Vikings Episode 6 Recap: Burial of the Dead

This was an action packed episode. Here's the highlights:

Ragnar challenges the Earl to a fight-- which might not be such a good idea since poor Ragnar is barely standing himself. The Earl accepts and is killed by Ragnar. Ragnar slits the Earl's wrist-- I assume to kill him quickly after he was defeated. I thought the Earl would be around a lot longer than that. I did like how each man showed respect for the other though.

Ragnar (who is wounded during the fight and looks like he might keel over any second) is now Earl Lothbrok. Everyone expresses their fealty and loyalty to Ragnar. Rollo axes the old Earl's irritating assistant.

After the Earl is killed, Siggy makes a bee line for her daughter's husband and stabs him. I guess she really didn't approve of that marriage. She also didn't want him to lay any claim to being Earl.

Much of the episode focuses on the burial of the Earl. There is an "Angel of Death" (a scary albino woman). A servant is killed to go with the Earl. He is put on his ship and then set afire. Athelstan is shocked by the whole process and leaves before its over. I didn't understand why Siggy was rejected by Ragnar when she asked Ragnar to light Haraldsen’s pyre?

Lagertha is pregnant. Ragnar says he's sure it's a boy because the seer told him so.

Rollo says he is the future Earl and wants Siggy to marry him. Me thinks Rollo is planning to get mother and daughter for the price of one. And we know where the next major conflict in this show will be since Ragnar is the Earl now. Siggy better take Rollo up on that offer since I'm not sure if she has any other options. Without Rollo, she and Thyri will either be killed or shunned by the community.

Athelstan asks about Ragnarok (the twilight of the gods and the end of the world). The last part of the show showed Ragnar and crew back in England. Next week he'll clash with King Aelle of Northumbria (who I am not liking at all).

Grade: 4 Monsters (out of 5). A quality episode I thought. The Ragnarok sequence was especially interesting. There are 9 episodes (so 3 to go). Good News: Vikings has been renewed for a second season!