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Vinland Saga season 2 episode 12 was released on Monday, March 27, 2023, bringing with it an incredibly exciting and action-packed installment to the smash-hit series. Fans are finally seeing the beginning of what the entire season has been building up to thus far, which is nothing short of an all-out war set to come knocking on Thorfinn’s doorstep.
Likewise, Vinland Saga season 2 episode 12 continues to drive home just how cruel and ruthless Canute is, with the young King going to harrowing lengths to get what he wants. Fans also learn that there may be yet another motivation for Canute, with him teasing that his actions are for “lost love” in the episode’s final moments.
Vinland Saga season 2 episode 12 gives viewers the action they’ve been waiting for and teases much more to come
Vinland Saga season 2 episode 12: A man insulted…
Vinland Saga season 2 episode 12 begins with some soldiers picking Olmar out of a crowd of people, teasing him for having lost a fight to a dead pig. Olmar is seen seemingly asleep on a table as the soldiers tease him. At the very least, it’s clear that he’s so depressed and embarrassed over the pig incident that he’s catatonic.
The group continues to tease him for his aspirations and is told by a cloaked individual that they need to tell Olmar that he’s been rejected from the Kingsguard. They continue mocking Omar, prompting the cloaked man to ask why this is.
Vinland Saga season 2 episode 12 then sees the cloaked individual flick a coin at a butterfly, which kills it instantly as the man comments on how the soldiers look as stupid as Olmar does. After playing its opening sequence, the episode sees the soldiers approach Olmar, where one of them introduces himself as Brodd and a member of the Kingsguard.
Brodd says he has a message from Wulf, the captain of the Kingsguard, which Olmar assumes is one of rejection. Brodd showboats about needing to deliver his message, eventually telling Olmar that he’s been rejected in a very performative way. The other soldiers laugh quietly as Brodd does this, eventually getting to the decision when the entire group bursts out laughing.
Vinland Saga season 2 episode 12 then sees Brodd begin teasing Olmar for having lost to a pig, clearly troubling the young man deep inside. Brodd asks if the pig he was trying to cut was wearing armor which prevented him, clearly infuriating Olmar. The soldiers then suggest that he could be a cook if it weren’t for the fact that he couldn’t chop up a pig.
As the group continues laughing, a clearly enraged Olmar begins shouting and draws his sword, pointing it at Brodd’s neck and demanding that he draw his weapon. However, this only causes the group to laugh even further, making additional jokes about how Olmar couldn’t cut a pig. Olmar then swings his sword at Brodd as tears run down his face, screaming out in anger and starting a fight.
Vinland Saga season 2 episode 12 sees Thorgil hear about this from citizens as he’s eating, as the scene shows Brodd preparing to take Olmar on by himself. Brodd teases Olmar, saying he will help him train as he begins brutally beating him while barely using his sword. Olmar makes violent, large swings which Brodd easily dodges, as the cloaked man watches and comments on how Olmar is as pathetic as he was told.
Brodd then hits Olmar with an uppercut, sending him flying and knocking him to the ground. Thorgin then arrives, telling his brother to get up and that a warrior doesn’t lie on the ground during a duel. Olmar tells his brother that they humiliated him, to which Thorgil says that he needs to get back up on his feet and kill Brodd.
Vinland Saga season 2 episode 12 sees Olmar begin to rise, but collapse back to the ground while crying. Thorgil then lifts Olmar up to where his feet aren’t touching the ground, telling him that the only two options an insulted warrior has are to “kill or die.” Thorgil says that if Olmar won’t kill Brodd here, then he will die since he won’t allow Olmar to go on living without addressing this insult.
Thorgil then smiles, telling his brother that today is the day he fights and becomes a man. Olmar is then dropped back to the ground by Thorgil, who tells his younger brother to imagine the moment of victory in his head. Now motivated for battle by his brother Thorgil, Olmar returns to the fight, rushing an unconcerned Brodd.
Vinland Saga season 2 episode 12 sees Brodd also resolve to kill his opponent when the cloaked man flicks a coin directly into Brodd’s eye. Thorgil notices this as Brodd begins to stumble, allowing Olmar to stab him through the neck and kill him. The crowd erupts with cheers at Olmar’s victory, but Thorgil remains silent, realizing what had happened.
The cloaked man departs as celebrations begin, while Brodd’s comrades draw their swords and warn Olmar of his impending death. Thorgil then steps forward and congratulates his brother, saying to leave the rest to him. Thorgil then rushes his three opponents, brutally and instantly dismembering them and killing them.
Vinland Saga season 2 episode 12: Ketil witnesses the bloodshed
Vinland Saga season 2 episode 12 sees Olmar fixated on the man he just killed, with Thorgin killing the final opponents in the meantime. The episode then jumps ahead in time to sunset, where Thorgil is inspecting Brodd’s eye. He concludes that it was damaged by a rock or something when Ketil arrives and witnesses the bloodshed.
