review of Vikings 4.14 

Vikings 4.14 last night, with a long overdue, wonderful and painful conversation between Ragnar and Ecbert, which took up most of the episode.

Among the high points of the conversation was Athelstan, how Ragnar and Ecbert both loved him, competed for his attention, with Ragnar saying and Ecbert acknowledging that Athelstan loved Ragnar more, which is why he went back to Scandinavia.  (I always thought that Athelstan went back with Ragnar more from a motive to learn more about this strange new culture, than  the magnetism of Ragnar, but the two factors are related.)  But Ragnar also feels deep guilt about Floki\'s murder of Athelstan, and Ragnar\'s failure to protect his friend.

The appearance of Athelstan\'s son in many ways epitomized this profound scene.  It indicated that Athestan would be continuing in some way in the flesh, and gave Ragnar another chance to show his love for Athelstan, in that long hug.

The death of Athelstan and his continuance in his son also serves as prelude for the ultimate message of the conversation between Ragnar and Ecbert.   Ragnar feels his time on this Earth is ending, and he wants to take his leave in a way that most protects his sons and his legacy.

The look in Ecbert\'s eyes when he realizes what Ragar is asking him to do, well, just said it all - and superb, deftly effective acting in this season from both Linus Roache and Travis Fimmel.  

So will Ragnar be dispatched to Valhalla in the next episode?  The coming attractions certainly suggest that, but we\'ve been surprised before, and as much as I like change, I\'d like to see Ragnar stay on forever.

See also Vikings 4.1: I\'ll Still Take Paris ... Vikings 4.2: Sacred Texts ...Vikings 4.4: Speaking the Language ... Vikings 4.5: Knives ... Vikings 4.8: Ships Up Cliff ... Vikings 4.10: "God Bless Paris" ... Vikings 4.11: Ragnar\'s Sons ... Vikings 4.12: Two Expeditions ... Vikings 4.13: Family

And see also Vikings 3.1. Fighting and Farming ... Vikings 3.2: Leonard Nimoy ...Vikings 3.3: We\'ll Always Have Paris ... Vikings 3.4: They Call Me the Wanderer ... Vikings 3.5: Massacre ... Vikings 3.6: Athelstan and Floki ...Vikings 3.7: At the Gates ... Vikings 3.8: Battle for Paris ... Vikings 3.9: The Conquered ... Vikings Season 3 Finale: Normandy

And see also Vikings 2.1-2: Upping the Ante of Conquest ... Vikings 2.4: Wise King ... Vikings 2.5: Caught in the Middle ... Vikings 2.6: The Guardians ...Vikings 2.7: Volatile Mix ... Vikings 2.8: Great Post-Apocalyptic Narrative ... Vikings Season 2 Finale: Satisfying, Surprising, Superb

And see also Vikings ... Vikings 1.2: Lindisfarne ... Vikings 1.3: The Priest ... Vikings 1.4:  Twist and Testudo ... Vikings 1.5: Freud and Family ... Vikings 1.7: Religion and Battle ... Vikings 1.8: Sacrifice

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Labels: Linus Roache, television, Travis Fimmel, Vikings

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Paul Levinson, PhD, is Professor of Communication & Media Studies at Fordham University in New York City.  His 8 nonfiction books, including The Soft Edge (1997), Digital McLuhan (1999), Realspace (2003),  Cellphone (2004), and New New Media (2009, 2nd edition 2012), have been the subject of major articles in the New York Times, Wired, the Christian Science Monitor, and have been translated into 12 languages. His science fiction novels include The Silk Code (1999, ebook 2012), Borrowed Tides (2001), TheConsciousness Plague (2002, 2013), The Pixel Eye (2003), The Plot To SaveSocrates (2006, ebook 2012), and Unburning Alexandria (2013).  His short stories have been nominated for Nebula, Hugo, Edgar, and Sturgeon Awards.  Paul Levinson appears on "The O'Reilly Factor" (Fox News), "The CBS Evening News,"  “NewsHour with Jim Lehrer” (PBS),  “Nightline” (ABC), NPR, and numerous national and international TV and radio programs. His 1972 album, Twice Upon a Rhyme, was re-issued in 2009 (CD) and 2010 (remastered vinyl). He reviews the best of television in his InfiniteRegress.tv blog, and was listed in The Chronicle of Higher Education’s “Top 10 Academic Twitterers” in 2009.

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