‘Vikings’: Lagertha Gets Violent When Ragnar Lothbrok Doesn’t Want Her to Go on the First Journey West
In the hit series Vikings, Lagertha (Katheryn Winnick), the wife of Ragnar Lothbrok (Travis Fimmel) at the time, once got violent with her husband when he told her that she couldn’t go on the first journey west. We have all the details about the moment from season 1, episode 2.
Lagertha and Ragnar Lothbrok in ‘Vikings’
Lagertha is a famous shield-maiden even when fans are first introduced to her. She is the wife of Ragnar Lothbrok, and she gives him two children, Bjorn (Nathan O’Toole) and Gyda (Ruby O’Leary). She and Ragnar are very much in love, fighting together and raising their family up on their farm. But she has aspirations of going west just like he does, and it causes friction.
Ragnar tells her that he doesn’t want her to go west with him for the first time
Ragnar is gearing up to raid west for the first time with a group of trusted warriors. They’ve talked about raiding west before, and it’s something Lagertha always assumed she’d get to be a part of, but when Ragnar comes home after meeting with the warriors who will join him, she gets a rude awakening.
“So when do we sail?” Lagertha asks her husband as he washes clothes.
“I already told you,” he says. “I don’t want you to come.”
She inquires further as to why while hanging up the laundry, and he replies, “I need to leave the children and the farm in the hands of someone I trust. What if the Earl find out we have gone without his permission? He might try and claim our family home.”
But Lagertha is in disbelief and tries to convince him otherwise. “This was going to be the most exciting voyage of our lives,” she says. “To go west.”
When he doesn’t respond and keeps on washing, she splashes water in his face with her hand. “I have dreamed of it many times, and in my dreams, we are always together.” Eventually, Ragnar jokes that she can go and he will stay home with the kids, but nothing is yet resolved because that isn’t going to happen.
Lagertha gets violent with Ragnar when he doesn’t want her to go on the first journey west
After this initial conversation, Lagertha later gears up to fight her husband over his choice, hitting him with her shield in the head, which knocks him to the ground of their home after he’s been drinking ale. She tells him to “get up,” and she proceeds to get more violent with him, which he isn’t prepared for.
“My love,” he says as she exclaims, “Nevermind that. Defend yourself.” She swings her shield at him, but Ragnar ducks and grabs a basket to block her attacks in defense.
“How dare you?” she asks, still swinging with her shield. “Am I not good enough for you?” Ragnar tries to lessen her blows with things he finds around the house including another basket, but Lagertha kicks him with her foot, pushing him back into a doorway.
“Am I not strong enough for you?” she comes at him with her shield, but he manages to get it away from her by twisting it, kicking her with his foot down to the bed. But she kicks him right back, and Ragnar asks her during the commotion to “listen,” but she grabs his ear, saying, “You listen.”
“Don’t you remember?” She says. “I saved your life.” They continue fighting, and Ragnar answers, “How could I forget? You keep reminding me.” Although Ragnar kisses her a few times, she continues fighting, saying, “I’m so angry with you.” Ragnar uses a shield to defend himself against her blows with an object, and just then, their son Bjorn breaks it up, but Lagertha hits Ragnar in the face before it’s all over.
Things don’t last between them
Ragnar raids England for the first time, though he does take his wife on the second time over. He eventually becomes Earl later on in season 1. At that time, Lagertha goes with him as he now rules Kattegat after fighting Haraldson (Gabriel Byrne) and killing him, taking the earldom for himself. She takes on more responsibility as the Earl’s wife, and she becomes even more respected.
Later on in season 1, Lagertha has a miscarriage, and Ragnar’s eyes start to wander as he was promised by the Seer (John Kavanagh), a man who can supposedly see things, that he would have many sons. He cheats on his wife, and it has major consequences for them both.
Things don’t last between Ragnar and Lagertha, and in season 2, episode 1, Ragnar refuses to turn Aslaug (Alyssa Sutherland), a princess from Götaland, away. She’s pregnant with his child after he cheated on Lagertha. He tells his wife that she must “accept” her. Of course, she doesn’t, and she divorces him, ending their relationship for good.
