This time, Einar and Thorfinn have really got themselves into a tight spot. Vinland Saga Season 2 Episode 9 directly follows the events of the previous episode. Let’s see how it went down in this review!
Vinland Saga Season 2 Episode 9 Overview
Vinland Saga Season 2 is an action, adventure, and drama that serves as the sequel to its highly acclaimed and fan favourite Vinland Saga Season 1, which aired in 2019. The series is based on an award-winning manga written by Makoto Yukimura. Read the review of the previous episode of the series here!
The show’s second season is being animated by Studio MAPPA, a different studio that the one which did its previous season in Studio WIT. However, most of the personnel behind the series have been retained. Director Shuuhei Yabuta, of Inuyashiki and Attack On Titan fame, is returning to direct the series.
– Vinland Saga Season 2 Episode 9 Review does not contain spoilers –
Vinland Saga Season 2 Episode 9 Review- Oath
Usually, it is easy to tell where the best episode of the show will probably be in its airing block. You can almost always predict it to be towards the end of a major battle or in the final leg of the show’s airtime. Some shows even peak early and never reach the same heights again. However, there are some rare instances of an episode hitting you like an absolute truck from out of nowhere. Nothing leads up to them being as interesting or devastating as they are, but they still manage to be one of the best parts of the entire season.
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Vinland Saga quietly just had its best episode of all time with almost zero build-ups, and the show still feels like it is in its absolute infancy. It is not hard to see why, however, as this was the first time the show’s new direction fired on all cylinders and delivered upon the premise of the entire “prologue” of the first season. After the intense violence of the first season, the show has been trying to pivot into a completely different tone. This was the pivotal episode it needed to cement its new direction. It is hard to describe how good this episode was, but it will be much easier if I allow myself one luxury – spoilers.
The thing that needs to be spoiled is that almost the entirety of this whole episode was a dream sequence, but it is extremely obvious from the first minute, and Vinland Saga Season 2 Episode 9 does not try and deceive you in any way. Instead, it uses the sequence to show us the turmoil inside Thorfinn’s mind and how immensely messed up his view of himself and the world is. His regrets have been obvious for all to see since the first episode of the season, but he doesn’t just regret what happened because he is now a slave because of it.
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Despite only knowing his father for the starting 6 years of his life, Thors has been a tremendous influence on Thorfinn, but only in the wrong way so far. It was through Thors that Thorfinn went on that journey for revenge in the first place despite it being the future he least wanted for his son. Then came the influence of Askeladd, who was also too smart for all of this and didn’t want Thorfinn to drown in vengeance like everyone else. Both of these were major parts of Vinland Saga Season 2 Episode 9 and had fantastic roles to play.
The powerful emotional conversations in Vinland Saga Season 2 Episode 9 were punctuated beautifully by some of the most stunning and mesmerising animation you will ever see in anime. The dimly lit underground perfectly accentuated Thorfinn’s feelings in a memorable way, and the colour scheme meshed very well with the kind of material the characters were dealing with. This was the highest-quality episode we have ever gotten from the show, and it still feels like we are just getting started. Let’s see what the show brings the next time!
Verdict
Vinland Saga Season 2 Episode 9 was the best episode of the entire show. The theme and its execution of it were perfect and showcased the strength of the show’s current direction.
