Since 2005, mangaka Makoto Yukimura has been hard at work delivering the Vinland Saga series to the hands of readers around the world. Following Planetes, a space-themed science fiction story, and the one-shot Kodansha release of For Our Farewell is Near, Yukimura put the history books to good use by bringing life to the story of Thorfinn and his journey for revenge. In 2019, Vinland Saga debuted its first season with a phenomenal bang, receiving some of the best opening ratings for a new series in the last five years. With the unique blend of historical figures who existed long before our time and tales of those characters colliding head to head in despair, the anime community could not get enough of Vinland Saga.

WIT Studios took on the project and produced 24 episodes of some of the highest-quality anime in recent memory, bringing vivid motion, sound, and music from page to screen and drawing in large amounts of people with its unapologetic violence and heart-wrenching tragedy. Known as The War Arc, Vinland Saga's first season produced a large volume of storytelling and character development among several characters, leaving new fans and manga readers alike in tears. Nine episodes received a minimum score of 9 out of 10 on IMDB's rating scale, with the finale hitting a near-perfect score of 9.9, which shows how masterful The War Arc was.

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The Troll of Jom

During the introductory scene of Vinland Saga's first episode, Somewhere Not Here, Thors Snorresson awakes in a beautiful landscape, with the sun beaming on him and the fresh air creating a calming breeze. Greeted by a woman holding a baby in the distance, Thors returns to reality when his glance downward draws the audience to the present time, as Thors stands in a ship, wielding a sword and taking on numerous enemies. Skilled in battle, Thors is known as the strongest, most-bravest warrior in the world of Vikings, never meeting an equal or anyone who could stand in his way. His combat abilities earned him the rank of a Jomsviking commander, but he also received the nickname "Troll of Jom" for his dominating force.

Quickly, the audience learns of Thors' greater aspirations of giving up the battle, searching for a life of peace amidst nations embracing constant war. A tumble into the chilling waters grants Thors an opportunity to flee the battle, one he takes unbeknownst to his comrades. Believed to be dead by his Jomsviking crew, Thors takes advantage of his disappearance by settling in Iceland alongside his wife, Helga, and two children, Thorfinn and Ylva. It was a marriage granted by the third chief of the Jomsviking, Sigvaldi, who was the father of Helga and the brother of Thorkell, a comrade of Thors'.

As quickly as he found peace, Thors surrendered it after Thorkell and the Jomsviking discovered him. Escaping the treachery of war is a crime punishable by death, and they made no exception for Thors. As a result, the introduction to Askeladd leads to the untimely demise of Thors, who is slain in battle by a line of arrows. Unfortunately for him, his son Thorfinn bears witness to the slaying but is powerless to prevent it as he is only six years old and does not possess any real strength at that moment. The death of Thors leads to Thorfinn's declaration to kill Askeladd and avenge his father.

Thorfinn and Askellad's Tumultuous Connection

The series takes a dark and dramatic turn over ten years as Thorfinn grows into a teenager full of anger and revenge. He begrudgingly joins Askeladd's forces to keep close to his enemy while also learning the fundamentals of battle and the ways of killing. He promises to be the one to deal the fatal blow that will take Askeladd's life, even challenging him to a one-on-one fight with murderous intentions, though his efforts are unsuccessful. Still, Askeladd refuses to kill Thorfinn, instead choosing to weaponize his abilities to grow stronger and become a killing machine, much like his father once was.

Wielding two blades, one in each hand, Thorfinn becomes an exceptional warrior on the field but finds himself in a juxtaposition — he wishes to murder Askeladd yet protects him on the battle lines to preserve him long enough to take his life. Thorfinn even has an opportunity one evening to end Askeladd's life while he's sleeping, only to abort the chance due to his pride intervening. The decision contrasts with Askeladd, who once found himself in a similar position during childhood but opted to choose the road of death and slay his enemy in their sleep. The irony isn't lost on Askeladd as he suggests to Thorfinn about never giving up such an opportunity.

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Throughout the resentful glances and death threats, Askeladd teaches Thorfinn about the dangers of leading into an attack with emotion. He showcases this ideology by continuously gaining the upper hand on Thorfinn during combat, often leaving him with words of wisdom to use his brain when leaping into action. Never giving up the opportunity to shed his wisdom, Askeladd shares his knowledge with Thorfinn about the battlefield, never giving him enough to become too strong yet plenty to utilize his strength for the betterment of his troops. The story between the two goes from boiling points to teaching moments, culminating in the season finale when Thorfinn's motivation doesn't come to fruition despite seeing his father's murderer slain.​​​​​​​

Prince Canute's Introduction and Rise

Perhaps one of the bigger turns of the season comes with the introduction of Prince Canute, which turns a seemingly uncomplicated story into one full of twists. Son of the King of Denmark, Canute, and his companion and guardian, Ragnar, bring a complex situation to the table as they join the equation thanks to King Sweyn's aspirations to conquer England. When familiar faces show up to block the takeover of London, it's Askeladd and his group of warriors who accept the tasks of protecting Prince Canute and the aid of taking over London. Furthermore, Canute's arrival welcomes some religious ideology, as he was raised as a Christian and can often be found praying early in the story.

Unlike his father's nature, Canute is reserved and unwilling to fight, playing the role of a pacifist who is frightened by the thought of war. On occasion, a simple glance from Thorfinn sends Canute into a frenzy, sending him to hide behind Ragnar. The contrast between the two becomes slightly comical when Askeladd commands Thorfinn to protect him, who sneers at the idea of a fellow man being unable to fight. Canute's appearance also comes off as feminine to Askeladd's forces, who joke about whether he is a prince or a princess. His fearful demeanor only adds to that belief, leaving him victim to many passing insults and intimidation during conquests.

Fortunately for Canute, his nature takes a complete turn following the death of Ragnar, lamenting about the thought of nobody loving him with Ragnar gone. The moment of realization sparks a sense of confidence and determination in Canute, who no longer fears war or death and believes those furthest from God require the most love. With a new sense of leadership in his heart, Canute not only takes the throne following his father's murder but also the life of Askeladd — much to the dismay of Thorfinn, who must watch without being able to intervene. The conclusion of Vinland Saga's first season ends the way Thorfinn's journey started; with the death of someone he wished to keep alive and powerless to stop it.

Vinland Saga Season 1 is available to stream on Amazon Prime.

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