Summary
Despite being more of a side character thus far, Arnheid shines in this episode, giving Einar and Thorfinn a new perspective while dropping a bomb that could potentially change everything.
We recap the Crunchyroll and Netflix anime series Vinland Saga Season 2 Episode 14, “Freedom,” which contains spoilers.
While fans were eager to see if they would get a Thorfinn (Yuto Uemura) and Leif (Yoji Ueda) reunion last week, they were instead shocked when a different bomb was dropped at the end of the episode.
It turns out Ketil (voiced by Hideaki Tezuka) isn’t the only obstacle keeping Einar (Shunsuke Takeuchi) from truly courting Arnheid (Mayumi Sako), as she was already married once before. With Gardar’s appearance surprising both viewers and Arnheid, whatever he does next will shake things up.
Vinland Saga Season 2 Episode 14 Recap
The episode opens with Gardar shocked by how close Arnheid was this whole time. Although he appears calm, Arnheid grows more terrified as his behavior grows more erratic.
Who is Hjalti?
Hjalti is the son of Gardar and Arnheid. He asks Arnheid how Hjalti is doing and wonders how much he has grown, but before Arnheid can reply, Snake gets involved.
Arnheid later confirms that Hjalti is their late son.
Does Snake kill Gardar?
As things grow more heated, Snake and Gardar begin to sword fight. Although Fox feels they should kill him, Snake does not and ends up capturing Gardar alive by knocking him out.
They then lock him up so they can punish him for his crimes later.
READ: Vinland Saga Season 2 Review
How did Hjalti die?
When Arnheid does not express the same interest Einar does in rescuing Gardar, she asks if she can explain her past to him. She tells him about her son Hjalti, who died in a raid as the result of a dispute between villages over resources.
While the men of her town left to fight, men from another village attacked the women and children left behind.
Whose child is Arnheid carrying?
As she ends her story, Arnheid vows to protect her next offspring, revealing that she is pregnant with Ketil’s child.
She then asks Einar to leave it alone and let the “storm” pass.
Vinland Saga Season 2 Episode 14 Ending Explained
Does Arnheid visit Gardar?
As she leaves to visit Gardar one last time, Sverkel attempts to stop Arnheid with a story about Ketil’s first love. After being forced to marry another man, she and her husband were murdered on their wedding day by one of his enemies. Arnheid wonders why things like this always happen.
After his story, Sverkel tells Arnheid he will not judge her either way before apologizing for not being of more help. She tells Sverkel she will be right back before leaving to visit Gardar.
READ: Vinland Saga Season 2 Episode 13 Recap
At first, I was a bit disappointed, as there seemed to be no reunion again. However, this episode surprised me by being one of the most informative and intense of the season thus far. You could really feel the tension in this episode. Gardar’s character was unsettling, and Einar’s response, though noble, was clearly a bad idea from the start. There was a sense that one wrong move could ruin everything, which was exciting.
Although there wasn’t as much action in the second half, it was almost more unsettling hearing Arnheid’s back story. Seeing the men’s reactions and hearing her reasoning really put everything into perspective. Their situations aren’t entirely black and white for the characters or the viewers. Overall, it was the kind of episode that sticks with you, and it came at what feels like the perfect time in the season.
What did you think of the anime series Vinland Saga Season 2 Episode 14? Comment below.
