Vinland Saga (2006)

[ヴィンランド・サガ]

Volume 2

Author/Artist: Makoto Yukimura
Publisher: Afternoon KC

Synopsis:
A reluctant Thord receives a summons to Jomsborg.

Story/Characters:
Despite Thord's vow never to go onto the battlefield again, with the village effectively being held hostage, he has little choice but to obey. He probably would've quietly left on his own, but Floki has to go and get the young ones all fired up with the prospect of accompanying the hero Thord Snorrason. Thorfinn feels like he has something to prove, so he goes at the usual war games too hard, rather seriously injuring a few other kids, and then goes ransacking the house in search of a weapon when he's confronted by his father. Thord states his philosophy quite clearly and his words will echo throughout the series. Before heading out, you've got a string of suitors proposing to Ylva and Leif confides in one girl who wasn't getting the same attention that Thord's actual plan is to send back all the folks going with him before they reach Jomsborg. Those young folks get a hard lesson in what it takes for life at sea and in a calm moment it's revealed that Thorfinn had stowed away, but they're too far out to turn back.

Over in Streymoy in the Faroes, Floki contracts Askeladd and his men to kill Thord. At night we have Thord talking to Ari about Ylva and we see the day Ylva was born, when Thord was a very different person, wholly unimpressed with his firstborn and dismissive about Helga insisting that he name her when she gets mad at him the one and only time in their marriage. However, when the realization sank in, that was when he changed, leading us to where we are today. When they reach the Faroes, they get ambushed by Askeladd's men, who get to witness the Troll of Jom in action as he lays down a massive barehanded beatdown, even handily defeating Askeladd's resident heavy, the berserker Bjorn. He then challenges Askeladd to a duel in order to end things. We get an impressive show, but when Askeladd is bested, he demands Thord kill him to end the duel, something Thord refuses to do. It takes a furious Bjorn intervening and taking Thorfinn hostage to prompt Thord to exchange his life for everyone else. However, Thorfinn stows away once again when Askeladd's men take Thord's longship and vows to get his revenge.

Art:
As we don't have any pitched battle scenes, the violence is a fair bit tamer this time around, but there's still plenty of violence to be had for those of you who want it (though Thord would disapprove). It's quite impressive seeing Thord take on Askeladd's men and his duel with Askeladd really shows off how skilled both of them are. Then there's the change that comes over Thorfinn where he becomes the revenge-obsessed maniac we were introduced to at the start.

Other:
We get the travel map, a bonus comic of Yukimura's trip to Reykjavik in search of the aurora borealis and an illustration of Askeladd with details on his sword and scabbard.

Conclusion:
We knew from the start that Thord wasn't going to make it, but what a way to go out. Now, obviously his death sets the stage for the premise established in the previous volume, but it's his philosophy that's going to have the bigger impact in the long run. Not only for the quality in its own right but for so effectively setting up the larger themes of the story, this well deserves a place in your collection.

Rating:
Own It