The 10 Best Episodes Of The Vinland Saga Anime, Ranked

"Vinland Saga" brings the era of the Vikings to the realm of anime. The titular "Vinland" is the name that Viking explorer Leif Erikson gave to North America after reaching its shores, and in the series, that far off land represents a wish to escape to a better place than where you currently stand. The show is set in the early 11th century during the Danish subjugation of England, and explores how someone could become a pacifist in such a violent world.

The answer: Thorfinn, introduced as a young boy living in Iceland. Like all boys, he likes playing war — until he sees the real thing when his father, Thors, is murdered by the Viking Askeladd. The orphaned Thorfinn joins Askeladd's band, choosing a life of violence to earn a duel with the man he hates. Thors, a former warrior who'd vowed never to kill again, would never have wanted Thorfinn to follow this path — especially on his behalf.

"Vinland Saga" season 1 is about the teenage Thorfinn's revenge, while the second season follows Thorfinn as he grows into a man. Having failed to get his revenge and killed hundreds of people for nothing, he's but an empty man living as a plantation slave. "Vinland Saga" season 2 shifts gears into a slower, more contemplative show as Thorfinn considers what kind of person he was and learns about the man he will be.

The anime is based on the original "Vinland Saga" manga by Makoto Yukimura, but has only adapted the first 100 chapters (less than 50% of the story), and a third season has not entered development at this time. Looking at the stretch of the story that the show has gotten too, here are the crowning achievements of its 48-episode run (fingers crossed that I can add a "so far" to that soon).

There are not many standalone or one-off stories in "Vinland Saga," which makes episode 14 all more memorable. The episode's lead is Anne, a young Christian girl in a Mercian village. Her family are god-fearing people, but Anne herself isn't so certain. She doesn't feel reassured by the thought of an all-seeing, all-powerful god, but burdened by it. Anne has plucked a golden ring from a marketplace and hidden her stolen prize in a tree outside her family's home. As she gazes upon it, she wonders if her path to Heaven has been blocked.

Oh the irony of her fretting such a venial sin when we've spent this story following Askeladd's thieves, rapists, and killers — who arrive at Anne's doorstep, seeking refuge from the harsh winter. Anne, who snuck away to see her ring, is the only one spared. She can't see her blessing, though, and is convinced her family made it to Heaven while she and "wicked men" remain trapped on Earth, so far away from God's love. 

Christian ideas being filtered through the perspective of cultures that weren't raised in them — whether the pagan Norsemen (the show's primary characters) or the Shintoist/Buddhist Japanese (the show's creators) — is one of the most weightiest themes of "Vinland Saga." Anne's story is the first time the series asks what kind of father would leave his children locked out of his domain, trapped with all of their worst selves?

"Vinland Saga" episode 6 is a lynchpin in the story, showing the first evil decisions that Thorfinn makes. Officially joining Askeladd's band, he takes a life in battle before he's even a teenager. Vikings didn't stop at only fellow warriors, though.

Stranded in an English village, Thorfinn is taken in by an old woman who lost her son. She realizes what Thorfinn is (he can barely speak her language) but still accepts him. Thorfinn repays her by lighting a summoning fire for Askeladd and his men. The episode ends with them charging towards the village. Thorfinn catches the woman's horrified look before he follows after Askeladd, not stopping to think of the consequences.

"The Journey Begins" is a title that comes with optimistic sentiments, suggesting a beginning with a world for the taking before you. Once you see the episode, the title's meaning changes. This is where Thorfinn's descent begins, and the show won't let him get away with valuing his father's stolen life above those that still have theirs. "Vinland Saga" may be about Vikings, but it recreates the world they lived in to show just how backwards it was.

Here's where the story kicks into gear. Thors has been summoned by his old band the Jomsvikings to fight. Floki, an ambitious Jomsviking chieftain, hires Askeladd's band to assassinate Thors. 

Thors fights the raiders single-handedly, taking not a single life. His duel with Askeladd is the spine of the episode; while Thors is the hero here, we only hear Askeladd's thoughts, and so are as amazed by Thors' strength, and restraint, as he is. Once the duel is won, Thors utters the words that will define this saga: "A true warrior does not need a sword."

Since he refuses to kill or join Askeladd, and Askeladd's first mate Bjorn is holding a knife to Thorfinn's throat, Thors gives his life. Thorfinn, still at an age where a boy believes their father is immortal, has his entire world shattered. He can't believe that Thors died, or that he would give his life instead of fighting for it. The episode ends with Thorfinn screaming at Askeladd's pirates that he'll kill them all, scaring even these hardened warriors.

