Skip to main content

Vikings season 6 has left fans seriously shocked and confused. One person’s death, which seemed inevitable, was also the most unexpected when it happened. Read on to learn why their fate could have been avoided. There are major spoilers ahead for season 6 of Vikings.

The trouble really starts when Bjorn Ironside lets the bandits go free

Michael Hirst, Alexander Ludwig, Katheryn Winnick, Gustaf Skarsgard, and Alex Hogh Andersen
Michael Hirst, Alexander Ludwig, Katheryn Winnick, Gustaf Skarsgard, and Alex Hogh Andersen | Joe Scarnici/Getty Images for HISTORY

In the beginning of the season, Bjorn (Alexander Ludwig) allows some of Ivar’s (Alex Høgh Andersen) men to go free into the woods instead of killing them as many wanted him to. The bandits don’t just sit back and take it either. They form a strong group behind their leader, White Hair (Kieran O’Reilly).

The bandits come at Lagertha

The bandits start attacking villagers and soon Lagertha (Katheryn Winnick) is caught up in it. The famous shield-maiden buried her sword and promised to never fight again, only to unbury it and retrieve it to fight again.

In the first wave from the bandits to Lagertha’s village, her grandson Hali is killed when trying to show off and just be a kid. White Hair cuts him down like nothing. Obviously, Lagertha must kill him and when the bandits return, she does manage to kill the bandit leader while suffering serious injuries herself.

Lagertha decides to travel back to Kattegat alone

Lagertha is seriously wounded after the fight with White Hair and she’s in no shape to take a trip to Kattegat, but somehow she thinks this is the right move. She even tells everyone else to stay behind as she ventures off by herself, wounded and barely making it.

Somehow, she makes it back to Kattegat, although she falls off her horse and starts crawling to get to where she needs to be. Unfortunately for Lagertha, Hvitserk (Marco Ilsø) is there and thinks she’s Ivar/ a giant snake. He stabs her and Lagertha meets her fate at the hand of a son of Ragnar.

How Lagertha’s death could have been avoided

There are a number of ways that her death could have actually been avoided, but a major one involves her state after fighting White Hair. She has many people around her that should have been trying to help her and tend to her wounds. She should never have been allowed to go off on her own in her condition. The most famous shield-maiden in the world would have been better cared for after successfully killing the bandit leader.

If somehow she had convinced others to let her go back to Kattegat, she should have been accompanied by people at least. It makes absolutely no sense for Lagertha to have been on the verge of death already and then allowed to just ride off on her horse that she could barely grab ahold of.

Everything about the situation doesn’t seem like Lagertha. She’s a capable leader with a good head on her shoulders. She’s so important to those around her, so the thought of her going off on her own doesn’t seem right at all. If anything, a messenger could have been sent letting everyone know what happened.

Lagertha, the Mother of Norway, has been killed in the ultimate fate by a son of Ragnar, just as the Seer (John Kavanagh) predicted. The way things played out wasn’t ideal considering who she was. Lagertha’s death may have been avoided.