Rus' Invasion: The Day the Viking Defenses Crumbled

This is the latter half of the battle for Norway. Since the new Norwegian King Harald didn't keep his word, his call was not answered by the chiefs, their forces greatly outnumbered by the enemy. The first line of defense was quickly breached. Erik, the commander at the second line of defense, took advantage of their high ground to launch multiple volleys of arrows at the enemy. They deployed a mechanism resembling spiked balls. Which the Vikings then set aflame. However, no matter what contraptions the Vikings used, they only momentarily hindered the Russ. The overwhelming numbers of the Russ proved to be their greatest advantage, making the fall of the Vikings' second line of defense inevitable. During the battle, Chieftain Thorkell, the only leader truly supportive of Harald and who responded to his call, was the first to fall. This implies that if Harald had not relied on false promises during his election campaign, the throne of Norway should rightfully have belonged to Bjorn. Had Bjorn been king, his prestige would have quickly rallied the chieftains to his aid, potentially averting this disastrous battle. Seeing his own forces dwindling and the continuing to land in relentless waves, Harald realized the situation was hopeless. With no chance to retreat, enemy forces relentlessly pressed on, severely wounding him. Harald collapsed on the beach to await his final fate. Meanwhile, Bjorn continued to lead his warriors in a fierce struggle, barely holding the second line before rushing to reinforce the front. Bjorn recalled his conversation with Ivar, knowing he had made countless mistakes, but determined not to fail this time. Yet, Ivar believed that the gods had abandoned Bjorn long ago, making victory impossible for him. Indeed, as Bjorn returned to the front, the endless sight of Russ warships and soldiers only deepened his despair. At the same time, the Russ soldiers scaling the cliffs appeared behind them, signaling that Ivar's forces had also joined the battlefield. Though Erik was a skilled fighter, the overwhelming enemy numbers meant he could only order a retreat, as Harald lay gasping for breath. He urgently told Erik that escaping was crucial, without a moment to spare. Erik picked up the crown from the ground and swiftly fled the battlefield. But Bjorn remained on the front lines, fighting desperately with a do-or-die resolve, aiming to prove himself the true heir to Ragnar's legacy. However, just as Bjorn felled an enemy, Ivar followed through by thrusting his sword through Bjorn's chest. With the fall of Harald and Bjorn, the battle concluded with a victory for the Russ. So ended Bjorn, known as Ironbone, and did the severely injured also perish there? Prince Oleg of Kiev led thousands of elite troops to capture the Norwegian capital of Sifol. Meanwhile, Norway's spiritual leader, Bjorn, was stabbed by Ivar, but luckily, he did not die from his wounds. His men carried the unconscious Bjorn back to Kattegat. Although the Russ achieved a great victory, their casualties exceeded expectations. The bravery of the Vikings surprised Oleg, who wondered if Bjorn was truly dead. Fitzer claimed that no one could kill Bjorn, known as Ironbone, as he had seen Bjorn being carried off the battlefield. Thus, he was sure Bjorn had not fallen in battle. They brought forward two prisoners, one was the severely wounded Harald, and the other was Olaf. After some consideration, Oleg decided to spare Harald's life but unfortunately decided to execute the now useless Olaf. Before his execution, Olaf heard someone speaking next to him, but no one else saw or heard this person. Everyone thought Olaf was hallucinating, but he recited content from the Bible. Clearly, the Vikings would not know the Bible, so Oleg had to believe that a saint was protecting Olaf. In order to train Igor, Oleg tells him to burn Olaf, and after much hesitation, Igor does so. Afterward, Olaf clasped his hands together and did nothing, allowing the flames to devour his body. This eerie spectacle severely disturbed Oleg, who hadn't expected such a powerful spiritual presence from a heathen, and he quickly fled the scene. When Ivar went to find Harald, the cell was empty. He thought Harald had escaped. However, the reason Oleg spared Harald was that he had other uses for him. The scene cuts back to Kattegat. Bjorn remained in a coma due to his severe injuries, with his two wives constantly at his side. During this time, Ingrid confessed to Gunnhild that Harald had raped her. Gunnhild intended to avenge her, but she had to stay by Bjorn's side. If Bjorn were to die, she would join him in death. Ingrid lamented, thinking she could bring good fortune to