Athelstan: A Bridge Between Two Worlds
**CONTAINS SPOILERS FROM SEASON 3**
Athelstan is clearly an intriguing character. You can see it through both Ragnar and Ecbert's fascination with him. They come from completely different worlds, yet they are both drawn to him.
But why is he so fascinating? What is it about him that makes him stand out among so many memorable characters?
If I could answer that question in one sentence, I would say this: Athelstan's willingness to question his own beliefs and remain open-minded toward other cultures and religions is what makes him fascinating.
Both Ragnar and Ecbert admired Athelstan not because he had all the answers, but because he was willing to ask difficult questions. In a world full of people who were certain they were right, Athelstan had the humility to admit he wasn't.
I was genuinely upset when he was murdered because it meant he would no longer appear on my screen. I wouldn't get to watch him wrestle with faith, identity, and the clash between two completely different worlds.
His open-mindedness was refreshing and inspiring. Being open-minded is a quality that adults always encouraged me to develop growing up, yet I rarely see people truly live by it. Many people become so attached to what they already believe that they refuse to even consider another perspective.
That is what made Athelstan different.
If he had been like Floki, the existence of another god would never have crossed his mind. He would have dismissed the Norse gods entirely. Instead, Athelstan allowed himself to experience both Christianity and Norse paganism. Rather than blindly accepting one and rejecting the other, he wrestled with difficult questions. His faith wasn't simple, and that internal conflict made him feel incredibly human.
Athelstan's open-mindedness didn't just shape his own journey; it also changed Ragnar. Ragnar's curiosity about Christianity grew because of his friendship with Athelstan. He wanted to understand Athelstan's faith, learned Christian prayers, and even chose to be baptized later in life. Whether Ragnar fully believed is almost beside the point. Athelstan taught him that understanding another person's beliefs has value, even if you never completely adopt them yourself. Their friendship became a bridge between two worlds that had only known each other through war.
Watching Athelstan wrestle with his own beliefs also made me reflect on my own experiences with religion.
I grew up Catholic. I attended Catholic grade school and high school, and every Sunday, you could find me at Mass with my family.
At one point, I considered myself a devoted Catholic. I prayed every night and enjoyed reading Bible stories.
One evening in fifth grade, I lost my rosary. I panicked and began tearing my room apart looking for it. I treasured that rosary and treated it like a good-luck charm. I felt as though nothing bad could happen if it were in my pocket. Thankfully, my mom heard the commotion, calmed me down, and quickly found it underneath my bed.
It wasn't until my senior year of high school that I began reflecting on my religion and the ways some of my beliefs had affected me.
I remember sitting in art class, starving because I had skipped breakfast. I decided to eat part of my lunch to stop my stomach from growling. A friend immediately reminded me that it was Ash Wednesday and that, traditionally, I wasn't supposed to snack between meals. I remember thinking, "I'm hungry," and I kept eating anyway. It seems like such a small moment, but it was one of the first times I questioned whether I believed something simply because I had always been told to.
Questioning my religion was uncomfortable at first because of my family.
When I was in college, I went on a school trip to India. The first question my grandpa asked me was, "You're not going to adopt any of their religions, are you?" It struck me as an odd question, and, notably, it was the only thing he asked me about the entire trip. He wasn't curious about the people, the culture, or what I might learn. His biggest concern was that I might come home believing something different.
Ironically, visiting India didn't make me want to change religions. It did something I think is far more valuable: it made me appreciate that people around the world find meaning in different beliefs and traditions. I realized that faith looks different depending on where and how someone grows up.
Today, I wouldn't consider myself a particularly religious person, but I understand why faith is important to so many people. I don't judge others for their beliefs or traditions, even when I don't agree with them. I think it's healthy to ask questions, to be curious, and to listen before deciding what you believe.
That is why Athelstan became my favorite character.
His story isn't really about choosing Christianity or the Norse gods. It's about having the courage to question what you've always known without losing your compassion or your humanity. He reminds us that being open-minded doesn't mean abandoning your beliefs; it means being willing to understand someone else's.
I think that's a lesson that extends far beyond religion. Every day we encounter people with different beliefs, values, cultures, and opinions. We don't have to agree with them, but we do have a choice in how we respond. We can react with anger, fear, and hatred, or we can respond with curiosity and respect.
Floki serves as the perfect contrast to Athelstan. He allowed his convictions and emotions to consume him until he believed murder was justified simply because someone believed differently than he did. Athelstan, on the other hand, spent his life trying to understand others, even when it challenged his own identity. One character closed every door to other perspectives; the other opened every door, even when it was painful.
The world would be a much more peaceful place if more people shared Athelstan's willingness to listen before judging and to understand before condemning. Open-mindedness doesn't require us to surrender our own beliefs. It simply asks us to recognize that another person's humanity is worth more than winning an argument or proving ourselves right.
For me, that's why Athelstan stands out among every other character in Vikings. Long after the battles are forgotten, it's his compassion, curiosity, and willingness to grow that I continue to remember.
