Vikings (season 6)
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The sixth and final season of the
historical drama A historical drama (also period drama, costume drama, and period piece) is a work set in a past time period, usually used in the context of film and television. Historical drama includes historical fiction and romance film, romances, adventure f ...
television series ''
Vikings Vikings ; non, víkingr is the modern name given to seafaring people originally from Scandinavia (present-day Denmark, Norway and Sweden), who from the late 8th to the late 11th centuries raided, pirated, traded and se ...
'' premiered on December 4, 2019, on
History History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the History of writing#Inventions of writing, invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbr ...
in Canada. The series broadly follows the exploits of the legendary
Viking Vikings ; non, víkingr is the modern name given to seafaring people originally from Scandinavia (present-day Denmark, Norway and Sweden), who from the late 8th to the late 11th centuries raided, pirated, traded and se ...
chieftain
Ragnar Lothbrok according to legends, was a Viking hero and a Danish and Swedish king.Gutenberg Proje ...
and his crew, and later those of his sons. The sixth season consists of a double-season order of twenty episodes, split into two parts of ten episodes; the second half was released in its entirety on December 30, 2020 on
Amazon Prime Video Amazon Prime Video, also known simply as Prime Video, is an American Video on demand#Subscription models, subscription video on-demand Over-the-top media service, over-the-top Streaming media, streaming and Renting, rental service of Amazon (c ...
in Ireland, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Austria, ahead of its broadcast on History in Canada from January 1 to March 3, 2021. The season focuses on King Bjorn's reign over
Kattegat The Kattegat (; sv, Kattegatt ) is a sea area bounded by the Jutlandic peninsula in the west, the Danish Straits islands of Denmark and the Baltic Sea to the south and the provinces of Bohuslän, Västergötland, Halland and Skåne in Sweden ...
,
Ivar Ivar (Old Norse ''Ívarr'') is a Scandinavian masculine given name. Another variant of the name is Iver, which is more common in Norway. The Old Norse name has several possible etymologies. In North Germanic phonology, several of the elements c ...
's adventures in Rus' and
Wessex la, Regnum Occidentalium Saxonum , conventional_long_name = Kingdom of the West Saxons , common_name = Wessex , image_map = Southern British Isles 9th century.svg , map_caption = S ...
, and Ubbe's expeditions to
Iceland Iceland ( is, Ísland; ) is a Nordic island country in the North Atlantic Ocean and in the Arctic Ocean. Iceland is the most sparsely populated country in Europe. Iceland's capital and largest city is Reykjavík, which (along with its s ...
and North America (Greenland and Mi'kma'ki/Canada).


