Thorkell the Tall from the Vinland Saga

Thorkell (Thorkoll) the Tall, the hero of the manga and anime "Vinland Saga," is a colorful portrayal of a good-natured yet deadly Viking. A former Jomsviking commander, he embodies the archetype of the ideal warrior of his era, and his demeanor stands in stark contrast to the saga's grim world.

You can learn more about its historical prototype on the Wikipedia page.

Appearance

Gigantic dimensions

Thorkell is a towering figure, standing over two metres tall and boasting an incredibly muscular frame that towers over most characters.

Face and hairstyle

He has long, blond hair, which he wears tied back, and a thick beard. His body is covered in battle scars from numerous battles. Over the course of the story, he loses his left eye and wears an eyepatch, as well as the tips of his pinky and ring fingers on his right hand.

Cloth

Thorkell prefers simple, battle-ready clothing. He often wears a bandana and fur capes.

Character and personality

Obsession with combat

He loves battles not for the brutality, but for the thrill and the search for a worthy opponent. Thorkell readily admits defeat if his opponent outshines him, genuinely rejoicing in a good fight.

Childish nature

Despite his intimidating appearance, Thorkell possesses a naive, eccentric character, prone to childishness. He often laughs, jokes, and is straightforward, disliking political intrigue.

Code of Honor

He adheres to the concepts of valor and respects strong-willed warriors, such as Thors, the protagonist's father.

A peculiar mentor

He has a strong interest in Thorfinn, partly because he is the son of his old friend and a distant relative of his (Thorkell is Thorfinn's uncle).

In the anime Saga of Vinland, Thorfinn appears as the main character, who has gone from a vengeful warrior to a convinced pacifist who seeks to find a land free of wars.

Appearance

Traits: Thorfinn is short and lean, but he is incredibly strong and durable.

Facial features:** As a child, he had blonde hair and kind, curious eyes. As he ages, his hair becomes disheveled, and his body is covered with many blade scars.

Equipment:** In battle, Thorfinn always uses two short war knives.

Personality and personality

Early years: As a child, he was a kind and inquisitive child. However, after the death of his father, his character changed: he became an embittered, withdrawn and cruel teenager, driven only by a thirst for revenge on Askeladd.

Transformation:** Having lost his purpose in life, Thorfinn finds himself in slavery. There he rethinks his past, repents of the murders he committed, and becomes a pacifist who follows his father's commandment: "You have no enemies."

Abilities and

Powers Combat Skills: Thorfinn is a skilled and ruthless fighter who is a master of dual knives. He possesses incredible agility, speed, and combat flair, allowing him to easily dispatch elite warriors and face giants such as Torkell on equal terms, relying on strategy and natural strength.

Combat experience:** In his battles, Thorfinn easily defeated elite warriors and was able to stand up to giants on equal terms, relying on his strategy and natural strength.

Askeladd is a cunning, calculating, and charismatic leader of a gang of Viking mercenaries. He has the talent of a strategist and the ruthlessness of a warrior, which makes him a formidable opponent.

Askeladd

Appearance

Askeladd is a middle-aged man with a sturdy build. His blond hair and short, well-groomed beard accentuate a shrewd and often ironic look. He wears quality steel armor, including a Roman breastplate that symbolizes his origins, and is skilled with a one-handed sword.

Personality

As a leader, Askeladd proves to be a pragmatic, cold-blooded, and cynical commander, always ready to get ahead of his enemies and allies. His secret of origin hides that he is a descendant of the Welsh King Arthur and a slave. He sincerely hates the Vikings and their culture of destruction, using his gang only as a tool to achieve his goals.

In the story, Askeladd becomes both Thorfinn's worst enemy and unwitting mentor, replacing his father figure and teaching him cruel survival lessons.

Askeladd's

mercenary gang### Personality and traits

Motivation: typical Viking robbers who only care about money, booze, robbery, and a glorious death in battle for Valhalla. Within the gang, the law of force and strict discipline reign.

