REVIEW ‘Vinland Saga’ Season 2 Episode 2 – “Ketil’s Farm”

Vinland Saga Season 2 Episode 2, the action-adventure drama anime, is based on Makoto Yukimura’s historical award-winning manga series. Vinland Saga Season 2 is animated by Studio MAPPA and directed by Shuuhei Yabuta (Attack on Titan). The voice cast of Vinland Saga Season 2 includes Shunsuke Takeuchi as Einar, Yuuto Uemura as Thorfinn, Mayumi Sako as Arnheid, and Kensho Ono as Canute. 

In Vinland Saga Season 2 Episode 2, Thorfinn’s master, Ketil, a wealthy landowner in Denmark, introduces him to his new fellow slave Einar. Fortunately for them, their new master seems to be an honorable man who promises to free them after they clear the large forest on his land. Initially, Einar is grateful to be enslaved by such a benevolent master, but he soon learns that life on Ketil’s farm is not so kind. Meanwhile, Thorfinn begins to reflect upon his past life and the actions that led him to his enslavement.

The pacing and action in Vinland Saga Episode 2 continue to go at a steady pace. Although it may take a while to get the story going, this episode helps lay the groundwork for more. Such as how social statuses and tensions may be motivators for certain characters.

As we previously learned, Einar and Thorfinn are enslaved people on Ketil’s land, but other people on the farm hold slightly higher statuses. The social dynamics are a source of tension on the farm and carry a lot of weight on how people are treated and respected. Although their master, Ketil, seems to give them some respect even as enslaved people, his retainers are another story.

Episode 2 continues to tell the story of Thorfinn’s journey as we go further into the second story arc of Vinland Saga, the Slave Arc. Seeing how much Thorfinn’s personality has changed from the end of Season 1 to the beginning of this new arc is surprising.

Previously Thorfinn was a rage-filled revenge-obsessed young man hellbent on taking the life of his father’s killer in a duel. In contrast to his present self, he is now a somber former shell of a man, seemingly incapable of showing any emotion. I look forward to seeing where Thorfinn’s character development goes in the Slave Arc. This period in 

Thorfinn’s journey is a time for him to develop character as he reflects on his past. However, the question remains if Thorfinn will ever regain his fighting spirit and return to battle or continue to live out his days as an enslaved person. I am even more intrigued to know if Thorfinn manages to get some spirit back, will change for the better, or will return to his former rage-filled self. 

The central theme of Episode 2 is classism. This episode examines the class system and social structure of Ketil’s Farm. This episode explores the class system from various points of view and shows that the social network is more complex than enslaved people and slave masters. On the land Ketil owns, there are people from various levels of the class system. The people on the land held statuses from slaves and hired retainers to indentured servants or smaller farm owners. And depending on how lowly their social position is, a person may try to rise above their standing by any means necessary.

A great example of this in Episode 2 is when Olmar, the arrogant son of the landowner, is bedding the daughter of a farmhand. During their pillow talk, the daughter urges Olmar to take over the farm from his father instead of becoming a knight. Eventually, Olmar realizes the girl is trying to seduce him to become impregnated by him. The girl and her family see using her body to seduce Olmar as the best chance to improve their family’s life and ease her parents’ burdens. 

Vinland Saga Season 2 Episode 2 continues to set the stage and drive the story forward in a great direction. The story’s action and pace continue to be on the slow and steady side, but tensions are rising, and the groundwork is being laid for more. Lastly, the shift in Thorfinn’s personality is a stark contrast to the man he once was. I am intrigued to see when, how, or if Thorfinn will regain his fighting spirit.

Vinland Saga Season 2 streams on Netflix and Crunchyroll weekly.