‘Vikings’ Season 4 Part 2: Recap Of Episode 19, ‘On The Eve’

Welcome to the recap for Episode 19, entitled “On The Eve,” of Season 4 Part 2 of Vikings. If you were disappointed in a lack of battle scenes in the last episode, Episode 19 makes up for that.

SPOILER ALERT: This recap contains information about the 19th episode (entitled “On The Eve”) of Season 4 of History Channel’s Vikings. Please proceed with caution if you have not yet viewed this episode and wish to avoid spoilers.

Episode 19 of Vikings Season 4 starts with the unease of Torvi (Georgia Hirst), watching a new group who have arrived, yet, aren’t interested in purchasing anything. And, she is right on the money, because this group has been sent in as a decoy attack on Kattegat.

Lagertha (Katheryn Winnick) quickly discovers the ploy. She leaves Torvi in charge of the smaller attack and takes Astrid (Josefin Asplund) to help out with the secondary attack.

While this new attack is worrying, Lagertha’s extra defenses quickly brings everything under control and Egil (Charlie Kelly) is captured. It isn’t long after this that Lagertha finds out Egil is working on behalf of Harald Finehair (Peter Franzen).

Of course, this is also when we find out Torvi has been severely injured, perhaps even dead, in Episode 19 of Vikings.

While Egil is attacking Kattegat, Harald Finehair is admitting to his brother, Halfdan the Black (Jasper Paakkonen), that he really should have killed Princess Ellisif (Sophie Vavasseur). Instead, he goes to her and apologizes to her, then kills her husband.

Later, Ellisif goes to him and admits that she made a mistake in regard to her newly dead husband, that she was always in love with Harald. While Harald believes her, it is lucky Halfdan is around as he kills Ellisif when she pulls a knife on Harald.

Now, the only question left is, will Harald continue in her plan to become the king of all Norway now his princess is dead?

While this is going on, the Great Heathen Army is shaking things up in England. King Aelle’s (Ivan Kaye) Bishop has made it to Wessex and dies right after alerting Aethelwulf (Moe Dunford) and King Ecbert (Linus Roache) of the presence of Vikings on their home soil. Immediately, Alfred (Issac O’Sullivan) and Aethelred want to help their father out by heading into battle. While the history books place Aethelred ruling when the Great Heathen Army attacks England in 865, it seems his grandfather and father have a little more ruling to do before then.

Episode 19 of Vikings sees Ivar the Boneless (Alex Hogh) still cocky about his position within the Great Heathen Army and wanting to change the Vikings usual battle plan. Considering he has barely fought anyone outside of his own brothers, the group is hesitant to try something new. Bjorn Ironside (Alexander Ludwig), heavily channeling his father’s mannerisms and thirst for new things, agrees to have a closer look at the Ivar’s plan, but not before points out Ivar might be reading more into what his father wanted. After all, Ragnar (Travis Fimmel) had asked all of his sons to join him before he settled on Ivar. Regardless, a rift is certainly forming between Ragnar’s sons.

Aethelwulf arrives at the Saxon camp and the war begins in earnest. Both sides line up, ready for the normal battle strategy. But, it seems Bjorn has decided to try Ivar’s plan and the Vikings step back behind the ridge of the hill they initially presented on. They disappear into the forest and circle back around the Saxons, unnerving them because the Vikings still haven’t attacked.

After this tactic is played out a few times, Aethelwulf makes the decision to retreat. The plan is to head to Repton, where the Vikings have left their longships and destroy them rather than continue in the game of cat and mouse Ivar has set up.

Of course, this was exactly Ivar’s plan all along.

Episode 19 of Vikings Season 4 ends with the Vikings ambushing the Saxons and viewers will have to tune into the Season 4 finale to find out if Ivar’s plan has been a success — or a failure.

What did you think of this recap and of Episode 19 (titled “On The Eve”) of Vikings? Let us know your thoughts by commenting below.

Vikings returns to History Channel with the Season 4 finale, Episode 20, on Wednesday, February 1, at 9 p.m. ET.

According to History Channel’s schedule, Episode 20 of Vikings will be titled “The Reckoning.” The synopsis for this episode as follows.

“Prince Aethelwulf finds himself subject to the Vikings’ battle master plan. Ecbert remains behind with a plan of his own.”

Make sure you check back here next week for our recap of the Season 4 finale, Episode 20, of Vikings.

[Featured Image by Jonathan Hession/History Channel]