(L) Vinland Saga

[Blaat]

Originally Posted by Wandering Soul

So rather than Ivar, it seems like Styrx may be rhe real problem in Thorfinn's side. Thorfinn clearly won't accept anyone's death, but I do have to wonder how they can deal with Styrx and pacify him.

I can see Thorfinn pulling a Thors or Askeladd to get what he wants: sacrificing himself to pacify Styrx and the Natives. But I'm not sure what the overall situation is going to be where Thorfinn can pull it off.

[Mad Pierrot]

Something that makes it harder to predict this is that this part of Thorfinn's life is loosely based on the original one. Thorfinn apparently committed some crimes before leaving Vinland and his family apparently lived peacefully. I mean, when Gudrid apppeared for the first time everybody already knew she wouldn't be killed unlike other characters because she is another real character who had a child with Thorfinn.

[Amarantine]

It was interesting how this chapter, the first since season 2 of the anime started airing, had so many references to the Farmland arc being currently animated. Thorfinn and Einar farming together and having a heart-to-heart (the first in what feels like ages), the reference to Arnheid, and even them remembering the old man and his advice on wealth. Wonder if that was somewhat intentional on Yukimura's part.

Originally Posted by Wandering Soul

So rather than Ivar, it seems like Styrx may be rhe real problem in Thorfinn's side. Thorfinn clearly won't accept anyone's death, but I do have to wonder how they can deal with Styrx and pacify him.

Yeah, Ivar, for all his faults (and they are many) genuinely believed he was doing the right thing for the right reasons, but Styrx was just plainly deceiving everyone (including his friend) for social gain. So he may indeed be the more problematic of the two.

Also, I gotta wonder what Hild's long term plan is here. After she killed these guys, what was she planning to do or expecting to happen when the other settlers found out they were missing/dead? Most natural outcome would be for them to suspect the natives did it, which would only exacerbate the tensions.

And of course, if she tells them that no, she was the one who killed them, then there's no way that would go over well either. I dunno, I just don't see how this sounded like a reasonable plan to a character like her who is supposed to be rather smart. Maybe she's just wholly blinded by rage and not thinking clearly, I suppose.

[Mad Pierrot]

Einar questioning the peace of Vinland might the biggest green light I've seen to chaos. This is the guy from the farm who felt hope for the first time when Thorfinn mentioned his ideals for Vinland. Then again, ever since the prologue Askeladd and Canute have also been dealing with the ideals of a perfect utopia.

[Mad Pierrot]

Another break. Yukimura has been taking some lately and mentioned some months ago that he is worried about the ending.

[Blaat]

You'd think he would have had an ending planned since the start, but I guess not or maybe he's having doubts about it.

[Amarantine]

Originally Posted by Blaat

You'd think he would have had an ending planned since the start, but I guess not or maybe he's having doubts about it.

Yeah, especially since IIRC he's said that the part of the saga that he's wanted to write all along was the Vinland stuff.

It is worrying that he seems so worried and indecisive about how to develop this final arc and conclude the story. I already think the manga has already lost the level of quality it had in the first two arcs, but I still wish it could finish on a high.

[Kanon]

Given how real life Thorfinn's venture into Vinland ended, I can understand him being reluctant to draw that.

[Blaat]

Spoiler for chapter 200:

Hild plays a bit with her prey, Thorfinn intervenes (Einar didn't go with him I guess?) and Hild will give the warmongers a few months to remove the fort. She will now try and kill the old native guy, which will totally not escalate things.

[Kanon]

Originally Posted by Blaat

Spoiler for chapter 200:

Hild plays a bit with her prey, Thorfinn intervenes (Einar didn't go with him I guess?) and Hild will give the warmongers a few months to remove the fort. She will now try and kill the old native guy, which will totally not escalate things.

Since he's isolated himself right now, she could get rid of him without anyone finding out. But of course it's not going to be that simple. Someone will catch her in the act and she will be the cause of war.

[Mad Pierrot]

I don't know if there will be war but I keep thinking that Thorfinn will remember his father's ideals and realize there are no legit enemies. The fact that Einar is already having doubts might imply that Thorfinn will realize that his ideals are unrealistic as both natives, people from Iceland and now Hild leading a conflict

[Wandering Soul]

Hild's plan to go after Ivar was foolish enough, but her going after the old native guy will definitely start something.

[Blaat]

Yukimura pretty much admitted he's struggling on how to end the series on twitter and could only produced 8 pages this month.

Spoiler for 201:

Natives were hit by a disease (accurate) and they retaliated against the Markland colony? The survivor telling the others to flee Vinland before the war starts is not a good sign.

I wonder if the reason he's struggling with the ending is that he wants a happy ending but can't get one?

[Kanon]

Originally Posted by Blaat

Only 8 pages this time around Yukimura pretty much admitted he's struggling on how to end the series on twitter and could only produced 8 pages this month.

Spoiler for 201:

Natives were hit by a disease (accurate) and they retaliated against the Markland colony? The survivor telling the others to flee Vinland before the war starts is not a good sign.

I wonder if the reason he's struggling with the ending is that he wants a happy ending but can't get one?

I think so. The thing is, there's no way for this to have a happy ending if he wants to remain historically accurate. Sure, he's taken tons of liberties, but letting a Viking colony thrive and eventually influence Natives in America? That's too big. Thorfinn's dream will be crushed one way or another, and it's something he must not want.

[Wandering Soul]

Guess this is our historical reminder that one of the biggest threats to the two cultures integrating is disease and the animals that carry them.

[Mad Pierrot]

I don't know about the real Thorfinn but I know the real Gudrid managed to properly give birth to her child. Now, the upcoming chaos might lead Thorfinn to judge his own values until the eventual give up of his utopia.

[Blaat]

Spoiler for chapter 202:

We check on Canute who are wiping out some citizens because of some epidemic. Yukimura really emphasizing on disease at the moment for obvious reasons.

Thorfinn thinks violence is bad no matter what.

Next chapter we will finally find out what happened to the Markland settlement.

[Kanon]

I kinda thought Canute would never appear in the manga again. He wondered how Thorfinn would handle an epidemic and the answer is that he probably wouldn't be able to handle it. Back then there weren't a lot of solutions to this problem. Couldn't exactly tell people to stay locked up in their homes and watch Netflix all day.

[Wandering Soul]

Looks like we're adding an epidemic to the plate of issues Thorfinn is dealing with.

It also loks like Thorfinn may truly be on his own when it comes to his views of violence. Even Einar admits he at least understands Canute and thinks violence may be necessary at times.

[Amarantine]

I was surprised to see Canute again as well. Wonder if this was a one-off or if he will make more appearances in the future (and whether Thorkell will ever show up again as well).

Originally Posted by Wandering Soul

It also loks like Thorfinn may truly be on his own when it comes to his views of violence. Even Einar admits he at least understands Canute and thinks violence may be necessary at times.

Thorfinn didn't seem to have any problem resorting to it either when he knocked Garm's lights out with a headbutt and left him with a bloodied and probably broken nose. I'd say that counts as violence.