Ah it’s good to be back after a weeks break, as Vinland Saga gives us another fantastic episode. This week sees Thorfinn fight for Askeladd’s life. Meanwhile Canute kills the boy so that the man may live. Lot’s to talk about, so let’s dive in!
Starting off, I have to comment on how Vinland Saga looked this week. It was downright fantastic, both in terms of animation and style. For the first bit we of course had Thorfinn vs Thorkell, with some Bjorn on the side. There is a lot to love here and only so much space, so lets rattle some off. There was the use of slow motion throughout the fight, combined with the snow. Or the dynamic animation throughout, or the effects of snow and wood. Clearly Wit knew how important this episode was, similar to episode 14. On the artistic side we had some beautiful landscapes and framing throughout Canute’s segment. With the sky and snow being rendered fantastically, and when combined with Vinland Saga’s backgrounds, becomes stunning. I think the “perfection in death” sequence is one of the best examples of it here. Still this is all obvious, onto story.
There is a lot to talk about this week, so I want to start from the simplest and work down. This means of course opening on Thorfinn, Thorkell, and their conversation about a “true warrior”. Here we see how even Thorkell himself feels incomplete, is searching for that special something. That he isn’t satisfied with his current way of life, and hoped to find it in Thorfinn. Why he hoped to find it there of course we don’t learn until next episode. But with their mutual connection to Thors, I think it should be rather obvious. Both of them are searching for what it means to be a “true warrior” and both are inevitably lead back to Thors. A man who, as per Willibald’s speech, is cemented as “perfect in death” in both of their minds. While these two fight pointlessly though, Canute is off growing.
Canute of course being Vinland Saga’s big focus this week, as he grows to accept and understand “Love”. This is one of my favorite conversations in the series. Because as I referenced in an older post, Willibald is talking about Agape a very specific form of Christian love. Distinct, as he says, from parental or romantic love. As it sees no distinction between children, family or lovers, it treats all equally. Just like how Thors did, treating his enemies as fellow humans and equals. However just like Thorfinn, Thorkell or Ragnar, Willibald is missing something. While he sees no enemies, he fails to understand that Agape doesn’t really come from death, but rather self-sacrifice. In death you have no choice, you sacrifice without complaint, but it is not willing. You are not challenged by mortal sin, by selfishness, ala the Apple of Eden.
However there are 2 characters in Vinland Saga who have realized this, those being Thors and Canute. Both have seen the worst the world has to offer. Men killing, stealing and dying for no good reason. Yet unlike Willibald, who has seemingly given in to despair and thinks death is perfection, they seek to do better. Canute’s rebellion against God this episode, and what Thors did in his past, is effectively Repentance. The idea that man can fail and that does not ruin them, so long as they stand up and do better. We see this very improvement in Canute this episode as he resolves to be better than he was. To seek to better the world through his own two hands, to end the violence and pointless fighting. To redeem man, in spite of the trials they have failed.
We see this in how Canute treats Bjorn this episode, who is perhaps closest to “Primal Man”. As drugged up as he is, Bjorn is effectively a wild animal. Where Thorkell embodies Viking “Honor” and principles, Bjorn was just a savage animal this episode. Yet we see Canute argue that Bjorn could never have passed the trials God has set before him, that he was setup to fail. And so Canute in response seeks to redeem him. His very first act, his “miracle” Willibald talks about, being to free Bjorn from his rage. This of course connects back to Thorfinn and Thorkell, who while not as far gone as Bjorn, are still fighting needlessly. Thorkell fights only for the challenge, even killing his own men who insult Thorfinn. Meanwhile Thorfinn is fighting just for the right to kill Askeladd himself. Both ultimately pointless, both moving further from a “True Warrior”.
I could go on and on about the philosophy found throughout this Vinland Saga episode. Such as how both Askeladd and Thorfinn’s lives have been defined by hatred up to this point. Or the discrimination of parental love, and how ultimately it is no different from “friends and foes”. Viewing some people are more deserving of love than others purely because of blood relations, which ultimately lacks the universal nature of Agape, etc. There is a lot to unpack here and in the series at large, and its only going to get more and more prominent as the main themes take center stage. This entire season is just the Prologue to Vinland Saga after all, the beginning of a greater story. So once you finish this season, please, read the manga. Its well worth it.
So all in all, how was this weeks Vinland Saga episode? In my eyes, it was fantastic, everything I wanted in more. The anime actually managed to elevate the source material here a bit I feel. As it layered a few scenes over the dialogue that weren’t originally in the manga in that order. Such as Thors and Thorfinn during the “Perfection in Death” spiel, or the splicing together of that and the Thorkell fight. None of this is even mentioning the fantastic OST found throughout the episode. Really, Wit did a great job, and it makes me very excited for the finale.
Still, that is a lot to unpack, so tell me. What did you get out of this episode? Am I talkin out my ass, or we on the same wavelength? Let me know down below!
