Thorfinn is a rare character that puts his weapons down in Vinland Saga. In season one, he's a vicious, brutal teen with nothing more than revenge on his mind. As the series progresses, so does Thorfinn's character, and he becomes a wise, patient young man who decides that his days of violence are behind him. He's a soft-spoken character who doesn't talk too often, making every quote memorable. His quotes are a great way to see his character change.
In the first season, Thorfinn only talks about revenge. He's constantly reminding Askeladd that he's only with his band so that he can get revenge one day. In the second season, however, Thorfinn finds hope once again. He decides that war only leads to more war, and that if he really wants peace, he'll need to be a proponent of it himself.
10 "Why Do We Have to Fear Death?"
Thorfinn Doesn't Know How He'll Move Forward
Thorfinn is hopeless as the second season of Vinland Saga begins. He lived his entire life with the sole purpose of killing Askeladd, and when Askeladd was killed in front of him, his life lost all meaning. He was eventually sold into slavery and ended up on Ketil's Farm. The Farm's retainers were spineless bullies who delighted in torturing the young man. When Fox is slashing away at Thorfinn, Thorfinn couldn't care less.
Related
10 Best Vinland Saga Volume Covers
Thorfinn Karlsefni's journey in Vinland Saga spans years and drastic emotional shifts, exemplified by the manga's beautiful volume covers.
Fox is trying to goad Thorfinn into caring, but Thorfinn flat out says he doesn't. He asks the onlookers for a reason to fear death, because good things haven't happened to him while he's lived. It's a sad, heartbreaking quote that perfectly encapsulates Thorfinn's character at this point in the series. All he's done is suffered, and he could use some rest.
9 "I'll Achieve, Then You'll Die..."
He Doesn't Want Anything More Than To Fight Askeladd
Thorfinn traveled with Askeladd and his group after his father, Thors, died. He turned into one of the most capable warriors in Askeladd's band, and Askeladd eventually grew to be proud of Thorfinn. Thorfinn didn't want his enemy to get confused, and told him that once he achieved something worth Askeladd's attention, he'd try to kill him again. Askeladd will only honor Thorfinn's request to duel if Thorfinn has done something worth dueling over.
While Askeladd had grown to become a decent father figure to Thorfinn in Vinland Saga, Thorfinn didn't care at all. He wanted Askeladd to remember that he wanted revenge. Thorfinn had a couple of chances of killing Askeladd but was never strong enough or smart enough to pull it off. He eventually watched his long-time rival die to Canute, sending Thorfinn into a spiral and making him find a whole new side of himself.
8 "I'm Pathetic. I Never Grow"
Thorfinn Looks at His Sins
Thorfinn was depressed when he was sold to Ketil's Farm. He had spent his life trying to kill Askeladd, only for Askeladd to die by someone else's hand. Not only that, but Thorfinn had killed a lot of people while following Askeladd. He raided numerous villages, burning down homes and slaughtering tons of people. Thorfinn is having a hard time dealing with his guilt when he dreams of a sort of hell. He's barely hanging on by a thread, feeling pathetic for never getting better than the current version of himself.
Thorfinn laments his own uselessness, but Askeladd is there to reassure him. He tells him that if he wants to get past the past, he'll have to fight. He has to accept everything he's done and look forward. Thorfinn might not use violence to raid farms anymore, but he can use it to protect his friends.
7 "Mother, I'm Sorry for Everything"
A Well Deserved Reunion
Thorfinn left home with his father when he was six-years-old and never came back. He eventually makes his way home 16 years later when Leif Ericson finds him on Ketil's Farm and buys him back. They travel back to Thorfinn's home so he can see his mother once again. When he sees his mom, he's at a loss for words until she recognizes him. As choked up as anyone can be, Thorfinn musters out the words, "Mother... I'm sorry for everything" before crying in her arms.
Related
10 Best Anime Fans of Vinland Saga Need to Watch
Vinland Saga's unique tale may never be replicated entirely, but these shows bear clear resemblances that are sure to evoke similar enjoyment.
It's a cathartic moment that Thorfinn and his mother have deserved for more than a decade. Neither of them probably thought they'd see the other ever again, making this moment even sweeter. Thorfinn is a kind boy for apologizing to his mother before he said anything else, putting her before him.
6 "Don't Forget, Askeladd..."
Thorfinn Doesn't Want Askeladd To Get Comfortable
Askeladd and Thorfinn have an odd relationship in Vinland Saga. Askeladd killed Thorfinn's dad, Thors, in an incredibly cowardly way. He lost a duel fair and square to the Troll of Jom before having his archers send a dozen arrows into him. Since then, Thorfinn has spent his time following Askeladd in an attempt to avenge his father. Askeladd's condition for allowing Thorfinn to come is that Thorfinn has to help him with his raids, a job Thorfinn is perfect for.
