Without Season 4, Vikings Valhalla Avoided One Of Its Most Tragic Storylines

Summary Vikings: Valhalla won't continue storylines set up in season 3, including Alfred's tragic fate.

The real Harold Harefoot became King of England, and had Alfred tortured and killed.

Alfred's murder by Harold Harefoot would have turned the latter into a villain in Vikings: Valhalla.

As Vikings: Valhalla ended with its third season, it won't continue the storylines it set up, including a very tragic one from Queen Emma's (Laura Berlin) side. Set over 100 years after the events of Vikings season 6, Vikings: Valhalla explores stories from the final years of the Viking Age through new characters, all of them connected through their Viking heritage. Vikings: Valhalla follows the highs and lows of siblings Leif (Sam Corlett) and Freydis (Frida Gustavsson), Norway's Harald (Leo Suter), Queen Emma of Normandy, and King Canute (Bradley Freegard), the first Viking king of England.

Vikings: Valhalla season 3 caught up with them seven years after the ending of season 2, and it had a couple more twists before bringing the show to an end. One of the most important storylines in Vikings: Valhalla season 3 was King Canute’s death and his decision about who would rule England after his death, which brought together his and Queen Aelfgifu’s sons, Emma’s sons with King Aethelred, and his and Emma’s son. At the end of Vikings: Valhalla season 3, Canute’s decision wasn’t honored and there was a twist, which set up a tragic storyline that won’t be addressed anymore.

Read More 9 Plot Details That Set Up Vikings Valhalla Season 4 Vikings: Valhalla ended with its third season, but it introduced new characters and set up big storylines that could have made way for season 4.

Vikings: Valhalla Set Up Alfred’s Tragic Fate

The Real Alfred Had A Horrible Death

To announce his decision, Canute summoned his sons, Emma’s sons, and their son Harthacanute to Kattegat. There, Canute and Aelfgifu’s youngest son, Harold Harefoot (Pyry Kähkönen), fought Emma’s eldest son, Edward (Cal O’Driscoll), to prove who was physically stronger and won, with Emma begging him not to kill her son. However, this didn’t grant Harefoot the throne of England, as Canute decided Svein would continue as King of Norway, Harthacanute would be King of Denmark with Harefoot as regent (as Harthacanute was a child), Edward and his brother Alfred (Henry Proctor) would return to Normandy, and Emma would rule England.

In a final twist, Emma called for Edward right after Canute’s death as she feared the earls would turn against her without a king. However, Godwin didn’t let her message get to Edward and, instead, brought Harefoot, who he had promised to guide to become King of England. Vikings: Valhalla implied Emma and Harefoot would get together to rule England, which would have set up a horrifying fate for Alfred.

Read More What Happened To All Of King Canute's Children In Real Life Vikings: Valhalla season 3 saw King Canute deciding who would succeed him as King of England, and the show made big changes to his children's fates.

Edward and Alfred traveled to England, most likely invited by their mother, but it was a trap.

The real Harold Harefoot became King of England when his half-brother, Harthacnut, was unable to travel to his coronation in England and so Harefoot was named regent of England, and in 1037, he was officially proclaimed king. Edward and Alfred traveled to England, most likely invited by their mother, but it was a trap. Godwin betrayed and captured Alfred, and turned him over to Harefoot, who had him blinded by forcing red-hot pokers in his eyes. Alfred died soon after as a result of his wounds.

Vikings: Valhalla Had A Variety Of Antagonists & Villains

Harefoot could have become one of Vikings: Valhalla’s most hated characters if the show covered Alfred’s death.

Vikings: Valhalla had a good variety of antagonists and villains with Olaf Haraldsson, Jarl Kåre, Lord Hárekr, Erik the Red, and George Maniakes, but had it continued after season 3, it would have inevitably turned Harefoot into a villain, too. Harefoot could have become one of Vikings: Valhalla’s most hated characters if the show covered Alfred’s death, and it would have also made Godwin completely irredeemable (not that he could be redeemed after what he did in three seasons, though).

Alfred’s murder had a huge impact on Harefoot and Godwin’s reputation, with the former's body being exhumed, decapitated, and thrown into a fen bordering the Thames when Harthacnut became king, in retaliation for Alfred’s murder. The brutality of Alfred’s murder also led many members of Anglo-Saxon society to resent and not trust Godwin and his family, impacting his legacy. Vikings: Valhalla season 3 set up some interesting storylines, but it’s good that it never got to cover Alfred’s tragic end.