Fate: Lacking true loyalty, at a critical moment when they face Torkell's superior forces, the gang easily rebels and betrays their commander.

Strength and Fighting Style

Tactics: Specialize in ambushes, lightning raids, and psychological pressure on the enemy. Skills: The squad is made up of experienced and ferocious veterans who are able to fight effectively both on land and on water.

Thorfinn's family had a huge impact on his life. His father's ideals shaped his personality, and the loss of his home became the starting point on the way to new achievements.

Father: Torso "Jom Troll"

Status: Head of the family, former Jomsviking warlord.

Personality:** The strongest warrior of his time, who, disillusioned with violence, faked his death and fled to Iceland, seeking a peaceful life. Possessing incredible physical strength, Torso remained a wise, kind, and patient man.

Influence on Thorfinn:** The father became the son's main example. It is his dying testament – "You have no enemies. No one has them," Thorfinn was able to understand and accept only after many years of suffering.

Mother: Helga

Status: Wife of Torso, daughter of the Jomsviking High Chief Sigvaldi.

Personality:** A noble, quiet, and loving woman with aristocratic roots. Possessing a gentle character, Helga was distinguished by great mental fortitude.

Influence on Thorfinn:** Helga loved her son infinitely and always waited for his return. When the adult Thorfinn returned home, changed and scarred, she instantly recognized him by his eyes and accepted him without question.

Elder sister: Ylva

Status: Thorfinn's older sister.

Personality:** An energetic, strong, incredibly hardworking, and sharp-tongued girl. After the disappearance of Thors and Thorfinn, she actually took care of her mother and the entire household, doing the hard men's work.

Influence on Thorfinn:** As children, they often argued, but Ylva loved her brother deeply. Her violent reaction to his return (first she beat him without recognizing him, and then burst into tears) shows how much she felt about the separation.

Canute is one of the main characters in The Vinland Saga, whose fate has a lot in common with the story of Thorfinn. He went from a weak and timid prince to a powerful king of England and Denmark, becoming a calculating and pragmatic ruler.

Appearance

In his youth, Canute was a very feminine young man with long blonde hair, a fragile physique, and blue eyes that gave him an angelic expression. Because of his appearance, many took him for a girl, and he himself always hid his face behind a high collar.

After he became king, his appearance changed: he cut his hair, grew a short beard, and a scar appeared on his face. His gaze became cold, heavy and authoritative, and the luxurious royal armor and long cloak radiated grandeur and authority.

Character and personality

At the beginning of his journey, Canute was an extremely timid, pious and timid prince who was terrified of his father, King Sweyn. He couldn't talk to anyone other than his guardian Ragnar, relying entirely on his protection.

After the death of Ragnar and the realization of the cruelty of the world, Canute experienced a deep crisis of faith. He decided that if God left people to suffer, then he himself would create "Paradise on Earth" – an ideal state without wars and poverty.

As a ruler, Canute turned into a cold-blooded, tough and brilliant politician. He was ready to make any sacrifices, betrayals, murders and conspiracies to achieve his great goal. At the same time, he did not become cruel for fun - his every action was dictated by strict calculation.

Strength and Influence

Physical Strength: Canute was not an outstanding fighter and would have lost to Thorfinn or Thorkell in a one-on-one duel. However, he knew how to hold a sword in his hands and could defend himself if necessary.

Political and strategic strength: His main weapons were a sharp mind, charisma, oratory, and absolute power. He skillfully manipulated people, subjugated huge armies and effectively ruled states, making even the most ferocious Vikings tremble.

Ketil is a wealthy landowner in Denmark who had Thorfinn and Einar as slaves in the second season.

Appearance: Ketil is a large, plump man with a thick beard and soft facial features.

Personality: This character shows cowardice and weakness of character, although he strives to appear as a kind and fair master. He earns money from other people's labor and is very afraid of violence, which gave him the nickname "Iron Ketil", which turned out to be false. In crisis situations, Ketil is easily cruel, unable to overcome fear and powerlessness.

