We’re less than a week from from the return of Vikings, History’s addictive swords-and-shieldmaidens tale of epic expansion and epic facial hair. But EW is excited to share an exclusive clip from the new season, set during conquering protagonist Ragnar Lothbrok’s battle with the English kingdom of Mercia.

Vikings creator Michael Hirst writes every episode of the show, but he is quick to share credit for the scene with Travis Fimmel, the actor who portrays the legendary Ragnar. “I think Travis had the idea for that shot,” says Hirst, who works closely with his lead actor on developing the character. “It’s a very powerful scene. The reason the Vikings had this reputation for terrible cruelty and uber-violence is that they had limited manpower. They traveled maybe three ships at a time, with twenty-five or thirty warriors. That’s the limit. There are no reinforcements. They don’t know who they’re going to meet. They might be encountering hundreds of enemy warriors.”

So how does a small fighting force fight back against a huge army? “Shock and awe,” explains Hirst. “When you see Ragnar, traveling in a boat, with the heads of all these Mercians strung out on the ship: That is shock and awe. In the show, the Mercians run away—and that’s actually what happened! The Vikings had such a reputation, and that was part of their myth.”