‘Vikings’ Season 6B: What Happens To the Wives of Bjorn Ironside in the Final Season?
The final season of Vikings finally premiered on Amazon Prime Video on December 30, and it certainly led to some serious shock for fans. The fates of all were decided, and some surprising outcomes were in store for some of our favorite characters in the hit series. What happened to Bjorn Ironside’s (Alexander Ludwig) wives, Gunnhild (Ragga Ragnars) and Ingrid (Lucy Martin)? We have all the details below.
[Spoiler alert: This article contains spoilers from ‘Vikings’]
Bjorn Ironside’s plan saves his country
In the mid-season finale of season 6, Bjorn is stabbed while fighting on the beach against the Rus. Although it appears that Ivar (Alex Høgh Andersen) stabs him, he was somewhere else entirely at the time. With Bjorn dying, he manages one last effort to save his country when he has King Hakon (Mishaël Lopes Cardozo) spread a rumor to the Rus that he’s already dead.
The Rus Vikings, who have come to invade, are shocked when they see Bjorn ride out on his horse to meet them. He’s shot with an arrow three times by Ganbaatar (Andrei Claude), but somehow, he manages to live and unsheathe the Sword of Kings. It signals the rest of his army behind him and behind the Rus to get into formation, and they manage to fight for their country and win.
The Rus are terrified that Bjorn is somehow still alive, and many retreat in panic. It helps secure their victory and save the country, but it leads to Bjorn’s ultimate death. He doesn’t make it from his wounds, and he’s buried in an elaborate grave with his horse as he rides atop and a chain holds up his sword in his hand toward the sky.
King Harald returns and wants to marry Bjorn’s widows
An election must be held to determine the new ruler of Kattegat, and Bjorn’s two wives vie for the title. But just as the election is taking place, King Harald (Peter Franzén) arrives, since he’s already escaped the clutches of the Rus, and he takes his place as king. He also intends to marry both of Bjorn’s widows.
Harald sexually assaulted Ingrid before the first battle with the Rus, and she’s now pregnant, but it’s unclear who the father is, Harald or Bjorn. Ingrid actually accepts his proposal. At first, it seems like Gunnhild will go along with the request for marriage as well. But on the wedding day, Gunnhild dies by suicide, believing she will go to join Bjorn in Valhalla. In episode 5 of the new season, Gunnhild jumps into the water naked and drowns herself.
Ingrid and Harald get married, and Harald goes with Ivar and Hvitserk (Marco Ilsø) back to Wessex. Ingrid sets herself up as the Queen, although she must rule with Erik the Red (Eric Johnson) by her side. However, he wants to rule with her as both King and Queen, not just on behalf of Harald.
But Ingrid is a witch, and she curses him making him go blind. It turns out Erik once sold Ingrid as a slave. When he tries to have her killed by a servant named Orlyg (Tim Creed), Ingrid sets a plan in place and has one of her servants, Nissa (Victoire Dauxerre), kill him instead. Orlyg is killed after he confesses, and Ingrid establishes herself as the only ruler and Queen of Kattegat when they learn Harald has died in Wessex. Together with Nissa as her companion, who was also sold as a slave by Erik, Ingrid now rules unopposed.
“We must mourn our dead,” Ingrid tells the people. “So many. Death has undone so many. And Harald Finehair, and Ivar, son of Ragnar. The gods have been greedy to have the company of such great men.”
It’s a strange turn of events, but that’s the way things work out for the wives of Bjorn Ironside. Ingrid becomes Queen of Kattegat and Gunnhild dies by suicide.
