Vikings is not your typical TV series. There is no one main character. At least not a clear main character. There are a couple of main characters. It is a true ensemble series like Game of Thrones. And part of the reason why fans love it, the series likes to kill off major players and shift the focus to another character. Throughout the series, we had some amazing popular Vikings characters. Who is your favorite?
When the show first started, it followed legendary Norse mythology figure Ragnar Lothbrok and his travels alongside his Vikings brothers. As the series progressed, the show shifted the focus to his sons and their own journeys and battles between them.
Ragnar’s wife also took the center stage for a brief period. But generally speaking, there is never one main character. Instead, the show has more than three main characters fighting for the protagonist’s position. Let’s take a look at some of the best Vikings characters the show has produced so far.
Ragnar Lothbrok
Ragnar started as a farmer claiming to be descended from the god Odin. In the show, he quickly becomes Earl of Kattegat after he challenges and kills his ruthless opponent, Earl Haraldson.
Ragnar is a feared Viking warrior. After claiming the title Earl of Kattegat, he becomes a raider of undiscovered lands and eventually, King of Denmark.
He wants to learn more about other cultures. Throughout the series, he has shown a lot of versatility. A lot of fans consider him the most versatile character with an amazing story arc. And after his series, many will tell you the show never felt the same.
Bjorn Ironside
Bjorn is the greatest Ragnar’s son and legend of the Viking world. Many had doubts he can do more than his father did, but Bjorn somehow succeeded in that.
When you watch the show from start to finish, you have a feeling you have grown up with Bjorn. His transformation from a young boy to the most feared Viking warrior is amazing.
Bjorn filled the void the moment Ragnar passed away. Unlike most of his brothers, he is more than just Ragnar’s son. Bjorn forges his own destiny and path, earning the same level of respect as his father.
Lagertha
Lagertha is the first wife of Ragnar and a shield-maiden. After her separation from Ragnar, she rises to become the Earl of Hedeby in her own right. She goes by the name Earl Ingstad. After the deaths of Ragnar and Aslaug, Lagertha becomes Queen of Kattegat.
She and Ragnar made for a power couple like no other. But do not mistake her as only the wife of Ragnar. She didn’t let the fact she cannot bear any more children ruin her arc and story. Instead, she became one of the fiercest shield-maidens in the Viking world.
Lagertha remained loyal to her ex-husband until the very end. She did some bad things, but fans always had love for her. And the actress playing her did a great job with the character.
Athelstan
Athelstan started as a slave to Ragnar but turned into his best friend. He was much more than a peaceful monk.
When he entered the Viking society, Athelstan started doubting everything that he thought he knew before. Athelstan was one of the few characters that concerned themselves with questions about morality, purpose, and spirituality.
Sadly, with him gone, the show lost a very interesting theme. He died in Vikings season 3, but his kindness and intelligence make him one of the best Vikings characters.
Floki
Every show needs a resident lunatic. Floki showed the essence of being a Viking. He is a murderous lover of raiding, pillaging, and plundering.
He was the finest boat builder in the world and the closest friend of Ragnar. He rose to prominence in the early Vikings season series and then become a key part of the raiding party.
Floki showed violence during the raids of England and enjoyed the brutal conflict. And that made him an even better favorite character.
Following the deaths of Ragnar and Helga, he never fully recovered. His voyage to Iceland proved a disaster. And the show never fully explained his mysterious disappearance.
King Ecbert
This guy was one of a kind. The leader of a Christian nation, he understands that the world is multi-cultural. He took great interest in the world of the Vikings.
Some of the best dialogues in the show are the conversations between King Ecbert and Ragnar. The worst part about his complex character is that he didn’t care about people, not even his son.
While selfish and egotistical, he was very skillful at politics.
Ivar
Every show needs a good villain. As we say, as kids we love heroes, but as adults, we understand villains better. And no show can grow to a legendary status without a proper villain.
And Ivar filled that spot perfectly. He typifies what it takes to be a villain with exceptional performance and delivery.
Even as a child, he had slight anger issues. He couldn’t care less about anyone, even about little Siggy dying. Mean to everyone, even his brothers, Ivar grew up into a psychopathic tyrant.
Even though you cannot like him, Ivar was the complex character keeping the wheels turning in the show. Without his conflicts, the show would lose almost all of its tension. Ivar’s immediate response to situations is violence, and there is no character on the show with his military expertise.
Rollo
Rollo was Ragnar’s brother, and he always came second. His loyalties kept shifting throughout the series. Most of the things he does do not make any sense. And that is probably because he doesn’t really belong anywhere.
Rollo betrayed Ragnar, but he also did some good things for him. The only thing we love about him is the way he wields his ax on a battlefield. Without that, he would have nothing going. And the show had some weird story arcs and plot twists for him. If he knew he was Bjorn’s father all along, why would he abandon his family, right?
Heahmund
This character stood out from the rest. He was a devout Christian who cannot stand pagans, but his lifestyle often resembled the Viking one.
He had a strategic mind that made him a welcome addition to the show. Heahmund even managed to impress Ivar with his warring tactics.
The show could have done more with him, turning him into Ivar’s friend the way Athelstan became Ragnar’s.
But his story arc is sometimes strange. Heahmund started as a fearless bishop and then became Lagertha’s sidekick.
Ubbe
Ubbe looks like one of the best Vikings characters in the show. He travels as far as the Americas, discovers Greenland, and helps to avenge his father’s death. For this reason, we have to place him on the list of popular Vikings characters.
But his lack of ability to capture the audience prevented him from achieving a higher rank in popularity. One of the better things in his arc is his constant battle with his little brother, Ivar.
Aslaug
The show could have done much better with Aslaug. Fans didn’t love her because she is the reason Ragnar left Lagertha. But also because she never really cared about him or his desires. Aslaug used Ragnar to get ahead in life and become the new queen.
She gave him four sons but cared very little about them. Aslaug developed an unhealthy attachment to Ivar. And when Lagertha put an arrow through her, very few people felt sad.
King Alfred
Alfred of Wessex was the illegitimate son of Judith and Athelstan. The late King Ecbert protected Alfred, saying God has very special plans for him. The series changed a bit of his real personal history. The favorite character was based on Alfred the Great, who was actually the biological son of King Aethelwulf. He fought off the Vikings’ invasions.
