In the episode’s opening scene, we get a closeup of Prince Oleg’s puzzled face as he senses something amiss about Igor’s absence from the Good Friday ceremony, and the tension centered on Igor’s escape naturally escalates. It appears she may be planning to join Bjorn in Valhalla and leave earthly pursuits behind? When she refuses to compromise herself, an air of doom hangs over the scene. Dressed in an elegant white gown, Gunnhild asks Bjorn for guidance in a moving “To be or not to be” speech in which it’s impossible to ignore the dagger she holds in her hand.
Can the two vastly different women peacefully coexist in a polyamorous relationship with King Harald and play a role in Norway’s future? We may never learn the answer to that question. However, there’s more to her story, and her touching honesty takes away some of the sting of her earlier challenge of Gunnhild. We’re treated to an intimate conversation the two women have, and Ingrid admits what we’ve long suspected – she doesn’t really know whose child she carries.
Granted, at his coronation, he announces his intention to marry both Gunnhild and Ingrid who will then reign as queens by his side. Just as compelling, however, is Gunnhild’s reaction to Harald’s offer. Vikings Season 6 Episode 13 Review: The Signal By Dave Vitagliano Instead, he further adds to the plot machinations with a twist laden coup attempt. However, Hirst doesn’t take the easy way out and have Harald choose one over the other to be his queen. Of course, the situation becomes even more complicated and potentially contentious when we consider that he’s always desired and respected Gunnhild who must now subvert herself to the man who raped the other candidate for Kattegat’s crown. There’s plenty of intrigue here, and even though Gunnhild stands as the people’s choice to succeed Bjorn, Harald’s compelling argument that he’s king of all Norway is difficult to refute. While Prince Oleg prepares to attack his brother Dir and Kjetill justifies his destructive and selfish behavior, the village of Kattegat stands ready to welcome its new ruler. Despite all of the upheaval, Vikings continues its string of solid episodes and deftly previews the impending battles in Rus and on the land settled by Ubbe and the Icelanders. “Lost Souls” journeys through a complicated tangle of feelings that focus on the leadership vacuums a new world order sets into motion. Perhaps Gunnhild says it best when she confides in her dead husband Bjorn that “the time for great heroes is over,” a statement that speaks to the loss of direction so many of the characters now experience as the Viking age reaches a crossroads.