Vinland Saga (Season 2), Episode 7: Recap & Ending explained

Vinland Saga (Season 2), Episode 7: Vinland Saga’s new episode introduced several new characters, such as Thorgil, and gave us insights into others, such as Ketil and Arnheid. Ketil takes center stage this week, another step back from Thorfinn and Einar, who only appears briefly. Like most episodes this season, it is light on action but is an engaging and compelling watch nonetheless.

Vinland Saga (Season 2), Episode 7 Recap:

Episode 7: “Iron Fist Ketil”

The episode begins with Snake and some of his mercenaries investigating footprints at night, as flour and dried meat have been stolen from the farm during Ketil’s absence. Fox reports that he cannot track the thieves as their footprints have gotten mixed up with others. While they don’t steal large quantities, the thieves have stolen multiple times, and Snake says they need to be taught a lesson.

In the morning, Einar and Arnheid are conversing by the well. Arnheid tells Einar that Sverkel is fond of him, which Einar initially disagrees with but changes his mind when Arnheid points out that he rewards them despite being slaves. Einar wonders why that is the case, causing an amused Arnheid to say that it is because he is a good man. Thorfinn, also present, takes his leave after noticing Einar’s embarrassment, leading to Einar wondering if he was being nice. He then tells Arnheid that Thorfinn is a good man, too, despite his quiet nature, to which Arnheid agrees.

Arnheid is then called away by her mistress, Ketil’s wife, ending the conversation but not before both of them express how pleasant it is to talk to the other. The mistress abuses Arnheid both physically and verbally, also saying that when Ketil returns to the farm, he will probably bring guests.

At Thorfinn and Einar’s farm, we see that the wheat seeds planted in the previous episode have now sprouted into saplings, which amazes Thorfinn, who also shows his lack of knowledge by asking Einar simple questions about the wheat. Einar wonders whether Arnheid has a similar arrangement as they do with Ketil, as they at least have a chance at buying their freedom. Thorfinn doesn’t know and suggests he ask her, but Einar is unsure if he should ask that.

Einar then tells Thorfinn to pray, whether it be to the Christian God or the Norse gods, for a bountiful harvest. Although hesitant, Thorfinn follows suit, and the two pray for a while on their knees.

The scene shifts to Ketil and his son Thorgil returning to the farm. The latter after a while, and he notes that it hasn’t changed one bit. He asks after his mother and brother Olmar, and Ketil says that Olmar longs to go battle like Thorgil, who laughingly responds that Olmar is a coward. Ketil sternly points out that everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses, and Olmar should stay where he is as he won’t survive on the battlefield with his skills. This is despite Thorgil giving the example of King Canute changing on the battlefield for the better.

Thorgil and Ketil meet Snake and his men, who have captured the suspected thieves, revealed to be two young children, a boy, and a girl. Thorgil and Snake speak to each other as friends, as Snake was the one who trained him. Snake then states that the two must be punished despite their age. The two children are then bound with rope near Ketil’s family as they eat, and the boy’s name is revealed as Sture. The girl is his younger sister.

While eating lunch, Thorgil narrates to his family tales of the battlefield and gets Olmar to admit he wants to go to England. He pranks him by giving him a necklace made of human ears, causing Olmar to scream in disgust. Thorgil then reveals that their father Ketil is known as ‘Iron Fist Ketil’ and was a great warrior in the past.

Snake asks Ketil to sort out the mess with the two thieves, and Ketil speaks to them kindly. They introduce themselves at his prompting, and the girl is named Thora. Snake explains that their father is missing, and their mother is sick and has a baby to look after as well. After hearing the father’s name, Pater reveals that they owe Ketil money for the land they rent from him.

Ketil thinks that their circumstances are tragic, and normally those in their position are hired as workers by other families in the area, but no one would hire them with a sick mother and baby to look after as well. Ketil tears up but hides it when questioned about it by his wife.

When Ketil asks, Snake says that they probably stole a lot more but have only confessed to stealing a wheat bag. He reveals how he tricked them into confessing to the theft, and Ketil exclaims his methods are the same as threatening them. However, Snake rebuffs this, saying that if they were innocent, his methods wouldn’t have been enough for a confession, and Thorgil adds the punishment is the loss of one arm.

At this point, a clearly scared Sture begs for mercy for Thora, to which Thorgil agrees and says that they will cut off both his arms in that case. The siblings are horrified, but Snake requests to give them a lesser punishment as he had promised them that they would go easy on them if they confessed. Ketil is also horrified at Thorgil for saying such cruel things so casually and thinks he can’t believe that he is his son.

Ketil clearly does not want to punish the children in any way, but his position and the situation both mean he has to. Pater lends a helping hand, saying he is against the maiming, and suggests that Sture, Thora, and their mother start working for Ketil to pay back what is owed in total. That way, they won’t have to steal again, either.

Ketil happily agrees but is cut off by Pater, who says that they still must be flogged as punishment, and Snake concurs, saying that no one will take Ketil seriously if thieves are let off easily. With a heavy heart, Ketil sentences them to ten lashes each, with Sture begging to take twenty so as to spare his sister, which is granted.

Thorgil volunteers to do the beatings himself but hit Sture so hard with the first blow that he is knocked off his feet. A horrified Ketil takes over and completes the punishment.

Later that night, at a party, Olmar and Thorgil discuss how their father has gone to bed early, saying that the Iron Fist must be getting old. Ketil, who is awake in his bedroom, reveals to a woman that the title is a complete lie, as a Norse man cannot be afraid or weak. He is in despair over how the world and his people expect him to be strong and powerful and that no one expects him to be a liar. He has begun to fear Thorgil and is quite afraid of war and violence in general.

The woman is revealed to be Arnheid, who is Ketil’s mistress. She emotionlessly responds that kindness cannot possibly be wrong and that she understands his pain. Ketil, relieved, says that she is the one person who would tell him that and that she is the only one he can reveal his true self too. He tells her to stay by his side; without her, his world is nothing but darkness.

Vinland Saga (Season 2), Episode 7 Ending, Explained:

This episode shows us the inner conflict within Ketil, who, despite being a slave owner, is a genuinely kind and caring man who wishes to treat everyone with respect. However, Viking and Nordic culture needs its men to be stronger, forcing Ketil to put on a mask in front of everyone except Arnheid.

Arnheid’s reaction to Ketil’s emotional words is quite reserved, which starkly contrasts her reactions to Einar earlier in the episode. She is happy and smiling there, and Einar clearly has feelings for her. But given her position as Ketil’s concubine, she probably cannot have a relationship with him. Moving forward, this might become a focal point of this arc and a source of conflict.

The introduction of Thorgil is also quite interesting, as is his apparently cruel and bloodthirsty nature, which is reminiscent of Thorkell. His mentioning of Canute is also quite curious, as Canute’s story is now well known, and he apparently served in the new king’s army. Thorgil’s relationship with his father might go in a completely unexpected direction, given their different personalities and attitudes toward warfare and violence.

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Vinland Saga TV Series (2019- ) Links: IMDb
Vinland Saga TV Series (2019- ) Cast: Yûto Uemura, Naoya Uchida, Mike Haimoto

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