Thorfinn reminds Askeladd not to get too comfortable early in the first season. Askeladd is more than happy that Thorfinn has been helping him and his people and wants him to put all this vengeance talk aside. Thorfinn reminds him that it's the only reason he's there, telling him not to forget their agreement.
5 "Do You Think It's Possible"
After All This Time, Thorfinn Still Has Hope
Thorfinn feels a lot of guilt for everything he did while traveling with Askeladd. He killed a lot of innocent people just so he could one day kill Askeladd. When Askeladd died, Thorfinn was left with nothing. He didn't get to kill the man who killed his father, and worse yet, he didn't have any plan for what came after. When he's sold to Ketil's Farm, his hope slowly returns. Ketil's father is a kind man named Sverkel who helps Thorfinn and Einer with a variety of tasks.
The pair are helping the elderly man with some fishing one day when Sverkel tells them about being reborn. Thorfinn hears the idea for the first time, wondering if he himself can be reborn. It's a sad but promising moment that shows that while Thorfinn doesn't have any hope currently, he might not be too far from it once again.
4 "I'm The One Whose Supposed To..."
Askeladd's Tragic Death
Thorfinn was about as one-tracked minded as anyone could be during the first season of Vinland Saga. He followed Askeladd around with the sole hope of getting to fight him one day and killing him, and towards the end of the season, they were getting close. Their last fight was one of the best in Vinland Saga, and, unfortunately, for Thorfinn, their last. When King Sweyn announced his invasion of Wales, Askeladd's had enough. He beheads the king in a single swing of his sword, kills many of his guards, and is finally killed himself by Canute.
It's the worst case scenario for Thorfinn, who enters the throne room horrified. He's angry at Askeladd for dying and tells him that it was he who was supposed to cut Askeladd down. While Askeladd finally dies, it's not at Thorfinn's hand, and now the young man doesn't know what to do with his life.
3 "I Haven't Got All Day"
32 Punches Isn't Enough to Stop Thorfinn
Thorfinn was one of the strongest characters in Vinland Saga in the first season. While he's still a strong fighter in the second season, he's focusing on pacifism more than anything. He doesn't want to fight anymore and is willing to be on the receiving end of a beat down if it means he doesn't need to give one. When Canute and his soldiers make their way to Ketil's Farm, Thorfinn wants to speak with the King. His troops say that he can, but only after 100 punches.
Thorfinn accepts the ridiculous challenge and gets punched in the face 32 times before falling down. While the soldiers think it's over, Thorfinn tells them to hurry up and finish because he doesn't have all day. It's an epic moment that showcases how determined Thorfinn is to deal without resorting to violence.
2 "Far To The West"
Thorfinn Dreams of Peace
Thorfinn is beyond revenge in the second season of Vinland Saga. He'd heard stories from his dad's friend Leif Ericson about a place called Vinland, a land far to the west without war or slaves. When Arnheid is dying on the back of a wagon, Thorfinn begins to recount his tales of the mythical land. He tells the group about Vinland, a Heaven on Earth where they can escape all their troubles and live the peaceful lives they've always wanted to.
Related
10 Best Anime About Getting Revenge
Revenge anime have a unique niche in exploring the flaws of the series' protagonist, and the heavy consequences of pursuing vengence.
It's a touching moment that shows how far Thorfinn has come as a character. He doesn't care about violence or revenge anymore. Instead, he wants to take his friends somewhere far away from it all. He wants them to experience peace and believes that if they go to Vinland, they can finally get it.
1 "I Don't Have Any Enemies"
Canute Might Not Ever Understand
Thorfinn's best quote in Vinland Saga comes well after his fighting days. He's done telling Askeladd he's out for revenge and the vicious side of him is finally put away. After he suffered 100 punches to earn the right to speak with Canute, the soldiers who were fighting against him were beyond confused. They didn't understand Thorfinn or his mentality, but Thorfinn made it clear to them. He told them in no uncertain terms that he had no enemies.
This quote could have never come from Thorfinn in the first season. He was a bloodthirsty fighter who cared about nothing more than his enemies. Now, he's past it. He believes in peace and understands that no good comes out of fighting, so what's the point of having enemies? It's an iconic quote because of how outrageous Thorfinn is. Even after being punched in the face 100 times, Thorfinn has no enemies.
Vinland Saga is an adaptation of the historical-action manga series by Makoto Yukimura. Centering around young Thorfinn, the story sees the young man on a quest for revenge following the murder of his father by the mercenary Askeladd. To accomplish this feat, Thorfinn joins Askeladd's company to bide his time and prepare to face him in the future. The story starts around 1002 AD and revolves around fictional accounts of the Danish invasion of London.
Cast Yûto Uemura , Mike Haimoto , Shinya Takahashi , Alejandro Saab , Hiroki Gotô , Aleks Le , Kaiji Tang , Michael C. Pizzuto
Release Date July 6, 2019
Seasons 2
Network Netflix
English (US) ·