The White Viking

Plot

King Olav, a fanatical Christian, hears the voice of Jesus when praying, causing jealousy in his adviser Bishop Thangbrandur. The pagan jarl Godbrandur is the last major resistance. Godbrandur's daughter Embla marries Askur, the bastard of lawspeaker Thorgeir of Iceland and Godbrandur's foster son.

King Olav ambushes a pagan ceremony; Embla kills a soldier who crushes a statue of Odin. Askur and Embla are captured, and Godbrandur agrees to baptism to save them. Askur is ordered to christen Iceland's pagans, while Embla is held hostage in a convent. In Iceland, Thangbrandur's conversion tricks fail.

Askur's half-brother Gunnar, alerted by Askur's presence, sets up Askur for the murder of the smith Völondur. Askur is gagged and presented to Thorgeir, unable to identify himself. Thorgeir exiles Askur back to Norway.

Versions

Three versions exist: a five-hour mini-series, the theatrical cut, and the director's cut Embla. Embla reorders scenes and focuses on Embla, cutting Askur's Icelandic adventures except some wilderness shots. It reinserts scenes of Embla birthing Askur's son, mostly from the mini-series.

The mini-series and Embla suggest Godbrandur may have a mental disorder passed to Embla, explaining their visions. The mini-series adds plotlines about Askur's Viking past and descent from Egill Skallagrímsson, and includes real animal sacrifices: a pig to Freyr and a butchered calf to Odin. The theatrical cut was released on VHS; the mini-series and Embla were released on DVD in 2012.