Arnheid is Ketil's slave and personal servant, a tragic figure in the second season.

Appearance: This beautiful young woman with blonde hair and a sad look gives the impression of being submissive.

Personality: In the past, Arnheid was the free wife of a noble warrior, but due to the war, she lost her child and freedom. She is quiet, caring, and completely broken by her fate. Her sincere desire to just live peacefully does not resonate with others.

The Serpent (Swerkelson) is the head of the "guests", hired bodyguards who guard Ketil's farm.

Appearance: This is a strong, fit man with dark hair and a scar on his face. He always carries a magnificent curved saber with him.

Personality: The Serpent is a warrior with a strong sense of honor, who can be cynical but fair. Unlike other mercenaries, he is not devoid of compassion and respects honest work. Secretly, he protects the slaves from cruelty.

It turned out that he was a first-class fighter, whose speed in battle was almost equal to that of Thorfinn himself.

Knut's entourage and royal court

Ragnar is the tutor and bodyguard of young Knut. He sincerely loved the prince as his own son, and tried to protect him from the cruelty of the world around him. Because of this, Knut grew up weak-willed for a long time and could not show his strength. Ragnar was killed on Askeladd's orders.

King Sweyn is Cnut's father, the ruler of Denmark and England. He was a cruel, suspicious, and cynical tyrant. Sweyn despised Knuth for his weakness and planned to get rid of him by sending him to certain death deep into England.

Harald is the elder brother of Cnut, the rightful heir to the Danish throne. Unlike his father, Harald sincerely loved his brother. Whip poisoned him during his struggle for absolute power in order to unite the empire.

Ketil Family (Season 2 Farm)*

Sverker is Ketil's old father, a grumpy but wise old man who despises his son's boasting. He lives alone, cultivates the land himself, and is the first to treat Thorfinn and Einhar as equals rather than slaves.

Thorgils is the eldest son of Ketil, the complete opposite of his father. He is a bloodthirsty, huge, and savage warrior who enjoys violence. He served in the king's personal guard and dreams of a big war.

Olmar is the youngest son of Ketil. Spoiled and cowardly, he dreams of becoming a "real Viking". His ridiculous attempt to prove his bravery causes the farm to conflict with King Knuth.

Gardar is a runaway slave and Arnheid's ex-husband. He was a proud warrior in the past, but went blind with rage, lost everything, and tried to get his wife back by force, causing a bloodbath on the farm.

Thorfinn's companions on his expedition to Vinland:

Carly is a miraculously surviving infant who was rescued from a sacked village by Thorfinn and his friends. Thorfinn adopted him, and since then, the baby has been traveling with the crew.

Buggy-Eye (Torcord) is the adopted son of Leif Eriksson. Despite his lazy and cowardly nature, as well as his addiction to booze and money, he is an excellent navigator and interpreter on their expeditions.

Sigurd (Son of Calma/Halfdan)*

One of the funniest and at the same time most dramatic characters that is revealed in the course of Thorfinn's travels.

Appearance:**

Sigurd is a pompous young warrior from a wealthy family, dressed in expensive clothes. He always keeps his posture with pride and carefully looks after his weapons.

Personality:**

At the beginning of the story, he appears as an arrogant and stupid "daddy's boy", obsessed with the concepts of pride and honor. However, when his fiancée Gudrid runs away from a wedding with Thorfinn's crew, Sigurd sets off in pursuit of them across Europe. In the course of these journeys, he encounters a harsh reality, completely reconsiders his ideals, learns compassion, and eventually becomes a mature and noble man.

Garm

One of the most dangerous antagonists of the Eastern Expedition, a mad mercenary.

Appearance:**

Garm is a young man with a wild, fanatical look. His weapon of choice is a custom modified spear with a detachable tip.

Personality:**

He is similar in type to Thorkell, but without his code of honor. Garm is an absolute psychopath for whom killing and fighting is an exciting children's game. He does not feel anger towards enemies, but is simply looking for a strong opponent who can entertain him. His insane speed and style of spear fighting caused Thorfinn tremendous problems.

