Katheryn Winnick may be moving on in the world of television, but that does not mean she is entirely over getting killing off of Vikings. Winnick has revealed how she feels about the startling turn of events. While viewers of the History show got ample forewarning about Lagertha’s demise, it could not have come at a more stunning time in the series’ run.
Lagertha went to Valhalla in the first half of Season 6. Before the season began, Katheryn Winnick had mostly confirmed that Lagertha’s demise would happen during Vikings’ final season. The question was at what point and under what circumstances the fan-favorite would go out. Winnick weighed in on life after Lagertha’s death during Vikings’ Comic-Con@Home saying:
I guess it’s bittersweet, if I’m 100% honest. Just in terms of being on the show for so long and having it aired and now that Lagertha has gone to Valhalla, it was definitely harder than I thought I would go through just personally, just seeing my death. Watching Lagertha just transition over to Valhalla, it was definitely a bittersweet moment in a lot of ways. Obviously all the hard work, I made some good friends, but also sad to see it end. But Michael wrote me such a great death and funeral.
Indeed. Lagertha went out after winning one of her most epic fights on Vikings. In a brutal one-on-one battle, Lagertha avenged her grandson, successfully killing the evil bandit who murdered him. She appeared to be mortally wounded, but made her way back to Kattegat in hopes of seeing her son, Bjorn, one last time.
After arriving in Kattegat, she was met by an intoxicated Hvitserk who, due to being under the influence, believed Lagertha was Ivar. He proceeded to stab her to death. Thus, becoming the son of Ragnar who killed Lagertha and not Ivar. Vikings did not let the shocks end there, as Hvitserk ended up not being all that remorseful for the slaying.
Katheryn Winnick and Lagertha’s absence was felt for the rest of the season as Vikings dedicated an entire episode to her funeral. As Winnick mentions, the sendoff meant seeing Lagertha head to Valhalla, where her former husband, Ragnar, joined her. And, this was a sight many were undoubtedly moved to see. Reflecting on Lagertha and Ragnar’s deaths, Vikings’ creator Michael Hirst said:
It was a brilliant death, it was over two episodes. Fantastic. Both you and Travis had, I know, Travis sort of shouted at me from his cage because it was uncomfortable, but these deaths were brilliant and highly emotional—no one’s going to forget them.
This Vikings viewer will definitely not forget either of them. It makes complete sense for Katheryn Winnick to have had a tough time processing her on-screen death. That has to be a surreal and brutal experience. Winnick sounds as though she was in no hurry for her time on Vikings to end. Of course, the series itself is in its final stages.
Vikings left off with Lagertha’s son Bjorn also seeming to be one step away from joining his parents in Valhalla. The History show has some surprises up its sleeve, and fans will want to tune in to see the fallout. Will it be enough to curb the aching loss of Lagertha in its last chapter? Time will tell. She is probably watching from Valhalla, anxiously.
A premiere date for Vikings Season 6B is pending. Here is to all of my fellow fans hoping that it is among this fall’s premieres to air on History. You can watch Lagertha’s life before her death by checking out past seasons of Vikings, currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
