Vikings: Valhalla season 3 episode 8 recap: the end is just a new beginning

The final episode of Vikings: Valhalla season 3 (and the series as a whole) opens with Leif (Sam Corlett) riding north to find Magnus (Set Sjostrand). A woodcutter tells him Magnus is in Stromfoss. Leif travels with the woodcutter to gain entry into Stromfoss, under the guise of bringing in wood to a tavern.

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Leif sees a man with a black cloak. Thinking it's Magnus, Leif attacks. But it's not Magnus, it's Harald (Leo Suter), who counters the attack. Leif is stunned to see his friend back in Norway. While Leif and Harald catch up, Jarl Nori (Kenneth M. Christensen) and Vestian (Ethan Dillon) come to talk with Harald. They share that Magnus has secured agreements from some of the Jarls to back him, and he has the Church behind him as well. But Jarl Nori says he is with Harald. So Leif, Harald, Harald's mercenary army, Jarl Nori, Vestian and their men all go to Kattegat to confront Magnus.

Meanwhile, Freydis (Frida Gustavsson) lands in Kattegat and seeks out Queen Ælfgifu (Pollyanna McIntosh) and Katla (Kateryna Bratchyna), who give her a warm welcome.

Farewell to the king

In England, a visibly weakened Canute (Bradley Freegard) tells the earls he wants Queen Emma (Laura Berlin) to reign after him, so all the earls swear loyalty to her.

Later that night, Godwin (David Oakes) meets with Emma alone and tells her she must send for Edward and put him on the throne with herself as Regent. She tells him she's already sent for Edward.

After King Canute dies, Queen Emma attends his funeral mass. But his body isn't in the box that was paraded into the church. Later, she stands on a cliff above the beach where a Viking boat, decorated with funerary objects and the body of Canute, sets sail. An archer lights it on fire with a flaming arrow. A Viking farewell for a Viking king.

In Norway, Svein (Jakob Femerling Andersen) and his men have gone after Magnus. Magnus kills Svein to claim the throne. When he gets back to Kattegat, he also kills Queen Ælfgifu.  Katla gives up Freydis to save herself and her unborn child, and Magnus takes Freydis prisoner.

Erik never changes

In Greenland, Stigr (Leander Vyvey) battles a blizzard trying to find young Harald (Luke Harmon) and he eventually takes shelter in a cave. At the settlement, Hilde (Carrie Crowley) and Erik (Goran Visnjic) are not speaking until Erik tells Hilde that he forgives her for freeing Freydis.

However, Hilde doesn't forgive Erik for locking her up. Or for taking Harald. Hilde tells Erick she knows he sent someone after them to hunt them down, but Freydis didn't go after Harald, she went to Kattegat.

Erik's man finds Stigr, and a fight ensues. Stigr wins the fight but is badly injured.

The kings of Norway

In Kattegat, Magnus has gathered the Jarls for a vote in the great hall to make him king. Harald strides in and reminds the Jarls long ago they promised to vote for him. Magnus tells the Jarls the Church will not accept a king with Pagan sympathies, citing Harald's previous relationship with Freydis and his child with her as proof he cannot be loyal to the Church.

Magnus brings in Freydis. Despite seeing Harald and her brother again, it's not an emotional reunion, as Magnus declares her a pagan witch, again claiming that the Church will not allow Harald to take the throne.

However, the Jarls declare Harald and Magnus will rule Norway together. Harald accepts this, and Magnus says he will accept only if Freydis is burned as a witch. Shockingly, Harald accepts this and tells Magnus to burn her.

Leif sneaks in to see Freydis that night. They talk about Greenland, and what Erik did to Freydis and her people. Leif tells her they will go back to get her son and her people and find the golden land. He has a plan.

Smoke screen

The next morning, Magnus and Harald are crowned as kings of Norway. Freydis is shackled to a large pyre on a platform. She gives a fiery speech defending the Norse gods and calling on them to help her.

As she does, fires start breaking out in buildings all around them. As explosions occur, the people get spooked that she really is a witch who has called the wrath of the gods down on them. As Kattegat erupts in massive flames, the priest lights the pyre. Leif, who has been setting all the fires with the powder he used in Syracuse, shoots the pyre so there is a massive cloud of smoke.

Under the smoke cover he leaps up the pyre, cuts Freydis free and pulls her down with him. They disappear. When the smoke clears, Freydis is gone and Kattegat is burning.

Godwin's last trick

Emma quickly faces challenges to her authority. She hears a bell pealing and runs to the courtyard, thinking it is Edward. It's not. It's Harefoot (Pyry Kahkonen). Godwin betrayed her. He intercepted the message to Edward and sent for Harefoot instead. Now Harefoot is going to challenge her for the throne.

But Emma isn't going to be brought down by Godwin. She flirts with Harefoot, to Godwin's dismay.

The land of golden trees

In the hills outside Kattegat, Leif and Freydis meet with Harald. She's angry she wasn't allowed to kill Magnus, but Harald says he's going to take care of that. Harald has stocked Leif's boat and his ships will escort them out of Kattegat.

Freydis and Harald have a bit of a reunion. Their lives have gone in permanently different directions, but there is still love there. Harald asks about his son and says he would like to meet him one day. Freydis tells him not to wait too long.

Freydis and Leif sail out of Kattegat to pick up Harald (who was rescued by Stigr) and her people then head out to find the land of golden trees.

In Kattegat, Harald imprisons Magnus in a cell and dares any of his supporters to challenge him. The rule of King Harald Hardrada has begun.

Vikings: Valhalla ending explained

There were some loose ends that weren't tied up in the Vikings: Valhalla ending, but the main storylines ended the way they should. Harald is the King of Norway; Freydis and Leif will get to search for the land they have seen in their visions; Freydis will also get a new start with Stigr and her son; and the sons of King Canute will jockey it out for control of England, Normandy and Denmark. It was a fitting ending for the epic historical drama, bookended by the Greelanders Leif and Freydis in search of a new land.

All episodes of Vikings: Valhalla are now streaming exclusively on Netflix .