Vikings (TV Series) Yol (2016) User Reviews

You are still in pain

[tenshi_ippikiookami · 7/10 · 26 June 2016]

This episode doesn't offer much in the plot department, but it is full of images, dreams and moody moments that make for the slow pace.

For starters we have Floki released; he just doesn't go home, no, he seems to be searching for his destiny. Bjorn fights against himself (will he find the strength inside and defeat his own demons?). And Rollo... Rollo is actually quite smart. And all the while, Ragnar gets better acquainted with his new slave.

All the plot threads are well developed, even if in reality it is all about mood, and imagery, dreams mixed with reality, the real and unreal. The show does a great job in bringing this mixture to happen (even if the moment about Chinese medicine is a little bit lame) and in keeping a good balance between myth, reality and beliefs. It is another solid episode in a very good series.

And much more seems to be coming Ragnar's way...

The Divorce Day

[claudio_carvalho · 8/10 · 10 October 2017]

Auslag meets Floki and asks him to teach Ivar about their gods. Ragnar gets close to the Chinese slave Yidu that gives drug to him to relief his physical pain. Bjorn stumbles upon the Berserker sent by Erlendur. They fight and Bjorn kills him and finds a ring with the Berserker. Then he goes to Hedeby and brings Torvi with him. However she is forced to leave her child with Erlendur but Lagherta promises to take care of the child. In Kattegat, the ambitious King Harald Finehair of a small territory offers alliance to Ragar to attack Paris with him. Rollo surprises Gisla since he has learned French language and they consummate their marriage. King Aelle travels to Wessex and does not approve the behavior of his daughter Judith.

"Yol" is an episode where a new character is introduced, King Harald Finehair, and the slave Yidu becomes Ragnar's mistress. Bjorn is becoming a strong and powerful character. But who surprise indeed is the despicable Rollo in Paris. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Yol"

The kiss of east

[quincytheodore · 7/10 · 13 March 2016]

It's nice to see a new addition of the cast gets more spotlight, Yidu is presented with escape from slavery in a strangely bonding moment. Ragnar has always been curious about the other traditions and he finds cathartic solace in the oriental company, much like the time spent with Aethelstan before. However, the quiet time only lasts for a while before a mysterious stranger comes knocking with his posse.

It happens about the same time as Bjorn's return, in a much hardened version of himself. He almost becomes a character from Tarantino movie with the crafty imposing entrance and combat veteran look. There's slight mention of treason at play, but it hasn't fully materialized yet. One flaw is his fight scene in the snow landscape seems to be done with rather chaotic pace, although it's still effective in creating the gritty backdrop.

A few occurrences play out in other shores, mainly due to adultery committed by all. Nothing much has changed, in exception of Rollo being able to talk in the same tongue as the Frankia people, he barely even had training montage. At least, audience discovered the princess' libido right on the celebration of Christmas.

Another festival occurs in Vikings resident, with expected nice cinematography. It ends with another warlord visiting the most inconvenient of times, almost in a standoff manner. This cliffhanger sets up more clashing tone, similar to animation, game or action TV series intense moments, which could very well be the second rise of Ragnar as he's now pissing less blood and healthier to defend the throne.

Will be a next Viking's king??

[elo-equipamentos · 8/10 · 15 April 2021]

Studying the legendary Vikings actually a Germanic people we learn that the whole Scandinavia, Norway and Sweden until on the south at Denmark were a Viking's territory, the story of the King Ragnar is a bit controversy indeed, he'd ruled around 800 A. D. until 900 A. D. thus the suppose meeting with the King Harald Finehair who ruled at Sweden between 872-930 is purely speculative, posted in the series for dramatic purposes only.

In this episode has a hiatus, focusing in peace time everywhere has a little of small events, the title Yol is a sort of winter feast of Viking's folklore for the new year, Ragnar is recovering process and has an affair with a Chinese slave Yudu that supposedly had a high position at his country, upon the contrived agreement of Queen Aslaug, who demand Floki teaching her cripple son the Viking's faith, meanwhile at Paris Rollo astonishes us for speaking French near perfect as such keep his marriage with Princess Gisla alive, which was almost revoked.

