Original subtitles

NORWAY YEAR 999

Olav Tryggvason has forced earls and little kings to be baptized.

Only one earl remains before Norway is christened.

No others shall burn in Hell if more pagans arrive.

Listen to their confession, baptize them, then kill them.

THE WHITE VIKING

When the last pagan comes will I fight like one possessed?

Gudbrand Jarl has a living Odin and has never lost a battle.

But now he shall meet Olav Tryggvason and his White Christ.

Don't forget what you promised when I began this crusade.

I live forever, You shall die.

Too bad, to burn such a beautiful building

Pater Noster... now we will take them by surprise at their wedding!

Without me there would be no Christians here.

And there will no longer be any more.

...without me!

Norway bleeds...

Only for you, I have allowed bloodshed...

...and in the battle, I am your weapon.

Blood pours from my heart...

...like a burning flame!

Speak to me...

...like you speak to the king!

It was I who baptized him...

...and gave him to you when he was an outlaw Viking in England.

An outlaw from Norway.

if he gives you Norway...

...speak to me as well.

Odin!

Come!

Odin!

Come!

In the beginning the Aesir created the world and lit the flame of life.

Then the hammer made man and woman

so that the people could grow.

Stronger then the veins of a bear is the blood bond that binds you.

You, my daughter Embla, my only child...

...and you, Askur Thorgeirsson.

The powerful god Odin is here...

...and says that you now are one in his sight.

Stamp hard into the ground

let the seed float around

receive the young girl

Freyr in lovemaking moment.

Freya in lovemaking moment.

Stamp hard into the ground

let the seed float around

receive the young girl

Freyr in lovemaking moment.

Freya in lovemaking moment.

I am an ice-bear!

I was floating on a block of ice from Greenland.

Accept this bearskin as a gift.

And...

And...

This veil was made for an Arabian princess.

Accept it as a gift from a humble seafarer, you, daughter of an earl.

Thorgeir, father of Askur, chief of Iceland...

...bade me and my two companions to give you this amulet of Freya.

Thorgeir says that Freya will always watch over you...

...as a woman protects the unborn life in the womb.

When you travel to Iceland, give this book to Thorgeir, Askur's father.

The book can't stand to be wet, and must be handled carefully.

Is it Irish?

Askur took it as a trove, when he was fighting Giants and Dragons there.

Now you will see Freya's secret. This is you...

...and this is our child.

Protected and surrounded by warmth and happiness.

Freya protects it as long as you wear this amulet.

Just as I protect you against all evil.

Then it is better that you have me...

...while I take care of the baby.

You want to have children, right Embla?

This is the blessing given by Freyr.

This is Freyr's wand, deep in the forest.

Full of power, Freyr's wand is rising,

and gives fruit to a new spring.

Who composed that? Your great-grandfather?

No, I, Askur Thorgeirsson composed it to my bride.

- Do you hear...? - What?

Do you hear how the waves kiss the beach?

Up and down, front and back...

Hear my words before you take your weapons!

You have the same choice I have given the others, I have won for the White Christ.

Those who freely agree to be baptized to the true faith shall live.

- The others will die. - Is your god as powerful as you say...

Then let us see which is the strongest of your god and ours!

No one has seen the White Christ, except as a dead figure on a cross!

Show us your god then, Gudbrand!

Where is your god now?

Our god has come forth and sees fear in your eyes!

Gudbrand complains that our god is invisible,

but he will come to us soon.

Askur!

Your god is just a pile of wood, blind and deaf!

King Olav the one-eyed! Let's kill him!

We shall kill him!

Look to the East!

There travels our god in flaming light!

Do you crush your ancestors god, you traitor!

Show Odin what you can!

Kill the bastards! Kill them!

- Kill them! - Take them alive!

Agnus Dei...

No! No!

Alive, Bishop Tangbrand... Alive, I said!

Great heroes that threaten a weaponless man!

Choose your destiny!

I have raised Askur as my own son...

and I shall follow him into death.

Together without fear we shall travel to Valhalla.

So let it be.

But you shall die last.

The king has a slower, more terrifying death to expect than me.

How much is your daughter's life worth?

My daughter is of Odin's family, from ancient times when Odin came to Norway.

- Odin will avenge this! - Not the stack of wood!

