‘Vikings’ Season 6: Shieldmaidens Young And Old Unite To Protect Lagertha’s Village Against Bandits

SPOILER ALERT: This article discusses Episode 5 (titled “The Key”) of History Channel’s Vikings. Please proceed with caution if you have not yet viewed all available episodes and wish to avoid spoilers.

Episode 5 of History Channel’s Vikings sees Gunnhild (Ragga Ragnars) arriving to check up on Lagertha (Katheryn Winnick) after having a dream about troubles involving the famous shieldmaiden. As previously reported by The Inquisitr, Lagertha was set to retire from her life of battle. However, when bandits started attacking the village closest to her, she had no choice but to dust off her sword and get straight back into battle.

Unfortunately, her struggle to defend the village led to the death of her grandson, Hali (Ryan Henson), and Lagertha has to tell Gunnhild the news when she arrived in Episode 5.

As Metro points out, Lagertha also expects the bandits to return and is hurrying to ready the community against further attacks.

“They will attack again soon,” Lagertha told Gunnhild in the latest episode of Vikings.

These bandits are a product of Lagertha’s son, Bjorn Ironside (Alexander Ludwig). Originally, supporters of Ivar the Boneless (Alex Hogh Andersen), Bjorn had them branded and cast out rather than killed. Since then, they have been raiding as a way to support themselves.

Now that they have focused on Lagertha’s location, the aging shieldmaiden is warranted in her concern. Gunnhild, seeing that the community needed help, banded together with her own shieldmaidens in an effort to fully fortify the village.

Quickly, the group managed to secure the location. However, several of the older shieldmaidens who lived in the village alongside Lagertha started to feel left on the outer as the younger women worked.

Lagertha, seeing the older women standing away from the main group, heads over to talk to them.

“What is it that you see?” Lagertha asked them.

“I see myself,” said one of the women. “That’s how I was all those years ago.”

“That’s how we all were,” said another woman. “Now it’s like seeing ghosts.”

While they are lamenting their past, Gunnhild walked up and asked the women to join in on the activities.

“Come, join our feast,” said Gunnhild. “We will be shieldmaidens together.”

The group then expanded to welcome the older women and they are seen all having fun together after that.

As to when the bandits will attack remains to be seen and viewers will have to tune into further episodes of Vikings in order to find out more.

Season 6 of Vikings returns to the History Channel on Wednesday, January 8, at 10 p.m.