'Vikings' season 4 episode 16 spoilers news: Ivar the boneless takes over the reins; will Ragnar return as a ghost?

Ivar the Boneless (Alex Høgh Andersen) takes the lead after his father's death on the upcoming episode of "Vikings" season 4.

Titled "Crossings," next week's episode will see the aftermath of Ragnar's (Travis Fimmel) tragic death. According to the official synopsis, Lagertha continues her quest for power back in Kattegat after she killed queen Aslaug. Meanwhile, Bjorn's fleet continues to sail, launching a surprise attack against his enemies.

Wednesday's episode 15 saw the death of lead character Ragnar, which was still an emotional moment for fans even though it was already predicted a long time ago. The King of Kattegat died tragically when he was thrown into a pit of snakes, ending his life immediately. Spoiler reports say that his son, Ivar the Boneless, will take the lead as the story moves forward.

During their journey, Ragnar has given his son many lessons on how to turn his weakness into his strength. To prepare Ivar for future leadership, Ragnar taught him how anger is a gift that can be used wisely. "One day the whole world will know and fear Ivar the Boneless," Ragnar said before his last breath. His final words will certainly push Ivar and his brothers down a trail of vengeance.

Fimmel and showrunner Michael Hirst recently caught up with The Hollywood Reporter to discuss the show's major leap forward. When asked if Ragnar could still return in any way, Fimmel stressed that the character's reappearance as a ghost won't make sense because Ragnar is an atheist. Hirst, on the other hand, seems a bit more optimistic to see the character make an appearance in the future.

"Because he's such a powerful presence in people's lives he could reappear in dreams, in visions," he said, adding, "I started with — Floki (Gustaf Skarsgard), Ragnar and Lagertha (Katheryn Winnick) and Rollo (Clive Standen) ... none of them will ever actually go away or disappear from the saga."

The fourth season of "Vikings" airs every Wednesday night at 9 p.m. ET on History.