Father, don't give up for me!

You refuse to see the light of Christ.

That is why your daughter ill be burnt at the stake.

Freya!

No... no...

This skin suits a king.

This skin suits a king! A gift from a humble seafarer.

I have never practiced �satr�. I was baptized by the archbishop in Rouen!

Silence!

You attended a heathen wedding! I brought the ship and the goods.

Freya!

I am ready...

Baptize me!

Embla! Embla!

Now is the last earl defeated.

The last heathen has fallen.

All Norway obeys me!

I want more!

In one big kingdom I would like to unite all countries the Vikings have conquered.

You ask me for more than I can give you.

Show me your tears and swear that...

you will spread my kingdom to all Nordic people!

See my tears...

Crying I swear I will chop off my hand...

if not all the countries of the West are not yours within the year.

Bigger tears...

- Bigger tears! - White Christ has heard me!

White Christ has... heard me...

The boy who tried to kill you is the son of the lawspeaker of Iceland!

- The one... - ...who whipped you and sent you back?

And the beast Gunnar is his younger son, and Askur's half-brother!

Yes.

Now we can burn the son's body and send the head to Thorgeir.

With best wishes from Bishop Tangbrand!

The man he humiliated!

So you are the son of the chief of Iceland,

you poetic hero...

You shall lead my mission and christen Iceland.

And what if I refuse to go?

Then you will die, and my soldiers get your bride.

I swear by the Saviour's bleeding heart that the bride lies in his hands-

And that Askur will have her back when he can report-

That Iceland confesses to you like I,

Olav Tryggvason does.

Our Father and the Holy Spirit are the same.

You don't have to understand.

Only believe it!

They tell me how I should act...

when I come to Iceland to Christianize heathens.

What shall I do and say?

You say:

"Christ is here."

"Let yourself be baptized"

"or die!"

- Shall I use weapons? - That is usually not necessary.

The simple people are easy to persuade.

They only need to see the priest robe...

...and they will be as meek and tame as lambs.

If they ask stupid questions, tell them: "the Lord works in mysterious ways..."

Then you pour water over them. A simple job.

Don't torment them too much with theology.

If it is that simple, why did you fail?

I was alone and unknown. They sent feathered beast against me...

that I had to kill with my sword.

But you are a lawspeaker's son, you have a powerful brother...

...and you have this robe and sword!

I baptize you in the name of Jesus Christ, the White Viking.

Who fought with his sacred weapon, the cross, in life and death. Amen.

Kiss!

You get this ring for Askur's head.

Head...? The whole Askur is precious.

For his head!

I hope your travels will be successful, dear brother.

Askur!

I will return when I have christened the Icelanders!

- I will follow you! - Embla!

You are sending him to his death!

- Askur! - Embla!

One day you will regret this!

Your daughter's temper is worthy of a queen, Gudbrand.

What is that?

- An amulet that will grant me victory. - An Asatru sign,

...yet you carry it around your neck! - The Lord works in mysterious ways.

Follow the ceremony accurately so you can do it honourably.

Lord Christ, come down from Heaven!

Show yourself to these humble, sinful women...

so that they will see your greatness and be baptized.

Hallelujah!

Christ, come to us...

and cleanse their sinful bodies in the Jordan's holy waters!

Christ, protect these regretful sinners...

and make them as your bride in your name.

The king will baptize you himself.

Show yourself to our eyes and forgive us.

May the Holy Spirit show itself to confess...

that you have taken these poor souls to be your bride.

You see...? You see...?

ICELAND

Christ has come!

I encourage people to be baptized and believe in the White Christ...

so that I can show who is the strongest, White Christ or Odin!

I am starting to get tired of these "Vikings" that come every year.

And that one I am going to kill!

No, that is Thorgeir's son, Askur. He sailed over here with us.

Oh, so he is Thorgeir's son...

He is more like his father than that other fool Thorgeir calls his son.

The king has forced him to Christianize Iceland by force.

One is not allowed to kill anyone these days!

Shall I give him the same treatment I gave Tangbrand?

Get rid of the bastard and keep me out of it!

Accept the baptism or die!

- I shall destroy your heathen temple! - Take it easy, mother.

Aren't you the White Viking himself?

Isn't that the robe the White Christ wears in war?

