Vinland Saga features one of the greatest redemption arcs in all of anime. As one of the Big Three of seinen manga and the only one to truly receive the quality anime adaptation it deserves, fans have fallen in love with Thorfinn’s mission for redemption and to find a haven free from war: the eponymous Vinland. WIT Studio and MAPPA’s anime adaptation has covered two arcs over its two seasons, the Prologue Arc and the Ketil’s Farm Arc. Fans have already experienced so much over the first two seasons, but the biggest and best is yet to come, including the series’ best character.
The following contains spoilers for the Vinland Saga manga.
Thorfinn is undeniably the protagonist of Vinland Saga. He’s the character we spend the most time with, and his redemption arc is the central plot, which runs parallel to his goal of trying to establish Vinland. But he’s not the best character in the series. Thorfinn is interesting and entertaining, but the third major arc, which will likely be adapted in the show’s third season, introduces a new supporting character who defines Vinland Saga‘s entire identity.
Vinland Saga Fans Aren’t Ready for Hild
Season 2 introduces Thorfinn’s redemption as the series’ primary theme. During his time on Ketil’s farm, with the aid of his new ‘brother’ Einar, Thorfinn begins to understand what his father, Thors, meant by being a ‘True Warrior.’ Over the season, we root for Thorfinn to overcome his aggressive tendencies and grow as a person.
But the subsequent arc throws it all into question, in the best way possible. As Einar, Lief, Gudrid, and Bug Eyes are traveling east to sell the narwhal horns gifted to them by Halfdan to fund their venture, they encounter a lone huntress, Hild. Upon hearing Thorfinn’s name, she immediately attacks them, seeking to kill the now-reformed Viking without a second thought.
Hild begins the arc as another antagonist for Thorfinn and the crew to overcome. But as the crew quickly learns, Hild has a personal vendetta against Thorfinn. Hild grew up on a lumberjack camp and idolized her father, but when Askeladd’s group of mercenaries raided their settlement, the younger Thorfinn was tasked with hunting her father. From that moment, Hild swore revenge against Thorfinn.
But the crew convinces Hild to spare Thorfinn, at least temporarily, by revealing his plans to create a land free from war. While she doubts Thorfinn has truly changed, she accepts and decides to journey with them. She repeatedly states that the moment Thorfinn kills another person, she will put him down.
Hild Is Far More Than an Antagonist
Hild is an incredible Vinland Saga character in her own right. Fans of Season 1’s action will enjoy her screentime, as the suave and relentless huntress uses her handmade, master-quality crossbow to dispatch her enemies. But for those who appreciated Season 2’s slower, more thematic story, Hild vastly expands the scope and depth of Thorfinn’s redemption arc.
Season 2 posed the question, ‘Can Thorfinn achieve mental clarity and redemption?’ as the character was plagued with PTSD-driven nightmares about those he had killed. But during his time on Ketil’s farm, we never once asked, ‘Does he deserve redemption?’
Thorfinn’s onscreen killcount reaches the dozens, with speculation placing those numbers higher and, in all likelihood, at least exceeding triple digits during his time with Askeladd’s band. As Thorfinn is framed as the protagonist from the audience’s perspective, we are naturally inclined to root for him. But can a character that has committed such atrocious violence without a second thought in the past actually be redeemed, or are his crimes too great? It’s a question that redemption arcs rarely ask, and Hild acts as a constant reminder that Thorfinn isn’t just a character who lost his way; his past actions had severe consequences.
Manga readers cannot wait for Vinland Saga Season 3 to introduce Hild and dive deeper into Thorfinn’s complex and multi-layered redemption arc on screen. Unfortunately, Season 3 hasn’t been officially confirmed by MAPPA yet. However, given the immense success of the manga, which is nearing its final chapters, and the anime adaptation, Season 3 is highly likely to happen in the future.
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