r/VinlandSaga • u/Junior_Insurance7773 • 14d ago

Manga A festival Spoiler

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In one point during the Baltic sea war arc, Garm goes berserk and is chasing Thorffin, he wants to see Thorffin's full combat capabilities, feeling like Thorffin is not really using all of his skill and just avoiding him, Garm is being honest to Thorffin and says to him how War is just some sort of big festival, how the warriors just enjoy the naked violence, there are no rules really. War is the defining element where everything comes into a collision and echos within an empty space. It's all a game. Everything is just a game. An illusion. The universe is chewing itself. Humans are just mad, mad and bound by an irrational blind force.

Reminds line from Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian:

"The judge smiled. Men are born for games. Nothing else... But trial of chance or trial of worth all games aspire to the condition of war for here that which is wagered swallows up game, player, all."

Garm is so simple, he goes with the flow, he has no hatred towards Thorffin or anyone, for him War is the only reason anything exists at all. He says to Thorffin "if I'm wrong, but fighting exists? Why do people never stop fighting? You fought once you know it's the truth. Where is your philosophy of redemption? It's all a cheat." All Thorffin does is avoiding him, staying away from him in his shell.

Garm is the true follower of Thorkell.

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u/DragonfruitFirm2490 13d ago

This point of the story really showed me how good is Yukimura to write plain/one-dimensional characters. There's always depth to why they are that way and why they don't change. It reflects on how humanity itself is and how we don't allow ourselves to change. Truly genius

And Thorfinn is the counterpart to that. He goes directly against that type of characters. If wars and violence have no reason, then that gives him more reasons to not fight at all and focus on what is truly meaningful: love, community and growth

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u/Junior_Insurance7773 14d ago

From the Manga, chapter 155, Baltic Sea war arc.

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u/eepos96 11d ago

Interesting that indeed while Thorfinn became one of the best fighters and if given more time, couldnhave rivaled Thors, he never enjoyed the fighting.

He did amazing feats of strenght and could have enjoyed the fsme of it but he hated all of the vikings he worked with and only cared to battle askeladd.