This week’s cold (or rather burning hot) open had me a little confused. Was this an older, long-haired, wilder version of Einar we’re watching as he burns down his owner’s house and kills him, leaving only his wife and infant child? That would have been quite the time jump, and brings up all kinds of questions, like why he has wrist chains, or what happened to Thorfinn…and Arnheid.
That wild, violent escaped slave looms as we transition back to Ketil’s farm, where both Snake, Thorfinn and Einar note that Sverkel should have been home by now. They find him face down in his field, but he’s alive, so they take him home. Ketil’s wife appoints Arnheid as his caretaker, and while he may not be that keen on being taken care of, there’s a warm and lovely family atmosphere to the dinner Arnheid prepares for everyone.
Einar mentioned earlier he’s considering taking Ketil up on the offer to become a retainer, if only to stay with Arnheid and possibly one day free her. When Thorfinn asks if he’s really that in love, Einar says it isn’t like that, and perhaps that’s true, and Arnheid is fufilling the role of the sister Einar lost years ago. In any case, these fun and happy times simply can’t last, because this is Vinland Saga.
Turns out the longhaired murderous escaped slave is from a neighboring farm, owned by someone Snake knew mistreated his slaves. The owner’s uncle is offering a 3-horse reward if anyone can catch him, but as stealthy as Fox is, the two men he’s been saddled with are so loud they wake the slave up from his nap before they can charge and capture him.
As Sverkel’s condition worsens, Arnheid regards her scratched and battered hands (other anime have face games, Vinland has a hand game) just as a horse whinnys; it’s the escaped slave riding hard across Ketil’s farm. Snake orders him to stop and runs for his sword as Fox and one of his men give chase (the second man was killed).
Then Arnheid gets a glimpse of the fugitive, runs out to him, and yells “Gardar!” And Gardar stops and strikes a heroic pose, declaring that he’s finally found Arnheid…his wife. That’s quite a setup for the second cour, before the next storm—Canute’s men—even arrive.
I can’t imagine Gardar will survive if Snake and his men have anything to say about, so it comes down to what becomes of Arnheid. It’s bad enough she’s a slave, but to have to watch her husband be killed while trying to be free? That’s a tough hand to be dealt.
P.S. All due respect to Survive Said The Prophet, but their new cour 2 opening theme “Paradox” can’t hold a candle cour 1’s “River” by Anonymouz, which was so good I watched the OP in its entirety every week. Ah well…
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