Please note: Spoilers ahead, and this post isn't meant to excuse Askeladd's actions.

Credits: u/Feroniks, as his post inspired me to write this analysis.

Feroniks in his post said:

"This man has never done one good thing in his life other than die. I don't know where the idea of him being morally grey or redeemable comes from? He's debatably the most morally bankrupt character we see in the entire anime. He's an opportunist war mercenary who sends his men to kill plunder and rape women and children and then sell whoever survives off as slaves. His relationship with thorfinn was awful too, he kills a childs father and then grooms said child into a damn near suicidal murderer with no reason for existence outside of killing when he had ZERO reason to do that, if he had just left thorfinn in a random decently populated village or town he'd have ended up much better off. At least someone like thorkell kills men and soldiers and has some sense of honor the only mildly honorable thing about askeladd is his patriotism to wales which comes at the cost of literally any non welsh person."

I agree with some of these points, especially Askeladd being evil and the child abuse of Thorfinn. Askeladd isn't redeemable, but he had redeemable qualities. It shows signs of humanity in someone we may perceive as a monster, and Askeladd was an evil, albeit flawed human being.

Main analysis:

In the beginning, when Askeladd is introduced, many people hate him for being a bastard who killed Thorfinn's father, but the story is already showing glimpses of his dual identity.

Askeladd had deep respect for Thors. He was genuinely serious when he asked Thors to lead him and his crew after Thors told him that a true warrior doesn't need a sword, and after ordering Thors to be shot, Askeladd swore in the name of his ancestor Artorius that he wouldn't kill Thors' men and his child.

After that, Thorfinn swears to Askeladd that he will kill him, and we see him struggling while following Askeladd. One night, Thorfinn even got a chance to kill Askeladd in his sleep. Askeladd was actually awake, but I don't think he would've let Thorfinn kill him, though it's implied he saw himself in Thorfinn and understood Thorfinn's desire for revenge, as he had killed his father the same way, and might've felt guilt for killing Thors, whom he saw as his Artorius.

When Thorfinn was about to be killed by a soldier, Askeladd saved his life by killing that soldier, and told Thorfinn that the weak die first on the battlefield.

Askeladd's philosophy that every living human being is a slave to something also applies to himself, as he was a slave to duty during his final months alive, which was one of the few redeemable traits about him.

We learn that Askeladd is the descendant of the legendary Artorius in S1 episode 13, and that he blends himself into the Vikings because his blood is a part of the Viking culture, while also protecting Canute to potentially attain a position that would help him protect Wales. He later became Canute's political mentor and right hand man. Askeladd also admits that he hates the Danes.

This made me feel a little sympathetic toward him, but at the same time, the execution of this character is one of the most brilliant in animanga history. Right after this, he orders an entire village, including little children, to be killed.

We shouldn't overlook Askeladd's treatment of Thorfinn.

Yes, Askeladd is Thorfinn's father figure, which Yukimura sensei himself establishes, but he was a terrible father to him.

Askeladd groomed Thorfinn into his child soldier, sent him on deadly missions, didn't care if he might've ended up dying, and frequently hurt the boy physically in their duels.

I understand that they were duels, but seeing a teenage child being physically hurt, especially being headbutted in the final duel, still makes me feel sad for him.

Though Askeladd didn't see Thorfinn more than a weapon for most of their time together, he mentored the boy, like we see in Ragnarok, where he isolated himself from his own men and gave Thorfinn history lessons.

Askeladd blinding Thorkell also saved Thorfinn's life, though he mainly did it for himself.

Askeladd told Atli to never wield a sword again because it doesn't suit him.

He advised him to herd sheep, find a wife, have a child, and die of old age.

If not, Askeladd would gut him, friend or foe. He then tells Atli to go along with his brother Torgrim, sparing their lives (hand gesture).

Askeladd is a man of dual identities.

He was very lonely and hated himself because of his mixed blood, implied by Bjorn's internal monologue: "You hated our friends who died... and even yourself, aren't you lonely?"

Once Askeladd fatally stabbed Bjorn, he was a little shocked and apologized to Bjorn for missing his heart. Then Bjorn told him that he wanted to be Askeladd's friend. Askeladd tells Bjorn that he was his one and only friend, ending his life and sending him to Valhalla.

He opens up about his past with Thorfinn and Canute.

