The following contains spoilers for the Vinalnd Saga manga.
After years of publication, Vinland Saga has come to an end, and fans all over the world are both shocked and impressed by the developments that closed one of the most controversial arcs in the series. With a mixture of disgust, surprise, and unbelief, readers witnessed the conclusion of the Vinland Arc (also known as the Thousand-Year Voyage arc), leading to the death of one of the most beloved characters in the series.
But if Thorfinn's journey has taught fans something, it is that wherever there's dark, a ray of light shines brighter, showing the way to those who are lost in grief and sorrow. That's what many fans believe, though some of them may not agree with how things ended up. Everyone grew a little watching the epic of Thorfinn Karlsefni, and his evolution throughout the series.
The Bittersweet Conclusion Of Vinland Saga Left Fans Scarred
Fans Gather At The Mangaka's X Page To Share Praise And Sorrow
Thousands of fans have swarmed Makoto Yukimura's X Page with messages of gratitude, love, respect, and also some complaints about how the development of the series took such a tragic and dark turn at the end. Still, many also spoke about how the series helped them grow, learning from grief and overcoming it to reach a noble end. And if that is the true message behind Vinland Saga, overcoming an impossible curse (War) and doing whatever is necessary to reach a peaceful ending, no matter the cost.
If fans were ready to choose between letting Thorfinn go and letting Einar finally have the happy ending he deserved, they would have done so without batting an eye, and readers would be surprised to find out how many people thought the one who deserved to die was none other than the protagonist of Vinland Saga.
Though this bittersweet conclusion sprouted a blooming love between Bug Eyes and Niskawaji'j (a long overdue development), and the safe return of Thorfinn to his beloved family, it came with a hefty price. Most of the men on the expedition were dead, and Thorfinn's indecisiveness throughout the midpoint of the Plague sub-arc, added to the fact that his negotiations with Miskwekepu'j failed to de-escalate the conflict, was the result of his belief being tested. Some of the survivors blamed him, and the fans did their part as well. Many think his newfound happiness is undeserved; after all, he was the leader of the expedition.
Still, it is incredible to see how the construction Thorfinn's character pushed him from a war-scarred orphan, obsessed with revenge, to a man who had lost everything, to a final and overwhelming enlightenment about how war is the source of all evil in the world: a true pacifist who led his people into an epic voyage to find the promised land that would end their suffering. Yukimura's incredible artwork has helped define this transformation throughout 12 years of hard work.
'The final episode of Vinland Saga, episode 220, was released today. Thank you for reading for such a long time.
This marks the end of Thorfinn's long adventure. A child grows into an adult after going through many different experiences. I wanted to depict that process of growth, and I wonder if I was able to do it well.'
Einar's Death Was Foretold Long Ago
A Necessary Sacrifice, Though Fans Are Not Ready To Accept It Yet
The truth behind this beloved character's death might be shifty, but not difficult to understand. Einar knew the risks, not only the fact that exploring the unknown Vinland and meeting its denizens, but also the fact that being isolated from their original homeland would cut off all possible ways of retreat if things went south. Still, he firmly believed in Thorfinn's ideals and shared most of them to the point of breaking down after being forced to kill a man for the first time in his life.
This is reflected through Thorfinn's farewell words to Einar: 'The Spell of War is something powerful. To the point where even a man who hated war as much as you ended up raising a weapon.' Some of the theories fans have woven speak of the fact that Einar was so broken after losing the Vinland settlement and having to resort to violence, that he felt like losing Arnheid once more. This pushed him to the brink of self-sacrifice in a situation that could have been absolutely avoided in the best-case scenario.
The epic conclusion of a series that has been running for over a decade has now landed, and despite the many loose ends, it reached a solid conclusion. It might not have been the ending that most fans expected, but it was an incredible one nonetheless. One that filled fans' hearts with bittersweet sorrow, awe, and a little bit of moral learning. But fans might not have seen the end of Thorfinn's tale yet. As Yukimura has mentioned before, he has plans to tell more of his epic journeys to the east. Let's cross fingers to see this develop into something solid soon.
Vinland Saga
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2019 - 2023
- Network
- Netflix
Cast
-
Yûto Uemura -
Mike Haimoto
-
Shinya Takahashi
-
Alejandro Saab