Cast


Main

* Katheryn Winnick as
Lagertha Lagertha, according to legend, was a Viking ruler and shield-maiden from what is now Norway, and the onetime wife of the famous Viking Ragnar Lodbrok. Her tale was recorded by the chronicler Saxo in the 12th century. According to the historian ...
, a
shield-maiden A shield-maiden ( non, skjaldmær ) was a female warrior from Scandinavian folklore and mythology. Shield-maidens are often mentioned in sagas such as '' Hervarar saga ok Heiðreks'' and in ''Gesta Danorum''. They also appear in stories of othe ...
, Ragnar's first wife and former queen of Kattegat (part 1) *
Alexander Ludwig Alexander Ludwig (born May 7, 1992) is a Canadian actor and country musician. He first began his career as a child, and then received recognition as a teenager for starring in the films '' The Seeker: The Dark Is Rising'' (2007) and ''Race to Wi ...
as King
Bjorn Ironside Bjorn (English, Dutch), Björn (Swedish, Icelandic, Dutch, and German), Bjørn (Danish, Faroese and Norwegian), Beorn (Old English) or, rarely, Bjôrn, Biorn, or Latinized Biornus, Brum (Portuguese), is a Scandinavian male given name, or less oft ...
, Ragnar and Lagertha's son, king of Kattegat, and husband to Gunnhild and Ingrid. ** Nathan O'Toole portrays a young Bjorn Ironside, appearing in a flashback *
Alex Høgh Andersen Alex Høgh Andersen (born May 20, 1994) is a Danish actor, model and photographer. He is mostly known for the role of Ivar the Boneless in the historical drama television series ''Vikings'' (2016–2020). Personal life Andersen was born on 20 M ...
as King
Ivar the Boneless Ivar the Boneless ( non, Ívarr hinn Beinlausi ; died c. 873), also known as Ivar Ragnarsson, was a Viking leader who invaded England and Ireland. According to the ''Tale of Ragnar Lodbrok'', he was the son of Ragnar Loðbrok and his wife Aslau ...
, fourth son of Ragnar and
Aslaug Aslaug ( non, Áslaug ), also called Aslög, Kráka (O.N.: ) or Kraba, is a figure in Norse mythology who appears in Snorri's Edda, the Völsunga saga and in the saga of Ragnar Lodbrok as one of his wives. Aslaug in legend According to the 13 ...
and former king of Kattegat. After fleeing Kattegat, he finds refuge in Rus'. *
Marco Ilsø Marco Ilsø is a Danish actor. His first acting role was as a 14-year-old, playing the lead in 24 episodes of ''Mikkel og guldkortet''. Introduced in season 4, he played Hvitserk in ''Vikings''. Selected filmography * ''Rebounce'' as Niclas (2 ...
as
Hvitserk Hvitserk (''Hvítserkr'', "White-Shirt") was one of the sons of the legendary 9th-century Viking Ragnar Lothbrok and his wife Aslaug. Sources Hvitserk is attested to by the Tale of Ragnar's Sons (''Ragnarssona þáttr''). He is not mentioned in ...
, second son of Ragnar and Aslaug. After the death of Thora, he becomes a drunkard. *
Jordan Patrick Smith Jordan Patrick Smith (born 18 June 1989) is a Scottish-Australian actor. He gained prominence through his role as Andrew Robinson in the soap opera ''Neighbours'' (2009–2013, 2022). He has since appeared in the film '' Unbroken'' (2014), and ...
as Ubbe, eldest son of Ragnar and Aslaug and Torvi's husband *
Danila Kozlovsky Danila Valeryevich Kozlovsky (russian: link=no, Данила Валерьевич Козловский; born 3 May 1985) is a Russian actor and director. Biography Early life and career Danila Kozlovsky was born in Moscow, Russian SFSR, Soviet ...
as Prince Oleg the Prophet, the
Varangian The Varangians (; non, Væringjar; gkm, Βάραγγοι, ''Várangoi'';Varangian
" Online Etymo ...
