Tonight on the History Channel Vikings returns with an all new Thursday, December 21 season 4 episode 14 called “In the Uncertain Hour Before the Morning” and we have your weekly Viking recap below. On tonight’s Viking season 4 episode 14 episode as per the History synopsis, “Lagertha [Katheryn Winnick] is near realizing a long-held ambition; Ragnar [Travis Fimmel] acquires a surprising concession from King Ecbert.”
Tonight’s episode looks like it is going to be great and you won’t want to miss it, so be sure to tune in for our Viking recap between 9PM – 10PM ET! While you wait for our recap make sure to check out all our Viking spoilers, news, photos, recaps & more, right here.
Tonight’s Viking recap begins now – Refresh Page often to get the most current updates!
Tonight Vikings begins with Lagertha (Katheryn Winnick) being greeted in Kattegat. Their cheers are silenced when Queen Aslaug (Alyssa Sutherland) comes out with a sword in her hand. She berates Lagertha for fighting with another woman. Lagertha says that she took her husband, her world and her happiness, and the fact that Aslaug is a woman means nothing to her.
Aslaug tells her that she didn’t take her husband, Ragnar Lothbrok (Travis Fimmel), he chose to be with her. Lagertha insists that he didn’t choose, Aslaug is a witch who bewitched him. She denies it. Aslaug tells the crowd that Ragnar is dead, when questioned she tells them she dreamed it, and she had warned him but he chose to go anyways. Lagertha tells her she doesn’t know that for sure.
When Aslaug admits that it was only a dream, she tells her that she has dreamed of taking Kattegat back for a long time. Aslaug tosses the sword on the ground admitting that she isn’t her parents and she knows she would never win. Aslaug continues to tell Lagertha that it doesn’t matter, she fulfilled her destiny by giving Ragnar many sons; she insists that she is as much a part of Ragnar’s saga as Lagertha is.
Aslaug renounces everything, asking for safe passage and to leave in peace to live wherever the gods allow her to go. She gives Lagertha her blessing, and says ig Lagertha allows this, her sons will know how this happened and they will not seek revenge on her. Aslaug thanks her and begins to walk away; Lagertha shots her in the back with an arrow, killing her.
Margrethe (Ida Nielsen) releases Ubbe (Jordan Patrick Smith) and Sigurd (David Lindstrom) from where Lagertha was keeping them captive; Ubbe grabs her and demands to know where Lagertha is. She just tells them to return to Kattegat as soon as possible, Sigurd wants to know what is waiting for them there.
Ragnar and Ivar (Alex Hogh) arrive in town, and Ragnar wants to see King Ecbert (Linus Roache) but the guards tell him he isn’t there. Ragnar tells them that he is a good friend of the king and he would want to know that they were treated kindly, the guards let them in.
They escort Ragnar and Ivar into the village where they are met by Aethelwulf (Moe Dunford) who introduces Ragnar as King of the Northmen; he orders the guards to seize him. Ivar remains silent on the horse while the men beat Ragnar; Ragnar signs for Ivar to stay quiet. Aethelwulf wants to know who the cripple is.
Ragnar is chained in the dungeon. Aethelwulf demands to know where the rest of his men are. Ragnar tells him it is only him and his son; Aethelwulf scoffs at the cripple being his son. Ragnar admits that he killed all his men. Ragnar wants to know where his son is and pleas for Aethelwulf to show compassion as he has sons too. He tells Ragnar that he is an animal and should be caged. Aethelwulf leaves.
Back in Kattegat, the village is having a ceremony for Aslaug’s death. They cut the head off a horse and lay some of their jewels and food with her body before they send the ship to sail off. They light the little boat and let it burn as Lagertha and Astrid (Josefin Asplund) look on. The Seer (John Kavanagh) comes out to observe the ceremony, Lagertha smiles at him when he turns his head towards her.
Back in England, King Ecbert arrives to the village where Ragnar is being held captive. When Aethelwulf tells him he has good news, he brushes past him to see Ragnar. He orders his son to leave so he can talk to Ragnar. Ecbert wants to know what took him so long to get there.
