When precisely does Valhalla take place in and how long after Vikings? Valhalla is the follow-up series to Vikings, although it does not feature the characters from the main series as it is set in a separate era of the Viking Age. Historical dramas are highly popular right now, and Michael Hirst’s Vikings is one of the most popular TV programmes in that category in recent years (The Tudors). Originally intended to be a miniseries, Vikings made its History Channel debut in 2013 and ran for six seasons, concluding in 2020.
From the Lindisfarne raid (which was depicted in season 1) on, Vikings focused on the early years of the Viking Age. It initially followed Ragnar Lothbrok (Travis Fimmel) and his journeys with his Viking brothers, including his real brother Rollo (Clive Standen) and Kattegat’s boat builder Floki (Gustaf Skarsgrd). But as the show went on, it became more and more about Ragnar’s kids and their own adventures; when Ragnar passed away in season 4, they took over as the show’s protagonists and remained so until the very end. A follow-up series, which would be set in a different period of the Viking Age and feature new characters, was announced in 2019 since six seasons weren’t enough to explore Viking history.
The series, Vikings: Valhalla, is a continuation of Vikings, although it does not feature any of the remaining cast members. Instead, it focuses on a new generation of Vikings and their foes, who have different issues than Ragnar and company did. Leif Erikson (Sam Corlett), Freyd’s Eirksdóttir (Frida Gustavsson), and Harald Hardrada (Leo Suter) are three warriors with different backgrounds and ideologies who join forces on a journey that takes them across oceans and battlefields, all against the backdrop of the conflict between Christians and Pagans in the form of English royals and Vikings. All of the principal (and still-living) Vikings characters are absent since Vikings: Valhalla takes set a century after the events of the first series.
The attack on Lindisfarne on June 8, 793, marked the start of the Viking Age. Ivar the Boneless’ (Alex H. Andersen’s) demise and Ubbe’s (Jordan Patrick Smith’s) arrival in Newfoundland marked the end of the Viking Age in 821. The St. Brice’s Day Massacre, which occurred on November 13, 1002, serves as the catalyst for the events of Vikings: Valhalla, which places the start of the series in the years 1002–103. It’s crucial to keep in mind that the timeline isn’t entirely correct, despite the fact that both Vikings and Vikings: Valhalla are based on actual events, real characters, and certain legends as well.
However, from a historical perspective, Vikings: Valhalla takes place between 1002–1003, whereas both series compacted numerous events that in real life happened several years apart and even the ages of the characters didn’t match at one point (many should have been older and didn’t seem to mature at all).
While Vikings: Valhalla strives to be historically accurate, it sometimes prioritizes the drama, leading to inconsistencies and problems with the timeline. Like the main series, it draws on real-life events, characters, and a few legends to develop its own plot. Even if one of these programs is, in some ways, the continuation of the other, the best way to treat these would be as separate things to prevent confusion.