grand prince Grand prince or great prince (feminine: grand princess or great princess) ( la, magnus princeps; Greek: ''megas archon''; russian: великий князь, velikiy knyaz) is a title of nobility ranked in honour below emperor, equal of king or ...
of
Kiev Kyiv, also spelled Kiev, is the capital and most populous city of Ukraine. It is in north-central Ukraine along the Dnieper, Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2021, its population was 2,962,180, making Kyiv the List of European cities by populat ...
who welcomes Ivar at his court * John Kavanagh as The Seer, the former
seiðr In Old Norse, (sometimes anglicized as ''seidhr'', ''seidh'', ''seidr'', ''seithr'', ''seith'', or ''seid'') was a type of magic which was practised in Norse society during the Late Scandinavian Iron Age. The practice of is believed to be a ...
mann of Kattegat, appearing in visions *
Peter Franzén Peter Vilhelm Franzén (born 14 August 1971) is a Finnish actor, author, screenwriter, and director. He is best known for his role as King Harald Finehair in ''Vikings'' (2016–2020). Personal life Franzén was born in Keminmaa, north Finland. ...
as King
Harald Finehair Harald Fairhair no, Harald hårfagre Modern Icelandic: ( – ) was a Norwegian king. According to traditions current in Norway and Iceland in the eleventh and twelfth centuries, he reigned from  872 to 930 and was the first King of Nor ...
, a Viking warlord intended to become the first King of All Norway *
Eric Johnson Eric Johnson may refer to: Music *Eric Johnson (guitarist) (born 1954) an American guitarist and recording artist * Eric D. Johnson (born 1976), member of multiple indie-rock bands including Fruit Bats, The Shins and Califone Politics * Eric Joh ...
as King Erik, an outlaw who helps Bjorn. After Harald's departure for England, he makes himself King of Kattegat alongside Queen Ingrid. *
Georgia Hirst Georgia Octavia Hirst (born 26 December 1994) is an English actress. She is known for her roles as the maiden Torvi in the History series ''Vikings'' (2014–2020) and Becky in the zombie horror movie ''Ravers'' (2018). Early life Hirst was bo ...
as Torvi, Ubbe's wife and a shield-maiden. She was once Bjorn's spouse. *
Ragga Ragnars Raggamuffin music, usually abbreviated as ragga, is a subgenre of dancehall and reggae music. The instrumentals primarily consist of electronic music. Similar to hip hop, sampling often serves a prominent role in raggamuffin music. Wayne Smi ...
as Queen Gunnhild, Bjorn's wife, queen of Kattegat and a shield-maiden *
Ray Stevenson George Raymond Stevenson (born 25 May 1964) is an actor from Northern Ireland. He is known for playing Dagonet in the film ''King Arthur'' (2004) and Titus Pullo in the BBC/HBO television series ''Rome'' (2005–2007). He has portrayed two Marv ...
as Othere, a mysterious wanderer *
Gustaf Skarsgård Gustaf Caspar Orm Skarsgård (born 12 November 1980) is a Swedish actor. He is known for his roles in ''Evil'' (2003), '' The Way Back'' (2010) and ''Kon-Tiki'' (2012). He also appeared in the HBO TV series ''Westworld'' (2018), as Merlin in th ...
as Floki, a gifted shipbuilder (part 2) *
Jasper Pääkkönen Joona Jasper Pääkkönen (; born 15 July 1980) is a Finnish film actor and entrepreneur. Following a two-decade-plus career in Finnish movies, Pääkkönen's international breakthrough role came in 2015 in the historical drama television series ...
as
Halfdan the Black Halfdan the Black (Old Norse: ''Halfdanr Svarti''; fl. c. 9th century) was a king of Vestfold. He belonged to the House of Yngling and was the father of Harald Fairhair, the first king of a unified Norway. In sagas According to ''Heimskringla'' ...
, Harald's violent younger brother, appearing in a vision (part 2)