Ecbert brings Ragnar’s cage to the dinner table and wants to know why Ragnar won’t eat, he tells him that he hasn’t seen his son in days and he doesn’t even know if he is alive. One of the guards leaves and brings Ivar in to the table. Ragnar is happy to see his son ans asks Ivar if he is okay; he tells his father that he is doing better than him.
Ragnar smiles but refuses to eat until his son eats. Ecbert says that Ivar is also his guest and promises no harm will comes to Ivar, he gives Ivar a piece of his meat. Ecbert tells the guards to make sure Ivar is well kept as they take him away. Ivar tells his dad not to mess with them. Ecbert says that it was wrong his son slaughtered all the Viking farmers, but he did it under his orders as part of a bolder, much larger strategy; Ragnar begins to eat and drink.
Ecbert tells Ragnar that on a previous visit, he left behind another son; but informs him that his mother, Queen Kwenthrith (Amy Bailey) is no longer alive, so he has been raising him as his own. Ecbert tells the young boy Magnus to come forward and Ecbert introduces them to each other. Ragnar doesn’t look at him but he is told to speak to his father.
Magnus goes to the cage and tells Ragnar that he has longed for the day he would meet him. His mother has told him a lot about his father and that one day he would famous like him too. He admits that everything makes sense now and everything she had told him was true. Ragnar tells Magnus that someone once explained to him what a miracle was, and that his birth is a miracle.
Magnus is confused but Ragnar continues to tell him that it is a miracle because he never had sex with his mother. Ecbert smiles but Magnus is upset. Ecbert tells Magnus to leave. Ecbert admits that he had doubts about that boy; but quickly changes the subject and wants to know why it took so long for Ragnar to return. Ragnar uses Ecbert’s words saying that it’s part of a bold, much larger strategy! Ecbert laughs.
Sigurd and Ubbe return to Kattegat where they discover Lagertha sitting on the throne. They demand to know where their mother is. She tells them that she killed her, when asked why, she tells them Aslaug stole Kattegat from her and she wanted it back.
Ubbe draws his sword and Sigurd asks why she didn’t kill them too; she says that they are Ragnar’s sons and this had nothing to do with them. She tells them it wasn’t their fault that their father was bewitched. Ubbe raises his sword and tells her it was a mistake not killing them. She tells him it was a chance she was willing to take.
As Sigurd and Ubbe are leaving, Ubbe takes off his coat, pushes Sigurd out of the way and he begins to attack the guards. Three of the guards surround Sigurd, while Ubbe continues to fight but before he can reach Lagertha he is taken down.
Ecbert asks what Ragnar would do if he let him out. Ragnar tells him he would kill him, or not. He begins to tease Ecbert about having power. Ecbert has the key in his hand, but tells Ragnar that he has used his power well. He had turned all the small kingdoms into a single entity now capable of defending itself against anyone threatening to destroy it. Ragnar says, “Like me.”
Ecbert tells him that he thought Ragnar wanted his people to come there for good farming land, and that their people could live together and mutually benefit from it. Ragnar questions him how it would benefit him to kill all the farmers that were there. Ecbert expresses his apologies but admits that it was the right idea, only it was at the wrong time. He continues to tell him that he believes it will eventually happen, but probably in his grandson’s time. Ecbert comes to the cage and asks Ragnar what he wants him to say. Ragnar produces his cup and tells him he wants the truth.
Ubbe, beaten with a swollen eye, and Sigurd are commiserating in their home, when Sigurd says that their mother never loved them, she only loved Ivar and Harbard (Kevin Durand). Sigurd goes on to say that she made a fool of herself with Harbard. Ubbe says he was there, and Harbard took advantage of her. Ubbe says she still was their mother, Sigurd admits that in the end she was a stranger to him. Both question whether she was truly a witch or not.
Ubbe says that Lagertha needs to pay the price; Sigurd says that Ivar will do it. Ubbe says only if he is still alive, telling Sigurd that both their parents may be dead. Sigurd laughs saying Ragnar isn’t dead, he cannot die!
Ecbert tells Ragnar that he is the most dangerous man on this Earth. He brings the key to the cage, and Ragnar lunges forward asking him if he is sure. Ecbert admits he isn’t entirely sure, but he lets Ragnar out of the cage. Ragnar comes out of the cage but falls to the floor, he looks up to Ecbert and says he has to kill him; Ecbert admits that he has to decide his fate.
