Spoilers for this episode.
Ragnar struggles to recruit men for England because the people of Kattegat remember his failures and the settlers he failed to protect. He digs up buried treasure to pay volunteers, but the recruits he attracts are largely old or unfit for the expedition. Bjorn supplies ships while continuing preparations for his own voyage, which offers the younger warriors a more appealing destination.
Harald and Halfdan join Bjorn's fleet, and Lagertha arrives with Astrid for the departure celebrations. Her meeting with Aslaug quickly becomes hostile. Aslaug insists on her position as queen, while Lagertha refuses to forget how their lives became entangled. During the sacrifice, Lagertha tells her rival that she cannot forgive the loss of her husband and the life they once shared.
Aslaug fears for Ivar after seeing a vision of him drowning. He refuses to stay behind, telling her that the chance to be with Ragnar matters more than her protection. Ragnar also speaks tenderly to Aslaug, thanking her for never turning their sons against him despite his treatment of her. Father and son sail away with their small fleet, but a violent storm overtakes them. Ragnar ties Ivar to the mast to keep him aboard. The ship capsizes, leaving them underwater as Ragnar struggles to free his son.