Thorkell the Tall is a towering, muscular Viking warrior and commander, covered in scars from countless battles. His spiky blond hair sits beneath a bandana, paired with a small beard. The tips of his right ring and pinky fingers were lost in his first duel with Thorfinn; his left eye was lost in their second duel, leading him to wear an eyepatch. After being burned alive in 1019, his hair became curly. In his youth around 987, he appeared less muscular with shorter hair, initially wielding a single two-handed poleaxe before adopting his signature dual-wielding style with two such weapons. His immense strength enables feats like punching through a horse and sending it flying, killing a bear barehanded, and hurling spears through multiple targets from hundreds of meters away. He displays a jolly, battle-obsessed personality, laughing and smiling during combat, but grows irritable without fighting opportunities. Unlike many Vikings, he avoids targeting weaker opponents or civilians, instead providing weapons to unarmed enemies to grant them a "glorious death" worthy of Valhalla. His men focus solely on battlefield combat, refraining from raping or killing civilians. He despises cowardice, executing those who surrender or betray allies. Thorkell prioritizes personal duels, forbidding his men from interfering in his fights or insulting worthy opponents like Thorfinn. He readily switches allegiances based on which side offers the most challenging battles, showing loyalty only to his desire for conflict. Despite his love for violence, he harbors existential doubts about the meaning of a "true warrior," a concept introduced by his late friend and nephew-in-law Thors Snorresson. This question haunts him, causing regret that he did not follow Thors when he abandoned the Jomsvikings. Historically a prominent Jomsviking commander in battles like Hjörungavágr (986) and Svolder (999/1000), he deserted the Jomsvikings after deeming them "boring" due to their invincibility. He joined English forces in 1013 for greater challenge, becoming a major antagonist during the War Arc. He later realigned with the Danes under Prince Canute. His band, the Death Seekers, shared his enthusiasm for warfare. During the War Arc, Thorkell's siege of London demonstrated tactical prowess; he repelled Viking ships single-handedly by hurling boulders and logs. His duel with Thorfinn at the bridge showed respect for worthy opponents, as he ordered his men not to intervene. He captured Prince Canute to provoke larger conflicts but allied with him after recognizing Canute's vision of a utopia—a goal that intrigued Thorkell's unresolved curiosity about Thors's ideals. He participated in Askeladd's assassination of King Sweyn and stopped Thorfinn from attacking Canute afterward. In the Eastern Expedition Arc, Thorkell reunited with Thorfinn, urging him to lead the Jomsvikings. When Thorfinn refused, Thorkell joined Floki's campaign against rival commander Vagn. After Vagn's assassination by Garm, Thorkell dueled Garm to a draw and formed an alliance. He later supported Thorfinn's plan to dissolve the Jomsvikings, confronting Floki's forces. Though he challenged Thorfinn to a final duel, he abandoned it upon realizing Thorfinn's pacifism and Gudrid's devotion to him. Thorkell is brother to Jomsviking chief Sigvaldi, uncle to Helga (Thors's wife), and great-uncle to Thorfinn and Ylva. He fathered a daughter, Cordelia; her mother hid her gender to prevent Thorkell from training her as a warrior. Cordelia was later enslaved by Halfdan until freed by Thorfinn.