporting. She needs to take out Harald and Halfdan somehow, while not dying at the hands of Ivar or Ubbe.

I am utterly fascinated by the relationship of Ecbert and Aethelwulf… of that entire family really. There is real love there, in the midst of all that betrayal.

The season finale of Vikings airs Wednesday, February 1st at 9:00pm ET on The History Channel.

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Vikings: Recap: On the Eve (Season 4, Episode 19) | History