Mr. Krabs creates a "viking promotion" at the Krusty Krab by serving Regular, Large and Viking Sized Drinks (which really are all the same size) in a bid to save the restaurant money, yet at the same time, to fool the customers into paying more money for the same size drink. He also states that whoever orders a Viking Sized cup tries on a cardboard helmet (that he found in his attic) which is also a gimmick for more money. This gets SpongeBob interested in Vikings. Squidward then teaches him about Vikings, though nothing he said was true. Then SpongeBob sends a letter to the Vikings although it is immediately thrown out, as the letter doesn't have a valid address on it (SpongeBob wrote "To Vikings" with a heart).
Meanwhile, at the post office, a garbageman (who is a Viking) notices it and delivers the letter to the Viking Chief. He then sends his men to the Krusty Krab to teach them about the Vikings (which is redecorating, appropriating, and liberating) and they kidnap SpongeBob and Squidward. The Vikings bring SpongeBob and Squidward to their ship where they then introduce themselves as Gordon and a bunch of Olafs. SpongeBob then asks what they do for fun (which is just throwing a shield), then one says they like to sing songs, even though they actually don't. The Vikings proceed to make SpongeBob the head chef, and Squidward the bathroom attendant. Soon afterward, Squidward complains about the poor lifestyle, which results in the Vikings tying him to a catapult in an effort to launch him off of their ship. Soon, the Vikings discover that they have hit a rock and that their boat will leak, which gives SpongeBob an idea. He then plugs up the boat with his porous appearance, and saves the Vikings, claiming the events to be "a viking sized adventure."
This episode was available on the iTunes store before it aired on Nickelodeon in the United States, and it was paired with "Ditchin'" for $1.99.[citation needed]
The title card background for "Pull Up a Barrel" is similar to this one's. The only difference is that the thin metal is horizontal in this title card, while in "Pull Up a Barrel," it is vertical.
This episode breaks the fourth wall when the Vikings look at the viewers when saying, "Sock'n Garten."
SpongeBob mentions the episode title when he reads the note out loud.
SpongeBob's letter:
Dear Vikings, I am writing to ask you guys about your lives and stuff. If you had take the time to answer all my neat questions, then that would be really swell.
In the German dub, all the Vikings are called Olaf except Gordon, who is called Günther.
In Bahasa Indonesia version, the scene where SpongeBob is sending a letter to the Vikings and the green Olaf being launched off the ship with a catapult are cut due to time constraints.
Cultural references
All of the vikings having the name Olaf is likely a reference to all of the vikings sharing the name of Magnus in the 2002Robbie the Reindeer film "Legend of the Lost Tribe."
Errors
When SpongeBob said the cups were the same size, the regular size cup is slightly smaller.File:Dear Vikings 012.pngSlightly smaller cup
During the scene where SpongeBob says, "I'll let you know if I think of anything," his nose looks like Squidward's. When the camera switches then switches back to SpongeBob, his nose is normal again.
When the ship hits the iceberg, the figurehead falls off, but later, it is still there.
