me? of course! i've been looting and pillaging up and down the coast. yes. shut up. sh! he covers her mouth with his free hand, and looks round to make sure no one's heard. then he carries on trying to undo his trousers, but he is now somewhat more than half-hearted about it. helga watches suspiciously. of course i like women. i love 'em. no. right. this is rape. mark you, i'm not saying i couldn't get to like you. in fact. well, to be quite honest, i prefer it when there's some sort of mutual feeling between two people. no. it isn't rape then, is it? i don't suppose. no. i don't suppose you. you do like me at all? i'll kill you if you say anything about this to anyone. about not raping you. well it just seems a little bit crude, that's all. oh well - you've got to do them. to pay for the next expedition, of course. oh! stop talking as if we were married! i just said i didn't feel like raping you. scream. louder. oh, thanks two more vikings burst in with eyes blazing. they have the very unfortunate names of ernest and jennifer, but it doesn't really matter, for reasons which will become obvious very quickly. they are also slightly drunk. oh. yes. i suppose so. leave her alone! he pulls jennifer off, but jennifer fights back. erik forces jennifer back until he falls into the kneading trough. they fight in the dough for some moments, until erik runs jennifer through. the dough is stained red, and the film is rid of such an inappropriately named viking once and for all. erik then turns his attention on ernest who is still on top of helga. without a moment's hesitation, erik runs him through the back. ernest screams. so does helga. erik turns white, and pulls out his sword. ernest falls over into a heap with his co-misnomer, and erik kneels beside helga to find a bloodstain under her breast where he has inadvertently run her through. she is clearly not long for this world. i didn't mean to! you told them i raped you - why? why should you care? tell me your name? helga looks up at him, but dies in his arms, without ever saying her name. tell me. what is it? erik realizes she has gone. he gazes at her for some time. he looks around at the two dead bodies beside them. then he listens to the sound of raping and slaughter continuing on the outside. screams and bloodthirsty shuts echo alongside the roar of flames and the cries of animals. the camera tracks into a big close-up on erik. superimpose the title: erik the viking: second title: tim robbins. mix through to wide shot of the burning village. figures running here and there. superimpose the rest of the opening titles. by the last of the opening titles the last of the flames are dying down. cut to a close-up of a very loud-looking viking screaming into the camera, as he hurls an axe. this viking's name is thorfinn skull- splitter. the axe thuds into the wall a few inches away from the face of a frightened girl, unn, who is pinned to the wall with her braids spread out. the vikings are hurling axes at her a la kirk douglas in the vikings. several vikings sitting at ale-bench, laugh in a rather unpleasant way. erik, however, frowns. he is sitting at a table on a dais, next to his grandfather, the chief of the village. his grandfather almost chokes with merriment. erik's mother glances at him with some hostility. meanwhile the drunken thorfinn has just lifted the totally legless ivar the boneless up off the floor and presses an axe into his hand. a tremor of nervousness ripples round the females in the mead hall. ivar is clearly in no condition to throw anything, except, perhaps, the contents of his stomach. unn winces. finally, amidst much giggling, ivar throws wildly, and the axe smashes into a jug being carried by one of the serving girls. the menfolk erupt into drunken hysterics at this. the women clearly feel that the occasion is getting out of hand. but before any of them can work up enough courage to intervene, thorfinn skull-splitter has thrust an axe into the hands of the even more plastered sven the berserk. now sven is not the viking to let a little matter like not being able to see straight stop him heaving the axe at a young maiden. he takes the axe and whirls it wildly over his head. even the other drunken vikings realize this could be dangerous, and they cower behind the table. sven lets go of the axe. unn shuts her eyes prepared for the worst. there is a dull thud and a grunt and then a whoop of mirth. unn opens her eyes to find that the axe has come to rest in the back of a totally stupefied viking who merely slumps forward onto the table he is sitting at. on the opposite side sits harald missionary, a rather seedy cleric who has long since given up trying to convert the pagans and found solace in their mead. he thinks about intervening, but