Warning: Full spoilers for the episode follow...
Feeling like it should have been a part of last week's pilot episode, which felt as though it cut off in the middle of an episode just when things were getting interesting, "Wrath of the Northmen" saw Ragnar recruit a bunch of fool-hearty warriors to sail west with him, Rollo and Floki in their newly crafted, high-walled sail boat. And so, in this more driven episode, we actually got to leave the Viking shores to test Ragnar's theory while the Jarl began cleaning house in his absence.
One thing that helps Vikings stand out is the absence of splendor. Even the most powerful leaders don't live in grand palaces or speak in a manner more educated than the rest of their horde. In fact, none of these guys are conversationalists at all. When a character is troubled on this series they'll most likely say "This troubles me." So then one of the drawbacks here is the dialogue, if you're looking for quotable wisdoms or clever retorts that is. To make up for the lack of flowery lines this week, we got a taste of Norse mythology when Lagertha described the battle between Thor and Jörmungand the sea serpent to her son. Those types of speeches and stories, while not ornate, help provide a nice mystical coating to mortal deeds. Oh, and I also liked how (skipping ahead here) Rollo looked down upon the Monks worshipping Christ because he was a "dead God" while the Vikings' Gods were, supposedly, very much alive.
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