Vinland Saga began as a tale of adventure and revenge, told through the eyes of Thorfinn Karsefni and his quest to slay his father's killer, Askeladd the Viking. This epic and heartfelt seinen tale is told in a 24-episode anime and a series of hardback manga volumes released by Kodansha, and readers may soon realize that Askeladd, for all his villainous deeds, is not truly evil.
While true that Askeladd tore a young boy away from his father, there were times he proved that he does have a noble and positive side to him. Let's take a look at five instances of exactly that, examining how Askeladd is a more complex character than his evil deeds lead on.
Askeladd has been fighting ever since his childhood in Wales, and he once crossed blades with his father, the Viking commander known as Olaf. Olaf had many children with various women, including a blonde Welsh woman who fervently awaited King Arthur/Artorious's return to save the Celts from their enemies. The young Askeladd greatly sympathized with her, and he stood up to Olaf when he and his men came trotting into town on horseback. Askeladd risked his life to protect his mother, and an impressed Olaf decided to start training his peasant son in the ways of war. Askeladd's life was forever changed at that moment.
Eventually, Floki -- the boss of the Jomsvikings -- enlisted Askeladd's aid in taking out Thors, the famed Troll of Jom. When Thors' tiny fleet was sailing through narrow passages in the Faroe Islands, Askeladd's gang struck. Still, Thors wasn't gunned down right away. Instead, Askeladd demanded that he and Thors fight honorably, to at least give Thors the illusion of a way out of this.
Thors was granted a chance to die the way he once lived, and he greatly inspired his men with his heroic duel against Askeladd. Of course, Askeladd's final blow against Thors was a dirty one, ordering his archers to rain fire on the Troll of Jom. But at least Thors could defend his son with a fair duel first.
Askeladd and Thorfinn's relationship after Thors' death was not easy to define. On the one hand, Thorfinn rightly hated Askeladd as his father's killer. On the other hand, Askeladd spared Thorfinn and the lives of Thors' men, and he allowed Thorfinn to follow him around on his adventures.
At first, Askeladd merely put up with Thorfinn but then began to train and mentor the boy in the ways of a true Viking -- including stealth, negotiation and tactics, among other vital skills for a proper warrior. No one asked Askeladd to do it; Askeladd felt a vague sense of compulsion to look after Thorfinn, which continued for 11 solid years. He was Thorfinn's mortal enemy and substitute father at the same time, a peculiar position indeed.
Askeladd is something of a historian of the British Isles and taught Thorfinn about history and politics as well as fighting. He also argued that the world was slowly dying and that according to Christianity and Norse mythology alike, the world would meet a violent end soon.
With all of that, Askeladd helped Thorfinn gain a long-term, broad view of everything -- helping him realize how fleeting and petty grudges, honor and revenge could be. None of this quenched Thorfinn's thirst for vengeance for Thors, but it did show that Askeladd wanted him to have a healthier and more holistic view of the world and his place in it. And those wise words came free of charge.
The final episode of Vinland Saga pitted Askeladd against King Sweyn of Denmark in a battle of wits. Sweyn wanted to control Prince Canute -- his son -- and Askeladd, while the latter wished to destroy the dangerous king. Things came to a head when Sweyn threatened to conquer Wales to set an example. An assault on Wales was Askeladd's worst fear. King Sweyn taunted Askeladd further by saying that slaves were the only worthwhile export of Wales -- crossing a line in Askeladd's mind.
King Sweyn was a monstrous person, and Askeladd slew him not for glory or revenge but to protect the Welsh people and their honor. To Askeladd, Sweyn's death was symbolic revenge of the Celts for the Vikings and other invaders who had tormented them.
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