Recurring

* Lucy Martin as Queen Ingrid, a slave serving Gunnhild and Bjorn in Kattegat and, later, Bjorn's second wife. After Bjorn's death, she marries King Harald and becomes Queen of Kattegat. * Kieran O'Reilly as White Hair, Ivar's former bodyguard and an
outlaw An outlaw, in its original and legal meaning, is a person declared as outside the protection of the law. In pre-modern societies, all legal protection was withdrawn from the criminal, so that anyone was legally empowered to persecute or kill them ...
(part 1) * Kristy Dawn Dinsmore as Amma, a shield-maiden in Kattegat who is fond of Hvitserk * Andrei Claude as Ganbaatar, Oleg's captain * Elodie Curry as Asa, Bjorn and Torvi's daughter * Ryan Henson as Hali, Bjorn and Torvi's son *
Adam Copeland Adam Joseph Copeland (born October 30, 1973), is a Canadian professional wrestler and actor. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw brand under the ring name Edge. He is considered to be one of the greatest professional wr ...
as Kjetill Flatnose (/ʃjetil/), the chief of the
Iceland Iceland ( is, Ísland; ) is a Nordic island country in the North Atlantic Ocean and in the Arctic Ocean. Iceland is the most sparsely populated country in Europe. Iceland's capital and largest city is Reykjavík, which (along with its s ...
ic settlement *
Lenn Kudrjawizki Lenn Kudrjawizki (born 10 October 1975) is a German actor and musician. Biography Lenn Kudrjawizki came with his parents at the age of two months from Leningrad to East Berlin, where his father had a job as a scientist and his mother worked a ...
as Prince Dir of
Novgorod Veliky Novgorod ( rus, links=no, Великий Новгород, t=Great Newtown, p=vʲɪˈlʲikʲɪj ˈnovɡərət), also known as just Novgorod (), is the largest city and administrative centre of Novgorod Oblast, Russia. It is one of the ol ...
, Oleg's brother * Oran Glynn O'Donovan as Prince
Igor Igor may refer to: People * Igor (given name), an East Slavic given name and a list of people with the name * Mighty Igor (1931–2002), former American professional wrestler * Igor Volkoff, a professional wrestler from NWA All-Star Wrestling * ...
, the
preadolescent Preadolescence is a stage of human development following middle childhood and preceding adolescence.New Oxford American Dictionary. 2nd Edition. 2005. Oxford University Press. It commonly ends with the beginning of puberty. Preadolescence is c ...
heir of Kiev and Oleg's
ward Ward may refer to: Division or unit * Hospital ward, a hospital division, floor, or room set aside for a particular class or group of patients, for example the psychiatric ward * Prison ward, a division of a penal institution such as a pris ...
* Serena Kennedy (part 1) and Isabelle Connolly (part 2) as Anna, Dir's wife *
Steven Berkoff Steven Berkoff (born Leslie Steven Berks; 3 August 1937) is an English actor, author, playwright, theatre practitioner and theatre director. As a theatre maker he is recognised for staging work with a heightened performance style eponymously k ...
as King Olaf the Stout * Conn Rogers as Canute, a member of King Olaf's court * Eve Connolly as Thora, Hvitserk's murdered love interest, appearing in his delusions * Gina Costigan as Runa, a former shield-maiden at Lagertha's village * David Sterne as Gudmund, an old man at Lagertha's village * Kathy Monahan as Eira, a former shield-maiden at Lagertha's village * Oisin Murray as Tarben, a young boy at Lagertha's village * Aoibheann McCann as Skadi, a shield-maiden under Gunnhild's command * Alicia Agneson as Princess Katia, Oleg's wife * Fredrik Hiller as Jarl
Thorkell the Tall Thorkell the Tall, also known as Thorkell the High in the ''Anglo-Saxon Chronicle'' (Old Norse: Þorke(ti)ll inn hávi; no, Torkjell Høge; Swedish: ''Torkel Höge''; da, Torkild den Høje), was a prominent member of the Jomsviking order and a ...
, one of the jarls of Norway and a rival to Bjorn *
Amy De Bhrún Amy is a female given name, sometimes short for Amanda, Amelia, Amélie, or Amita. In French, the name is spelled ''" Aimée"''. People A–E * Amy Acker (born 1976), American actress * Amy Vera Ackman, also known as Mother Giovanni (1886 ...
as Jarl Hrolf, one the jarls of Norway * Mishaël Lopes Cardozo as King Hakon, one of the kings of Norway and a rival to Bjorn * Kelly Campbell as Ingvild, Kjetill's wife * Scott Graham as Frodi, Kjetill's son *
Brent Burns Brent Burns (born March 9, 1985) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman for the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League (NHL). Drafted as a right wing (20th overall) at the 2003 NHL Entry Draft by the Minnesota Wild, he wa ...
as Skane, one of Harald's ambitious followers * Ivo Alexandre as Bishop Leon, who visits Kiev for Easter * Noella Brennan as Gudrid, a settler in Ubbe's party * Ian Lloyd Anderson as Naad, a settler in Ubbe's party *
Ferdia Walsh-Peelo Ferdia Walsh-Peelo (born 12 October 1999) is an Irish actor and musician. He made his film debut in the musical ''Sing Street'' (2016) and television debut in the History Channel, History series ''Vikings (2013 TV series), Vikings'' (2017–2020) ...
as
King Alfred Alfred the Great (alt. Ælfred 848/849 – 26 October 899) was King of the West Saxons from 871 to 886, and King of the Anglo-Saxons from 886 until his death in 899. He was the youngest son of King Æthelwulf and his first wife Osburh, who bot ...
, the ruler of
Wessex la, Regnum Occidentalium Saxonum , conventional_long_name = Kingdom of the West Saxons , common_name = Wessex , image_map = Southern British Isles 9th century.svg , map_caption = S ...
* Róisín Murphy as Queen Elsewith, King Alfred's wife * Wesley French as Peminuit, a
Miꞌkmaq The Mi'kmaq (also ''Mi'gmaq'', ''Lnu'', ''Miꞌkmaw'' or ''Miꞌgmaw''; ; ) are a First Nations people of the Northeastern Woodlands, indigenous to the areas of Canada's Atlantic Provinces and the Gaspé Peninsula of Quebec as well as the nort ...
warrior * Phillip Lewitski as We'jitu, Peminuit's younger brother * Russell Balogh as Bishop Aldulf, a warrior priest in King Alfred's army * Breffni Holahan as Sister Annis, a nun who assists Queen Elsewith * Brendan McCormack as Leof, a soldier in King Alfred's army * Oliver Price as Galan, a soldier in King Alfred's army * Dafhyd Flynn as Adam, a soldier in King Alfred's army * Tim Creed as Orlyg, a slave in the service of King Erik in Kattegat *
Carmen Moore Carmen Moore (born 24 December 1972) is a Canadian actress known for her work in television. She is known for her role as Loreen Cassway on ''Arctic Air'' (for which she was nominated for a Leo Award in 2012) and the lead role of Leona Stoney, o ...
as Pekitaulet, Peminuit and We'jitu's mother and the '' Sagamaw'' of her tribe * Ellyn Jade as Nikani, Peminuit's wife * Acahkos Johnson as Na'pa'tes, a Miꞌkmaq child * Victoire Dauxerre as Nissa, a slave in the service of Queen Ingrid in Kattegat * Sean McGillicuddy as Osric, Bishop Aldulf's second-in-command