Wolfe

The head of the royal guard and Cnut's right-hand man in England. His stern and silent appearance, clad in massive black armor, leaves little room for emotion on his face. A perfect soldier and fanatically loyal executor, Wulf is the strategic brain of King Knuth. His composure and pragmatism allow him to carry out any, even the most cruel and immoral orders of the ruler, if it benefits the state. His hand-to-hand and weapon combat skills are impressive.

Cord (Blind Old Man)

This interesting episodic character helps to reveal the theme of slavery and humanity. He appears to us as an elderly Englishman, completely blind, dressed in rags. Despite her blindness and hard life, Cord has incredible wisdom and spiritual strength. His ability to see the essence of people by their voices and steps causes the characters to think deeply about what true freedom and inner vigilance are.

Eist is one of the colonists who went with Thorfinn to Vinland.

Appearance: Eist is a strong man with calloused hands, a typical representative of the Scandinavian people.

Personality: He is one of those who believed in Thorfinn's dream of a world without wars. Eist is a hard worker and strives to provide simple happiness for his family. However, his image vividly demonstrates how difficult it was for the Scandinavian settlers to get rid of the age-old habits of resolving conflicts with the help of weapons and force.

Plav-Ear (Torcord) is the adopted son of Leif Eriksson, a regular participant in his expeditions.

Appearance: Torcord is a young man with a cunning face and long hair.

Personality: Torcord is a man with a comical personality, lazy and cowardly, who loves to drink and gamble. His name (Bug-Eyes in the English version) reflects his habit of bulging his eyes in fright. Despite his unreliability, Torcord has a rare talent - he is a genius at foreign languages. His indispensability as a navigator and translator is invaluable, and in critical situations his cowardice is replaced by unexpected devotion to friends.

Asgeir is the right hand of the mighty Torkell, his chief advisor and tactician.

Appearance: A calm and reasonable man with gathered hair, dressed in practical battle armor.

Personality: The most intelligent man in Torkell's insane squad. Asgeir is the "voice of reason". While his commander revels in the battle and crushes his enemies with axes, Asgeir handles logistics, plans army movements, negotiates, and makes sure that the squad does not self-destruct due to the stupidity of its leader.

Thorgrim and Thelvi are mercenary brothers from Askeladd's party, whose betrayal revealed the true nature of the Vikings.

Appearance: Sturdy, typical Scandinavian robbers in hides and armor. Thorgrim is larger and more decisive, Tjelvi is the younger and wingman.

Personality: Pragmatic looters. They served Askeladd long and faithfully, as long as he brought them victories. However, when the detachment got into the harsh English winter and was surrounded by Thorkell's army, the brothers were the first to organize a mutiny. They embody the harsh reality of the era: in the mercenary world, there is no place for loyalty when one's own skin is at stake.

Gilli is one of Leif Eriksson's longest-time associates, who participated in many sea expeditions.

Appearance: This sea-hardened old man with a weathered face and a thick beard seems to be made for adventure.

Personality: Big-Eye is an experienced and reliable navigator who remembers Tors when he was young. He is infinitely loyal to Leif and is always ready to help him in his search for Thorfinn. Despite his harsh nature, he always lends a helping hand to those who are looking for a peaceful life overseas.

Pulrath is a Christian priest who traveled with Prince Knuth in the first season. His appearance is that of an emaciated middle-aged monk with disheveled hair, who always holds a jug of wine in his hands.

At first glance, Pulrath may seem like a drunkard and an eccentric who has lost his faith. However, it was his deep, drunken reflections on the nature of true love, on the difference between love for all living things and simple affection, that made a colossal revolution in Prince Knuth's consciousness. These considerations turned the cowardly young man into a tough ruler.

Cordelia (Halwar) is one of the most memorable characters in the final part of the story.

