Athelstan is initially chosen as a sacrifice but is rejected by the priests because he has not truly renounced his Christian faith (denying Christ only three times like Peter).
This episode is a significant cultural deep dive into the Viking religion and the personal struggles of the main characters: Athelstan is initially chosen as a sacrifice but
Ragnar is mourning his unborn son and questions the gods about his future legacy. Athelstan is initially chosen as a sacrifice but