Line #154 Characters/VinlandSagaThorfinn


1	!!Return to the [[Characters/VinlandSaga character]] page or the [[Manga/VinlandSaga work]] page.
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3	!!Thorfinn "Karlsefni", Son of Thors
4	!!!'''Voiced by''': Creator/ShizukaIshigami (Child), Creator/YuutoUemura (Teenager) (Japanese), Creator/ShannonEmerick (Child) (English - Sentai Filmworks), Creator/LauraStahl (Child) (English - Netflix), Creator/MikeHaimoto (Teenager) (English - Sentai Filmworks/Crunchyroll), Creator/AleksLe (Teenager) (English - Netflix)
5	[[quoteright:255:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/thorfinn_anime.png]][[caption-width-right:255:As a Warrior]]
6	[[quoteright:255:[[labelnote:As a Child]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/thorfinn_child_anime.png]][[/labelnote]]
7	[[quoteright:255:[[labelnote:As a Farmer]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/chara_thorfinn_1_4.png]][[/labelnote]]
8	[[quoteright:255:[[labelnote:As a Sailor '''(SPOILERS AHEAD)''']]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/thorfinnsailor.png]][[/labelnote]]
9	[[quoteright:182:[[labelnote:In the final arc '''(SPOILERS AHEAD)''']]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/thorfinnfinal.png]][[/labelnote]]
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11	TheHero of the saga, an Icelandic warrior and son of a great general turned freehold farmer. Thorfinn starts the series as a violent, revenge-driven warrior in employ of his own father's killer. The saga follows his growth from his origins into the "true warrior" exemplified by his father.
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13	[[foldercontrol]]
14	[[folder:A -- E]]
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16	* TheAce: Thorfinn is incredibly strong, fast and also very smart. He became an extremely skilled warrior while still a pre-teen [[spoiler:and picked up on farming, and later sailing, haggling, and becoming an organiser and community leader, very quickly and skillfully]]. His epithet, "Karlsefni", can be translated to "man of great ability".
17	* ActionHero: {{Deconstructed}}. Thorfinn spends the first arc as a knife-wielding viking ninja to become strong enough to avenge his father. He fails miserably, misintepreting his father's dying wish in the process and learning entirely the wrong lesson from it. By the end of the first arc, Thorfinn is still an incredibly skilled warrior but he's spiritually dead inside and has no idea what to do with his life.
18	* ActualPacifist: During the second arc, Thorfinn tries to become this to make a clean break from his past as a killer, and does it pretty well for a while. Unfortunately, he is eventually forced into more battles by forces outside his control and settles into being more of a MartialPacifist when he has to.
19	* AdaptationalNiceGuy: Downplayed, but in the manga, he coldly left a woman to be raped by Askeladd's men. This is AdaptedOut in the anime.
20	* AllForNothing: After losing his one chance to kill Askeladd, and his one chance to return home, Thorfinn succumbs to this and he ends up a slave.
21	%%* AntiHero: When first met, Thorfinn is a sullen boy who lives only for revenge and gives little if any thought to matters not related to killing Askeladd. [[CharacterDevelopment He grows out of it.]]
22	* AntiVillain: For the majority of the first arc, Thorfinn is a sullen boy who lives only for revenge and gives little if any thought to matters not related to killing Askeladd, being willing to commit countless atrocities in his mercenary gang in hopes of one day killing him, but was driven by the tragedy of losing his father and felt guilt for his actions even if he emotionally detaches himself. [[spoiler: He subverts this in the 2nd part, becoming a firmly [[AllLovingHero heroic]] character.]]
23	* AncestralWeapon: The dagger his father gave him before he died, which also serves as a TragicKeepsake. Thorfinn used it as his main weapon for his time with Askeladd. He lost it [[spoiler:right before being sent into slavery]] and it hasn't been seen since. Though it has sort of become a metaphor for his anger. He gained the dagger right before he gained his hate for Askeladd, and lost it [[spoiler:right after Askeladd's death.]] To complete the symbolism, when Thorfinn learns that Floki was ultimately the man responsible for his father's death, he tells Hild about his desire to kill Floki, with imagery of him killing Floki with that dagger, even though Thorfinn lost it ages ago.
