In some respects, you could say the quality of the original episodes is as good a measure of an adaptation’s greatness as any. And this was (mostly) an original episode, the manga readers tell me – only the section with Helga and Ylva is from the manga (a bonus chapter). It takes real skill to translate a great manga chapter to the screen without losing anything (and even more to make it better), but most series can’t make the jump without some tweaking. And when the anime has to assert its own take on the story, the wheat is separated from the chaff.
This episode of Vinland Saga – like the third episode of Dororo and the “Little Fox’s Watch” from Natsume Yuujinchou – passes the ultimate test for originals. That is, it feels so authentic to the story – so essential – that it’s hard to imagine the series continuity without it. In that sense this ep had a tougher challenge than those two examples, because both come from series that were largely episodic in nature. Vinland Saga is very much a serial at this point in the narrative, and already having re-ordered things the anime has to make the events of one week flow seamlessly into the next even as it develops the characters.
Well – mission accomplished.
I believe we’re already seeing the essential conflict of the story emerging in Thorfinn. His father, Thors, rejected a warrior’s existence and chose to live a life of peace. He died for that – died a hero, saving his son and his inexperienced and aging company at the cost of his own life. Thorfinn, understandably, has chosen to pursue a life of revenge. It’s what a warrior’s son would be expected to do in these circumstances, perfectly rational in the context of the time and place. But this path is totally in conflict with the one his father chose for him. And not only that, in truth Thorfinn is focusing his thirst for vengeance on the wrong target. It’s hard to imagine this life ultimately bringing Thorfinn any happiness – but will he ever get to the point where he not only understands that, but believes that it matters?
Askeladd is very much a crucial figure at this point in the story. I think it’s important to understand that he won’t consider anything he’s done – executing a contract on Thor’s life or murdering an entire English village – to be wrong or evil. He’s a Viking, and raping and pillaging is what Vikings do. His is a mercenary company, and accepting payment for dirty jobs is how they stay in business. As with Dororo, we’re seeing a time that was foul and violent and intrinsically lacking in fairness or justice depicted with unstinting brutality. This is the way that Thors rejected, more or less, and the one that his son is embracing. No one should kid themselves about that.
For Askeladd, there’s a difference between those acts and killing Thorfinn in cold blood. Maybe there’s a trace of sentiment to the man – in his private moments, his face reveals things he would never admit to his men. Why does Askeladd lie to Floki’s men and tell them Thors died a “normal death”? I think he feels they don’t deserve to know the truth – that Thors’ end belong to Thors and himself, and no one else. Does Askeladd spare Thorfinn’s life out of a sense of guilt for killing his father? No, I truly believe he feels no guilt over it. Regret, yes – but regret and guilt are two very different things. His job was to kill Thors, and he’s done that. Thorfinn’s life doesn’t belong to him. I think Askeladd believes that even as a small child Thorfinn has shown a warrior’s spirit – and as such, deserves the chance to try and live as one.
As for Thorfinn, his actions here – like Ylva’s – are straightforward and totally in-character. Thorfinn is weak and strong in equal measure, as proud as his age and desperate situation allow him to be. He sucks on the bones of Askeladd’s meals only when he has to, tries to learn to fend for himself with no one to teach him. The key moment for me was when he realized he had to set aside the sword that was “swinging him around” and picked up the dagger – Askeladd may have been trying to nudge him in that direction, but if anything I think that made it even harder for Thorfinn to accept the truth. By doing this, Thorfinn prioritizes survival over pride and displays an understanding that long-term goals are more important than fleeting emotions.
I have no doubt that Thorfinn is going to grow into a true beast. I suspect Askeladd thinks so too, if the boy can survive long enough. But that’s not the real story Vinland Saga wants to tell, I don’t believe – a part of it certainly, but not the point of it. It must have been very difficult for Thors to become the strongest of the Jomsvikings, “The Troll of Jom”. But it was surely even more difficult – and fascinating – for him to go from being that man to being the man who left the world with his heart at peace and his ideals intact, and a family and village who adored him. Whether Thorfinn will ever come to understand and accept that – to me, that’s surely going to be the true question at the heart of this Vinland Saga.
Jindujun93
August 5, 2019 at 12:49 pmIf I wouldn’t have read the manga, I’d have never been able to tell that this was almost completely anime-original. That alone should already speak volumes of the quality, and I’m so happy that my positive prediction from last week actually came true for this episode, it really shows that the staff cares a lot about the project.
There’s not much I can say here without actually spoiling later stuff, so I can mostly repeat what I already wrote before – Askeladd being a fascinating character, Thorfinn’s VA really nailing the crucial moments, and all of that.
But man, that doesn’t actually do it any justice. The backgrounds were looking stunning (in particular the shots of the forest), everyone was absolutely in-character, and there’s little blink-or-miss it moments that I only caught the second time I watched it that made me appreciate the episode even more (like the scene where Thorfinn tries to take out his rage on Bjorn – Bjorn has not only indirectly shown which of the mushrooms are actually edible, once he leaves one can actually see that he left some for Thorfinn).
