As is so often the case, I’m pretty well pulped after an episode of Vinland Saga this season. My mind is like Thorfinn’s face. But first and foremost, maybe we don’t stop often enough to recognize just how incredibly, gloriously great this series is. To be able to create so much genuine emotion without ever resorting to melodrama is one thing, and a rare thing at that. But to face down huge intellectual and moral questions unflinchingly as Yukimura does, never trying to manufacture easy answers – that takes courage. He too is a beautiful man, Canute.
That’s the most important thing in my mind after that episode – just to take a step back and acknowledge what we’re seeing here. I can try and deconstruct the meaning of what we saw – I sometimes wish I wouldn’t, but I can’t resist doing it at least a little. But I can’t overstate how much I love being challenged and respected the way Yukimura does his audience. This is why fiction is such a powerful force in the world, and for me personally – not because it entertains (though that’s obviously critical), but because it illuminates the world we live in. It forces us (at its best) to look at that reality in a new way. Which, ironically, is exactly what Thorfinn is doing here.
I feel for Canute, actually, because he’s had so many strong men pulling him in different directions in his young life. I can never justify what he did to his brother (as an example), and everything Einar threw at him stuck. But in a sense there was a tug of war going on right at this moment, with Sweyn whispering in one ear and Thorfinn calmly but defiantly speaking into the other. It’s almost as if Canute killed the person he was at the moment he killed Askeladd – becoming the man he thought he had to. But that’s certainly not what Askeladd wanted. The only man alive who could understand that at the fundamental level is Thorfinn, and Canute knows that.
As great and as good as Thors was, I think it’s fair to say these two young men have this in common – Askleladd influenced them more than anyone else. They’re his son more than their own fathers’ in a very practical sense. Askeladd’s death – and the circumstances under which it happened – sent them off on opposite tacks. But now they’ve converged, physically but also philosophically. One of the things crossing my mind was that Askleladd would have been proud listening in on their conversation. Of Thorfinn, for the path he’s chosen, and of Canute for being capable of listening to another man and changing his way of thinking.
Thorfinn marched into battle armed only with the power of an idea. We may scoff at that as unrealistic, but history is full of examples of people who did the same. What Thorfinn is seeking to do may seem impossible, but here’t the truth: it takes people willing to try impossible things to make better possibilities. That’s my rebuttal to those who say Thorfinn’s (and by extension Yukimura’s) worldview is a fantasy. History changes because of people who reject the notion of impossibility and aim for something strictly because it should be done. They fail most of the time, but often they drag a resistant world a little ways behind them in the process.
None of this changes the truth of what Einar said about Canute. Might does make right, and the world he aims to create will be a hell for the unlucky ones. All those men on the farm are dead (fortunately not Pater) because Canute invaded it. But Thorfinn did manage to make Canute remember the person he was when they were together. He started off as the king’s enemy and wound up as his ally by suggesting a course that would complement Canute’s vision, rather than try and foil it. He forced Canute to look at reality – the reality he’s trying to create – in a new way.
Don’t scoff at the idea Canute was persuaded to leave the farm (there’s even some historical accuracy in the narration at the close). Those things do happen in the real world once in a while. It’s no small thing that Thorfinn and Einar use “brother” now – they’re pot committed at this point. And it’s certainly not trivial that Snake revealed his real name – Roald, son of Grim – to the departing Thorfinn and Einar. Or that Olmar told Thorfinn that he was his definition of a real man. Thorfinn renounced violence and found a new power in integrity and conviction. He truly is his father’s son now – his spiritual one, and his real one.
In truth I don’t think there can be any nobler goal for Thorfinn than to give people a reason to choose life rather than death. He couldn’t do it for Arnheid, but her death was the impetus that finally forced him to acknowledge what he had to try to do. Huge challenges lie ahead on this course, obviously -practical, and idealistic. Thorfinn and his flock (who aren’t sheep) will be tested in every way. But first, perhaps, a long-overdue moment will finally come, and with it a last opportunity for Thorfinn to steel his resolve for the task he’s chosen to confront.
ねこ
June 13, 2023 at 9:01 pmI’ve been following your block for a while now and I’m not usually one to comment but this is one of the most beautiful episodes of anime I’ve ever seen. Visually and in the message as well.
Guardian Enzo
June 13, 2023 at 9:27 pmYup, agreed,
猫
June 13, 2023 at 9:03 pmThis episode was a 10/10. The visuals, the voice acting, the story and the message was simply amazing.
Marty
June 13, 2023 at 9:14 pmOk, this episode pretty much cemented it, I LOVE GK, but Vinland is the best anime of 2023, I’m locking it in.
Guardian Enzo
June 13, 2023 at 9:27 pmOnly Pluto has a real chance (the manga is that good). But it would need to be a better adaptation than I expect it to get.
Raikou
June 13, 2023 at 10:02 pmOf all your review this year, I think this is by far, the best yet.
The way you explained Thorfinn and Canute dynamics and how they developed. It is soo good.
Amazing episode followed by amazing review, great day today.
Guardian Enzo
June 13, 2023 at 11:25 pmWow, that’s very nice of you to say, thank you.
TriHard
June 13, 2023 at 10:41 pmNow that farmland is essentially over I’m gonna throw in some thoughts about Thorfinn Canute and Ketil.
