Vikings: Valhalla Recap ‘Towers of Faith’ — Leif and Harald in Novgorod
- Apr 12
- 5 min read
Vikings: Valhalla Season 2 Episode 2 Recap
Harald’s single-minded determination to gain the throne of Norway brought him to Novgorod, a vital trading hub where his uncle Yaroslav ruled. I am conscious of many of the criticisms Vikings: Valhalla faced whilst it aired, especially when compared to the earliest seasons of the original, Travis Fimmel-led Vikings. At the same time, did I enjoy watching Harald use his fighting skills, first to get his uncle’s attention (when his name did not sway the guards), and later in an effort to earn some money so he could trade fur in Constantinople? Yes. I will always love the first two seasons of Vikings. I am also prepared to enjoy Vikings: Valhalla for what it offers.
Harald and Leif arrived at a challenging time in Novgorod. The route to Constantinople has been closed by the Pechenegs for the past 17 months. That meant that goods that were supposed to be traded were stuck in warehouses in the city, and that Yaroslav had to play host to a growing number of refugees. It also meant that he could not provide Harald with the army he wanted to gain the throne of Norway. With the southern trade route blocked, he needed Canute’s northern empire for trade, especially England. He gave Harald two choices, either to return to Kattegat and swear fealty to his brother Olaf, or do what Vikings have always done, reinvent themselves.
Harald, naturally, chose the latter. His new plan was to fund his own army through the fur trade. He intended to buy as many furs as he could in Novgorod, get through the Pecheneg blockade, and sell the furs in Constantinople. To do that, he needed capital, which he decided to try and gain by betting on himself in the fighting tent against two opponents.
Recently on Twitter, someone pointed out how a popular fight scene in a different show was difficult to watch because it had too many cuts. That (fair) commentary was still on my mind when I watched this episode, and it made me appreciate it more than I probably would have otherwise. You could actually see the fight, and Harald’s skill, because they did not overdo the cuts.
Harald was already winning despite being outnumbered two to one, when another man came in. Leif protested against a fresh fighter joining, and when the man running the fight did not stop it, Leif, too, got into the ring. Leif, whose blood-soaked persona in the season opener remained, ended up killing the man; Harald had to pull him off after he snapped his neck. The fighters who lost ran, which meant Harald bloodied his body and Leif killed a man, and they did not even get the money Harald needed.
But, Harald’s fighting skills caught the eye of a man called Vitomir, who claimed he must transport something of great worth to the emperor of Constantinople. Vitomir offered Harald a great sum, enough to get his fur business started.
Harald’s focus on his quest for the crown of Norway meant that he missed how much Leif still struggled with Liv’s death. Their arrival in Novgorod introduced Leif to a new substance, opium, which allegedly allowed people to talk to the dead. He went to the 10th century equivalent of a drug den, and Liv did come to him. She led him outside, up a rooftop in the middle of a snow storm. When she tried to persuade Leif to come with her to Valhalla, Leif’s fingers caressed his cross. When he woke seemingly from a trance, he was alone, and a lightning struck him.
Meanwhile in Jomsborg, Freydis met the leader of the Jomsvikings, Harekr, played by Bradley James whom I fondly remember from Merlin and iZombie. Finally, it seemed that Freydis was in a place where she was loved and respected. Harekr suggested that she become the Gudija (priestess) of the temple, and though Freydis initially hesitated, she eventually took on the responsibility.
Olaf’s brutal pursuit of the Jomsvikings endeared him to Canute’s son Svein, so that he even decreed that Olaf was to join him and his mother Ælfgifu for supper. After learning that Svein killed a pagan, Ælfgifu’s simple ‘Why’ was a good way to ground the scene. It was a reminder not only of Svein’s youth but also of what men and boys ought to know even in these violent times, that violence needed a purpose, and senseless killing was not what a King ought to do.
Young Svein was too tired for supper, which left Ælfgifu and Olaf alone together. Ælfgifu feared that if Olaf left Kattegat in search of Harald and the Jomsvikings, the Jarls would descend upon the city. She even wondered if that was what Canute intended. Olaf assured her he would never let that happen, and claimed that Canute was wrong to pass her over for Emma. Hmm.
In London, Godwin had the man who attempted to poison Emma tortured. Emma did not look entirely comfortable with these proceedings, but she did not object. Later, the man was found dead, along with many others inside the prison.
The second episode of the second season jumped from one location to another more often than I would have liked. It is a table setting episode, but, it still mostly worked. Part of me thinks that with Novgorod being a trading hub, there were so many potential stories there, that the episode could have been a bottle episode, and simply explored the stories of the people who found themselves stranded and in the company of strangers. Where Harald came with the hope of an army, the show could have spent time exploring a slow suffocation as he realised his Uncle could not or would not help him, until he broke free and decided to break the blockade himself. The writers did include that argument between Leif and Harald, when an upset Leif needled Harald that he was the only one who believed that the throne of Norway would one day be his, but it was a short scene in an episode of short scenes. In stillness, characters can progress. Vikings: Valhalla kept its foot on the pedal, I respect that choice, and I am hopeful it will pay off by the end of the season.
Rating: B
Strays
⚔️The thing about working on a passion project like this blog is that I actually need to spend time working on those I am passionate about. In case you are wondering why I am back writing about an episode that aired back in 2023 and a show that was cancelled in 2024, well, it is because this is a project I had long wanted to complete.
⚔️Leif met an educated woman named Mariam, who looked like she was ill. She studied the skies, and came to Novgorod to look for meteorites.
⚔️Something did not feel right about Jomsborg. Freydis watched as the new arrivals were made to hand in their weapons. The people of Jomsborg headed to the forest, supposedly to work in making the weapons used in rescuing the refugees.
Episode Title: Towers of Faith
Episode Writer: Declan Croghan
Episode Director: Ciaran Donnelly
Original Air Date: January 12, 2023