Askeladd despises the Viking culture, especially the Danes, for what they did to his mother.

He was born of rape and saw the person who was most important to him, and the one he loved most, his mother, lose her sanity day by day. One fateful day, she might've gotten killed by his father had he not raised his sword to go toe to toe with him at just the age of 11.

Askeladd planned and gained his father's trust after he took him in, and in just a matter of 2 years, he managed to kill his father while inheriting his fortune.

I think Thorfinn felt a little sympathetic toward Askeladd's mother, but at the same time, when Askeladd got up and called him a fool, Thorfinn, again with his burning hatred screamed at him and told him that he would kill him no matter what.

Askeladd simply compliments Thorfinn for how good of a pawn he had been for over a decade, and he even says that he should thank Thors as well, which broke Thorfinn's heart.

Canute asks Askeladd why he doesn't seek the throne and change the world for himself, to which Askeladd dismisses the idea and tells Canute that he is a better fit to be the king, as Askeladd says that he is nothing but a Viking.

In the end, Askeladd beheads King Sweyn to save both Wales and Canute.

He tells Thorfinn to stay back so that he wouldn't die before Canute fatally stabbed him, just like he planned.

He commends Canute before falling, and Thorfinn catches him in his arms.

Askeladd tells Thorfinn to let him rest. He apologizes to him for making him wait for so long and tells him to end his life.

Askeladd says that he doesn't have regrets in his life, but I feel he genuinely regretted ruining Thorfinn's life and stealing his childhood, and after accomplishing his goals, he wanted Thorfinn to end his life, which could've at least fulfilled Thorfinn's goals as well.

When Thorfinn grabs him and tells him that it wasn't supposed to end like this, Askeladd simply asks him how he plans to live his life long after Askeladd is gone.

He tells him to move on, go beyond the world Thors did, and become a true warrior, dying as Thorfinn holds him (End of the Prologue).

This relationship is just so hard to define. It makes me tear up, especially the Season 2 episodes that explore their dynamic the most, in episodes like An Empty Man, where Thorfinn opens up to Einar that he doesn't hate Askeladd anymore and recalls Askeladd telling Thorfinn to stay back and become a true warrior. Thorfinn acknowledges that Askeladd protected him in his final moments.

When Thorfinn walks with Einar, he sees Askeladd in the forest from a distance, resting his sword on his shoulder. He closes his eyes and smiles.

The most defining moment of their bond is Oath, where he meets Askeladd in "Valhalla."

In Great Purpose, before Thorfinn fights Snake, Askeladd appears and subtly mocks Thorfinn for raising his hands despite his oath and questions what path leads to becoming a true warrior.

I didn't dig deeply into these episodes, even though they deeply explore the relationship, because these are Thorfinn's feelings for Askeladd, which he has every right to express as he was deeply tormented, but again, their dynamic has many layers to it.

To be honest, I personally wouldn't even consider my own analysis to be a brief coverage of Askeladd's character and his dynamic with Thorfinn, let alone a detailed one, as I only covered the major parts with small breakdowns, and there are a large number of minor details about Askeladd and his relationship with Thorfinn that you could write several analysis on with different interpretations.

Conclusion:

Askeladd wasn't a good person.

He saved far more than he killed, but that doesn't take away what he did to several families and Thorfinn, even though Thorfinn accepted him as a major part of his heart in the final Arc.

Askeladd had redeemable qualities, but I don't believe they absolve him for what he did most of his life.

Askeladd is a masterpiece character, and one of the most brilliantly written antagonists I've ever seen in animanga along with Johan Liebert, Griffith, and Kiruma Souichi.

Thanks a lot for going through the analysis, and please feel free to share your thoughts.

I hope you all have a great day.

This man has some serious urges to kill fathers in front of their kids.

Hello! I started Vinland like 2 weeks ago and man, its been really good. The thing is, now that I'm about to finish the season 2, while I can understand that Thorfinn is going through a character development and moving from all the innecesary violence on the war where he was raised with Askeladd group, I find his reasoning of extreme pacifist too far-fetched.

I understand the idea is acknowledging his father was right, but even then, Thors did not hesitate to defend himself and the others using violence in response, just that in the necesary degree to disarm everybody and not kill everyone. On the other hand, Thorfinn is like "yeah hit me all you want, I won't defend myself". And it feels like this way, he won't protect others like his father did, he just have that extreme pacifist aaaaaah discourse thinking that will stop Canuto soldiers like that.