Sweyn told Canute that the crown compels you to do but 2 things , use and gain power. Canute didn’t understand what he meant , he probably thought Sweyn was just ambitious and greedy , and that’s probably why he sees Sweyn accuse him of that in episode 10 , while in the end he says ”so this is it , nothing to it” because he thinks the curse of the crown isn’t affecting him. Canute does need power for what he’s trying to do , to save the vikings , meaning change their culture , the thing Thorfinn cannot do in a big scale because the vikings only accept power and their way. Canute has to enforce change. In the process of amassing power he makes enemies , he is confronted with a lot of threats to him and his utopia , through his own actions he sees the potential dangers and feels vulnerable. (made Eadric betray and poison Ethelred , after that he fears poison , and also as the anime failed to mention executes Eadric , the implication being that Eadric being on his side makes him as much of a danger as he was to Ethelred). Canute starts to see everyone as an enemy , Harald included. The only way to secure the way the path to his paradise is even more raw power to use to forcefully subjugate any threat. Until eventually all that pays off. So when Gunnar suggests shrinking his occupation force Canute immediately rejects that , cause he fears the english instead of really trying to understand and predict them (that’s what he didn’t get from Askeladd).
Ketil who fears violence and losing his wealth and status tries to find a way to protect himself. He pretends to be a great warrior , he hires mercenaries , he pays Harald to protect him. And the more security he hires the more money he needs , but the more money he makes the bigger the target he is , he feels even more vulnerable. Ketil hates being vulnerable. The only person who he says the truth is a slave he has complete power over. When he beats Arnheid he talks about trust , as something he regrets , the king’s and Arnheid’s ”betrayal” confirms to him that the only way he can have control over his life is by forceful subjugation and caves in to all that pressure that pushed him to be violent. Of course the flaw with his thinking is that he had always be reliant on power , it’s delusional to think there was any trust in a relationship with a slave , he forced it. And that’s the problem when you rule relying on power , you don’t know who anyone else is , everyone is going to appear subservient to you despite of what they think of you or their intentions , there can be no real trust , you can’t show any vulnerability cause everyone can be an enemy.
That’s how Canute saw Thorfinn up until the moment Thorfinn showed that he was genuine and didn’t have any intent to fight Canute. Up until now Canute has been compromising on his dream because he thought it was necessary , but at that moment he was proven wrong , he was about to kill another person , undermining his paradise , for no reason. Indeed continuing that path nobody would be able to ”save” Canute from fully submitting to might makes right , practically making him no different from any other viking ruler , no matter what his motives may be. His dream isn’t what he needs to compromise on but his security , his control. He needs to show some vulnerability , take some kind of risk if he wants to make any difference at all. Might makes right has some merit to it , but it’s far from the whole truth , we have the ability to move away from it somewhat , both as individuals and as a whole we can change our nature , ”the rules god has ordained” as Canute says. The story being set 1000 years ago helps demonstrate that , all the world problems haven’t gone away but we have definitely made some change. And as much as the way Thorfinn wants to live seems like a tall task and in some ways it absolutely is , there’s a fair share of it that is simply practical , so many characters including him have made their lives so much worse because they lived the way norse society told them to , they chose to , alternatives did exist.
Snowball
June 13, 2023 at 11:59 pmI rather liked it when Thorfinn complimented Omar for his decision to surrender. The tone of this episode was very different from its corresponding manga chapters in that it was more reflective and poetic.
Guardian Enzo
June 14, 2023 at 10:34 amWhich is where this season has generally been at it best.
Snowball
June 14, 2023 at 2:54 pmAbsolutely! Got to hand it to the creative team too. It is clear that they love this material and their interpretation has been spot on. The patience in portraying the profundity of all the scenes that really mattered and the respect they show the audience. The cinematic OST has been instrumental in drawing out the emotions, too.
I am a little vexed that they cut out some essential dialogue from chapter 95 before Thorfinn went to Canute. When Einar tried to stop him from going, Thorfinn mentioned that they can’t just up and leave for Vinland knowing that there are people suffering elsewhere. It’s my only nitpick, but I am willing to let it go after this stellar episode and how it did address that issue with Thorfinn and Einar’s dialogue in front of Arnheid’s grave. I’m also glad this season is getting the appreciation it deserves from the fan base.
Stephen
June 14, 2023 at 8:42 pmGreat review and great episode. I still like Tengoku a tiny bit more in terms of adaptation (prob a taste thing) and GK a bit more because of the characters, but in many ways this is a very hard season to adapt and in using the silence and minimal dialogue, i think it took the right approach. Hard to say which anime I will give to the best of the season but i can see all of them being in the top 10 of 2023!
Stewart
June 15, 2023 at 1:07 amThe anime did a fantastic adapting this arc. This was a beautiful episode and a wonderful review. They made some changes to the second half of the episode but they work really imo. I especially like the new scenes of Pater at Arnheid’s grave.I do sort of miss the narration from the manga that goes over the fate of all the farm characters but it makes sense that anime would want to be more subtle.
After the next episode the anime wil basically halfway through the manga( the manga has four arcs). I hope we get a S3 . The next arc is the one that I’m most interested in seeing how it would be adapted. The anime has been a bit more consistently serious then the anime and the 3rd arc has the most comedic moments. That arc is still pretty good and the comedy works at points but I wouldn’t mind if the anime removed the more over the top gags in it.
I’ve read the Pluto manga and I’m also really excited for the anime adaptation of it. I’m not sure if it could top Vinland Saga for me though.
Guardian Enzo
June 15, 2023 at 8:32 amI don’t know about the chances for another season. The manga is reasonably popular and the anime has diehard fans (including among the staff). But it’s a big undertaking, it’s taken 6+ years or work from the main staff, and a lot would have to happen to get the rest of it adapted I suspect.
Stewart
June 15, 2023 at 10:41 amI did hear the director said that he had to fight for a S2. I’m still hoping for a S3 and maybe even a S4 eventually but if not at least we got excellent adaptations of the first two arcs.