‘Vikings’: Fans Weigh in on Judith

In the hit series Vikings, there are a number of characters that fans have varying opinions on, and Judith (Jennie Jacques) is certainly one of them. What do fans have to say about this complex and unforgettable character? We have all the details.

Who is Judith in ‘Vikings’?

Judith is the daughter of King Aelle of Northumbria (Ivan Kaye), and she’s sent to Wessex in an arranged marriage to King Ecbert of Wessex’s (Linus Roache) son, Prince Aethelwulf (Moe Dunford). Her marriage seals an alliance between the two kingdoms to aid each other against attacks from Vikings.

She is timid and shy at first, a dutiful wife and mother. But over time, she changes, becoming a whole different person. She starts to voice her own opinions and do what she wants, taking control of her situation, and she becomes a major political player.

Judith is enamored by a former monk turned Viking named Athelstan (George Blagden). She loves him and ends up sleeping with him, getting pregnant. But after giving birth to a son named Alfred, she is tortured all in the name of adultery, and she finally reveals the name of the father after her right ear is cut off. Ecbert spares her the rest of the punishment, which included her other ear being cut off and her nose as well. He protects her from then on, and they form a relationship and become lovers.

After Aethelwulf, who becomes King of Wessex before Ecbert’s death, dies from an allergic reaction to a bee sting, Judith somehow convinces her first son, Aethelred (Darren Cahill), to step aside and let her son by Athelstan, Alfred (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo) be king. However, Aethelred plots with other nobles to overthrow Alfred and put himself on the throne. Judith ends up murdering Aethelred by poisoning him after believing he wouldn’t stop plotting against his brother. She believes she’s protecting Alfred’s right to rule, and she admits the truth to her other son. Judith eventually dies of breast cancer, and she is mourned by the court and especially by her remaining son, Alfred.

Some fans ‘like’ Judith in ‘Vikings’

Fans have been known to talk about the controversial character that is Judith. Two years ago, a fan wrote on Reddit about the character saying, “[NO SPOILERS] Do you like Judith?” in the post’s title. “I really like Judith…she is probably the most likable female character still alive in the show,” they add, as Judith was alive in Vikings at the time of the post. Fans didn’t hold back on their thoughts.

One fan mentions they wished Judith aged more realistically. “Yes, but I wish they aged her to be a little more realistic,” they said.

Another calls Judith “strong.” She wasn’t always that way though, and she changed a lot over the course of the series. “Yeah..she’s became very strong when before she was very whiny,” they said.

While some fans don’t 

Some fans have other opinions when it comes to Judith. One fan says they have a “vendetta against her” when it comes to her husband, Aethelwulf. She didn’t always treat him well, and honestly he didn’t treat her well at times either. 

“I liked Aethelwulf a lot as a character and so I kind of have a vendetta against her for how badly she treated him tbh,” they said. “Maybe it’s all in my head but I find her very unlikeable because of that decision by her and she hasn’t done anything to redeem it in my mind.”

Another fan mentions Judith’s husband as well. “I like Aethelwulf, can’t really like Judith either with how dirty she did him,” another fan adds.

A fan calls Judith a “hypocrite.” “No, she’s a walking hypocrite,” they said.

Fans have different opinions about Judith in the series Vikings.