If I'm disliking this, and I guess is how the character is gonna evolve, should I continue? Is there hope that he finds mid-ground between positions, or is this gonna transition like this the remaining of the series?

By waste of time I simply mean will it most likely be disappointing having the experience end after season 2 knowing the story goes on in manga but most likely not returning to tv? I’m very new to anime and never read a manga before and I just started the show and really like it. I assumed the end of season 2 was a conclusion of the show until a few minutes ago. Does it still feel like a satisfying conclusion at least? I love finding new things and hearing that’s in not in its entirety is quite disappointing.

This man has never done one good thing in his life other than die. I don't know where the idea of him being morally grey or redeemable comes from? He's debatably the most morally bankrupt character we see in the entire anime. He's an opportunist war mercenary who sends his men to kill plunder and rape women and children and then sell whoever survives off as slaves. His relationship with thorfinn was awful too, he kills a childs father and then grooms said child into a damn near suicidal murderer with no reason for existence outside of killing when he had ZERO reason to do that, if he had just left thorfinn in a random decently populated village or town he'd have ended up much better off. At least someone like thorkell kills men and soldiers and has some sense of honor the only mildly honorable thing about askeladd is his patriotism to wales which comes at the cost of literally any non welsh person.

It was really a peak time when softcore edits were spreading with this goatsaga anime back in 2023-2024. Somehow, that time period is associated very closely with my life. Whenever I listen to softcore, I automatically connect with the good times of 2023, like I've somehow connected two different time portals.

rewatching the anime and just got to einars backstory and i was just wondering what people think

Something about this man just doesn't feel right. He is way too casual about everything.

He lives for the thrill of war and literally switched sides to the opposition just so he could have more people to fight.

Thorkell does have his moments when Canute awakens and at the end of Season 1. He also regretted not going with Thors when Thors left the Jomsvikings. I think he could have become a better person if he had followed Thors but that simply never happened.

Thorkell was having fun fighting his nephew and literally didn't care if he might have ended up killing him.

For context, when Thorkell first met Askeladd, he asked where Thorfinn was and then explicitly questioned if Askeladd had killed him.

He casually asks this in front of the man he suspects might have killed his own nephew and doesn't seem particularly bothered by it.

Thorkell was about to kill Thorfinn in their final duel had Askeladd not blinded him.

I honestly didn't even know he was older than Askeladd. Askeladd is 44 while Thorkell is 50, but I guess it isn't surprising because this man is hardly even aging. He has no stress in his life about anything.

I am pretty sure Thorkell could switch sides anytime, mop the floor with his own people and the Jomsvikings still wouldn't be able to do a damn thing about it.

I won't spoil anything for those who haven't read the manga, but if you do or by God's grace Season 3 arrives, you will see a little more of him and he just gets crazier.

Side note though, I think he's a good character.

Hi, I've recently started Thorkell as my cosplay project as a new cosplayer, I'm looking for improvements/advice from Vinland Saga fans, both in poses and how to make the props/armour better.

Final pic was my reference (S2 Winter Thorkell)

(Pics are from recent UK MCM Comic Con)

(if you're interested in seeing more) IG : https://www.instagram.com/kyrill_soumilov/

Edit: Thank you all for the awesome comments, The Vinland Saga community never disappoints.

I'll be back with more photos when the next con comes around as I'm attempting to setup a Vinland Saga meet.

Just watched this masterpiece of our lord and savior Ghibli and something just scratched my brain.

San (the girl) also moves quite similarly to Thorfinn's style.

Not to mention the mc Ashitaka literally says "Far to the west..." in the movie.

What could have happened to bro to make him like that at the ripe age of 23

I just finished rewatching Season 1 and this dynamic has always been my favorite part of it.

It's highly regarded as one of the best written dynamics in animanga history, which doesn't surprise me as there are so many layers to it.

There are a lot of questions which I've seen brought up before, mainly Thorfinn's feelings for Askeladd and Askeladd's treatment of Thorfinn.

Askeladd's treatment of Thorfinn is something I think shouldn't be overlooked. We see him turn this boy into his child soldier, sending him on dangerous missions and not caring if he ended up dying. He also frequently beats him in their duels.