It looked better on Tangbrand than on you.

Tangbrand told me that...

- I would be bigger fool than he was! - Sure he was a fool.

Yet he pissed in our well...

and he killed all our hens and geese in the name of Christ.

Then he said to naive people that he had killed feathered trolls!

Is this Tingvellir?

The Thing ended yesterday.

I want to speak to the Allthing.

That can't happen for a year.

The Thing only gathers once a summer.

Can I ask you to come inside for a while?

- Where is your husband? - My husband?

He went on to cut up a whale, so he won't be home before the Fall.

Are you Christian, you and your people?

I don't know what my husband did after Tangbrand crushed the temple.

But Tangbrand fought against all the sin in this house.

And I fought hard at his side.

We fought hard.

But I think I need to be baptized again.

Gunnar!

I bought these pants in Rouen.

They will look good on you.

A scarf the girls are going to like.

That is expensive honey.

What is the point of owning Lj�savatn if one can't get honey?

- Have you taken over the chief's position? - My father has given me his sword.

What about my new house?

Have you heard about Askur?

It is expensive to sail to Iceland...

If Askur is as fast as I think he is, he will turn up here soon.

Is Askur here? In Iceland?

The king has baptized him to the Christian faith and has big plans for him here.

He is going to demand the inheritance! I didn't build this house for Askur!

Gunnar! Askur is going to inherit Gudbrand's land in Norway.

What is a small place in Norway compared to this?

The chief's seat and position that belongs to the lawspeaker over Iceland!

Ketill has bad news from Norway, mother.

We must ask the birds for advice.

Boiled birds tell nothing.

And all news from Norway is bad news.

I have heard that Olaf who calls himself king...

has gouged out his own eye to mock Odin!

If you tell my father about my brother's journey, it will be the worse for you!

Food, Thorgeir! Boiled birds!

He is senile. He doesn't eat anymore.

Doesn't speak to anyone, just lays in bed.

And so people say he is the wisest man in Iceland...

I put the food here.

Thorgeir, I have news about Askur, your son.

He sends you a book, an Irish book of law.

I have news about his wedding with Embla, his bride.

Askur is older than me and can demand the lawspeaker position.

Your father got the chief seat from me and my family.

And he never said a word about his earlier mistress before the wedding!

My father has always preferred Askur, even if he has never seen him.

- Let birds chase him out of the country. - Evil birds, evil birds...

Full of venom and bile.

Tear out the eyes, tear out the eyes...

What are they saying?

- What are they saying? - There are fish in the mountains...

Make a net...

Let us make a net...

I'm going to catch Askur and kill him.

White ravens do not live long.

Are you the big fish in the mountains?

I'm going to hide myself here and help you if necessary.

One of the Vikings are on their way over here! Just act as if nothing has happened.

There are fish in the mountains.

Come.

- Are you Thorgeir? - Thorgeir?

- Why do you want him? - He is my father. My name is Askur.

- Who said I was Thorgeir? - The old woman who led me here.

I am not Thorgeir, my name is V�lundur.

No!

I am Thorgeir's son!

- I am Thorgeir's son! - Trapped like a fish in a mountain!

Father...

Here is your White Christ, the Norwegian king's envoy.

He has killed V�lundur, your blacksmith!

He killed my brother. I demand to be allowed to kill the Christian dog immediately!

If he is the king's messenger, we must bring it up at the next Allthing.

I will not wait a year! Pass the judgement right here and now!

I will not be rash.

As lawspeaker you can pass judgement!

- I don't know of punishment cruel enough. - He deserves to die slowly.

Very slowly! First we cut out the eyes-

Then we chop off the limbs, one by one.

Then we only do him a favour.

The missionaries yearn for a death like that.

Such men don't deserve to die with honor.

No, no punishment is worse than...

...to return crawling back to king Olaf after a failed mission.

I judge this man...

...to life-long outlawry. Send him back to Norway.

I would rather have the joy of chopping him to pieces!

But lawspeaker Thorgeir is right.

Say when you crawl to the king...

...that you got caught like a small fish in a net on Iceland...

...when you had killed helpless, innocent people!

Too bad such a handsome man would be the king's lackey.

And kill people just because they don't worship the same god as him.

Evil birds, evil birds...

Filled with spite and gall...