24	* TheAtoner: Became one in general because of all the horrible things he did when he was part of Askeladd's band. [[spoiler:Hild doesn't think it's enough, though seeing Thorfinn actually ''trying'' to be a better person is starting to change her mind somewhat.]]
25	* BadassAdorable: As a child, he was trained by Askeladd himself and became a vicious sword wielding scout - that took a lot of guts for the kid, and showed how brave he truly was.
26	* BadassPacifist: In the second arc [[spoiler:Thorfinn manages to defuse the situation at Ketil's Farm entirely without violence.]]
27	* BadassUnintentional: Thorfinn accepts the offer of [[spoiler:receiving 80 punches in exhcange of talk with Canute in the Slave arc. By the end of it, Thorfinn has earned everybody's respect. ]]
28	* BareFistedMonk: His knife skills also translates well into fist-fighting since the reach is about the same; Snake can ''[[KillingIntent immediately]]'' tell when Thorfinn goes into his usual stance, adapted to wield daggers, that [[LetsGetDangerous even if it's not with the weapons Thorfinn is entirely used to]] that this is where the young man excels. When forced to fight unarmed in the first arc, he similarly acquits himself well.
29	%%* BashBrothers: With Einar in the Slave arc. He regrets fighting though.
30	%%* BeardOfSorrow: Sports one at the beginning of the second arc, and eventually shaves it off into a more straightforward beard.
31	* BeingGoodSucks: During his visit to Thors's grave, he admits how hard it is to live by his father's ideal.
32	* TheBerserker: So much so it becomes Thorfinn's FatalFlaw whenver he is severly angered. Making him lose all composure and starts attacking wildly, but due to his GlassCannon status and recklessness at the time it leaves him open for many counter attacks which can put him out of commission. Askeladd is one to point him out on this several times.
33	* BewareTheNiceOnes: Post character development Thorfinn is a very affable and kind guy, and has sworn himself to pacifism. However, when forced to fight, he is still able to almost single-handedly knock out a squad of Jomsvikings, who are the best of the best. [[spoiler:And Odin help you if you earn his wrath even now, as Floki has.]]
34	* BlindedByRage: Thorfinn's FatalFlaw during the first arc. During their duels, Askeladd is repeatedly able to put Thorfinn off his game by looking down on him or badmouthing Thors in some way. This will always cause Thorfinn to immediately go for the kill, making him susceptible to a swift counter. Somehow, Thorfinn never realizes this until Askeladd explicitly tells him how predictable he is, in a brutal TheReasonYouSuckSpeech.
35	* BookDumb: He spent his entire life killing people and thus doesn't know a lot of things that others generally do.
36	* BreakTheCutie: Started out as a carefree and sweet little boy, witnessing the death of his father completely changed his life for the worst.
37	* ByronicHero: First arc and early second-arc Thorfinn is a brooding anti-hero with enough emotional issues (losing his father, losing his chance to kill Askeladd, being turned into a scout and being enslaved to name a few) to overfill the North Sea. Subverted in that the latter makes him more of an ExtremeDoormat than a turmoiled soul, and by the end of the second arc he's become considerably healthier mentally.
38	* GetAHoldOfYourselfMan: Thorfinn punches Einar in the Slave arc when Arnheid dies to stop him from becoming a murderer like him with Ketil.
39	* CantLiveWithThemCantLiveWithoutThem: Thorfinn ''really'' hates Askeladd for killing his dad and who can blame him? However, since killing Askeladd has been his goal for most of his life, Thorfinn doesn't know what to do without him. [[spoiler: Thorfinn still dreams of Askeladd after his death and comes to accept that he was, in a twisted way, a father figure to him.]]
40	* CelibateHero: Thorfinn remains either too sullen, too broken or too driven to show interest in sex or romance. This continues well into his adulthood, to the point he has no idea how female anatomy even works (thinking Gudrid can be a wet-nurse despite not being pregnant) and being propositioned -- and later given an outright LoveConfession -- in the third arc mostly flies over his head. [[spoiler:Eventually subverted as Thorfinn marries Gudrid at the end of the third arc, and the two are shown to have a healthy love life in Vinland. Even then, she had to spell it out to him that she loved him to his face before he reacted.]]
