The Last Kingdom - General Discussion

[Cdh20]

Just did one episode last night! 👍🏻❤️

[SharonH58]

I stopped at episode 3.  I was ready to boycott when I thought my man Sigtryygrr was going to die.   Stuff I like, stuff I don't.   Don't like the time jump with all these people we don't know. Why are they in Rumcofa? 

[UnoAgain]

Enjoyable ride... 

[FnkyChkn34]

7 hours ago, SharonH58 said:

Why are they in Rumcofa? 

They're border guards for Aethelflaed and Mercia. 

[Haleth]

Episode 3. Am I a bad person because I’m glad the kid died?

[moonshine71]

On 3/2/2022 at 2:33 PM, CountryGirl said:

I am so over Brida. But happy the show is coming back for a final season. 

Honestly, I just don't get why anyone is following Brida. I don't buy her as a strong warrior or military leader, she's not portrayed as particularly charismatic or cunning. Why is anyone following her orders?

[Auntie Anxiety]

Started watching the last season a couple of nights ago. I’m having trouble keeping track of all the Aethals. My head hurts.

[LGraves65]

Wait, did we know Osferth was Albert's son?

[pezgirl7]

1 hour ago, LGraves65 said:

Wait, did we know Osferth was Albert's son?

Yes, we’ve known that for a while, although I don’t know when it was revealed. I know in past seasons they’ve shown him being jealous of his half brother or making jokes about being a bastard. 
 

I binged the last season and finished it last night. I think this was one of my favorite seasons, perhaps because the storyline seemed more congruent than others, although I did get confused a few times when they would jump from one town to the next. And some of the deaths were upsetting, but I guess it wouldn’t make sense for all the main characters to live. The one death I’m not crying over is

Spoiler

Bridas. She was psycho and I wanted her gone a long time ago. 

 

[NeenerNeener]

Did Stiorra survive Bebbanburg, or did she die in the battle and I missed it? If she lived then she did better in the tv series than the books.

I'm with Pezgirl7 about 

Spoiler

Brida. She was batshit crazy and Uthred didn't deserve all that hate.

Bratty princess Aelfwynn deserved to suffer some of the consequences of her bad choices though.

Edited March 15, 2022 by NeenerNeener

[FnkyChkn34]

2 hours ago, NeenerNeener said:

Did Stiorra survive Bebbanburg, or did she die in the battle and I missed it? If she lived then she did better in the tv series than the books.

I'm with Pezgirl7 about 

  Reveal spoiler

Brida. She was batshit crazy and Uthred didn't deserve all that hate.

Bratty princess Aelfwynn deserved to suffer some of the consequences of her bad choices though.

Yes, she survived. They show a family group hug at the end with Uhtred, Young Uhtred, and Stiorra. I'm curious about what they didn't show... I'm glad there is a movie still left to come!

Aelfwynn was horrible. And Aelswith sure didn't grow on me either. Also agree with both you and Pezgirl7! 

It's been out for a week, do we still need spoiler tags?  

Edited March 15, 2022 by FnkyChkn34

[Haleth]

From episode 7 : "Uhtred has a long-overdue reckoning with Brida."

Me:  Man, that is one dysfunctional family.

[PeterPirate]

A historian's take on Season 4:

 

 

 

 

[juno]

Just a terrific show. Ending really well. Left enough in the tank for the upcoming movie. Acting was great and Dreymon leaves with an iconic role that was great to watch and root for.

Season 5 was good, not great. Like other seasons, there were less main characters to work with. Alfred was missed as Edward was good but did not have that antagonistic/father-son relationship that Alfred and Uhtred had.

The major drag on this season was the resolution of 3 main story lines. Edward and his legacy, Brida and her arc and Aethelhelm's story. Aethelhelm's story was very tedious and boring with constant plotting and scheming. Resolving his story line on the final episode was about 4 episodes too late. His character took up too much screen time.

I found Uhrted was placed almost as a supporting role to Edward, Aethelhelm and Brida and most scenes without him were quite boring. This season I felt featured him less than the other seasons and the story suffered as a result.

Great show. One of my all time favorites.

[Eunike]

Another strong season and a fitting ending for many of the characters.   I'm glad it didn't turn out like season 8 of GoT.  I know there's a movie coming, but from my understanding, it's standalone and focused on completing England. Since It's only two hours long, I can't see a lot happening outside of the Aethelstan storyline. 

