Ragnar being baptized in Vikings, along with other things, has raised the question of whether Ragnar went to Valhalla or not after he died.

Vikings shocked the audience by killing its main character, Ragnar Lothbrok (Travis Fimmel), in season 4, but his demise and some of his actions left a big question: did the great Ragnar Lothbrok go to Valhalla? Created by Michael Hirst, Vikings covered the first years of the Viking Age, and during its first four seasons, it followed legendary Norse figure Ragnar and his travels and raids alongside his Vikings brothers. After Ragnar’s death in Vikings season 4, his sons took the lead of the series until its final episode, but the legacy of the great Ragnar Lothbrok continued to be felt.

Ragnar’s journey in Vikings was marked by a lot of drama, mostly in his personal life, starting with his relationship with Aslaug (Alyssa Sutherland) while he was married to Lagertha (Katheryn Winnick). Ragnar later became quite close to Athelstan (George Blagden), a Christian monk kidnapped by Ragnar and company who ended up becoming his best friend. Getting to know more about Athelstan led to Ragnar having a crisis of faith, as he started to question the Norse gods and fate, which along with being baptized, led to the question of whether Ragnar managed to enter Valhalla after his death or not – and, curiously enough, the answer was in Lagertha’s death.

Vikings: Why Ragnar Went To Valhalla Despite Being Baptized

During the siege of Paris in Vikings season 3, Ragnar climbed a tower and was pushed over the edge, suffering a bad fall that left him severely injured. Ragnar took advantage of his condition to fake his death and infiltrate Paris, so he secretly met with the Franks, who offered him gold and silver. Ragnar didn’t accept, instead asking to be baptized and buried inside the city. Ragnar’s Christening took his people by surprise, but it was a key part of the plan: when he died, his coffin was taken inside the Cathedral to be blessed, where Ragnar jumped out of the coffin and he and his people entered the city.

Being baptized would have meant Ragnar had given up his Norse beliefs and thus wouldn’t have been allowed in Valhalla, but Lagertha’s death in Vikings season 6 confirmed he went to Valhalla. Ragnar died when he was thrown into a pit of snakes, which some argue wasn’t enough to grant him entrance to Valhalla as he didn’t die in battle, but as Ragnar didn’t scream while he died, he was welcomed into Valhalla. When Lagertha died, she was shown entering Valhalla, escorted by the Valkyries, and lying next to Ragnar, confirming that he went to Valhalla despite being baptized and not dying in battle.

Ragnar earned his place in Valhalla not just because he didn’t scream in the pit of snakes but because he was said to be a descendant of Odin. The Allfather appeared to him on different occasions throughout Vikings, so he was going to go to Valhalla no matter what. Some viewers have pointed out that, in Norse mythology, Ragnar couldn’t enter Valhalla until his sons avenged him, and by the time Lagertha died, Ragnar’s death had already been avenged.

Why Not All Vikings Characters Can Go To Valhalla

In Norse mythology, Valhalla is a majestic and enormous hall in Asgard ruled by Odin. Going to Valhalla after death is actually a privilege, as not everyone can cross the gates. Half of the warriors who die in combat are chosen by Odin and taken to Valhalla, led by the valkyries, while the other half goes to Fólkvangr, a meadow ruled over by the goddess Freyja. Those who are taken to Valhalla join the masses of other warriors who died in battle and prepare daily for Ragnarök, which is the end of the world and its rebirth.

Because of this, it was important to various Vikings characters to earn a spot in Valhalla, and it’s also why they went into all those battles without fear, as they knew there was something bigger and better waiting for them after death. Ragnar’s circumstances were special, and it was his connection to Odin, along with his resilience in his final moments and his sons’ actions to avenge his death that, ultimately, allowed him to cross the gates.

Next: Shocking Vikings Theory Claims Ragnar Never Really Died