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Lucius Artorius Castus, better known as Askeladd, is the main antagonist of the War Arc in Vinland Saga.

The captain of a Viking mercenary band, he killed Thorfinn's father, Thors, with underhanded tactics after losing to him in a duel. However, he ends up becoming Thorfinn's boss when he joins the group in order to train, hoping to one day be capable of fighting and defeating Askeladd in a duel to avenge his father.

He is voiced by Naoya Uchida in Japanese, who also voiced Madara Uchiha from Naruto. In English, he is voiced by David Wald in the Sentai Dub, and Kirk Thornton in the VSI Dub.

Personality[]

Askeladd is a sly, manipulative, cunning, ruthless, cruel and charismatic man. Being an excellent swordsman, he is a great fighter. His biggest strength however lies in his intelligence and ability to strategize and adapt, a skill bolstered by his ability to know what kind of person someone is simply by looking at their face. He is quick to act and seize what he wants, yet slow to anger. As a captain, his bands looked up to him as a bold and lucky person worthy of leading.

Askeladd took care of his mother from a very young age, living in squalor and working very hard with no complaints. Witnessing how his mother and her people (the Welsh) were mistreated by the Norse and the English led Askeladd to despise his Scandinavian heritage and to embrace the Romano-Celtic heritage of his mother. He grew up with his mother telling him of their ancestor Artorius and how the great hero would someday come back to save their people from their plight, a belief he wistfully holds on to in adulthood (though he later decides anyone can play the role and puts his hopes in Canute).

From a young age, Askeladd shows his ability to plan ahead, convincingly play a role, and patiently wait for his opportunity to strike. He is an expert at maintaining a façade, typically acting arrogant and giving off the impression of simply being bored, amused, unaffected or entertained by the things happening around him. This often allows him to lower the guard of his foes, thus giving him the opportunity to shape the situation to his advantage and seize victory.

As a Viking, Askeladd seems to hold remuneration and riches in high esteem, whether it be for their own sake, for amusement, or as a means to an end. He is not above using underhanded methods to reach his goals, even if that includes breaking a Warrior's Oath. He uses violence and murders with no hesitation if it is of benefit to him and his plans. He is often cold-hearted: unbothered by seeing his own men dying in battle (or by having to kill them himself after they turn on him); coldly ordering the massacre of an entire village full of defenseless people; denying a dying man's last request after ordering his assassination; and seemingly not caring if Thorfinn dies.

Askeladd however also seems to have a less dark side. He avenged the person he saw as partially responsible for his mother's misery and cared for her until her death, remaining easily angered by taunts to her station even decades later. He cares for the welfare of the people of Wales, scheming to keep them safe from both the Norse and the English. Unlike the rest if his Viking band, he does not seem to revel in violence simply for violence's sake outside of battles and duels, or to seek some of the typical indulgences of the Viking lifestyle — he is never shown drunk, fighting for no purpose, or claiming women after raids. He sends Atli off with advice and a golden bracelet despite he and his brother Torgrim turning on him previously and gives the dying Bjorn a warrior's death by granting him a duel. When Bjorn tells Askeladd he just wanted to be his friend, Askeladd allows him to know he really was his only friend before he dies. After being forced to kill King Sweyn in order to save both Canute and Wales, a fighting Askeladd yells at Thorfinn to stay out of things, a moment of inattention that costs him his life. His last words to Thorfinn are wise advice rather than taunts. He tells him to let go of things and move on, and that his real battle is to be a true warrior and go farther than Thors did.

Biography[]

Askeladd was illegitimately born Lucius Artorius Castus to a Danish Viking father, Olaf, and a Welsh noble woman, Lydia, who had been captured and taken as his slave. When she became of ill health, Lucius had to work as a helper at a smithy and stables to provide for them, which is where he earned the nickname "Askeladd", as his work constantly left him covered in ashes, soot, and animal dung. By the time Askeladd was eleven, Lydia had a mental breakdown and hallucinated that Olaf was Artorius, the legendary Roman hero whom Lucius was named after.

Before he could kill her, Lucius grabbed a sword and evenly countered his father despite having no sort of training, causing Olaf to recognize his innate sword talent and accept him as a legitimate son. He lived with his father and half-brothers for two years, until one night, he killed Olaf in his sleep for his mistreatment of his mother Lydia, and framed one of his siblings for the murder, allowing Askeladd to inherit the property when he was fourteen.

After this, Askeladd became a Viking and later a captain of his own band of Viking mercenaries despite secretly hating his kinsman, when about nineteen years later, he is hired by Floki to kill Thors Snorresson, a Jomsviking who deserted his army after realizing the horrors of war. Though Askeladd and his men are non-lethally defeated by Thors in combat, Askeladd has his archers fire upon Thors, killing him in front of his six-year-old son, Thorfinn.

Quotes[]

External Links[]

• Askeladd on the Vinland Saga Wiki.

Navigation[]

Villains

Jomsvikings Floki | Thorkell | Drott Askeladd's Band of Vikings Leader: Askeladd Members: Thorfinn | Bjorn | Ear Monarchs Sweyn | Canute Ketil's Farm Ketil | Thorgil | Snake | Fox Lnu Miskwekepu'j | Ga'aoqi Others Gardar | Garm | Gorm | Halfdan