Spoiler alert: this blog is for those who have watched the eighth episode of The Last Kingdom, showing on BBC2, Thursday nights in the UK. Read Sarah’s recap of episode seven here.
‘Uhtred, for all that you have done, all that you have shown me, thank you. You have given everything’
Wow. Excuse me while I get my breath back. This is a series that has improved with each week, packing more villains and twists into the course of eight episodes than many shows manage in a lifetime, and the brutal, bloody, bittersweet conclusion didn’t disappoint.
The long-promised day of reckoning with Guthrum’s Danes – “one decisive battle” – finally arrived and, once blood had been shed and swords resheathed our hero stood alone and counted his losses. Over the space of an hour he lost his baby son, any chance of reconciliation with either his estranged wife or the increasingly bitter Brida, his best friend Leofric and, worst of all, his Shadow Queen, as Iseult was hunted down by Skorpa and beheaded.
That moment with Iseult’s head displayed before the aghast Saxon army was just one shock in an episode full of them – my own personal “Did that that really just happen?” moment coming quite early on when Odda the Elder stepped up from his sickbed and gutted his treacherous son mid-rant, laying him to rest with the sorrowful benediction: “May your mother forgive me and may you be forgiven for your treason.”
Young Odda’s death was such a surprise that by the time Aethelwold headed up the hill to try to kill Alfred I almost thought he might succeed, despite the clear evidence of history suggesting otherwise. Alfred the Now Great may not be expendable but poor, doomed Iseult was. Oh Iseult, yes you gained one night of pleasure in Uhtred’s arms, but at what a terrible cost … I can’t help thinking that Uhtred’s Queen knew full well what would happen once she surrendered her powers. That she did it anyway made me mourn her a bit more.
That said, my one real criticism of this series is that it has occasionally felt a little rushed. If there’d been even just one more episode then I think we’d have the felt the emotion we were supposed to feel about Iseult’s brutal end. As it is, she never quite came into focus beyond the awesome powers and the guilt complex they created. We were told that Uhtred loved her beyond reason (or at least enough to go the full Berserker and slaughter half the Danish army singlehandedly) but it never quite rang true.
‘Today is a day for warriors. A day to kill your enemies. A day we make the pagans wish they’d never heard of Wessex. Today we fight for Wessex. No mercy’
By contrast, Leofric’s death left me in bits. Our man with the fine line in sardonic insults took an axe to the neck in battle not long after he’d managed to personally put an end to the treacherous Wulfhere (and that was a betrayal I didn’t see coming, although in retrospect the speed with which he left Winchester should have tipped me off). Of all Uhtred’s love stories it’s his relationship with Leofric which has resonated most over the series and, should we return to the Last Kingdom – at time of writing it wasn’t clear if a second series would be commissioned – it won’t be the same without him (not least because who will call Uhtred “arseling” now?). Goodnight, sweet yeoman of Wessex. May your sword stay strong and your wisecracks never falter.
Thankfully, there were unexpected joys to be found elsewhere, not least in the newly battle-hungry Father Beocca who pretty much owned this episode from his advice to Alfred about putting a hand to each man’s shoulder (the subsequent scenes of Alfred awkwardly following this advice were hugely entertaining) through his insulting of Skorpa to the spear he threw to Uhtred which in turn led to Guthrum’s religious revelation and subsequent conversion. It was also another good week for Alfred, who began the hour firmly convinced of his destiny and ended it giving a hugely rousing battle speech and defeating the Danes. David Dawson’s subtle performance has been a huge part of why this series has worked (although Ian Hart was also great as Beocca and Alexander Dreymon’s turn as Uhtred grew on me) and this week was no exception: his disbelief at the men of Wessex finally marching to his side was beautifully sold as was the earlier moment when he refused Odda forgiveness for his son. This is a new Alfred, still a man of God but with a warrior’s steel tempering that faith. The days of wavering have gone.
‘Did you see that? It came as the Priest said. Their god is with them’
Guthrum remains the most fascinating character on this show. Swedish actor Thomas W Gabrielsson has done a wonderful job of showing how his initial cynicism was replaced by, at first, doubt and then slow-dawning belief in the Saxon god. The wonder with which he regarded Father Beocca following the spear throwing was perfectly pitched and it was no surprise to see his story for this season end in conversion. The rest of our Danish contingent didn’t have quite such a happy conclusion as they found themselves prisoners as part of the terms of peace. Ragnar the Younger remains Uhtred’s brother after the latter saved his life on the battlefield (and presumably will learn soon that his sister is alive) but it looks like being a long time before Brida comes back round to the man she once loved so well.
Additional notes
- Poor Mildrith. Some disagree, I know, but I feel she was dealt a poor rough hand. I liked the fact that rather than being devout about her conversion she admitted that it wasn’t much of a life, but at least she sometimes felt happiness. That seemed to be a realistic assessment of her lot.
- I was interested that it was Hild who, after happily embracing her more bloodthirsty side, ended the episode riding north by Uhtred’s side.
- Also blooded: Aethelwold who after his moment of near treachery found himself fighting in the front line and somehow lived to tell the tale. Fortune’s favoured fool indeed.
- Congratulations to all the commenters who correctly called it that Uhtred’s son would die in place of Alfred’s. These blood rites do tend to exact a terrible price.
- We also learned what it was that Skorpa said to Iseult as she revealed that Thyra is still alive – should there be a second season then the reckoning between Uhtred and Sven will be something to behold.
- It was nice to see that Aelswith truly does love Alfred. She may not have had many scenes – but the character development was deftly done.
- Is it just me or was it a bit of a mistake for Uhtred not to say to Wulfhere, of course we’ll beat the Danes? His noncommittal shrug didn’t exactly inspire confidence.
Violence count
One dead Odda the Younger stabbed by his father who appears to have wished him to shut up as much as the TV audience. Several dead Saxons killed during a raid on Uhtred’s farmstead and the dead body of his son. Many more dead Saxons and Danes killed in the Battle of Ethandun (or Edington) including the beheading of a Shadow Queen, the subsequent spearing of Skorpa of the Pale Horse and the death by axe of Leofric, which I may take some time to forget.
Quote of the week
“Did your mother tell you that she should have kept her legs closer?” – Why Father Beocca, there’s a whole side to you that I never knew existed. It’s been a pleasure watching it come out.
Thanks, everyone who has commented below the line for the past eight weeks. It took a while to truly grab me but I’ve come to thoroughly enjoy this series and you’ve all made it a blast to discuss. Raise one final glass to Leofric and Iseult and have your say below …
