Vikings: Valhalla is not just a continuation of the famous series, but an independent work with a large-scale production, memorable characters based on real historical figures, and a plot that will captivate even fans of Game of Thrones.

Netflix has launched the series Vikings: Valhalla, a sequel to the popular show Vikings, which aired on History for 6 seasons. However, the connection between the projects is rather conditional: the events of the new series unfold over a hundred years after the original series' storyline ended. Moreover, the creators of Valhalla are different, not to mention the move to Netflix, which positively impacted the scale and quality of production. We won't lie if we say that initially there was skepticism about this endeavor, but now we can assert that the mischief succeeded — the series turned out to be vivid in terms of action and intriguing in terms of story.

Vikings vs England

The starting point of the plot of Vikings: Valhalla is a real historical event — the St. Brice's Day massacre of the Danes. King Aethelred II of England decides to rid the country of Vikings, despite the fact that they have long become 'locals' and even adopted Christianity.

The Northmen cannot leave such an outrage without a reaction, and King Cnut of Denmark gathers almost all Vikings under his banner and advances as a united front against England. Aethelred himself ends his days on Earth, leaving his teenage son Edmund and his wife Emma of Normandy to deal with the danger.

The confrontation between Vikings and the English became the central axis of the narrative, onto which several storylines are layered. Here you have the attempts of the English nobility to defend their lands by cunning and not-so-cunning means, the stratification within the ranks of the Vikings themselves based on differences in faith, and the personal stories of individual characters.

Conditionally, the main characters here are the Greenlanders Leif and his sister Freydis. Initially, they arrive at the camp of other Vikings to avenge the abuse of a girl, and then find themselves drawn into more global events:

• Leif directly participates in the war with the English and demonstrates his strategic and combat skills, becoming one of the leaders of the attacking side;

• Freydis seeks her true purpose in the semi-mythical settlement of Uppsala, and then makes a deadly enemy in the person of the brutal Viking Jarl Kare.

The third central character is Freydis's lover, a Viking named Harald, who goes to war for personal reasons (his own brother is among those killed in the massacre of the Danes), and then finds himself drawn into political internecine intrigues that promise him either becoming king of Norway or death at the hands of those close to him.

Pagans vs Christians

One of the most interesting storylines is the confrontation on religious grounds. There is no unity among the Vikings regarding faith: some still worship the old gods, others have become Christians. These doubts and disagreements are traced both on an ideological level among the rulers of individual clans and in the personal attitudes of individual characters. The same Leif is not too confident in the power of the gods familiar to the Greenlanders and directly encounters what Christians call a 'miracle.' Meanwhile, Freydis, in her pilgrimage to Uppsala, strengthens traditional beliefs and convinces herself of her divine 'chosenness.'

Thanks to this ambiguity, the viewer never knows how a particular character in Vikings: Valhalla will act. Will one Viking betray another or change their attitude towards faith? Combined with the palace intrigues, which in terms of unpredictability will remind you of Game of Thrones, this makes the series extremely captivating.

Bread is clear, what about the spectacle?

The original Vikings was always distinguished by its special brutality, sparing no feelings of the impressionable audience. The successors followed the same path. Severed heads and other limbs, frighteningly explicit murder scenes, including mass ones, no mercy on the battlefield — all of this is abundant in the series. According to the show's creators, many of the actors studied weapon handling to perform all the stunts in battles themselves. This, of course, positively affects the authenticity of the picture.

In addition, naval forces play an important role in the action. There are no direct naval battles in the debut season, but in one of the main battles of the first episodes, the Vikings besiege England, attacking London Bridge, including from the sea. The ships add scale to what is happening and look quite majestic.

Stories about Vikings are always associated with religious mysteries and a mystical aura, so here there is almost an entire episode dedicated to the metaphysical adventures of one of the heroes. To say that it looks impressive and mesmerizing is an understatement. Therefore, from a visual and entertainment point of view, the show Vikings: Valhalla is also in perfect order.

A Fly in the Ointment

Unfortunately, there are some downsides. Some storylines and sketches seem outright superfluous. For example, the arc of the dark-skinned ruler of Kattegat, Jarl Haakon, is clearly here to support the agenda, even though they tried to logically justify it.

In some stories, there is a sense of confusion. For example, Freydis's adventures sometimes lack logic, and her mood changes more often than the tide off the coast of England. Perhaps this is due to the high pace that the creators set from the first minutes of the series.

Is it worth watching Vikings: Valhalla?

This project managed to do almost the impossible — gather about a dozen colorful characters but give each one due time in just 8 episodes; pick up the banner of a famous predecessor without lowering the quality bar; captivate with an unpredictable story full of unexpected twists — and at the same time remain within the framework of an entertaining spectacle that does not require any additional preparation. We strongly recommend it to all fans of the genre and lovers of high-quality quasi- and pseudo-historical projects.