No cool introduction paragraph this time, folks – let’s jump right into episode responses!
Episode 21: Courage
Einar is seen sitting solemnly by Arnheid’s fresh grave. The battle is over for now, and everything is a mess. King Canute continues to be haunted by visions of his father’s head as he stares at the aftermath of the carnage. On the other side of things, Olmar also looks at the death and violence, growing sick to the stomach and weeping.
Thorgil and his mother want to continue the pointless bloodbath, but Ketil’s father intervenes with important information. The one who will decide whether or not to surrender is the one who was formally named heir of the family: Olmar. The family calls Olmar and he chooses to surrender. Even when Thorgil tries to persuade him otherwise, Olmar stands firm. He admits that everything is his fault, and that he should have had the courage to accept the mockery of the king’s guards. Thorgil leaves, calling the others cowards, but Snake respects Olmar’s brave decision.
Meanwhile, Thorfinn goes to Canute’s camp, but is surrounded by jeering men who won’t let him see the king. Although someone relays the information to Canute, the young king refuses to talk to Thorfinn. A big soldier named Drott starts to get violent with Thorfinn, when Einar arrives and tries to convince his friend to stop risking his life. Thorfinn won’t listen to Einar, and instead agrees to an insane deal from the men around him. If he can withstand 100 strikes from Drott, he will be allowed to see the king. As Einar stares in disbelief, Thorfinn faces off with Drott.
I loved this episode as the climax of Olmar’s character arc. Despite being so hateable for most of the anime, Olmar’s “final form” (so to speak) was admirable. Picking fights to defend some stubborn, violent concept of honor is not courage. Accepting defeat and failure humbly is what courage actually looks like. I especially liked it when Olmar said he didn’t care about Norseman honor anymore. This is why Vinland Saga is my current favorite historical anime. It never glorifies the carnage and evils of the old days. It instead gives a haunting and emotional portrayal of how terrible violence can be.
My other response to this episode was surprise. I honestly expected Canute to agree to see Thorfinn right away. Since he refused, it makes me wonder if he’s actually afraid. I mean, I don’t think it’s unreasonable to be a little afraid of the person who scarred your face and was such a formidable threat in the past. But surely Canute knows that Thorfinn isn’t here for violent reasons, right? I’m not totally certain. We’ll have to wait and see if Canute’s thoughts on this issue are explained later.
Episode 22: Emperor of Rebellion
Snake and Olmar arrive at Canute’s camp and try to convince Thorfinn to stop his insane plan. Thorfinn persists, getting back up even after one of Drott’s punches knocks him unconscious for a minute. Snake reluctantly allows things to continue, and Thorfinn succeeds in surviving all 100 strikes from Drott. He’s so beat up at the end that his face is unrecognizable. Able to respect his opponent, Drott calls Thorfinn a true warrior.
After briefly talking with Wulf, Thorfinn is allowed to see King Canute. Einar accompanies him. They waste little time asking Canute to leave the farm. The King refuses. He explains that he’s still trying to create a utopia, which involves leading and redeeming the Vikings. While he is impressed with this idea, Thorfinn won’t back down from his demand. Canute must leave the farm alone. Einar passionately argues against the king and his lofty ideals, which have no meaning to someone who was made to suffer at the hands of kings one after another.
With no agreement reached, Canute orders his men to surround Thorfinn and Einar. He states that they cannot save the farm without literally killing him. In other words, he will never back down. That’s where the episode leaves off.
As I’ve said before, Canute is my favorite character. Since there was so much about Canute in this installment, it’s probably one of my favorite episodes of the series. I loved all the dialogue between Canute, Thorfinn, and Einar. I also love the way this episode tied together the major themes of the series in this one scene: the confrontation of Thorfinn and Canute: one small man objecting to the ways of Vikings, standing against the powerful King of the Vikings himself. It was absolutely epic, from the sunset lighting to the face expressions to the subtle sound of the waves on the beach. I could gush about this scene and about Canute for ages.
Even though I adore the character of Canute, I’m not actually on his side in everything. I do think it’s very noble to want to save the Vikings. And I agree with Canute’s rebellion against his perception of God. It’s incredibly brave and admirable to fight against an immoral power that’s so much greater than you. However, I am also invested in Thorfinn and Einar, so I wish Canute would stop trying to take Ketil’s farm. I’m not sure what will happen in the last two episodes, since I can’t imagine something that will make Canute halt his grand plans. There’s nothing to do but keep watching and see.
Episode 23: Two Paths
Canute has just declared that as long as he is alive, he won’t back off from the farm. Thorfinn says he will run away in that case. Surprised by Thorfinn’s simple plan and lack of conniving, Canute laughs. It’s not a derisive laugh, but a sign that he is being disarmed by Thorfinn’s efforts. Then Thorfinn explains that he plans to make a small country somewhere far away for those who are oppressed.
The king and the slave agree to a division of labor: while Canute continues his quest for a utopia for the people at large, Thorfinn will take in those who are hurt by the process and give them a peaceful place to live. Though they will walk two different paths, Thorfinn and Canute will be allies and friends. When Thorfinn reprimands Canute for making more work for him, Canute is again amused and disarmed. He decides to withdraw from the farm after all.
The credit for saving the farm was given to Olmar. Then Thorfinn and Einar set sail with Leif and his crew. Pater, Olmar, and Snake see them off. Snake shouts as they leave that his real name is Roald. The rest of the episode explains how Canute’s policies changed and how he was fully accepted as England’s new king. It also shows that things on the farm are going well. Roald and his men become farmers, and even Olmar becomes a sincere, hard worker. Pater looks after Arnheid’s grave. It’s a happy ending.
This beautiful episode had me crying at several points. I don’t think an anime has made me cry this much since Fruits Basket. With the strong story themes, emotional music, and epic moments for the characters, Vinland Saga S2 is excellent at pulling heartstrings. I’m really glad to see such a satisfying ending for these characters. The visuals have been beautiful for these episodes, too, and everything is well-written.
It was especially fulfilling for me to see Canute looking happy as he sailed away from the farm. He isn’t the type who wants to hurt others. But in order to create a better world, Canute keeps causing violence along the way. This makes him feel miserable most of the time. That’s why it was so nice to see him smiling in this episode. I look forward to the final episode of Vinland Saga Season 2 next time. Hopefully, we’ll see Thorfinn and Einar starting their new lives across the sea.
Thank you for reading~
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