Vinland Saga is a series that offers the viewers a thrilling experience into the lives of people who lived during the time of the Vikings. Vinland Saga covers many historical events and adds its own twist to these stories. The Vikings were known to be fearsome warriors who fought bravely until their deaths.
Like any series based on the Vikings, Vinland Saga also has many intrepid characters. Most of these characters have malevolent personalities, making them a perfect fit for the roles of villains. Since they are not afraid of killing other people, they pose a great threat to Thorfinn and his allies. While Thorfinn has faced many villainous characters, some of them stand above the rest.
7 Canute
Canute is not an out-and-out villain; instead, he is a morally gray character. At the beginning of the story, Canute was nothing more than a shy prince who was coddled by Ragnar. However, the death of his caretaker completely changed Canute. He became bold and decided to take what was his.
Canute utilized the services of Askeladd, Thorkell, and Thorfinn to defend himself from his father's assassins. After Askeladd's sacrifice, Canute became the frontrunner for the position of King of Denmark. Canute's involvement in the Slave arc affected Thorfinn and caused him some trouble, which makes him a villain to some extent.
6 Thorkell
Thorkell is one of the strongest characters in the series. He was introduced in the first season of the anime. Thorkell is an absolute mountain of a man who towers above all of the characters in the series. Surprisingly, Thorkell is based on a real-life person, which makes him all the more interesting.
Thorkell loves fighting, and he will do anything for a duel with a half-decent warrior. Despite his size, Thorkell is agile and can take down a dozen people in little to no time. In the first season, Thorkell became an impediment in the path of Thorfinn, nearly killing the protagonist. While Thorkell's role as a villain didn't last for long, he sure made an impact on the series.
5 Ketil
Ketil is the main antagonist of the Slave arc. Initially, Ketil came off as a sensible man who cared about farming and living his life without any worries. However, as the plot moved forward, it became extremely clear that he was not the man that he claimed to be.
Ketil was a dangerous man with a very short temper. He only stayed happy as long as things went according to his plans. Once someone went against his will, Ketil did not shy away from punishing them. When Arnheid decided to run away with her husband, Ketil attacked her brutally, leaving her in a very critical situation.
4 Floki
Floki used to be a Jomsvikings commander before being promoted by King Sweyn. Despite his limited appearances, Floki's actions have had severe consequences. It was because of Floki that Thors had to leave his family and travel to serve the king. Thors was unaware that it was all a ruse. Floki did not want Thors to reach the destination, so he decided to use the services of Askeladd.
Floki paid Askeladd to kill Thors, and the mercenary was more than happy to accept the offer. It was Floki's insecurity and jealousy that caused him to take a drastic step. Floki does not like confronting others, instead operating behind the scenes. All these qualities make Floki a great villain.
3 King Sweyn
King Sweyn used to be the King of Denmark. King Sweyn ruled over his empire with an iron fist. He would never let anyone challenge his authority. If someone tried to do so, they would be swiftly eliminated by the king's soldiers.
He was the father of Canute and his biggest adversary. King Sweyn was far from an ideal father. He was confident that Canute would never overcome his timidity and that he would always be below his feet. When Canute finally had his epiphany, Sweyn immediately acknowledged the danger he posed to his authority. So he decided to eliminate him and would have succeeded if Askeladd had not intervened.
2 Thorgil
Thorgil was the oldest son of Ketil, but he is nothing like his father. Ketil was generous and avoided fighting at all costs. Thorgil, on the other hand, was obsessed with fighting, and he always looked for a chance to show off his strength. Thorgil perfectly encapsulated the fighting Nordic spirit, and it gave the second season a much-needed sense of thrill.
Before returning to Ketil's farm, Thorgil was away fighting in wars. The continuous fighting improved Thorgil's physical abilities, and he was able to compete against stronger enemies. His decision to kill Canute's soldiers caused problems for all the people on the farm, including Thorfinn. The protagonist had to put his life on the line to save the farm from being destroyed.
1 Askeladd
There is no question that Askeladd is by far the best villain in Vinland Saga. He was responsible for the death of Thors, an event that led to Thorfinn heading down the path of violence. While Askeladd allowed Thorfinn to tag along, it was only for his personal gain. Askeladd used Thorfinn's anger and made him carry out dangerous missions.
In the end, Thorfinn never even got the opportunity to avenge his father, as Askeladd sacrificed himself. He committed various inhumane acts, including massacring an entire village full of innocent people. Yet Askeladd did not show any remorse for any of his heinous acts. He hated his men, and he only remained on their good side for his own benefit. When the time came, he attacked and killed many of them.