Could he even be called such?
Summary:
- The relationship between Thorfinn and Askeladd is the most interesting thing in Season 1.
- Askeladd was a father figure for Thorfinn.
- The hatred between them morphed into something else over time.
Despite Season 1 of Vinland Saga having a lot going on, we have to admit that Askeladd and his relationship with Thorfinn was the true heart of it.
Vinland Saga begins as a typical revenge story. A man kills a boy’s father, and now the boy seeks vengeance and wants to kill the man. What can be more generic than that? But as it turns out, Vinland Saga is far from generic, and the dynamic between Thorfinn and Askeladd is what makes it stand out.
Most Bizarre Father Figure
It started with pure hatred. Thorfinn wanted nothing more than to avenge his father and kill Askeladd. But it gets really interesting when Askeladd doesn’t really mind it. On the contrary, he takes Thorfinn in and allows him to stay by his side.
Askeladd teaches Thorfinn how to fight and survive, even though he’s well aware that the boy wants to use this knowledge to kill him. This is what makes Askeladd such a unique and intricate character, worthy of being called a fan favorite.
The more viewers watch the relationship between Askeladd and Thorfinn develop, the more they understand the true depth of it. There isn’t just pure hatred anymore, there are also the first signs of actual care.
Of course, Askeladd’s feelings towards Thorfinn were much warmer than the boy’s. Thorfinn could never forgive the man for killing his father. But there wasn’t just contempt, Askeladd was gradually becoming a weird father figure for the boy.
And here comes the biggest question of our piece: was Askeladd a good father figure? The answer is not so simple, though.
He Was What Thorfinn Needed
There’s no doubt that Askeladd is a terrible person. He inflicted so much pain on other characters of the series, including Thorfinn. He completely broke the boy and turned him into a shell of a human being.
But still, he did teach Thorfinn a lot. Thorfinn would’ve never become the person he is now if not for Askeladd, and he himself admitted the man’s impact on him.
In this sense, Askeladd was really the perfect father figure for Thorfinn, but in the most bizarre way. He was never as good of an influence as Thors would’ve been, had he not died, but he was just the influence Thorfinn needed at that moment of his life.
Askeladd shaped Thorfinn into what he is now, guiding him through the battles and life lessons. He also protected him in a way, and it’s only thanks to Askeladd that Thorfinn didn’t starve to death and wasn’t killed by others.