The Last Kingdom has never shied away from killing off beloved characters and the final season is no exception, bidding farewell to several new and returning faces.
The historical drama stars Alexander Dreymon as warrior Uhtred of Bebbanburg, whose violent life story plays out against the backdrop of early English history.
The action-packed saga will continue in a one-off feature-length special titled Seven Kings Must Die, which executive producer Nigel Marchant describes as a “standalone” chapter that will be accessible even to complete newcomers.
We don’t know yet who will be returning for the sequel movie, but certain members of The Last Kingdom cast can now be ruled out of contention after meeting their fate in the latest episodes.
Read on to find out who dies in The Last Kingdom season 5 on Netflix, but be warned that major spoilers follow.
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Destiny is all! And Netflix’s The Last Kingdom has finally met its destiny. The Last Kingdom Season 5 premiered on Netflix today showing us how Uhtred of Bebbanburg’s (Alexander Dreymon) story finally ends. We saw the warrior’s final showdown with Brida (Emily Cox), his tragic farewell to lady love Aethelflaed (Millie Brady), and Uhtred’s long-awaited return to Bebbanburg. So how exactly does Netflix’s The Last Kingdom end?
The Last Kingdom is based on Bernard Corwnwall’s best-selling Saxon Stories. Those sweeping historic novels follow a mostly fictional character named Uhtred who rubs elbows with Saxons and Danes during a tumultuous time in English history. Uhtred was born a Saxon, but after his father’s fortress at Bebbanburg was overrun by Danes, he and a girl named Brida were adopted by the warriors. For the last five seasons, Uhtred has fallen in love, fought with valor, and changed the course of history. His one true goal? Reclaiming Bebbanburg for himself and his children.
So what happens in the final moments of The Last Kingdom? Will there be more seasons of The Last Kingdom? Here’s everything you need to know about The Last Kingdom Season 5’s finale…
Uhtred and his force met up with King Aella and King Osberht of Northumbria, and King Aella ignored Uhtreds cautious advice about the Vikings possible trickery and ordered half of the army to attack a numerically-inferior Viking force which had ceded the high ground. Osberht and Uhtred personally led this force, and they apparently made good progress, encouraging Aella to charge into battle. However, after all of the Anglo-Saxons were engaged, Earl Ragnar led a hidden force of Vikings out of a ravine and to attack the Anglo-Saxon rear, trapping the Saxons between two shield walls. Uhtred cut his way through a shield wall and attempted to lead his men to safety, but he was trampled by a horse and stabbed through the throat after he got up. His son Uhtred, who had snuck onto the battlefield, witnessed his fathers death, and was captured by Ragnar and raised as his own son. Advertisement
Uhtred was born in Bebbanburg, Northumberland, the brother of Aelfric of Bebbanburg, and he succeeded his father Uhtred (the name given the oldest son in the family) as Ealdorman of Bebbanburg. Uhtred was a powerful nobleman who ruled the lands south of the Tweed and north of the Tyne, and, when the ealdorman Aella challenged King Osberht of Northumbria for the throne in 866, he sent gifts to Uhtred with the goal of winning his support. Uhtred had the ability to call up 150 men-at-arms at a moments notice, and, given time, he could eventually muster 400 men, making him the effective kingmaker of Northumbria. While Uhtred was a Christian, he was proud of his familys supposed descent from Odin and retained the familys wolf banner to honor Odins pet wolf, ignoring his third wifes request that he fly a cross banner instead. He also sought to return his family to ruling Northumbria, as he was a descendant of the Kings of Bernicia. He looked down on the Mercians as “soft”, criticized the West Saxons for not knowing hardship, and compared the East Anglians to frogs, as they both lived in marshes (he later despised the East Anglians further when they gave shelter to the invading Danes). Despite this, Uhtreds mother was the daughter of a Mercian ealdorman, and they were married for almost a year.