decides that it's a bit late really and that he might as well finish off his ale-cup instead. grimhild housewife refills it for him. at this moment, however, the axe-throwers have run out of axes, so, as they go to retrieve the ones they've thrown, harald missionary salves his conscience by lurching across to the unfortunate unn. he pokes his dog-eared bible under her nose. what's it all about? we toil and labour, we loot and pillage, rape and kill. and yet. where does it all get us, grandpa? i met this girl. she got me thinking. i. i. killed her. freya! erik looks around him and calls out again. freya! erik runs into the distance - a small figure against the dramatic wintry landscape. cut to a remote, barren mountainside. erik climbs up into shot, and continues climbing until he reaches a cave. he enters it. as his eyes get used to the dark he can make out a few signs of life: a cooking pot on a fire, a straw bed, a pile of rune-sticks. freya? freya? there is a bundle of rags behind erik. a head rises from it. this is freya. i shouldn't have come. but has it always been like that, freya? from the beginning of time? freya doesn't reply. instead she walks to the mouth of the cave. erik follows her. they look out at the grey, desolate landscape. nothing but arctic wastes, snow and desolation. above them the black clouds boil ceaselessly. i see the world. it is day, of course, freya. the winter is past, thank goodness, freya. it is summer. freya puts her face close to erik's and peers into his eyes. the sun is up beyond the clouds - where it always is. of course not. but. when i was a child. i remember a dream. it was as if the whole sky was blue. then. this is the age of ragnarok? freya turns to go back into the cave. wait, freya! erik re-enters the cave. is there nothing men can do? i will go and wake them up! freya turns and looks at him. she clearly enjoys his earnest enthusiasm, but is afraid he doesn't know what he is talking about. tell me what i must do, freya! freya thinks for some moments. the she speaks. and will the dead ever return, freya? aren't you afraid of death, thorfinn skull-splitter? thorfinn shrugs. and you, sven, aren't you afraid of crossing the rainbow bridge to asgaard? stop it! there is another way. nobody gets killed. but it will be dangerous. maybe none of us will return. what if we could find bi-frost the rainbow bridge? this causes a sensation amongst everyone watching, on the lines of "you can't do that" and so on. they scoff at erik. find it. and cross it! super-sensation amongst everyone - except for harald missionary who shakes his head sadly. what's the matter? are you afraid to try? thorfinn and sven are put on the defensive. "but" what? what? thorfinn's mental powers find it hard to articulate any proposition on such a vast metaphysical concept. sven comes to his rescue. we'd be the first! no! we'd be the first living men to set foot in the halls of the gods. pause. uncomfortable shifting. i don't know - but i'm not afraid to try. then you'll come. what d'you say? well. we'll be off now. erik's grandad waits for some time before he realizes that erik isn't intending to say anything else. oh. er. yes. the faces of the village-folk turn towards him. there are many moist eyes. erik's mother starts to cry. oh, there, mum. don't be sad. you all know why we're going, so don't grieve. maybe untold dangers do lie ahead of us, and some of you may well be looking at the one you love for the last time. someone bursts out sobbing. erik desperately tries to rally their spirits. but don't grieve! even tough the hordes of muspel tear us limb from limb. or the fire giants burn each and every one of us to a cinder. more crying. though we may be swallowed by the dragon of the north sea or fall off the edge of the world. don't cry. more crying. no! don't cry. by this time most of the village is blubbering profusely. cut to harald missionary. he has his arm round his weeping girlfriend. what's the matter with them? oh. right! well. cheers everybody! erik smiles broadly and waves. the entire village stares back at him with tears in their eyes, and biting their lips. suddenly one mother can't hold it back any more. oh gods! please, everybody! keep calm! it's not certain all of us are going to die. and in any case we may not die hideous deaths. more renewed sobbing. grandad's eyes go heavenwards. right. farewell. for the last time. may the gods prevent. keitel blacksmith? they stop and turn. what's the matter now? you will have keitel's assistant, loki, to do all that. what's wrong with loki? he's become very good at blacksmithing. hey, you two! what's going on? it doesn't matter where you sit! well, what difference does it make where you're sitting? now stop it! leif, you sit