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The new season of Vikings airs Wednesday, December 4 at 9 p.m. EST on the History Channel. The two-hour long premiere will kick off the sixth and final season of the network’s first scripted series; eight more episodes will follow, airing Wednesday nights at 10 p.m. EST. The remaining 10 episodes of Season 6 will then air later in 2020 after a mid-season break.
History’s Season 6 synopsis for Vikings reads, “Bjorn Ironside has ambitions for the Kingdom of Kattegat, he dreams of peace and prosperity, but the fates have a different plan for the new King. A threat is looming, an enemy is resurgent–so much more ruthless than the rest. Lagertha too has dreams, to bury her sword and return to the simple life. But as enemy forces gather, Bjorn and Lagertha will rise to the challenge, because they are Viking heroes and can never surrender.”
Here’s what you need to know about Season 6 ahead of the premiere tonight. Warning: some Vikings spoilers ahead, so turn back now if you don’t want anything ruined for you!
Ragnar Lothbrok is Rumored to Return for the Final Season
Aside from the fact that Lagertha mentions the late king in a clip from the new season, speculation has been rampant that Ragnar Lothbrok, the character who started the series, will return at some point for the final season.
Although Ragnar was killed during Season 4 when King Aelle threw him into a pit of snakes, cast member Alexander Ludwig (Bjorn Ironside) recently shared a photo on Instagram hinting at Ragnar’s return. The picture featured Ludwig having lunch with Travis Fimmel, who played Ragnar for the first four seasons of the show.
The picture sparked rumors from hopeful fans that Ragnar’s character will make one last appearance before the series comes to an end. One commenter wrote, “Is ragnar will be back in season 6? Ohhhh then what is travis doing in vikings set location? … it made me think he will be back,” while another asked, “Coming back [to] Season 6 as a Ghost maybe?”
The picture is far from proof that Fimmel will return this season, although it would be fitting for the late king to make an appearance for the final season of the series (whether through a flashback, a vision or even a ghost, as the commenter wrote). Fimmel has made a cameo appearance before, during a powerful flashback sequence involving Lagertha, and Ragnar is remembered often throughout the series, so he very well might come back one last time.
Season 6 is the Final Season of Vikings
Vikings creator Michael Hirst announced earlier this year that the series would be coming to an end after Season 6, and that they had 20 “intensely emotional” episodes in store for viewers for the final season. Hirst has written every episode of series, according to Deadline.
“I always knew how Vikings would end and, after 89 episodes, I truly believe the saga of Ragnar Lothbrok and his sons has been told and we are leaving our beloved fans with the proper and definitive ending they so deserve,” Hirst said in a statement. “Although it is bittersweet, there are still 20 episodes left and the most ambitious and intensely emotional episodes are still to come.”
Tune in Wednesday nights at 10 p.m. EST/9 p.m. CST to catch new episodes of Vikings. In the meantime, don’t forget to check out this author’s profile for more entertainment news and TV coverage.
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