‘Vikings’ Season 4 Part 2: Recap of Episode 11, ‘The Outsider’ [Opinion]

Welcome to the recap for Episode 11, entitled “The Outsider” of Season 4 Part 2 of Vikings.

SPOILER ALERT: This recap contains information about the 11th episode of Season 4 of History Channel’s Vikings. Please proceed with caution if you have not yet viewed this episode and wish to avoid spoilers.

Episode 10 of Vikings saw a time hop at the end of the episode which brought viewers up to speed on what had happened after Ragnar (Travis Fimmel) was defeated by his brother. Now, in Episode 11 of Vikings, viewers get to see a continuation of this.

Ragnar has decided he will return to England to confront King Ecbert (Linus Roache) about the Viking village he decimated after Ragnar had helped them settle in England. Episode 11 of Vikings then deals with Ragnar trying to get his kin and closest friends to go with him to England.

This does not go according to plan. His son, Bjorn (Alexander Ludwig) has plans to explore the Mediterranean with Floki (Gustaf Skarsgard) and Helga (Maude Hirst). His half brother, Hvitserk (Marco Ilsø), is also locked into this journey. Ragnar’s other sons, Sigurd (David Lindström) and Ubbe (Jordan Patrick Smith), will not leave their mother for fear of assassination threats.

Ragnar approaches Floki, to enlist his assistance with King Ecbert. However, even though Ragnar admits he loves his oldest friend and ally, Floki cannot back down from the promise he made to Bjorn.

As the show’s creator, Michael Hirst, has already revealed to Entertainment Weekly, Lagertha (Katheryn Winnick) survived her injuries sustained in the attack on Paris. Since then, she has moved on and started a relationship with Astrid (Josefin Asplund). As Out explains, Lagertha has not had very good relationships with men in the past, and this is why she is now in a relationship with Astrid.

Episode 11 of Vikings introduces this new couple. Astrid is a shield maiden like Lagertha, but she is also training with her to improve her skills. They seem to have a loving relationship, with Lagertha in the dominant role. And this is shown when Ragnar arrives asking Lagertha for assistance with his trip to England. After Lagertha points out all his faults as a Viking leader, they actually share a tender moment. For those hoping the pair will get back together, there is a kiss, but it is more like a goodbye kiss than one that will start something new, although I still hold out hope on this couple, regardless of what the history books say.

On his way back from seeing Lagertha, Ragnar, despondent that he is getting no support at all from his family or friends, decides to end his life in Episode 11 of Vikings. However, life has never been that easy for Ragnar and when the rope he is trying to hang himself with breaks, he trudges back to Kattegat to enlist the help of the last person there he hasn’t asked: Ivar (Alex Høgh). As Ivar points out, why would Ragnar want to take a cripple with him to England? But, it doesn’t matter as to why, Ivar, along with his daddy abandonment issues is happy to go to England with his father.

For Ivar, Episode 11 of Vikings has been a tough one. Not only has he had to watch all his brothers have sex with the hired help, when he is given his chance, he discovers more than just his legs don’t work. He threatens to kill the slave but she manages to talk her way out of the situation. Considering how ruthless Ivar can be, I would imagine this decision to let the slave live will have consequences later on in Season 4 of Vikings.

All in all, Episode 11 of Season 4 Part 2 of Vikings was a slow one. I still believe History would have been better served to place the time jump at the start of Episode 11 rather than at the end of Episode 10. However, Episode 12 of Vikings picks up considerably, and by the end of Episode 12, Vikings has well and truly gotten back onto its feet and quickened the pace.

What did you think of the Season 4 return of Vikings? Let us know your thoughts by commenting below!

Vikings returns to History Channel with Episode 12 on December 7, Wednesday, at 9 p.m. ET.

The synopsis for Episode 12 (entitled “The Vision”) is below.

“The Kattegat locals chide Ragnar that the gods have deserted him as he struggles to crew his voyage to Wessex. It’s Bjorn who has charisma now as he prepares to fulfill his long-held dream to explore the Mediterranean in a sleek new boat built for him by Floki. By contrast, Ragnar must accept weathered boats and a crew he has bribed but when Aslaug foresees that the fleet will be lost in a vicious storm her warnings go un-heeded by Ragnar and her precious son, Ivar.”

[Featured Image by Jonathan Hession/A&E Network]