In 1013 AD, the young Thorfinn works for Askeladd in the hopes of challenging to a duel and kill him in revenge for his father’s death in 1002 AD when they were attacked by him on a journey to England. Askeladd’s company found employment in 1013 AD as mercenaries under the Danish King Sweyn in the Danish invasion of London by the British and Thorkell the Tall, Thorfinn’s fight-loving uncle who served with Thors in the Jomsvikings. When Thorkel takes Sweyn’s son Prince Canute captive, Askeladd’s company capture the prince with the intent of selling him to either side for a profit. Askeladd changes his plan to act on his personal agenda as a descendant of Artorius to secure his mother’s homeland of Wales from being invaded. While Askeladd succeeds in making Canute assertive, he learned that Sweyn intended for his son to die so that his oldest son Harald would succeed him and prevent a schism among the Danes.Vinland Saga Season 1 Download.
Askeladd is ultimately forced to sacrifice himself by killing Sweyn during an audience when the king announces his plan to invade Wales, feigning madness as Canute kills him, so the prince could take over Dane-occupied England without question. But Thorfinn scars Canute in an attempt on the prince’s life and is sentenced by an empathic Canute with life in enslavement.A year after Askeladd’s death, Thorfinn is working on a farm owned by Ketil, a rich farmer who treats slaves well. He later befriends another slave named Einar. With Einar’s help along with Snake, the farm’s head of security, and Ketil’s father Sverker, Thorfinn learns to let go of his dark past and is encouraged by dreams of his father, Thors, and Askeladd to pursue a life of peace and away from the Vikings’ violent lifestyle.
Canute had become both King of England and Denmark after poisoning his brother Harald. Canute begins his campaign with Ketil’s farm, tricking Ketil’s sons, Thorgil and Olmar, into justifying the seizure with Ketil’s men easily defeated by Canute’s Jomsvikings. Thorfinn confronts Canute to convince him to spare the farmers. Canute renounces his claim to the farm after seeing the pacifist Thorfinn has become.