I had to seriously think about what to write in the title field, but I think this was the only direction I could go. Wit seems to be trying to break the record for how much a sequel can possibly be teased without actually being announced. Yabuta Shuuhei hinted at the possibility in a recent interview. The final episode is called “The End of the Prologue” (though to be fair, that’s the chapter title in the manga too). Someone leaked the possibility to a fairly reliable anime rumor site. And finally, they produced a short promo video(no, it’s not an announcement for a movie) teasing the next arc in the manga.
But no flokki-ing announcement.
Why is that? Maybe there’s debate in the production committee, which as we know is a formidable obstacle to anything good happening in anime. Maybe Wit’s terminally chaotic production calendar has something to do with it – a sequel to the hugely profitable Hoozuki no Reitetsu was delayed for years because of that. Maybe everyone is sitting back and waiting for BD sales numbers, or final results for how the merchandising campaign at Tokyu Hands went. Who the hell knows? I sure don’t – which leaves me rather in a bind about whether to pick up the manga where the anime left off.
One thing I can say with absolute certainty is that I’m completely invested in this story now, and will continue with it one way or the other. And the finale certainly did nothing to change that. Not being a manga reader I’m not burdened with the chore of comparing this version to the original – from what I read less was changed in the finale than many expected – but I can tell you that for me, this was a brilliant conclusion. Fittingly, as it’s been a brilliant two cours of anime – the best (when the whole two cours are considered) of the past two years, as far as I’m concerned.
What this finale also made clear (if it weren’t already) is that the main character of this part of the series is Askeladd – or should I say “Lucius Artorius Castus” (he arranges his attire in Roman fashion for the final showdown)? If it had been titled in true saga fashion this prologue would have been “The Book of Askeladd”. The largely original and sublime Thors prologue set up the larger series as a whole, for which Thorfinn is clearly the protagonist. But the character whose life and whose thoughts were the spine of these two cours was Askeladd. It really had to end with his end – nothing else would have worked. And he stormed the barricades of anime in 2019 like an army of a thousand Thorkells.
In the end, as before, it was Askeladd pulling the strings. He was the driver of all the major events in Vinland Saga so far, but while it was his deliberate actions leading up to this point, he fell afoul of his inability to conceal his passion for his homeland here. Once Floki spotted that Askeladd’s fate was sealed. He could have chosen to kick the can down the road – play along for the moment and try to figure out a way out of the trap he found himself in later. But he didn’t – he chose to provoke a confrontation and stake his life on a gamble that was almost a sure bet not to pay off.
Why would Askeladd – clearly the smartest guy in the room, no matter who else is in the room – do that? I honestly believe he was tired. The destruction of his army – which he claimed to hate – impacted him deeply. He’d become what he hated in order to try and accomplish his goals, and was tired of being that person. And he knew that even if Sweyn refused his entreaties to spare Wales (as he surely knew was a near-certainty) the fallback option was the best hope Wales had. By sacrificing himself, Askeladd could make Canute a hero – and by making Canute a hero, he could make him king. And Canute as king – especially knowing what Askeladd had done – was very likely to take a kinder view on Askeladd’s homeland than any other possible ruler of Britain.
Here again we see Thorkell being smarter than he acts. He keeps his wits about him, doesn’t panic as any of this is happening. And once it’s clear to him what Askeladd is doing, he prods Canute to be the one to strike the killing blow (“A dog should be handled by his own master”), and makes sure the boy doesn’t let his emotions put the opportunity Askeladd has given him to waste. Thorkell acts like he doesn’t understand the subtleties of politics and court intrigue, but the truth is he simply doesn’t care about them – and there’s a big difference. Now, more than ever, he’s essential to any chance Canute has to be a successful ruler.
And then, of course, we have the matter of Thorfinn. Here I gather is where the anime did make some changes, padding out his role and showing us his inner conflict in more depth (and as with all the changes they made, thank goodness). It appears he at least momentarily decides to go with Leif, to give up on the cause of revenge. But in the end he can’t bring himself to do it, and even without knowing what’s going on in the grand hall he goes to return to Askeladd’s side. Once it becomes clear what is happening, this all takes on a much greater sense of urgency of course.
It’s certainly ironic that Askeladd’s death is directly caused by Thorfinn’s intervention, just as Thors’ was. But the same truth reigns in both cases – the result would have been the same either way. Both men had made their decision to die for the sake of something they valued more than their own lives. Thorfinn doesn’t understand any of this yet of course, but perhaps he’ll come to someday. To watch Askeladd die in his arms destroys the foundations of Thorfinn’s world, but it’s not a simple matter to understand why. To say his feelings for Askeladd – and vice-versa – are complicated is the understatement of the (11th) Century.
Watching Thorfinn’s knife clatter to the ground, as all the scenes of life are reflected in it… What a beautiful imagery from Yabuta-sensei. Thorfinn has the opportunity to put the final blow to Askeladd – Askeladd urges him to. But Thorfinn can’t or won’t do it. Of course this isn’t how he imagined Askeladd’s death playing out, but there’s more to it than that. In truth this is the closest thing to a father he’s ever had, and Askeladd’s final words are not of Wales or his mother – they’re of Thors and his son. Askeladd never stops trying to push Thorfinn onto a path that will give his life meaning, right up to his final breaths. Is that any different from what a father would do?
The question of what comes next applies to the story itself and not just the anime, of course. The real killer of Thors, in spirit if not in deed, still lives. It’s pretty clear what Canute will do – rule England in his father’s place, with Thorkell at his side. But what of Thorfinn? Askeladd’s death has robbed him of the only purpose he ever allowed himself to live for, but to simply substitute Floki for Askeladd would be a hollow turn for him. Leif is still out there, and so is home – but most importantly, Vinland is out there too. That’s surely where the bird Thorfinn sees in his mind’s eye is forever flying towards, and surely where Vinland Saga will lead him eventually.
Epilogue:
