This whole season imo is amazing just as good as the first don’t @ me on that. People saying it’s trash compare tot he first are the ones that crave action and fight scenes, they can’t just sit and watch some dialogue or story telling and there’s nothing wrong with that, they pushing it by calling it mid and boring I kinda spoiled myself but I can’t wait for the upcoming episodes it’s gonna get spicy
@@nibbax7772this arc being better then first isn’t an unpopular opinion. It’s actually the reverse. The slave arc is considered the best arc in the manga
@@bloodhoundfang Dehumanisation of the enemy is required to be a soldier, but by no means healthy for the person; it's a required defense mechanism. Hardened is the wrong word, it suggests strength. Numb is the right word, it suggests vacancy of feeling. In that situation, it's a lot harder to accept and change. The veteran suicide rate shows that much. I wouldn't glorify that defense mechanism as a "hardened warrior."
I can’t help but feel that Askeladd is proud of Thorfinn for being able to come to grips with the things he’s done and find redemption, what an Amazing scene
Hell, in the manga, after Thorfinn says he's sorry, it cuts to Askeladd smiling. It's not one of his usually fake, smug smiles. He's smiling pridefully at him. I know it isn't the real Askeladd. I know he's just a representation of Thorfinn's inner conflict, but I still believe Askeladd would be happy to see Thorfinn finally coming to terms with his flaws and aspiring to be better.
@@struggler6864 it is actually pretty consistent with his character, while dying, askelad wanted thorfinn to be a better man. So it makes sense that as he has become that askelad would have smiled if he were here.
@@phlaryx7145 Yes, this is a representation of what Askeladd told Thorfinn before dying, "get out of this meaningless world, go far away, farther than even your father, son of Thors", while Askeladd was a cause of pain and hate for Thorfinn as a kid, he still protected him in other ways, and in the end, he wished for Thorfinn to be safe and to be a good man free from the curse of violence and war, something Askeladd himself could not achieve. Askeladd is an incredibly written character.
"Just because It was all in your head It doesn't mean It was less real than something happening right here" is a quote that perfectly applies for this all sequence... unfortunetaly I don't remember where It comes from 😅
I haven’t cried to a piece of fiction in so long, ever since I was a kid I believe. But the moment Askellad told Thorfinn to become a true warrior, I just let it out.
I was on my therapy section today and I spoke about this episode. Yes I spoke about anime during therapy. This made me realize that for me to be able to move on with my life I gotta stop running from my traumas and past experiences. Stop hiding and running. Take them with me and make sure I never forget them and embrace them because they are here to stay. Feel what I must feel and allow myself to do that. Running away hasn’t work so maybe if I make them part of me I’ll be able to overcome them. But that’s me
Yes we cant forget our traumas... i still think im responsible of the death of my brother...even though i was a kid back then but that dont justify it...we gotta moove on and stay strong and never forget them...i was not the ideal big brother but im trying to be a better version of myself and it's not always easy,unlike you i dont see doctors cuz talking about it dont makes me feel better cuz i know in the end i need to change my mindset myself(thats just how i am ) ,this episode means soo much to me so i understand your point.keep up the climbing bro we must be better.
@@dimitrilebon6333 I’m with you on that brother. I felt guilty for almost two decades for my grandmothers passing even tho I was only 12 and there was nothing I could’ve done. I carried that with me for years. I finally learned that I couldn’t be done anything and instead of thinking like that I decided to think about how much I loved her and how much she loved me. We in this together and we gotta push ourself forward!