there. even, you sit there. harald, you'd better sit over there. what are you doing here? we haven't got a spare place. well, you are! what's the matter with bjorn? he was lucky. sit there. that's true. you'd better sit there. you there, and ornulf there. all right, you go there. you here. sven's dad and ornulf swap places. shut up. you there. you there and you there. ivar and ornulf swap places. erik surveys this re-arrangement. that's better. it doesn't matter. they start to haul the sail up. ropes are released. the boat rocks. suddenly a voice cuts through the crowd. it is erik's mother. what is it? i can't take that on a voyage! huuup! the oars go up and then into the water, and golden dragon commences her voyage. cut back to golden dragon at sea. snorri is feeling queasy and gazing gloomily at the receding coastline of norway. thangbrand is sitting near him and feeling equally queasy. thorfinn. look over there. thorfinn leaves ivar and joins erik. on the horizon a sinister sail is following them. thorfinn grins with evil pleasure. he scents a fight. erik turns to the crew. break out the oars! thorfinn's smile disappears and he spins round to confront erik. come on, move it! most of the men are being sea-sick. move it! reluctantly the crew take up their rowing positions. thorfinn buttonholes erik . i know. snorri! get your oar out! snorri is sitting in position but without his oar. keitel has meanwhile joined them. he, too, stares at the horizon. he is a little puzzled by this turn of events. loki has said nothing about halfdan coming after them. what do you think? row, thorfinn skull-splitter. thorfinn hesitates. and you, keitel blacksmith. i gave an order. or didn't you hear? there is something about erik's manner that carries an authority that thorfinn cannot argue with. come on, ivar. erik manhandles ivar over to his drum and thrusts his drumsticks into his hands. halfdan's ship is twice the size of erik's and, as erik is only too well aware, consequently travels at twice the speed. there is no real chance of them escaping, unless. erik suddenly catches sight of a thick bank of mist in the distance, and steers his ship towards it. row! row! row! ivar tries to get into the new rhythm, but has a bit of difficult. as halfdan's ship gains on them inexorably, golden dragon glides into the sea mist. there is a tremendous roll of thunder very close. all the vikings look scared. erik, however, grins. row! row! row! he doubles the speed. the drum beats faster. oars up! the vikings ship their oars and sit there in the mist listening to beating of halfdan's drum getting closer and closer. at the final moment, however, halfdan swings his ship in the opposite direction from erik's and the sound of his drum disappears into the mist. erik's men breathe a sigh of relief. even keitel blacksmith. fade. fade up some time later. golden dragon is still drifting in the mist. erik has his fish-lodestone and is trying the direction, but the lodestone is just swinging round uselessly. after trying a few times, erik gives up and throws the lodestone away into the boat. the men peer into the thick mist; they are lost. suddenly erik sees something ahead. the gates of the world. we have passed through the gates of the world no we are in the unknown. golden dragon drifts on and the mist gets thicker. there is a crash of thunder. then a series of flashes lights up the mist around them. the vikings are uneasy, sensing a storm brewing. suddenly erik points above them. the others look up too. they all gasp. so that is what the sun looks like! above them hangs a luminous yellow globe, its light just breaking through the mist. should the sun do that? look out! row! row! they all scramble for the oars in a determined hysteria. ivar the drummer, in his panic, has set a ridiculously fast rate and nobody can keep up with it. slower! nobody can row at that speed! slower! in. out. faster! keep up the strike! the dragon's jaws open. flame licks out, and down the centre of the vessel. there are screams as the vikings leap out of the way. sven goes berserk again. row! row! erik looks around at his terror-stricken crew. he realizes this is an important moment. it is up to him to save the situation. suddenly an idea occurs to him, as he catches sight of the pillow that his mother gave him. keep rowing! erik dashes to his sea-chest under the mast and pulls out the pillow. it saved my father! erik starts to shin up the mast. row! now. take a deep breath. the dragon goes cross-eyed, trying to see what's going on on its snout. go on! breathe in, you cod-brain! meanwhile the dragon's tongue suddenly licks out around its tooth. sven instantly slices through it with his sword. the bright blood spurts, like bursting a sausage. the dragon