Ragnar says that the Seer told him that he is fated to die the day a blind man sees him. He points his finger at Ecbert and tells him he has to kill him. Ecbert scoffs and tells him that Vikings are all the same, they emerge from the womb with only one thing on their mind: How to die! He asks what about all the things in between? Ragnar asks him if he is talking about women. Ecbert gives Ragnar the pitcher of wine and tells him they have a lot to talk about.
Aethelwulf brings Magnus out of the village and tells him it is time for him to leave, to become a man. Magnus protests that he doesn’t want to leave. Aethelwulf tells him he has no choice, gives him a bag with some food for the journey, telling him wherever he goes, he must tell people he is the son of Ragnar Lothbrok and people will always take care of him; he begs to stay.
He hugs Aethelwulf, who pulls him away from him with a blade to his throat telling him to start walking or he will him. Magnus asks about the animals, and Aethelwulf tells him there are animals in the villa. He gives Magnus the blade, who walks away sobbing.
Ragnar and Ecbert have drank way too much when he asks Ecbert what if his God doesn’t exist? Ecbert doesn’t know what he is talking about; Ragnar continues the thought that maybe Ecbert’s God and his gods don’t exist. Ecbert says that if they don’t exist then nothing has meaning, that if there were no gods everybody could do anything they liked and nothing would be real or meaning or value.
He says that even if the gods don’t exist, it is still necessary to have them. Ragnar tells him to live with it, Ecbert tells him that he doesn’t have to live with it because all he thinks about is death and Valhalla and Ragnar says that he has a heaven, which is a ridiculous place where everyone is always happy. They both sit on the floor.
Ecbert says that Athelstan (George Blagden) was a man of God; Ragnar says and now he is dead. Ecbert wants to know what happened. Ragnar admits that Floki (Gustaf Skarsgard) killed him; Ecbert says, “so your gods killed him!” Ragnar says that Floki killed him out of jealousy because Ragnar loved Athelstan more than him. Ecbert tells him he was jealous too because he chose to go back with Ragnar.
He felt his loss greatly, and Ragnar says that he left because he loved Ragnar more than him. Ecbert says that Ragnar should have protected him then. Ragnar said he didn’t need protection, Ecbert says if he had stayed with him, he would still be alive. Ragnar says that he chose his path and that was to be with him. Ragnar says he is not to blame; and Ecbert tells him he is not being honest.
Ecbert wants to know from Ragnar if he believes that Athelstan is with his gods or the Christian God. Ragnar says it doesn’t matter, that his death is on his conscience not Ecbert’s. He again tells Ecbert that he needs to k ill him; both men sit in silence.
Sigurd wakes up and kicks Ubbe to wake up. Astrid is sitting in their house. They want to know why she is there. Astrid begins by telling Sigurd that one day she would like to change the way he looks. She says she wants to be friends with Ragnar’s sons. Ubbe protests and she warns him that they need to be afraid, that if they touch a hair on Lagertha’s head, they are dead men. As she leaves, Ubbe throws a cup at her saying that if he isn’t afraid of Lagertha, why would he be afraid of her? Astrid smiles at him and walks out.
Judith (Jennie Jacques) comes into the room where Ragnar and Ecbert are sitting on the throne, she says it is great privilege to see him again, he says not every Saxon would agree. She brings her son, Alfred to meet him and he says he knows who he is without explanation. He approaches Alfred and announces that he is Athelstan’s son and he hugs him with tears in his eyes.
Ecbert goes to the chapel to speak to God while Ragnar sits in his room on the floor thinking of the ocean, praying to his gods. They meet again where Ecbert tells him that he cannot kill him, but he must die. Ragnar says to hand him off to another king who would kill him, Ecbert says he would rather set him free. Ragnar says that his sons know he was coming to Wessex, and when they learn of his death, they will avenge him. Ecbert says he doesn’t doubt him but again pleas with him to kill him. He begs that Ivar will be set free and give him a ship so he can get home safely. Ecbert gives him his word; Ragnar says that Ivar will know that King Ecbert did everything he could to save him, so when his sons come back, they will spare Ecbert’s life.
Ecbert folds his hands as Ragnar begs him to turn him over. Ragnar takes his hands and tells him not to be afraid.
THE END!
