Who died in 'Vikings: Valhalla' Season 3? A look at all the gruesome deaths in Netflix's hit show
Contains spoilers for 'Vikings: Valhalla' Season 3
DUBLIN, IRELAND: Netflix's fantasy adventure series, 'Vikings: Valhalla' Season 3, immerses viewers in a tumultuous political world where power conflicts are at their height.
Produced by Jeb Stuart, the show follows historical Viking figures such as Leif Eriksson (Sam Corlett), Freydís Eiríksdóttir (Frida Gustavsson), and Harald Sigurdsson (Leo Suter).
Season 3 concludes with Leif and Freydís setting off on a journey in pursuit of the 'Golden Land,' while Harald ascends to the throne as the King of Norway.
However, this time around, the series didn't hesitate to eliminate several significant characters, adding depth and intrigue to the storytelling.
Now, let's look at the characters from 'Vikings: Valhalla' who perished in the third season.
King Canute
In an unexpected turn of events, it was revealed that King Canute (Bradley Freegard ) was suffering from an illness and was on the verge of death. Canute focuses on leaving a peaceful legacy for his family, instructing his sons to gather in Kattegat.
Queen Emma (Laura Berlin) acknowledges his declining health and also desires a smooth transfer of power.
Despite efforts to maintain calm, tensions escalate when Prince Harold Harefoot (Pyry Kähkönen) and Earl Godwin (David Oakes) arrive, bringing news of Forkbeard's death.
At a supper, Canute questions Leif about the qualities of a good king before revealing his succession plans.
Inspired by Leif's advice, Canute announces that Prince Harthacanute (Huey O'Meara) will rule over Denmark, Prince Edward (Cal O'Driscoll), and Prince Alfred (Henry Proctor) will return to Normandy, Harefoot will be Harthacanute's regent, and Emma will be the Queen of England.
Despite Canute's efforts, Godwin and Emma foreshadow future power battles, suggesting that Canute's plans may be at risk of failure.
King Sweyn Forkbeard
In Season 3, King Sweyn Forkbeard (Søren Pilmark) yielded to his greed, openly expressing his desire to become the next King of England.
Initially, Forkbeard sought Godwin's assistance in his bid to become the next King of England.
Given Forkbeard's age, Harefoot dismisses this notion as absurd. Surprisingly, Godwin offers to assist, initially upsetting Harefoot.
Eventually, it is discovered that Godwin had been collaborating with Harefoot all along. Finally, Harefoot suffocates Forkbeard with a pillow while Godwin watches, bringing an end to the old man's life.
Emperor Romanos III
Emperor Romanos III's (Nikolai Kinski's) unexpected death came as a shock, triggering a series of challenges for Harald that played a significant role in shaping his character arc in Season 3 of the show.
Harald attends a party wearing a golden mask, where he discovers Emperor Romanos in a compromising situation and learns that the Emperor is aware of his affair with Empress Zoe.
Romanos asks Harald to father an heir with Viking heritage since he is unable to do so.
However, a woman unexpectedly slits Romanos’s throat, leaving Harald with blood on his hands as he tries to stop the bleeding, making him appear guilty.
Maniakes seizes this opportunity to accuse Harald of murder, aiming to eliminate him from the picture.
The Emir
The season's first shocking death is that of the Emir of Syracuse, who died in a dignified manner.
Following the successful army siege of Syracuse, the Emperor demanded that the Emir and the Saracens surrender the city. However, they resist, hoping that additional armies will come to their rescue.
Leif reminds them that they will soon run out of water, putting their position at risk. To avoid unnecessary conflict, both sides agree to a single battle to determine the fate of Syracuse, with the victor claiming the city.
Harald engages the Emir in a deadly combat, ultimately defeating him and capturing Syracuse. Despite his defeat, the Emir's valorous efforts are acknowledged as commendable.
General Georgios Maniakes
The Emperor's primary guard, George Maniakes (Florian Munteanu), harbors a deep animosity toward Harald and the Saracens, fearing the threat to Christianity.
Despite the Emperor's order to honor the people of Syracuse after the murder of the Emir, Maniakes deceives them by distributing food outside the castle gates.
Tragically, he then douses them with combustible powder and sets them ablaze, resulting in their horrific deaths.
Harald is subsequently accused of murdering Emperor Romanos and of having an affair with Empress Zoe, leading to plans for his execution.
Maniakes presents Zoe with two grim options, forcing her to choose between marrying him and becoming the next Emperor or committing suicide.
Harald, on the other hand, cleverly flees by using birds to spread fire embers throughout the town, causing chaos.
During the panic, Harald confronts Maniakes in a decisive battle and ultimately defeats him, solidifying his legendary status.
How to stream 'Vikings: Valhalla' Season 3?
A Netflix premium membership is necessary to watch 'Vikings: Valhalla' Season 3.
The monthly fee for the Standard Plan membership is $6.99, which covers high-definition (1080p) streaming and includes advertising.
The standard subscription is priced at $15.49 per month and is ad-free. With a single account, you can view content in 1080p/full HD quality on two displays simultaneously.
The Premium Plan, which costs $22.99 per month, enables users to view four screens simultaneously in 4K Ultra HD resolution, along with Dolby Atmos and HDR technologies.
'Vikings: Valhalla' Season 3 trailer