As sons of the great Ragnar Lothbrok, each of his children inherited qualities that not only made them formidable warriors but incredible men. Some of these inherited qualities made it difficult to trust others and work well in a team. AsVikingsprogressed, the solo and joint experiences of Bjorn (Alexander Ludwig), Ubbe (Jordan Patrick Smith), Hvitserk (Marco Ilsø), Sigurd (David Lindström), and Ivar (Alex Høgh Andersen), began to mold them in different ways.
Only a few events managed to bring them together and put aside their conflicts. The death and avenging of Ragnar not onlybrought the five sons together, but also managed to drive a wedge between some of them for the remainder ofVikings. Others learned that they may share more in common than they care to admit. Each of Ragnar’s sons has a unique journey of their own, but did any of them actually manage to work together in a meaningful way?
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Bjorn and Ubbe
As the two eldest brothers, a bond between Bjorn and Ubbe is inevitable. The different ways that they were raised contribute to their opposing personalities. Both Bjorn and Ubbe are great leaders, though it also makes them butt heads on the best way to accomplish a goal. Ubbe’s logical way of thinking often leaves him open to compromise, while Bjorn issusceptible to hasty decision-making. Ubbe’s analytical nature is a necessary balance for Bjorn. Bjorn’s ruthlessness is also a great balance for Ubbe, as his righteousness can sometimes result in him being taken advantage of.
Ubbe and Sigurd
Unlike the rest of his brothers, Sigurd doesn’t receive the same amount of time to flourish inVikings. In the time that Sigurd is on the series, viewers learn a lot about him and his relationships with his brothers. Sigurd demonstrates a level of trust and respect for his older brother Ubbe. When Bjorn, Hvitserk, and Ivar all sail away from Kattegat, Ubbe and Sigurd decide to stay to protect their mother Aslaug, and Kattegat. Ulterior motives ruin their simple plan, but in their failure,they are forced to band togetherin search of vengeance
When Ubbe makes his first attempt to try and kill Lagertha, Sigurd is the one who tries to talk him down. It’s an interesting change in their dynamic, as Ubbe is typically the reasonable one, while Sigurd often instigates trouble. Yet, it’s worth mentioning that even in a heated moment such as this, Ubbe still tries to guard his younger brother.
Bjorn and Hvitserk
Bjorn and Hvitserk share a love for raiding and adventure, which makes them a well-matched pair. The two sail toward the Mediterranean together before returning to Kattegatafter the death of their father. Unfortunately, their relationship isn’t always smooth sailing. After defeating his older brothers to take Kattegat with Ivar, Hvitserk decides to help Bjorn overthrow Ivar.
As warriors, Bjorn and Hvitserk are also well-matched. The wrench in their relationship arrives in the deterioration of Hvitserk’s health because of Ivar and the torment of his actions. After Lagertha’s death, Bjorn finds it impossible to forgive Hvitserk and nearly burns him at the stake before deciding to banish him from Kattegat.
Ubbe and Ivar
As one of the more subtle relationships amongst the Ragnarssons, Ubbe had a certain understanding of Ivar that none of the others had. In moments where Ivar is soclose to reacting lethallyout of anger, it is Ubbe who tries to reason with him. Ubbe makes it clear that he always knew how dangerous Ivar was, even when no one else cared to see it. The two of them even banned together to try and avenge their mother at one point. It is clear the two love one another, but unfortunately, it isn’t enough and Ivar makes it clear that he doesn’t consider Ubbe a brother anymore. Yet, even after all the betrayals that occur throughout the latter part of the series, Ubbe doesn’t falter in acknowledging his youngest brother’s successes.
Ubbe and Hvitserk
Ubbe and Hvitserk have one of the most significant relationships of all of Ragnar’s children. They were both introduced in season 2, and in the first half of season 4, they accompanied their father to Paris. Throughout the series, theyshare many near-death experiences, including at the hands of one another. However, even in betrayal, there is a bond that neither of them is so willing to break.
One of the biggest issues in their relationship is that Hvitserk is seen as Ubbe’s shadow. Ubbe makes a decision and expects Hvitserk to stick with him, and once Hvitserk decides he no longer wants to, their relationship becomes strained. For Ubbe, this is the first of many betrayals from Hvitserk, and they never fully come back from them.
Hvitserk and Ivar
By the time the series draws to a close, both Hvitserk and Ivar had virtually been disowned by the rest of their family. The alienation they were both subjected to throughout their lives, allows them to form a bond that the other Ragnarssons are incapable of fully understanding. They are both full of underutilized talents andharbor an underdog mentalitythat allows them to not only understand but motivate one another. With Hvitserk, Ivar shows how caring he can be, which is a side of him that is rarely seen at all. Ivar is far more jovial with Hvitserk but can still be cruel. Hvitserk is also capable of standing up for himself in front of Ivar, which he doesn’t do with many others.
Hvitserk is the most adaptable of all the Ragnarssons. His calm demeanor is easy to pair with any of his brothers, but it best suits Ivar. Hvitserk’s non-judgemental nature makes him the perfect brother to work alongside Ivar. Ivar’s irrational aggressionhas made him a lone wolfwithin his family, and while some do understand him, they don’t always treat him as an equal or capable leader. Hvitserk and Ivar’s bond is also given the most amount of time to develop in the latter part of the series. The progression of their bond naturally unfolds and is full of ups and downs, making it appear the most brotherly of all the series' pairings. The cameraderie amongst them is one of the high points ofVikings’later seasons.
The Chemistry Of The Ragnarsson Brothers
The intricacy of all the connections between the siblings is a testament to not only the writing of the series, but tothe actors that portrayed these characters. No matter the duration of screentime that they had on the show, Ludwig, Smith, Ilsø, Lindström, and Andersen were earnest and charismatic in their respective roles. Without them, the on-screen portrayal of these characters and their relationships with one another wouldn’t be as impactful and long-lasting as they have continued to be since the end of the series in 2020.