Episode four was my favorite.  The final scene between Uhtred and Aethelflaed was the most heartbreaking and romantic scene of the entire show for me.  Both actors nailed it.  Show Uhtred and Aethelflaed are far more romantic and tragic than their book counterparts.  I never was a fan of how Cornwell handled them in later novels.

Another change that I liked was Eadith.  I'm glad she was an independent character and not just a love interest.  In later novels, I thought Cornwell did a huge disservice to her character, and I'm glad the show writers rectified that.  

Not a Brida fan, so I wasn't upset by her death, but I did enjoy Emily Cox in the role.  Aethelhelm's storyline was my least favorite of the season.  

Also, is Aethelflaed sure Aelfwynn wasn't Aethelred's daughter after all?  She didn't inherit anything from her mother, and her intelligence seems to have been closer to Aethelred's.  I find it hard to believe that Aelfwynn is supposed to be the daughter of the Lady of Mercians and the granddaughter of Alfred the Great.  

[FnkyChkn34]

6 hours ago, Eunike said:

Also, is Aethelflaed sure Aelfwynn wasn't Aethelred's daughter after all?  She didn't inherit anything from her mother, and her intelligence seems to have been closer to Aethelred's.  I find it hard to believe that Aelfwynn is supposed to be the daughter of the Lady of Mercians and the granddaughter of Alfred the Great.  

Maybe I missed something - who is Aelfwynn's father?

[Eunike]

8 minutes ago, FnkyChkn34 said:

Maybe I missed something - who is Aelfwynn's father?

In the show Aethelflaed seems to think that Erik is the father.  In the books, it's Aethelred.  To me, Aelfwynn doesn't seem much like either of her parents.  Even as a teenager, Aethelflaed was way smarter and more focused on her duty than Aelfwynn.  Erik came across as smart for most of season 2 as well.    

[theschnauzers]

Alexander Dreymon posted a one minute video on his social media this weekend that filming has been completed on the final movie in the Last Kingdom series. He was about to go into his trailer to remove his armor for the very last time. The role of Uthred had lasted for eight years. And no word yet on when “Seven Kings Must Die” will be aired/streamed.

Edited March 21, 2022 by theschnauzers

[Haleth]

Omigosh.  I have one episode left and I'm not sure I can take the suspense.  

These people (and armies) must use teleporters to get around the country so quickly.

Hild!  I'd been wondering what happened to her.  Glad she's still around, hope she survives the final battle.  Who was she referring to when she mentioned Alice (Alys?) when Uhtred went to see her?  I don't remember an Alice (Alys).

How in the world did Pyrlig survive a knife wound to the gut?

Hi, Haeston.  Bye, Haeston.

[FnkyChkn34]

2 hours ago, Haleth said:

Hild!  I'd been wondering what happened to her.  Glad she's still around, hope she survives the final battle.  Who was she referring to when she mentioned Alice (Alys?) when Uhtred went to see her?  I don't remember an Alice (Alys).

Alys is the farm girl seer who traveled with the queen and the only one left alive in the attack on them.  The queen defended her by saying she was the seer.  Alys was staying with Haeston.

[Haleth]

Thanks, Fnky!

[Haleth]

Loved the ending!  Finally Utrehd gets his birthright.  I’m so glad none of the familiar characters died in the final battle. (I thought someone implied Finan died so I kept waiting for that.)  And I’m glad the bad guys met their end.  Very satisfying  

One question, who was the kid Hild was bringing back to the fortress?  Osbert?  I don’t know who that is. Utrehd’s kid?

So there will be a movie to wrap up the unification of the kingdoms. Later this year hopefully?

[FnkyChkn34]

11 hours ago, Haleth said:

One question, who was the kid Hild was bringing back to the fortress?  Osbert?  I don’t know who that is. Utrehd’s kid?

So there will be a movie to wrap up the unification of the kingdoms. Later this year hopefully?

Osbert is Uhtred's missing third kid.  Gisela died in childbirth with him and he is introduced to Uhtred when he returns, so we all knew the baby survived. Then - nothing. I was so confused for seasons 4 and 5 when they only showed Uhtred's other 2 kids!  I'm SO glad that they addressed that, and I like how they resolved it. Uhtred really did care... 

They just wrapped on filming the movie. No word on release yet, maybe by the end of the year, or beginning of 2023. 

