Vikings saw its main character, Ragnar Lothbrok (Travis Fimmel), die in season 4, but a theory claims that the great Ragnar never really died. One of the most popular historical dramas on TV in recent years is Vikings, created by Michael Hirst, which covered the first years of the Viking Age, beginning with the Lindisfarne raid, but it also took a lot of creative liberties with its characters and events. Vikings initially followed the legendary Norse warrior Ragnar Lothbrok and his many travels and raids alongside his Viking brothers, but in season 4, the series went through a huge shake-up.

Ragnar met his fate in Vikings season 4, and after his death, his sons – Björn, Ubbe, Hvitserk, Sigurd, and Ivar – took the lead of the series until its final episode, taking the audience through a variety of battles and conflicts that also led to their tragic deaths, with only Ubbe and Hvitserk surviving the series. Ragnar’s presence was still felt throughout Vikings season 5 and 6, and he showed up again in visions and flashbacks, but did Ragnar really die? Various theories suggest he never did, based on a couple of details about his death and its aftermath.

What Happened To Ragnar Lothbrok In Vikings?

When viewers met Ragnar Lothbrok in Vikings season 1, he was a Viking farmer and warrior with dreams of raiding the rumored riches of undiscovered England and sailing to then-unknown parts of the world. Ragnar was married to shield-maiden Lagertha (Katheryn Winnick), with whom he had two children: Gyda, who died in season 1 due to the plague while Ragnar was away, and Björn, who followed his parents’ footsteps and became a fearsome warrior. Ragnar’s story in Vikings was plagued by drama from the beginning, as he met Aslaug (Alyssa Sutherland) in season 1, which led to his divorce from Lagertha in season 2, and that was only the beginning of an arc full of betrayals, carefully elaborated plans, and tragedy.

Due to his many raids and truly aggressive ways during these, Ragnar ended up meeting various allies but also various enemies, too, and this ultimately led to his death. Ragnar’s decline started in season 3 during the siege of Paris, a battle between King Charles the Bold’s Frankish forces and Ragnar’s Viking army. During the battle, Ragnar climbed a tower and was pushed over the edge, suffering a very bad fall that later had him vomiting, coughing, and peeing blood. Ragnar used his condition to fake his death and infiltrate Paris, which was a successful plan as it allowed him and his army to enter the city, but after ordering a second attack, this time with the purpose of killing his brother, Rollo (Clive Standen), for his betrayal, Ragnar and company were defeated. This led Ragnar to disappear for ten years, and when he returned to Kattegat, he wasn’t welcomed with open arms.

Ragnar tried to kill himself in Vikings season 4 but failed, and after saying his goodbyes to the most important people in his life, he traveled to England with Ivar. There, they killed the rest of their raiding party and Ragnar was ordered to be seized by Prince Aethelwulf, who put him in a cage. Ragnar later had a conversation with King Ecbert, in which the Viking warrior told him he must kill him, but as Ecbert refused, Ragnar suggested he handed him over to King Aelle, explaining that if he did so, his sons would seek vengeance on Aelle instead of him – however, Ragnar told Ivar to tell his brothers to seek revenge on Ecbert. In the end, Ecbert handed Ragnar to Aelle, who tortured him and cut a cross on his forehead, and Ragnar was thrown into a pit of venomous snakes, where he was left to die.

Theory: Ragnar Didn’t Die In The Pit Of Snakes

Vikings killing its main character in its fourth season was a bold move, and it’s the basis for the many theories about Ragnar not dying in the pit of snakes, with some even suggesting he planned his all along. One Reddit user explained that, during Ragnar’s long disappearance, he was actually preparing to survive the pit of snakes, and it was all thanks to Yidu and her mysterious medicine. Yidu was a slave bought by Aslaug who gave drugs to Ragnar after the Siege of Paris, and some viewers believe these were also preparing him to survive being constantly bitten by snakes, even pointing out that she exposed him to these animals. The Reddit user adds that being captured by Ecbert and Aelle was part of a revenge plan so his sons would go after them to avenge his death.

Another Reddit user uses the “lack of a body” after Ragnar’s death as proof that the great Viking warrior didn’t die in the pit of snakes. The author points out that the snakes were too small to swallow him, and his body would have still been there when Björn and the rest arrived and looked into the pit. The author adds that, when Ragnar was transferred to Aelle, Alfred gave him a small bottle of venom antidote, which helped him survive. As mentioned above, Ragnar wasn’t seen again in Vikings except in flashbacks and visions, and if he had survived the pit of snakes, he would have surely made a return at some point.

If Ragnar Was Alive, Where Was He?

Of course, the biggest question around the theory of Ragnar not dying in the pit of snakes in Vikings season 4 is where he went after that. Björn and company went after Ecbert after Ragnar’s death, and the fallen king ended up killing himself, so Ragnar definitely didn’t go back to him if he survived. Lagertha struggled to come to terms with Ragnar’s death, so he obviously didn’t return to her nor to Kattegat after the pit of snakes, and he killed Yidu in a fit of rage, so he didn’t really have anyone to go back to. If Ragnar didn’t die in the pit, he surely would have lived a very solitary life, as he never returned to his family or friends.

What Happened To The Real Ragnar Lothbrok?

Although Vikings took most of its characters and events from real-life history, it also took a bunch of creative liberties for different reasons, and not even its main character was real. Ragnar Lothbrok is believed to be based on three different men: Viking leader Reginherus, King Horik I of Denmark (who was included in the series), and King Regindfried, so the story of the “real” death of Ragnar Lothbrok varies. The sagas in which Ragnar appears tell he was defeated by English forces and thrown into a snake pit, very much like in Vikings, but when remembering that he might be a combination of historical figures, the “real” Ragnar could have been murdered (like Reginherus), killed in battle (Horik), or in an attempted invasion (Reginfrid).