Tear out the eyes, tear out the eyes...

Askur is coming back! My dreams tell me that.

Don't take my dreams from me, as you took my happiness...

- Is she here? - No. Should she be brought here?

- Has she asked for me? - Don't know.

But she knows we are waiting and that you will baptize her.

Tangbrand gave orders for a ceremony "worthy of a queen" for Embla's baptism.

Then let us begin the ceremony.

- You didn't send for me. - I wait for Askur.

Christ is resurrected!

One day you will be old and grey and ugly...

and still waiting.

Then you shall remember that I offered you once the whole world.

A throne, and that everybody would humbly kneel to you.

And all that you wanted...

could have been yours.

I have made my choice.

Jesus...

Jesus Christ...

I have seen him! I have seen him!

- Who? - The Miracle...

It is true, he is resurrected!

What have you seen?

Jesus! He is in there!

Not there!

There!

Do you swear by the Mother of God that it is true?

By both the Mother of God's name and God's own name!

If you have seen ghosts, it was Satan.

- Here is neither Christ nor Satan. - I saw him!

- I saw Jesus Christ! - She saw a ghost... Satan...

If Satan has shown himself to me, I must be baptized again! I must be purified!

Satan! Satan!

Redeem me from Satan!

Baptize me in the Jordan's holy waters!

All who want may be baptized now, and then we will take the sacrament!

Hallelujah!

Go back to Heaven, otherwise they crucify you again!

We aren't ready for your return! They will punish you again!

Go back to Heaven!

Don't punish me!

See the scars on my face... I have been punished enough.

Go away, evil Christ! I haven't done anything evil, only served you!

Christ has come!

Now he comes and takes us!

Embla! It's me, Askur!

I knew you would come...

I never doubted it one bit!

I said it!

Now you believe me...

I saw him! I saw Jesus!

I told you! Perhaps he'll come back and bless us?

- Are you sure he wants it? - Yes, he wants it.

- How do you know it? - I saw it in his eyes.

You have used me to break my father and my husband.

But you'll never break me!

You are willing to offer life for your faith.

But are you willing to sacrifice Askur?

White Christ promised me that if you became his bride, he would spare Askur's life.

But if you refuse...

Askur must die.

If I become bride to White Christ,

on what conditions will Askur's life be spared?

Askur must return to Iceland.

You must convince him that it's your will.

He will leave by your words.

By my word?

What of the oath you gave him,

about me?

A king's oath is law.

Then I will agree to do it.

Embla!

The king is willing to spare your life.

Promise me you'll go back to Iceland.

You must go back there, it is a condition.

I will go if you follow me.

He holds me as a hostage until you've Christianized Iceland.

I am outlawed there now, anyone has the right to kill me!

It is me who ask you to go.

- Will you promise me to go back there? - You are asking the impossible of me...

...if it is the only solution...

I will go.

King!

It wasn't my fault that Embla escaped! Forgive me!

Punish me! I am God's lamb that takes the world's sins on me!

The sons of the chief have waited months to sail home.

King!

This Icelander is a Christian, I baptized him at your orders.

But he became a pagan as soon as he came to Iceland.

And he still dares to come back here!

- I have an inheritance to pick up. - �Is that a cross?

Or a Thor's hammer? Or both... as it is convenient?

Nothing to worry about...

Look!

Freya is with us too.

Yes, there is a lot to fear...

Not only does White Christ want me as a bride, the king does also.

Never!

Then we travel to Valhalla here and now.

No, I want us to live.

Live and fight against evil. That is why we are here on Earth.

And I will never give up!

Never!

I will allow this jewellery to return to Iceland.

But you will stay here with me!

For your sakes I hope that your families understand...

...the message they get from Tangbrand.

Now follow the command you gave to Ketill...

...about how much of Askur Thorgeirsson shall come back to Norway.

Or else the ravens get this head.

Wake up... wake up! Vikings are on their way here, Gunnar!

Two Vikings are coming! Askur, my brother's murderer and bishop Barrumpa.

Wake Thorgeir!

They are coming to kill him! They will kill us!

- Gunnar sleeps in the new house. - Askur was doomed to outlawry.

By Thorgeir, not by Gunnar! Now Askur has returned for revenge!

