Thorkell (Vinland Saga)
A Jomsviking commander who loves war and fights with childish glee.
Thorkell, also called Thorkell the Tall and Thorkell the Invincible, is a fictional character from Makoto Yukimura's manga Vinland Saga. He is introduced as a Jomsviking commander who switches sides to fight for the English and later allies with Prince Canute. Thorkell is notable for his comedic yet violent personality and his role as a contrast to the series' more serious fighters.
Quick Facts
- Series
- Vinland Saga
- First
- Vinland Saga chapter 18
- Creator
- Makoto Yukimura
- Portrayer
- Takeshi Hayashino (stage play)
- Voice
- Japanese
- Akio Otsuka
- English
- Joe Daniels (Sentai Filmworks dub)
- Patrick Seitz (Netflix dub)
Facts from the source article.
Creation
Thorkell is based on the historical figure Thorkell the Tall, who was known for his courage and large stature. Manga creator Makoto Yukimura believed that during the Viking age, there were many such "monsters" roaming the world, both famous and unknown. His visual design was meant to recall a villain from a young readers' manga, one who relies on a single ability and can be beaten easily, but Yukimura wanted Thorkell to stand out and convey immense strength. He was made to embody what Vikings represented. Although introduced as an old man, Thorkell behaves like a child in every scene, yet Yukimura never makes him seem foolish or uncool. The author thought younger readers would like Thorkell because they, too, are drawn to violence. Yukimura finds Thorkell refreshing because he never hides what he feels, and he is always shown enjoying whatever he does. The anime added an early scene of Thors fighting alongside Thorkell before retiring. The adaptation team was careful with Thorfinn and Thorkell's first fight, though anime writer Hiroshi Seko thinks Yukimura's original version is stronger. When the fourth story arc began, Yukimura told a friend that Thorfinn shows how people can change, unlike Thorkell, who does not want that. The first story arc is known for its violence, and Yukimura noted that no character had room for jokes except Thorkell, whose cheerful nature turns violence into comedy. Though Yukimura dislikes violence, he feels he can handle Thorkell's cruel side. He looks back on Thorkell as the ideal madman, with his obsession for battle making that clear. During the Merchant arc, Yukimura felt he took a big risk by writing Thorkell as a warrior, because in the Norse period, it was unusual for elderly people to fight, given the shorter life expectancy.
Role in Vinland Saga
Thorkell serves as a general among the Jomsviking mercenaries and is connected by marriage to Thors, the father of the main character Thorfinn. He leads a warband known as the Death Seekers, all of whom crave combat as much as he does. That passion for battle drives him to abduct Prince Canute, the son of Danish King Sweyn Forkbeard. Before Thors abandoned the Jomsvikings, Thorkell worked alongside him and held him in high regard, which later makes him feel a certain warmth toward Thorfinn when they cross paths. Thorkell fights Thorfinn twice; during their first clash, he wins even after losing two fingers. Later, when Thorkell goes after Askeladd, Thorfinn attacks him in a fury and wins, costing Thorkell an eye. Still, Thorkell sets aside the conflict out of respect and joins Thorfinn’s group to help Canute kill King Sweyn. When Askeladd feigns insanity to murder the king, Thorkell moves to confront him, but Canute kills Askeladd first. Thorfinn then tries to strike Canute, but Thorkell holds him back. In the second story arc, Thorkell keeps fighting but feels let down by how Canute develops. He reappears in the Baltic Sea arc, eager for war, and happily meets the grown Thorfinn, telling him the Jomsvikings need a new leader. Thorkell sides with Floki against Vagn’s faction, but when Vagn is slain before they can duel, he battles the killer Garm instead. The fight ends in a draw, and they become friends. Later, Thorfinn’s ally Einar suggests declaring war on Floki, which Thorkell gladly accepts. He supports Thorfinn’s plan to dissolve the Jomsvikings, yet afterward challenges Thorfinn to one more duel if he wishes to leave.
Reception
Critical response to Thorkell was largely favorable. Anime News Network described him as embodying a more over-the-top style of action and characterization, outdoing the already formidable Thors while blending comedy with darkness, partly because he ignores his own injuries. 4Gamer.net praised his debut fight with Thorfinn, highlighting the animated choreography and suggesting it hinted at more such battles to come. Anime UK News noted that although Thorkell initially seems like a major villain for kidnapping Canute, the story avoids clear-cut good and evil, as Askeladd’s men are also shown brutalizing civilians. That same fight between Thorkell and Thorfinn earned a nomination for Best Fight Scene at the 4th Crunchyroll Anime Awards in 2020, though it lost to the battle between Tanjiro and Nezuko against Rui from Demon Slayer. Manga News found their first encounter compelling not just for the combat but for the dynamic between them, with Thorkell fascinated by Thorfinn’s abilities and eager to meet again because of their link to Thors. The site also remarked that while Thorkell lives only for war, his particular code of warfare makes him dependable to his own troops. The Fandom Post saw the connection between Thorkell and Thorfinn as intriguing but regretted that Thorfinn remains unchanged despite knowing Thors and being related by blood. Anime News Network called Thorkell’s “psychotic enthusiasm” both charming and terrifying, ranking him among the most engaging fighters in the series’ first story arc alongside Thorfinn and Askeladd. Manga.Tokyo again highlighted his combat prowess, noting he kept fighting despite serious wounds from Thorfinn. Screen Rant considered Thorkell and his fight sequences a highlight of the initial arc and looked forward to his reappearance in season two, given that Canute, now king, had him under his command.
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