I just can't imagine what level that might be.

Called Blood Eagle or something? I imagine a certain level of discomfort would be involved, though.

when the lungs were laid out on the guy's shoulders.

Gross, gross, gross. Probably a good idea to eliminate the actual soundtrack. I guess that means that he didn't scream, and thus entered into Valhalla.

I hate to say it, but this level of gore can really make it difficult to like any of the characters.

I gave up on Spartacus near the end of series 2, after that horrible torture scene where the Romans were cutting lumps off the captured German gladiator at a party. Horrible and gratuitous.

I've not seen Vikings yet. I may not after this description.

Yeah, I was grossed out too. I do not know how much is artistic license and how much is historical but there have been a couple of times during the past two seasons where I thought "WTF!!??!...they (the Vikings) didn't really do THAT did they and why did it need to be in the show?"
Sorta related, sorta not, here is a song sung by bards in taverns throughout the province of Skyrim in the video game Elder Scrolls Skyrim

But then, I was a Walter White fan until the very end too.

He did what he felt he had to do. I'm sure that he really didn't enjoy it, but he is a leader who was beginning to be perceived as weak.

I especially like Ragnar's hairstyle. I wonder if it has a name?

Things that didn't seem to make any sense. Ragnar's son visiting the victim and bringing food. What was that about? And the snake in that room. Was that some kind of omen, or what?

the historical version that things will not always be good for Ragnar. He's just making it easier for me to accept what will happen to him.

Looks like he made it to Valhalla.

A snake pit is a horrible way to go.

That's it, I'm playing Crusader Kings II: The Old Gods soon...

as revenge

Without the diaphragm serving as a bellows, the lungs can't function. He would have been dead within minutes. The Blood Eagle did happen; it was considered the ultimate sacrificial rite.

one takes an axe and hacks into one's back and doesn't punture the lungs and everything else including the heart?

I enjoyed this episode, even with this scene.

but it was one of those times I'm really really glad it wasn't HBO or Starz because it would have been far more graphic there

That said the high point of the show was 'Jarl Engstad', to say you've come a long way baby doesn't even begin........

in "Braveheart," and the whole drawn and quartered thing as well.

The truth is humans excel in finding insane and torturous ways to mangle each other. *sigh*