(CR) Vinland Saga Season 2 [Netflix]

[Blaat]

For those who've lost track of the years It's now 1018.

[magnumcyclonex]

Sometimes, silence tells the story better and this episode proved it for me.

Happy to see Thorfinn and Einar get a discount on their freedom timeline, but surely it's not going to happen as Ketil goes away and may possibly never come back.

Canute's internal conversations will probably expose him to his closest helpers and "allies", not to mention any enemies he may encounter down the road. He has turned from pure and innocent to viscous and ruthless.

[Kanon]

Originally Posted by Frontier

After 3 years and such Thorfinn and Einar finally have a legitimate chance at freedom! But Einar isn't sure about leaving Arnheid, and Thorfinn isn't sure if he wants to go back to his homeland. But one thing Thorfinn believes in, even if it is nothing more than a dream, is a world without war or slavery. That's the kind of world his father would have been proud to live in .

Sad to think this story is set a thousand years ago and Thorfinn's ideals are still just a dream.

[ChainLegacy]

This really is a story of narrative foils -- people who were uncontrollably shaped and guided into characters with opposing or contrasting ideals and worldviews.

We opened the season getting to know Einar, who is Thorfinn's foil in the sense that they are both orphans of war who had everything taken from them, yet one was pulled into the tide of war and the other retained both the wisdom and naivete of a civilian farmer.

Now we're exploring Canute, also Thorfinn's foil by way of them both being sons that have come a long way in maturing into their fathers' ideals. Thorfinn has spent his adolescence out for blood, but has finally started to understand the pacifistic example Thors left behind. Canute, on the other hand, began as a pacifist, and arguably even a coward, but haunted by the shadow of his father, he's become a cold-hearted utilitarian willing even to poison his own brother.

As an aside regarding my own worldviews - I hope never to reach the level of cynicality of a Canute, but I'm also a bit skeptical of where we're going with Thorfinn. It seems to me that Thors left behind a more nuanced message than embrace peace at all costs, given the fact that this approach led to his own death and (in a sense) the abandonment of his young children and wife. Perhaps there's a middle ground to be found here?

[Master_Yoma]

Well Canute really having some delusions speaking to his father Sweyn head but at less he got some good thing to say

[Mad Pierrot]

Originally Posted by Blaat

For those who've lost track of the years It's now 1018.

I think Thorfinn was around 16 or 17 in season 1.

[BBOvenGuy]

Originally Posted by Blaat

For those who've lost track of the years It's now 1018.

And in only around 50 years, the Danes will get booted out of England by William the Conqueror.

[Jaden]

King Cnut poisoning his brother may just be ahistorical, but it sure fits like a glove. After all the backstabbing and slaughter to unite England, uniting the whole kingdom at the cost of one man must seem like a bargain.

[Guardian Enzo]

Originally Posted by Jaden

King Cnut poisoning his brother may just be ahistorical, but it sure fits like a glove. After all the backstabbing and slaughter to unite England, uniting the whole kingdom at the cost of one man must seem like a bargain.

Theoretically it could be historically accurate if he got away with it.

[kari-no-sugata II]

Originally Posted by BBOvenGuy

And in only around 50 years, the Danes will get booted out of England by William the Conqueror.

...who was essentially a Frenchified viking...

[Frontier]

I just feel bad for the sister...

[Cloudedmind]

Originally Posted by kari-no-sugata II

...who was essentially a Frenchified viking...

And the English language would never be the same afterwards.

[Mad Pierrot]

Interesting how Thorfinn and Canute have been shaped by Askeladd's actions in season 1 and in season 2 seems like they are trying to find their own way of life.

[Alchemist007]

Was Canute poisoned and having hallucinations? Thorfinn was KO'd so that made some sort of sense...

[Cloudedmind]

Originally Posted by Alchemist007

Was Canute poisoned and having hallucinations? Thorfinn was KO'd so that made some sort of sense...

Nah, he was just suffering a bout of Hamlet like guilt. And, I'm using the term guilt loosely here.

[Frontier]

Dang, I didn't expect to see Canute in a fight, let alone full armor with sword in hand! He's got surprisingly good instincts for someone who was far from a natural fighter in his youth, even if he doesn't have the strength of someone like Wulf, though he's still giving his poor sister a heart attack. Though Estrid can also see the inner turmoil raging deep inside her brother .

Using Wulf's attraction to his sister to distract him is such a Canute move and much more his speed than a straight up swordfight .

Canute needs money, money to pay for the forces he has stationed in England, and every good ruler knows how controversial it is to tax people especially when you raise said taxes...and so the fastest way to make money is to requisition a farm and use it's resources to raise money. And who do we know who already has a wealthy farm ready and available for use ?

Speaking of, Ketil arrives only to find out that King Harald is dead, but coincidentally Thorgil is actually part of Canute's guard and a possible in with the new king! Which is only the first of quite a few coincidental yet useful situations that unfolded in this episode !

No surprise they leave Olmar alone for a minute and he's getting in a fight and about to stab a guy. At least he can pull his sword out of his scabbard now .

Although who would've thought the guy he was getting in a fight with was none other than "Bug-Eye" Thorfinn, adoptive son of Lief (!!!) who freed him from slavery because he thought he was our Thorfinn, who through his sons' bout with Olmar ends up meeting Ketil and finally finding out where Thorfinn is...man, things really worked out in this episode for Lief, huh? Well, up until his people won't change course to head to Ketil's farm just on the off chance they finally find Thorfinn. Is Lief going to have go out on his own to find him ?

I don't think Canute was expecting the comedy act that was Olmar making a fool of himself in front of his family, but while Olmar is incompetent, he's useful as an in with Ketil and his farm, especially when he seeks to requisition said farm. I don't see this ending well .

[magnumcyclonex]

With or without Olnar, it was bound to happen, only that with Olnar, Canute now has extra leverage over Ketil's farm.

Historically, how does a requisition work? The king will own the land and the former owner and his staff become either slaves/workers and forced to work for the king with no direct benefit/profit for themselves?

Thorfinn must be an extremely common name. Can't believe he found a substitute Thorfinn for the time being!

Later on, it will be interesting to see who gets to meet Thorfinn first...Leif, or Canute

[Kanon]

Thorfinn and Canute's paths are finally about to cross again. No doubt both men will be shocked at how much the other changed.

Olmar using his sword as a saw because he didn't have enough strength to cute the pig's bones was hilarious. Couldn't have been a more pathetic display.

[Master_Yoma]

Well seeing Canute fight and becoming stronger but still not up to a good enough level to win without a trick

Ketil should of hit Olmar more

[Mad Pierrot]

Is the usage of gloves supposed to be symbolic or just a sign that a king shouldn't be involved in battles? That got me curious considering how Thorfin's hands are covered by scars