Summary
Thorfinnis the main protagonist ofVinland Sagaand he is a very troubled and tragic character. A young boy who grew up away from war and conflict in Iceland, he quickly had this idyllic life shattered in front of his own eyes when his father was murdered by a vicious mercenary named Askeladd. From that moment on, Thorfinn went on a long and dangerous journey that saw him grow and change.
However, this growth was not always positive. Thorfinn has made many errors, some of which were truly difficult to redeem or correct. His hatred and desire for vengeance made him a morally dubious person, which in turn made him an interesting protagonist, but also one heavily burdened by the weight of his sins. Despite his drastic change in season 2,those poor choices and awful deeds will forever haunt Thorfinn.
7Disobeyed His Father
Followed Into The Fray
At the start of his journey, Thorfinn was a very playful and naive child.While not in an act of malice, this led to Thorfinn’s life of agony and despair. It also traumatized his mother and sister, who believed they lost both the men in their family in a single day, and all of this was due to Thorfinn’s curiosity.
When his father, Thors, went to fight a battle, Thorfinn was supposed to stay behind, but he secretly followed his father into the battle, hidden in a small barrel, and got into huge trouble. This led to Thorfinn witnessing his father die before his eyes, which traumatized him and set him on a path of deterioration and violence.
6Devoted His Life To Vengeance
Obsessed Over Killing Askeladd
In Season 1, Thorfinn’s only goal was vengeance.Seeing his father die at Askeladd’s handstraumatized the young man and set him on this path. He attempted to kill Askeladd straight away, failing and repeating the cycle many times over. For years, he prioritized this goal over everything else that he might have had in his life.
This desire proved to be very selfish, as it meant Thorfinn abandoned his family and chose to become a vengeful warrior. It also served to further traumatize Thorfinn himself, as he was exposed to war, conflict, and slaughter. Vengeance left irreparable scars on Thorfinn that he still seeks to heal.
5Took Up A Ruthless And Empty Persona
Became A Monster
As a result of his quest, Thorfinn changed greatly. As shown at the start of the anime, he was a happy and lively child, but his personality was completely flipped on its head as a result of his new obsession with vengeance. Instead of his normal self,Thorfinn grew cold and detached, and he was prone to outbursts of anger and rage.
This made him an incredibly difficult person to be around and communicate with. He became a violent recluse who did not trust anyone and, over the years, became more fundamentally broken as a result. The audience witnesses this powerful yet depressing transformation throughout the first season ofVinland Saga.
4Repeatedly Challenged Askeladd
Continued The Cycle Of Pain
Throughout his warrior career, Thorfinn sought blood and violence.He trained while fighting countless enemies, but his end goal was always Askeladd. Thorfinn would commonly challenge him to a duel, which Askeladd eagerly accepted and indulged Thorfinn as long as he did his bidding.
Unsurprisingly, each of those duels would end up in Thorfinn’s loss and humiliation in front of Askeladd’s mercenaries. This served to further worsen Thorfinn’s trauma and pushed him into a deep state of anguish and despair, but equally motivated him to train and kill even more in an attempt to reach his dream of vengeance.
3Allowed His Despair To Overtake Him
Became Animalistic
Eventually, this cycle led Thorfinn to a complete breaking point. After yet another duel with Askeladd, he realized that, just as he was perfecting his skills, his opponent learned his every move and ensured that he was always one step ahead. This meant that there was practically no chance for Thorfinn to fulfill his goal.
This causes Thorfinn to break even further, especially after seeing Askeladd killed by Canute. This leads Thorfinn into a state of uncontrollable rage. He eagerly attacks everyone around him and acts like an animal that requires restraint rather than a human being, showing the depths of depravity that vengeance can take.
Became A Pawn
Thorfinn’s long journey was not a happy one. On the contrary, it was filled with violence and slaughter.Askeladd’s living was made by mercenary action and participation in conflicts.This led to his people often serving those with coin; the highest bidder would earn the support of the mercenary group.
Thorfinn followed Askeladd and his group, participating in all the atrocities they committed. Due to his skill and devotion, Askeladd often used Thorfinn as his primary weapon. Thorfinn became an accomplished mercenary without ever aiming to become one, but it took time before he felt any regret for these actions.
1Helped Massacre A Village
Committed Atrocities
One of the worst crimes Thorfinn committed washelping Askeladd raid a village of innocent civilians. Shortly after becoming a member of the band, and becoming injured in a battle, Thorfinn was found by a mother and daughter from an English village who cared for him, allowed him to stay in their home, and took care of him despite the danger he posed.
Instead of thanking them, Thorfinn sent a signal fire for Askeladd and allowed the mercenaries to get into the village. This led to a ruthless massacre and slaughter of innocents, which Thorfinn directly contributed to. Despite the sorrow he felt later in his life, it is a grievous crime that will haunt Thorfinn forever.
