‘Vikings’: Ragnar Lothbrok Once Revealed Who the Only Person He Can Trust Is
The main character of Vikings, Ragnar Lothbrok (Travis Fimmel), once revealed in season 3, episode 6 that a certain character was the only one he could trust. We have all the details about their friendship.
Ragnar Lothbrok and Athelstan in ‘Vikings’
Ragnar and a Saxon monk named Athelstan’s (George Blagen) lives change in the first Viking raid at Lindisfarne in Northumbria in England. Athelstan is abducted by Ragnar after it’s revealed he can speak their language. He traveled to preach Christianity in the past, and therefore learned their language.
Ragnar decides to choose Athelstan out of all the treasure brought back in the hoard, and despite kidnapping him as a slave at first, they become quite close as best friends and teach each other many things.
Athelstan develops into a Viking, adopting their culture and religion as his own. But he is always feeling pulled between his two worlds and religions, and it takes up a lot of his thoughts and time.
Ragnar learns a lot from Athelstan, who becomes family to him, including his language. He also gets information about Paris from Athelstan, a place he eventually raids. Athelstan learns from Ragnar as well, and they grow to care about each other.
Ragnar once revealed who the only person he can trust is
In season 3, Athelstan believes he felt the presence of God in a vision where he lost his sight and then could suddenly see again. He no longer believes in the Norse gods, and he goes to Ragnar to tell him that he’s “born again.” He mentions that it’s probably best that he leave, but Ragnar isn’t having it. He won’t have his best friend leave despite his change in religions.
“What do you mean?” Ragnar says as he gets up, talking to his friend. “You cannot leave.” He continues, “You cannot leave me!” he yells, clearly upset.
“I love you,” Ragnar tells him. “And you’re the only one I can trust, so you must stay.”
Ragnar hugs him, and promises “no one will ever hurt” him, saying he’ll “protect” him. However, that isn’t the case.
Athelstan is killed
Floki (Gustaf Skarsgård), a good friend of Ragnar’s who never trusted Athelstan, kills him after he believes he’s had a vision from the gods he believes in that blood must be spilled. He also watched Athelstan throw his sacred arm ring in the water, so he knows Athelstan no longer believes in the Norse gods. While Athelstan prays, Floki comes in and kills him with an ax.
Ragnar mourns the loss of his friend greatly, and he’s devastated by it. He buries Athelstan high on a mountain, making a makeshift cross as a gravestone. Ragnar wears Athelstan’s cross necklace in remembrance until he’s about to be executed, at which time he gives it to Athelstan’s son, Alfred.
Floki is eventually arrested by Ragnar’s son, Bjorn (Alexander Ludwig), for the crime while Ragnar is hurt in bed from the successful raid on Paris. Ragnar decides to punish him for killing Athelstan with his arms suspended to the side and a constant drip of water on his head. However, Ragnar lets him go, and they eventually become friends again.
But the loss of Athelstan, Ragnar’s greatest friend, is something he always carries with him, as he was the only person he could trust.
