"Vikings" season 3 premiere episode featured an intense battle by the river, lots of death and flirting.
The episode titled "Mercenary" saw King Ragnar Lothbrok (Travis Fimmel) and his crew sail to Mercia to fight Brihtwulf with the aid of the latter's nephew Princess Kwenthrith (Amy Bailey) who was with Ragnar on the boat.
Also on the other side was Kwenthrith's brother, who she loves and was lucky enough that he was at a farther spot to escape the wrath of the Norsemen. The uncle unfortunately died a sign that in the next "Vikings" episode, audience will see Ragnar force his way into other territories.
There's not much twist or shocking scene in the "Vikings" season 3 premiere episode involving the main characters. However, the pilot might be the last one that will keep your emotions at a normal level.
Talking to Variety, series creator Michael Hirst hinted "Vikings" season 3 premiere episode will be a far cry from the rest. The term he used to describe the whole season is "heartbreaking."
"I set myself up with all these fractured relationships in order then to address them and find out what happens to them all. A lot of tragedy, I have to say, but I have to raise the ante," Hirst started.
"It wasn't just how much bigger it'll be going to Paris - it's how much more important the personal issues are too. And the consequences of that are actually quite... 'significant' doesn't even cover it. This season is heartbreaking."
On Ragnar Lothbrok and why he does not crave for power, Michael Hirst said the leader of the savage Norsemen is not interested in becoming a king but he thirsts for two things.
"He never wanted to become king. He's never been driven by the ambition for power. His motivating factors are twofold; one is his great curiosity, like the god Odin. And the other is that he does desire fame. Fame was the biggest thing for the Vikings, not celebrity - fame for doing amazing things," the "Vikings" creatoer said.
Adding, "So he's king, but he's uneasy about being king. He's acquired power that he never intended to acquire. He is very aware that power corrupts. But it does give him the opportunity to do certain things that he does believe in and he does want to do, and one is to establish the farming settlement in England on the land that King Ecbert [Linus Roache] has given him. That's perhaps not a very sexy ambition, but it's actually what happened. It's what, in the long run, led to the Vikings establishing themselves in England and France and so on."
