Vikings (season 6)
The sixth and final season of the historical drama television series Vikings premiered on December 4, 2019, on History in Canada. The series broadly follows the exploits of the legendary Viking chieftain Ragnar Lothbrok and his crew, and later those of his sons. The first season of the series begins at the start of the Viking Age, marked by the Lindisfarne raid in 793 AD.
The sixth season consists of a double order of twenty episodes, split into two parts of ten episodes; the second half will premiere in 2020. The season mainly focuses on King Bjorn's reign over Kattegat, Ivar's adventures in Rus', and Ubbe's expedition to Iceland.
Cast
Main
- Katheryn Winnick as Lagertha, a shield-maiden, Ragnar's first wife and former queen of Kattegat.
- Alexander Ludwig as King Bjorn Ironside, Ragnar and Lagertha's son, king of Kattegat, and husband to Gunnhild.
- Alex Høgh Andersen as Ivar the Boneless, fourth son of Ragnar and Aslaug and former king of Kattegat. After fleeing Kattegat, he finds refuge in Rus'.
- Marco Ilsø as Hvitserk, second son of Ragnar and Aslaug. After the death of Thora, he becomes a drunkard.
- Jordan Patrick Smith as Ubbe, eldest son of Ragnar and Aslaug and Torvi's husband.
- Danila Kozlovsky as Prince Oleg the Prophet, the Varangian grand prince of Kiev who welcomes Ivar at his court.
- John Kavanagh as The Seer, the former seiðrmann of Kattegat, appearing in visions.
- Peter Franzén as King Harald Finehair, a Viking warlord intended to become the first King of All Norway
- Eric Johnson as Erik the Red, an outlaw who helps Bjorn.
- Georgia Hirst as Torvi, Ubbe's wife and a shield-maiden. She was once Bjorn's spouse.
- Ragga Ragnars as Queen Gunnhild, Bjorn's wife, queen of Kattegat and a shield-maiden.
- Ray Stevenson as Othere, a mysterious wanderer.
Recurring
- Lucy Martin as Ingrid, a slave serving Gunnhild and Bjorn in Kattegat
- Kieran O'Reilly as White Hair, Ivar's former bodyguard and an outlaw
- Kristy Dawn Dinsmore as Amma, a shield-maiden in Kattegat who is fond of Hvitserk
- Andrei Claude as Ganbaatar, Oleg's captain
- Elodie Curry as Asa, Bjorn and Torvi's daughter
- Ryan Henson as Hali, Bjorn and Torvi's son
- Adam Copeland as Kjetill Flatnose, the chief of the Icelandic settlement
- Lenn Kudrjawizki as Prince Dir of Novgorod, Oleg's brother
- Oran Glynn O'Donovan as Prince Igor of Kiev, the preadolescent heir of Kiev and Oleg's ward
- Serena Kennedy as Anna, Dir's wife
- Steven Berkoff as King Olaf the Stout
- Conn Rogers as Canute, a member of King Olaf's court
- Eve Connolly as Thora, Hvitserk's murdered love interest, appearing in his delusions
- Gina Costigan as Runa, a former shield-maiden at Lagertha's village
- David Sterne as Gudmund, an old man at Lagertha's village
- Kathy Monahan as Eira, a former shield-maiden at Lagertha's village
- Oisin Murray as Tarben, a young boy at Lagertha's village
- Aoibheann McCann as Skadi, a shield-maiden under Gunnhild's command
- Alicia Agneson as Princess Katia, Oleg's wife
- Fredrik Hiller as Jarl Thorkell the Tall, one of the jarls of Norway and a rival to Bjorn
- Amy De Braún as Jarl Hrolf, one the jarls of Norway
- Mishaël Lopes Cardozo as King Hakon, one of the kings of Norway and a rival to Bjorn
- Kelly Campbell as Ingvild, Kjetill's wife
- Scott Graham as Frodi, Kjetill's son
Guest
- Martin Maloney as Vigrid, Ivar's travel companion
- Blake Kubena as Prince Askold of Novgorod, Oleg's brother
- Sandy Kennedy as Sylvi, a former shield-maiden at Lagertha's village
- Neil Keery as Alexei, a guard in Kiev
- Jinny Lofthouse as Hild, a shield-maiden under Gunnhild's command
- Emma Willis as Gyda, a shield maiden that volunteers as a sacrifice
