English Dub Review: Vinland Saga: “The Cursed Head”

Overview: Thorfinn (Mike Haimoto) and Einar (Ian Sinclair) are on the precipice of being free men as Canute (Josh Grelle) pays a visit to his brother with staggering revelations. 

Our Take: Thorfinn and Einar’s hard work pays off in their final trees being cleared. With all the abuse and struggles they encountered, their genuine joy is a sight for sore eyes. An interesting layer to their freedom is the general uncertainty regarding their future. It is an understandable fear, but an endearingly positive one because of their renewed status. Ketil fast-tracking their freedom is just icing on the cake, but that won’t happen before he visits King Harald. 

This brings Canute back into the fold in his visit to his dying brother, Harald. Despite introducing Harald within a single episode, there’s a strong bond between him and Canute in flashback sequences as children. Their childhood is kind and honest with Canute’s older sibling being one of the few who genuinely cares for him, pushing him to be stronger. However, the boys’ bond could’ve been more impactful with added development. 

With that said, Canute’s betrayal in poisoning his brother is an utterly shocking and brutal twist. It’s a classic case of, “the ends justifies the means,” with his desire to be the one true king. The darkness of Canute’s ambition and Thorfinn’s spiritual restoration drives home the endless cycle of cruelty and the juxtaposition of their journeys. 

The psychological chokehold his decisions have surface with many complexities, like illusions of his father or paranoia of being poisoned. The comfort he finds in his dead, twisted father lays the groundwork for his morality’s downward trajectory. Canute’s warped perception of his promise to Harald is a far cry from his once gentle self.