A sequel to the History Channel’s popular ‘Vikings’ series, ‘Vikings: Valhalla’ explores a transitional period in Scandinavian history. In the 11and century, the conflict between believers of the ancient pagan religion and Christianity enters its final stage in the twilight days of the Viking Age. Like the original series, “Vikings: Valhalla” candidly depicts the endemic suffering of ordinary people as their rulers seek glory, land, and revenge. While making their pilgrimage to the Uppsala temple, Freydis Eriksdotter (Frida Gustavsson) and her companions are ambushed by a Christian berserker. Freydis and another woman survive the encounter. With her friend on the verge of death, Freydis arrives at a pagan colony and asks the healer for help. The healer has a child of her own. If you’re wondering what happened to that kid at the end of Season 1, we’ve got you covered. FRONT SPOILERS.
What happens to the baby?
The baby first appears in episode 3 of the first season. While his brother and Harald are busy fighting the English marshes, Freydis goes on a pilgrimage to the temple in Uppsala with two fellow Greenlanders and a few others. On their way, they are attacked by a Christian berserker. Freydis later learns that he is known to have attacked and killed Pilgrims. She manages to kill the mugger, but not before he has killed almost everyone in his party except her and another Greenlander. They find a pagan colony and Freydis takes her friend there.
The healer asks Freydis to tend to his daughter while she tends to her friend’s wounds. Upon learning what happened, she urges Freydis to go to Uppsala. She knows that the berserker has served the fanatical Christian warlord Jarl Kåre and will soon come looking for answers. And that’s what happens. Kåre finds the colony and murders everyone, including Freydis’ healer and friend. However, he does not kill the little girl. He goes to Uppsala to speak to the seer. It is revealed that when he was young, his older brother was sacrificed to pagan gods before his eyes. Since then, he hates his parents’ religion and seeks revenge. Kåre destroys Uppsala, perhaps the last remnant of paganism in Scandinavia, and teams up with Olaf Haraldsson to defeat Jarl Haakon of Kattegat, one of the last pagan rulers.
Kåre and his people send a ship as an ominous warning to the defenders of Kattegat. It is decorated with the heads of the priests of Uppsala. The body of the head priestess is attached to the mast. The baby is left on deck – still alive. There is a baptismal cross on his forehead, which Kåre made earlier with his own blood.
Does the baby die?
No, the baby does not die in “Vikings: Valhalla”. The last time we saw the baby, she was alive. Leif, Freydis and the others retrieve her from the ship. Jarl Haakon sends Leif, Freydis and Harald to inspect what happened in Uppsala. It can be assumed that the baby was placed in the custody of one of the citizens of Kattegat. If they managed to survive the ensuing battle, the baby is likely alive.
Read more: Do Freydis and Harald end up together in Vikings: Valhalla?
