Season 2 of The History Channel's runaway hit show, Vikings, is finally upon us, and we have the exclusive sneak peek of what to expect from our favorite band of Norse marauders!

When last we saw the Lothbrooks, we saw a nation -- and a family -- in tatters.

Rollo Lothbrook (Clive Standen) showed his truly duplicitous side by siding with the opposition in Jarl Borg, while Ragnar (Travis Fimmel) pledged his fealty to King Horuk (Donal Logue) as they gear up for more raids against England and France.

Meanwhile, on the personal front, Ragnar's marriage to the shieldsmaiden Lagertha (Katherine Winnick) hit the skids as his daughter died -- and the chickens came home to roost as his affair with Princess Aslaug (Alyssa Sutherland) results in a pregnancy.

This season, of course, we can expect a lot more action, betrayal, and battles:

  • This season will see a four-year time warp into the future -- the tween Bjorn is now nearly a full-fledged adult, and he's being portrayed by Hunger Games star Alexander Ludwig.
  • The Saxons will be pitted against The Vikings... and they really have no idea how to fight.
  • New castmembers have been added, including Linus Roache -- formerly of Law & Order and Coronation Street -- who will be playing the King Egbert of Wessex... a formidable opponent for the ambitious Ragnar.

Of the latter point, Donal Logue (who plays King Horuk) spoke extensively about what that means for Ragnar and the rest of the cast in an exclusive interview with TV Guide: "King Horik has many hidden agendas, but not all of them may be scheming. Viewers can expect to explore Horik's motivations throughout Season 2, and what we learn might surprise us!"

The season premiere debuts on the History Channel tonight at 10 p.m. Check your local listings for details. In the meantime, check out the preview clip of the show below!