gives an agonized roar and a sharp intake of breath. the feathers that have leaked out from the pillow are instantly sucked inside and the whole pillow disappears right up the dragon's nose. for a moment everyone holds their breath. the dragon's eye dilate wildly. then it wrinkles its snout. then it starts what is unmistakably a sneeze. hold tight! no! no! get back! unfortunately they all rush to the same side and the boat tips over with far more instability than when it is in the water. leif and thangbrand are catapulted down into the sea. we watch them descend into tiny dots and tiny unheard splashes below. get back! poor erik is still up the mast but has been dislodged and is now hanging on by his hands, dangling over the open sea. some of the men - thorfinn and sven the berserk amongst them - are hauling themselves up the almost vertical slope of the deck, trying to redress the balance. meanwhile keitel blacksmith is dangling by one hand. well, come on! he whisks off his helmet and starts bailing. all follow suit. night falls. some time later. the vikings are still bailing out, but the water is up to their thighs. listen! maybe we won't get to hy-brasil! maybe we won't find the horn resounding. but at least we've tried. and at least we shall have died like men. don't let me drown, thorfinn! water starts to pour over the sides of the boat. erik and thorfinn raise their swords to each other. how deep is the ocean? wait! nobody kill anybody! fade. fade up on the sun shining down from a blue sky. the vikings have fallen asleep where we last saw them - up to their necks in water. gradually the warmth of the sun coaxes them awake - thorfinn is the first to look up and see the brilliant shining orb in the sky. no. no, it isn't. ivar has turned and is staring at something else. look, the sky is blue. look! they all turn to see they are standing in the shallow waters of a natural harbour. above nestle the white walls of a beautiful city set in a green and pleasant land. get her weapons. sven kneels quietly beside the girl. she stirs. sven freezes. the others look around fearfully. she must have a knife or something. but they look. she hasn't. no. how about making friends? what's wrong with making friends? what did you say? welcome? how d'you know we're "friends"? is this hy-brasil? what are what? these? what are these? they're swords. aud instantly recoils with terror. what's the matter? what? yes. know what? cut to big close-up of king arnulf. no. we don't. you mean if just one person gets killed? how? well, obviously there's no killing. that's very kind of you, but we're in rather a hurry. we're. king arnulf claps and the court stop singing. oh. well, yes, of course; it's just we're looking for the horn resounding and - oh, no no no! it's just the horn resounding is. i'm sure it's lovely. no. no. we'd love to hear it. wouldn't we? er. well. we. we. would be terribly grateful if you. all. would sing for us. of course we're not; we'd genuinely like to hear you sing. really. no. no, no. it was very. er, nice. no. your majesty! we come from a world where there is no music. where men live and die by the axe and by the sword. the gods are asleep, king arnulf. we must find the horn resounding! the king glares at erik. is is here in hy-brasil? king arnulf thinks for a moment and then speaks. yes? king arnulf hesitates - he bites his lip and then takes the plunge. what. you mean "got into bed with" them? you mean. you have got into bed with somebody else? have you ever been to bed with anyone else? it was different. oh. oh, i didn't know her very well. we never went to bed together. you've been to bed with somebody else, haven't you? i've never been to bed with anybody! suddenly there is a banging on he door. oh, no! halfdan! there is more banging on the bedroom door. king arnulf aud! you've got someone in there again, haven't you? erik gives her a sharp look. fifth. aud motions him to be quiet, but it's too late. the king spins round to see who she is signalling to. the king appears to be looking straight at erik. erik can hardly bear the suspense. "the fifth one this week"! and i thought you said it was something special. aud runs to his side and puts her arms around him. five this week; how many the week before? and the week before that? erik! i want to help you get to asgaard. erik is torn. he doesn't know whether to believe her or not. ivar's horn sounds for a third time. erik races to the window. he looks out. halfdan's ship is even closer. we mustn't let him land! halfdan the black. what? let me go! erik struggles. you've got to let me go! halfdan the black's here! they have reached a cell. the musicians starts to chain erik up. they'll be more than "hurt" if halfdan the black lands! ow! he's trying to