Episode 39

"Storm" (嵐) is the thirty-ninth overall episode of the Vinland Saga anime and the fifteenth episode of Season 2, produced by MAPPA.

Synopsis
Defeated by Snake, Gardar is imprisoned in the guests' fortress. Arnheid goes to the fortress to look for Gardar and manages to find him. Gardar, having Arnheid in front of him, reveals his heart.

Summary
Arnheid reaches guests' lodgings and sees Snake coming out annoyed. Fox explains that the mistress ordered it, which only annoys him more, wondering if she wants part of the reward. Arnheid asks Snake if she can see her husband and treat his wounds, but Snake denies it, noting that he doesn't care about Gardar as he killed one of his men. He then takes a horse to go see the mistress and tells his men to take Arnheid back to Sverkel's place. As Snake and Fox leave, Arnheid asks Snake's man if she can tend Gardar's wounds. Unable to decline, the man agrees and takes Arnheid to Gardar, and tells the other men that Snake allowed it.

As she faces Gardar, he asks her to untie him and the two to head home. One of the men jokes that Gardar travelled a lot, and she should tend to his other needs. Arnheid asks them if they can untie him, so that she tends to his wounds, but the men refuse. Gardar apologizes to Arnheid, promising that he will never leave her or Hjalti's side again. He admits he was wrong and asks her for forgiveness. Arnheid starts crying and apologizes, making Gardar wonder why as he is supposed to beg for forgiveness. As it starts to rain, the men head inside, leaving the man that brought Arnheid to keep watch on them.

The man then goes to Arnheid to tell her that is enough, and she should leave, but in that moment Gardar jumps and bites him by the throat, ripping it off. As the man bleeds, he pulls his sword, but moments later dies from blood loss. As he falls, he knocks off the table. Gardar tells Arnheid to take his knife and cut him free. One of the men comes out to check what is going on and see the dead man, he tells the rest and they all come out. Gardar keeps yelling at Arnheid to pull herself together and free him.

A bit later, Snake and Fox return only to find his men dead as Gardar has been freed. Angry, Snake notes that he warned them to not let their guard down. One of Snake's men notices grease on one of the swords. He tells Snake about it, stating that the rain washed the blood away, but they managed to stab Gardar. As there are no horses and Gardar was already injured, Snake guesses he couldn't have gone too far and takes his men to go and search for him.

As the morning comes, the rain stops. Thorfinn sees that Einar haven't slept. Einar states that Thorfinn too haven't slept as he didn't hear him yelling in his dream and wonders if he kept watch on him so that Einar doesn't go and do something reckless. Einar explains he wouldn't as otherwise he will cause trouble for Arnheid. Einar wonders if Thorfinn was seriously asking him the other day if there is a way to eliminate war and slavery. As Thorfinn has experienced both, Einar guesses he may have some idea and wonders how they can do it. Thorfinn explains that in his experience, war creates more slaves, as the defeated become slaves. If they can decrease the number of wars, they will also decrease the number of slaves. However, Norse men doesn't see war as a bad thing and a man's worth is determined by their valor and wealth, which is why father teach their sons since young age on how to fight. Thorfinn prefers to be an outcast than be burdened by more dead people. Thorfinn feels that he needs to atone for them and take them somewhere where they can rest peacefully. He still doesn't know how to eliminate war from the world, but wants to create at least a single village where people won't need swords. Einar wonders how he will defend the land then as vikings will eventually come and sometimes you have to fight to protect your peace and freedom. Einar feels that they will need to run to the other end of the world, where the vikings can't reach.

Thorfinn then recalls for a place far to the west and beyond the sea. A place that the slave traders doesn't know. Thofinn had forgotten about it, but when he was a child, a sailor named Leif told him about it. Einar wonders if they can go there, but Thorfinn explains its far away and they don't know its exact location. They will also have to take other outcasts and the journey won't be an easy task.

Moments later, Fox and other men show up. Without saying anything, they start searching Thorfinn and Einar's shed. Einar wonders what is going on, but Thorfinn realizes that Gardar had escaped.

Characters in order of appearance

 * Gardar
 * Arnheid
 * Snake
 * Fox
 * Einar
 * Thorfinn
 * Hordaland
 * Sverkel