Vinland Saga Season 2, Episode 13: You try being a slave for once

Vinland Saga Season 2 Episode 13, “Dark Clouds,” opens to a gruesome scene. Inside a burning house a child is screaming as a slave butchers his slave master and his two sons. The woman and child survive as the slave head off to find someone he refers to as “her.” The next morning on the farm, Einar discuss what he and Thorfinn might do once freed. Einar contemplates staying in hopes that he might end up with Arnheld. Suddenly, Snake comes out of the house yelling that he’s hungry.

Sverkel hasn’t been seen and Snake rushes to find him collapsed in the field. Arnheld comes to his aid, cooking and cleaning. Together, Sverkel, Snake, Arnheld, Thorfinn, and Einar have dinner. Afterward, Einar talks to Arnheld. She tells him how “its been a while she had this much fun at dinner and she felt like she is free again.” Fox informs Snake that the runaway slave might be a threat to the farm.

Gardar is Arnheld’s husband

The dead slave master Kjallakr’s uncle offers three horses for the person that catches the slave. Snake doesn’t seem too concerned about the horses but he tells them not “doesn’t care much about the horses, but states they need to take some precautions.” Of course when Fox, Badger, and Lizard locate the runaway in the forest they can’t stop bickering long enough to catch him. He gets the drop on them and kills Lizard.

Fox and Badger frantically ride towards the farm. In front of them is the slave riding Lizard’s horse. Snake runs inside to get his sword while Arnheld recognizes the slave, Gardar, her husband. The introduction of Gardar is a twist I wasn’t expecting. Considering how violent he is I don’t think it’s going to end well for at least one of these characters, Snake, Arnheld, Gardar, and or Einar.

If Gardar isn’t Ketil’s slave then technically they don’t need to catch him. However, after he killed Lizard, Snake and the other mercenaries might want revenge. Einar is likely going to be heartbroken but I can’t imagine he’ll interfere unless Gardar’s abusive towards Arnheld. With Gardar’s appearance and King Canute’s pending arrival the farm is likely to be destroyed.