Guest

* Martin Maloney as Vigrid, Ivar's travel companion (part 1) * Blake Kubena as Prince
Askold Askold and Dir (''Haskuldr'' or ''Hǫskuldr'' and ''Dyr'' or ''Djur'' in Old Norse; died in 882), mentioned in both the Primary Chronicle and the Nikon Chronicle, were the earliest known ''purportedly Norse'' rulers of Kiev. Primary Chronicle Th ...
of Novgorod, Oleg's brother * Sandy Kennedy as Sylvi, a former shield-maiden at Lagertha's village * Neil Keery as Alexei, a guard in Kiev * Jinny Lofthouse as Hild, a shield-maiden under Gunnhild's command * Emma Willis as Gyda, a shield maiden that volunteers as a sacrifice * Karen Connell as the Angel of Death, a
völva In Germanic paganism, a seeress is a woman said to have the ability to foretell future events and perform sorcery. They are also referred to with many other names meaning "prophetess", "staff bearer", "wise woman" and "sorceress", and they are f ...
* Adam Winnick as Rangvald, Harald's captain *
Emma Eliza Regan Emma Eliza Regan (born 4 December 1992) is an Irish actress who has appeared in Irish feature films ''The Fading Light'' (2009), ''Love Eternal'' (2013), ''Darkness on the Edge Of Town'' (2014), and '' Penance'' 2018, and on television in ''Ais ...
as Aoife, a villager from
Istrehågan Istrehågan is an ancient monument at Jåberg on the Sandefjord-Larvik border in Vestfold og Telemark, Norway.Jøranlid, Marianne (1996). ''40 trivelige turer i Sandefjord og omegn''. Vett Viten. Page 123. .Davidsen, Roger (2008). ''Et Sted i Sande ...
* Ronan Summers as Herigar, one of Erik's warriors * Katherine Devlin as Natasha, at Oleg's court *
Noah Syndergaard Noah Seth Syndergaard (born August 29, 1992), nicknamed "Thor", is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the New York Mets, Los Angeles Angels an ...
as Thorbjorn, a Viking warrior in Kattegat * Jerry-Jane Pears as
Iðunn In Norse mythology, Iðunn is a goddess associated with apples and youth. Iðunn is attested in the ''Poetic Edda'', compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources, and the ''Prose Edda'', written in the 13th century by Snorri St ...
, the goddess of youth, who appears to Hvitserk *
Bryan Larkin Bryan Larkin (born 7 August 1973) is a Scottish actor, writer, producer andhttp://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/bryan-rising-star-hollywood-2421851/ Daily Record Article 15 October 2013 self-taught filmmaker. He was awarded the Trailblaz ...
as Wiglaf, a Saxon commander Norwegian actor and YouTuber
Per Fredrik Åsly Per Fredrik Åsly, better known as PelleK (born Sandefjord Sandefjord () is a city and the most populous municipality in Vestfold og Telemark county, Norway. The municipality of Sandefjord was established on 1 January 1838. The municipality ...
(better known as PelleK) appears in "All the Prisoners", "The Key" and "Resurrection" as an envoy from Ubbe's trade expedition. Polish singer
Anna Maria Jopek Anna Maria Jopek (born 14 December 1970) is a Polish vocalist, songwriter, and improviser. She represented Poland in the 1997 Eurovision Song Contest, with the song "Ale jestem" and finished 11th out of 25 participating acts; and in 2002, she co ...
appears in "Death and the Serpent", performing the song "Lagertha's Lament" alongside musician Maciej Rychly. She returns in "The Ice Maiden" to dub Georgia Hirst as Torvi when she sings at Lagertha's funeral.


