Thorfinn is the main protagonist of Vinland Saga. He is the son of Thors and Helga and brother to Ylva. Due to his father's efforts, Thorfinn spent most of his time away from violence and war. But fate wouldn't allow that. In a dramatic turn of events, Thorfinn ended up working for his father's killer.
Thorfinn tried his best to avenge his father, and it was a journey that he would sorely regret later on. Considering Thorfinn is taciturn, it is hard to figure out his likes and dislikes. This can be a problem for fans wanting to learn more about the protagonist. So, this list will cover the things that viewers ought to know about Thorfinn from Vinland Saga.
7 Thorfinn Is Based On A Real-life Person
Many of Makoto Yukimura's characters have been inspired by real-life characters, so it's not surprising to see the main character being one of them. Thorfinn is named after an Icelandic explorer named Thorfinn Karlsefani. However, the two of them are very different when it comes to their respective roles.
Thorfinn Karlsefani was primarily a merchant and an explorer who followed Leif Eriksson's route to Vinland. He established a settlement, although it could not function for long. Eventually, Thorfinn and the rest of the settlers had to retreat. Thorfinn from the anime is a warrior who defeated numerous opponents and solidified his reputation as one of the strongest characters in the series.
6 Thorfinn's Birthday
As the lead character in the series, it's not surprising to see Thorfinn among the most popular characters. Die-hard fans of Thorfinn are always waiting for new information to be revealed about their beloved character. Before 2021, Thorfinn's birthday remained unknown.
Initially, Yukimura issued a statement in which he clarified that he did not give Thorfinn a birthday because the real-life Thorfinn's birthday was unknown. However, he later disclosed that Thorfinn's birthday fell on February 3rd.
5 Thorfinn Had Extremely Limited Knowledge
Thorfinn may have been an exceptionally talented fighter, but there is still a lot that he needs to learn. Since he was exposed to the horrors of war at a young age, Thorfinn never had any time to learn about the different things required to get through life.
When he was taken as a slave on Ketil's farm, Thorfinn didn't understand how farming worked until Einar taught him. Thorfinn also had no idea what to do after failing to kill Askeladd, causing him to go into a state of shock. He didn't understand when Thors told him that he had no enemies. Fortunately, Thorfinn is quick at learning things, and he still has time ahead of him.
4 Thorfinn Has The Best Character Development
Even though it is not something that is unknown to the audience, Thorfinn's marvelous character development requires mentioning again. In the first season of the anime, Thorfinn went from being an innocent kid to a fearsome young warrior.
In the second season, Thorfinn's persona changed to that of a man who had lost all hope and just wished to die. But after meeting so many amazing people on the farm, Thorfinn finally understood his mistakes. He gave up trying to die, and instead, he focused on living and bettering himself.
3 Thorfinn Possesses Ridiculous Strength And Speed
Thorfinn's fighting abilities were better than any person of his age. He was able to fight against people who were twice his size, and he only got better with time. Thorfinn's speed saved him from many dire situations. When he fought against Thorkell, the young fighter's reflexes enabled him to dodge his opponent's powerful attacks.
By combining his physical strength and speed, Thorfinn would blitz his opponents before they even had a chance to react. He was even praised by Thorkell and Askeladd, who were strong warriors in their own right.
2 Thorfinn's Durability Is Incredible
Thorfinn's early exposure to fighting made him realize that he had to either become strong mentally and physically, or else he would die horribly before achieving his goal of killing Askeladd. Thorfinn traveled with Askeladd's group for many years, which helped him gain experience and improve his physical abilities, especially his resilience.
In the Slave arc, Thorfinn stepped in to save Ketil's farm from being overrun by Canute and his army. The soldiers agreed to grant him an audience if he could survive 100 blows. They were flabbergasted to see Thorfinn standing after receiving so many blows. He was later taken to Canute, where he negotiated the safety of the farm.
1 Thorfinn Has The Potential To Surpass His Father
Thorfinn's father, Thors, was a legendary warrior who made a name for himself as he moved from one battlefield to another. Thors' exploits earned him the epithet "Troll of Jom." After careful deliberation, Thors came up with a plan to fake his death and ran away with his wife. Needless to say, he would have gone on to achieve even more incredible things if he had not decided to prioritize his family.
Thorfinn was heavily inspired by his father and wanted to be strong like him. Judging from his achievements in season 1, it is hardly surprising that Thorfinn was among the best fighters. He managed to knock out Thorkell, and even though he required Askeladd's help, it doesn't undermine this particular achievement. Considering he achieved so much at such a young age, it wouldn't be an overstatement to say that Thorfinn had the potential to surpass his father.