- Karen Connell as the Angel of Death, a völva
- Adam Winnick as Rangvald, Harald's captain
- Emma Eliza Regan as Aoife, a villager from Istrehågan
- Ronan Summers as Herigar, one of Erik's warriors
Episodes
Production
Development
An Irish-Canadian co-production presented by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, the sixth and final season of Vikings was developed and produced by TM Productions and Take 5 Productions. Morgan O'Sullivan, Sheila Hockin, Sherry Marsh, Alan Gasmer, James Flynn, John Weber, and Michael Hirst are credited as executive producers. This season was produced by Keith Thompson for the first ten episodes. Bill Goddard and Séamus McInerney act as co-producers.The production team for this season includes casting directors Frank and Nuala Moiselle, costume designer Susan O'Connor Cave, visual effects supervisor Dominic Remane, stunt action designer Richard Ryan, composer Trevor Morris, production designer Mark Geraghty, editors Aaron Marshall for the first, fourth, eighth and tenth episodes, Tad Seaborn for the second, fifth, seventh and ninth episodes, and Dan Briceno for the third and sixth episodes and cinematographers Peter Robertson for the first, second, third, seventh, eighth, ninth and tenth episodes, and Owen McPolin for the fourth, fifth and sixth episodes.
The eighth episode of the season, "Valhalla Can Wait", was directed by actress Katheryn Winnick, who portrays Lagertha in the series.
Casting
In September 2017 it was announced that Russian actor Danila Kozlovsky would join the cast for the sixth season as Oleg of Novgorod, the 10th century Varangian ruler of the Kievan Rus people.Filming
This final season is set in areas corresponding to modern Ukraine and Norway, but filming locations included Vik, Norway, standing in for the home of the Rus' Vikings of Kiev, and County Wicklow, Ireland. Some scenes were also shot outside Dublin, at the River Boyne, Blessington lakes and Powerscourt Waterfall, Powerscourt Estate and at Nuns Beach at Ballybunion. Scenes that take place in Kattegat were shot in Lough Tay. Ashford Studios were again used as the base for production; scenes requiring the use of green screens for CGI were shot at the studios' property.Music
The musical score for the sixth and final season was composed by Trevor Morris. Einar Selvik did not return to collaborate with Morris on original music for the final season. The opening sequence is again accompanied by the song "If I Had a Heart" by Fever Ray.The soundtrack album was released on December 6, 2019 by Sony Classical Records. Two original songs not included in the album are "Lament for Lagertha" and "Lagertha's Funeral Music", both written by Maciej Rychly & Alicja Bral and performed by Anna Maria Jopek and the Goat Theater Performers, featured in "Death and the Serpent" and "The Ice Maiden", respectively. The Skaldic version of "Snake Pit Poetry", an original song by Einar Selvik which was first included in "All His Angels", is featured in "The Best Laid Plans".
Additional non-original music by Norwegian music group Wardruna is featured in the episodes "Ghosts, Gods and Running Dogs", "The Key" and "The Ice Maiden". The featured tracks are "Tyr", "Helvegen" and "Isa".
Music by Danish folk project Danheim is also featured in this season's soundtrack in the episodes "Resurrection", "The Best Laid Plans" and episode 13. The featured tracks are "Vanheimr", "Tyrfing", "Floki's Last Journey", "Gripir" and "Munarvagr".
Additional music by folk band Heilung is featured in the episode "The Best Laid Plans". The featured tracks are "Fylgija Ear", "Hamrer Hippyer" and "Alfadhirhaiti".