Vinland Saga (Season 2), Episode 12: Vinland Saga’s second season has gone from strength to strength. Thorfinn and Canute’s story arcs are about to connect in a very violent way if this action-packed episode is anything to go by.
Vinland Saga (Season 2), Episode 11 Recap:
“For the Love That Was Lost”
The episode opens with some of Canute’s soldiers looking for Olmar in a crowd to deliver the message of his failure to qualify as a thegn to serve Canute. A cloaked Wulf tells them they can make fun of him too. As they move towards Olmar, he kills a butterfly by flicking a coin at it and says that the men themselves are dumb like Olmar.
Brodd, one of the men, introduces himself and begins to deliver the message, despite Olmar’s accurate assumption that it is one of rejection. He delivers the message sarcastically, barely able to hold back his laughter until the entire group bursts out laughing.
Furthermore, Brodd taunts Olmar for losing to a pig, which deeply troubles the young man. Brodd aggravates Olmar further by asking if the dead pig was wearing armor, and the soldiers suggest that Olmar should consider becoming a cook, but he can’t do that as he couldn’t even chop up a pig.
The group continues to laugh at Olmar, causing him to become enraged and draw his sword, pointing it at Brodd’s neck and challenging him to a duel. However, the group continues to mock Olmar, causing him to swing his sword at Brodd while crying and screaming in anger.
While Thorgil is eating nearby, he hears from the citizens about what is happening. Brodd is shown preparing to fight Olmar single-handedly, without support from his friends, and taunts him by offering to help him train. Brodd beats Olmar mercilessly while barely using his sword.
Thorgil arrives and tells Olmar to get up, reminding him that a warrior should never lie on the ground during a fight. Olmar expresses his humiliation, but Thorgil urges him to get back up and kill Brodd, saying that the humiliated should kill or be killed.
Now motivated, Olmar charges Brodd, who is blinded in one eye as Wulf flicks a coin in his eye, allowing Olmar to kill him. Thorgil is the only one who realizes what had happened, and he proceeds to brutally slaughter all of the remaining men with ease, showing his superior skills as a warrior while Olmar is in shock.
Ketil arrives at the scene and witnesses the aftermath of the fight. He is furious at Thorgil for killing members of Canute’s army. But Thorgil argues that they did nothing wrong since Olmar was insulted and forced into a duel.
However, their father points out that duels are illegal, and Thorgil dismisses the law’s relevance, arguing that as armed men, they knew the consequences of their actions. The guards approach the scene, and Thorgil reaffirms that they shouldn’t be punished.
Seemingly surprised at Olmar still being alive, the guards proceed to arrest the trio, but Thorgil resumes fighting and quickly kills the men in a similarly brutal manner. Ketil is shocked, and Thorgil spares one of the guards to interrogate them and begins torturing him for information.
Vinland Saga (Season 2), Episode 12 Ending, Explained:
What is Canute’s plan? How do Ketil and his sons escape?
Thorgil asks why they targeted Olmar, and the soldier explains that their goal was to capture Ketil since he would be held accountable. Ketil asks why they would do this, but the soldier claims he was just following Wulf’s orders and pleads for mercy.
Ketil expresses his despair about Canute’s pursuit of them. However, Thorgil responds with a smile, saying that it’s only the beginning and that their enemy is formidable as he laughs in delight.
The scene then shifts to Canute, who is approached by Wulf and another man and informed of the situation. Wulf informs him that they are still searching for Ketil’s family but have not found them yet.
He apologizes for failing to capture Thorgil, but Canute remarks on Thorgil’s strength, which Wulf acknowledges by saying he was also a capable subordinate. Canute notes that Thorgil’s strength and this setback don’t change their plans, as they still have the pretext to punish them.
Canute affirms that their plan is to take over Ketil’s farm. Wulf confirms that they will be just over a hundred men in total. Subsequently, Canute asks about Floki’s arrival with additional soldiers. Canute decides to leave at dawn three days from then as Floki will take that time to arrive. He then requests to be alone.
Canute converses with the apparition of his father, Sweyn, questioning his laughter. Sweyn responds that a father should be proud of his son for starting to resemble him and encourages Canute to continue piling up bodies to reach the top.
Later, Leif Ericson is shown sailing on a boat with Ketil, Olmar, and Thorgil, telling them they can come out of the barrels they were hiding in. Thorgil expresses gratitude for his kindness, but Leif clarifies that it was a deal rather than a kind gesture. He reminds them not to forget their promise to him and the challenges of convincing his men to go along with it.
Thorgil recaps the deal he made with Leif Ericson: to be purchasing all of his cargo for triple its value and also set Thorfinn free. He asks Ketil to confirm, but Ketil refuses to emerge and asks to be left alone in his barrel. Leif reminds Thorgil not to forget their promise as Olmar looks at his father’s barrel and begins weeping into his hands.
The scene then shifts to Ketil’s farm during sunset, where Thorfinn and Einar are wrapping up their work. Thorfinn gazes silently at sunset behind him.
Canute, still alone, welcomes the hatred and curses aimed at him. He simply states that his actions are aimed at creating the utopia he envisions and and make up for lost love.
