Post by bluerisk on Feb 1, 2019 17:15:13 GMT
I hope the whole Flokiland storyline is done, that whole storyline bored me from start to finish.
The entire war left Lagertha, Björn and his brothers, except for Ivar, in charge of Kattegat. Except for massive loses, nothing really changed. Well, Lagertha handed the Sword the Kings and thus her "crown" over to Björn, her son and heir, and she did it without hesitation, without regret, without doubt, but with pride - not for herself - and dignity. A beautiful moment:
Lagertha is so full of beauty and dignity.
Francia will receive no payments from Kattegat and will also have a hard time to trade with Kattegat, or might even be at war (=> target of future raids). All which could have be prevented for Francia - aside the loss in men and the cost for the expedition - if he made a bet on Lagertha who had proven to be a peaceful and reliable ruler of Hedeby (back then one of the greatest Viking settlements).
What was Hirst thinking? Only to keep a conflict going, a civil war that never happend?! Why fucking around with history, and why that woefully.
*I was half of the time in fast forward because I couldn't take it. And this "flame thrower" - what was the agent? How should this work with their level of technology? They had no pump, no container under pressure to apply the liquid agent. And since when is Ivar a great engineer? It was Floki who always did that, even for Ragnar, what was one reason why they were so close. Floki was his genius. And his genius, knowledge and experience rooted in decades of study, learning, and try and error...and Ivar does know these thing with a fingersnip...or his recycled idea to lure the enemy in a confinement.
You can look into Kattegat from the mountains around it, and Harald and Hvitserk know the latest status of it, they would recognize any new structure of this size...what brings me to the other problem: why did the writers let Björn attack that unprepared? No recon, when time was on their side. Proper siege weapons: why not first the cover - maybe even two of them just to see what they have in store for the first one, and far larger ones and a far lager ram (the heavier it is, the more kinetic energy it can deliver), and why not using fire for their advantage? I guess they don't attack by sea for they know how effective fire work on their ships...but these walls are of wood too. Burn them down. Too much plot armor and fan service for Ivar.
How did he escape if Kattegat was surrounded by the enemy, the town and its gates were in control of the enemy. The people know him and his major supporters, they can't hide that easily in that rather small but confined town. And why was there no up-rise by his enemies from within. Or the only secret passage not well guarded by entrusted men?
My guess it that Hirst/the writers wanted Ivar's fall due to betrayal, and not through a lost battle. The Ivar fanboys are all about how Ivar did not lost the battle. Either way: it was his character, his fashion of rule, so to speak, that was his ruin. He might be a capable tactician, albeit he lost the first open filed battle clearly to Björn and the second was one due to the numbers the Francs provided. And in this battle they recycled simply elements from York and let act Björn as stupid as possible in favor for Ivar. I'm sure normally, he would have taken time for recon, tested Ivar battlements, and prepared batter.
Anyway
Björn wields the Sword of Kings as Ragnar did, as Aslaug did, as Lagertha died, and as he does now. Ivar never did - for he was never true king.
Björn is king - sanctioned by Ragnar and the Seer.
The war might not be over, but only because of Hirst's doing. Why should anyone side with Ivar?!
As times have changed. Imagine this little guy had to confront the grown Björn Ironside...