‘Vikings’ Season 4 Spoilers: What Happened In The Bloody Finale? Major Time Jump Teases What’s Next [RECAP]

Since Season 4 of “Vikings” first premiered, the History Channel series has been teasing an epic battle to take place between the Lothbrok brothers. Fans finally witnessed Ragnar and Rollo go head-to-head during the blood-drenched finale of the epic historical series.

The episode, titled “The Last Ship,” begins with Rollo (Clive Standen) praying to God before battle, proving just how far Rollo has come since his pagan days. But it appears Rollo’s prayers didn’t reach the ears of his Christian savior seeing as though the Franks are badly beaten by the Vikings during the first attack.

After the Frank’s initial retreat, one of Rollo’s men asks if they should turn their ships around. He replies to the inquiry by stabbing his sword through the weak warrior before kicking him off his ship.

“All of my life and all of your lives have come to this point,” Rollo shouts to his men. “There is nowhere else to be but here. Nowhere else to live or die but here. To be here now is the only thing that matters. For we will attack again and again until we reach or overcome their king or die. There will be no turning back only victory or death.”

Rollo’s pep talk proves to be just what his men need as they conquer the Vikings in their second, savage attack. During the subsequent battle, Ragnar (Travis Fimmel) and Rollo lock eyes across the combating soldiers.

“You are not my brother. You never have been,” Ragnar shouts at the Count before telling him that one of them will die today.

“And it won’t be me, brother!” Rollo responds.

As the Lothbrok brothers clash swords — and then fists — Lagertha (Katheryn Winnick) gets a blade to the shoulder. Bjorn (Alexander Ludwig) spots his mother in trouble and races to her aid before picking her up and boarding a ship per Ragnar’s command. Ragnar prepares to resume his fight with his brother but gets tossed onto the boat before he’s able to slay his treacherous sibling.

“Let them go!” Rollo shouts at his people, claiming his victory. When Count Rollo — who is bruised and battered — returns home, he is dubbed as a Frankish hero by Emperor Charles (Lothaire Bluteau). Who’s the famous Lothbrok brother now?

The Season 4 finale of “Vikings” then fast forwards years into the future. The time jump begins with Aslaug (Alyssa Sutherland) telling Bjorn that she wants to introduce him to someone.

She presents a man who has wandered into their village — a man who knows King Ecbert’s (Linus Roache) elderman. According to the Kattegat newcomer, Ragnar has another son … one he had with Queen Kwenthrith (Amy Bailey). The man reveals the boy’s name is Magnus and he’s 12-years-old.

But that’s not all the news the man bears. He also unveils the startling truth about what happened to Ragnar’s settlement in Wessex. According to Ecbert’s elderman, the settlement was destroyed the moment Ragnar sailed away. Bjorn is in disbelief so the wanderer tells him to confirm the rumors with his father. But Queen Aslaug reveals with a smile that reaching Ragnar is impossible considering he fled following his defeat in Paris.

“We haven’t seen him in years,” she says.

Bjorn then rushes to inform his brothers, who are now grown, of what he’s just learned. And to our surprise, they each have very different reactions. Some of the boys swear to kill their father for betraying his people and abandoning them, while Ivar (Alex Høgh Andersen) and Bjorn stand behind their father’s decision.

“I think what happened in Paris finally broke him,” Bjorn begins. “He was not a God. He was a man with many dreams and many failures. I’ve learned that in the years since he went away. If I were him I wouldn’t come back. Despite all his failing he’s still the greatest man in the world to me.”

After having a heart-to-heart with his brothers, Bjorn pays Floki (Gustaf Skarsgård) and Helga (Maude Hirst) a visit to confirm the Wessex massacre and discuss his latest adventure. Bjorn is having Floki build him a ship to take him to the Mediterranean Sea — that is, if it exists!

“Of course it exists,” Bjorn says, telling the skeptical shipbuild that he learned from his father the “only way to tell if something is real is to sail there.”

Bjorn then asks Floki to join him in his wild adventure, which Floki quickly agrees to.

The Season 4 finale of “Vikings” ends with Ragnar making his way back home and it doesn’t look like the people of Kattegat are embracing their king with open arms.

“It appears my return is not welcome. You all made your mind up about me. I cannot blame you for that. So now boys, who’s gonna do it? Who’s gonna kill me? I don’t mind. Go ahead please,” he provokes before offering his sword to villagers.

Ragnar understands why the people of Kattegat no longer support him. “I’m your leader and I just left. What kind of leader does that? What kind of king abandons his people? What kind of father abandons his sons? So who wants to be king?”

The king then urges someone to kill him and take his place on the throne. But will anyone oblige?

What did you think of the Season 4 finale of “Vikings”? Sound off in the comments section below with your thoughts on how the History Channel series ended the first part of the fourth installment.