stop us waking the gods. because that's how he makes his money, by war and plunder! he wants to kill us! you don't know halfdan the black. just let me go! i know! you don't want him to kill us on hy-brasil! do you? the king thinks some more. the horn sounds once more. cut to golden dragon. erik and the vikings are scrambling into their war gear. they glance nervously over to where halfdan the black's ship is riding on the waves. but. you're not even afraid of death, thorfinn! what "magic"? it's not magic! it's just a trick! very well! it they're using magic - we'll use magic of our own! he leaps out of golden dragon and races up to the shore towards the city of hy-brasil. erik races into the forum and gazes up at the high walls of the palace. without a thought he produces two daggers and plunges them into the stonework. then he hauls himself up the sheer cliff of wall up to aud's bedchamber fist over fist. it is, indeed, a prodigious feat. he arrives at aud's window exhausted. aud, who has appeared at the window, looks at him curiously. just give me a hand. where's the cloak invisible? i can't see it! have you got another man in here? erik starts feeling the air as if expecting to find an invisible body. i'll bring it back. no. it's you who doesn't understand, aud. halfdan has come to kill and destroy. we brought him here. we must stop him. goodbye, aud. erik leaps out of the window. for a moment aud is surprised and then alarmed as she realizes he's jumped out of the window, which is some forty feet off the ground. and thanks for the cloak invisible! so halfdan the black's using magic, is he? well, i have a magic to match his! to the oars! you'll see! at this point, back on the black ship, halfdan gives another nod and eilif raps out yet another command with his staff. this time the prow of the black ship opens up like a pair of jaws. the vikings see it and panic. here! here is the magic from the king's daughter! erik's men watch, half sceptical and half hopeful. erik enjoys the moment of suspense. the he throws the cloak invisible over his head and shoulders and grins round at his men triumphantly, imagining he has vanished from their sight. there! i have become the wind! the vikings look at him, rather puzzled. only harald seems to be impressed. ooh! scary! scary! don't we look mean? two dog-soldiers look at each other, totally non-plussed. erik grimaces at halfdan's men, and does a little pirouette to show them all that he's invisible from every angle. you can't see me! but i can see you! he breaks into a little dance. halfdan glares at his advisers. boo! the dog-soldier topples overboard. the galley slaves watch another dog-soldier fall into the hold amongst them and lie there stunned. his sword falls onto the deck between the slaves. one of the slaves throws down his oar, and picks up the dog-soldier's sword. the slave-master suddenly appears. once again he speaks immaculate japanese. here i am! then he turns and is off. halfdan turns to his aides. i am the air! i am the wind! keitel and thorfinn are now fighting side by side. ivar! erik leaps to take revenge. he jumps into the galley-pit and out again a la douglas fairbanks in the thief of baghdad and dispatches eilif with a single thrust. sven and his dad are fighting surrounded by dog- soldiers. loki! where did you come from? but - but. how is it you can see me? you can all see me? i'm wearing the cloak invisible. erik takes it off to demonstrate. you mean. you could see me all the time? the vikings look at each other, mystified. oh. i feel a little. oh. erik's knees give way and he faints onto the deck. cut to king's hall some time later. a victory celebration is in progress. it is a little bit like a hampstead cocktail party, and the rough, battle-stained vikings look rather out of place holding their little canapes. suddenly the king claps for silence. well, we'd love to hear you sing again, but what we'd really appreciate would be if you could see your way to lending. not giving of course. . but just lending us the. um. the, well, to be quite blunt. the horn resounding. all the time erik is talking the doors of the hall behind are opening and a vast lur or horn is carried in by six bearers. one or two of the vikings have turned to look and are now standing speechless. king arnulf beams at erik. is that it? a cloud passes over king arnulf's happy face. oh! no! no. of course not. it's just i hadn't expected it to be quite so big. yes. oh, yes. look out! the doors of the great hall burst open and a wall of water crashes through, knocking the vikings off their feet. there is little doubt that the whole of hy-brasil is sinking see a street go down, a statue sink and then we cut to a close-up of king arnulf. he is standing at the top of