Vikings Season 6 (2019)

6 seasons, 89 episodes total. The final season of Vikings, which ran from 2013 to 2020. Season 6 consists of 20 episodes, closing out the twilight of the historical Viking Age alongside the stories of Ragnar’s sons — Ivar and Ubbe in particular. History Channel and Amazon Prime co-released the final season; after Season 6 ends, the story continues in the spinoff series Vikings: Valhalla.

What it’s about — The end of an epic that turned east

Ivar (Alex Høgh Andersen), defeated at the end of Season 5, flees to Kievan Rus and seeks new alliances. Ubbe (Jordan Patrick Smith) sets sail on a long voyage toward new lands, and King Harald Finehair (Peter Franzén) faces one more decisive contest for the Norwegian throne. Season 6’s first half develops Ivar’s eastern adventure; the second half draws all the storylines toward convergence. Notably, the new land Ubbe sails toward connects to the historical record of Vikings actually reaching North America, and the drama’s historical imagination is deployed interestingly here. The episodes that close out the saga as an epic are also contained within this season.

Direction — Scale converging under the weight of the ending

Season 6’s direction carries forward the grand scale the series has maintained throughout. The visual realization of Kievan Rus culture and the Kipchak steppe setting in the Ivar episode arc is fresh and striking. The final episodes simultaneously wrap up multiple characters’ arcs in a structure that collects on emotional investments built over the series. Technical quality matches Season 5, but the weight of finality focuses the attention more.

Performance & characters — Ivar’s journey finally completed

Alex Høgh Andersen’s Ivar continues to stand out in Season 6. The journey of Ivar — betrayed, surviving in a foreign land, confronting for the first time what he truly wants — is completed in Season 6. Katheryn Winnick’s Lagertha is the character who has most consistently remained herself across the entire series, and her conclusion is delivered in Season 6. Jordan Patrick Smith’s Ubbe completes his journey as the son who most purely inherited his father Ragnar’s dream of exploration.

What the work says — A turning point as an era sets

Vikings Season 6 narrates the end of an era. Against the historical backdrop of the Viking Age colliding with civilization — where conversion and settlement are gradually replacing raiding and conquest — it shows what choices each character makes. The new world Ragnar dreamed of is ultimately something his sons each reach in their own way; the finale of Season 6 communicates this quietly but unmistakably.

Ratings & reception

The IMDb series overall score is 8.5, and Season 6 is generally well received among fans. The assessment that the narrative has converged sufficiently and the main characters’ arcs have been properly closed is widespread. It has established itself as one of the historically-grounded dramas with the broadest international fanbase of the past decade.

What doesn’t quite work

As in Season 5, the 20-episode run has stretches where some episodes drag. Season 6’s first half, with Ivar’s eastern journey, is interesting, but having him separated for so long from the series’ other characters can disperse the immersion. Some long-term fans feel the conclusion could have given them more.

Verdict

Vikings Season 6 is the season that places a full stop at the end of six years of epic storytelling. Fans who have watched the whole series will feel the weight of the long journey in the final episodes. Rather than standing alone, this is a season that delivers its full value as the conclusion to the complete series. When the world constructed across 89 episodes quietly closes its doors in the final scene, that moment stays with you for a long time. After Season 6, the name Vikings carries a meaning beyond being just a drama title. My rating is ★4.0.

Recommended for

• Fans who have completed Vikings Seasons 1–5
• Those who want emotional closure from an epic narrative’s ending
• Viewers who enjoy character growth arcs in historically-set dramas