41	%%* CharacterDevelopment: CheerfulChild -> SociopathicHero -> ExtremeDoormat -> AllLovingHero.
42	%%* CheerfulChild: Before BreakTheCutie stands in.
43	%%* ChildSoldier: He began working for Askeladd at the age of six.
44	%%* CoDragons: Serves as this to Askeladd alongside Bjorn, being the former's preferred assassin.
45	* TheComicallySerious: By the third arc, at the latest. Thorfinn's [[spoiler:reunion with his mother and sister]] lets us see him in relatively light-hearted situations, reacting pretty much exactly as you'd expect him to. What really cements it is the panel after Gudrid explains to him that she can't breastfeed Karli: shocked expression, a (realistically drawn) SweatDrop, horizontally-hatched facial shadows, and a starburst background. ''Because Thorfinn Karlsefni doesn't know how breasts work.''
46	* ComingOfAgeStory: Thorfinn's journey in the story is becoming a ruthless member of Askeladd's band of pirates who will grow strong enough to avenge his father.
47	* CorruptTheCutie: Thorfinn starts off in the first half of the story as a young boy with no problems and no worries save for a certain pirate who ruined his life. As he grows older, however, he becomes more and more [[AmbitionIsEvil ambitious]] in his desires for power and for revenge, partially egged on by [[TheCorrupter Askeladd]], who pushes his RelativeButton [[NeverSpeakIllOfTheDead over his father's death.]] This is subverted, however, as Thorfinn is not completely corrupted.
48	* CoolUncle: After returning to Iceland and having his mother recognize him, it doesn't take long for Thorfinn's nieces and nephews to warm up to him.
49	* CrapsackWorld: Basically the motivation that sets his journey in season 2. [[spoiler:Thorfinn hates the Viking world and wants to live peacefully in Vinland. Still, he finds himself owing much to the hellish farm of slaves as they gave him a home and friends after a decade of fighting.]]
50	* TheCutie: As a little boy, Thorfinn is almost constantly [[ChildrenAreInnocent kind]], [[ThePollyanna optimistic]] and [[WideEyedIdealist idealistic to a fault]], as well as a loving son to his parents (although his sister loves him too much). Unfortunately, Cuties don't tend to [[BreakTheCutie fare well]] in the {{Crapsack World}}s of the Viking Age.
51	* DeadpanSnarker: During the first arc, delivering one bitter comment after the other with his usual sullen look. He eventually manages to provoke even [[ShrinkingViolet Canute]] with it.
52	%%* DeadPersonConversation: With ghosts or hallucinations but he never forgets Askeladd or Thors.
53	* DeathGlare: His default state during the first arc. One of the reasons Askeladd signs him up in the first place is because he's able to stare daggers at his men at the age of six.
54	%%** Though it appears ''much'' more rarely after the first arc, there are times where he gives one just as well as he used to when he's truly angry.
55	* DespairEventHorizon: While Thors' death did a real number on him, Thorfinn really crosses it [[spoiler:with Askeladd's death, particularly as Thorfinn didn’t get a chance to kill him]]. With his whole reason for living gone, Thorfinn doesn't even resist [[MadeASlave being sold into slavery]] and spends the early Farmland arc as a shell-shocked ExtremeDoormat.
56	%%* TheDeterminator: In regards to his revenge. [[spoiler:Then the guy he wanted to kill gets killed before his eyes.]]
57	%%* DisproportionateRetribution: Look, a pirate murdered his dad. That shit don't fly in Viking Land.
58	* DoomMagnet: A lot of people close to Thorfinn end up meeting grim fates. His dad ends up becoming Askeladd's victim and Askeladd himself is stabbed to death by Canute.
59	%%* DramaticallyMissingThePoint: About Thors's teachings, up until he finally 'gets it' during the second arc.
60	* DualWielding: Thorfinn uses a pair of knives for the first arc, during his employment under Askeladd. One of them was given to him by his father during his childhood. He later re-develops his knife-fighting skills for use in barehanded fighting.
