‘Vikings’ Katheryn Winnick Disagreed With Lagertha’s Domestic Abuse Storyline

Lagertha has been through some pretty harrowing storylines in History Channel’s Vikings. However, there was one which the actress who plays her, Katheryn Winnick, was not a fan of.

Lagertha, a tough shieldmaiden, has had her share of complications in her life. Many of these situations also involve her love life. After Ragnar Lothbrok (Travis Fimmel) cheated on her and she divorced him in Season 2 of Vikings, Lagertha then married Sigvard (Morten Sasse Suurballe.) It was this relationship and the domestic abuse involved in it that Katheryn Winnick objected to.

According to a recent interview that Vikings creator Michael Hirst gave to Syfy, Katheryn Winnick was not very fond of the domestic abuse storyline that Lagertha was involved with in Season 2 of Vikings. “After she’s left Ragnar in the second season, we see her married to an abusive guy,” Michael Hirst explains.

“Katheryn said that she didn’t like that story, that [she’s] got a following who see Lagertha as a strong, powerful woman. ‘What are they going to think of me?’ I told Katheryn that strong, intelligent women often find themselves in abusive relationships. A lot of women will relate to your situation, it’s how you deal with it that matters. I’m going to put you in lots of different situations that resonate.”

While Katheryn Winnick may not have been very fond of this particular storyline, her character, Lagertha, deals with the situation as only she can. When Sigvard humiliates Lagertha in public, the shieldmaiden finally snaps and stabs Sigvard in the eye. Then, Einar (Steve Wall), the nephew of Sigvard, steps up and finishes him off, leaving Lagertha to rule in his place.

However, Lagertha’s relationship woes have continued after this incident in Season 2 of Vikings. She later got involved with Kalf (Ben Robson), a “manipulative fiance,” according to Metro. Once again, Lagertha had to deal with him using violence and bumped him off as well. When Lagertha found love with Astrid (Josefin Asplund), King Harald Finehair (Peter Franzen) kidnapped her and married her. Then, when Lagertha and Astrid met in battle, Lagertha was forced to stab Astrid, at Astrid’s request.

Now, Lagertha is involved with the Christian Bishop Heahmund (Jonathan Rhys Meyers.) Of course, viewers will just have to tune into future episodes of Vikings Season 5 to find out if Lagertha has finally found a happy relationship.

Vikings returns on Wednesday, December 19, at 9 p.m. ET/PT. History Channel provides the following synopsis for Episode 14 (titled “The Lost Moment”.)

“As the celebrations for Ivar continue in Kattegat, grief hits Iceland, and Floki must now make a fated decision. Harald’s army approaches Wessex. A conspiracy grows against King Alfred in court.”