The Great Heathen Army has arrived!

"Great" might be a bit of an understatement. "Enormous" or "massive" might be a better fit, but sure, we'll go with "great." 

How about that ending? 

Let's just say, there is no question that "Revenge" was a fitting title for Vikings Season 4 Episode 18. 

If we thought the death of Ragnar was graphic and violent, boy did they sure show us. 

I knew it was going to be bad when Ivar dragged him to the pit where their father died, but I thought maybe they were going to throw him in the pit, too. 

I certainly wasn't expecting to watch Bjorn make wings out of the skin of Aelle's back. Thankfully I know better than to eat while watching Vikings. 

I've been told your god is a carpenter. And guess what? So am I.

Floki

• Permalink: I've been told your god is a carpenter, and guess what? So am I.

If that's what they did to Aelle, I can't even imagine what they have in store for Ecbert. 

The looks on the faces of the English army as the Vikings just kept coming over the hill were absolutely priceless. They were all smiles when it looked like just a few of them, and then they just slowly dropped in complete and utter shock as they just. kept. coming. 

The shot of the camera spanning out over the thousands of Vikings was really just beautiful and awe-inspiring. 

I would have loved to actually see a battle, but there was no way they were going to win. Aelle knew he didn't stand a chance and went for a new tactic, begging for his life in exchange for gold and silver. 

Unfortunately for him (and anyone at home with a queasy stomach), the sons of Ragnar only wanted one thing. 

Aethelwulf: You're not behaving like a king anymore. People are already talking about it. You're distracted, you're withdrawn, you seem unsure, hesitant. Once you were firm, you were strong.
Ecbert: No, I am filled with doubts, and I have begun to believe that being firm and strong was the illusion, and that I am unsure now because it is the most honest way to be.
Aethewulf: Not in the face of a great heathen army that have come to destroy us.

• Permalink: Not in the face of a great heathen army that have come to destroy us.

Ecbert is now on notice, and he knows it. Somehow, I don't see him begging for his life the way Aelle did. He seems ready to go. Seriously though, would it have killed him to just tell his son he loves him? 

That was seriously harsh. 

Also, way to drop the bomb on us that Ecbert had an affair with his daughter-in-law, and then forced his son to adopt the bastard son that resulted from it. 

It's no wonder Ecbert and Aethelwulf don't have the closest relationship. And yet, Aethelwulf still just wants his father's love. It would almost be sweet if it wasn't so sad. 

I love Lagertha, I really do, but I'm starting to think she's letting this queen stuff go to her head just a little bit too much. 

It was bad enough when they were sacrificing animals, but now she's sacrificing humans? 

Okay, yeah, it's a really big army, so I get the logic that the regular sacrifice might not be enough. So, maybe just sacrifice a bigger animal? Or a few of them? 

At least the guy she killed was willing, but it was still messed up. Even more messed up was watching the scenes cut between the sacrifice and Bjorn and Astrid. 

We got to see a man gasping for breath as he died interspersed with Astrid gasping for...other reasons. 

When Bjorn was saying goodbye to his mom, Astrid, and the mother of his children, was that not the most awkward goodbye ever? 

More importantly, does Lagertha know? 

When Astrid climbed into her bed after her little tryst with Bjorn, it sure seemed that way, but her comment about hoping it was fun and worth it could mean a lot of things. 

Probably not, but it could. 

I think she knows. She's too smart not to, and I'm actually starting to wonder if she orchestrated the whole thing. She knows one of the sons of Ragnar is going to kill her, could this be her way of spying on him? 

She can't really think that Bjorn is the one to kill her though, can she? 

That'd be a pretty interesting twist if it was. 

If he decided he wanted to be king, all he would have to do is kill his mother. Not an easy feat, but easier than what one of the other sons would have to do, which would be kill her AND him. 

The way Ivar was staring down Bjorn when he took control of the army had me thinking he was ready to take Bjorn down if necessary. 

This show is full of weird love triangles, and I'm not buying the whole theory that Vikings don't get jealous. 

For now, Ubbe seems fine and dandy sharing his wife with Hvitserk, but I have a feeling that's going to get old pretty fast. Hvitserk couldn't even let them have their wedding night together without crashing the party. 

We're getting all kinds of build up to an epic battle, but haven't seen any of it yet. Aelle is dead, but Ecbert is still out there and Aethelwulf is preparing to put up a fight. 

By the size of the Viking army, I'm not sure it'll last more than thirty seconds, but I'll take it. 

If you need to catch up before the showdown, you can watch Vikings online any time. 

Stacy Glanzman was a staff writer for TV Fanatic. She retired in March, 2019.