The Vision

In Kattegat, Ragnar unburies his treasure with Ivar to buy ships and men to raid Wessex. Bjorn sails to the Mediterranean with Harald and Halfdan, and Harald tells that he would never try to overthrown Ragnar. Lagherta tells Auslag that she would never forgive her for taking Ragnar from her. Auslag has a vision with Ivar drowning and tries to convince her son to stay in Kattegat. Ragnar and Ivar sail to England but their ships capsize in a storm. Will they survive?

"The Vision" is another reasonable episode of "Vikings". Ragnar is too humble and totally different from the previous seasons. The most important part is Lagherta that tells Auslag that she is not the Queen of Kattegat. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "The Vision"

The Vision keeps the quiet, emotional tone of the previous episode, focusing on Ragnar's heavy decisions and his growing bond with Ivar. This is not an action-packed episode, but one full of weight and meaning.

Ragnar knows his time is ending, and instead of seeking glory, he tries to build a future through Ivar. Their conversations are deep, layered with unspoken pain and understanding. Ivar, fierce and unfiltered, shows hints of the leader he might become.

Aslaug's visions and dreams add a mystical layer, but it's Ragnar's quiet resolve that drives the episode. Kattegat feels unstable, tension rises with Lagertha, and everything seems ready to shift.

I give it an 8/10. A strong, emotional episode. Not flashy, but essential. Ragnar's story is nearing its end, and he's shaping the world he'll leave behind.

TV shows are like people. Over time they get old, worn out and they die.

Today in the multichannel highly competitive entertainment universe, many shows are burnt out by Season 4 -- assuming they even make it to season 4 in the first place. The scripts tend to become wooden as the writers run out of ideas. Sometimes (too often) the producers will even introduce a profound change in the primary story arc in the hope of "waking up" viewers and generating new buzz. (See for example, Suits and Blacklist, where the main arc was turned upside down in Season 4 -- with very dubious results).

Which is why this episode was such a treat. Here we are in mid Season 4 and this series -- which will be considered a classic to future generations -- not only maintains quality but continues to astonish and captivate.

Alex Høgh Andersen as Ivar in particular steals all his scenes.

Props to Michael Hirst and his team. Stunning.

"The Vision" is an entertaining episode that keeps things going and has great atmosphere and character development (even if nothing very much in terms of originality) that fits perfectly within the "Vikings" overall story.

Ragnar is trying to convince people to join his team (and it doesn't seem he is having much luck). Bjorn, the 'new leader', is ready to leave for the Mediterranean. And Ivar is trying to convince himself that he can be a hero.

The episode does develop the teasing points that were introduced in the previous episode. Ragnar has lost the Vikings' respect, and in some respects his self-respect, but he is so keen to go back to Wessex that he doesn't care for anything. The plot makes him an angry and blind god that fits with the character's arc perfectly. Ivar's frustration is also nicely developed (sometimes without much subtlety, though). And Bjorn's mission helps to bring the point home of how much things keep going even when 'heroes' have fallen.

Even if the plot develops in a nice manner, the best in the episode is the gruesome and dreamlike atmosphere, and the character's relationships (always helped by the acting). "Vikings" keeps being a very interesting and enjoyable show (even if a little bit repetitive).