The cast of History’s Vikings came together virtually (while still remaining safe at home) for a look back on six seasons of the Lothbroks. Travis Fimmel, Clive Standen, Katheryn Winnick, Alex Ludwig, and Jordan Patrick Smith joined series creator Michael Hirst for a Comic-Con@Home panel, the safe, virtual alternative to the annual San Diego Comic-Con.
During the panel, History unveiled an official sneak peek clip (see below) from the second half of season six, set to premiere later this year. However, the clip is spoiler-ish so watch at your own risk.
Katheryn Winnick, who Vikings fans have grown to love as badass Lagertha, discussed her character’s fate during the panel. “That last moment you did where Lagertha falls in the water and lands right next to Ragnar. And a little fun fact to the fans that last line ‘In my dreams, we are always together,’ that was actually my audition line when I first tested as Lagertha. So it’s just full circle to see it all come back.”
Travis Fimmel’s Ragnar lost his life a few seasons back, and Fimmel recalled how it felt to shoot the scene where he said goodbye to his daughter. “I don’t know why, but it took me about 3 minutes to memorize that whole thing because it was just written so well. All the best writing, I can memorize like that.”
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On a lighter note, Jordan Patrick Smith remembered stepping onto the set for the first time and becoming a part of the Vikings family. “That was the best part of working on Vikings was it was all one big family, there was no hierarchy from top to bottom. Especially when I came on the show and joined it. It didn’t matter who you were working with, it could be a grip, it could be a producer – someone’s throwing an apple at your head when you are turning around,” said Smith. “It was just one big family with no hierarchy. Everyone’s just locked in together. When you are working out in the cold together in minus five, it does become a family. You know everyone and their personal lives and it is one of the things I miss most about the show.
I do remember my first day on the set because Travis slapped me in the face 45 times. That was my introduction to Vikings. When I first came to set it was big shoes to fill. I remember walking down the hills and someone said, ‘Please don’t mess this up, our jobs depend on you.’ So that was what the four brothers were introduced to walking down the hill.”
During the 45 minute panel Clive Standen talked about the Ragnar and Rollo fight scene and complimented the action series’ first-rate stunt team. “The stunt team who were incredible in our show, they always came up with fantastic fights and they came up with a fantastic fight for Ragnar and Rollo. It was all swords and it was a very beautiful fight and Travis came in, and he was right, he just said, ‘This needs to be the tension between the brothers. It needs to be the brothers and not one of them is going to go down until one of them is dead.’ He showed some examples of fights and we arranged to get rid of the swords as soon as possible and just hit each other.”
Asked about what’s in store, Michael Hirst promised the second half of the sixth and final season will wrap up storylines and reveal fates. “The characters who we all, including me, have grown to love will all have their fates decided. Whether they live or die is of course in the hands of the gods, although I had a hand in it too,” said Hirst. “I think the conclusion of this saga is deeply satisfying. A proper and meaningful ending. And I hope all our fans will feel the same way. I tried to do justice to all my characters and I hope I’ve succeeded.”
Clip from Season 6 Part 2:
