‘Vikings' Season 4 Air Date, News & Update: Ragnar Lothbrok Exit By Travis Fimmel To Make Way For Ivar, Brothers Planned Since S1?

"Vikings Season 4" is a purgatory of sorts for fans of Travis Fimmel, who plays Ragnar Lothbrok in the History series by creator Michael Hirst. As much as Ragnar Lothbrok following would want the Kattegat ruler to go on forever, Michael Hirst and Travis Fimmel had been readying for a "Vikings Season 4" exit since S1.

Parent Herald cites reports that Travis Fimmel is not taking Ragnar Lothbrok into "Vikings Season 5." The "Vikings Season 4" tease showing Ragnar Lothbrok seemingly passing the baton onto Ivar The Boneless is no marketing trick apparently.

“I will never forgive you for taking away my husband, my world, and my happiness.” #Vikings pic.twitter.com/g57PF3WWVS

— Vikings on HISTORY (@HistoryVikings) August 22, 2016

  Digging up a conversation between The Hollywood Reporter and Michael Hirst, the History series creator spoke of always seeing the "Vikings" series without Ragnar Lothbrok. Michael Hirst revealed that he began planning "Vikings" series with a firm idea that Ragnar Lothbrok was succeeded by famous sons.

6 #Vikings Leaders You Should Know: https://t.co/GVjcez04PY pic.twitter.com/JnDijeBM0j — Vikings on HISTORY (@HistoryVikings) August 20, 2016

Michael Hirst acknowledged to The Hollywood Reporter that the death of Ragnar Lothbrok in "Vikings" will be devastating for fans of the History series. This Michael Hirst says is, particularly, because Travis Fimmel portrayed Ragnar Lothbrok with charisma and magnificence.

Remember the good old days? #Vikings pic.twitter.com/wQtUcdtFX4

— Vikings on HISTORY (@HistoryVikings) July 12, 2016

"But by that stage, his sons will be young, hot guys and hopefully the audience will already be engaged with them and want to follow them," Michael Hirst described the transition from a Ragnar Lothbrok lead. According to Michael Hirst, the hope of the "Vikings" series after Ragnar Lothbrok dies is to give the History series fans four new lead characters to follow.

What gives Michael Hirst confidence that Ivar The Boneless (Alex Hogh Andersen), Ubbe (Jordan Patrick Smith), Sigurd Snake-In-The-Eye (David Lindstron), Hvitserk (Marco Islø) and Bjorn Ironside (Alexander Ludwig) will be able to carry on with the "Vikings" series without Travis Fimmel and Ragnar Lothbrok is historical. Each one of these new "Vikings" series leads will portray successful figures in both Viking and Western history, essentially continuing the legacy of Ragnar Lothbrok in their individual ways.

Fans can anticipate a heartbreaking ending when Michael Hirst and Travis Fimmel send Ragnar Lothbrok off to eternal rest. Would you be happy to keep watching the adventures of Ivar The Boneless, Bjorn Ironside, Ubbe, Sigurd and Hvitserk after Ragnar Lothbrok exits with "Vikings Season 4?"