After a meandering second half of Vikings Season 6, the conclusion is here, and it was a surprisingly satisfying affair.

Vikings Season 6 Episode 19 and Vikings Season 6 Episode 20 brought the storylines to a close, killing off a wealth of characters in the process. 

If you watch Vikings online, you know the series has thrown a lot of themes at the audience throughout its run, but the final hours hinted at all the death and destruction being worth it in the name of the characters finding peace.

We'll start with Floki, Ubbe, and Torvi, because there were a lot of wild developments on this new island, brimming with possibilities.

Ubbe and Torvi's journey has been about finding something new to follow because they were tired of the way the world was back in Kattegat.

Searching for meaning is part of life, and the beautiful thing about that is that many people pick up different meanings from things.

In order for them to fully move on with their lives, they had to let go of the past and be open to adapting to new traditions that would allow their beliefs to align with those of others.

Their journey has been one of the weaker aspects of the final episodes, but the arrival of Floki and the way they reacted to the natives made it all worthwhile.

One of Ubbe's men slitting the throats of one of the kids in his pursuit of gold was not entirely surprising. We've witnessed the Vikings raid settlements in their quest for money and influence, so it was inevitable that these new traditions would be tough for some to follow.

The message from one of the natives that the Vikings are free to be on the island, but not to possess it was fascinating to me. It's always been about invading land and taking possession to the Vikings, and it was a successful way to put things in perspective for Torvi and Ubbe.

Floki was a troubled man before his disappearance, but this new land has changed him. He has let go of the past and allowed himself to be something better.

This could have all come crashing down had Ubbe refused to make his soldier pay for his crimes, so for now, Ubbe and Torvi could live out their days on this island, assuming they don't ever want to lay claim to the land.

It was a different direction, but it also highlighted the fact that the world is changing on the series. Norway may still heavily be about invading and raiding, but some people are tired of the status quo and determined to make some changes.

I wish there was more action in the lead-up to this particular plot, but it all made sense in the end and was more satisfying than I expected it to be.

Ivar's death was not surprising, but the way it played out made for good TV. He's been driven by his own search for purpose, and the Seer led him back to Wessex to kickstart another battle.

At his core, Ivar could be considered evil, but I'm starting to think he was a casualty of his past. He was always discounted because he could not fight like his peers, but I can't deny that he's a great strategist.

We witnessed him help Oleg with the battle at Kattegat earlier in the final season, but the way he managed to cripple some of the Saxons, only to attack when other soldiers came to their aid, proved he was a force to be reckoned with.

I had already made peace with the fact that Ivar was going to die, but I didn't expect it to be that emotional. He welcomed death initially, but when he was dying, he was scared shitless.

He put on such a strong front, but I'm thankful he managed to be at peace with his decisions and had his brother by his side in his final moments.

The battle was orchestrated by Ivar, and Alfred calling for a ceasefire immediately after his death solidified that.

Much like the other characters, Hvitserk was truly searching for meaning. He hated his life and constantly self-destructed. Alfred offering him a place in Wessex with the Saxons truly came out of the left-field, but it made sense.

He couldn't find peace in Kattegat or even Kiev, so the jury was out about him on that front. In sticking with the Saxons, he found his Zen and managed to pay homage to his father and brother in the process.

Harald's death was a given. There was a reason he returned from the dead, but his purpose seemed over the moment he left Kattegat in the hands of Erik and Ingrid.

Erik scheming to kill Ingrid was his undoing because Ingrid has proven to be masterful when it comes to manipulation, so it was nice to see her get the upper hand, once again.

It certainly leaves Kattegat in a precarious position. The locals deemed her the Queen immediately after Harald's death spread like wildfire, suggesting that she will be in power for the years to come.

But what will her reign consist of? That's the bigger question. Kattegat lost the battle against Wessex, but the Saxons will not venture to Norway, not after Alfred managed to end the battle.

I'm sure there will be updates about what became of Kattegat in the sequel series, but it's interesting to ponder the future.

The series finale managed to bring the stories to a close, and that's about all I could ask for after such a strong run.

Many series botch the endings, and while the developments were low-key, they did bring things full circle.

What did you think of the way the battle played out?

Did you expect Ivar, Harald, and Erik to die?

Hit the comments.

Paul Dailly was an Associate Editor for TV Fanatic.Follow him on X.