Vinland Saga: Snake’s Sword Explained

Snake is one of the coolest yet most mysterious characters in Vinland Saga. Of course, one of the reasons why he is so darn cool is his calm attitude and ability to fight some of the strongest characters on par. We even saw Snake fighting Thorfinn in episode 17 of season 2 and got the better of an unarmed Thorfinn in their battle. One of the things that Thorfinn was quick to notice about Snake was the fact that he used his curved sword. So, what is Snake’s sword, and why is he using a curved sword?

The sword that Snake uses is similar to a scimitar or a Middle-Eastern shamshir. He uses this blade because he is a warrior of Miklagard, which is what the Vikings called Constantinople. Because warriors from Central Asia use curved blades, Snake trained in the use of the shamshir as well.

Yes, Snake is a unique fighter because he uses a curved sword in an era where Vikings would rather use double-edged swords and axes. Of course, many fans wonder why Snake uses a curved sword, even though he is the leader of a band of mercenaries living in Nordic territory. So, with that said, let’s take a good look at Snake’s sword and its history. 

Where Did Snake Get His Sword?

Ever since Snake was introduced in Vinland Saga season 2, fans were interested in knowing more about him because he was one of the few people that actually treated Thorfinn and Einar with respect. He also had a very interesting relationship with Sverkel, who we know is the old master of the farm and Ketil’s father. In fact, he was more of a son to Sverkel than Ketil was.

But while Snake was friends with Thorfinn and Einar, he was still loyal to his job as the protector of Ketil’s farm. He was a bodyguard that lived on Ketil’s farm rent-free in exchange for offering protection. As such, when Gardar threatened the farm and killed some of Snake’s men so that he could escape with his wife, Arnheid, Snake needed to put matters into his own hands.

Then again, the duo of Thorfinn and Einar wanted Arnheid to be free from slavery so that she could spend the rest of her life with her husband. That was when they decided to help Arnheid and Gardar escape. And when Snake discovered Thorfinn’s plans, they had to fight one another.

Thorfinn quickly noticed how fast Snake was in their fight, as he said he was the fastest fighter he had ever fought. Of course, he also noticed that Snake used his curved sword masterfully, as he could use the curvature of the sword to make up for the distance between him and Thorfinn whenever he was slashing. And Snake, fighting an unarmed Thorfinn, quickly realized that his foe was not an ordinary fighter.

Snake was talking in his mind when he said that he was a warrior of Miklagard and that he shouldn’t have been struggling in a fight against an unarmed slave. That means that it is possible that Snake got his sword from the land called Miklagard. And we have to dive a bit into history to understand what and where Miklagard is.

According to historical records, one of the farthest southern territories the Vikings could reach was Constantinople, the greatest city of the Byzantine Empire. The Vikings called Constantinople The Great City because it had the biggest walls ever seen. And the translation of “The Great City” is Miklagard.

This means that Snake was a warrior that used to be stationed in Constantinople and that he probably learned how to fight while he was there. Of course, this could also mean that Snake got his curved sword back in Constantinople. And there’s more to this.

It is suggested that while Snake isn’t a historical character, he was based on Orm, the main character of the book Röde Orm, written by a Swedish author named Frans G. Bengtsson in the 1940s. Orm was a young boy traveling with Viking warriors that reached as far as Spain, where he was given a curved sword. 

Of course, while Constantinople differs from Spain, there are still parallels between Snake and Orm. And the fact that a nobleman in Spain gave Orm a curved sword suggests that Snake’s sword, as ornate as it is, was also given to him by some powerful nobleman when he was working as a soldier in Constantinople.

What Kind of Sword Does Snake Use?

Sverkel quickly observed that the type of sword Snake used was not from the Nordic lands. While Snake never told the old master where he came from, we all know that he came from Constantinople or the Byzantine Empire because he said he was a warrior from Miklagard. And when we look at history, it becomes apparent that the kind of sword that Snake uses is the same one that the Middle-Eastern warriors of old also used.

The warriors in the Middle East and in the areas surrounding Constantinople used curved swords that were akin to scimitars. There were different variations of the scimitar, but the Middle-Eastern people that lived in areas like Persia called their blades shamshir. These were curved single-edge swords specifically forged for the Middle-Eastern old warriors.

Back in the days of the Byzantine Empire, the warriors living in the deserts of the Middle East often rode horses or camels in battle. As such, they often had to strike their opponents while on horseback or camelback, and that was when a curved sword gave them an advantage. The blade’s arc matches the sweep of the rider’s arm as they slash the target while galloping, giving the warrior a more natural and smooth cutting motion from horseback.

Of course, we all know that Snake didn’t fight Thorfinn on horseback, but he used his shamshir’s curvature whenever Thorfinn evaded his slashes. The curved sword gives it the illusion of being shorter, which was why Thorfinn struggled to evade Snake’s shamshir, as he didn’t account for the curved part, which followed up the initial strike. This means that Snake is a seasoned warrior trained in the art of using a shamshir during his days in the Byzantine Empire.