'Vikings' Season 6 Part 2 Ending Explained: Who saved Floki and how does Ingrid finally become queen?
Spoilers for 'Vikings' Season 6 Episodes 11 to 20
After six long years, the saga of the ruthless brave warriors, the 'Vikings' finally comes to an end. Their reign, not so much. As fans on Reddit had theorized, Floki is alive and Ubbe finds him in the final episode of Season 6 aka the finale episode 20. The episode, however, does not see the two Vikings return to their land, which lands up in the reins of none other than Ingrid herself. But with Gunnhild holding such strong prospects for becoming the new ruler and a slight interruption with Harrald Finehair reclaiming Bjorn Ironside's throne, how does charge end up in Ingrid's palms? Here's what exactly happens.
After Bjorn's death in the battle against Oleg, the election for a new ruler takes over back home, as Erik tries to weasel his way into acting a double agent, pitting Gunnhild and Ingrid against each other. Ingrid has her unborn child - that she claims is Bjorn's - working in her favor. A jilted Gunnhild knows she cannot triumph over this power and is also betrayed by Erik who had put the idea of becoming the new queen in her head, in the first place. But Erik had also done the same for Ingrid, who was much more eager to take up the position than Gunnhild ever was. In the initial stage of the season, when Ingrid asks Erik if she has a chance of becoming the queen, he answers in the affirmative, claiming there's a long process to that. And sure enough, Ingrid braves the entire process to finally emerge as the queen and sit on the throne, but it's not just fate.
When Harald returns to reclaim Bjorn's throne, he decides to take Gunnhild as his queen. Upon learning Ingrid is pregnant, he deduces the child is his and announces he will marry her too and have the same two wives that Bjorn once had. At the wedding, however, Gunnhild tells them she won't be joining them in matrimony as in her heart she is still married to Bjorn. She then jumps into the waters and drowns herself to be reunited with her beloved in Vallhalla. From there on, it is Harald's reign but he too leaves the land to join forces with Ivar the Boneless and his brother Hvitsrk's battle against the Wessex Christians. The battle ends with Harald dying in a coup de tat by the Wessex warriors, and Ivar dying in battle. Hvitserk surrenders to the Christians and gets baptized to become one of them, thus denouncing any claims to the Viking throne.
The only remaining rightful heir to the throne is Ubbe but he had long given up the warrior life in pursuit of a peaceful settlement and unity with the Gods with Floki. The latter had sailed off at the end of season 6's part 1 and was assumed dead by many, with actor Gustav Skarsgard strongly hinting at the fan favourite 'crazy man's journey being over. But that was not the case.
In Season 6 Part 2 we see Ubbe and Othere travel with their settlement to the Paradise Land that the latter claimed to have once chanced upon. Many hardships, inter-personal battles, conflicts, and the loss of a child later, Ubbe and Torvi finally reach paradise where the sun shines bright and greenery abounds. But what they initially perceive as a threat turns out to be their greatest ally - a tribe of Native Americans who inhabit the land welcome them to their territory and share food, resources, laugher, and compassion with them. And once Ubbe spots them speaking the same language as theirs, he knows the crazy man's behind it all. Sure enough, the Native Americans take Ubbe and the rest of the Viking settlers to the man who taught them the strange language and as fate would have it - it's Floki.
Floki tells Ubbe how he had found himself a boat and was embroiled in storms when he washed up on this paradise land. It was the Native Americans who then took him in, offered him food and shelter and restored him back to good health. When asked why he left, Floki says he was consumed by a sadness so strong that he cannot even remember what caused it. There are strong hints of Floki suffering from depression, but of course, they didn't know of the terminology back then. Floki has become a counsel recluse since his arrival and doesn't plan on seeking anything else - not even communicate with the Gods. And the episode ends with strong hints of Ubbe too settling with Floki who claims he is dying anyway.
With chances of Ubbe's return to their homeland quite dimmed by this reveal, Ingrid's reign on the throne solidifies. Using her magic, she manages to first bring Erik who had claimed the throne following Harald's exit and later, gets her slave spies to kill him in the midst of adultery. Erik's death is quite cathartic to witness, but Ingrid - with all her flaws and cunning - rising to the throne is something no one would have expected. True, Gunnhild should be sitting on that throne, but you got to commend Ingrid's grit and wit. As she tells her sister-wife earlier in the season, all she has is her unborn child and her sex working for her to retain her position of royalty after Bjorn's death. And she sure utilizes it to the fullest.
'Vikings' Season 6 Part 2 premiered on December 30, and all 10 new episodes are now available to stream on Amazon Prime Video.