Episodes


Production


Development

An Irish-Canadian co-production presented by
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and abbreviated as MGM, is an American film, television production, distribution and media company owned by amazon (company), Amazon through MGM Holdings, founded o ...
, the sixth and final season of ''Vikings'' was developed and produced by TM Productions and Take 5 Productions. Morgan O'Sullivan, Sheila Hockin, Sherry Marsh, Alan Gasmer, James Flynn, John Weber, and Michael Hirst are credited as
executive producer Executive producer (EP) is one of the top positions in the making of a commercial entertainment product. Depending on the medium, the executive producer may be concerned with management accounting or associated with legal issues (like copyrights o ...
s. This season was produced by Keith Thompson for the first eleven episodes, and Liz Gill for the remaining nine episodes. Bill Goddard and Séamus McInerney are co-producers.
The production team for this season includes casting directors Frank and Nuala Moiselle, costume designer Susan O'Connor Cave, visual effects supervisor Dominic Remane, stunt action designer Richard Ryan, composer Trevor Morris, production designer Mark Geraghty, editors Aaron Marshall for the first, fourth, eighth, tenth, twelfth, fifteenth, seventeenth and twentieth episodes, Tad Seaborn for the second, fifth, seventh, ninth, thirteenth, sixteenth and nineteenth episodes, and Dan Briceno for the third, sixth, eleventh, fourteenth and eighteenth episodes and cinematographers Peter Robertson for the first to third, seventh to thirteenth, and sixteenth to twentieth episodes, Owen McPolin for the fourth to sixth episodes, and PJ Dillon for the fourteenth and fifteenth episodes. The eighth episode of the season, "Valhalla Can Wait", was directed by actress Katheryn Winnick, who portrays
Lagertha Lagertha, according to legend, was a Viking ruler and shield-maiden from what is now Norway, and the onetime wife of the famous Viking Ragnar Lodbrok. Her tale was recorded by the chronicler Saxo in the 12th century. According to the historian ...
in the series.


Writing

According to the series's creator and writer Michael Hirst, the idea to explore Oleg the Prophet came to him due to the influence Vikings played in Russian history: "I didn't know that Russia is called Russia because it was founded by the Rus Vikings. I learned so much myself and I always do learn when we go different places and explore new cultures and forgotten languages. ..I was reading books about the Silk Road and about the Rus Vikings and then I read about Prince Oleg, the prophet. He was this extraordinary ruler of Russia and it all kind of fit into place. It seemed the most obvious. It’s also one of the most exciting things to do because we'd been traveling west so much and it seemed logical to go east again. It was an idea that slowly fermented in my mind."


Casting

In September 2017, it was announced that Russian actor
Danila Kozlovsky Danila Valeryevich Kozlovsky (russian: link=no, Данила Валерьевич Козловский; born 3 May 1985) is a Russian actor and director. Biography Early life and career Danila Kozlovsky was born in Moscow, Russian SFSR, Soviet ...
would join the cast for the sixth season as
Oleg of Novgorod Oleg ( orv, Ѡлегъ, Ольгъ; non, Helgi; died 912), also known as Oleg the Wise (russian: Олег Вещий, lit=Oleg the Prophet; uk, Олег Віщий), was a Varangian prince of the Rus' who was ruler of Novgorod. He later con ...
, the 10th century
Varangian The Varangians (; non, Væringjar; gkm, Βάραγγοι, ''Várangoi'';Varangian
" Online Etymo ...
ruler of the
Kyivan Rus Kievan Rusʹ, also known as Kyivan Rusʹ ( orv, , Rusĭ, or , , ; Old Norse: ''Garðaríki''), was a state in Eastern and Northern Europe from the late 9th to the mid-13th century.John Channon & Robert Hudson, ''Penguin Historical Atlas of ...
.