Appearance:** Cordelia is a large, incredibly muscular, and strong slave who can match the height of Torkell himself. However, despite her impressive appearance, she feels like a fragile girl at heart.

Personality:** Once on Thorfinn's team, she finally gains freedom and acceptance. Cordelia hates violence and has a surprisingly gentle, kind, and caring personality. She becomes one of the most loyal companions in the Vinland colony, always ready to help and contribute to the common cause.

Ivar is Thorfinn's main ideological opponent in his own settler colony.

Appearance: a stern, stubborn Icelandic warrior with a stern look, always ready for battle.

Personality: Ivar embodies the old, conservative thinking of the Vikings. He categorically does not believe in Thorfinn's absolute pacifism and considers his idea a stupid utopia.

Ivar secretly smuggles a weapon (a sword) onto the ship, convinced that without force the colony cannot be defended against savages. It is his distrust and actions that cause the tragic final events.

Native Americans from the Lnu/Mi'kmaq tribe encountered by the Thorfinn expedition inhabit the lands of Vinland. The Scandinavians call them "Skraelings".

Miskwekepu'j is the paramount chief and shaman of the tribe. He is a wise but very cautious old man. He is frightened by prophetic visions of the future, in which aliens from across the ocean, white people, completely destroy his people and nature with firearms. These fears force him to take a tough stance towards the colonists.

Kitpui is a young, friendly, and inquisitive warrior from the tribe. He is the first to make peaceful contact with Thorfinn and Einar, seeking to learn their language and establish trade. Kitpui sincerely desires friendship between the two peoples, but faces misunderstandings and fear on both sides.

Niskawaji'j is a young and compassionate girl from the tribe who became close to the settlers and tried to help establish mutual understanding between two completely different cultures.

Fox and Badger are minor characters in the Vikings series in the second season, who are mercenaries from the Serpent gang operating on Ketil's farm.

The fox is an arrogant, cruel and cowardly fighter. At the beginning of the season, he mocked Thorfinn, trying to make him afraid of death and testing his will with sword strikes.

Badger is a junior mercenary, more good-natured, but led. These two perfectly demonstrate the life of "ordinary" warriors who simply follow the crowd and serve the highest payer, without thinking about honor.

1. Criticism of the "culture of power"

The anime "Thorfinn" reveals the image of the Vikings without embellishment. What is depicted in other works as romance and valor - raids, feasts, thirst for a glorious death - is presented in this story as absolute barbarism, stupidity and grief for ordinary people. The authors show that endless wars lead only to poverty, destruction and the death of innocents.

2. The price of sin and the burden of

redemption Usually, in films, heroes kill hundreds of enemies and feel no remorse. However, Thorfinn's path shows that every life he takes leaves a scar on his soul. In the second season, he is tormented by terrible nightmares, in which the people he killed drag him to the bottom of hell. The anime shows that it is much more difficult to realize your guilt and carry this burden for the rest of your life than just dying in battle.

A large-scale invasion of England*

Danish Vikings, led by King Sven, enter into a brutal war for the conquest of English lands. In the center of these battles are the troops of Askeladd and Thorkell.

**A

hidden and bloody power struggle is unfolding within the Danish royal family. Prince Knut, who initially acted only as a pawn, organizes a coup, eliminates his father and brother and becomes the sole king of Denmark and England.

The Rise of Slavery**

The story shows the harsh economy of the Middle Ages. Viking raids destroy peaceful villages, and surviving Europeans are sold in slave markets. Slave labor on farms, like Ketil's, becomes the basis for a prosperous life for the nobility.

The Age of Great Discoveries

In parallel with the wars, there is an active maritime navigation. Scandinavian navigators, including Leif Eriksson, explore the unexplored northern seas and discover Greenland and the coast of North America (Vinland).

Clash of religions

During this period, the pagan Viking belief in Odin, Valhalla, and a glorious death in battle began to actively clash with the growing strength of Christianity. The preaching of humility and love changes the consciousness of entire nations, as happened with Knut.