King Canute (also known as Cnut) is one of the most exciting historical figures in Netflix’s Vikings: Valhalla, making his abrupt disappearance at the series’ midpoint all the more confusing. The spinoff takes place roughly 100 years after the events of the popular History Channel series Vikings, blending the stories of new characters with the legacies of old. While there are many exciting Vikings of legend included in the series, the true story of Vikings: Valhalla's King Canute is arguably the most interesting among them, yet his story feels to be far from the focal point given his abrupt exit at the end of the sixth episode.
After the Vikings are purged from Saxon lands in the St. Brice’s Day Massacre, King Canute assembles an army of warriors from across Scandinavia to return to England and take vengeance for their fallen kin. With the help of Greenlander Leif Eriksson, Canute successfully topples London and overthrows the boy-king Edmund, electing to stay and rule as the King of England in an attempt to unify the kingdoms of the North. Shortly after his victory, Canute receives a late-night message calling him away, appointing his father Sweyn Forkbeard to rule in his absence as he returns to Denmark for the remainder of the season.
Although he will almost certainly remain an integral character in Vikings: Valhalla moving forward, Canute’s abrupt departure from his newly acquired kingdom was jarring for viewers and Vikings alike. Little explanation was given by Canute to either regarding the reason for his exit, and his strategic midnight marriage to Queen Emma of Normandy took place offscreen and away from the eyes of his subjects. However, Canute and Edmund’s political advisor Godwin eventually makes reference to an attack on Denmark by the Wends, likely referring to Canute’s real-life encounters with the people of the Baltic region and eventual ascension to the throne of Denmark.
The series begins with Canute already established as the King of Denmark, but Valhalla’s timeline is not exactly historically accurate as Canute did not receive that title until after his siege on London. Following the death of King Harald II, Canute returned to Denmark to claim the throne and defend his home against the Wends of Pomerania, an enemy of the Vikings since the days of Ragnar Lothbrok. There is some debate between historians as to where Canute turned his focus after securing Denmark, but many believe he laid siege to Jomsborg, the legendary stronghold of the Jomsvikings, as a further display of Danish strength in the Baltics.
The timeline in Valhalla is a bit skewed, so its difficult to say precisely where Canute will have gone in terms of the story’s narrative. It would seem that many of King Canute’s adventures in Denmark and the Baltics may be left out of the series given the story’s focus on Leif Eriksson and the tensions between Christians and Pagans, but perhaps Vikings: Valhalla season 2 will shift its narrative. Regardless, the impending battle between the armies of King Canute and Olaf Haraldsson promises to be among the most standout in the history of the franchise.
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