Warning: spoilers for Vikings: Valhalla season 3.

Thanks to a time jump of seven years, Vikings: Valhalla season 3 was able to cover the stories of characters who were too young in the previous seasons, among them Olaf’s son, Magnus (Set Sjöstrand) – but season 3 left his future unknown. Vikings: Valhalla arrived to tell some of the most notable stories from the final years of the Viking Age, but it has now come to an end with its third season. Despite not having enough time to develop the stories of new characters, Vikings: Valhalla made some of them main characters, among them Magnus Olafsson.

The ending of Vikings: Valhalla season 2 left Harald and Leif in Constantinople, Freydis taking over Jomsborg, and Emma of Normandy keeping a close eye on Godwin. As Freydis killed Olaf Haraldsson in season 2, season 3 was expected to address the consequences of it, and it did through his son, Magnus. Now older but not necessarily wiser, Magnus poisoned the Jomsvikings and traveled to Jomsborg to claim his father’s body as part of his canonization process, and he ended up in Kattegat to claim the throne of Norway from Svein, after which Vikings: Valhalla left his fate unknown.

Magnus Olafsson Didn’t Rule Norway For Long

Magnus Ruled Alongside His Uncle, Harald Hardrada

In Vikings: Valhalla, Magnus turned the king’s guard against Svein and killed him, taking the throne of Kattegat and also killing Queen Aelfgifu so no one else stood in his way. However, he wasn’t counting on Harald returning and claiming the throne too, and though Magnus tried to turn the Jarls against his uncle, the Jarls decided both had the right to claim the throne. The Jarls suggested they both ruled Norway, which both accepted, though Magnus tried to get Harald to burn Freydis alive.

Leif rescued Freydis and they left Kattegat with the crew provided for Leif by Canute, and Magnus confronted Harald for not honoring their agreement. In a satisfying turn of events, Harald turned the guard against Magnus and imprisoned him, proclaiming himself as the only and true king of Norway. In real life, Cnut appointed Aelfgifu and Svein as Norway’s regents following Olaf’s death, but after Cnut’s death, Magnus took over as king in 1035 at the age of 11.

In 1040, Magnus and Cnut’s son, Harthacnut, then king of Denmark, made peace and agreed that the first of them to die would be succeeded by the other. Two years later, Harthacnut died, so Magnus also became King of Denmark. Years later, Harald returned to Norway and contested his rule there, and to appease him, Magnus made him his co-king in Norway. However, Magnus didn’t co-rule with Harald for long, as he died a year later.

How The Real Magnus Olafsson Died

Magnus Olafsson Died In 1047

Magnus Olafsson died suddenly in October 1047 while in Denmark, at the age of 23. The cause of death varies depending on the source, with some claiming it was an accident (such as falling overboard from one of his ships and drowning or even falling off a horse) and others suggesting Magnus died of a disease. Magnus is believed to have made Sweyn his heir in Denmark and Harald in Norway, and he was buried with his father in the Nidaros Cathedral, in Norway. With Magnus’ death, the line of Olaf II ended, as he had no descendants.