Filming

This season is set in areas corresponding to modern Ukraine and Norway, but filming locations included
Vik Vik (Old Norse: vík) means wick or bay in Norwegian and Swedish (''vig'' in Danish), and it may refer to the following: Places Iceland *Vík í Mýrdal, a village in southern Iceland Iran *Vik, Iran, a village in Zanjan Province, Iran Norway *V ...
, Norway, standing in for the home of the Rus' Vikings of
Kiev Kyiv, also spelled Kiev, is the capital and most populous city of Ukraine. It is in north-central Ukraine along the Dnieper, Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2021, its population was 2,962,180, making Kyiv the List of European cities by populat ...
, and
County Wicklow County Wicklow ( ; ga, Contae Chill Mhantáin ) is a county in Ireland. The last of the traditional 32 counties, having been formed as late as 1606, it is part of the Eastern and Midland Region and the province of Leinster. It is bordered by t ...
, Ireland. Some scenes were also shot outside Dublin, at the
River Boyne The River Boyne ( ga, An Bhóinn or ''Abhainn na Bóinne'') is a river in Leinster, Ireland, the course of which is about long. It rises at Trinity Well, Newberry Hall, near Carbury, County Kildare, and flows towards the Northeast through C ...
(
County Meath County Meath (; gle, Contae na Mí or simply ) is a county in the Eastern and Midland Region of Ireland, within the province of Leinster. It is bordered by Dublin to the southeast, Louth to the northeast, Kildare to the south, Offaly to the sou ...
), Blessington lakes and
Powerscourt Waterfall Powerscourt Waterfall ( ga, Eas Chonaill) is the second highest waterfall in Republic of Ireland, Ireland at high, it is located at the base of the Glensoulan Valley on the River Dargle near Enniskerry, Enniskerry, County Wicklow. Powerscourt ...
,
Powerscourt Estate Powerscourt Estate ( ga, Eastát Chúirt an Phaoraigh), located in Enniskerry, County Wicklow, Ireland, is a large country estate which is noted for its country house, house and landscaped gardens, today occupying . The house, originally a 13th ...
(County Wicklow) and at Nuns Beach at
Ballybunion Ballybunion or Ballybunnion () is a coastal town and seaside resort in County Kerry, Ireland, on the Wild Atlantic Way, from the town of Listowel. Tourism Ballybunion has two main beaches, divided by the Castle Green. The Ladies Beach is to ...
(
County Kerry County Kerry ( gle, Contae Chiarraí) is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and forms part of the province of Munster. It is named after the Ciarraige who lived in part of the present county. The population of the co ...
) standing in for the Icelandic coast. Scenes that take place in Kattegat were shot in
Lough Tay Lough Tay (Irish: ''Loch Té''), is a small but scenic lake set on private property in the Wicklow Mountains in Ireland. The lake lies between the mountains of Djouce , and Luggala , and is dominated by Luggala's east-facing granite cliffs. The ...
(County Wicklow). Ashford Studios (County Wicklow) were again used as the base for production, where those scenes requiring the use of green screens for CGI were shot.


