Out of all of Ragnar's sons on the hit show Vikings, his firstborn Bjorn stands above the rest. Bjorn has the tenacity and strength that few men possess. He is the most like his father, in both good and bad ways. An honorable warrior who strikes fear in his enemies while inspiring his allies to be brave in the face of death.
Though no one doubts his warrior prowess, Bjorn, like his father before him, is known to be his own worst enemy. Bjorn's womanizing and lack of faithfulness to those who bear his children has brought the ire of Ragnar, disgusted by his oldest son's ways and fearful that he is making the same mistakes.
Updated Dec 18th by Rose Graceling-Moore: With the Vikings prequel series, Vikings: Valhalla, on the way, fans can't wait to return to this world. And while Bjorn and other familiar faces from the original show will not be appearing, as they take place generations apart, it may be interesting to see if his descendants are anything like Bjorn himself.
Put His Own Desires First
After Ragnar's disappearance, Bjorn is the natural successor for King of Kattegat - and had the potential to be a great King, too. He has the respect of the people, the bloodline, the claim, the experience in battle, and an understanding of diplomacy. However, Bjorn didn't want to be King, he wanted to be an explorer.
And, selfishly, Bjorn refused to take the throne, finding ways to pursue his own dreams, even though it led to chaos in Kattegat many times. His desire to put himself and his desire to explore ahead of the wellbeing of his people was a particularly shameless move.
Gave Up On Thorunn After She Was Scarred
Bjorn met his first wife, Thorunn, an enslaved woman, while at a banquet in his father's honor. He was immediately smitten with her and even sought to break tradition by freeing her and making her his wife. Shortly afterward, the two fought side by side in England, where it was announced she was pregnant.
Thorunn, a warrior in her own right, seemed to be the perfect match for Bjorn, however, when she was severely scarred in battle, she struggled to cope - and although Bjorn did try and help her for a while, he ended up giving up on her... and she ended up leaving town.
Slept With A Married Torvi
No one would disagree that Erlendur was a bad husband to Torvi. However, Bjorn's decisions to be with Torvi while she was still married, and in an abusive relationship, was a selfish one. Bjorn even knew the danger he was putting Torvi in after Erlendur found out about the relationship, yet, he continued to see her.
Once Torvi got enough nerve to leave Erlendur, she was forced to leave her child behind as punishment for choosing Bjorn. This affair even angered Ragnar, as he chastised his son for interfering in her marriage. Of course, this was Torvi's choice too, but Bjorn must carry his portion of responsibility for it.
Changing His Mind About Ruling
Although in his youth, Bjorn refused to take on the throne and the care of Kattegat, when the throne in question became for all Norway, Bjorn changed his tune. He then fought hard to become the first King of All Norway, which could be perceived as a shameless about-face when offered more power.
However, this could also be seen as the growth and maturity of the character - that after his explorations, and after seeing how necessary a capable and benevolent ruler is, Bjorn finally realized that he had to take up his father's mantle.
Unaffected By His Daughter's Death
After returning from Paris, Lagertha brings Bjorn's daughter, Siggy, to greet him. Sadly, he seemed apathetic towards her presence. This behavior caught the attention of Ragnar, who scolded his son for caring so little about his flesh and blood.
Even after being ridiculed by Ragnar for his selfish behavior, Bjorn did not attempt to change. After leaving his daughter in the care of Aslaug, he returned from the war to find that she had mysteriously died. Unsurprisingly, he still showed no comion for her, brushing her death off just as easily as Aslaug did.
Takes A Second Wife When Gunnhilde Is Pregnant
Bjorn has always struggled with concepts of fidelity, even for a Viking, in a world where monogamy wasn't the required social norm. Yet, even after learning that his current wife, Gunnhild, is pregnant with his child, Bjorn still takes a second wife in Ingrid.
Bjorn even goes so far as to leave his pregnant wife in bed, who knows that her husband intends to sleep with another woman. Though, he does show at least a little sensitivity to the situation when Gunnhild offers to allow Bjorn to marry Ingrid, causing him to recall how such a choice ended the marriage between his parents.
Abandons Torvi For Another Woman
While Bjorn can be called shameless for his treatment of many women throughout the series, the end of his marriage to the shield-maiden Torvi is one of his worst moments. After years together, and two children, Bjorn simply seems to lose interest in Torvi, and start ignoring her completely. He essentially abandons her, and then shows obvious interest in another woman in front of everyone.
It takes Torvi to bring it up for him to it that he is finished with her, and while she shows incredible strength in telling him that he has her blessing to move on, it's a heartbreaking scene for her. At least Bjorn does, in the end, tell her that he recognizes how badly he treated her.
Responsible For His Mother & Son's Death
After finally taking back Kattegat from Ivar, Bjorn is given the title King of Kattegat. While Bjorn is a great warrior, even comparable to the great Ragnar Lothbrok, his short time as a king proved to be disastrous.
After allowing a group of Ivar's men to be set free, they began raiding local villages. During one of these raids in Lagertha's domain, the marauders murder Hali, Bjorn's son with Torvi. When Lagertha arrives back in Kattegat after the raid, she is mistaken for Ivar by Hvitserk and promptly stabbed to death.
Slept With His Mother's Lover
Probably one of the more cringe-worthy moments to ever take place in Vikings occurred when Bjorn decided to sleep with his mother's lover, Astrid. While Bjorn was known for his philandering ways, sleeping with his mother's lover just seemed like a new low.
Yet, this didn't seem to bother Bjorn in the least. In fact, he seemed pretty proud of himself when his mother found out, as he intentionally wanted to hurt her. However, to Bjorn's disappointment, Lagertha was unfazed by this revelation.
Rude To Alfred While Hiding In England
After Ubbe, Bjorn, Lagertha, and Torvi flee to England as Ivar claims Kattegat - and they find safety at the court of King Alfred. Impressively, given the history between them, Alfred allows them to stay and gives them safety - although he does push for conversion (which Ubbe and Torvi agree to), and ask for their help in fighting other Vikings.
However, Bjorn's attitude to the King is appalling - he is being offered shelter, having been turned out of his own home, and yet treats Alfred like an annoyance, and with absolutely no gratitude at all.