Derrick
August 5, 2019 at 3:40 pmthink because thors and thorfin are vikingbred so askelad don’t see them as targets
Bel
August 5, 2019 at 10:11 pmI think there’s also a practical reason for why Askeladd spares Thorfinn’s life. He’s not getting paid even if he kills the kid.
“Whether Thorfinn will ever come to understand and accept that – to me, that’s surely going to be the true question at the heart of this Vinland Saga.”
Yes, very much that.
My feeling towards Vinland Saga kind of mirrors how I feel about 91 Days: I’d love to recommend it to people who don’t normally watch anime. It has universal appeal – and you can’t get more universal than a revenge story – without being a very blatant attempt at courting the western audience (cough Carole and Tuesday cough).
Guardian Enzo
August 5, 2019 at 10:16 pmInteresting. Are you saying simply that Askeladd won’t kill anyone unless he’s paid to do it? I mean, he kills Christian monks and English villagers without so much as a thought. I guess you could argue even if he’s not literally paid, there is a material benefit – but not always.
Jindujun93
August 5, 2019 at 11:57 pmKilling the villagers definitely has a practical reason – if even one of them lives, they can escape and spread the news that vikings have taken over the settlement, which is just additional risk for Askeladd, especially because they went there to get some rest for the group (otherwise it could end up in a surprise attack like at the beginning of episode 2 depicted it). So that’s more out of necessity than anything else, I believe – a part of the daily lives of the vikings during the time they were at war with the English.
As for the Christian monk? Honestly, who knows. Askeladd says his group hates Christians, but maybe it’s a situation like with the duel in this episode with Thorfinn – maybe Askeladd couldn’t care any less but his men want to do it anyways.
Bel
August 6, 2019 at 6:42 amI was actually thinking more along the line of killing children in general. When he said he doesn’t enjoy killing kids, I believe him. If there’s a practical reason to do it (like in the English village where they can’t leave eyewitnesses), he’s shown that he would do it. If someone is paying him to kill a kid, would he accept the job? That’s what so fascinating about Askeladd. We keep getting glimpses of different facets to this character that we couldn’t help wanting to decipher his motives, his thoughts and his emotions.
I apologise if I couldn’t put my thoughts down in a clearer manner. Sometimes it’s hard to translate one’s own thoughts into words that other people can understand.
Guardian Enzo
August 6, 2019 at 7:37 amI believe him too, but I also believe if he was offered a contract to take out a kid or kids, he’d do it.
Say
August 7, 2019 at 6:02 amThe monk was killed because his men dislike monks and Askeladd cares for the mood of his crew. Christians condamn their lifestyle so the hatred is understandable. The villagers were killed so that they won’t call for reinforces and the pirates won’t have to move in a hurry. Once it is established that Thorfinn sticks to them for a chance to take revenge in a duel they know he won’t sabotage their work or they can simply leave him behind somewhere. In this ep it is implied too that he will provide for his own food. They aren’t his caretakers but they probably think it is fair to let him pursue his revenge as long as he doesn’t get in their way.
Heatth
August 6, 2019 at 1:47 amI have read the manga, some years ago, and I still wasn’t sure how much of this was an anime original (the Ylva’s scenes confused me), that is how good of an adaptation this is. It captures very well Thorfinn’s and Askeladd’s dynamic, truly a great addition to serve as connecting tissue for the reordered story.
Marty
August 7, 2019 at 11:39 amMy personal take is that Thors and Askeladd are almost polar opposites. Thors is an idealist who literally took himself and his family to the perceived corner of the world and the fringes of society to live up to his ideals. Askeladd on the other hand is practical to a tee, even willing to offer up his leadership to what he saw as a clearly better leader and warrior.
I’m really conflicted whether Askeladd should be considered a good man or not. Thors clearly fits the definition of a good person in any sense of the word, but if anything he’s an extraordinary man.
Askeladd’s actions are clearly brutal, but he lives in a brutal world. He’s not particularly sadistic or cruel in his actions, specially to Viking standards. Extraordinary men aside, could Askeladd be blamed for trying his best to thrive in a warrior culture?
Guardian Enzo
August 7, 2019 at 11:47 amNot everyone has to be good or evil – some can be neither, or both. Based on what I’ve seen of Askeladd so far I think he’d fall in one of those two categories.
YumDeku
August 8, 2019 at 5:36 amReally can’t wait for the next episode, I want to see older him already
YumDeku
August 8, 2019 at 5:38 amCan’t wait for the next episode this one was solid too but i want to see it pick up momentum
hgfdsahjkl
August 9, 2019 at 7:42 amwhenever I see askeladd ,I’m seeing him as Zeno
Vingland saga is a very strong contestant to be anime of the year for me((currently SNK,yeah I know you dont like SNK))and generally one of all my time favourite,the writing and everything is top notch