The Most Epic Fantasy and Sci-Fi Website

Vinland Saga: Was There a Time Skip Between Seasons 1 and 2?


Vinland Saga Was There a Timeskip Between Season 1 and 2 Thorfinn
Credit: MAPPA

Thorfinn appears to have found a new home on Ketil's farm in the pilot episode of Vinland Saga Season 2. But, given how the first season ended, did Vinland Saga do a time skip between Seasons 1 and 2?

We've taken a closer look at Vinland Saga's timeline to refresh everyone on what has already happened and to avoid further confusion about the events of Season 2.

RELATED: The Best Historical Anime to Watch

Vinland Saga’s Timeline Explained

We saw Thorfinn's past life in Iceland in the first season of Vinland Saga, where he lived peacefully with his sister Ylva, mother Helga, and father Thors, and their horde of sheep.

Thorfinn's life is forever changed when Floki arrives to recruit Thors for the battle against England.

He not only met Askeladd, but also Thorkell, Prince Canute, and even the King of Denmark himself.

Vinland Saga’s Timeline Explained Canute
click to enlarge
+ 5
Credit: MAPPA

Here is a detailed account of the major events in Vinland Saga thus far:

  • 516 AD: At the Battle of Baden Hill, Britannia's military leader, Lucius Artorius Castus, defeats the invading Saxons, restoring peace to his people.
  • 963 AD: The Birth of Thors and Thorkell
  • 969 AD: The Birth of Askeladd and Helga
  • 983 AD: Askeladd travels to Wales where he meets the Welsh general Gratianus. His journey is intended to fulfill Lydia's dying wish.
Vinland Saga’s Timeline Explained Askeladd
click to enlarge
+ 5
Credit: MAPPA
  • 986 AD: Thor named his firstborn daughter Ylva after his mother. Simultaneously, Thors and Thorkell fought together in the Battle of Hjörungavágr, where Thors abruptly changed his mind about the war.
  • 991 AD: Thor feigns death at the Battle of Maldon in order to desert the Jomsvikings. Three months later, he decides to take Helga and Ylva with him. He also meets Thorkell before departing for good.
  • 996 AD: The birth of Thorfinn and Prince Canute
  • 1000 AD: Leif Ericson discovers Vinland
Vinland Saga's Timeline Explained Thorfinn
click to enlarge
+ 5
Credit: MAPPA
  • 1002 AD: King Sweyn declares war on England after Princess Gunhilde is killed in the massacre of a Danes village in Danelaw.
  • 1012 AD: Askeladd’s band of Vikings sets sail for the Kingdom of the Franks to offer their offensive services to a chibi-Frank nobleman named Jabbathe. They were successful in assisting Jabbathe, but Askeladd and his merry band took all of the loot. Askeladd also fought with Thorfinn in a duel, which the latter lost against the former again.
  • 1013 AD: The majority of the events in Vinland Saga Season 1 occurred this year, and they revolved around Thorkell and Askeladd's cat-and-mouse chase.
Vinland Saga’s Timeline Explained Thorkell
click to enlarge
+ 5
Credit: MAPPA
  • This year also saw the duel between Thorfinn and Thorkell, Askeladd using Prince Canute's royal status to survive in enemy territory, and a slew of deaths in between, including Bjorn's and Ragnar's.
  • Most notably, Prince Canute rose to power after Thorfinn, Thorkell, and Askeladd banded together to make him the next King of Denmark and eventually England.
  • Unfortunately, by the end of Vinland Saga Season 1, Prince Canute is forced to murder Askeladd after the latter kills his father.

READ MORE: When Will Vinland Saga Season 2 Be Dubbed in English?

So, Was There a Time Skip Between Seasons 1 and 2 of Vinland Saga?

Yes, there was a time skip between Seasons 1 and 2 of Vinland Saga. It occurred between the years 1013 AD and 1015 AD, when a number of pivotal events in the series occurred, kicking off yet another storyline for Thorfinn and the other characters.

The pilot episode of Vinland Saga Season 2 begins in the year 1014 AD when Prince Canute is crowned king and Thorfinn is sold as a slave to Ketil.

The following year (1015 AD), Thorfinn meets Einar, another of Ketil's slaves who has just arrived on the farm to help him cut down trees.

According to Ketil, Thorfinn and Einar can work for their freedom on the farm.

Was There a Time Skip between Seasons 1 and 2 of Vinland Saga Thorfinn
click to enlarge
+ 5
Credit: MAPPA

At this point, Leif Ericson is still looking for Thorfinn in order to return him to Iceland and reunite him with his family.

Unfortunately, after the flashforward, Thorfinn will have to face his inner demons in order to get back up and move on after the deaths of his father and his father's killer, Askeladd.

Unlike the first season, fighting will be less frequent, and the emphasis will now be on Thorfinn's character development.

Want the latest on all things anime? Make sure you follow us on Twitter!

READ NEXT: How Historically Accurate Is Vinland Saga, Exactly?

For more articles like this, take a look at our Anime, Manga, Queries, and Vinland Saga pages.