Alfred’s assessment of his father is dead on.
After suggesting the abbot conduct church business in English, Alfred’s forward-thinking again shows itself when he explains to Judith why they should be building a navy to prevent further Viking invasions. The scene in which he and his mother look down on Aethelwulf, having the time of his life conducting a training session, drives home how out of touch the king has become. Whether the Saxons become a major player once again during this or a subsequent season, Vikings still continues to lay the groundwork with the rapid progression of Alfred as the future king. Nonetheless, the heart of the episode puts on display the civil unrest that percolates not only among the Norse at Kattegat, but the Saxons and Floki’s followers in Iceland. Throughout its five-year run, Vikings has consistently staged epic battle scenes, both large and small, but “The Joke” presents a visceral experience so engrossing that it’s difficult to resist the urge to look away. One thing’s for sure, Michael Hirst holds nothing back as the long awaited civil war finally begins, and though Lagertha may have won the first round, Ivar and Harald will most certainly not go away quietly.