At Mercia has a King's meeting concerning about their neighboring kingdoms, an alliance is placed on the table, although King Aelle is uneasy about Ragnar that swear kill someday and his bastard's son with Queen Kwenthrith, also very upset about his unfaithful daughter that has been a forbidden and shameful affair with King Ecbert actually his father-in-law.

After a praiseworthy seclusion at wilderness Bjorn faces the skillful old warrior Berserker at forest, the strife is fair equitable, somewhat Bjorn is ensures by physical and mental makeready, his opponent dies mute, however he got a ring which Bjorn needs finding the owner, going back to see his mother and taking away the pretty Torvi, even his husband has a nerve to oppose the threatening Spartan warrior, at Kattegat the king of a small territory comes arguing that will be the next Viking King, his name Harald Finehair and wants to know the notorious traveller King Ragnar Lothbrok, the time comes soon.

Thanks for reading.

Resume:

First watch: 2021 / How many: 1 / Source: Blu-Ray / Rating: 8.

The unknown Chinese medicine....

[shainanm · 27 October 2019]

I didn't think it was an opiate substance at first either cuz of the way it was consumed but the withdrawals and sickly feelings that were shown and expressed were almost identical to cold turkey opiate withdrawals as I have been through it before and it has got to be one of the worse or is the worse and most painful experiences a human being can go through and there really are no words to describe the true pain except extreme cramping through your legs and chest and pretty much your whole body and some throw up like in Vikings...so everything points to an opium substance even though it is not normally consumed in that manner but just like pain killers they can be chewed up so you never know but the withdrawal effects points to an opium like substance...I was curious too so I figured others were also so I just wanted to post this as someone who has been through that experience with several surgeries and have been on prescription pain medication before and coming off especially cold turkey feels like a stroke or heart attack with crushing chest pain and terrible leg pain sharpness and restlessness but worse to a point beyond words... definitely not Chinese herbs or medicine...much worse of a chemical substance...that will destroy the human body if taken for too long for a straight period without some abstanance from the chemical/drug...only recommend it for short use for extreme pain as a short prescription and not street use or recreational use...I used it strictly prescription medical use and still had trouble and extreme pain as shown on Vikings with Ragnar. His sickness he went through just reminded me of strictly opiate withdrawal. You can withdrawal from other medications too like alcohol or benzos or amphetamine etc but not quite like Ragnar was experiencing as I was observing. I felt his pain. And the best think for opiate withdrawal and pain killer addiction is Suboxone or Subutex...which the main ingredient is called buprenorphine...it's an opiate blocker that doesn't make you experience the painful withdrawals and just makes you more comfortable so you don't suffer...cold turkey detoxic really can kill you!

Great episode

[theteamavengers · 10/10 · 31 December 2020]

One of the best episodes of vikings. So many great things about it.

Finally there is a famous character from the Norwegian viking history,but as a history nerd i feel that he wasn't introduced correctly

[kseide14 · 4/10 · 11 March 2016]

Finally there is a famous character from the Norwegian viking history, but so far they have introduced him at the wrong time. Harald Finehair ( Harald Hårfagre) is considered the first king of Norway, the man that gathered the country, which of course isn't the Norway we now today but mostly the south- western and south-eastern part of Norway. He promised his beloved to gather all of Norway, to prove that he was worthy her hand in marriage, and he promised that he would not cut his hair or beard before he was done, thats why he is called "Fine Hair". What in my mind is wrong so far is that Kattegat where Ragnar lives is in the area between Sweden and Denmark which is not a part of Norway, but of course some part of Ragnar's land could be a part of Norway. The other ting is that Ragnar is believed to have lived between 700 - 800 A.D. and Harald lived from about 850- 930 A.D. in some of the sagas they say that Ragnar's son Sigurd Snake-in-the-Eye is Haralds grandfather or great great grandfather, so if the sagas are true Ragnar and Harald would most likely never have met. (Am a archeology and history student so like historical correctness, but i understand that it can be hard and sometimes impossible, love the show.)