I am Japanese and I read this episode on the original manga just after the release of the book when I just graduated from high school. It was like about a decade ago. Back then, things were not going well and I just gave up the dream to be a voice actor that I had been chasing for a long time. I was truly empty and couldn't really do anything for a while, like Thorfinn after he lost his purpose. The shock was really huge. But when I read this episode, I felt saved. Even though the story tells the deeper theme and philosophy about violence, it also showed how a person gets over his past, stand up again, and go forward for his new life. I was truly moved and encouraged by this scene, and it gave me the energy to climb up from the bottom. I still remember the emotion back then. And after a decade, Vinland Saga finally became an Anime, which is very well made, true to the original but completed with more details. I have been waiting for this for a very long time... I watched this episode yesterday and cried like when I read the episode for the first time a decade ago. Now there is many more people watching this story all over the world and appreciate it. I am very happy for that, for the people who understand and enjoy my favorite story. Thank you
This is incredible. Although askeladd isn’t a person that someone would strive to be, he inspired me. He didn’t laugh when Thorfinn cried, his eyes were pensive like he was learning something from Thorfinn at this moment. “Uncouth Lot” and then to defend Thorfinn’s honor while he was at his most vulnerable. Two men, both who had killed many people and can still be loved. Fuck. Amazing job Makoto Yukimura ❤
I think a big part of it is that its thorfinns perception of askaladd thats being manifested in his dream here, not askaladd himself. His mind is focusing on the part of askaladd that was trying to advise him despite using thorfinn, the askaladd we saw right before he died. Its an amazing way of displaying that within everyone there are pieces of people that we can learn and pull from to grow, even if we dont like that person in their totality.
They dont show it in the anime, but in the manga you can see that askeladd smiles a bit when he sees Thorfinn crying and being regretful. It was a look of approval, as if he is happy that Thorfinn finally understands how horrible his actions were and is apologizing.
for me is really incredible to see Askeladd go from the main antagonist to a father figure to Thorfinn. In my interpretation this was a cration of Thorfinn's mind, and he chose to see Askeladd to have this dialogue. Such a series.
I relate to Thorfinn's story a lot. It's basically about how all the major fuckups of your youth, that you don't think about, all come back to haunt you in your 20s and 30s. And yet you have to move on.
So true lol The farmland arc is probably the best arc of this series. Thorfinn's development in this arc is just great and beautiful. I can comfortably say those who hate this season,first of all didn't understood it's pure beauty and story lol
It was good to see Askelad again. I’d hope he find his own peace. But I suppose he too got mired down in the world he lived in. Unlike Thorfinn though he didn’t have a chance at redemption. So he is helping Thorfinn achieve his. Just a truly remarkable character.
Did you know when jesus died on the cross he died for humanity so they could be redeemed to remind people not to give into sin of pain violence lust, greed, but find ones true self they may live on earth happy and full filling as on earth as it is on heaven. So remember christ died for you and loved you even when we all didnt understood how much god loves us amd wants be happy. Can you imagine someone wrongfully accused beaten tortured to death and still love you. that's son of god. Gods love is even greater.
This is just a dream Thorfinn is having. Askeladd died as he lived: a massive fucking asshole. He was a murderer, a rapist, and a raider who effectively stole Thorfinn's childhood and made a child soldier out of him. Let's not pretend he was a good person at any phase of his life.
@@DarkJak337murderer and raider yeah but rapist that's too far it's a dog eat dog world and askeladd just used everything around him to get what he wants
This series is so good it changed my brain. Thorfinn single handedly after so many years of anger, made me think about life and how simple it can be. We should all treat each other with kindness. We have no enemies
I loved this scene so much, you have no idea. I don't care if people think that story-driving dream sequences are cheesy, this scene was thematically perfect and absolutely needed. And Askeladd was the perfect character to be in it. The sad, tragic aspect of Askeladd was that, in a twisted way, he really did care about Thorfinn (He didn't care about his *well-being*, sure, but he cared about Thorfinn, if it makes sense). He's undoubtedly killed scores of families and torn parents from their children, but Thorfinn was the very first physical reminder of that to him. He saw that soot-covered, bitter, wrath-driven child he once was inside of Thorfinn, and throughout S1 he really does try his best to tell Thorfinn that he must find more purpose than just killing him to avenge Thors. It is 100% in his character that he'd jump down from his pillar, where he has respite from the endless bloodshed, to save Thorfinn from being dragged into that hell with him. Both Askeladd and Thors wanted Thorfinn to be something better than what they were. And now, we're going to see Thorfinn become a true warrior.
I completely agree. I keep coming back to this scene again and again because even though Askeladd isn't a "good guy", the fact that he's willing to jump down and start hacking away at the archers showcases the complexity of a man who's saying "I can't do it, but you can." In a way, I think it's sort of a commentary on parenting and fatherhood, because Askeladd became a (admittedly kinda twisted) father figure for Throfinn after Thors' death, and in a sense, the leap down from that pillar - to me at least - was kind of a "be better than me" moment. After all, what father wouldn't dive headfirst into the gaping maw of hell itself to give his son a chance at redemption?
