The following contains spoilers forVinland SagaSeason 2, episode 6, “I Want A Horse,” now streaming onNetflix.
The previous episode ofVinland Sagawas a bit different from the first few. The fifth episode of the second season focused on King Canute and his rise to power. It started withCanute remembering Askeladd’s contributionand ended with his coronation as king of England. It also showcased how Canute got rid of his opponents with minimal bloodshed.
Canute forced a local lord to do his bidding, and within three years, he was named the ruler of England. This was a monumental achievement for the young prince, as even his ruthless father needed multiple years to bring England under his control. The sixth episode of the second season ofVinland Sagabrought the story back to Ketil’s farm.
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I Need A Horse
The episode started with Thorfinn and Einar trying to get a stump out of the ground. Einar and Thorfinn were working extremely hard to get it out, and it was reflected in their facial expressions. But, no matter how hard they tried, the stump didn’t budge from its spot. The duo decided to cut the roots and try again. This time it worked, although they realized getting all the stumps out without some extra help would be impossible. Einar told Thorfinn that they needed a horse to make their job easier. None of the farmhands wanted to help Einar and Thorfinn. In fact, they were turned away by the person who was in charge of the horses.
Einar was furious at the behavior of the farmhands. He suggested that they shoulddirectly ask Ketil for a horse. However, Thorfinn was against the idea and explained to Einar that it would cause the bullying to increase even more. As two slaves continued to talk, they heard an old man calling out to them. Einar and Thorfinn were confused but nonetheless made their way to the old man.
The Most Important Man On The Farm
The old man got straight to the point and asked the two whether they wanted to borrow a horse.Einar and Thorfinn were surprised by the old man’s offer, and they happily accepted. However, the person asked them to do his chores in exchange for borrowing the horse. The two had to do some arduous chores, but the old man kept his word and allowed them to take the horse.
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Einar and Thorfinn thanked him and started working on the stumps. The horse proved to be a big help, and they managed to pull multiple stumps with very little effort. The two of them continued to do some extra chores for the old man, and he even let them borrow a heavy plow. Einar and Thorfinn tirelessly plowed the fields, and their efforts were reflected in the amount of land that they had cleared. On their way back to the old man’s house, they were stopped by the farmhands, who inquired about the plow and the horse. Einar told them that Sverkel lent them the two things. The farm hands did not believe them at first, but one of them remembered that there was a bald, old man on the farm called Sverkel, and he was the most important man on the farm. It was also revealed that Sverkel is Ketil’s father.
Father and Son
Einar and Thorfinn were surprised to learn about Sverkel’s importance, but it didn’t affect them in any way. After completing their work in the forest, they went to Sverkel’s house to return the things when it started to rain heavily. The two waited outside the housewhile Sverkel talked to Ketil. From their conversation, it was easy to figure out that the two were in disagreement over something. Ketil wanted Sverkel to return to their house instead of living by himself. However, the old man was adamant that he was managing just fine, and if he were to return, the differences in their outlooks would lead to fights. After Ketil left, Sverkel invited Thorfinn and Einar to come inside and wash their clothes. In one of the rooms, they found Snake sleeping soundly.
As soon as the smell of food reached his nose, Snake woke up and rushed to the place where Sverkel was cooking. The two had a friendly exchange in which they rebuked each other. Mainly, it was Sverkel calling Snake useless and a freeloader. Sverkel and Snake continued their banter, and they invited Einar and Thorfinn to eat. Snake discussed his role on the farm and how he protected everyone from thieves. Sverkel also disclosed that Ketil earned the favor of King Harald by sending tribute to him twice a year. In exchange for the yield, Harald ensured that Ketil’s farm would never be harmed by armed forces. Toward the end of the episode, Sverkel talked to the young men about how it was foolish on Ketil’s part to try and buy peace with wealth. When the rain stopped, Einar and Thorfinn left Sverkel’s house, and they talked about how Sverkel got along with Snake better than his own son.
The episode was overall extremely enjoyable. The mood for the majority of the episode was light, which was needed after the last grim episode about Canute. It also had abeautiful moment between Einar and Thorfinn, where the latter admitted that the two were friends. Seeing Sverkel and Snake talk like father and son was also heartwarming. Viewers will be hoping that the cheerful theme continues in the next episode.
