Ragnarok Season 3 Review: Netflix’s Norwegian fantasy drama Ragnarok is back with its third and final season. Created by Adam Price, the series has been directed by Mogens Hagedorn, Jannik Johansen and Mads Kamp Thulstrup. Stine Meldgaard Madsen serves as the producer. As for the cast, we have returning actors David Stakston, Jonas Strand Gravli, Herman Tommeraas, Theresa Frostad Eggesboo, Synnove Macody Lund, Emma Bones, Odd Magnus Williamson, Danu Sunth, Bjorn Sundquist, Benjamin Helstad and Vebjorn Enger. The season has 6 episodes of around 42 minutes each.
When I think of Ragnarok, I think of a world-class destruction event where everything around is red and burning, and the skies are covered in dark clouds with thunder strikes that have resulted in huge cracks on the ground as gods and giants fight each other with their powerful weapons. But this didn’t happen here. Instead, we get something entirely different that serves the purpose of giving the show an apt ending and makes me rethink all that had transpired rather than missing the war, which is a good thing. Here’s more.
-Ragnarok Season 3 Review Contains Spoilers-
Ragnarok Season 3 Plot/Synopsis
Season 2 ended with Laurits (Jonas Strand Gravli) releasing his pet snake (the world serpent Jörmungand) into the sea, where it will grow until the time comes for it to be summoned. Season 3 shows the gods and the giants preparing for the war. During the preparations, both sides undergo a lot of issues, with Magne getting overconfident about his powers and losing his hammer and his teammates.
Meanwhile, the Jutuls struggle with their own relationships and thus fail to figure out a proper way to kill Magne. Somewhere else, Laurits’s pet serpent grows day by day in Edda’s fjord. How all this leads to the war and what the outcome is, is what we find out in the final season.
Ragnarok Season 3 Review: Discussion
Story-wise, it’s a good thing the makers decided to show the overconfident part of Magne when he realises that he is a god that the giants fear. Being proud is one thing, but pride can cause a lot of damage. However, the process of his realisation of this isn’t as convincing as his becoming prideful, and more could have been explored from this angle. The relationship between Laurits and his serpent has been a plus for the show, albeit I do miss more conversations between the two as they would have shown Laurits’ vulnerable side. After all, he is the serpent’s “mommy” which points towards Loki’s gender-fluid arc.
We don’t get to see much action, which I personally missed a lot as well. But considering the show’s take on Ragnarok, I think that they have done a good job of giving the war a grounded POV that feels more microcosmic than macrocosmic and suits the show really well. This also adds to the show’s cohesiveness big time.
Visually, the war that Magne imagines at the end is perfect. From the setting to the sequences, which have been nicely juxtaposed with scenes from Graduation Day and the events of the Thor comics that Magne had, nothing was out of place. Laurits’ serpent could been worked upon a bit more. Other than these, there was nothing that required a visual treatment as such.
Also Read: Ragnarok Season 2 Recap: Read Everything That Happens to Magne and Vidar
Kudos to all the actors, especially those who played members of the Jutul family. Eggesboo, Lund and Tommeraas have nailed their respective parts as giants with a human side that isn’t evil. Gravli, as Laurits/Loki, stole the show for me with the way he showed Loki’s characteristic of not opting for a side and doing what’s useful for himself. Stakston, as Magne/Thor, had very little to do other than showing the character’s pride that he does justice to.
To see Magne, who is ever ready to kill giants and other baddies, drop his hammer and offer a truce to the Jutuls so that no one has to die, is an effective choice on behalf of the writers. To show how the war occurs inside Magne’s head and comes to an end with everyone dead while not a single life is lost for real only makes the difference between war and peace very clear. Good job, makers.
Ragnarok Season 3 Netflix Review: Final Thoughts
Season 3 does a good job of ending the show while making sure that we do not stop thinking about it. How? By showing a shot in Episode 6 wherein it seems that we are getting a POV of Laurits’ Little O, the serpent, as it dives inside Edda’s fjord. This means that it is still lurking nearby despite being told by Laurits to leave. As long as it is alive, it poses a threat to Magne’s life.
If you intend on getting knowledgeable about Norse mythology from this show, you won’t. But if you want to get over the MCU Thor fatigue, this show will serve as a great watch.
Have you started watching Season 3? Let us know your thoughts about it in the comments below.
Also Read: Ragnarok Season 1 Recap: Who is Magne Seier? What Secret are the Jutuls Hiding?
Decent summary, but misses entirely the suggestion of a schizophrenic break by Magne, influenced by his Thor comic books and fantasies as a child, and the tragedies of losing his father and friend. The final battle and death of Thor in his mind, and the 9 slow steps into the real world and a real future. This was heavily suggested at the end of Season 3 as a possibility, and should be covered in a season summary.
After reading this article and seeing the first episode of the third season, I think I’ll quit while I’m ahead. The “it was all in my head or all just a dream” was a fresh idea when I read science fiction back in the 50’s and 60’s. Is that all writers can do now is repeat the past. Too bad. Except for the constant flip flopping of personalities, this looked to be interesting from a teen’s POV.