Handlung

King Ecbert visits the developing Viking settlement as the first harvest is sown.

Ragnar leads his troops against Princess Kwenthrith's brother Burgred. The battle is short-lived however and Burgred quickly surrenders. Porunn is severely injured in the battle and Ragnar chastises his son Bjorn when he learns that she is pregnant. Despite the victories, all is not well among the Viking warriors and Floki in particular criticizes Ragnar for fighting the Christians' wars. Back at the new settlement, King Ecbert leads a delegation of his noblemen to ceremonies marking the sowing of the first crop. He refuses to listen to any criticism telling his men they have the benefit of Ragnar's army fighting in Mercia. However, even Ecbert is taken aback by the pagan ceremony.—garykmcd

One-armed Torstein seeks a Vikings death as first man stumbling trough the mist towards prince Mercian Burgred's troops, the start of a carnage which Floki considers a senseless bloodbath for a Christian cause. Ecbert's heir Aethelwulf's men save the day, but pregnant Porrun is among the badly wounded, cause for Ragnar to scold Bjorn a mental knave, Rollo sooths. Meanwhile Ecbert and Lagertha enjoy getting acquainted over the establishment of the Viking settlement, with a novel plow. Athelstan's court friend Judith is shocked to see Lagertha eagerly making out with Ecbert in his royal villa's Roman bath, the king waves his nobles' disgust at the Viking pagan harvest blood sacrifice. Back home, the women are worried about nightmarish visions which seem to materialize as two local knaves drown, the seer has no divine inspiration.—KGF Vissers

Siggy brings the stranger home and together with Auslag and Helga, they clean his injured hand and Auslag invites him to have a meal and sleep in a straw bed. The wanderer Harbard tells stories about his travels and when he met the gods. Meanwhile, after defeating Princess Kwenthrith's uncle Brithwulf, the Vikings climb the hill to attack her brother Burgred, but the princess asks to spare his life. Floki blames Ragnar for the loss of his own people including their friend Torstein and Porunn that is badly injured. King Ecbert visits Lagherta and the field and watches a pagan ritual of sacrifice while his nobles criticize him. A tragic event happens in Kattegat and Siggy visits the Seer to ask about Harbard.—Claudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Helga, Siggy, and Aslaug help Harbard with his hand. He explains that he is a wanderer, offering to share stories about his travels, and the gods, in return for lodging. Aslaug tells Harbard that Ragnar has gone on a raid and invites him to stay at her home on a bed of straw.

Harbard regales Aslaug with the tales of his travel, but Siggy is more skeptical and suspicious of the stranger. Siggy says that Harbard is the God Thor, as only Thor can fight old age and drain the seas, as per Harbard's tales. Harbard finds Ivar crying in pain and promises to take away his pain. Ivar goes to sleep under Harbard's influence.

In England, Floki resents Ragnar's fighting for the Christians. Ragnar is convinced that this battle will secure the future for the Vikings. Floki says that Ragnar is deluded if he believes that Ecbert can be trusted. Floki adds that in the battle of the Gods, only one can prevail, and the triumph of Christianity would mean the end of the Pagan religion. The Vikings begin climbing the mountain to fight Kwenthrith's brother and his army. Torstein insists to be taken to battle, even though he is too ill to fight. She asks Ragnar to spare her brother. Torstein volunteers to go first to expose the enemy defensive positions on the hill and dies valiantly.

While Ragnar and his men fight their way up the hill, Aethelwulf's archers surround Kwenthrith's brother, killing many and forcing him to surrender.

Bjorn saves Porunn from death as she is severely injured in battle with her face scarred. Ragnar finds out that Porunn is pregnant and chastises his son for allowing her to fight. Floki is livid and blames Ragnar for Torstein's death. He says that Torstein's death was pointless as he never wanted to own that Hill. Ragnar says that everybody fought off their own free will and asks Floki to shut his face.

Ecbert's nobles are angry at him for sharing their farming secrets with the Vikings, since the Vikings have not shared their boat building technology with them. And they demand that the Vikings convert to Christianity in exchange for the land. Ecbert explains that by giving away a small parcel of land, he has gained the support of Ragnar to annex the mighty Kingdom of Mercia, with Kwenthrith as its puppet ruler.

Ecbert gifts Lagertha a new type of plow that makes farming much easier and efficient. The plow digs deep into the Earth and overturns the soil. He also shares that mixing manure into the exposed soil increases the fertility of the soil.

Ecbert than invites Athelstan and Lagertha back to his Villa, whenever they choose to come. In England, King Ecbert shows Lagertha his Roman bathhouse (which had Roman murals of their Pagan Gods and their rich cultural heritage) and invites his guests to join him in the bath, leading to Ecbert and Lagertha having sex. Ecbert talks about another great city built by the Romans called Paris, in Frankia.

Ecbert then attends a Pagan sacrifice ceremony before the settlers plant their first crop. The nobles unite in their view that the Pagans should not be allowed to stay unless they embrace Christianity.

In Kattegat, a fisherman catches two drowned young boys in his nets. Siggy visits the Seer to discuss Harbard and her dreams. She says that the death of the boys might be connected to the stranger in town. The Seer only says that no one can help the women.