Bjorn, but it all turned into a disaster. A few days later, Chief Hakon, summoned by Bjorn, arrived. Since Bjorn's summon came after Harald's, by the time Hakon received it, the Russ had already claimed victory. By then, Bjorn had awakened, knowing that the Russ would soon attack Kattegat. He prepared for another battle. Soon, scouts spotted the Russ army moving towards Kattegat by land. Erik believed that even with Hakon's support, they were still outnumbered. The most crucial issue was that Bjorn could not fight, which would significantly lower their morale. Thus, Erik suggested delaying the battle to wait for more chieftain support. Although Erik was correct, this still angered Bjorn. As a descendant of Odin, he would never allow Christians to trample his people unchecked. Bjorn became so impassioned that he even coughed up blood. Erik felt ashamed after hearing Bjorn's words and sincerely apologized to him. He admitted he did not have Bjorn's vision and acknowledged that no one in Norway could replace Bjorn. Erik placed the crown on Bjorn's bed, marking him as the true king of Norway from that moment. Bjorn understood Erik's analysis made sense. At that moment, he cared not for crowns but only wished to save his people from the Russ' cruelty. Thus, Bjorn devised a strategy to address this national crisis. What was Bjorn's strategy? And what would his fate be? This is the personal finale for Bjorn Ironbone, son of the legendary Viking, Ragnar. In my opinion, Bjorn's curtain call is the most heart-stopping and gut-wrenching moment of the entire series. On the eve of the great battle, Chief Hakon ventured alone into the Russ' camp to announce Bjorn's death and to offer his surrender to Oleg. However, Oleg did not accept Hakon's surrender. After killing Hakon, Oleg sent messengers throughout the camp to spread the news of the spiritual leader of Norway's death, hoping to boost his soldiers' morale. Kattegat seemed within easy reach. The next day, as the Grand Army prepared to attack Kattegat, a familiar figure appeared on a distant hillside. Bjorn, alone on a white horse, casually made his way toward the battlefield. All the Russ' soldiers knew of Bjorn's supposed death, yet here he was, very much alive before them. Given the superstitions of the time, this sight filled the soldiers with extraordinary fear. To test whether Bjorn was man or ghost, Ganbader drew his bow and shot arrows at him. After Bjorn had been hit by several arrows and was spitting blood, Ganbader proudly told everyone that the so-called Iron Bone was nothing more than that. But Bjorn's next action terrified the Russ' soldiers even more. Despite his injuries, he slowly raised his king's sword. As Bjorn lifts the king's sword above his head, Vikings emerge from all around to stand behind King Bjorn. Men, women, elderly, and children, all warriors for Bjorn. They were ready to fight for their homeland. They were ready to fight for their great king. Then Bjorn points the king's sword towards the distant horizon, and more Viking warriors appear behind the Russ. The chieftains who had heeded Bjorn's call finally arrived. They had come to save their nation, in their hearts. Bjorn was the true king of Norway, the only one who could unite the Norwegian people. Then the Vikings charged. By then, the Russ, already terrified by Bjorn's seeming immortality, lacked the courage to face a man who could not be killed, who perhaps was now a god in their eyes. Most of the Russ' commanders fled the battlefield without fighting. Tragically, Ama, who adored Hvitserk, was the first to fall. Ultimately, Bjorn's great sacrifice secured Norway's safety. His self-sacrifice was a stroke of genius, inspiring his people and daunting his foes. With this, after the departures of Ragnar and Lagertha, the show's third soulful character makes a tragic exit. From the first episode, we have watched Bjorn grow, much like parents watching their child. From receiving the title Ironbone from Ragnar to completing the harsh winter trials. From his journeys across the Mediterranean to his campaigns in England. From being king of Kattegat to being king of all Norway. Although Bjorn lacked Ivar's cunning intellect, these minor flaws did not diminish his greatness. He was fiercely brave, generous, loyal, and awe-inspiring. His deeds are too numerous to be summed up briefly. While this is not the true end of the historical Bjorn, no one's sacrifice is more valuable in this series. Bjorn alone united all of Norway, using his last breath to repel the invaders. After Bjorn's death, Gunnhild built an eternal mausoleum for her revered husband, commemorating his contributions to Norway. Farewell, great Bjorn. Farewell, the true warrior in our hearts.