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‘Vikings’: Episode “What Happens In The Cave” Recap

Many of our characters have either just returned from hell or are on a collision course that might lead them straight there! Dreams come to fruition, and another battle is on the horizon. We are almost at the end of season 5, and there is so much to cover from this week’s Vikings episode!

Wessex

‘Vikings’: Episode “What Happens In The Cave” Recap
Photo by Bernard Walsh

In a sad turn of events, last week we found out that Queen Judith (Jennie Jacques) found a lump in her breast. It appears as we start this week’s episode, she has succumbed to the illness and takes her last breath with King Alfred by her side. The people of Wessex all mourn her death. Lagertha (Katheryn Winnick) who is also in the room, approaches King Alfred (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo) at his mother’s bedside.

“Do not grieve overmuch. She succeeded in her life’s mission to see you become King, and then to secure your thrown. She went through many many trials and tribulations for you. You have a duty now to repay her love by becoming a great King.”

She too has raised a King of her own and knows that King Alfred needs strong supportive words for strength to move forward.

It seems that Lagertha still isn’t fully recovered herself as she is unsteadily walking through the halls. She starts to recall what happened to her right after she witnesses Bishop Heahmund’s (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) death. Lagertha had wandered into the woods. Injured and delirious, she faints just after spotting something or someone in the woods. As it turns out, the old woman from the last episode had found her and nursed her back to health. She told her that she was reborn and that she should forget her former life. She then chops off her hair and throws it in the fire.

Meanwhile, Ubbe (Jordan Patrick Smith) and Torvi (Georgia Hirst) arrive for the hand-to-hand combat, which Ubbe suggested last week. The fight will end with one of them dying. Either King Frodo dies, then his people will settle in Wessex. Or Ubbe dies, and the Danes attack Wessex. The two men enter the designated circle, and with their chosen weapons they begin their gruesome fight.

‘Vikings’: Episode “What Happens In The Cave” Recap
Photo by Bernard Walsh

Right off the bat, King Frodo (Gavan O’Connor-Duffy) breaks Ubbe’s shield in half. As per the rules, he is allowed only one more shield. King Frodo repeatedly lunges at Ubbe. Torvi helplessly watches on the sidelines. With each swing, both men get weaker and bloodier. With one last swing, Ubbe is sent pummeling to the ground. He stares at the sky and prays to Odin.

“Odin, All Father, help. Help.”

With every last ounce of energy that he has left, he reaches for his weapon before King Frodo can get to him with his ax. Ubbe then drives his sword into him.

One of King Frodo’s men rushes to enter the circle, but before he can draw his sword, Torvi attacks him from behind. She rushes to him and starts to cry as she hears him breathe and declares to the crowd:

“Ubbe has won. The son of Ragnar has won.”

‘Vikings’: Episode “What Happens In The Cave” Recap
Photo by Jonathan Hession

The men all begin chanting his name as they acknowledge his victory. Torvi then brings him back to King Alfred and lets him know that he was able to prevent the war. She spots Lagertha and is relieved to see her. Torvi later visits Ubbe who is severely injured. It is apparent that she loves him dearly and will always stand by him.

Later as promised, King Alfred, Torvi, and Lagertha take the Danes to the new settlement where their people can start a new life. Lagertha kneels to sweep up dirt in her hand, and with a smile, she speaks to her late husband.

“Ragnar, do you see this? Are you watching this? This is our dream.”

Ubbe is slowly recovering. Torvi tells him that he has realized his father’s dream. Torvi senses there is something else wrong. Ubbe asks for her to bring him the cross. He tells her that something has changed inside of him. Not sure if it happened during the fight or because he was dying.

“This cross means nothing to me. I put it on like a broach, bangle, some decoration, it speaks so other people can hear it. It doesn’t speak to me.”

This realization makes Torvi happy because giving up their Gods was not what she wanted. Ubbe and Torvi head off to their settlement, along with Lagertha who has decided it is time to go home.

