Bjorn Ironside is as much the lead character of Vikings as his father, Ragnar, is. In fact, he may even be more important to the series, as he appears in it from the very beginning up until his heartbreaking death in the final season - and at every turn, he is a major part of the action, even as a young boy. From the moment that he chose his mother over Ragnar when they separated to his exploration of the Mediterranean to his fight for the rule of all Norway, Bjorn is the definition of what it means to be Viking.
To many, he is a hero, and he's clearly one of the most beloved characters in the show - but that doesn't mean he's perfect. He has plenty of negative traits, and sometimes they lead to some fairly huge problems for the Sons of Ragnar. But do his best traits balance them out?
10 Worst: Inconstancy
In many ways, Bjorn is a wonderful romantic partner. He treats women with respect, even more than many other Vikings, and has different standards around the treatment of slaves and women during raids than many others of his people. He is appreciative of Torvi as the mother of his children, and he appreciates powerful women who want to fight alongside him. However, he struggles with being able to stay with any one woman for long. He rarely truly 'cheats' (especially given the attitude of the Vikings toward multiple relationships), but he often hurts women by losing interest in them - and right to the end, even with Gunnhild, his wandering eye leads to him taking a second wife.
9 Best: Loyalty
Despite his issues with staying with one romantic partner, when it comes to every other area of life, Bjorn is intensely loyal. The earliest major decision he has to make (between staying with Ragnar and leaving with Lagertha) leads to his unwavering loyalty to Lagertha for the rest of his life. And while many of his peers (and his brothers) are consistently betraying each other to further their own plans, Bjorn's loyalty is absolute - to his people, to Kattegat, and to his beliefs.
8 Worst: Arrogance
Bjorn is definitely a powerful leader, and a powerful man - but this can often cross over into arrogance. Sometimes this means that he overestimates people, assumes that people would not dare to cross him, or simply rushes headlong into things that he's not quite prepared for. From his explorations in the Mediterranean to some of the times that he rushes into a fight, his arrogance can be a downfall.
7 Best: Curiosity
His journey to the Mediterranean may not have ended quite the way he hoped, but it was driven by Bjorn's curiosity, and that's one of his best traits. Like his father, Bjorn isn't driven by a love of power or a desire to rule. Instead, he is driven by a passionate curiosity in the world, and the desire to see as much of it as he can.
It's something that also helps with his actual ruling, as he's more interested in understanding what happens in conflicts, rather than leaping to conclusions based on what might help him.
6 Worst: Poor Parenting
Bjorn may be a great man, but he's not the best father. He's rarely present in his children's lives, even by Viking standards, and when his first child dies, he barely seems to care. Of course, in this world the death of a child is not rare, as their lives are extremely dangerous - but in every other instance, the parents are bereft and grieving. The death of Siggy after she was barely cared for barely even registers with Bjorn, and his children with Torvi seem entirely hers, as he is rarely interested in them.
5 Best: Leadership Ability
Bjorn is a born leader, and it's not surprising that he was the King of Kattegat and the leader of the Norweigan army (and declared King by Gunnhild after his death). He has the ability to inspire the same loyalty in others that he has in himself, he understands when something is the best course of action for his people, and he is willing to do anything to protect them. And because he doesn't actively want to be a leader, he becomes a great one.
4 Worst: Impatience
Bjorn can be hot-headed and unwilling to think about the long game, which can be a problem. His father, Ragnar, had the ability to sit in wait for things, and to create complex and long-ranging plans.
Bjorn, on the other hand, tends to be very focused on the immediate future, and would often get frustrated with his father for that reason. He may have lived a little longer had he taken a little more time over his plans.
3 Best: Passionate
The flip side of Bjorn's impatience is his passion, and for a Viking, this is an incredibly positive trait. He doesn't have too much of a temper (especially by the standards of his people), but he is still deeply passionate and driven - it's this that allows him to rise in the ranks, to gain power, and the explore the world. It's this that leads him to avenge his father's death, and that brings him much of his success in battle.
2 Worst: Vanity
Bjorn has good reason to be vain - he's an impressive man, and he literally towers over the others around him. It's clear that almost every woman he meets finds him attractive, and he's strong, muscled, tattooed, and heavily scarred. It's no wonder that he can be a little too vain sometimes! Still, it's not the best look on him, and sometimes his desire to show off can leave fans rolling their eyes.
1 Best: Self-Sacrificing
Bjorn's death was one of the most heart-wrenching in the series, and for a brief moment, it seemed that he truly was un-killable. However, even Ironside can die... but only after using his final moments to rout the Rus army and save his people. He is always willing to sacrifice to help his people, to save Kattegat, to avenge his father. Bjorn may have his moments of vanity or impatience, but he is a hero because he still puts his people first.
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