History Channel’s ‘Vikings’: Will Rollo’s Marriage Be The Ultimate Betrayal To Ragnar In Season 4?

Fans of History Channel’s Vikings were excited by the panel held recently at San Diego Comic Con. Not only did some of the core cast turn up to answer questions, but there were some teasers hinted at in relation to Season 4 of Vikings.

Travis Fimmel (who plays main character Ragnar Lothbrok), Katheryn Winnick (Lagertha), Clive Standen (Rollo), and Alexander Ludwig (Bjorn Ironside) joined Vikings creator Michael Hirst and scriptwriter Dirk Hoogstra (EVP & General Manager, History Channel) at the Comic Con panel last week.

WARNING: Spoilers abound in this article, so if you have not watched up to the Season 3 finale of Vikings, please turn away now.

For Rollo, at the end of Season 3 of Vikings, fans saw him being offered marriage to a French princess and the offer of a life there in Paris. Clive Standen confirms this will be an avenue Rollo is interested in taking in Season 4 of Vikings.

“It seems like a win-win scenario. He’s got nothing to go back for in Kattegat anymore.”

However, as fans saw in the Season 4 trailer also released at Comic Con, Rollo forgot to factor in how much of a betrayal this marriage will seem to the Vikings — especially to his brother, Ragnar, who has already been betrayed by him when he sided with Jarl Borg. Could this be the final betrayal for the Vikings ruler, Ragnar? Will he turn his back once and for all against his brother? After all, the French do not expect Rollo to take their princess without also taking their side against the Vikings.

However, could it also be a great scheme on Rollo’s behalf? After all, his brother has been known to be twistier than a tornado when it comes to saying one thing but meaning something entirely different in Vikings. Could Rollo be marrying Princess Gisla (Morgane Polanski) as a ploy to get a Viking permanently inside the French camp? Standen, after all, does not seem to think Rollo’s betrothal as a betrayal to Ragnar:

“We’re going to see a completely different Rollo, if he’s ever going to conquer Paris and conquer the princess. He has to be far more cerebral, he has to be on his A-game all the time, and his attitude to Ragnar has to change. He can’t always be in the doldrums of being this second-best brother that’s in the shadows.”

However, Vikings creator, Michael Hirst does seem to think it will lead to a confrontation between the brothers in Season 4 of Vikings:

“You could safely say that; they’re heading that way. Rollo seems to have committed himself to marrying the emperor’s daughter, and Ragnar and Bjorn have promised to return to Paris the following year. So it’s all set up for another huge and defining encounter between them.”

Fans of Vikings who also follow the history of the Vikings closely will know that Rollo is actually a famous historical figure from French — as well as Viking — history, so for those who would like some direct spoilers into how Rollo’s role in Paris might work out, just try googling “Rollo,” and have a read through the history of this character. However, although Hirst does base Vikings on historical evidence, there is a certain amount of creative nuance added; after all, Rollo and Ragnar were not known to be brothers at all and were actually placed in different parts of the Viking history timeline.

Along with the official Season 4 trailer for Vikings released at San Diego Comic Con, you can view the exciting Vikings teaser video below:

History Channel’s Vikings will premiere in 2016. Currently, filming on Season 4 is still underway on location in Ireland.

Are you looking forward to Season 4 of History Channel’s Vikings when it premieres in 2016? Let us know by commenting below!

[Image credit: History Channel, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc.]