u/RainbowIne100

These are mine:

Askeladd closing Thorfinn's mouth: I genuinely feel like missing any minor moments of their bond is just unfortunate. This happens while Askeladd, Canute and Thorfinn are pursuing the king. Thorfinn makes a snarky remark about the king being a coward, and Askeladd tells him to shut up in case he hears. Then when Sweyn's soldiers come out, Thorfinn insults them too, so Askeladd just closes his mouth himself.

Canute closing his eyes at the sight of Askeladd's body: This is another one I really wanted to see adapted. The anime already makes it clear Canute deeply respected Askeladd, but in the manga, he even closes his eyes after looking at his body, then declares that the subjugation of Wales is cancelled. I really love how it shows his respect for the man who saved his life and handed him the crown.

I also wanted the anime to adapt the panel where Thorfinn just left the girl who was being raped by Askeladd's band, but at the same time I think that would've caused major backlash, and some people wouldn't have let it slide even in season 2.

Thanks a lot for taking the time to read my post, and I'd love to hear what manga panels you wish the anime would've adapted as well.

I hope you all have a great day!

When Askeladd shares his past with Thorfinn, we also learn about the environment he and his mother had to survive in.

She was a Welsh noblewoman who was enslaved by Olaf, a powerful Danish lord who then made her serve as his "favorite" concubine, and Askeladd was the product of his rape.

After that, she was thrown out of his manor and lived in a small hut with Askeladd.

I believe Lydia likely starved, and Askeladd had to take care of her from childhood.

She often told him stories about their ancestor Artorius and how he would return to save both of them from their suffering. This may or may not have been true, as she was clearly sick, but it was also something that meant everything to Askeladd, as he deeply loved his mother.

One day, Askeladd describes her having a mental breakdown where she mistook Olaf for their ancestor Artorius and genuinely couldn't tell the difference when looking at him.

Instead, she was happy and smiled at him. She didn't even react when Olaf pulled out his sword to kill her.

I've always wondered what kind of mental condition this could have been. I'm not asking for a clinical diagnosis because I myself am not very experienced in psychology, so I'd appreciate it if you guys could let me know what symptoms you see here and what they might point to.

Thanks.

I wanted to hear your thoughts on this matchup since I think it would be an interesting discussion.

I humbly request you to please go through the entire post before sharing your thoughts, especially the part explaining why Thorfinn could fight Thorkell while Askeladd couldn't, since matchups matter.

Context for the images:

1st-3rd images: Thorfinn notices that Askeladd is unusually serious this time. Askeladd isn't willing to resort to his usual psychological tactics, and when he tells Thorfinn to come at him, Thorfinn hesitates, forcing Askeladd to throw his sword away to provoke him into attacking.

4th-5th images: Before Askeladd throws his sword away, Thorkell bets on Askeladd to win. Canute questions him since Thorfinn beat Thorkell, but Thorkell says strong and weak aren't a simple matter, and you can't determine the pecking order just from who beat whom. The bet also took place before Thorkell realised that Askeladd and Thorfinn had fought countless times.

6th image: One of Thorkell's soldiers says small and agile fighters are his weakness. Thorfinn's small size and speed make it hard for Thorkell to hit or defend against him, while Askeladd is fast enough to parry Thorfinn.

7th–9th images: Askeladd dodges and parries Thorfinn while playing defense, since he needs to keep him alive to use as his weapon. Thorfinn disarms him but has to jump back because he’s exposed within Askeladd’s grappling range. Askeladd then picks his sword back up while smirking.

10th-11th images: Askeladd says Thorfinn has learned to think a bit before fighting, but all is lost whenever blood rushes to his head. This isn't an admission that Thorfinn would suddenly win if he was calm, but rather a criticism of his blinding rage. At the same time, Askeladd also implies that Thorfinn would have a very good chance of winning if he kept a cool head.

Askeladd and Thorfinn knew each other's habits from fighting countless times, but I think Askeladd's greater experience allowed him to utilise Thorfinn's habits better than Thorfinn could utilise his.

I also think prime Thorfinn would defeat the Askeladd we saw, and perhaps even a prime Askeladd, but I wanted to know how a calm Teen Thorfinn would compare to him.

Snake vs Slave Thorfinn can also be used for comparison. Snake is "as sharp as Askeladd, maybe quicker on the strike," so they're roughly equal in skill with Snake holding the edge in pure speed, and Askeladd holding the edge in physical raw strength as we see him split men in half through their metal helmets.

I think it would be a very hard fight for both, and either could end up winning with severe wounds, as Askeladd is extremely strong and experienced, but Thorfinn's blood also runs stronger than his in terms of potential.

Thanks for going through the post, and please feel free to share your thoughts on who you guys think would win this matchup.

Thors: Thorfinn's biological father, who taught him that he has no enemies and that there is no one you should hurt. Thors loved his son deeply and kept him close whenever Thorfinn slept, just like he did on their ship. He sacrificed himself so both his men and his son could live, smiling and placing his hand on Thorfinn's head as he died. Thorfinn's declaration that he has no enemies is rooted in his father's philosophy.

