That was another painfully slow hour.

Vikings Season 6 Episode 18 continued to drag the show to its conclusion, with the bulk of the plots lacking the excitement they should have heading into the end of such a monumental series.

Ubbe, Torvi, Othere, and their people were essentially playing hide and seek with the natives of the new island, which was deemed the golden land.

Apprehension from both parties is to be expected. These are two very different groups, and one wrong move could change the meeting's trajectory before long.

Unfortunately, we have left on yet another cliffhanger just as the excitement was starting to build, but I do not doubt in my mind that Ubbe and his group have made it to where they were fated to be.

Ubbe has lacked direction for a while now, and with him not wanting to become a King, he wanted to start a new life somewhere new.

A fresh start after years of torment is the best way to end his journey, but there will undoubtedly be some arguments between these new settlers and the natives.

It all started friendly enough, but what if they have differing views and a battle ensues? The Viking way has been to raid settlements and steal everything, but Ubbe wants to be better than his father.

The theme of Vikings Season 6 has been how the Viking way is dying out and that the world is changing. Ubbe and Torvi adapting to that might allow them to survive the series, but Ivar and Hvitserk probably won't.

The past has shaped Ivar, and his mantra has always been not to be afraid of death, but with his eyes going dark blue and the Seer's meetings, it seems he will be dying by the end of the series.

If you watch Vikings online, you know Ivar is not the type of person at peace for long. The darkness has shaped his entire arc within him.

Even if he beats Wessex, the Viking way is too much ingrained in his mind for him to have a family live a quiet life.

We witnessed a different side to Ivar when he helped Prince Igor become a leader earlier on Vikings Season 6, suggesting that there was a warmth to Ivar -- a warmth that we rarely get to see.

Ivar is fated to fight to the death with Hvitserk, but their relationship appears to be in a strong place, making for a nice change of pace.

No matter how much they fight, they always find a way to see the good in each other, and they have the strongest bond out of all Ragnar's children.

However, the imminent battle is probably going to find them at odds, possibly for the last time, and it's going to be unfortunate to watch either one of them die.

King Alfred seemed ready to have a war of words with Ragnar's sons to stop the fighting, but his latest bout of illness gave him the drive he needed to grow a backbone and declare that there will be a battle.

It all harkens back to the Vikings not changing, and the only for Wessex to truly be free of them is to wipe them out, one army at a time.

I'm still not sold on Wessex being reintroduced this late in the game and think it should have been a longer final arc of the two very different forces fighting.

Despite meandering for dear life, the action in Kattegat was actually somewhat intriguing. The power struggle between Erik and Ingrid is starting to rear its ugly head, and Erik is going to want to dole out some revenge.

Erik was made blind when he least expected it, and he's convinced Ingrid was to blame, but his co-ruler wants him to think it was the Gods making him atone for his sins.

The scary thing about this is that Ingrid has a way with words. Her manipulation skills are second to none, and the way she told the people of Kattegat that they needed more money for defenses solidified that.

As we knew it for the first five and a half seasons, Kattegat is over, and this plot appears to be deciding what to do with the settlement when the battle between Norway and Wessex is over, assuming we get to return to Kattegat after the battle.

"It's Only Magic" could have been exciting had much of the plot been used in the previous episodes. Some of the developments felt like an afterthought thrown in to bulk up episodes ahead of the finale.

Previous seasons have managed to balance the action and the conflicts much better, but it's proving to be much tougher with this being the final season.

What are your thoughts on the new land? Do you think Ubbe and his people can make things work there?

Will Erik take out Ingrid before it's too late, or will she get to him first?

Vikings Season 6 airs on Amazon Prime Video.

Paul Dailly was an Associate Editor for TV Fanatic.Follow him on X.