‘Vikings’ Season 3 Spoilers: New Sneak Peek Video Released; Clive Standen Explains Bloody Battle

Sharpen your battle-axes and dust off your shields because on Thursday our favorite Nordic warriors return to the small screen for the Season 3 premiere of “Vikings.” Excited? You totally should be because from the evidence in an exclusive sneak peek video, the new installment of the History Channel series is going to be bloody good! (Emphasis on bloody.)

In the exciting clip, we see the Vikings battling it out with the Mercians. Even Porunn (Gaia Weiss), the newly trained shieldmaiden, gets in on the slashing fun! However, there’s one warrior in particular we couldn’t take our eyes off of: the bearded beauty Rollo (Clive Standen).

There’s a moment during the madness where everything falls still and Rollo has a stare-down with Aethelwulf (Moe Dunford), the prince of Wessex. But instead of slicing King Ecbert’s (Linus Roache) son to pieces, Rollo pushes Aethelwulf away. Is it possible the two actually will fight on the same side?

During a press conference with Standen, International Business Times asked the actor about the interesting character shift and what this possible alliance could mean for the Vikings.

Standen said his character will come to a realization in the middle of the battle when he comes face to face with Aethelwulf, a former foe. “He’s so used to having to cut down these Saxons, and then he’s confronted with a Saxon who’s on the same team,” Standen said, noting the irony that Rollo will be fighting alongside someone who used to be his "worst enemy."

Standen said the moment between Rollo and Aethelwulf is symbolic of the larger battle. “If you remember, he’s also the prince that runs me down with his horse and his cavalry,” Standen said. “So there’s a realization as well as a vendetta between the two. But I think maybe you might see a bit more mutual respect from the two of them, because both of them are living in the shadow of their family members.”

“Vikings” will air its Season 3 premiere on Thursday, Feb. 19, at 10 p.m. EST on History Channel.