The "Vinland Saga" anime rearranges the manga's structure into chronological order (chapter one is episode seven of the anime). I get why Yukimura told his story this way; if you want a manga to last, you need to hook readers from the beginning, hence introducing Thorfinn as a killer and then telling his backstory as a prequel. Watching Thors' fate without it being a foregone conclusion, though, strengthens the impact.

The other young lead of "Vinland Saga" is Prince Canute, the fragile son of Danish king Sweyn. After being left behind at the siege of London to die, Uriah-style, Canute is rescued by Askeladd's band who want their own royal hostage.

This mid-stretch of "Vinland Saga" season 1 is a prolonged chase between Askeladd's men and the Vikings loyal to Thorkell the Tall. Thorkell is an eight-fall-tool ogre of a man who needs the blood of slain enemies to live as much as the blood pumping through his veins. He's also an old comrade of Thors; he's hunting Askeladd's men less for Canute, and more because he wants to know if Thorfinn can give him a fight like his father could.

Thorfinn and Thorkell's duel takes up some screen time in episode 18, but it's mostly about Canute. True to the title "Out Of The Cradle," a shrinking violet blooms as the Prince finally finds his voice. He's inspired by the wisdom of Father Willibald, a drunk priest in search of "True Love." Willibald tells Canute that men can only love in death, where they have no capacity to hurt others nor to "discriminate" in who they care for. That fatalism is what brings Canute off his knees, when he decides that he will build the Earthly utopia that God refuses to.

"Vinland Saga" season 2 devotes much time to the story of Arnheid, a woman enslaved alongside Thorfinn and his friend Einar. Captured when men burned her village, Arnheid is the object of Einar's eye — and her master Ketil's as well, who has no reservation about using her body. Halfway through season 2, Arnheid's husband Gardar (taken in battle many years ago) escapes his own captivity and finds her on Ketil's farm. Their escape attempt comes to a head in season 2, episode 17, "The Way Home."

The episode opens with an action scene for the fans who missed the brutality of season 1. Thorfinn, with only his hands, duels Snake, Ketil's chief guard who wants to slay Gardar for killing his own men. Askeladd appears one last time as the devil on Thorfinn's shoulder, asking if defending the innocent justifies killing again, especially someone who Thorfinn respects as he does Snake.

After that exhilarating opening, though, the episode slows down. Arnheid and Gardar ride off in a slow drawn carriage; he's dying, but she's comforting him with a peaceful death. In his last moments, Gardar imagines the life they would've had if he hadn't foolishly charged off into battle.

The "Vinland Saga" manga becomes more and more transparently a critique of toxic masculinity, and introducing more female characters like Arnheid to the story is a necessary move to fully explore those themes (just wait for the third and fourth arcs, should the anime continue). You don't have to fight in battles yourself to be the victim of a culture that rewards challenging others and taking what they own for yourself, especially at a time when women were seen as mere loot.

Arnheid's story ends here and, true to the title, her story is one of pain until the end. Beaten by Ketil after she tried to escape with Gardar, she dies as Thorfinn and Einar try to take her to safety.

Ketil gets what he deserves, but he makes dozens more pay the price alongside him (Arnheid included). Canute has invaded Ketil's farm, needing to seize its wealth to further expand his North Sea Empire. The only way he can bring peace, he believes, is to bring every Viking under his command and chain their greed with his iron fists. Ketil rallies his debt slaves and farmhands to protect his land and they're slaughtered in the effort. Ketil himself takes a nasty blow to the head, but Snake saves him from death and an escape from his actions' consequences.

In the distance, Arnheid recognizes the sound of war and her despair is complete. Not only have all her loved ones died, the world is a violent place and nowhere she could escape to would be free of war and slavery. Her passing, with Thorfinn trying to revive her with chest compressions and Einar pleading for her to live? You'll be feeling the same pain in your heart, I promise.

Arnheid's words are what inspire Thorfinn and Einar's agreement to build a new world in Vinland: one where people like her could find refuge. The "Vinland" referenced in the title is not just the literal land, it's the dream of a nation free from war.

Bjorn is always a supporting character defined by his loyalty to Askeladd. He stays true to his leader even when the rest of the band, fearful of Thorkell's wrath, try to defect. When he takes a stab in the gut and faces a slow death with no Valhalla at the end of it, Bjorn asks Askeladd to repay that loyalty by giving him a last duel and honorable death.

Season 1 of "Vinland Saga" reveals bit by bit that Askeladd is more than he appears. No simple mercenary would be so impressed by Thors' pacifism that he'd ask to follow him, after all.  Askeladd was born to a Welsh slave and a Viking warrior who'd abducted and assaulted her. He grew up hearing stories from his mother about how legendary King Artorius (read: Arthur) would one day return from Avalon to smite the wicked. When his mother, who held so strongly to that hope, died, Askeladd realized no savior was coming — but Thors, and now Canute, could become the man his mother dreamed of. He couldn't though, too tainted by his Viking blood, and he hates the men that follow him for choosing violence.

