"The Dead" is the tenth episode of the third season of Vikings. It is the twenty-ninth episode of the series overall. It first aired on April 23, 2015. It was written by creator Michael Hirst and directed by Ken Girotti.
Synopsis
With one last chance to take Paris, Ragnar and his Vikings troops take a daring chance. Ragnar asks Bjorn for a favor that could change the course of Viking history.
Plot
The French stand by their promise and pay gold and silver to the Vikings but the raiding party shows no sign of returning home. Many people are still shocked at Ragnar's christening, and when the badly wounded leader dies, Bjorn is left in charge. The warriors place Ragnar's corpse into a wooden coffin and escort it to the gates of Paris, where they meet the Bishop. The coffin is brought inside the Cathedral to be blessed, but Ragnar suddenly jumps out of the coffin very much alive. He takes Princess Gisla as a hostage and forces the guards to open the gates, allowing his fellow Vikings to raid the city. Soon after, most of the Vikings leave Frankia for home, but a small party, led by Rollo, remain at the river camp. In Paris, Emperor Charles is determined to gain the favour of the northerners, offering Rollo lands and titles and his daughter in marriage in return for defending Paris against his brother. While sailing home Ragnar tells Floki that he knows he is Athelstan's killer.
Cast
Main
- Travis Fimmel as King Ragnar
- Katheryn Winnick as Lagertha/Earl Ingstad
- Clive Standen as Rollo
- Gustaf Skarsgård as Floki
- Alexander Ludwig as Bjorn
- Ben Robson as Earl Kalf
- Lothaire Bluteau as Emperor Charles
Guest Starring
- Maude Hirst as Helga
- Owen Roe as Count Odo
- John Kavanagh as The Seer
- Morgane Polanski as Princess Gisla
Additional Cast (in order of appearance)
- Huw Parmenter as Roland
- Edvin Endre as Erlendur
- Frankie McCafferty as Sinric
- Laurence Foster as French Archbishop
- Karen Hassan as Therese
Episode Deaths
- French Archbishop
Trivia
- Alyssa Sutherland, Kevin Durand and Linus Roache are not credited and do not appear in this episode.
- The coffin trick is similar to the way in which the historical Bjorn Ironside captured the Italian town of Luni