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Who Is Bjorn's Real Father On Vikings? Why It's Probably Rollo (Not Ragnar)
Vikings has left a couple of questions unanswered, of which some are also a mystery to the characters in the series, and the biggest one is who is Bjorn Ironside’s real father: Ragnar or his brother, Rollo. Throughout its six seasons, Vikings has left clues pointing at both possibilities, but it’s most likely that Rollo is Bjorn’s biological father – here’s why. Created by Michael Hirst, Vikings began as a miniseries and debuted on History Channel in 2013, but it was renewed for five more seasons and spawned a Vikings spinoff series, Vikings: Valhalla.
Vikings initially followed legendary Norse figure Ragnar Lothbrok (Travis Fimmel) and his travels alongside his Viking brothers, one of whom was his biological brother, Rollo (Clive Standen). As the series progressed, it changed its focus to Ragnar’s sons – Bjorn, Ubbe, Hvitserk, Sigurd, and Ivar – and their own journeys, making them the protagonists. Ragnar met his fate in season 4 when he was thrown into a pit of snakes, and he left a big mystery behind that no character answered for sure: who is Bjorn’s real father?
From the very beginning, Vikings revealed Bjorn’s mother, Lagertha and his uncle, Rollo were together years before the events of the series. As the story evolved, it was hinted that Rollo could be Bjorn’s real father. To keep the mystery going, Vikings has dropped clues pointing both ways, but it’s more likely that Rollo is Bjorn’s father.
Vikings: Why Bjorn’s Real Father Is Probably Rollo
The question of whether Bjorn is Ragnar’s son or not has been floating around since Vikings began, and the mystery has only grown despite the series' conclusion. However, there are some clues (and some very direct confessions) that point to Bjorn most likely being Rollo’s son. As pointed out by a fan on Reddit, when Ragnar and his whole community visit Uppsala (and take Athelstan with them to sacrifice him, but ultimately decide not to), he asks Odin to “accept this sacrifice I plan to offer you and answer me: who will bear my son?”. Lagertha had recently suffered a miscarriage, which was the event that fractured their relationship, but his choice of words seems odd when remembering that he already had a son: Bjorn. This has made fans believe Ragnar knew Bjorn wasn’t his biological son, though he always treated him like he was.
Rollo has been very straightforward when it comes to his possible paternity. He confronted Lagertha and told her Bjorn is his son, with her replying that he isn’t. Rollo then got a chance to talk to Bjorn and told him the same, to which Bjorn cleverly replied that “rumors are a doubtful truth” and that he considered himself one of Ragnar's sons, as what truly mattered was who he resembles most in appearance, spirit, and principle. In terms of narrative, it works that Rollo is Bjorn’s real father and that he considers Ragnar as his true dad, as he was the one who raised him. Ragnar also saw him as one of his sons, to the point where Odin sees Bjorn when he takes a look at all the sons of Ragnar. Bjorn being the son of the king’s brother who the king treats as if he was his real child is something common in the genre, and it’s still an effective formula, so with that in mind, it works that Rollo is Bjorn’s biological father.
Why Bjorn Is Ragnar's Most Likeable Child (Even If He's Rollo's Son)
While he may technically be Rollo's child, Bjorn is one of the most likable of Ragnar's children. It's obvious during the series who raised Bjorn, biological father or otherwise. He's skilled, curious, and powerful, just like his deceased father Ragnar. He does share some of his father's negative traits, such as being impulsive and a bit of a hothead. Otherwise, he does have more respect for women than Ragnar did, and he doesn't fly off the handle quite as much. The best part about Bjorn is that he took what he learned from his father and used it to mold himself into a better person than Ragnar was rather than becoming a simple carbon copy. Though he faces a lack of experience and can be too proud at times, he never refuses wise counsel and takes most advice to heart. So, no matter if Rollo is Bjorn's real father, Ragnar had the biggest impact on the character and made him the best of all of his children. Ultimately, both Bjorn and viewers will decide who his real father is: the biological one, or the one who raised him and taught him everything he knows on Vikings.
