Vikings
The Most Terrible Thing
TV Flash files “The Most Terrible Thing” as hour 66 of 89 in the TV Flash guide — Vikings (2013–2020) on History, season 5, episode 17, aired 2019-01-09, 60 min.
From the desk
How this hour is filed
This leaf is S05E17: listed hour 66 of 89 in the Vikings guide, hour 17 of 20 in season 5. It aired 2019-01-09 (60 min). The listed hour before it is “The Buddha” (S05E16). Next is “Baldur” (S05E18).
Catalog log
Broadcast listing — not a TV Flash recap.
An unexpected turn amongst the settlers leaves Floki powerless. King Alfred confronts Judith. In York, Bjorn must strike a deal with Harald. Wessex is once again threatened by a Viking force, but who will lead the Saxon army to defend the Realm?
Viewer FAQ
Where does The Most Terrible Thing sit in the Vikings guide?
S05E17 is listed hour 66 of 89 — hour 17 of 20 in season 5, season 5 episode 17.
When did Vikings S05E17 air?
The Most Terrible Thing aired 2019-01-09 and is listed at 60 minutes.
Is there a sequel I need?
Vikings: Valhalla continues in a later historical period on Netflix. The original six seasons (2013–2020) are the Ragnar-to-sons saga; the sequel is extra map, not a missing ending.
In the series
Why this series still plays
Ragnar Lothbrok and family raid, rule, and fracture — myth with mud under the nails. Michael Hirst's History Channel breakthrough made basic cable look prestige-dirty: Fimmel's Ragnar, Lagertha, Floki, ships and succession blood. Six seasons before Valhalla spun off. Long-form Viking myth for mass audiences, tactile conquest TV before every streamer had a crown war.
The group chat still hasn't recovered from Ragnar's exit. Michael Hirst's History Channel drama premiered March 3, 2013: legendary Norse figure Ragnar Lothbrok and family raid, rule, and fracture — myth with mud under the nails. Travis Fimmel's Ragnar anchors early seasons before the saga widens to sons and empires; Katheryn Winnick's Lagertha, Gustaf Skarsgård's Floki, Clive Standen's Rollo, the shield-wall bench. Ships, gods, politics, succession blood. Basic cable looking prestige-dirty. (Spoiler-free, mostly:…
Filed against
- Travis Fimmel as Ragnar Lothbrok
Travis Fimmel’s Ragnar Lothbrok raided, ruled, and fractured on Vikings — myth with mud under the nails, Michael Hirst’s History Channel breakthrough that made basic cable look prestige-dirty. Lagertha, Floki, ships and succession blood,…
- Katheryn Winnick as Lagertha
Katheryn Winnick's Lagertha made Vikings look like myth with mud under the nails — Michael Hirst's History Channel breakthrough, ships and succession blood, a shield-maiden who would not stay decorative. Six seasons of raid-and-rule…
- Gustaf Skarsgård as Floki
Gustaf Skarsgård's Floki built the ships and the trouble on Vikings — Michael Hirst's History Channel breakthrough, myth with mud under the nails, Ragnar's world fracturing across six seasons. Shipwright, seer, chaos in the faith. TV…
- Clive Standen as Rollo
Clive Standen played Rollo on Vikings — Ragnar Lothbrok and family raiding, ruling, fracturing, myth with mud under the nails. Michael Hirst's History Channel breakthrough made basic cable look prestige-dirty: Fimmel's Ragnar, Lagertha,…
- Alexander Ludwig as Bjorn Ironside
Alexander Ludwig’s Bjorn Ironside raided and inherited Vikings’ muddy myth — Ragnar Lothbrok’s family fracturing, Michael Hirst’s History Channel breakthrough, Fimmel, Lagertha, Floki, ships and succession blood. Six seasons before a…
- George Blagden as Athelstan
George Blagden's Athelstan walked Vikings as the monk in the mud — faith, raids, and a 2010s History Channel breakthrough that made basic cable look prestige-dirty. Ragnar's world needed a witness who could doubt. TV Flash files him as…