61	* EnfantTerrible: He swiftly becomes this not long after the murder of his father. Granted, he initially doesn't get very far as he tries acting tough and intimidating with Askeladd and his crew, but it's still a sharp contrast to the innocently energetic boy willing to go on an adventure with his dad. It gets worse once he agrees to be a member of Askeladd's entourage where he eventually grows long hair and looks genuinely creepy even before becoming borderline badass-looking as he grows older.
62	* EveryoneHasStandards: Even during his darkest years as a viking raider, Thorfinn never committed unnecessary cruelty. When an English lady saves him from a river after he had been shot with an arrow, even though he goes through with the previously made plan to set off a signal telling the Vikings to commence their raid, he attempts to tell her (in English, a language he isn't fluent in) to run and is clearly upset when the mother shows up to the site of the raid and probably dies shortly after. Likewise, during the raid that [[spoiler:killed Hild's family, after killing Hild's father, he tells her to run before the other vikings who would probably rape and murder her show up since she wasn't his target.]]
63	%%* EvilMakeOver: His physical appearance as a teenager is given a very threatening, ominous, and less cute design.
64	%%* ExperiencedProtagonist: Manga only as the anime tells his story chronologcally.
65	* ExpositoryHairstyleChange: Formerly an innocent kid with neat short hair, he lets his hair grow long and unkempt while living rough with Askeladd's band. After his enslavement, he lets it grow even longer out of apathy, but begins to groom and tie it back after Einar and others bring him out of his depression. After regaining his freedom and returning home, Ylva gives him a haircut and shave to his chagrin, making him look the most like an older version of his child self. When he returns from his merchant voyage, he has grown his hair out akin to his teen self, but more groomed. When he finally goes to Vinland, his hair is trimmed and combed back.
66	* {{Expy}}: A violent teenager who causes many deaths becomes a pacifist unwilling to kill enemies no matter the tactic? Himura Kenshin from ''Manga/RurouniKenshin'' might be a good friend to him.
67	* ExtremeDoormat: During the second arc. [[spoiler:Having lost his reason to live with Askeladd's death, Thorfinn is completely calm, humble, stoic and resigned to whatever comes his way, seeing no point to anything. It takes a combination of Einar, Snake, and Sverker to make him realize he's still capable of meaningful living.]]
68	[[/folder]]
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70	[[folder:F -- M]]
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72	* FaceHeelTurn: Subverted. After losing his father to a dastardly pirate and said pirate finally agreeing to train him, Thorfinn instantly becomes a sinister and threatening scout. The subversion is that Thorfinn is doing this so that he can avenge his dad.
73	* FaceOfAThug: During his revenge seeking years, he never looks very attractive. A lot of it is admittingly the fact that he doesn't take care of himself at all, causing him to look generally shaggy. When he really gets angry, his face becomes pretty grotesque looking. [[spoiler:After undergoing positive character development after years of slavery, he becomes rather attractive, especially after getting a shave and a haircut. After he returns from Constantinople and starts his journey to the west, he's outright ruggedly handsome.]]
74	* FallenHero: In a manner similar to [[Characters/StarWarsAnakinSkywalker Anakin Skywalker]] or [[Literature/RingingBell Chirin the Sheep]]. While he begins as a sweet, selfless boy and goes on a personal quest to avenge his father, Thorfinn inevitably turns to the DarkSide and becomes one of the most ruthless members of Askeladd's entourage. This is subverted as Thorfinn does not completely turn and he ends up losing his chance to kill the SOB when Canute does it for him.
75	* FamousAncestor: Thorfinn is descended from the legendary Ragnar Lothbrok through his paternal line. More specifically, through Ragnar's son Bjorn Ironside. Through Helga, he can trace his ancestry to Sigurd "Snake-in-the-Eye" Ragnarsson, also a son of Ragnar Lothbrok.
76	%%* FlatWhat: His reaction to hearing [[spoiler:Gudrid confessing that she likes him.]]
