Vinland Saga is an exciting period piece, taking place in the brutal Viking Age of medieval Europe. Those were tough times made worse by constant Viking raids, and many Vikings were hellbent on plunder and destruction. Most of them cared little for honor as they looted France and the British Isles, but there were some exceptions.
In Vinland Saga's manga and anime, a handful of characters stand out for being much more honorable than the typical high seas raider. Even if they're vicious or unfriendly, these honorable characters are honest and keep their word, and they also believe in a fair fight. Some of threm are key allies of Thorfinn's, and others, deadly rivals or even enemies.
The following contains minor spoilers for the Vinland Saga manga.
10 Garm Loves A Fair Fight
Garm is an aggressive young man who loves fighting and always favors aggression over diplomacy, making him a younger version of the mighty Thorkell. Garm doesn't fight for or betray armies as oten, though; Garm is more of a lone wolf, seeking his own challenges.
Garm challenged Thorfinn to battle at Jomsborg, and he insisted on a fair fight, free of tricks or unfair advantages. Garm was 100% honest when he offered Thofinn a fair chance to kill him, to balance out Garm's fair chance to kill Thorfinn in return.
9 Leif Ericson Looks Out For Others
Leif Ericson is no warrior, but he is a highly skilled and experienced navigator and sailor who once made it to the New World. He befriended the natives and returned with a headdress and pipe, inspiring a young Thorfinn to seek out new adventures of his own.
Leif only plays a supporting role, but at least he's honorable about it. He felt terrible about Thors' death and sword to find and rescue the lonely Thorfinn, though it took years for them to meet up again. Now Leif is too old to travel, and instead supports Thorfinn in spirit from his farm on Greenland.
8 Hild Gave Thorfinn A Chance To Atone
Hild the tsundere inventor ran into Thorfinn on the Norwegian coast, where she hunted him down after recognizing him as her father's killer from a few years ago. Despite her rage and grief, however, Hild gave Thorfinn a chance to explain himself while at Hild's mercy.
Graciously, Hild spared Thorfinn's life and gave him one chance to atone for what he'd done in the Askeladd days. She patiently allowed Thorfinn to prepare for and launch his Vinland adventure, and in that peaceful colony, Hild announced that she had finally forgiven Thorfinn and abandoned her rage.
7 Snake Encouraged Thorfinn To Not Give Up
On Ketil's farm, the punkish Olmar and the dishonorable Fox tormented Thorfinn and Einar, only for the farm's most honorable warrior, Snake, to step in. Snake isn't Thorfinn's new friend or foster father, but he does believe in fairness and won't let people be tortured or killed for fun.
Snake also encouraged Thorfinn to believe in himself, mostly by forcing Thorfinn to perform self-defense in a brief duel. With that single action, Snake taught Thorfinn to value his own life and make something of it. Snake knew it was too soon for Thorfinn to give up on everything.
6 Bjorn Was Absolutely Loyal To Askeladd
In Vinland Saga's first major story arc, the grim antihero Askeladd commanded a large band of loyal and skilled warriors, with Bjorn being Askeladd's right-hand man. Bjorn was hardly an idealistic crusader or a hero of the people, but most Vikings were far worse than him.
By Viking standards, Bjorn was a model warrior and a highly honorable and dependable ally, making him a standout in the Askeladd days. Even when things got tough and some of Askeladd's other men bailed, Bjorn refused to abandon his boss.
5 Einar Does What's Right For Others
Einar is a slave on Ketil's farm, and he and Thorfinn both had the task of clearing a forest to build wheat fields. At first, Einar found the job overwhelming for understandable reasons, and he nearly strangled Thorfinn once he learned the truth of Thorfinn's warrior past.
Then Einar learned to get along with Thorfinn and became a friendly, helpful ally who was eager to help and defend other people from harm. After buying his freedom back, Einar became one of Thorfinn's key allies in the Vinland adventure, being loyal to Thorfinn to the very end.
4 Prince Canute Keeps Himself Open To Diplomacy
Prince Canute of Denmark was introduced as a total dandere, and he was afraid of violence of any kind. Later on, near the end of Thorfinn's slavery days, Canute returned as a wise and noble king who was willing to use force but was also open to diplomacy.
Canute almost launched a war, but he graciously negotiated with Thorfinn and other parties to enforce a fair and prosperous peace. He went on to become a successful and honorable king, carefully balancing the sword with the olive branch.
3 Ragnar Was Canute's Reliable Bodyguard
The balding warrior Ragnar was Canute's loyal and dependable bodyguard, and Ragnar was tough with Canute's enemies and gentle with the prince himself. Ragnar ranks among Vinland Saga's most honorable characters because he selflessly puts his duty first and is perfectly trustworthy and reliable.
Ragnar sometimes clashed with Askeladd and Thorfinn concerning Canute's safety and the looming threat of Thorkell's band, but in the end, Ragnar will cooperate with anyone to keep Canute safe. He later died, but fortunately, Askeladd stepped up to protect Canute in his place.
2 Thorfinn Karlsefni Had An Honorable Redemption
The antihero Thorfinn Karlsefni was anything but honorable during his Askeladd days, coldly mocking or attacking anyone who got in the way of his revenge quest. Then he did some serious introspection on Ketil's farm and was reborn as a pacifist who sought to create Vinland at last.
Thorfinn could still defend himself, but he wisely favored cooperation, understanding, and peace over war. He also sought to atone for his many crimes, most of all to Hild, and he became an inspiring, selfless leader for the Vinland colonization effort, which is what his crew needed most of all.
1 Thors Snorresson Fought & Died For Honor
Thorfinn's beloved father, Thors Snorresson, was once a Jomsviking, but his sense of honor differed from that of his fellows. He abandoned the senseless slaughter of war and fled to Iceland with his new bride, Helga, to raise a family in peace.
Thors' sense of honor meant more to him than his very life. When Askeladd cornered his crew in the Faroe Islands, Thors fought all of Askeladd's men in his own crew's place, and he did it all bare-handed. Thors didn't even protest when Askeladd's archers shot him. Instead, Thors requested that Askeladd let his people go in peace, putting others first even it if meant dying.