Season 2, Episode 2

Air date: Thursday, March 6, 2014, 10/9C on History

Rating: ★★★★★

“It is always a strength to know the weaknesses of your friends, is it not?” — Siggy

The second installment of season two of Vikings, “Invasion,” opens with a time jump. The year is now 800 and it’s been four years since the last raid and the taxing battle with Jarl Borg (Thorbjørn Harr). People in Kattegat are beginning to wonder if Ragnar (Travis Fimmel) has turned complacent just like Earl Haraldson (Gabriel Byrne), the earl he once ousted. Will there be a raid out west soon?

The answer comes quickly to the people of Kattegat. Thanks to Floki’s (Gustaf Skarsgard) ship building expertise, Ragnar has been preparing to go out west for the upcoming summer. As the timeline comes to a close, King Horik (Donald Logue) and Jarl Borg show up in town to see their interests fulfilled. Just as these two men lay eyes on one another, the toxicity in the air quadruples at warp speed. Their exchange immediately raises questions as to whether the agreement they made four years ago will actually stand.

The idea of reliance on a person’s integrity is a recurrent theme in “Invasion” and as the action moves forward, the main characters must endure a variety of tests about their honestly and reliability. Here’s the roundup of the challenges they endured:

Will Athelstan (Blagden) have what it takes to fight like a Viking?

Rollo and SiggyRagnar has a way of influencing people without directly stating his will in the form of an order, and the astute Siggy (Jessalyn Gilsig) understands this. The day after Ragnar announces the summer raid in the west, she goes in search of Rollo (Clive Standen) in order to will her way to pull him out of the drunken stupor and depression he’s been in after costing Jarl Borg the battle against Horik and Ragnar.

Will Rollo and Siggy remain loyal to Ragnar? Sadly, one of them will succeed (for now), and the other one will sell to a higher bidder.

Athelstan

After being called “Priest” by Floki, Athelstan (George Blagden) is quick to challenge him. “Why do you still say such things?” As they train for the raids, Athelstan doesn’t fare well; Ragnar points out his hesitation to strike an opponent. Athelstan faces a two-fold test as they travel west. At the physical level, he’ll have to prove himself a worthy warrior to fight and survive. At a personal level, heading back to the motherland stirs some strong emotions in him. This, in turn, raises questions about whether he’ll remain loyal to Ragnar. Has Athelstan really left behind his previous life as a monk?

Auslaug

Thanks to Auslaug (Alyssa Sutherland), the Seer’s (John Kavanagh) prophecy of Ragnar fathering multiple sons comes true. Well, he and Auslaug certainly have been busy! The dynamics of this marriage are interesting to watch and although Ragnar believes to have the upper hand with Auslaug, his flirtatious and curious nature draws the ire of his second wife. In spite of Ragnar’s child-like demeanor and antics at times, Auslaug isn’t easily swayed and I love how she eventually reveals the supernatural gift she supposedly has to him.

Ragnar remains preocupied with the future of sons. He’s particularly concered about Bjorn who he hasn’t seen in four years.

Is she really a seer or is she taking advantage of the north men’s penchant for superstition? The way she embraces Ragnar as he’s about to set sail seems to hint she may have super powers after all. However, it is thoroughly amusing how Auslaug manages to mess with Ragnar’s head to the point where he pays a visit to an ancient Seer to find out what is going to happen to his sons. Speaking of which, is anyone else relieved to see that scene with the Seer fade out without the mandatory hand licking?

Ragnar

Ragnar’s natural curiosity and studious approach towards all things new is usually an asset but at times, it can create problems for him as it did with Auslaug. In addition, Ragnar’s fairly public shunning of Rollo for the summer raids opens up areas of opportunity for those around him who are mainly concerned about driving home personal agendas over partnerships.

What’s on my radar?

• Team Ragnar’s preparation (ship building-wise, the language skills perfected by Ragnar, and the inclusion of Athelstan in the trip as a language/cultural translator) being superior to, say, King Horik’s. Will these factors results in game changers for Ragnar in the future?
• King Horik’s opportunistic nature and his eagerness to alienate and humiliate Jarl Borg. Like Lagertha, I too distrust Horik. I think this alliance will prove costly to Ragnar, especially as Jarl Borg doesn’t look like a man who will stand for anyone shaming and dishonoring him lightly.
• While Lagertha is a better judge of character, Auslaug appears to do a better job navigating the political arena, at least so far. In spite of realizing Siggy’s noticeable desire for power, Auslaug’s interest in drawing Siggy closer at her convenience proves it. However, time will tell who ultimately benefits from this new friendship.
• Floki and Torstein’s (Jefferson Hall) strong adherence to Viking ways and how this will come into play as they face new situations.

Dealing with King Ecbert (Roach), who has a reputation equal to Ragnar’s, won’t be as easy for the Vikings as their previous encounter with the King of Northumbria.

As with the season premiere, “Brother’s War,” Michael Hirst and crew deliver another balanced but rich episode. While interpersonal relationships are the initial focus, we quickly move on to action-oriented sequences, which are thrilling to watch. During the last minutes of “Invasion,” I could hardly contain my excitement during the battle sequences. Once again, I’m enjoying how the show seems eager to challenge the typical stereotypes of Vikings winning battles through sheer brute force while hinting at their perseverance, thanks to their mastery of combat skills. Furthermore, the continued incorporation of the shield-maidens fighting alongside the men interests me. As the Vikings encounter the English, it is a huge treat seeing Athelstan in action. He proves himself extremely valuable in ensuring the safety of King Horik and Ragnar, and ultimately, by aiding the Vikings in their defeat of a much larger English force. While he plays a key role in the battle, I couldn’t help but wonder whether Athelstan will remain loyal to the Vikings in the long run. At the beginning of “Invasion,” Ragnar brags about England’s generosity to the Vikings. While it was easy for them to succeed in Northumbria, considering the welcome they endured upon landing in Wessex, I think the Vikings are about to find themselves facing a whole new ballgame as they deal with the calculating King Ecbert (Linus Roach).What did you think of “Invasion?”

Leave me comment below or tweet me @LutzElle.For more on the show, go to http://www.history.com/shows/vikings.

Follow Vikings on Twitter @HistoryVikings using hashtag #Vikings, as well as some of the cast members—@gblagden, @KatherynWinnick, and @CliveStanden

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