77	* FragileSpeedster: During the first arc. Thorfinn is extremely fast and very skilled (a necessity when one fights with daggers), but built lightly and lacks the girth and strength of older, larger fighters. [[MetronomicManMashing His first battle against Thorkell goes badly as a result]].
78	* GoodScarsEvilScars: Receives a large clean cut on his right cheek during the Farmland arc, which stays. At that point his body is already CoveredInScars, but the facial scar is the first one that permanently changes his everyday appearance. Then after going on a merchant voyage, he then shows up with new scars on his left cheek and nose-bridge. The scars just make him look more rugged than anything.
79	%%* HairTriggerTemper: In the timespan as a teenager Thorfinn ha become even more moody and nearly snaps at almost anyone who provokes him. Especially when it comes to Askeladd he nearly loses all
80	* HeartbrokenBadass: After losing his father to the arrows of plunderous pirates, Thorfinn's heart is broken so badly that his allegiance to Askeladd and his band of pirates becomes almost absolute.
81	* HeroesFightBarehanded: Post-CharacterDevelopment Thorfinn fights unarmed, to fit in with him becoming a much more peaceful and heroic figure.
82	* HesAllGrownUp: After [[spoiler:he was sold into slavery]], he starts to look much older and rugged due to growing his hair and beard out, and also by often being covered in dirt and sweat. He is still pretty short though, presumably due to all the stress and malnutrition he experienced during his formative years. Though after [[spoiler:he gets his freedom back]], he gets cleaned up, his hair cut and his beard shaved and he is shown to have a pretty youthful face offset only by a scar (he's only in his 20s at latest).
83	* HeWhoFightsMonsters: He killed whoever Askeladd tasked him to kill without conscience simply to duel him, not caring for whoever suffers along the way. [[spoiler: To be specific, he callously murdered Hild's father right in front of her, the very same reason why he wants Askeladd dead. This comes back to bite him hard later.]]
84	* HistoricalDomainCharacter: Loosely based on a real Icelandic explorer. Presumably the real Thorfinn didn't spend his formative years as a revenge-driven viking.
85	* HopeSpringsEternal: Even after losing his chance to kill Askeladd and being forced into slavery, Thorfinn is able to return home where he is reunited with his family after a near 20 year absence.
86	* {{Hypocrite}}: Teenager Thorfinn hated Askeladd with all he had because Askeladd killed his father in front of him, but [[spoiler: killed Hild's father in front of her with a spine-chilling cold precision.]]
87	** Realizing how hypocritical it is for him to despise Askeladd for killing his father, while also being perfectly willing to take away so many fathers, sons, and brothers from their loved ones is an integral part of his character development.
88	* IHatePastMe: When he becomes a slave, he prefers this over a viking life.
89	%%* HumbleHero: One of Ketil's son praises him for protecting their farm from Canute but Thorfinn feels awkward about this words.
90	* IllKillYou: He does this to Askeladd a lot. The most notable case is right after Thors's death. The sheer genuine hate was enough to unsettle Askeladd's crew.
91	* {{Jerkass}}: Not exactly evil, but he's surly, unpleasant and uninterested in anyone who doesn't help or hinder his vengeance. [[spoiler:He completely ditches it after being made a slave though.]]
92	* LackOfEmpathy: During his time as a raider, he thought nothing of the rape and murder Askeladd's band committed and simply walked away from the sight of it in mild disgust. He'd at least tell would-be victims to run, but didn't truly care either way. [[spoiler: He regains it after Askeladd's death.]]
93	* LightningBruiser: As a result of muscle mass he builds up doing manual labour during the second arc, Thorfinn trades some of his agility for power and mass and becomes more like his father in body build. This allows him to punch out or disable armoured men during the third arc.
94	* LoveRedeems: While not actual romance [[spoiler:Hild forgives Thorfinn after years of living with and becoming part of his family.]]
95	%%* LuminescentBlush: Can't look [[spoiler:Gudrid in the eye after her confession]].
96	* MadeASlave: [[spoiler:Canute sells Thorfinn off as a slave after the Prologue as punishment for assaulting him. This is described as being merciful because Canute could simply execute Thorfinn if he wanted to.]]
