They’ve been fighting, invading and pillaging for five seasons now. A break midway through their escapades gave us all a breather, but now Vikings is back for the second half of season five.
And a gripping opening episode sets the scene for what promises to be yet more thrilling adventures full of action, gore and intrigue.
If you love Game Of Thrones and have so far resisted the Vikings invasion, you’re missing out.
Heroic Lagertha has a target on her back.
But it’s not too late to catch up. Here’s what has happened so far…
Season 1
Charismatic Viking Ragnar Lothbrok (Travis Fimmel) persuades his brother, Rollo (Clive Standen), to embark on raids to the west. Ragnar is convinced they have the navigational know-how, but his ruler, Earl Haraldson of Kattegat (Gabriel Byrne), refuses.
Ragnar, his eccentric shipwright friend Floki (Gustaf Skarsgård) and other volunteers go on an unauthorised raid to England, near the monasteryof Lindisfarne. They slaughter the monks and steal treasures.
Back home, Rollo makes advances on Ragnar’s wife, Lagertha (Katheryn Winnick).
After Haraldson turns on Ragnar, he’s killed by his younger rival and Ragnar becomes the new earl.
Fuelled by jealousy, Rollo sides with a powerful warrior leader named Jarl Borg (Thorbjørn Harr) against his brother and the Danish king, Horik (Donal Logue).
Lagertha learns of her husband’s affair with a pretty princess named Aslaug (Alyssa Sutherland). Humiliated, she leaves a distraught Ragnar, taking their son Bjorn (Alexander Ludwig) with her.
Viking Ragnar Lothbrok (Travis Fimmel).
Season 2
Lagertha, now an earl with soldiers at her disposal, joins forces with Ragnar for a raid on England.
Aslaug gives birth to a son with malformed legs, so Ragnar names him Ivar The Boneless (Alex Høgh Andersen). Ragnar later kills Horik and becomes king.
Season 3
Ragnar orders the Vikings to attack Paris, but they are repelled. He’s badly injured after being thrown from the city walls.
Ragnar tells the Franks he’s dying and asks to be baptised and buried in the city. He “dies” and his coffin is taken inside the cathedral to be blessed.
Suddenly, Ragnar jumps out and takes the Emperor’s daughter, Princess Gisla (Morgane Polanski), hostage, forcing the guards to open the gates. The Vikings storm the city.
Rollo remains in Paris, where Emperor Charles (Lothaire Bluteau) is determined to gain his favour.
Ivar is restless in the new season.
Season 4
In Paris, Rollo, now married to Princess Gisla, is living as a Frankish noble. He rides to the Viking encampment outside Paris and orders their massacre.
Ragnar announces another plan to raid Paris. But as the ships approach, Rollo and his new French allies fight them off.
In Northumbria, King Aelle (Ivan Kaye) has Ragnar dropped into a pit of snakes, where he dies.
Ivar returns to Kattegat and discovers his mother, Aslaug, has been killed by Lagertha. He vows revenge.
Ragnar’s sons – Bjorn, Ubbe (Jordan Patrick Smith), Sigurd (David Lindström), Hvitserk (Marco Ilsø) and Ivar – gather a Great Army to return to England to avenge their father.
They land in Northumbria, and King Aelle’s troops are overrun and he is killed.
Bjorn wants to protect his mother and avenge his father’s death.
Season 5
Ivar secures his position as leader of the Great Army in England. Hvitserk remains with him.
Near Kattegat, the armies of Lagertha, Bjorn and Ubbe do battle, as do the armies of King Harald of Norway (Peter Franzén), Ivar and Hvitserk.
Lagertha gains the upper hand and orders that English Bishop Heahmund (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) be saved. He pledges his loyalty to her.
In Wessex, King Aethelwulf (Moe Dunford) dies. His wife, Judith (Jennie Jacques), persuades her eldest son, Aethelred (Darren Cahill), to reject the throne and instead let his brother, Alfred (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo), become king.
Vikings season five part two will begin on SBS with a double episode on Thursday 6 December at 8:30pm.