[Haleth]

Thanks again!

[FnkyChkn34]

6 hours ago, Haleth said:

Thanks again!

Any time!  I've been doing a rewatch after Season 5 ended, so I'm being reminded of all the things that I forgot!  I'm on season 3 now...

[Cdh20]

I enjoyed the season! I cried when Aethelflaed died ( although I knew it had to come), but it was my fave moment of the season. Poor Uhtred had to say goodbye to every woman he’s ever loved. Thank heavens his besties all survived all those freaking battles. And I was happy to see Hild & especially the missing son. 

[iMonrey]

That was a satisfying season. I didn't know there was going to be a movie, so I'm glad to hear about that. I did think they left the door open a bit at the end with Uhtred and Edward at odds over Northumbria.

I did think it was kind of sad when Brida died. Yes, I wanted her dead too, when she was killing all those people in York. And I don't know why anyone would have followed her either - it's sort of a common trope having some sort of cult-like following when you're clearly crazy. Has her psychic daughter choose who lives and who dies? Yeah, not following that. But at the end when they started showing all those flashbacks I got a bit nostalgic. She and Uhtred started this whole show.

I was never invested in Sigtryggr (although he had the coolest name) so I didn't really care about that and I don't think they really developed Stiorra very well either. They did a better job with Aethelstan as a character. (He succeeded Edward in real life, I'm interested to see what they do with him when the movie comes out.)

So glad Uhtred finally got Babbenberg back. I was going to be really pissed if it ended up burning to the ground. Too "Game of Thrones" for me!

I wasn't clear on whether Aldhelm survived the battle or not - anyone? It looked like he got killed but then I thought maybe I saw him at the end. Lots of deaths this season - makes sense since they're wrapping up the story.

My one complaint is that they didn't do enough with Finan and Sihtric. They were a constant presence but had no real agency of their own. And they've always been two of my favorites. Mostly they were just props for Uhtred this season. I did love at the end when the escaped and Uhtred runs into them, he says "You escaped?" and Finan says "Of course." LOL.

I didn't realize how much I'd miss this show. I think I will have to rewatch all five seasons before the movie comes out, there's lots I can't remember.

[Cdh20]

On 3/31/2022 at 12:30 PM, iMonrey said:

That was a satisfying season. 

I didn't realize how much I'd miss this show. I think I will have to rewatch all five seasons before the movie comes out, there's lots I can't remember.

We just decided that is what we would do before the movie as well. I think I will enjoy it all again! 

[GodsBeloved]

I just finished binging all 5 seasons and I’m ready to go at it again. Glad to see there will be a movie.  
 

One of my favorite things about the series was the humor. It felt quite natural instead of forced.
 

One last random thought. I could not stand Queen/Queen mother (cleary I haven’t gotten the names down yet). I really couldn’t stand her when Alfred was alive but by the last episode I had a small soft spot for her.

I watched season 1 when it came out but didn’t stick with it. I am so glad I decided to start this series over when I heard this was the last season. 

[Cdh20]

3 minutes ago, GodsBeloved said:

I just finished binging all 5 seasons and I’m ready to go at it again. Glad to see there will be a movie.  
 

One of my favorite things about the series was the humor. It felt quite natural instead of forced.
 

One last random thought. I could not stand Queen/Queen mother (cleary I haven’t gotten the names down yet). I really couldn’t stand her when Alfred was alive but by the last episode I had a small soft spot for her.

I watched season 1 when it came out but didn’t stick with it. I am so glad I decided to start this series over when I heard this was the last season. 

I laughed out loud when Aelswith said she’d need a room with a view at Bebbanburg. Did Uhtred roll his eyes? 

[PotterOtherP]

I've been trying to imagine how messed up you would be if it were actually possible to stick your hands in boiling water, grab an iron bar and hold on to it for 60 seconds, and then receive no medical treatment. Our man Ragnvold was up and fighting with weapons in his hands after just a few days. Maybe the Danish gods are real.

[pezgirl7]

On 3/31/2022 at 1:30 PM, iMonrey said:

I wasn't clear on whether Aldhelm survived the battle or not - anyone? It looked like he got killed but then I thought maybe I saw him at the end.

He survived! I thought he was going to die because they showed him getting trampled, but then we see him later in the prisoner exchange. 

[FnkyChkn34]

So in doing my rewatch, I've had a lot of questions answered, but a new one has popped up...