@@sarnicholas4053 He really was a father figure in a fucked-up sense. Thorfinn always saw Askeladd as a constant, an indomitable force that was guaranteed to be there for whenever Thorfinn finally got to strike him down. So that moment he saw Askeladd surrounded, surrounded but wreaking absolute carnage out of Thorfinn's reach, Thorfinn saw that "constant" threatened for the first time in his life.
Askeladd jumped down to make a right of a wrong he committed in manipulating a child into becoming a killing machine for his self-interest. If he really cared about Thorfinn he would've returned him home. It was only towards the end where he realized his wrongs caught up to him. I hate Askeladd for alot of what he did but respect him for what he did here. He knew he owed Thorfinn that closure after what he did.
I really wish the lesson askeladd told to thorfinn at this moment is not the words he told only to thorfinn, but ALSO himself during his life. Cause askeladd's true battle was his past, hatred, and "false" believe. It hinted many times how askeladd pondered the bloody life path he took, yet always ended up let the thoughts just passed. He fought for the others but not for himself. He has lost to himself the moment he thought he has no way out from the cycle of hell of his own making. I think that was the main reason why he couldn't considered himself a warrior. Damn askeladd. He didn't care about himself when fans does
Askeladd, the king of the underworld, Jordan Peterson said that the closest personification to the devil was someone like Jafar in Aladin, or Scar in Lion king, an evil advisor to the king. Askeladd fits that role perfectly and even better.
I love this season more than the first. God damn, as someone who carrys so much heavy burdens and regret I relate to thorinn so much, I've hurt people who shouldn't have been hurt emotionally and sometimes physically. I've done things that I havnt forgiven myself for. But this really helped me realize, we are not our mistakes. It's taken me 6 years to realize that. I'm finally making a change for the better. Someday I hope to be a true warrior...
5:12 "Become a TRUE warrior, Thorfinn!" This line reminds me of that Jet Li movie "Hero", where at the end the king realizes the scroll describes that an ideal warrior should, paradoxically, have no desire to kill.
CLIMB THORFINN AND TAKE THOSE YOU KILLED WITH YOU FIGHT YOUR TRUE BATTLE, BECOME A TRUE WARRIOR THORFINN this scene hits harder than any scene in any anime
Lmao funny thing is, it still happens in manga it's always Askeladd that saving Thorfinn in a pinch, the situation that cannot be solved by just a mere talk and kindness. Askeladd is always there for being realistic, Thors is always there for being idealistic.
This scene is so Emotional to me I used to suffer from depression and anxiety a lot when i was 14 all the way to 18.i resorted to Alcohol,Girls and Fights to numb my Pain and anger towards everyone.Thankfully at 19 through Self Realisation and Love from my family and my real friends i started to not run or numb the pain but confront it head on.Of course it hasn’t been an easy Journey and at times i catch glimpses of the Me back then but it was definitely worth it. In this scene i saw myself in thorfinn and his Willingness to forgive and redeem himself but most importantly to Live
This is literally the best thing I’ve ever seen in anime. “Climb” “That’s your battle” Later Thorfinn says he used those hands of his to kill so many people, as tears fall down his face. Why do people want to see him get violent? Character development man! He spent the entirety of season 1, losing himself trying to get revenge. Now he’s trying to find himself, while learning some life skills. Even how to say thank you. I love this. I love this for my guy Thorfinn. Heartwarming stuff.
That's the problem. Many people need to realize that S2 isn't a carbon copy of S1 where it's Thorfinn k1lling people like a maniac. S2 is about Thorfinn overcoming his past and trying to become a better person,not repeating the same mistakes he did during S1
If I may, it's just the expectations. People are more into action pact scenes seeing Thorfinn and others fight than Thorfinn feeling sorry for himself. Not that I would characterize Thorfinn exactly like that considering his development but you have to understand different things are gonna appeal to other people.
