Warning: This story contains spoilers for the finale of Vikings Season 5B, entitled "Ragnarok."
What’s next for Lagertha? Viewers last saw her as she soaked in one of her few victorious moments in Season 5, when she pronounced her son king. What will Season 6 have in store for the famous former Queen of Kattegat? Vikings’ creator Michael Hirst teased:
. . .She initially decides, after she virtually comes back from the dead, that she's going to step away from power, from responsibility, from fame. There's actually a meeting in the beginning of the first episode of Season 6 in which the winners of the battle for Kattegatt decide what they're going to do and she says that she's going to retire, that she's done enough, that she's weary, that she nearly died, that the people she loved are dead. And everyone is kind of amazed by this.
Everyone may be “amazed,” but they should certainly understand it. Lagertha has had her time enduring triumph and tragedy as a warrior. Following the events of the past season, who can blame her for wanting a break? What Michael Hirst told TV Guide regarding Lagertha’s next move makes total sense.
This news is not entirely shocking. In the final episodes, Lagertha had pretty much said as much regarding her future. Breaking the news to her son, Bjorn, and her people may be a different story for her. Much like Lagertha’s story, that is not where the Vikings creator’s Season 6 hints ended. Michael Hirst continued saying:
Could Lagertha really become un-historic? Could she really retire from life? And she tries. She says, 'I want to be a farmer again like I was when Ragnar and I were first together. That's when I was happiest, so that's what I'm going to do.' So she does try and retire to a small community. She tries to become un-historic, but of course it doesn't work. When you're as famous inside a society as she is, you can't retire, you can't walk away.
This is a super thought-provoking part of what Michael Hirst said. Lagertha will go to live a rural life, heading back to her roots, only to find it will not work out. It is unclear what this exactly means for Lagertha. Why will it not work? Is it her fame? Or her fondness for it?
Her fame will never leave her. Whether she still has the ability to do what she became famous for is the million-dollar question. Lagertha does not need to prove herself to anybody. She has done her time and sacrificed a lot for Kattegat. There is nothing left to do, except enjoy her new life and her family.
Speaking of whom, she would make an excellent advisor to King Bjorn. He needs someone who has been where he is going to be. She has the knowledge and maturity to guide him moving forward. Can Lagertha embrace a new identity within Kattegat as the King’s mother? It would be wonderful if she could. What Lagertha’s inability to retire from life as a famous figure will mean for her is not entirely clear. She does not have to deal with paparazzi.
For now, fans can enjoy their speculations. To me, it sounds like Lagertha may be in a bit of danger in Season 6. Someone wanting to build their reputation on having said they defeated Lagertha could be a potential threat. They could goad her into something.
It is just a theory. Before fans know it, they will all get to see what becomes of Lagertha in Season 6. No premiere date is set yet. When Vikings’ final season does premiere, it will do so on History. Thankfully, there are a lot of new shows to keep you entertained while you wait.
