Episode 25

"Slave" is the 25th episode of the Vinland Saga Anime, and the 1st episode of Season 2 and also the first episode of the Slave Arc.

Synopsis
Einar, a young man from the north of England, lived with his mother and younger sister in a quiet farming town. However, one day the farming village is destroyed by a Viking attack and Einar's life changes completely. Now, once again, the saga of true warriors begins in a turbulent era...

Summary
Einar hits a tree with his axe, but gets immediately yelled by his mother as if it falls it may crush the house. His sister wonders if he is training to be a woodcutter, but Einar states he is training for battle. His mother laughs at him stating he will be useless in battle and calls him to come for lunch. While they eat, his mother wonders why he is training and Einar explains that he wants to protect this place. Their village was burnt down and they finally rebuild it and he wishes to protect it. He is frustrated to always be on the loosing side and his father died protecting them. His mother tells him that they haven't lost all.

Soon the village get raided. Einar, Lotta and their mother make a run to the woods, but an arrow hits their mother in the back. She wants them to leave her, but Einar and Lotta stay by her side. As men approach, their mother tells Einar to take Lotta and run and live. Moments later, she takes her last breath and dies. Einar and Lotta are frozen and shocked. The men arrive and take Lotta. Einer tries to stop them, but gets knocked back. Lotta takes out her hair pin and stabs one of the men in the back, which angers him and he kills her. The other are annoyed he killed a good looking girl, but decide to take Einar and sell him for beer. Einar struggles in anger as he is being taken, but is unable to do anything.

Sometime later, Einar is on a boat with other slaves. A female slave coughs non-stop. The men check her and realizes she won't make it and throw her overboard. Einar is angry and asks them why they did it, but the man hits him and check his throat. As he is okay, the man tells the rest to keep themselves warm and not get cold. When they reach land, they feed and bath the slaves so they look good and healthy when they try to sell them. While being lined for a sale and the men don't pay attention, Einar sees a chance and runs away. He reaches a house and being hungry, he steals some food, but as he runs from the house, one of the slavers finds him. He beats him up and brings him back to the other slaves. The man uses Einar as an example and tells the rest that even if they run, no one will help them as they are far away from home and don't have money. They need to find a good master, who will take care of them.

Einar accepts his fate as even if he runs away, he doesn't have where to return to anymore. One day while being lined for sale, the slavers bring Leif stating that Einar is the man he is looking for. Looking at him, Leif yells at them that he doesn't look like anything he described, and is neither blond or small. The slaver apologizes, and still tries to sale Einar, but Leif explains he isn't looking to buy a worker, but to free his relative, Thorfinn. As slavers haven't heard of him, Leif apologizes to Einar and leaves. Einar thinks that Thorfinn is lucky to have someone looking for him. Moments later, Ketil shows up and inspects Einar. He asks him for his name, from where he came and what he was doing before. Einar explains he was a farmer in Northern England. Liking what he heard, Ketil asks Einar if he would like to help him with his farm. Ketil then buys Einar and brings him to his farm.

Ketil shows Einar his farm and explains he will introduce him to the rest at dinner, since they are working right now. Seeing the farm, Einar is reminded of his land and family. He knows he will never be free again and wonders if his mother was right that he still haven't lost everything. Einar starts to think that if he is obedient and serves a good master, he won't starve. Ketil takes Einar to meet Thorfinn, who is cutting wood.

Characters in order of appearance

 * Einar
 * Emma (debut)
 * Lotta (debut)
 * Leif Ericson
 * Ketil (debut)
 * Pater (debut)
 * Thorfinn

Differences from the manga

 * Einar's sister is given a name (Lotta). His mother is credited as (Emma).
 * The first part of the episode elaborates on Einar's backstory through anime original content; his backstory was previously only briefly mentioned and shown in Chapter 58. Einar is first seen in Northern England with his mother and sister, eager to learn how to fight to protect them from future harm. They share a meal and mention Einar's father dying to protect them during a different invasion. This other invasion is then shown. As Einar, his mother, and Lotta run away from the invaders, his mother is struck by an arrow. Einar stops to help his mother, who is grieviously injured and tells him to run. Lotta runs back to join them. The invaders catch up to them and take Lotta, knocking Einar back when he tries to help her. Lotta stabs the man who grabbed her with her hairpin, but he kills her in retaliation. Einar is taken captive.
 * The scene prior to Einar running away after stealing food is shown (Einar is shown stealing food inside a house and then being caught by a woman stealing, and then gets caught as is he running away from her house).
 * The buyer looking for a slave with a "cuter face" feels Einar around the abdomen, but does not sneak a hand into his pants or grope him.
 * Leif grasps Einar's arm and tells him he's sorry prior to leaving the slave market.
 * At the slave market, after finding out he used to farm, Ketil outright asks Einar if he would like to help on his farm.
 * Einar remembers his family when he arrives at the farm. He ponders on his mother's words (that they haven't lost) and about how he will never be free again, whether in life or in death.
 * On their way to see Thorfinn after they disembark, Ketil shows Einar his farm and tells him he will meet more people at dinner, but does not elaborate on the farm or his tasks further.