The following contains spoilers for Vinland Saga Season 2, episode 4, "Awakening," now streaming on Netflix.
The third episode of the new season of Vinland Saga was solid. The episode focused on Thorfinn's current state of mind, which is clearly different from when he was with Askeladd's group. Thorfinn has changed a lot, but what brought about this transformation was kept under wraps. With every passing episode, fans have been learning more and more about the new Thorfinn. In the episode, Thorfinn and Einar were ordered by Fox and Badger to tag along to a rather secluded location on the farm, which was filled with Guests.
Within minutes of their arrival, Fox revealed that Olmar had to kill Thorfinn and Einar to become a man. Einar was furious when he learned of their intentions, but Thorfinn was unfazed. Thorfinn's behavior annoyed Fox so much that he made several small cuts on Thorfinn's body. But none of the threats had any effect on Thorfinn, which infuriated Fox even further, and he chopped off a bit of the slave's ear. As Fox was readying to kill Thorfinn, Snake stepped in and punched his subordinate.
The Will To Live
After saving Thorfinn from Fox, Snake inquired about the situation. He learned from Badger about what had happened, and he apologized to both slaves. Snake formally introduced himself to Thorfinn, who returned the greetings. Once the introductions were complete, Snake drew his sword and attacked Thorfinn, who immediately sensed the danger and stopped the attack. When Snake was attacking, Thorfinn's body realized that the opponent was of high caliber, and he even saw flashes of Askeladd.
Thorfinn's moves shocked all the bystanders, as they couldn't believe it was the same man who had not moved an inch while being slashed by Fox. Seeing Thorfinn's moves, Snake just smiled and told him that it seemed that his body wanted to live. Thorfinn was still confused, and he did not know why his body moved on its own. This particular part of the episode was outstanding, and fans saw a glimpse of the old Thorfinn. Before the scene changed, Snake warned the other Guests not to try any other foolish stunts in the future.
The Warrior's Past
Following their narrow escape, the two heroes found themselves at Pater's hut. It was revealed that Pater had found the two slaves and immediately taken them to his place, where he tended to Thorfinn's injuries. Pater applied ointment to Thorfinn's wounds, and he also gave him a new robe to wear. Einar tried to make Thorfinn understand that he needed to thank Pater for all he had done for him. Instead of saying thank you, Thorfinn just sat down there with his mouth open, but Pater did not take offense to it, and he even gave the two the day off.
Of course, Thorfinn didn't take the offer and decided to go back to the forest and start chopping trees. With no other option left, Einar followed him.
As the duo started working, Einar couldn't help but think about Thorfinn's movement against Snake. So, he asked Thorfinn several questions about his past, and the latter answered all of them. Einar was not pleased after learning that Thorfinn used to be a warrior and had killed many people. The way Thorfinn talked seemed to indicate that he regretted murdering so many people.
Nightmares
When the night fell, Einar and Thorfinn were back at their sleeping place. Thorfinn was resting, but Einar was still awake, thinking about how his own family was tragically murdered by warriors. Thorfinn's words about not remembering how many he killed enraged Einar, who decided to strangle him. While Einar continued to choke Thorfinn, the former warrior was having another nightmare, in which he was running into a forest. Thorfinn saw a younger version of himself, the same version that was responsible for the deaths of many people. Following his exit from the forest, Thorfinn saw the spirit of one of the many people whom he had killed. Thorfinn got rid of the first one, but they kept coming. Einar still had his hands around Thorfinn's neck, but hearing his screams forced the Englishman to undo his grip.
Even after Einar had let go, Thorfinn continued to toss and turn as his nightmare only got worse. He dreamed of killing an old woman, which implied that he had a great deal of guilt. Eventually, Einar grabbed his wrist, which caused Thorfinn to wake up. Thorfinn asked Einar why he woke him up every time he had a nightmare. Thorfinn told him that he attacked many villages and killed numerous people. He admitted that he was no different from the people who killed Einar's family. Once again, Einar showed his kind side as he told Thorfinn that despite the horrors he suffered, there were still things that he could do. Einar's continuous support touched Thorfinn's heart, and he even thanked him. Before the episode ended, fans saw a glimpse of Canute, who was standing in a field filled with headstones.
The episode provided conclusive evidence that Thorfinn's past was indeed giving him nightmares. Einar's interaction with Thorfinn was also important for the latter's character development. Thorfinn's apology was a sign that he had started to change.