Kattegat

‘Vikings’: Episode “What Happens In The Cave” Recap
Photo by Jonathan Hession

All is not well between King Ivar (Alex Høgh Andersen) and Queen Freydis (Alicia Agneson). She begs him to tell her what he did with their child, but King Ivar blames her for his deformity. In anger, he then slaps her.

King Ivar can’t help but feel that everyone is judging his every move and looking for an ounce of weakness. When he goes to the bedroom, Queen Freydis informs him that they have found pieces of their son. She pleads with King Ivar to tell her the truth about what he did to their child.

He then retaliates, and as he chokes her, he asks if the baby was even his. Queen Freydis attempts to tell him yes as she tries to breathe. When he finally releases her, she falls to the ground. He feels as though he has been lied to and cannot handle her constant questioning.

King Ivar later tells his people that the gods cut their child’s life short. He redirects the crowd and talks about how they are changing their plans. In the coming Spring, they were supposed to raid York and Wessex. However, with news of the threat that is fast approaching, he enlists his men to join him in protecting their city instead.

‘Vikings’: Episode “What Happens In The Cave” Recap
Photo by Jonathan Hession

Meanwhile, as King Harald (Peter Franzén) predicted, Bjorn (Alexander Ludwig), King Harald, and their army are forced to endure the storms at sea as they head towards Kattegat. They struggle to stay alive, and King Harald lets Bjorn know he was right.

“I warned you, Ironside! I warned you!”

The rocky sea even causes Magnus (Dean Ridge) to pray to Jesus to save him, which prompts the nearby shieldmaiden, Amma (Kristy Dawn Dinsmore) who is watching over him to retort:

“Why would the Christian God save you?”

When they finally reach land, tensions that have been building between Bjorn and King Harald reach a high point. The two begin swinging their weapons at each other. Thanks to Gunnhild (Ragga Ragnars), she knocks a little sense into them – both figuratively and literally.

“You are both so stupid. You want the same thing. You want the crown of Kattegat, but you can’t have the crown until you take it from Ivar. So why do you fight now? If you have to, fight later. Fight about Kattegat or whatever else you want to fight about!”

With this, the two call a truce and move on.

While Bjorn was fighting the sea and King Ivar was dealing with the loss of his son, Hvitserk (Marco Ilsø) and King Olaf (Steven Berkoff) arrived nearby Kattegat. King Olaf isn’t sure he is making the right choice, but Hvitserk assures him that he is. King Ivar can be overthrown. Bjorn eventually arrives at the camp. He wonders why they are there, and Hvitserk tells him it is to attack King Ivar with King Olaf and Bjorn. This news makes Bjorn very happy as his army has now doubled. He is relieved to hear that his brother has sided with him. Hvitserk tells him he has realized his fate in life.

“My fate is to kill Ivar.”

Iceland

‘Vikings’: Episode “What Happens In The Cave” Recap
Photo by Jonathan Hession

Last week Floki (Gustaf Skarsgård) discovered an entrance to a cave. This week he enters the cave and begins exploring. As he goes deeper into the earth, he thinks that he is starting to sense that the Gods and the dwarves are nearby.

However, as Floki comes to a clearing, he finds a stone cross and in pure frustration begins to scream. The Christen cross is not the God he was expecting to see. Where were his Gods? His screams cause an echo which then brings about a ripple effect to the already unstable cave. As the walls come down, Floki is hit and falls to the ground.

We have to say are also just as relieved as Torvi is with Ubbe embracing the old Gods again as well as surviving his challenge. One of our favorite moments has to be Gunnhild putting both Bjorn and King Harald in their place. We are starting to like her!

Will the Viking settlement live in peace now that Ubbe and King Alfred have a trusted relationship? While two of the brothers reconnect and join forces, will King Ivar be able to maintain control of not only Kattegat but his marriage? Does Floki survive in the cave?

Vikings airs on Wednesdays at 9 p.m. EST on History.