the forum steps addressing a crowd of anxious citizens. they are keeping surprisingly good order considering they are already standing ankle-deep in water, and the whole town is rapidly sinking around them. what are you all doing? the place is sinking! save yourselves! hy-brasil. is sinking. there are a lot of knowing smiles amongst the citizens. but it is! look! get on board! we must blow the first note. he note that will take us to asgaard. we are going where only the dead have been before. erik takes a deep breath and then puts his lips to the horn resounding. he blows. there is a splutter, and one or two of the vikings titter amongst themselves. he has another go. but again, all he produces is a pathetic spluttering. sven! we blew the horn resounding. what are you talking about? that's right! for a split second erik is distracted. he looks across at aud and for a moment he sees freya standing there. arrgh! erik staggers back clutching his arm. keitel gives a roar of rage, and picks loki up bodily and hurls him out of the boat into the maelstrom. the other vikings look on aghast. keitel turns on them do you know the way to asgaard, keitel blacksmith? keitel shakes his head. do you know the way to asgaard, sven? sven shakes his head. there is one road before us, and that leads over the edge of the world. harald sits up as he returns to consciousness. let me see! aud holds him back. i must look! keitel! hold this! erik turns to see sven and keitel trembling. they hold onto the sides of the ship but their legs can barely support them. of course. i. but i. yes - i believe you do. bi-frost. the rainbow bridge. above them the aurora borealis stretches up, magnificent and awesome in the sky. erik makes his way through the other vikings. wake up! the others slowly begin to rouse themselves from their icy slumber and sit up, awed by the sight. asgaard! look! it's real. harald looks around at the others. the second not to wake the gods. erik kneels in front of the horn. not quite. aud looks at him. there is something i must ask the gods. i have to go. no. no. but, aud. i. i came to find someone. aud is about to say "her?", but she bites the word back and looks down at the ground. i'm sorry, aud. i really am. aud kisses erik, who then turns and climbs out of golden dragon and sets off across the ice. sven follows. valhalla. sven turns on harald. it's valhalla - where the warriors slain in battle go. listen! the vikings listen. they hear the sound of children laughing and shouting. erik and his men follow through the columns towards a pool of light. the scene that greets their eyes is not at all what they had been prepared for. valhalla is not full of the warriors slain in battle, quaffing mead on the ale-bench and reliving old battles - it is, instead full of children romping, laughing, shouting, quarrelling and playing games. chess, fencing. dice. tag, etc., around a wide hearth fire. women are cooking and doing other housewifely things. weaving, making bread, etc. it is a thoroughly domestic scene. suddenly one of them turns at erik. it is helga, whom erik accidentally killed in scene one. she is once again kneading dough. she has a red stain under her breast. i've come to take you back to the land of the living. why? i'll ask the gods to give you life again! helga looks at erik very sceptically. she obviously thinks he doesn't know what he's talking about. aud reacts. erik takes helga's hand - and gets covered in dough. well. no. is that odin? odin! odin leaves his game and saunters towards erik. we have come from the world of midgard. the child whom odin is playing with points his hammer at the ground near erik and a lightning bolt zaps into it. erik jumps. you must help us. fenrir the wolf covers the sun - men fight and kill each other the whole time. because. you're. you're the gods. bring the age of ragnarok to an end and stop all this fighting and bloodshed. harald looks around at the vikings in increasing desperation. but you're the gods! snorri! ivar! i have one more request before we return. erik turns towards helga, who is still standing at her trough of dough with her arms up to her elbows in flour. aud watches erik with sadness in her heart. you mean. we must stay here forever? as he says this erik's eyes turn again towards helga. he is clearly thinking at least there are compensations. odin, however, is laughing again. i tried to save you! i don't know! i just did! erik can no longer withstand the force that is sucking him down to the pit of hel. suddenly, however, snorri has leapt from the ranks of the dead. he grabs erik and tries to stop him sliding towards the pit of hel. but it's no good. no! let go, snorri! you'll be sucked down too! i don't believe it. ha ha ha! it brought us home!