What happened to Sihtric's first wife and kid(s)?  In season 3 (maybe late season 2, sorry that I forget now), he marries and has at least one child with the local "woman of loose morals" from the alehouse in Winchester.  Finan and everyone else mocks him because she goes back to her profession when he's gone and what-not, but they show him with her a few times.  Did they die?  If they didn't, then the writers forgot out her?  Or, is she supposed to be the same woman in season 5?  But I think she has a different name...  🤷‍♀️

[Which Tyler]

 

[Haleth]

I just replied to your post in Historical fiction about how much I’m looking forward to this. It has nothing to do with Vikings (the Saxons are the invaders) but it’s a really great series. 

[FnkyChkn34]

1 hour ago, Which Tyler said:

 

This doesn't have the same characters, right?  (Wrong time period.)  But it's relevant because it's the same author?

[Which Tyler]

2 hours ago, FnkyChkn34 said:

This doesn't have the same characters, right?  (Wrong time period.)  But it's relevant because it's the same author?

Yep, same author, broadly similar set-up, themes, style etc, superior book series ;)

Edited April 4, 2022 by Which Tyler

[FnkyChkn34]

7 minutes ago, Which Tyler said:

Yep, same author, broadly similar set-up, superior book series ;)

Great, thanks for the head's up!

[juno]

7 hours ago, Which Tyler said:

 

Thanks for this.  I looked it up and it is a book/series around King Arthur. Here is a description. I will check it out.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/68520.The_Winter_King

[SharonH58]

I enjoyed the last season.   I didn't like Osferth's or Sigtryggr's outcome.  Or Wolland.  I would have liked more on him.   Aleswith was funny so I don't hate her as much as I did.   I agree there wasn't enough Uhtred and his group.  I was surprised how much I liked the actor that played Athelstan.   He did a great job.  Looking forward to the movie.  But will be sad when all of the Last Kingdom is done. 

[millennium]

What a great show.  Never perfect, nor did it ever try to be, which I think is why I liked it so much.   There was an unspoken humility about this show, like we're historical but not too historical, we're like Vikings but not as serious, we don't have dragons but we did have a witch one season ... and it just kept chugging along.  I loved that I didn't recognize any of the actors from anything else (except Matthew Macfadyen in episode 1) so I was able to accept them as exactly who they played.   The montages this season got to me, when Brida died, and at the end as Uhtred stood on the ramparts, perhaps because they reminded me how much time has passed and how much has changed in all of our lives since The Last Kingdom began.  

[John Potts]

Just started the last (sigh...) Season.

Wow, Brida is one pissed off lady - interesting that we're seeing more women in power, even in such a male dominate environment. I was actually wondering how Brida and Uhtred's daughter were going to survive, since I didn't think either would die so early in the Season (though I can't see Brida surviving the season.

So we're getting more of The West Kingdom, with who's going to succeed Aethelflaed. Really hoping Edward's father in law gets finds his comeuppance for all his scheming (I'd be surprised if he didn't, because I've read a lot of Bernard Cornwell!)

On 4/4/2022 at 8:15 PM, FnkyChkn34 said:

This doesn't have the same characters, right?  (Wrong time period.)  But it's relevant because it's the same author?

"The Winter King" is set about 400 years earlier as Roman Britain comes increasingly under the control of the invading Saxons. Arthur (not King Arthur, as he's never called that) leads the Britons in resisting their advance. It's built around the few historical facts from then that we know but throws in several ahistorical components (like Lancelot, who was a Medieval addition to the legends) and is more mystical (particularly towards the end).

[dbell1]

The Warlord Chronicles was the first Cornwell books I read, excited to see them get adapted next.

I have 1 book left in the LK series, will be sad to bid goodbye to the never aging Uhtred. At least in the books he has grey hair, but he’s also ageless there too. 

Finished my binge tonight. Ending montage was excellent, wish we had Thyra in there and a bit more Ragnar Sr. and Jr.

Overall I Could have done without Brida and her weird kid. Way too much screen time wasted on the revenge crap. And the OTT acting of the Atherhelm ham. Aelswith had some killer scenes and lines. Edward describing her as “Short and vicious” had me giggling.  Was ready to slap the writers for Uhtred saying he had nowhere to go. It’s all book Uhtred talks about. Destiny is all and all that crap. Loved seeing Hild back and Haesten getting a redemption arc. Was Adhelm just lightly trampled by the soldiers? 😐 Edward is totally his father’s son. Bailed out by Uhtred for the 20th time and then calling him ungrateful. 

