Summary
With actions come consequences, and there is no shortage of them in this week’s brutal episode when Ketil learns of his slaves’ transgressions.
We recap the Crunchyroll and Netflix anime series Vinland Saga Season 2 Episode 18, “The First Measure,” which contains spoilers.
After years of suffering apart, it looked like Arnheid (Mayumi Sako) and Gardar might get to run away together.
However, everything turned for the worst when he passed, and she was caught soon after. With Thorfinn (Yuto Uemura) and Einar (Shunsuke Takeuchi) also being reprimanded for the part they played in the escape, things are looking worse than ever for the group, and just in time for Ketil (Hideaki Tezuka) to come home.
Vinland Saga Season 2 Episode 18 Recap
The episode opens with Canute and his men only two to three days away from arriving at Ketil’s farm. He hopes Ketil will submit to him without a fight but is not above taking his resources by force if necessary.
Although Canute’s ships are close, Leif and Ketil’s group arrives at the farm earlier.
When Leif arrives to buy Thorfinn, Pater asks if he will also consider purchasing Einar and Arnheid.
How does Ketil punish Arnheid?
Devastated upon learning that she tried to run away from him, Ketil punishes Arnheid by beating her with a wooden stick. Although she attempts to beg for mercy by explaining she is carrying his child, Ketil says he can no longer trust her and continues.
Who comes to Arnheid’s rescue?
Despite his disapproval of her attempted escape, Snake comes to Arnheid’s rescue when he sees that Ketil is on the verge of beating her to death.
READ: Vinland Saga Season 2 Review
Although Leif attempts to buy both Einar and Arnheid from Ketil, he only agrees to sell Einar. Ketil refuses to sell Arnheid, claiming he has no interest in selling her when she belongs to him.
Vinland Saga Season 2 Episode 18 Ending Explained
Although Pater attempted to patch her up, he says it is unclear whether or not Arnheid will recover from her injuries.
At the same time, Ketil travels across the farm to retrieve his sword, muttering to himself that he is going to punish all of the thieves working against him, even the king.
Despite the brutality of this episode, it was one that was impossible to turn away from. The pacing was outstanding. It really eased into the tension, making the build-up nice and slow.
READ: Vinland Saga Season 2 Episode 17 Recap
Although I wanted to know what would happen to Thorfinn, Einar, and Arnheid, I was also captivated by the scenes leading up to those moments.
I never felt bored or wanted to rush from one part to another. Ultimately, the wait was worth it, as the climax proved to be one of those most intense scenes this season.
Once again, the storytelling was incredible, but so was the character development in this episode. This was an interesting, yet not totally unexpected, side to Ketil we saw today.
I wondered if what happened with Canute would be enough to break Ketil, but that, combined with Arnheid’s betrayal, seemed to shatter his psyche completely. I can’t imagine where things will go from here.
What did you think of the anime series Vinland Saga Season 2 Episode 18? Comment below.
