Vikings: Valhalla – Season 3 Episode 2 “Honour and Dishonour” Recap & Review

Honour and Dishonour

Episode 2 of Vikings: Valhalla Season 3 begins with the Syracuse Emir claiming that a great Saracen army from Cairo and Alexandria is coming to his aid. However, Leif has cut off their water supplies which means they may not survive till the army arrives. Emir then suggests a duel to save his people. Whoever wins controls Syracuse but he asks that the locals be untouched. Romanos agrees but picks Harald over the General while the Emir fights himself. 

Leif is worried as he wonders if Harald has lost sight of his plans; at least the Emir is fighting for his people. But Harald assures that all of his actions have always been for Norway. 

Peace at Jomsborg is broken when everyone starts to feel sick. Kolr and Little Harald have seizures before everyone else follows. Stigr sees that the flour from Kattegat is poisoned and runs to get the remedy. The villagers think he is the one who poisoned them but everyone is too sick to take any action including Freydis.

Meanwhile, Magnus Olafsson arrives in Kattegat with a group of monks. While King Svein of Norway, Canute and Aelfgifu’s son is happy to see him, Aelfgifu is wary of him. Magnus reveals that a blind monk got his sight back after he dreamt of Olaf. If a second miracle takes place, Olaf will be sainted.

For that, he wants to take his father’s body from Jomsborg and erect a shrine in Kattegat. Aelfgifu sees through his plans as she points out that she has a deal with Freydis to keep the peace. But Magnus keeps insisting that he doesn’t want revenge. However, alone, we see that he is the one who used a trader to sell the poisoned flour to Jomsborg.

Back at Syracuse, the duel takes place. Emir is a formidable soldier but Harald takes him down. Romanos thanks Harald for his support and acknowledges that the Prince will be returning to Norway one day. Before heading back to Constantinople, the Emperor warns General Maniakes to leave the locals alone. But where would the drama be in that? Maniakes sneaks into Leif’s tent and steals the gunpowder.

It cuts to Rome where Emma seeks an audience with the Pope. She points out that Canute is extremely powerful as he got his revenge for the St. Brice’s Day massacre and even became king. She also exposes the Cardinal for taking bribes from Godwin which shocks the Pope. He personally greets Emma and agrees to meet with Canute again.

The King stresses the importance of a Viking friendship and gifts the Cardinal’s head to the Pope. The Pope gladly accepts it and we see that all of it was Emma’s idea which Godwin doesn’t agree with. On a roll, she declares that the party will head to Normandy to visit her children but Godwin is to go to Denmark to relay the Pope’s blessing to Canute’s father, Forkbeard.

Meanwhile, Stigr returns and convinces the villagers that he has the remedy. They are still wary of him but the remedy works. Unfortunately, it is too late for Kolr who dies. Amidst this wreck, Svein tells Magnus the way to Jomsborg. Aelfgifu is more than glad to see him go as she reminds her son that Magnus is also a threat to them as he has an eye on the Norway throne.

As for the fort, General Maniakes is hellbent on destroying it. Leif arrives just in time to save the library. He strikes a conversation with the librarian and finds what he has been looking for all this while – a map made in Corfu. 

Meanwhile, Maniakes’ men lure the locals to the square with food. Once they are distracted, the army locks them in, throws in the powder and sets the square on fire. Leif notices from the library window and rushes to help but it is too late. Harald too arrives upon seeing the smoke but nothing can be done.

The General claims that the Saracens will destroy Christianity and so they need to be stopped. At the end of Vikings: Valhalla Season 3 Episode 2, Leif points out that it is still murder but the General claims that it was Leif’s science that killed them, he is just the messenger.


The Episode Review

Oh no, Leif is going to fall for the General’s word and torture himself, isn’t he? This is a classic woe-is-me move and we will now have to sit through his righteousness arc as he tries to “find himself.” But hey, at least we have the Emma vs Godwin drama to keep us entertained. 

And that was a sneaky little introduction of Magnus in Vikings: Valhalla Season 3 Episode 2, dude is as evil as his father. Instantly unlikeable, but he is the perfect catalyst for some more political drama and action. Those who know about Viking history know that he is an important historical figure. But does that mean we will have to suffer through whatever torture he has planned for Freydis?

BTW, poor Harald is getting sidelined in his own Netflix show. He needs to wrap up his Byzantine side quest soon and head back to Norway. Even England will do honestly. That’s where all the drama is anyway.

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Read our Season 3 Review of Vikings: Valhalla here!

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