I had lost my father, my grandmother, her sister, and one of my dog within the same year. At first, I felt fine, thinking it was a fact of life. But most of it was to Covid, so, naturally, trusting in healthcare and not wanting to bring the mood down, I keot my optimism. But that was what allowed me to be careless. As the people I loved went one by one, I was filled with regrets for things unsaid and undone. I lived daily knowing I was never to say "I love you" nor "Goodbye", nor do all the things they wished I had done with and for them. I tried to run away from their ghosts for as long as I could each and every night soaked in sweat and tears. It's been another year. Watching this scene made me tear up the moment he ascended with all the weight of the people he killed on him. For a moment, I saw myself in Thorfinn. 1:20
There are so many messages well depicted in these scenes. The gap between thorfinn and the damned souls of the rest warriors being true regret and pure will to change and to experience compassion. The path he has chosen to follow is equivalent to climbing a never ending cliff where the only one suffering is the climber. The souls of those he killed while seem scary at first they express no hatred just sadness and desperation and as they hear Thorfinn apologize they value his decision to become better. The guilts which ghost his consciousness are depicted as literally the souls of his victims seeking justice. And Asceland in Thorfinn's imagination remains in the depths of this hell to push him further on his journey to improve. It is Thorfinn's way to forever forgive Asceland's actions and to feel forgiven for the hatred he has carried towards Asceland for all these years. In order to push forward he releases himself from that sin of his and bounds to improve for both their sakes. Plus the whole scene is so goddamn imotional. Absolute masterpiece
The depiction of Askeladd here is amazing symbolism, his own introspection from his encounter with Thors has him looking down on the battlefield and the bloody way of life he led, yet his time has passed and there is too much blood on his hands to redeem himself so he is trapped in a hell of his own making. Considering this is all occurring in Thorfinn's mind, he see's that he needs to redeem himself from his bloody past or he will become trapped like Askeladd. Not only that but his vision of Askeladd slaying the archers to keep him from falling and challenging him to climb back up and thus redeem himself shows a very big difference for how Thorfinn previously viewed Askeladd. This further depicts how time and introspection have quelled Thorfinn's hatred and resentment for the man who killed his father.
Tbh this season was so wholesome and helped me fight through the hard times I was struggling with. I’m beyond thankful for S2 of Vinland Saga and the impact it created to help me push through the hard times , I’m a way better place now
This season really hits the nail about the reality and trauma war causes and Thorfinn has to live with it everyday and develop into a better man from a killer. This season is amazing if you learn to appreciate it.
The path of a true warrior is the hardest battle anyone can face. Truly inspiring and put me in tears because when I read it in the manga it was a panel that I kept as my iPhone wallpaper so that everyday Ik that I’m fighting to be better each day. Vinland saga(along with attack on titan and naruto) are one of the few anime that inspire me to push forward and never give up. It only goes up from here
4:00 I need this OST alone right now! This was also my favorite anime episode after The End of the Prologue and the Awakening of Canute.Blessed Vinland Saga
What a scene, dialogue, music, environment, perfection, what a season!! Vinland saga 2 if this don't win some awards for best anime or season then idk... It's pure gold!!!
Ooh how much I've missed you Askellad, you magnificent bastard 💔 Without him Vinland is still amazing, but for me he'll always be the best character in the story.
Such a fantastic anime.. I remember when i watched this episode and the one after and i thought that Thorfinn has in a sense 2 guardian angels helping him out.. the one he hated and the one he loved.. one is walking behind him and makes sure he gets up when he falls and the other is walking in front showing him where to go. Sry if there are any typos, English is not my native language. hail from Norway.
Honestly this was the moment I was waiting for, and while some may not like the fact that Season 2 isnt about Violence thats the point. This entire scene is one giant mind trip metaphor for Thorfinn, Askeladd isnt even real, hes a metaphor of Thorfinn representing the bastion of reason in his head, he knows that this path of rage is wrong, and he needs to take a new road, thats why, he rejects it this time. Askeladd fighting the warriors is Thorfinn fighting his despair, defeating it, refusing to give up, and overcomming the past. We are in many ways able to relate to him because we have all done things we regret, made mistakes, but nothing said you cant learn, try again, get better, make yourself into the best you, that you can be. This is in many ways the moment I felt the most in touch with Vinland when I read it, this bit here, helped me heal when I was at my worst.
