Vinland Saga and Violet Evergarden Show the Tragedy of Children at War

Season 2 of Vinland Saga shows the aftermath of Thorfinn's life and childhood at war, which leaves him hollow and guilt-ridden. His almost robotic persona is similar to the title character from Violet Evergarden, who also grew up as a child soldier. More than coincidence, the similarities between these two protagonists is entirely reflective of the devastating impact of war on their young lives.

When handling the subject of war, both Vinland Saga and Violet Evergarden take on different tones and begin their stories at different points: Vinland Saga shows the gritty horrors of Thorfinn's childhood firsthand, while Violet Evergarden offers a glimmer of hope as Violet takes her first steps as a retired veteran. Though Vinland Saga shows more of Thorfinn's painful development, in the end, the impact of war on the battlefield is similar for both characters.

Though it is Thorfinn's brash behavior in his childhood that leads him into danger, it's his drive for revenge that keeps him in the company of the brutal Vikings. When his father Thors, a former Viking, is called to war, the young boy sneaks aboard his boat in search of adventure and battle. An unexpected ambush ends with the assassination of Thors, which young Thorfinn witnesses. Numb from his loss, he is found stranded on the boat stolen by his father's killers by a group of mercenary Vikings led by Askeladd, who becomes the target of Thorfinn's revenge. Askeladd uses Thorfinn in his war efforts, pushing the boy to kill one target after the next and causing him to become bitter and aggressive -- Thorfinn's contempt toward Askeladd becomes his entire raison d'être. Despite all his years of effort, Thorfinn fails to take Askeladd's life, resulting in a mental break. Season 2 features an older Thorfinn who has lost his will to fight -- with his life on the warfront potentially behind him, Thorfinn struggles to find his will to keep on living.

Though it is Thorfinn's brash behavior in his childhood that leads him into danger, it's his drive for revenge that keeps him in the company of the brutal Vikings. When his father Thors, a former Viking, is called to war, the young boy sneaks aboard his boat in search of adventure and battle. An unexpected ambush ends with the assassination of Thors, which young Thorfinn witnesses. Numb from his loss, he is found stranded on the boat stolen by his father's killers by a group of mercenary Vikings led by Askeladd, who becomes the target of Thorfinn's revenge. Askeladd uses Thorfinn in his war efforts, pushing the boy to kill one target after the next and causing him to become bitter and aggressive -- Thorfinn's contempt toward Askeladd becomes his entire raison d'être. Despite all his years of effort, Thorfinn fails to take Askeladd's life, resulting in a mental break. Season 2 features an older Thorfinn who has lost his will to fight -- with his life on the warfront potentially behind him, Thorfinn struggles to find his will to keep on living.

Both Thorfinn and Violet were used as child soldiers to fight an adult's war. Though Violet's motivations go from survival to support as she develops a relationship with the Major, and Thorfinn's motivations are purely guided by hate, they are both left with emotional scars which stunt their personal growth.

Unlike Violet, Thorfinn has more to gain by following Askeladd's commands and is driven by his own personal goals. However, because he doesn't question any of Askeladd's commands and appears to have more loyalty than necessary, he acts as the perfect soldier, without a life off the battlefield. This is also how Violet becomes after her childhood. As they both grow up, their ability to develop relationships is jeopardized -- Thorfinn doesn't become close to anyone and Violet doesn't understand how. When their time at war come to an end, a peaceful civilian life proves to be impossible for either of them.

For Thorfinn, rather than finding his way home to his mother and sister, he finds himself stuck as a slave. With his originally determined spirit extinguished from wartime losses, he is taken advantage of by mercenaries and spends his days isolated only following the goals of his new master, who treats him kindly. This is how Season 2 opens, drastically changing the tone of the franchise to something more hopeful and upbeat. Much of this has to do with the number of positive influences in Thorfinn's life at this point. As a child, the only mentor figure he had was Askeladd, who abused him and made no personal attachments aside from mutual hatred. In his older years, Thorfinn is introduced to a peaceful community held together by slaves and their master, who cares for their wellbeing. As Thorfinn begins to heal from his life as a soldier with the supportive help of the new character Einar, there's hope that Thorfinn will find a new way to live happily.

In Violet's case, having the right people in her life made for an easier transition, but not one free of struggle. She couldn't begin to understand human emotions and her own self-expression because it was never necessary as a soldier. This toxic environment is also because most of the adults she grew up with created a culture against emotions and focused on military success instead. As the only person who stood to make change, the heartwarming words of Major Gilbert gave her a hint of what emotions felt like. Thankfully Violet is introduced to a profession that would allow her to explore feelings in a healthy way. The Major's friend Claudia Hodgins, a former commander of the Leidenschaftlich army comes to Violet's aid as she enters civilian life. When he sees her unrest, he hires her to work in his postal company. After discovering the profession of ghostwriting civilian letters and seeing Hodgin's "Auto Memory Dolls" at work, she discovers a new goal of helping civilians from all walks of life deliver their feelings and thoughts to their loved ones. This, in turn, helps Violet explore her feelings and especially her grief from wartime.

While Vinland Saga is far more action-oriented than the drama-filled Violet Evergarden, both anime are centered around a protagonist who grows up in the middle of a war and is molded by it. These two series handle their themes of war, grief, and healing with patience and care as Thorfinn and Violet make strides overcoming their emotional struggles. Violet's story has come to an end with her rising above the tragedy of her horrific upbringing. With a lighter change in tone, there's hope that Thorfinn will eventually do the same.