- Get out! And shut your mouth! - I can scream as much as I like!

I will calm Thorgeir. The idiot troublemaker is gone!

Get Hrappur over here!

Who is this Askur...

that has come here to kill me?

The one you doomed to outlawry and sent home!

Who killed V�lundur, my brother!

You passed judgement on him in this house!

Gunnar promised that if his brother returned to Iceland...

he would pay with his life for the death of my brother.

Gunnar's brother...?

- Yes, his brother for my brother. - Would Gunnar make it so?

He swore by Odin.

Give me my armour and my sword!

Gunnar! Gunnar!

- Your father has gotten up! - Gotten up...?

Your brother Askur has come back, and now your father knows who he is.

So hurry up!

- Where is my sword? - You gave it to Gunnar.

Then I will fight with my bare hands!

You can't do that, they are here to kill you!

Who does Odin want to see most in Valhalla but

one who has died in battle against two White Christs?

You judged my brother to outlawry.

You are lawspeaker, your judgements are law.

Now everyone has the right to kill him!

- In the name of the law, the sword shall be used. - Yes! It shall be used!

If the sword is used, it shall be by me.

Now shall White Christ see that my weapon stings!

- Do you see Thorgeir? - His armour, but not who is wearing it.

- I have an errand to Thorgeir. - What does White Viking want of Thorgeir?

He is my father, and he seems to be the wisest man of Iceland.

Here you see your father.

I am here as your son, not as the White Viking.

The king is holding my wife Embla as a hostage.

Her life depends on that his will is done here in Iceland.

What are the king's demands?

That I say that the people here have taken the Christian faith.

The Christian god sacrificed his own son, but he didn't die.

He resurrected from the grave a few days after, stronger than ever.

We shall play the same game, so well that everyone believes it.

Prepare yourself for a hard battle, and we shall win, both of us.

My oldest son is a follower of White Christ...

...and send over here by Olav Tryggvason.

I shall kill V�lundur's murderer!

Now you shall show, White Christ, that your god is more powerful than Odin.

If he kills my father we'll kill him right away.

Now you shall attack me with full force.

Do you see the temple doors?

That is the son's grave.

May White Christ look with mercy on your soul!

Now you shall die, White Christ!

The birds have spoken!

White Christ is dead... White Christ is dead!

I have sacrificed my son for Odin.

White Christ is dead! White Christ is dead!

Now you shall also die, Viking!

I... I am German and am under the king's protection!

Honourable Thorgeir! Let the sword finish his speech...

...and cut the head of this Viking you banned from the land!

In nomine patris et filii et spiritui sanctii...

I have a sign from king Olav.

You shall gain these valuables from the Christianization if Iceland!

Here you go!

Keep going!

The second wife's son, in his own burial mound...!

Then maybe the corpse is still alive.

A Christian bishop can probably break the peace of the gravemound without risk.

Here you are safe.

No one dares to open my gravemound.

This jewellery was in the bishop's things.

This is a message from the king.

And it involves the sons of the most powerful chiefs of Iceland.

The king has taken them hostage...

...and he will kill them if the althing doesn't do as he wants.

He will do it. I know him!

Did you say that Gudbrand has become a priest of White Christ?

Is he keeping his land and his men?

- Priests are powerful these days. - Here the law is king.

And laws can't be changed after one person's deeds.

But you... let yourself be baptized?

Embla and I were married in Odin's name,

but King Olav wanted to burn her at stake...

...if I wouldn't agree to be baptized.

And for Embla I will sacrifice everything.

That heroic bravery I recognize within myself.

It was for your mother's sake...

where I got the strength to burn H�kon Jarl's fleet in the Limfjord.

He had blocked the fjord with longships.

Beer is encouraging...

and has great healing powers.

You must wait here until everyone...

at the althing has drunk of the beer vats...

...and the four chiefs have seen their son's jewellery.

The Allthing of Iceland is open.

I will ask all of the chiefs to go to the law place.

The Allthing has received demands from Olav Tryggvason, King of Norway.

The king demands that the Allthing shall take Christian faith on Iceland.

Thorgeir is expecting an uneventful Allthing.

He has loaded the beer vats.

Embla!

My son went to Valhalla this morning.

I bid everyone come to the funeral feast.