Askeladd waited a little bit before jumping, I think he wanted Thorfinn to cry a little bit. So that he can realize what he did, and how he ruined his life trying to get revenge. Such a well written character.
At 3:42 in that very moment it shows askeladd looking at thorfinn like he's judging him for what he's done. but it's not that at all I can see it in his eyes of what he's truly saying. "Do you want to end up like me?". Even a man like him in hell for what he's done and some saying he rightfully deserves it. he spends that last moment in the everlasting blood filled river to save a man about to end up like him. (I know it's an imagination of him) Absolutely beyond beautiful, this is why I love seinen and deep complex Characters like askeladd.
I'm not very expresive when reading/watching stuff, sure I get emotional but I never visually show it. This is an exception, Vinland Saga S2 got me fucking sobbing multiple times and I still get watery eyes whenever I come back to it. Truly maginificent
He says, “you don’t have time to cry”, not don’t cry. As in, you don’t have the time now to do this, but acknowledge how you feel and keep going. This is so beautiful.
Seeing this episode where he truly was sorry for the things he did really brought tears to my eye. That he wanted to atone for the sins he has done, I was so proud of Thorfinn of how far he has came and yet it made me want to be a better person.
if i could have one wish it would be to lose all memory of me ever watching and reading vinlang saga just to watch and reread it again to feel all of the emotions i felt the first time i've watched this masterpiece such a well written story such complex characters such depth even tho Askellad only lasted seven volume and wasn't there for that long he had the biggest impact on me in this masterpiece. i shall never forget him and what he taught us. he helped me grow in such a way i could never forget.
this episode was amazing, made me realize that i should move on with my current life and should not let anything in the past dragging me down from being a better person
i just love how throughout the whole season we are made to wonder what exactly thorfinn was dreaming off in these sequences and here we are revealed exactly why he reaches out everytime. masterpiece
I love vinland saga this anime showing the real hero journey, this anime does not have the same element like any other villain to hero manga, it's all about proses, it was how thorfin change how thorfin get self aware it was how thorfin learn from mistake and this show showing how regret the thing and all of us try to avoid of became the most important factor in our change
I really like action, but damn this episode is really good, I just rewatched this scene and I was getting quite teary whilst watching it. I think I might understand what this episode is trying to do, this episode is trying to give a message to keep going and never give up.
Non manga readers and new people to the series fail to realize that the farmland arc is strictly character development arc for thorfinn and Einar it's literally the MOST important arc in Vinland saga
Honestly this is the reason why I didn’t believe people when they said “this season sucks” this anime isn’t all about fighting and if you think it is then honestly you aren’t a real fan. I actually started watching this show this year and fell in love with the first and second season for different reasons. They give different lessons so try to be open with this show
In the manga there is a frame in this part that It always gets to me , is how askelaad smiles when he sees thorfinn apologizing and crying for the people he killed, it’s like he is really proud of him and reliefed that he has changed, Vinland Saga is so necessary… In the anime they chosed to show only his eyes, which is still bad ass in my opinion…
@@xRenegade_999 idk if i can call him a true warrior simply because he stopped being a warrior, idk if you’re a manga reader but the reason i differentiate thorfinn from thors is because he takes a slightly different path
@@xRenegade_999Let's just say Thorfin will try to do what Askellad tried to do but with Thors methods... the first lacked methods, the second an objective, Thorfinn took both things from them, and because both things are qualities you can't lack to be a "true warrior" nor Askeladd nor Thors were one. Not going to say anything more even tho these are thing you can already understand from the point animated so far in the anime, don't want to ruin your adventure. I sincerely reccomand reading the manga after season 2 ends, I did the same thing when season 1 ended!
I don't think people understand how bold it is for the mangaka to be like my main character ain't gonna Shed anyone's blood or hurt anybody. That means he is relying solely on thorfinns character to be interesting enough without that type of stuff that is a bold move. That u will rarely ever see in animes where blood shed is common and the main character is still in the mix.
You can just tell that the Mangaka for this series is an intelligent person who thinks about thinks very deeply. It can be very hard to find that in anime, that’s why this show is so incredible
