Eren’s Hatred vs. Thorfinn’s Forgiveness: Choice of Freedom

Key Takeaways

• Eren’s journey in Attack on Titan reflects the cost of freedom through a descent into darkness.
• Thorfinn in Vinland Saga transitions from vengeance to forgiveness for a peaceful resolution.
• Fans are divided on Eren’s methods vs. Thorfinn’s growth, reflecting contrasting views on freedom and justice.

Attack on Titan and Vinland Saga have emerged as two of the staples in anime, each telling a story of survival, freedom, and transformation. Set in a dystopian world overrun with Titans, Attack on Titan hurls viewers into a vicious society struggling to survive, begging questions about sacrifice, loyalty, and what freedom costs. Through Eren Yeager’s journey, audiences are pulled into a tale of desperation-what happens when an individual’s drive for liberation becomes an all-consuming force. Vinland Saga, on the other hand, captures its inspiration from Norse history as it follows the story of a young Viking warrior, Thorfinn Karlsefni, whose path is shaped by vengeance and the rough world of Viking raids.

These series are as deep and reflective as they are epic, considering the cycles of violence and redemption within Thorfinn’s search for peace and meaning. Both series are excellent at showing how extreme environments and struggles for self-determination shape their protagonists in ways that put each on a different moral journey. Eren and Thorfinn resemble two sides of the same coin at first, but as their stories go along, they develop in opposite ways. Eren’s obsession with freedom becomes a road of unending destruction, whereas Thorfinn’s path, birthed in a desire for vengeance, turns slowly to one of forgiveness and personal peace. Yet, they both speak powerfully about reflections of human resiliency, morality, and choices that define one’s sense of freedom.

Opposing Beginnings

The Seeds of Hatred and Forgiveness

Where their stories start off, Eren and Thorfinn were motivated by emotions attached to loss and a yearning for freedom. Eren’s story started with the trauma associated with having his family and friends fall victim to monstrous Titans, an anger that built up and drove his desire to destroy these creatures. That is the reason why he hates the Titans and wishes to eradicate them: humankind will finally be protected and free only by destroying one’s enemies. In these opening moments, Eren’s anger and his determination to free eldians from their oppressors leave little room for anything else.

On the other hand, Thorfinn originally embarks on a deeply personal vendetta: after his father was killed, he is consumed by revenge against the one who murdered him, Askeladd. Despite all the rage and the thirst for revenge, Thorfinn’s journey is always entwined with the hope of finding a meaning that goes beyond violence. His father planted in him the seed for a peaceful life, which slowly develops in Thorfinn as he starts to see the futility of his vengeance. Other than Eren, Thorfinn’s storyline starts off in anger but is balanced by moments of introspection that eventually lay the groundwork for his change of heart.

A Massive Role Reversal

Eren’s Destruction and Thorfinn’s Redemption

As both characters evolve, they undergo significant changes, leading them to opposite poles. Eren, once a symbol of humanity struggling for freedom, gradually set into a darker ideology wherein he thought true liberation would be a world without those opposing him. His struggle for freedom grows ever more radical, driving him in the end to annihilation and destruction. Bent on the destruction of his foes, Eren’s transformation reflects his conviction that survival depends upon absolute dominance-even to the point of being himself the monster he once feared.

If someone is willing to take my freedom, I won’t hesitate to take theirs. – Eren Yeager

Thorfinn, on the other hand, transitions from hate to forgiveness. The years of bloodshed and their aftermath of personal agony have disillusioned him with the round of vengeance. Finally, Thorfinn comes to understand that peace and freedom cannot be achieved through revenge. He adopts the very philosophy of his father: he forgives his foes and tries to find a non-violent route. Essentially, at this point, Thorfinn’s philosophy is the exact opposite of Eren’s, as he finds that true strength does not lie in destruction but in building a world free from hatred.

What The Fans Feel

Divided Perspectives on Growth and Ideology

The character developments of Eren and Thorfinn have been highly debated in the anime community lately. Supporters of Eren cite the fact that he dared to pursue his idea of freedom, which is admirable, and that his fall toward becoming the very demon he swore to destroy was simply a thematic expression of how cruel the world is. Several fans believe that the realism in his character adds a layer to the show; his actions, as questionable as they may be, really emphasize how complex the setting is. Others, however, are disturbed by how far Eren goes and cannot wholeheartedly support his methods. Eren’s path has become one of controversial morality, testing viewers on how much one should take in the name of freedom.

Thorfinn’s change has been mainly praised. How he came to a peaceful resolution earned him respect from fans for such an inspirational arc of personal redemption, though some did feel like they wished he had achieved his revenge and that Season 2 of Vinland Saga fell off. Thorfinn’s journey to forgiveness speaks much more to fans who appreciate those themes of growth and emotional healing. Although some have critiqued his rejection of violence as somewhat naive in the world of Vinland Saga, most fans praise his transformation as one of hope in a world full of violence. The two fan reactions present a contrast in the different messages each of these characters’ journeys finally send about the nature of freedom and justice.

A Hypothetical Meeting

Eren and Thorfinn Face to Face

If Eren and Thorfinn were to meet, their reactions would depend on their strongly conflicting ideologies. In this case, Eren is a firm believer in eliminating threats to ensure freedom; therefore, he would view Thorfinn’s pacifist beliefs as weak or perhaps just nonsensical. Eren’s relentless drive to eradicate his enemies would make Thorfinn’s philosophy of forgiveness sound impracticable for a world as brutal as their own. To Eren, Thorfinn’s ideals can be viewed as naive and in direct contrast with the way he perceives strength and survival.

Listen to me, Thorfinn. You have no enemies. No one has any enemies. There is no one that you should hurt. – Thors Snorresson

Thorfinn would more than likely answer with empathetic ears to his pain and trauma, which fuels the hate within Eren. Knowing fully well the cost of vengeance, Thorfinn would most definitely wish to reach out to Eren and urge him to reconsider his actions toward a path of peace. This meeting would bring together their two opposing philosophies: Eren’s relentless pursuit of freedom through destruction and Thorfinn’s quest to break the cycle of violence. More likely, Thorfinn feels pity, not anger, at Eren, for in him, he sees a reflection of himself when he hadn’t found peace yet.

The Freedom to Choose

Eren and Thorfinn’s journeys really detail an important step on the journey to freedom: ‘choice’. Both characters start off their stories in worlds that take away their autonomy and react to it in ways similar to the personal values and setting each of them found themselves in. Eren chose a road of destruction-the only way he could ever be free—and that was by annihilating all of his enemies. On the other hand, Thorfinn realizes that freedom is letting go of hate and embracing forgiveness, even in a world filled with violence.

Ultimately, it would turn out that Eren and Thorfinn’s stories would prove to be strong explorations in the name of freedom, vengeance, and personal growth. In their divergent paths, fans are reminded that not only is freedom a matter of choice, but it’s also a matter of bravery-to face and redefine beliefs. For fans of Attack on Titan and Vinland Saga, respectively, the two titular leads personify one in a broad spectrum of human emotion and resilience, providing an interesting look at how the will for freedom might take individuals down paths so vastly different.