But as Bjorn dies, and admits he followed Askeladd because he admired him and wished the two could've been real friends, Askeladd's cold heart breaks. Bjorn was his friend, "the only one [he's] ever had."

It takes a rare story, like "Vinland Saga," to make you tear up for two pillaging murderers!

What a ballsy title. Capping off your season by declaring everything so far has just been a prelude for the real story.

While "Vinland" season 1 was indeed only the prologue for Thorfinn, it was the final curtain for Askeladd. King Sweyn makes him choose: kill Canute, the Artorius he's waited for, or Wales will be the next land to know the Vikings' wrath. Askeladd chooses neither, decapitating Sweyn and proclaiming himself Lucius Artorius Castus, the true king of England. His plan goes perfectly, down to Canute killing him to cement his new crown.

When Thors died and Thorfinn cried at his knees, the frame around them was a white void. That imagery is reused here as Thorfinn holds the dying Askeladd. Even as Askeladd offers his life to Thorfinn, the boy refuses and screams at him to live. Askeladd spends his last moments telling Thorfinn that he has to move on now. Despite their shared hatred, he spent 10 years being the closest thing Thorfinn had to a father; now it's time for Thorfinn to follow his real father's path, and become a truer warrior than even Thors could.

The actors in each version of this scene, both the original Japanese and two English dubs from Sentai Filmworks and Netflix, bring their A-game — as did WIT Studios' animation team. The expressiveness of Thorfinn's face as he screams is remarkable, while Askeladd finally looks at peace. His last expression is the first time we've seen him with kindness in his eyes.

"Mighty river, release my soul..." pleads the song in the opening titles of "Vinland Saga" season 2. Sung by Anonymouz from Thorfinn's perspective, the song is about how he still struggles to move on from his past. He's plagued by nightmares of all the battles he's fought, and in episode 9 (after being knocked out while he and Einar scrapped with some farmhands) he gets his longest dream yet.

First, he meets his father, who regrets all the things he couldn't teach Thorfinn. Then, the earth cracks beneath Thorfinn and he falls, catching himself at the last moment before he reaches Hell: a lake full of blood where zombie Vikings fight an endless war. They spent their lives killing each other, so this — not Valhalla — is all the eternity they've earned. "Vinland Saga" argues that human beings constantly force themselves into conflict for petty reasons, when in reality, "no one has enemies." So, in Hell, one has nothing but enemies.

Thorfinn's victims, piled into a mountain, try to drag him down as he cries, but a ghostly Askeladd orders him to persevere. Thorfinn has to climb out of the pit even with the weight of his sins dragging him down. When he awakens, he swears not to kill again, for even one more life will add to the burden he carries with every step he takes. 

Thorfinn's character development in this episode, and how the setting transmutes his inner struggle into visual metaphor, is simply fantastic. After he does climb out of the pit, the episode ends with him plowing a field. He's no longer a warrior who takes life; instead he'll be someone who sows a better life for himself and others. "Oath" is the kind of episode that can only be earned through the patience of following a character arc and boy does "Vinland Saga" earn it.

There are two episodes of "Vinland Saga" season 2 to go after "Emperor of Rebellion," but this is the season's crescendo. 

Thorfinn requests to talk with Canute, believing he can parlay him into backing off Ketil's farm thanks to their previous acquaintance. The only way Canute's guards will let a mere slave see their king, though, is if Thorfinn can take 100 punches and last. 

So he does, turning the other cheek with every hit. His attacker Drott, who killed a bear and has the scar to show for it, drops to his knees in awe and declares Thorfinn "a true warrior." Canute's right hand Wulf asks why Thorfinn didn't just defeat Drott in battle, so Thorfinn tells him that what's really absurd is starting a peace negotiation with a punch. They're all complete strangers, so what reason do they have to fight? Why must their blood be shed in Canute and Ketil's quarrel?

Thorfinn completes his growth here (signified by an insert shot of when Thors embracing Thorfinn), declaring to all who can hear him "I have no enemies." It's no coincidence that this shot is a dead-on close-up, with Thorfinn looking straight into the camera; "Vinland Saga" wants you to take this anti-violence message to heart.

"Emperor of the Rebellion" is ultimately incomplete. Canute tells Thorfinn he can't back down and his men form up around him, vessels of his ironclad intent. Will Thorfinn's pacifism hold when he's backed into a corner? This cliffhanger ending is the perfect place to leave off; now that Thorfinn has chosen his path, he meets the first obstacle in it.

"Vinland Saga" is streaming on Netflix and Crunchyroll.