97	* TheMagnificent: He gets saddled with the epithet "Karlsefni" ([[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thorfinn_Karlsefni#Nickname which can be translated a lot of ways]] but generally comes down to some form or another of "a really skilled guy") after his duel with Thorkell. The official manga translation explains it as "the Promising".
98	* ManlyTears: While dry eyed during the entirety of the first arc (childhood excluded), he becomes far more compassionate in the second arc, complementing his character development after his spiritual awakening. He is shown openly weeping on several occasions such as [[spoiler: during his reunion with his mother and after Arnheid's death]].
99	* MartialPacifist: Most prominent in the third arc when he agrees to fight, but always to avoid more violent results.
100	%%* MessyHair Ever since his Viking days
101	* MrFanservice: Although he is poorly-fed as a slave, Thorfinn begins to take far better care of his body after befriending Einar, resulting in at least one scene of half-naked, healthy musculature. In the Vinland arc, [[spoiler:he appears downright naked in a bath for two pages because... we need the rating.]]
102	* McNinja: His use of daggers, role as a scout, and fighting style based on agility seems to invoke Ninjas, despite his Nordic ancestry. Even does a NinjaRun at times in the anime.
103	* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: The anime added several scenes to Thorfinn's nightmares where he finds it's his fault a kind elder was seemingly killed during his Viking days.
104	%%** Realizing who Hild is and what he did to her. One panel has this trope ''etched'' all over his face.
105	[[/folder]]
106
107	[[folder:N -- T]]
108
109	* NiceGuy: Thorfinn was a really sweet and naive kid before Askeladd killed Thors. [[spoiler: Even after his HeelFaceTurn, Thorfinn may be the story's kindest, most heroic character.]]
110	* NoMoreHoldingBackSpeech: At the end of the Farmland Saga, as Thorfinn finds a purpose in life, he delivers a three-part speech on his new views on life and suffering [[spoiler:at Arnheid's grave, to Canute's housecarls and finally to Canute himself]] that essentially serves as this.
111	* NoSocialSkills: Being a child soldier and ruthless raider for so long didn't give him much opportunity to develop actual people skills. The more peaceful third arc makes this lack more obvious.
112	* NotAfraidToDie: After the events of the first arc, Thorfinn states that he cares little if he lives or dies. [[spoiler:Snake shakes him out of it with pure KillingIntent, making Thorfinn realize he wants to live after all, though it takes time until he finds his reason why.]]
113	%%* NotSoStoic: In the Slave arc, he finally starts acting like a cheerful man for the first time in years thanks to his friendship with Einar.
114	* OfferedTheCrown: A succession crisis after the chieftain of the Jomsvikings dies pits Floki against Vagn over whom will be the next chieftain of Jomsborg. Floki is grooming his grandson to be the next chieftain and Vagn wants the title himself. Thorkell declares that since Thorfinn is the grandson of Sigvaldi and the son of Thors, he actually has the most legitimate claim to the title. [[spoiler:Thorfinn refuses]].
115	* OfficialCouple: [[spoiler: Thorfinn and Gudrid get married at some point during the second time skip, which is unsurprising for anyone with knowledge of the historical sagas the story is based on.]]
116	%%* TheOnlyOneAllowedToDefeatYou: Towards Askeladd. Ends up a {{Deconstruction}} as the older man calls him out for being an idiot about it.
117	* ParentalSubstitute:
118	** Thorfinn acknowledges ''two'', those being Askeladd and Leif. The two of them filled in the void left by Thors' death when Thorfinn was very young.
119	** He also [[spoiler:adopts Karli]] in the third arc.
120	* PerpetualFrowner: During the first arc, Thorfinn's three expressions are stoic disinterest, frowning, and screaming anger. As the arc continues he adds the occasional 'surprise' to his repertoire [[spoiler:before his entire personality is rebooted in a HeroicBSOD.]]
121	* PintSizedPowerhouse: As a child and teen, the other characters tower over him (particularly Thorkell the Tall, who is, ironically, his great uncle), but even as an adult he is much shorter than the average man in the setting. Sometimes people are ExpectingSomeoneTaller due to his reputation. His height doesn't stop him from kicking ass.