He lectures Thorgil about killing members of the Kingsguard, but Thorgil responds that they did nothing wrong since Olmar was insulted and forced to duel. Ketil continues to insist, but Thorgil counters that with five of them, no one would object to him joining the fight. Thorgil even goes as far as to say that Ketil should be congratulating Olmar.
However, the two’s father counters that duels are forbidden by law, with Thorgil dismissing the law’s relevance. He elaborates that as armed men insulting another armed man, they knew and deserved what was coming. Vinland Saga season 2 episode 12 then sees guards approaching the scene, with Thorgil reaffirming that they normally wouldn’t be punished, seemingly setting up an unusual situation.
Upon arriving, the guards seem to be confused that Olmar is alive and that Ketil and Thorgil are present. Thorgil introduces himself and his family, explaining that this was a fair duel and that they did nothing wrong. The guards counter that duels are forbidden, which means they’ve disrespected the king and are now under arrest.
Vinland Saga season 2 episode 12 sees Thorgil seemingly shocked at this turn of events, as the trio (including Ketil) are arrested. However, Thorgil refuses to submit, instead decapitating the guard who is demanding his cooperation. This begins a fight between Thorgil and the other guards, where he mercilessly, brutally, and swiftly kills all but one.
The one left standing draws his sword to fight Thorgil, but has his hand cut off as Ketil begins panicking and asking if Thorgil has lost his mind. Thorgil scoffs at this before asking his final opponent why they allowed Olmar to win. The guard says he doesn’t know, prompting Thorgil to silently stab and remove the soldier’s left eyeball.
Vinland Saga season 2 episode 12: War on the horizon
Vinland Saga season 2 episode 12 sees Thorgil ask once more why they set up Olmar, to which the soldier responds that the goal was to arrest Ketil since he would be responsible. Ketil questions what he did to deserve this, but the soldier says he simply followed Wulf’s orders and asks for mercy.
As Ketil laments on how everything is over with Canute’s sights set on them, Thorgil smiles and counters that “this is the beginning,” and that their “enemy is strong” as he laughs. The scene then shifts perspectives to Canute, who is approached by Wulf and another man and is told of how the situation transpired.
Vinland Saga season 2 episode 12 sees Wulf reveal that they haven’t found Ketil’s family yet, but they’re currently searching for them. Wulf apologizes for not being able to catch Thorgil, but Canute comments on how he seems like a strong warrior, which Wulf confirms. Canute says that this doesn’t affect their plans, since they still have reason to punish them.
Canute then says the plan is still to head to Ketil’s farm, and whether he’s there or not, make it their own. Wulf then summates that they will be 102 men in total, with Canute asking when Floki will arrive with an additional 70. Wulf says he should be here within three days from Jomsborg, with Canute deciding that they should leave at dawn three days from now, before asking to be alone.
Vinland Saga season 2 episode 12 sees Canute begin speaking with the apparition of his father, Sweyn, asking him what he’s laughing about. To this, Sweyn responds that a father should be pleased with his son beginning to resemble himself. Sweyn tells Canute to keep going, and that piling up plenty of bodies is needed to “reach the top.”
The episode then sees Leif Ericson sailing on a boat, telling Ketil, Olmar, and Thorgil that they can come out of the barrels they were hiding in. The trio thanks Leif for his kindness, but he counters that this was a deal rather than an act of kindness. He adds that they shouldn’t forget the promise they made to him, adding the difficulties of convincing his men to go along with it.
Vinland Saga season 2 episode 12 then sees Thorgil reveal the deal to be buying all of Leif’s cargo for triple its value, and his receiving Thorfinn. Thorgil asks Ketil to confirm this, but Ketil instead asks not to be spoken to and to be left alone. Leif once again warns Thorgil not to forget their promise, as Olmar looks at his father’s barrel and begins crying into his hands.
The perspective then shifts back to Ketil’s farm during sunset, where Thorfinn and Einar are finishing their work for the day. Thorfinn looks behind him at the sunset, prompting Einar to ask what the matter is. Thorfinn doesn’t give any legitimate answer, as the perspective shifts once again to Canute.
Vinland Saga season 2 episode 12 sees Canute welcome the mockery and the curses, saying that all of this is to create the utopia he envisions. He adds that he also does this for lost love, possibly setting up an additional backstory about Canute in the next episode, as the latest installment in the smash-hit anime series comes to an end.
Vinland Saga season 2 episode 12: In summation
Vinland Saga season 2 episode 12 is easily one of the most exciting and eventful installments of the season yet. The situation heading into the episode is completely different from the installment’s conclusion, with war seemingly set to come to Ketil’s farm, and by extension, to Thorfinn.
However, there’s also the bright side to this imminent arrival, seemingly guaranteeing Thorfinn’s freedom should all involved survive the upcoming battle. In any case, the situation is getting tense as the series approaches the halfway point of its current season.
Be sure to keep up with all Vinland Saga anime and manga news, as well as general anime, manga, film, and live-action news as 2023 progresses.
