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Household of Earl Ragnar the Fearless
Ragnar the Fearless
Earl Ragnar the Fearless
Portrayed By: Peter Gantzler
A formidable and infamous Danish warlord, Earl Ragnar is fearless, charming, and a natural leader — but also a warm-hearted family man. Devoted to his son, Ragnar the Younger, he doesn't hesitate to also take Uhtred under his wing, seeing spark and courage in the Saxon boy. Uhtred sees Ragnar as his true father.
- Action Dad: The two traits that seem to define Ragnar the most are his skill as a warrior and his devotion to his family.
- Deadpan Snarker: He seems to have inherited a dry sense of humor from Ravn. When Sven protests that he only stripped Thyra half-naked, Ragnar turns to Uhtred who confirms it. Ragnar's response to this is that he will thus only take one eye as punishment.
- Decapitation Presentation: He presents Lord Uthred with the head of his oldest son.
- Dying Moment of Awesome: Ragnar goes out charging at his enemies while on fire. He died as he lived: a solid badass.
- Eye Scream: As punishment for Sven's attack on Thyra, he knocks the kid's eye out.
- Man on Fire: Ragnar dies after his hall is set on fire with him inside, but it doesn't stop him from charging at his foes.
- Mercy Kill: He kills his wife to save her from being raped/taken as a slave/killed slowly by Kjartan.
- Names to Run Away from Really Fast: Ragnar the Fearless.
- Papa Wolf: He's fiercely protective of his children. He reacts violently to Sven's mistreatment of his daughter, then adopts Uhtred and comes to think of him as a second son when he learns that Uhtred defended Thyra (and delivered quite a beatdown to Sven). He also encourages Uhtred to pursue a relationship with Brida before some other young man snaps her up.
Ravn
Ravn
Portrayed By: Rutger Hauer
Earl Ragnar's elderly father, Ravn, is a 'skald' (a Viking poet and wise man). Given his considerable life experience, he is philosophical about the struggles of the Danes and is able to impart his wisdom to young Uhtred, who often acts as the eyes of blind Ravn.
- Blind Seer: Downplayed, but he is blind and able to tell more from simply tasting the water of the river than Ragnar and Kjartan with their eyes.
- Deadpan Snarker
- The Philosopher: Most of his scenes involve him waxing philosophical about the Danes and their lifestyle.
- Retired Badass: He is a former Earl and raider himself, and now advises his son.
- Warrior Poet: As a Danish skald, he embodies this concept.
Other Danes
Skorpa
Skorpa of the White Horse
Portrayed By: Jonas Malmsjö
A sociopathic Danish warrior whom Uhtred encounters raiding Cornwallum, Uhtred's initial alliance of convenience with Skorpa turns them into mortal enemies.
- Adaptational Badass: Although Svein of the White Horse, the character Skorpa replaces, was a perfectly respectable badass viking in the books, he didn't have anything like the Ax-Crazy manner that Skorpa does in the series. He also didn't get the better of Uhtred or personally kill Iseult.
- Card-Carrying Villain: Unlike Ragnar the Younger, Guthrum and even Ubba, who have some redeeming qualities, Skorpa appears to have none.
- Co-Dragons: Becomes one to Guthrum with Ragnar the Younger in Episode 8.
- Decapitation Presentation: Skorpa gleefully presents Uhtred with the head of Iseult as a taunt. It, uhh... doesn't end well for him.
- Dirty Coward: In the final battle upon seeing that the Danes are losing, he takes a few other men to ride off and raid the army's camp full of noncombatants and kill Isuelt just to spite Uhtred rather than fighting himself.
- For the Evulz: Skorpa makes no bones about the fact most of what he does is for this.
- I Lied: Skorpa promises to spare the defeated Cornish king Peredur in exchange for his wealth. The second Peredur tells them where it is, Skorpa kills him.
- I'm a Humanitarian: Skorpa's signature attack is to bite people's throats out.
- Impaled with Extreme Prejudice: He dies this way by Uhtred's hand, courtesy of a spear from Beocca. For good measure, Uhtred twists the spearhead deeper into Skorpa's chest while dealing the coup de grace.
- I Shall Taunt You: Does this a lot to Uhtred.
- Nice Job Fixing It, Villain: Skorpa's taunting of Uhtred with Isuelt's severed head only succeeds in driving Uhtred into an Unstoppable Rage that shatters the Dane shieldwall, ends up costing the Danes the battle of Ethandun and results in his death.
- Slasher Smile: Every time he smiles is one of these.
- Would Hit a Girl: He kills Isuelt, and repeatedly threatens her before that.
Storri
Storri
Portrayed By: Henning Valin Jakobsen
- Ass Shove: Brida shoves a branch up his arse.
- Back for the Dead: After being absent for half of Seasons 1 and 3 and all of 2, he finally reappears...only to get strangled to death by Brida to break the curse he laid on her.
- The Evil Genius: To Ubba, although hardly a competent one.
- Once Done, Never Forgotten: Uhtred frequently brings up the 'branch up arse' incident to taunt him.
Clapa
Clapa
Portrayed By: Magnus Samuelsson
A hulking Dane, Uhtred trains Clapa for king Guthred’s army of Cumbraland. He’ll become one of Uhtred’s best fighters, but his savagery in battle belies a warm heart and loyalty to his comrades that holds no bounds.
- The Big Guy: And how. Clapa is absolutely massive.
- Heroic Sacrifice: Performs one when mortally wounded to let Uhtred and the others escape Beamfleot with Aethelflaed.
Dagfinn
Dagfinn
Portrayed By: Simon Stenspil
A Danish warrior once in service of the brothers, Sigefrid and Erik, Dagfinn remains a presence in the Danish forces threatening Wessex.
- Beard of Evil: Has a long black beard and is a nasty piece of work.
- Braids of Barbarism: Has quite extensive, braided black hair.
- The Corrupter: Seemingly exploits Sihtric's dissatisfaction with Uhtred to convince him to defect. Ultimately subverted; Sihtric's defection was a plan arranged by him and Uhtred to put a spy in Haesten and Cnut's camp.
- The Dragon: First to Erik, then to Haesten.
- Dragon Their Feet: Ultimately grows dissatisfied with Erik due to the latter's growing feelings for Aethelflaed and starts undermining him.
- Oh, Crap!: His reaction after Haesten and Dagfinn have their arses handed to them by Aethelflaed's defenders and both saw who commanded them.Dagfinn: That was Uhtred!Haesten: I know, I saw him!Dagfinn: Why is he not in the north?!Haesten: BECAUSE HE'S HERE!
- Took a Level in Jerkass: As Haesten's right hand man, he's become a lot more cruel and vicious, compared to the Punch-Clock Villain he was for Erik.
- Would Hit a Girl: Kills an Abbess with a spear when she's about to make a futile attack on Haesten. Haesten then chides Dagfinn for it, pointing out he could quite easily have disarmed the old woman.
