Vikings: Valhalla season 3 parents guide: This Viking story isn't kid-friendly

The Viking period is one of the most intriguing times. These are people who made their way around the world, but eventually, many of them turned to the Christian religion for survival. Vikings: Valhalla season 3 continues the journey as Freydis and others continue to follow their gods despite the threats against them.

Season 3 picks up seven years after the events of the second season. We see Freydis leading her people with her son, Harold. Meanwhile, the former King Harold and Freydis’s brother Leif fight for others as they figure out a way to put Harold back on the throne of Kattegat.

If you’ve watched the original Vikings and the first two seasons of Vikings: Valhalla, then you’ll get an idea of what to expect. This is rated TV-MA for many good reasons.

Why Vikings: Valhalla season 3 is rated TV-MA

The series is designed for those who are 18 and older. Some older teens may be okay with the content, but this is an adult series. Let’s break down the content warnings to understand why.

Sex & nudity: Two characters have sex in the first episode of the season. This is tastefully done and there is no full-frontal nudity, but it is still very clear what they’re doing. It could make some children uncomfortable. One thing I will say about this series is that there’s more male nudity than female nudity, which is rare for a TV series. This is similar to Vikings.

Language: This series isn’t filled with profanity, which may be surprising when you consider the time period. What I will say that makes the show less accessible to children is that there are a lot of subtitles. King Cnut visits the Pope in the Vatican and Latin is spoken with subtitles on the screen within the first couple of episodes of Vikings: Valhalla season 3.

Violence & gore: This is where the series really earns its TV-MA rating. It’s a show about Vikings. The Vikings were the warrior people of the Scandinavian countries. Men and women would fight, and if they died in battle, that was considered a great honor. In the second episode of season 3, there is a graphic scene of people being set on fire while alive and we see the burns all over the body and face.

Alcohol & drugs: There is some mild drinking when the characters are celebrating something. Plus, considering the time period, wine and beer was safer to drink than water in a lot of cases. As for drug use, while the characters don’t abuse drugs, there is some poisoning that happens.

Overall verdict: Who is Vikings: Valhalla season 3 appropriate for?

This is a series created for adults. It earns its TV-MA rating, and it’s not something I’d put on around the kids. Not only do the subtitles make it less accessible for them to understand the story, the level of graphic violence is too much for most. However, older teens, around 17 and 18, may find the story intriguing and exciting.