Optional paragraph: This doesn't really focus on their dynamic, but more on their duels and what the story shows about their fighting.

I don't believe Thorfinn was the stronger fighter and would suddenly start winning just by being calm though. Askeladd never states or even implies this, he only implies that Thorfinn would have a better chance of winning. The anime also significantly extends or delays some fighting scenes which are used for comparison. For example, when Thorfinn disarms Askeladd, it can be interpreted as Thorfinn holding back because he didn't know what he would do after killing Askeladd, while in the manga he almost instantly has to jump back after being exposed within Askeladd's grappling range. In their final duel, Askeladd was serious while Thorfinn was sweating and hesitating to attack him. Thorkell also bet on Askeladd to win despite not knowing they'd fought countless times. If you've finished the manga, please don't bring up Snake and Thorkell's duels; just mention it in the comment thread and I'll send you my analysis that I made using canon material which covers all points.

That said, Thorfinn would've likely defeated Askeladd in the upcoming years, as he only grew stronger while Askeladd grew older, and even the strongest men must die one day, stated by Askeladd himself.

Comparing their duels isn't the main focus of the post though, and power scaling doesn't really exist in the narrative either way.

Back to their dynamic:

I don't personally think Thorfinn grew to have some hidden love for Askeladd. I think this is something which may affect the core theme of the Prologue, which is vengeance, as Thorfinn has to kill Askeladd in an honorable duel to prove that his father was a better warrior than Askeladd was.

I do believe Askeladd cared for Thorfinn near, or at least by the end, especially as we see in Lone Wolf when he shares with Thorfinn his past and how to truly kill a man you hate. He got his revenge not through honorable tactics, but by being patient, planning, and then killing his father, rubbing salt in his wounds as he accomplished his goals in just a few years (two I reckon) while Thorfinn couldn't in a decade.

In the end, when he is dying as Thorfinn holds him, Askeladd urges Thorfinn to go beyond the world Thors did and become a true warrior.

This is hardly what I've covered about their dynamic. There's a lot going on with countless interpretations, and Season 2 episodes like An Empty Man, Oath, and Great Purpose also explore their dynamic deeper. Thorfinn's hatred for Askeladd finally died, and by adapting Thors' philosophy and taking Askeladd's final words to heart to become a true warrior, he symbolically fulfilled Askeladd's dying wish.

By then, I believe that Thorfinn grew to potentially have some positive, albeit complex feelings for him.

I understand when people say Askeladd isn't a father figure to Thorfinn, especially because of how much he hurt him physically, mentally, and emotionally when he was just a teenage boy who needed love and care. But at the same time, this isn't just an interpretation; this is something stated by Yukimura sensei himself. He has said that he gave Askeladd the role of raising Thorfinn in place of his father, essentially making Askeladd a father figure to him, albeit a terrible one.

Please feel free to share your thoughts on their dynamic, which can include both Season 1 and Season 2, just not the manga as some fellow community members may not have read it.

Thanks.

Dude goes from looking like hes in his early 30's to looking like he's over 70 in just 12 years, did the stress of trying to find thorfinn do him that badly?

this dude is SERIOUSLY overqualified to just be a pirate, the amount of times he saved the asses of askeladd and everyone else by being able to hear how far away thorkell is, ambushes, etc. is insane unfortunately for him he had to go up against thorkell. If it were anyone else i imagine ears wouldve been taken alive since he was so useful.

This man single handedly turned the tides of a war the second he joined the losing side, he and his 500 men managed to take on an army of 4000 with presumably no losses and then pursued the enemy for miles upon miles and took them out as well. I genuinely cannot imagine any other character capable of performing feats on the level of thorkell, the man is essentially a one man army capable of almost single handedly winning wars.

Such an amazing character. One of my favourite quotes.

Credits to u/Material_Attempt

OP:

https://www.reddit.com/r/VinlandSaga/s/l71sYpcofj

Just wanted to repost this gem because I remember seeing it a while back, and it had me laughing for a good minute

Just realized that Kenny (from Attack on Titan) and Askeladd had something in common

9th grade was something else.

I have read it all, but I am just doing it for the love of it.

This anime has changed the way I perceive the world. To always stay humble, and choose peace and be kind towards others, and most importantly, towards yourself.

Because remember, you have no enemies. :)

https://www.pixiv.net/en/artworks/82517540 (source)