An interesting reflection from Yohei Sadojima —former editor of Vagabond and currently involved with Space Brothers— on Vinland Saga:"Many stories in this world end at the point where the protagonist “achieves a dream,” “completes their revenge,” or “fulfills a romance.” That’s because drawing drama from the “real life” that comes after those goals —and turning it into entertainment— is an extremely demanding and difficult task for any creator. 
While working on Space Brothers, I saw firsthand how challenging it was for Koyama-san to keep depicting “everyday life after achieving one’s dream.” That’s why, although I’m just a fan, I feel a kind of awe toward the realm that Vinland Saga has reached.
When we hear the word “Viking,” we tend to imagine “strength” and “conquest.” But this work is unique in that it places the courage to choose “not fighting” at its very center.
Thorfinn, the protagonist, loses his father when he is young and grows up clinging only to revenge. Yet it is that very desire for revenge that binds him to the battlefield and kills his humanity. A person who lives through hatred can only affirm themselves by denying others. That path leads only to subjugation under the “logic of those who fight.”
What’s fascinating is that Askeladd —the man who shaped Thorfinn’s character— is the one most deeply versed in violence, yet in his final moment, he betrays the very story of violence. He understood that nothing awaited at the end of violence except emptiness. When Thorfinn loses Askeladd and his axis of revenge disappears, he is forced to think again: “What do people live for?”
And his father Thors’s words echo once more: “You have no enemies. No one has any enemies.”
This is not mere pacifism. It’s a perspective that pierces the fragility of modern society, where people can maintain their sense of self only by imagining enemies.
A strength that depends on excluding others ultimately forces you to constantly look for new enemies. 
Just look at the discussions on today’s social media —every day, even if it’s all just pro-wrestling for followers, people are searching for new debates, new opponents.
Vinland —the place Thorfinn finally reaches— is a land where those who have stepped away from the story of violence try to walk the path of “living together,” wounds and all. It is an extremely difficult philosophical experiment: existing without conflict.
The work asks us: “Are the things you call ‘enemies’ truly enemies?”
Observing this narrative structure makes me think: We now stand at a turning point, shifting from an age that pursued “winning” to an age that pursues “continuing.”
Yukimura-san, who has drawn this story for 20 years, is philosophically at the forefront of our era —all while depicting an ancient time.
I wonder if the love portrayed by Shusaku Endo may have influenced Yukimura-san.
Vinland Saga is not just a historical manga. I believe it is a guidebook that shows how we should live in this new era.
It teaches us that abandoning the fight is the most difficult —and the most noble— choice of all."
Source: https://x.com/sadycork/status/1997099122877477235?t=v61dJAkRTUyjNGlmEDyozg&s=19

Former Vagabond editor shares a remarkable reflection on Vinland Saga