After the success of Vikings, Hollywood's appetite for tales about the Viking Age appears to have increased. The recently released The Northman is a movie that's quite similar to the critically acclaimed TV show. And with incredible quotes such as, "Your strength breaks men's bones, I have the cunning to break their mind," it sure is quite the spectacle.
But does the Robert Eggers movie truly match the History Channel series when it comes to pronouncements? Well, in terms of the number of words spoken, a series clearly beats a movie, making it more challenging to pick the best remarks. Luckily, Redditors have done a great job of pointing out what they feel are outstanding quotes.
As Ragnar is being tortured before being thrown into a pit of snakes, he warns King Aelle that payback will eventually come. OreganoTom calls it the "perfect setup for some brutal vengeance."
Ragnar is confident that his death will not go unpunished, and that's why he isn't so bothered by the suffering to which he is subjected. Though he was mostly an absentee father, he is certain that his sons respect and love him for his achievements. Moreover, the quote is an ideal one because it's historically accurate, taken right out of the Viking sagas.
In what counts as one of the worst betrayals in Vikings, Rollo teams up with Jarl Borg to go against his brother Ragnar, but they are defeated. Afterward, Rollo expresses his regret and begs for forgiveness. Redditor MrPresitge confesses that the quote "always stuck with me long after the series ended."
Rollo has every reason to regret his betrayal since he chose a very weak person with whom to partner. Jarl Barg isn't smart enough to defeat Ragnar, so Rollo wishes he would have just stayed. He is honest about his desires too. He wants to be as influential as his brother, not a right hand, and it's for this reason that he betrays Ragnar again later in the series by forming a pact with Emperor Charles.
When Athelstan is sent by the Saxons to negotiate peace with Ragnar, the two have a heart-to-heart conversation about religion. ScienceMudda believes that "if only more people thought like this, the world would be drastically different."
The tête-à-tête between the two friends is an important one as it eventually leads to a truce between the Northmen ad the Saxons. Ragnar's words are also weighty because they point to the major source of conflict on the show. Most wars are between those who believe in Odin and those who believe in God. If only the two parties would respect each other's gods, everyone would be peaceful.
PineyZeal96 thinks this is "the most badass line of the series." It's said by Lagertha when two men attack her right after Ragnar takes Bjorn to Kattegat to swear allegiance to the chieftain, Earl Haraldson, so as to earn his arm-ring.
As one of the best shield maidens in Vikings, Lagertha has fought enough battles to not be shaken by threats from ordinary men. She is always around great warriors too and by simply looking at her attackers, she is able to tell that they aren't skilled enough to pose any serious threat to her.
Before King Aelle is subjected to the "Blood Eagle" death sentence after being captured by the Great Heathen Army. Floki takes time to ridicule him. Swimmer-Patient describes the mockery as "the line that gets me the most kiddy in the show."
Throughout the series, Floki never hesitates to express his feelings of disdain toward Christianity. He thinks of it as a religion that is either inferior or not real. According to him, anyone that doesn't worship Odin is weak and that's why he never shows any mercy to Christians. Just as he brutalized Athelstan, he does his best to rile up Aelle by comparing himself to Jesus.
As Ragnar is being transported shortly before he gets killed, he gets candid about religion. About the quote, PhilCOulson8624 simply says "that was the best."
The quote once again paints Ragnar as the one and only free thinker of the series. When it comes to matters of religion, everyone else takes a side and is willing to kill for their gods. Ragnar, on his part, comes off as more agonistic, entertaining the possibilities that gods might or might not exist.
TheInundation declares that the best quote in the series will "always be this." In the monologue, the elderly warrior begs Ragnar to take him with him during his next raid so that he can at least get a chance to die in battle and join his former friends in Valhalla.
In the modern age, everyone desires a long life but the series makes it obvious that there was no joy in long life during the Viking Age. Dying young in battle meant a direct ticket to the Norse heaven of Valhalla. Tostig's frustrations, therefore, make sense. He imagines his dead friends are enjoying themselves hence the longing to die and join them.
When King Ecbert acquires a group of Viking mercenaries, the princess examines their bodies, remarking that they would definitely produce great giant offspring. The line impressed _Fourth_Horseman_, who writes, "when I thought she couldn't get any weirder she went and said this."
A villain by nature, Kwenthrith's thirst for power turns her into one of the most hated Anglo-Saxons in Vikings but as one of the most sexually liberated characters on the show, she awes from time to time with her actions and remarks. Whether it's sleeping with guards or kings, the princess will apologetically do so. Her desire to sleep with mercenaries here fits right into her personality.
In yet another discussion about the gods, Ragnar reveals how eager he is to be wise. Athelstan101 thinks it "says so much about Ragnar and about the way people probably thought about things back at the time."
The declaration is as fitting to the Norse pantheon as it is to Christian lore as King Solomon once said a similar thing too. Ragnar understands that in a society where everyone is a brute, being wise is the only thing that makes a man great. He, therefore, seeks to learn as much as he can.
As Rollo watches the Viking ships arrive in Paris, he goes on a lengthy and rather poetic war cry. Folly45 says they love "that whole speech by Rollo basically!"
It could be argued that Rollo becomes a better man after becoming a turncoat and choosing to become indoctrinated into the Frankish society. He becomes fashion savvy and his dialogue greatly improves too. The old Rollo would definitely have come up with a basic remark like "attack them!" but Rollo The Duke makes sure to craft words in the most pleasant of ways before shedding blood.
Vikings not only has some of the best action sequences on TV but also some of the best dialogue ever heard, which Redditors really appreciate.Philip Etemesi