Way Home

Not many words can describe how amazing this episode, and the whole season actually. Gardar, a character who appeared just a few episodes ago, and his backstory with Arnheid and their son is amazing. Many people may think that this season has been boring in comparison with first season, but this episode and the one calles "Oath" shows what this series is about, its not only about the fights and war but the aftermath, a deeper travel through the feeling and believes of different characters and how they have challenged, won or lost against them.

This show is amazing and this episode is one of the best. I hope that even more people watch this masterpiece.

I am in tears! Its a been a while since I have felt so sad after watching a TV episode! Everytime i thought it could not get any sadder... it did! And when I say I cried while watching this, am not exagerating! This shattered my heart!

The story of Gadar and Arnheid was amazing! Such a realistic story that more than anything shows just what kind of world this is! They had everything once.. they were a happy familly in a cruel world! Incredible storytelling!

The soundtrack and directing was amazing! Just captured all the emotions! This must be how it feels when life flashes before your eyes! The fight was great, even if everything after completely overshadows it!

What this show excels at is finding the humanity within its characters and displacing it in the face of inhuman situations. Gardar's story is very much about a man who, in trying to reclaim his life, sacrifices his humanity. He doesn't care who or what gets in his way, even death would fail to stop him. It's a very harrowing story that showcases a lot of what people do in objectifying others - at the end of the day everyone is a human being and can only be so flexible. Gardar, who had lost everything and was flagellated into being a submissive slave, had been carved away at psychologically to the point where his ego had imploded, and, in the face of years of both being denied the things that made him human and overwhelming oppression, lost his sensibility. Ultimately, this is grounds for his psychological inflection point where, even as a subservient slave who would reel at the thought of doing wrong, the fleeting thought of "what-if" passed through his mind and, being as dehumanized as he was, acted on impulse that this was his moment to reclaim everything.

Unfortunately for Gardar, the one thing slave owners love more than slaves is paying other people to make sure their slaves stay enslaved, so when these peoples' proverbial money faucet shuts off, it is no question that they will hunt down the man who turned it off to the ends of the earth. Also unfortunately for Gardar, the person at the other side of this relenting is being watched over by an equally dehumanized man, but also a man who has gained something to protect over the years.

The collision of these two forces, and those caught in their wake was a great conclusion to an already fascinating story, but the fallout was highlight. Arnheid, who had also lost everything, was treated more or less well as a slave, and could not comprehend the depths to which Gardar had sunk, tried to reason with him only to catalyze the collision. Unfortunately for her, Gardar was dead the moment he retaliated and had sacrificed his humanity in the process. However, her actions were not entirely futile as ultimately she and Gardar were able to find closure in their loss. However, that closure came with some of the most heartbreaking moments of the series to date.

What is equally notable, however, is that this sequence of events directly coincides with Ketil and Canute's affair, and the sudden loss and the shock and awe of this botched escape attempt will have dire consequences for the readiness of the farm when Canute unleashes his forces to requisition Ketil's farm. In that sense, this "calm" before the storm was more like a tornado before a hurricane. While the destruction may have been great, it was relatively isolated and of a relatively contained scale, Canute's arrival will bring with it the true calamity this season has been building toward. A truly profound setup that incidentally has both Einar and Thorfinn taking the reigns of their destiny in a major way. Where they end up within the greater ensuing chaos will be a spectacular, I'm sure, but this encounter has already made the journey extremely satisfying and poignant. I am very much looking forward to what comes next. 9.5/10.

I don't usually write reviews but this episode manages to gather such strong emotions. Sometimes no matter what you want in life there are forces stronger than you that ll take everything from you. This episode is beautiful. Great pacing and development. It's just too sad to see how some stories end. In just a few episodes we get to know Gardar story and we actually care what happens to him and his family.

The animation is amazing as well as the music. This one is a rollacoaster of emotions.

I'm interested to know where the story ll go from now. Too many decisions and consecuentes.

Great episode. One of the best this season.

I can't even begin to describe how this episode made me feel. Pure emotion to the core. Sadness, pride, regret, duty, purpose, love, care. All of this emotions are incredibly portrayed in this episodes. It's written to perfection and the build up to this episode It's worth it. I have to take my hat off to the voice actors as well.

I was wondering where they will take thr "Gardar-Arnheid" story, because at first it did not seem like much as I was eager to see what Thorfin will do next because they did not focus on him the last few episodes.

Vinland Saga deserves all the praise it has and this episodes proves it ten fold!