Ealdorman Uhtred of Bebbanburg (died 866) was the Northumbrian Ealdorman of Bebbanburg during the mid-9th century AD. He was a powerful lord who ruled the lands between the Tweed in the north and the Tyne in the south, and he had the role of kingmaker during the struggles between the feuding kings of Northumbria. In 866, he took part in a failed attempt to recapture York from the Danes, and he was killed in battle. His brother Aelfric of Bebbanburg usurped the title of Ealdorman on Uhtreds death, while his young son Uhtred of Bebbanburg was captured by the Danes and raised as a pagan.
Uhtred had two sons, Uhtred and Osbert (born to different mothers), both of whom were tutored by Father Beocca; both of his wives died in childbirth, and he lost two sons and a daughter in infancy. Later in 866, King Aella of Northumbria requested that he and a contingent of his subjects join the Northumbrian army to retake York. Before Uhtred left, he found that a force of Vikings under Earl Ragnar had landed near his castle, and they killed and beheaded his older son Uhtred after Uhtred foolishly chose to fight the Vikings against his fathers orders. Uhtred then had Osbert rebaptized as “Uhtred”, making him his new heir, and he then departed for York while leaving Aelfric in charge of Bebbanburgs 30-man garrison.
The Last Kingdom Ending Explained: Does Uhtred Die?
The Last Kingdom‘s final episode opens where it all began: Bebbanburg. Uhtred has snuck into the castle to help save his beloved Aethelflaed’s kidnapped daughter, Aelfwynn, from the scheming Aethelhelm and his current ally, King Constantin of Scotland. Uhtred’s nemesis Wihtgar attempts to threaten Aelfwynn’s life on the battlements. Uhtred, hiding there, grapples with Wihtgar to save Aelfwynn. While Aelfywnn flees, Uhtred finds himself reunited with his friends, but Wihtgar alerts his enemies. A battle ensues with Edward leading his forces (including Aethelstan) against Bebbanburg while Wihtgar hunts Uhtred inside.
Hild offers to try to sneak Aelfwynn to the gate. Uhtred and buddies decide to distract their enemies with a fight so the women can get away. However Constantin hatches a plot to make it look like they’ve fled Bebbanburg to lure Edward to his doom. Uhtred and pals head back to the ramparts where they can see Constantin’s trap. Edward’s forces are surrounded and Constantin strikes, pushing Edward’s army into the sea.
All seems lost, but Uhtred and his boys make it outside of Bebbanburg. He finds Stiorra and begs his daughter to commit her Danish forces to the Saxon cause. Uhtred calls upon his dual background to say that if they win Northumbria will be a place where Danes and Saxons will live together in harmony. Stiorra and her people agree and manage to attack the Scots from the rear. Constantin panics and orders his men to set Bebbanburg on fire.
Uhtred runs into Bebbanburg to face Wihtgar. First he must battle his lackeys. Aethelstan follows his mentor into the fortress and finds Aethelhelm. His half-brother Aelfweard enters and threatens Aethelstan, who in turn reveals the evil older dude’s schemes were responsible for Aelfweard’s mother’s death. Aelfweard abandons his grandfather, who decides to die by suicide when Aethelstan chooses to leave him alive.
Uhtred and Wihtgar grapple in the dark and our hero easily kills his evil cousin by pushing him off a balcony. Uhtred and Aethelstan reunite in the burning courtyard of Bebbanburg. Aethelstan wants him to leave, but Uhtred says it is his destiny to die in Bebbanburg. The heavens open up and quench the fires with rain. Uhtred finally takes his birthright and negotiates a peace with Constantin, who leaves. Our hero is reunited with his children. All of them. (See below.)
Uhtred reveals that he promised Constantin that Northumbria would remain a buffer zone between England and Scotland until a ruler worthy of uniting England comes along (That’s Aethelstan, the first historic king of a unified England.)
We get a final montage where Uhtred acknowledges that he is Uhtred, son of Uhtred and destiny is all!
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