Music

The musical score for the sixth and final season was composed by Trevor Morris.
Einar Selvik Einar Selvik (born 18 November 1979), also known by his stage name Kvitrafn ("white raven"), is a Norwegian musician known for being the drummer in the black metal band Gorgoroth from 2000 to 2004, and for fronting the Nordic folk project Wardru ...
did not return to collaborate with Morris on new original music for the final season. The opening sequence is again accompanied by the song " If I Had a Heart" by
Fever Ray Karin Elisabeth Dreijer (born 7 April 1975) is a Swedish singer-songwriter and record producer. Dreijer was one half of the electronic music duo the Knife, formed with their brother Olof Dreijer. Dreijer released their debut solo album under ...
, with the final ten episodes featuring a remix of the song by
Tim Hecker Tim Hecker is a Canadian electronic musician, producer, composer, and sound artist. His work, spanning atmospheric ambient albums such as ''Harmony in Ultraviolet'' (2006), ''Ravedeath, 1972'' (2011) and ''Virgins'' (2013), has been widely cr ...
in place of the original. The soundtrack album was released on December 6, 2019 by
Sony Classical Records Sony Classical is an American record label founded in 1924 as Columbia Masterworks Records, a subsidiary of Columbia Records. In 1980, the Columbia Masterworks label was renamed as CBS Masterworks Records. The CBS Records Group was acquired by S ...
. Two original songs not included in the album are "Lament for Lagertha" and "Lagertha's Funeral Music", both written by Maciej Rychly & Alicja Bral and performed by
Anna Maria Jopek Anna Maria Jopek (born 14 December 1970) is a Polish vocalist, songwriter, and improviser. She represented Poland in the 1997 Eurovision Song Contest, with the song "Ale jestem" and finished 11th out of 25 participating acts; and in 2002, she co ...
and the Goat Theater Performers, featured in "Death and the Serpent" and "The Ice Maiden", respectively. The Skaldic version of "Snake Pit Poetry", an original song by Einar Selvik which was first included in "
All His Angels "All His Angels" is the fifteenth episode of the fourth season of History's historical drama television series ''Vikings'', and the fifth episode of the second Part of season four. The 44th episode overall of the series, it was directed by Ciar ...
", is featured in "The Best Laid Plans". Additional non-original music by Norwegian music group
Wardruna Wardruna is a Norwegian music group formed in 2003 by Einar Selvik along with Gaahl and Lindy Fay Hella. They are dedicated to creating musical renditions of Norse cultural and esoteric traditions, and make significant use of Nordic historical a ...
is featured in the episodes "Ghosts, Gods and Running Dogs", "The Key", "The Ice Maiden" and "The Last Act". The featured tracks are "Tyr", "Helvegen", "Isa" and "Vindavla". Music by Danish folk project
Danheim Danheim (real name Mike Schæfer Olsen; born in 1985, Brøndby, Denmark) is a Danish ambient and Nordic folk musician. Works and style Olsen was born in Copenhagen in 1985 and produced mostly in the electronic genre until 2016, when a stron ...
is also featured in this season's soundtrack in the episodes "Resurrection", "The Best Laid Plans", "The Signal" and "The Raft of Medusa". The featured tracks are "Vanheimr", "Tyrfing", "Floki's Last Journey", "Gripir", "Munarvagr" and "Hefja Blót". Additional music by folk band
Heilung Heilung is an experimental folk music band made up of members from Denmark, Norway, and Germany. Their music is based on texts and runic inscriptions from Germanic peoples of the Iron Age, and Viking Age. Heilung describe their music as "amplifie ...
is featured in the episode "The Best Laid Plans". The featured tracks are "Fylgija Ear", "Hamrer Hippyer" and "Alfadhirhaiti". "Fra Stjerner till Jorda" by Norwegian artist Runahild is also featured in "The Best Laid Plans". "Hlidskjalf" by
Osi and the Jupiter Osi and the Jupiter are a neo-folk band from Kent, Ohio, United States, consisting of multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Sean Kratz and celloist Kakaphonix. The band is named after Kratz's two German Shepherd dogs, Osiris and Jupiter. They for ...
is featured in "The Raft of the Medusa". The pieces "Babel" and "Grigori" from the album ''The Word as Power'' by
Lustmord Brian Williams is a Welsh industrial musician, sound designer and film score composer. He is often credited for creating the dark ambient genre with albums recorded under the name Lustmord. His experimental work has been described as "not tra ...
appear in "The Best Laid Plans" and "All at Sea".


Reception

The review aggregator website
Rotten Tomatoes Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wang ...
reported a perfect 100% approval rating, with an average rating of 7.8/10 based on 12 reviews.


Historical inaccuracies

The depiction of
Kievan Rus Kievan Rusʹ, also known as Kyivan Rusʹ ( orv, , Rusĭ, or , , ; Old Norse: ''Garðaríki''), was a state in Eastern and Northern Europe from the late 9th to the mid-13th century.John Channon & Robert Hudson, ''Penguin Historical Atlas of ...
during Prince Oleg's rule (879–912) has been noted as substantially inaccurate by fans and the media. Most notably, in the series Christianity is introduced in Kievan Rus too early, as are Mongol clothing and armor and
hot air balloons A hot air balloon is a lighter-than-air aircraft consisting of a bag, called an envelope, which contains heated air. Suspended beneath is a gondola or wicker basket (in some long-distance or high-altitude balloons, a capsule), which carries p ...
.


Notes


References


External links

* * {{Vikings (2013 TV series) 2019 Canadian television seasons 2019 Irish television seasons 2020 Canadian television seasons 2020 Irish television seasons 2021 Canadian television seasons Split television seasons Cultural depictions of Harald Fairhair