episode discussion - S3E8: To the Gates!

[gods_that_haunt_me]

I had meant to do this for last week's episode because I had SO MANY THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS about that one, but now I think we can take a better look at the events of last week's and tie them into the results of this week's. That being said, I need so much emotional support you guys, omfg.



So basically I'm going to ramble on about Floki since he's officially my pup (I'm like :D and then I'm like DDDDD:), but everyone feel free to share your thoughts about your own or any other characters or whatever!

Okay. Let me first say something about Ragnar's face in these opening scenes. His face is the realest face, I love it so much. He hides just as much as he reveals. That lip-nibble -- uncertainty? a feeling of dread? He turns his head and then his eyes are like ice. Cold and determined. Travis Fimmel, you have the best face, no lie.

In last week's episode, he set Floki up to fail. Or to die. Whichever came first. I was sure Floki was going to die tonight, but no, he needs to suffer first -- and thus he did, physically and mentally. He showed his cowardice by hiding in the tower, and Ragnar saw that. So if the fire wasn't going to get him, Ragnar eventually will. (And here I allude to the end scene, where Ragnar describes himself as a patient man.)

As for the siege, those floating towers seemed like a great idea at the time! They could have done with more cover, like the vikings should've climbed through them instead of over them so at least they wouldn't get picked off so easily. But the boiling oil, man. Holy shit.

What was with Rollo and the French princess? Also, go you, French princess, with your shouty rallying speech.

Now, FLOKI. Goddamn. Okay, so when he's in the burning tower, he calls on Athelstan and blames him for this epic fail. He says it's his curse. That Ragnar trusted him too much, and now look what it's cost them. Floki nearly slits his own throat, but something, some other voice tells him not to. And then he says he'll die by fire. But he doesn't.

And the next thing we see he's up to his chin in still water. Is he going to drown himself? Helga comes over and basically she's had enough of him. She tells him not everything is about him, but he insists that everyone else is who he's always been thinking of. That everything he does (for the gods) is for the benefit of other people.

AND THEN HE CRIES WHEN SHE LEAVES HIM.

Where are your gods now, Floki?

Ragnar and his 'conversation' with Athelstan. I admit, I made some ugly noises throughout the episode (half-wailing, half-screeching, half-Lucille Ball-esque bawling), but then Ragnar goes to talk to Athelstan and I'm back to weeping. At least until he talks about Floki's fate. And I am actually very much looking forward to this.

Oh! Before I forget, did anyone else think that the siege felt a lot like the Battle of Helm's Deep in The Two Towers? Right down to the viking/orc who had to run the rope out to the horses/get the explosives to the drain? So many parallels! Even the floating towers and ladders! I was waiting for Gandalf to show up.

ANYWAY.

YOUR THOUGHTS, THROW THEM AT ME.

eta: Rewatching the episode right now. I'm reminded that when Lagertha's group breaks through the gates and there's nobody there, I totally yelled out, "It's a trap!"

Comments

[onceaviking]

As a complete aside, I need to start watching this, don't I?

[my_brothers_shadow]

Damn, I sort of knew there were bits where it was going to look like someone was going to die but I did not expect Rollo, Ragnar, Bjorn, and Floki to be the suspects!

And seriously Ragnar, is it really wise to risk so many of your people for your machinations against Floki?

I do believe the thing with Rollo and the princess is a direct callout to the seer's prophecy. As well, the historical Rollo ends up the first Viking ruler of Normandy, so that's my guess as to what that was. Her reaction was interesting.

ETA: Also, as much as it sucked for our raiding Northmen, it was nice to see them get bloodied. I am very much looking forward to their retaliation next week.

And I am seriously side-eyeing at Lagertha. Didn't we have a Lagertha for bit? Is she still around?

[athelstanthescribe]

I won't be able to watch until Sunday when I'm back in England, so I braved the spoilers. ;) Looking forward to it!

[lt_blade]

..Holy crap, I think this show's trying to break with Game of Thrones on death teases.

I honestly feel kinda bad for Floki, like he's so involved with what he does and what he believes to be the will of the gods that I think he would react that way. On the other hand..the 180 to saying it was Athelstan's curse? Really, Floki?

Oh lord, Ragnar's 'conversation' with Athelstan. Part of me's glad that all of this trouble he still wants to conquer Paris (so it's not a total waste), but..wow, this guy does play soft when it comes to revenge.

[yakalskovich]

Okay, I watched it now, and I have a few things to say:

• I'm going to make a spreadsheet. This is too much of a mess to keep distributed in the wetware and juggle as we go along. The spreadsheet will list season two and three, with columns for the episodes and rows for the characters, and space in-between for the OOMs we plan to do, where we can leave links when we have done them, so we will all have easy access to the way we as a group are messing with canon while canon is messing with us.
  
• All the 'ow' at the end!! Ragnar talking to Athelstan looking up at the night sky (heavens above and all that, of course he takes that literally) was so painful to watch; and at the end, HE IS SPITTING BLOOD! He's sustained internal injuries by his fall on that heap of corpses. Now I am very worried.
  
• We can OOM that conversation so he's actually talking to Athelstan in the forests in Milliways.
  
• Also, in the preview, there was a scene with Athelstan's face! Even though he's dead, it's all about him still.
  
• The French princess, though, is actual history if you ignore the pesky numbers and the way we casually jumped into the 10th century for a bit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gisela_of_France
  
• As we're talking about and numbers all over the place, who wants this house: http://www.minjasafnreykjavikur.is/english/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-4206/