‘Vikings,’ Season 4 Part 2, Episode 13: What Was The Significance Of Aslaug’s Sword?

Episode 13 of History’s Vikings saw Aslaug with a sword. This sword seems significant in the way she was carrying it, but whose sword is it?

SPOILER ALERT: This article discusses Season 4 of History Channel’s Vikings as well as historical aspects of some of the characters from this show. Please proceed with caution if you wish to avoid spoilers.

As Lagertha (Katheryn Winnick) was attacking Kattegat in Episode 13 of Vikings, Aslaug (Alyssa Sutherland), the present queen of Kattegat, was seen with a sword. So, who does the sword belong to and is its presence significant? Let’s have a look at who the sword might belong to and why Aslaug might be using it.

Ragnar’s Sword

Ragnar Lothbrok (Travis Fimmel) and his son, Ivar the Boneless (Alex Hogh) have left on a journey to England to confront King Ecbert (Linus Roache). While it would seem Ragnar should take his sword with him on such a journey, we know from Episode 13 that he is traveling fairly lightly. So, it does seem possible Aslaug would use his sword in battle if required.

Aslaug, however, is not a shield maiden and is not trained to fight, so it seems unlikely she will use the sword directly in Episode 14 of Vikings. However, she could be passing this sword onto someone else to use.

Alternatively, could Aslaug have realized Kattegat really does belong to Lagertha, or that she knows she has been outnumbered in the battle. Either way, perhaps Aslaug has decided to give Ragnar’s sword to Lagertha as a kind of a ceremonial handing over of Kattegat to its new owner in an effort to avoid further bloodshed of her people.

Aslaug’s Sword

While, in History’s Vikings, Aslaug is a character everyone loves to hate on account of her stealing Ragnar from Lagertha, in the sagas of the Vikings, she is a much more complex character. According to the Icelandic tale, the Volsunga Saga, Aslaug was the daughter of Sigurd, the legendary hero of Norse mythology. Sigurd was the son of Sigmund, a man who fought with Odin and lost. The sword he used was shattered during the battle and Sigurd’s mother, Hiordis, bequeathed the broken sword to her unborn child, Sigurd.

Later in life, Sigurd is in need of a special sword and has the shattered sword of his father remodeled into a new one. This sword is known as Gram and was used to kill the dragon, Fafnir. So, could this be the sword Aslaug is carrying in Episode 13 of Vikings? If so, Lagertha could find the battle she thought would be so easy to win, is suddenly not so.

Along with having a famous father, Aslaug also had a famous mother in the sagas of the Vikings. As Aslaug has stated in earlier episodes of Vikings, her mother was Brynhildr. In the Volsunga Saga, Brynhildr was a shield maiden who was also a Valkyrie, doomed to a human existence, hence why Aslaug is often known for her prophetic visions in Vikings. In the Vikings saga, Brynhildr is known for having to decide a battle between two kings (which is the role of Valkyries). In history’s Vikings, could this part of the saga be played out between two queens instead, one of them being the daughter of Brynhildr? Only by tuning into Episode 14 of Vikings will reveal the answers.

Whose sword do you think Aslaug was carrying in Episode 13 of Vikings? Let us know your thoughts by commenting below.

“Lagertha is near realizing a long-held ambition; Ragnar acquires a surprising concession from King Ecbert.”

[Featured Image by History]