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Vikings: Valhalla wasted no time in introducing us to the current monarchs on the English throne. Just how are Edmund and Emma related?

Caution: There are some spoilers for Vikings: Valhalla in this post.

We’ve got to know a few characters on Vikings: Valhalla already. Some of those characters are in England. In fact, they make up the royal family in England, with King Aethelred initially on the throne. He is married to Emma of Normandy, with Prince Edmund the heir to the throne.

With Aethelred’s death, Edmund takes over. After getting ready to fight, he becomes King of England, making Emma the mother to the king, right? Well, it turns out that Emma is not Edmund’s mother.

Emma of Normandy is Prince Edmund’s stepmother on Vikings: Valhalla

When Emma marries King Canute (also spelt Cnut in history), Edmund brings her a gift. He explains it was a gift his mother received when she married Edmund’s father. This is the biggest giveaway as to the relationship between these two characters.

Emma married Aethelred after Edmund’s mom died. She is his stepmother.

However, she’s not the typical evil stepmother we see on TV. This is a woman who wants to ensure England’s survival at first. She also wants to make sure her stepson lives in the battle against the Vikings. Knowing how the Vikings fight, she tries to encourage Edmund not to go across London Bridge and she’s the one who figures out that the Vikings are going to take down the bridge.

So why would she marry Canute? When he decides to rule alongside Edmund, she simply knows that it is the best thing to do for her survival and is the best thing for the people. She also still wants to ensure her stepson’s survival. In fact, she’s angry when she finds out Edmund has been betrayed by someone close to him.

MORE: What happened to Uhtred’s youngest son on The Last Kingdom?

What did you think of Emma and Edmund’s bond? What do you hope to see for Emma of Normandy next? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Vikings: Valhalla is available to stream on Netflix.