Our ancestors escaped here from Norway, from the king's rules and taxes.

This jewellery took the king from your son and send over here with my son.

I don't want my dead son to be called a thief.

The king shall never make me submit!

Runolf, give this jewellery to Gudmund the rich one.

I won't ride to the Allthing until I have gotten the jewellery back.

They are with Askur.

You are Christian, you can break down the doors.

You promised me Askur's head, whether it is alive or dead.

If the corpse is alive, we will kill it!

Like two fishes on the hill!

Now we are fishing better than before...

What am I seeing?

A dead man? You stole jewellery from me...

People think you are dead, and you shall die!

Forgive me! Forgive me...

Ask White Christ for forgiveness,

I can't forgive you.

He will never forgive me...

...after what I have done.

Odin!

Odin...

Odin! Show me Bifr�st...

...now that I am deadly wounded.

Let me find you in Valhalla...

I belong to you!

- Give me your hand. - What for?

So that you can witness the miracle.

Can you feel it?

Can you feel the power...?

The savior's heart bleeds in yearning for your soul.

You are my blessed bride.

You shall be my queen over earth and heaven...

...until the last day of mystery. Come to me!

But you are mine...

If you try to take me with violence, I will kill myself!

If you don't want to come to me of free will...

I have to use violence.

You want to make me a queen.

Then treat me like a queen...

...and not as a slave you lay with on the floor whenever you desire it.

Now you have finally started to behave like a queen!

I should never had taken you to the convent.

I rather that I had taken my queen here right away.

You shall get the most precious and expensive clothes that ever existed in Norway...

...and a bed covered with Arabian silk.

The most beautiful clothes in Norway...

King Olav in good company

and could own the woman he wanted...

Where is Gudbrand's daughter?

- I am ready to die for my mistake. - What good would it do if you died?!

I have news from Iceland. Your missionary, Askur...

About his victory?

Something even better, if you want to win Embla's heart.

Embla!

Embla...

I don't want to eat dried fish and the sour heads of sheep the rest of my life!

The king doesn't mind me. I will stay here.

No, no... it was a joke!

I have always followed your father and now I am following him to Iceland.

- Luck is with us! - No, luck is not with us.

Now you shall show that this sign speaks as clearly as you have made me believe.

The king bid me to say:

White Christ forgives you for running away from his protection.

White Christ wants you to be his bride.

He who reigns in heaven and on earth...

But...

Row me over to the church!

Embla!

Tell me the truth for once,

no matter what you are bribed to say.

I will tell you the truth,

but you'll wish that I lie.

I saw it with my own eyes. He died by his father's hand.

He died like a hero.

The king is going to ask White Christ that Askur be canonized as a saint and a martyr.

I don't believe you!

Askur lives...

and I will travel to Iceland!

No!

Embla!

Embla!

Thorgeir... Now you wisdom will be put on trial.

Thorgeir, can you hear me?

I hear.

Only you are experienced and wise enough to answer the king so everyone is pleased.

If we give you full power in this case...

Then I have a condition.

That you all will follow my decision...

...no matter what it may be.

Give me your hand for that.

People will never accept another faith than our ancestor's faith.

Now I see that it would be the best if we have...

one law and one faith.

I will now lay down the law I want all to obey.

First...

it shall say in the law...

...that all shall be Christian.

If one wants, one can sacrifice in secret.

I have come to say farewell.

Is there anything in return I can do for you?

No, no...

I have made peace with God and people...

...no matter if God is one or several.

We must remember that humans create gods.

...but gods don't create humans.

Therefore it's important to create a righteous god...

...that doesn't punish too hard even if humans do wrong.

You asked if there was anything you could do in return...

Yes?

Take this book away from me.

It has given me far too many sleepless nights.

Many weapons have mankind smithed.

...but the sharpest of them all is the book.

Do you agree to become Queen of Norway in this life...

...I will gladly agree to that Saint Askur will be yours in next life.

You wouldn't let me have Askur in the "next life" even if you could.

In heaven a saint is more valuable than even a king.

But now we are on the earth...

So you can enjoy the best...

...in both places.

In both places...

Give me a dagger!

You didn't get released from the stake to burn in hell.

You will never get my body alive!

Askur...

- Askur! - Embla!

Embla!

Embla, I have come!

Askur!