Plot

King Harald and his army approaches Wessex while Aethelred is about to make a huge decision about his brother's fate.

King Harald and his fleet are coming to Wessex. King Alfred asks Bjorn, Lagertha and Ubbe to prove their loyalty and fight Harald. Aethelred participates in a scheme to overthrow his brother and kill Heahmund and the pagans. Floki has a vision of a spirit that indicates where her body is. The Seer sees the darkness coming. Ivar unsuccessfully tries to force him to tell people that he is a god.—Claudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Hvitserk insists to believe the gods must have a plan which made him chose to side with Ivar, from whom he's ever more estranged after the 'god-king' burns a shield maiden he claims to be Lagertha as sacrifice to himself, and executes Viking rebels. The shivering Seer offers Hvitserk only fearful visions of the future. In Iceland, a vision of Thorunn who reveals her murder by Helgi's brother, Asbjorn, to Floki, who banishes Eyvind and his family to the wasteland. In Wessex, Ubbe personally trains Alfred in preparation for Harald's raid. Magnus suggests in vain Bjorn, Ubbe and Lagertha should break their promise and join Harald. Ubbe and Lagertha doubt Magnus's claim to be Ragnar's bastard. As Harald's fleet approaches Wessex, Harald becomes attracted to Olavsonn's wife Gunnhild. Aethelred is instructed by the conspiring nobles to assassinate Alfred, but last-moment decides not to. Unable to confirm Ivar's divinity, the Seer is murdered by him.—KGF Vissers

Ivar has a shield-maiden he claims to be Lagertha sacrificed, as Hvitserk becomes increasingly conflicted. The people of Kattegat protest as they know an innocent was sacrificed in the name of Lagertha. Ivar claims that a Danish King handed over Lagertha to him. He claims that Lagertha was conspiring with the Danish King to attach Kattegat.

At the feast after the sacrifice, Hvitserk publicly chides Ivar and says that the woman he sacrificed was not Lagertha and that Ivar is not a God. As Ivar executes rebels, Hvitserk consults the Seer who offers fearful visions of the future. The Seer says that he is afraid of going into the dark.

In Iceland, Eyvind claims that he has no clue about the whereabouts of Thorunn. Eyvind's wife Rafarta (Donna Dent) reveals that Thorunn had approached her and said that she was unhappy and did not want to bring a child into this miserable world.

Floki is visited by a vision of Thorunn who reveals her murder by Helgi's brother, Asbjorn. Thorunn says that Asbjorn said that she had bewitched his brother, and that her child was an evil spirit who could not be allowed to be born into this world. Thorunn says that Asbjorn stuck her head with a stone and buried her body in a shallow trench. Floki takes the settlers to the waterfall where Thorunn went for prayers and guides them to Thorunn's shallow grave.

Floki exiles Eyvind and his family from the colony. Eyvinds is livid and says that winter is about to set in and the family would not survive.

In England, Alfred asks the Vikings to prepare a strategy against Harald's army that is sailing into Wessex. Ubbe trains Alfred in preparation for Harald's raid. Ubbe tells Alfred not to be afraid of death to be victorious in battle.

Magnus suggests to Bjorn, Ubbe, and Lagertha that they should join Harald. Magnus says that for a Viking revenge is everything. Magnus says that he met Ragnar when he was imprisoned in Wessex. He says that they hugged, and Ragnar wept and claimed that he loved Magnus as mush as his other sons. Ubbe and Lagertha do not believe Magnus's claim about being Ragnar's son. Lagertha says that Ragnar told him about Kwenthrith and that she only urinated on his wound.

As Harald's army approaches Wessex, Harald becomes attracted to Olavsonn's wife Gunnhild (Ragga Ragnars). Olavsonn tells Harald that Ubbe, Lagertha, and Bjorn have taken shelter in Wessex and are prepared to fight against the Vikings to prove their loyalty to Alfred. Harald believes that the presence of the Viking legends in Alfred's army might dissuade his own army to attack.

The nobles conduct a secret meeting and invite Aethelred to it. They lament that a Viking army approaches and are convinced that Wessex needs a warrior King. They find Alfred to be a weak and feeble leader in the time of war. They say that Alfred has entrusted the defense of the country to Pagans and Heahmund. The nobles say that they want Aethelred to lead Wessex against Harald. They will convene a meeting of the war council, which the King would be compelled to attend, giving Aethelred his opportunity.

Aethelred is instructed by the conspiring nobles to assassinate Alfred, but when the moment comes, finds himself unable to perform the deed.

Ivar eventually visits the Seer, asking him to confirm his divinity. When the Seer does not comply, Ivar murders him.