Leif: Thorfinn's family friend and the man who vowed to never stop searching for him. Even after years had passed and Thorfinn's family, especially Ylva, believed he was dead, Leif never stopped looking. Although Thorfinn refused to return home because he was consumed by revenge, they eventually reunited during the Farmland Arc. Even in his declining age, Leif provided Thorfinn with the guidance and tools needed to establish a peaceful settlement in Vinland.

Askeladd: Arguably the most complex person in Thorfinn's life. He is the man who killed Thorfinn's father but also took on the role of raising him in his own cruel way, something Yukimura sensei has stated in interviews. Although Askeladd mostly saw Thorfinn as a weapon, he also mentored him in ways that included giving him history lessons and sharing his past after their final duel. As he was dying, Askeladd told Thorfinn to go beyond the world Thors did and become a true warrior. Askeladd continued to guide him in his dreams and visions. In the end, Thorfinn took Askeladd's final words to heart and ultimately fulfilled his dying wish by becoming a true warrior, just like his father, Thors.

Thanks a lot for taking the time to read my post, and I'd love to hear your thoughts as well.

I hope you all have a great day!

Note: I just wanna say that this isn't meant to invite a powerscaling discussion, but me appreciating Askeladd's combat prowess in his aged state, thanks.

Upon rereading the War Arc, I wanted to talk about Chapter 53, "The Fury of Britannia's King."

Right after beheading King Sweyn, Askeladd gets swarmed by the king's thegns, who were among the best guards of Denmark as they personally guarded the king, something explicitly stated by Snake in War at Ketil's Farm. I tried counting as accurately as I could, and I think there are around 16-20 visible thegns, with possibly even more lying dead off-panel.

What really stood out to me is that they were coming at him from every direction in close quarters while also wearing helmets, chainmail and carrying shields, which should've been a huge disadvantage for Askeladd. Yet every swing was taking someone's head or limb off while breaking their swords and shields, all while he was laughing and mocking them the entire time. The craziest part is that he doesn't even seem tired afterward, and even Floki gets overpowered the moment he steps in. I honestly think Floki showing up was the only thing that stopped Askeladd from cutting down even more of these elite guards, as he also had to sacrifice himself in order to save both Canute and Wales.

Thanks a lot for going through my post, and please feel free to share your thoughts as well.

I hope you all have a great day!

Arthur Morgan: He's one of the best written video game protagonists I've seen.

My favorite part of his character is his redemption. After he's diagnosed with tuberculosis, Arthur starts reflecting on the life he's lived while the gang slowly falls apart around him. As Dutch becomes more paranoid and starts trusting Micah over everyone else, Arthur slowly loses faith in him. One of my favorite moments is his conversation with Sister Calderon when he admits, "I'm afraid."

I also loved his relationships with Dutch and John. Arthur spends so much of the story believing in Dutch and his "plans," which makes their ending even more tragic. By the end, Arthur risks everything to make sure John escapes. When Dutch finally finds Arthur as he's dying, Arthur tells him, "I gave you all I had." Whether that was enough for Dutch is something we never get to know. In the high honor ending, Arthur dies watching the sunrise, which I think is the perfect ending to his character.

The optional side missions also add so much to his character. They show sides of Arthur that the main story doesn't always get to explore.

There's honestly a lot more that could be discussed about Arthur's character, but I'll leave that to you guys.

So, on a writing scale of 1–10, where would you rank Arthur Morgan, and why?

Griffith (Femto): He's honestly one of the best written characters I've ever seen, and personally he's in my top 3 seinen antagonists alongside Johan Liebert and Askeladd.

Griffith is extremely charismatic, and what stands out to me the most is his ambition and the lengths he's willing to go to achieve his dream. He even sells his body to Gennon to secure money and support for his band, which says a lot about how far he's willing to go.

My favorite part of his character is his relationship with Guts. Guts was the one person who made Griffith forget his dream, and after Guts left, everything started falling apart. His decision to sleep with Charlotte led to his imprisonment, a year of extreme torture, and eventually the Eclipse.

The Eclipse is still one of the darkest moments I've read. Sacrificing his own Band of the Hawk was already horrifying, but what he did to Casca afterward, especially right in front of Guts while he watched helplessly, made me hate him even more.

I also like the contrast between their relationship before and after the Eclipse. Back then, Guts was the one person who made Griffith forget his dream, but after becoming Femto, he viewed Guts as beneath his notice and only spared him so that he could suffer even more. To me, that makes it even more cruel.

There's honestly a lot more that could be discussed about Griffith's character, but I'll leave that to you guys.

So, on a writing scale of 1–10, where would you rank Griffith, and why?

Canute: Canute starts off as a shy, timid prince, as we explore his sensitive nature when Askeladd assigns Thorfinn as his bodyguard. Empowered by Askeladd's actions and sacrifice, Canute becomes a ruthless king and serves as a philosophical foil to Thorfinn, as he too wishes to create a place free from war, but builds his path with blood and iron.

