Warning: Full spoilers for the episode follow...
Despite the fact that last week's episode saw Ragnar overthrow Earl Haraldson and become leader the entire region, this week's chapter, "A King's Ransom," was the most focused and overtly crowd-pleasing episode of the season. It also managed to answer the nagging question of "Why should we regularly root for a group of men (and one woman!) to murder innocent people and steal their stuff?" Well, the answer is easy. Just make their unsuspecting opponents be arrogant and loathsome.
I really do enjoy the fact that the vikings see great honor in battle, and in dying during battle, and yet the way they fight would be considered, perhaps, less than honorable. Look, I'm not saying I disagree with their tactics, but there's definitely two opposing ideals at play. And the viking way is, essentially, the better way to conduct wars. Never attack unless the odds are in your favor. Which means you don't fight if you can't win. Which some might regard as cowardice. But, of course, it's the smart play. So many moments in this episode were filled with the vikings out-smarting the haughty and pious Northumbrians; including a spiked gate that could be raised up to block horses and a nice trick by Floki who managed to capture the King's over-prasied brother in his tent while he was busy praying and being a coward while his men were dying outside.
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