The Light of Dawn (Vinland Saga)

The Light of Dawn is the 14th episode of the first season of Vinland Saga.

Plot
On the run from Thorkell into Mercia, Askeladd's men are significantly slowed down by the intense weather. They come across a village and show their true natures.

Why it Rocks

 * 1) The episode spends much more time with some minor characters rather than the main cast, giving a nice contrast from all the fighting and battles going on for much of the rest of the series. All these new characters are given enough screen time to be sympathetic and feel like real people, which makes the plot of the episode that much more intense.
 * 2) It also shows the village as heavily religious, giving it a great opportunity to give a differing view on religion and asking questions like whether someone who did one bad thing is really irredeemable or unfit for heaven and if god's justice is real.
 * 3) It also does a great job showing what may happen to unlucky people when some others get pushed to the brink of desperation, and how horrible things can happen to anyone, which makes it all the more tragic.
 * 4) We're shown an even darker side to Askeladd's vikings, which foreshadows many major themes throughout the next few episodes and some for the remainder of the season and the overall anti-war and anti-barbarity themes of the story.
 * 5) The episode ends on an absolute gut-punch with a majorly tear-jerking moment despite the many characters being previously unknown and the question about what happens after death which makes it even more emotional.
 * 6) Some absolutely beautiful scenery especially towards the end when it shows a beautiful shot of the night sky that showcases the religious themes of the rest of the episode.

Bad Qualities

 * 1) Thorfinn, Canute, and Ragnar don't appear in the episode. While this somewhat makes sense, it's a little weird to see an episode without several major characters who had been built up in the previous few.
 * 2) The final part, while it does make sense for the plot, can be a bit much for others as it's strongly implied that several children are also killed.

Reception
The episode received 9 out of 10 stars on IMDb.