122	* ThePowerOfHate: Played Straight and Deconstructed. Thorfinn's vendetta against Askeladd is basically what drives him for ten years of constant war. [[spoiler:Askeladd's death reduces him to an ExtremeDoormat as the source of his hate (and indeed reason to live) is now gone.]]
123	* PracticallyDifferentGenerations: Thorfinn is nine years younger than his sister Ylva. By the time Thorfinn is a young child, Ylva's practically an adult.
124	%%* ReluctantWarrior: In the third arc where he eventually is forced to fight the Jomvikings.
125	* RevengeBeforeReason: Thorfinn in the first arc is fueled exclusively by his thirst for revenge against Askeladd, but he will only attempt to kill the man in a proper duel. He never tries to take his life by any other means. Not in the midst of a chaotic battle, not by sneaking up on him in his sleep, nothing else. Askeladd calls Thorfinn out on his idiocy when he tells him the story of [[spoiler:how he killed his own father out of revenge as a child through patience and cunning]]. Thorfinn also cared little for anything outside of his vengeance, even his remaining family and friends back in Iceland. When he first reunited with Leif, he refused to return home or even consider how his disappearance affected his sickly mother and overworked sister. In his mind, he couldn't focus on anything else until he regained his father's honor.
126	* SacrificedBasicSkillForAwesomeTraining: Thorfinn is a phenomenal warrior, able to match some of the greatest warriors of his age thanks to his single-minded pursuit of revenge. [[spoiler: However, from the second arc onward, it becomes clear he's completely clueless at anything besides fighting. He needs to be taught how to farm, fish, trade, and more. He doesn't even know that women can't breastfeed babies unless they've recently given birth.]]
127	* SayMyName: [[spoiler:When he finally meets Floki face to face, after learning that [[YouKilledMyFather he is the one truly responsible for his father's death]], Thorfinn [[TranquilFury quietly]] mutters his name. Twice. Then he screams in [[UnstoppableRage murderous rage]].]]
128	-->'''Thorfinn''': [[spoiler:'''''FLOKIII!''''']]
129	* ScarsAreForever: His body is covered with all sorts of scars from the constant fighting when he was in Askeladd's band. Interestingly, his face remains scar-free until the "Farmland Saga" where part of his left ear gets cut off, then later he gets a longer scar running down the side of his face. It only really serves [[GoodScarsEvilScars to make him look more rugged]]. [[spoiler:After the two year timeskip post Baltic Sea War, Thorfinn has another scar across the bridge of his nose. It once again serves to ruggedize his looks further.]]
130	* ScreamingWarrior: Thorfinn's main weakness in battle is that he tends to devolve into violent screaming rage when things do not go his way. Askeladd repeatedly points out that it's holding him back.
131	* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: [[spoiler:When he fails to convince Canute to leave Ketil's farm, Thorfinn announces his escape as he will not use force. This amuses Canute who believed Thorfinn would kill him like Askeladd illed Sweyn and accepts his request.]]
132	* ShellShockedVeteran: After the first arc is concluded and Thorfinn gives up on his violent ways, all the men he's killed still haunt his dreams.
133	%%* SlasherSmile: When not stoic or frowning in the first arc.
134	%%* TheStoic: For most of the first arc, this is his default mood. [[spoiler:Also during much of the early second arc due to becoming an ExtremeDoormat by his experiences.]]
135	* StraightForTheCommander: Askeladd routinely uses Thorfinn as a battlefield assassin by sending him after opposing commanders first. We see the tactic work during the battle in Frankia, but when he attempts to do this against Thorkell during the Battle of London, it goes badly and Thorfinn is lucky to escape with his life.
136	* StrongFamilyResemblance: Much like Ylva, Thorfinn inherited his mother's looks, but also gained his father's strength and better health. [[spoiler:On the other hand, when Thorfinn finally returns to Iceland, Helga recognizes him immediately in part because she sees his resemblance to Thors.]]
137	* SupportingProtagonist: In the first arc at least, he plays this to Askeladd and Canute who are the characters who really drive the plot. He firmly becomes the lead after [[spoiler:Askeladd dies and Canute becomes king]] however.