Canute ultimately defeats everyone in his path, and after becoming the King of Norway in 1028, he unites the North Sea Empire, which consists of Denmark, England, and Norway.

Though near the end of the story, Canute also realizes that his path to creating a land free from war is wrong after seeing the amount of lives lost, including children, and his dream ultimately collapses less than a decade after his death on November 12, 1035, as his sons shortly die afterward, and his royal lineage is lost.

Cons: Canute's transformation is heavily debated as being abrupt or sudden, and his story narratively ends by the end of the Farmland Arc, as more focus shifts to major supporting characters like Gudrid, Hild, and Sigurd.

Personally, I don't think he is on Thorfinn and Askeladd's level, but I think he's still a very well written character, and I consider his transformation to be one of the best written transformations in modern anime.

So, on a writing scale of 1 to 10, where would you rank Canute, and why?

Bjorn: "You hated our friends who died... and even yourself. Aren't you lonely?"

These are Bjorn's internal monologues before he is stabbed and dies in Askeladd's embrace, and Askeladd tells him that he was his one and only friend before granting him a warrior's death, sending him to Valhalla, and ultimately fulfilling Bjorn's wish.

After that, we see Askeladd's disappointment in Thorfinn, and after their final duel he shares his past with the boy, meant to serve as a lesson on how to kill a man you truly hate.

To me, that also came across as Askeladd seeing himself in Thorfinn, as both had a traumatic past and lost the person they loved the most, which led them down the path they walked.

We see Askeladd murdering thousands, pillaging villages, showing no mercy, being as charismatic as he was, and pretending to fit into the same world he despised.

He hated the men he led because of his burning hatred for the Danes/Norsemen, including Bjorn.

One of the few Norsemen Askeladd truly respected was Thors (I believe he was a Norseman because Thors' ancestors fled from Norway to Iceland).

Askeladd was genuine when he asked Thors to be their leader, as that was the man closest to a living Artorius he could find, but in the end he too had to put him down to not appear weak in front of his own men.

Askeladd even reveals that in the name of his ancestor Artorius, he won't kill Thors' men, including his son, showing his genuine respect for Thors, as he was a true warrior Askeladd could never wish to be.

He always appeared smiling, but could also occasionally be seen isolating himself at night, like in Season 1 Episode 10 titled "Ragnarok," where Askeladd shares history lessons with Thorfinn.

Though I doubt Askeladd cared much about Thorfinn beyond seeing him as his weapon for most of their time together. Occasionally he did show some care when trying to teach Thorfinn, and in the end he truly cared about him, using his final breaths to guide the boy to become a true warrior, something that Askeladd could never be.

He had redeeming qualities, but none absolve what he did all his life.

So I've always wondered, just how lonely was Askeladd? Did he truly have no one in the world after his mother was gone, or did it go beyond loneliness?

I love this character so much.

I originally wrote a much longer analysis of this matchup, but I ended up deleting it because I thought it'd be more interesting to hear everyone's thoughts through the images instead.

For the 8th image, it's from Thorfinn's final duel with Thorkell, where one of Thorkell's men say that small and agile fighters are the type he struggles with the most.

You guys can also discuss the Snake vs Slave Thorfinn matchup, as Snake is roughly Askeladd's equal in skill and is overall faster too, though we don't know how they compare in raw physical strength, so I'd give that edge to Askeladd since we see him split men in half through their metal helmets.

I'd really appreciate it if you guys could go through the images first, as they provide the context for the discussion.

Who do you guys personally think would win, and why?

Before beginning, I really just want to say that Reiner and Bertholdt's betrayal is one of the best betrayals I've ever seen in anime.

What I loved most about it is how casual the reveal is. Instead of some huge dramatic speech, Reiner just tells Eren they're the Armored and Colossal Titans while they're talking, and that made the moment even more shocking for me.

Looking back, there were so many hints the whole time. The reveal is amazing on its own, and I also liked Reiner admitting they were just kids who didn't know anything, then later accepting his duty as a warrior. The music during their transformation was fire too, and Eren remembering all the moments he had with them before yelling "You traitors!" made the whole scene even more powerful.

So, on a writing scale of 1-10, where would you rank Reiner and Bertholdt's betrayal, and why?

BrBa Season 4: The dynamic between Walt and Gus peaks here and is genuinely one of the greatest rivalries I've seen. Almost every episode is a great buildup, and we also see Jesse grow a lot throughout the season (he shows no fear when Gus kills Victor right infront of him). We learn more about Gus' past and why he chooses to torment Hector instead of killing him. In the end, that obsession becomes the very reason for his downfall, as Walt uses Hector to kill him.

BrBa Season 5: I loved this season just as much because it fully explores Walter's hidden ego and his transformation into Heisenberg. Jesse's character also reaches its peak, especially after everything that happens following Hank's death. The ultimate payoff for me was Ozymandias, and Felina is also a brilliant ending, with Walt dying in the lab after avenging Hank with no regrets because in the end he did it for himself, he liked it and he was good at it.

Which season do you guys think is better written?