There have been plenty of anime franchises whose stories revolved around the idea of protagonists working toward getting revenge, with the likes of Berserk’s Guts, Attack on Titan’s Eren Jaeger, and Lelouch of Code Geass acting as only a few examples. However, Vinland Saga’s second season has decided to take a wildly different approach, following a protagonist who has had revenge forever stolen from him and how he lives with this fact. In this story by creator Makoto Yukimura, the protagonist, Thorfinn, finds himself at a nihilistic crossroads and the series has never been better because of it.
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The first season finale was one of the most shocking moments in anime history, as Askeladd, the man responsible for the death of Thorfinn’s father, sacrificed himself to stop the previous king of England from advancing on his own people. With the majority of the story revolving around Thorfinn becoming ever stronger in an effort to defeat Askeladd in one-on-one combat and avenge his father’s death, season two starts off with a very different version of the fiery young viking we once knew. On top of this change in his persona thanks to the death of his object of revenge, the second season is barely focused on the battlefield, instead focusing on the tedium/brutality of farming, and the series is made better for it.
A Viking By Any Other Name
While we don’t know the exact steps that led to Thorfinn becoming a slave following Askeladd’s death, it almost feels unnecessary as the raider has become a shell of his former self, not quite trying to take his own life but having no problems if someone were to hold a sword to his throat and deliver a final blow. Without his revenge, Thorfinn has no purpose and his current farming goal almost seems like a task that he throws himself into in order to forget about his past and have something to occupy his time.
Of course, Thorfinn isn’t alone this time around, as he’s joined by Einar, a young man whose family was wiped out by war and now finds himself attempting to gain his freedom by cultivating a wheat field. Whereas Thorfinn has been crushed by his past, Einar has a never-ending sense of optimism that makes the pair play well off one another. Thorfinn’s constant stoicism is slowly but surely being washed away by Einar’s infectious personality, making for an intriguing back-and-forth.
A few of the episodes that have taken place so far this season don’t even focus on Thorfinn, instead focusing on the politics of both landowners and would-be kings. Canute, the would-be ruler who was given a crash course by Thorfinn in season one, has returned and is on a path that shows his rise to power as the next King of England. This story, albeit relegated to one episode, feels organic and shows how war can change a person “beneficially”, showing the brutality of what is necessary to take a crown in this vicious anime world based on real-life events. On the flip side, we have an episode that focuses on the owner of Thorfinn and Einar, Ketil, as he comes across two young thieves stealing from his land. Despite Ketil’s reputation as a monstrous warrior who gained the nickname “Iron Fist Ketil”, this tale focusing on the fates of the thieves, and Ketil’s unexpected nature, is stellar. It’s a window into the expectations of society clashing with one’s character and the image they present to the world.
I would be remiss if I didn’t also mention the change in the animation style, which seems suitable here as this is a wildly different part of Thorfinn’s life, and despite MAPPA’s intimidating workload, the studio is able to carry the torch for Wit, in a similar fashion as they had with Attack on Titan.
Vinland Saga’s second season works well in not just showing the after-effects of this brutal and bloody landscape, but also finds its heart in showing the daily lives of its inhabitants who are attempting to survive, and perhaps more importantly, attempting to find purpose in a world stacked against them. Even if you aren’t familiar with what transpired in the first season, season two of this bloody tale of Northmen is most assuredly worth your time.
How do you think season two of Vinland Saga compares to its first season so far? Feel free to let us know in the comments or hit me up directly on Twitter @EVComedy to talk all things comics, anime, and the bloody world of anime vikings.