138	* SurprisinglyEliteCannonFodder: Thorfinn serves this role for Askeladd's crew, essentially being used for any job that requires someone very expendable, but more reliable than the rank-and-file. This includes being used as a messenger (for possibly hostile forces that Askeladd plans to betray), being sent to kill [[WorldsStrongestMan Thorkell]] (and immediately abandoned once he fails), and being ordered into ''a forest fire'' on a recovery mission (without any backup). In fact, Askeladd repeatedly shows surprise that Thorfinn keeps coming back alive.
139	* SwornBrothers: Becomes one to Einar during the second arc; after everything they went through together (the years of slavery, buying back their freedom, and [[Canute's attempt to requisition the farm]]), both men decide to go to Vinland together and start a country free of slavery and war ([[DueToTheDead in Arnheid's memory]]), addressing each other as "brother" henceforth.
140	* TearsOfRemorse: During his dreams in the second arc, Thorfinn finally realizes what his father had been trying to teach him as a child and comes to regret all the people he killed in his thirst for revenge.
141	* ThouShaltNotKill: Attempts to become an ActualPacifist during the second arc. He is eventually forced to fight in order to save other people, but only as a last resort, and still refuses to kill.
142	%%* TookALevelInJerkass: After Thors's death.
143	* TookALevelInKindness: [[spoiler:After being sold into slavery and the death of Askeladd, Thorfinn becomes a more somber and much kinder character.]]
144	* TragicKeepsake: In a way his twin daggers are this to him, having been given to him by his father. In an interesting example this keepsake is also Thorfinn's preferred weapon when he would finally get to kill Askeladd as well as a symbolism of his murderous rage, given that it symbolizes his desire to attain vengeance for his father.
145	%%* ThrowingYourSwordAlwaysWorks: Both a philosophy and a tactic he makes to easily win a fight.
146	[[/folder]]
147
148	[[folder:U -- Z]]
149
150	* TheUnfettered: Thorfinn edges closer along the lines of this trope during his time as a pirate.
151	* UnwittingInstigatorOfDoom: Thorfinn believes himself to be the instigator of his father's doom, or so he thinks. If he hadn't stowed away on his father's ship, he could have lived. But it likely still would have happened either way.
152	* UnwittingPawn: For Askeladd, who accepts him into his pirate band. This is subverted as Thorfinn has a strong mind that's focused on killing Askeladd and he never gives up.
153	* UpbringingMakesTheHero: PlayedWith. Although he had a loving family and was happy and raised in a village, the death of his father troubles him well into adulthood.
154	* UsedToBeASweetKid: In the beginning, he was just a curious and adventurous young boy who loved his family very much and wanted to explore across the ocean to new lands.
155	* WarriorPoet: He becomes ridiculously wise as a slave and continues sharing knowledge in his adult life to the point of inspiring others.
156	* YouKilledMyFather:
157	** Askeladd killed Thors, so Thorfinn has to avenge him by killing Askeladd. [[spoiler:It's {{deconstructed\|Trope}} as not only does the oath of vengeance pretty much ruin Thorfinn's life, but Askeladd makes it clear to him that he's an idiot who has no real clue what really wanting to kill someone means. When Askeladd is mortally wounded, he tells Thorfinn he can finish it if he likes, and Thorfinn isn't able to do it, instead getting a HeroicBSOD and attacking Askeladd's killer.]]
158	** Reversed later [[spoiler:after Thorfinn makes peace with his past. He happens to meet a woman whose father HE had killed when he worked under Askeladd. Even though he has become a different person since then, she doesn't care and wants nothing but his death]].
159	** Turns out his anger over his father's death hasn't truly dissipated. He has come to terms with his anger towards Askeladd, sure, but [[spoiler:when he learns that Floki was the one who actually orchestrated it all, he has to calm himself down and acknowledges that if he met Floki, [[UnstoppableRage he would probably tear him limb from limb]]. And then when he ''does'' run into Floki by chance, he picks up a sword for the first time in years, preparing to kill him.]]
160	[[/folder]]

Context Characters / VinlandSagaThorfinn