[John Potts]

ep 4-6:

Deaths all round! Did like the paralleling of the deaths of Aethelflaed and Brida's psycho kid. And Sytrygr's (or something like that!) ending was truly tragic, though at least Uhtred ensured he got a proper Viking death. Father Pyrlig (sp?) showed he is a true Christian in the face of Brida's torture, but he probably should have told her the truth about what the scouts told him (it might have saved him a knife in the gut).

I did wonder if Edward would go, "Yeah, Aethelhelm might have lied to bring us here, but win this battle and more of England comes under my rule, so... " - it would fit with the sort of ruthlessness he showed in assassinating the Ealdormen of Mercia to ensure his succession. Though Edward's mercy on condition of Baptism after winning the battle was suitably Alfred-like. And I was wondering why we got the ending in Scotland until we got the "I'm Lord of Bebbanburg!" line. I guess all of Uhtred's enemies are gathering in one place (convenient!) so we get to kill them all in one fell swoop. Surprised at how much of a player Eadith is becoming - I don't recall her at all from the books (though Aethlred of Mercia certainly had mistresses, none of them had much impact on the story), though given the dearth of female characters they had to give the ones that do appear something to do.

[John Potts]

Finally knocked off the last 4 episodes:

So Uhtred gets Bebbanburg back at last and is even his own King (more or less - he seems to be Lord of a currently independent Northumbria). I did wonder how they were going to square the historical fact that Edward didn't unite England (that was Athelstan, as already stated onscreen in this series) with the fact that he seemed to defeat everyone else. I also wondered if he might die in the battle at Bebbanburg (completely ahistorical, but that wouldn't be the first change they've made for drama) leaving Athelstan to inherit a united Kingdom. But I did like showing a more ruthless Edward, eliminating the Ealdormen of Mercia (though shouldn't Uhtred be among them? He was nearly King of Mercia last Season and was commanding the men of Runcorn) and being ready to write off his relations rather than allowing them to be used to manipulate him.

Loved the relationship Uhtred has with his daughter and how exasperated she makes him. The look that Finan gives when he says, "How did she get to be so stubborn!?" was just priceless. But she came back to save the day at the end, very in keeping with her father. She may have lost a husband but she's at least found a home.

Was surprised how much I felt for Brida. Given everything she'd done, her death was pretty inevitable, but you could understand where she was coming from. I also liked that in her fight with Uhtred she was totally outclassed - she's no slouch with a sword, but Uhtred is more experienced, bigger and stronger (and surprisingly, more pissed off) - if it wasn't for him suffering a bad attack of the flashbacks, that fight wouldn't even have been close. At least he gave her a Viking death. I even came to like Aelswith who seems to have evolved from being simply disapproving of anything Uhtred did to actually offering good advice, despite the fact that she seems exactly the same age as she was in Season 1 but is now a grandmother to an adult child!

[happygeek]

I am rewatching and still can’t decide if Brida’s child is a boy or girl? Thoughts?

[SharonH58]

happygeek  Brida's child was a girl.   They said it somewhere but it was hard to tell.

[Cdh20]

I went to Winchester recently on a trip to England. It was a bit inspired by our love of the show. Our hotel, the King Alfred Inn, above a pub, was on the site of a nunnery that Aelswith had built. Unfortunately the Anglo-Saxons did not leave much behind because they built in wood. Today’s Winchester has the street layout that King Alfred established. 
 

Does anyone else go on vacations inspired by their fave shows? 

[FnkyChkn34]

12 hours ago, Cdh20 said:

Does anyone else go on vacations inspired by their fave shows? 

A little bit of the opposite for me once - I went to Scotland, and then had to start watching Outlander.

I absolutely recommend to Scotland to anyone and everyone!  I'd move to Edinburgh if I could...

[Cdh20]

6 hours ago, FnkyChkn34 said:

A little bit of the opposite for me once - I went to Scotland, and then had to start watching Outlander.

I absolutely recommend to Scotland to anyone and everyone!  I'd move to Edinburgh if I could...

Was everyone there talking about it? So you thought you should watch it? Lol

I went to Scotland this past June- yes it was beautiful!