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The Last Kingdom: The Seven Kings Must Die – Carnival Film & Television
the last chapter of the last kingdom has concluded when we finally say goodbye to Uhtred of Bebbanburg and the amazing Alexander Draymon. The climactic finale to Uhtred’s saga was packed with action, adventure and plenty of death, but who lost their life for the future of England? Did Uhtred live to see his days as an old man in Bebbanburg? Let’s find out.
The Last Kingdom: The Seven Kings Must Die is the sequel to the incredible Netflix original and historical fiction series, The Last Kingdom. Martha Hillier wrote the screenplay adaptation of Seven Kings Must Die, which is based on the book War Lord, the thirteenth and final entry in Bernard Cornwell’s Saxon Stories.
The team behind the Carnival Film & Television series returned to produce the feature, with Mat Chaplin, Nigel Marchant and Gareth Neame serving as producers. Martha Hillier and actor Alexander Draymon are the executive producers of the film.
Following the death of King Edward, Uhtred of Bebbanburg and his comrades venture across a fractured kingdom in hopes of finally uniting England.
Explanation of the ending of The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die
With the battlefield established, the climactic battle would seal the fate of England, and the British Isles would be held forever at the Battle of Brunanburh.
Uhtred allied himself with King Aethelstan, and what was left of his forces would face the combined forces of the kingdoms of Ireland, Orkney, Man, Shetland, Strathclyde, and Scotland.
An impressive tactician and battlefield commander, Uhtred established a defensive position at the base of the hill, giving Anlaf’s forces the upper hand. However, this was intentional, as by using King Aethelstan’s presence on the battlefield, the enemy would be drawn in to attack. Using a shield wall to defend himself, Uhtred gave the order to start walking slowly towards the tree line. Overeager, the enemy was lured into a trap as dozens of men would injure themselves falling onto the spikes that were hidden in the grass. The trap was not enough to give Uhtred’s forces the advantage, but it caused enough disorder to buy them more time. However, in the advance, Father Pyrlig would be wounded, leading Uhtred to believe that he had been killed in action.
Before the bloodshed, Uhtred at the Battle of Brunanburh – Carnival Film & Television
Alfan’s forces would crash against the shield wall, where the line would be held despite the overwhelming numbers. However, on the right flank where Aethelstan was engaged in combat with the Scots, they would begin to pound the shield wall with a Swine Wedge, a triangular formation that could pierce the line of a shield wall. With the enemy forces pressing hard on Aethelstan’s flank, the shield wall barely held, but he did the job of turning the line around to face the trees.
At Uhtred’s command, Edmund would signal the cavalry hidden among the trees to charge the enemy from behind. Trapping the enemy between the shield wall and the cavalry, the tide of battle would turn in Uhtred’s favor. With nowhere to run, many men, including several enemy princes, would fall in combat.
King Aethelstan and Ingilmundr were locked in fierce combat, which caught Uhtred’s attention. Worried for the king’s life, Uhtred would try to fight his way across the battlefield in his attempt to save him, however, either due to age or simply letting his guard down for a few moments out of concern for the king, Uhtred was mortally wounded several times. Before passing out, Uhtred was able to witness King Aethelstan defeat Ingilmundr and Father Pyrlig, alive but wounded.
With their lines threatened due to the death of their sons, all the kings who had lost their heirs decided to withdraw, leaving Anlaf without an army and forcing him to return to Ireland. After the battle, Finnand and Sihtric would find Uhtred badly wounded, while King Aethelstan would sentence Ingilmundr to death for his betrayal.
Ingilmundr moments before his execution – Carnival Film & Television
Returning to Bebbanburg, everyone was concerned for Uhtred’s health as he lay recovering from the battle. In Uhtred’s final moments, he would swear allegiance to Aethelstan, making the latter the new King of Northumbria. As King of Mercia, Wessex, East Anglia and Northumbria, for the first time in its history, England was united under the banner of a single king. However, Uhtred’s oath came with one condition, that Aethelstan could never marry and have no children, so on his death, the crown would go to his younger brother without challenge.
Uhtred, son of Uhtred, would die of his wounds in his ancestral home of Bebbanburg, and thanks to his legendary deeds on and off the battlefield he would be welcomed into the halls of Valhalla where his friends, foster family, and others awaited him. legendary vikings.
With one last voice-over from Finan, the camera looks out the window at present-day Bebbanburg Castle, now Bamburgh Castle, where it still stands today.
Who died in The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die?
As expected, a significant number of people died;
- aelfweard – Aethelstan’s half-brother, was murdered in cold blood by his brother after the latter used Uhtred’s attempts at peace talks to his advantage.
- aldhelm – The Queen’s loyal bodyguard, Aldhelm would lose his life after being caught ‘conspiring’ with Uhtred. Despite pleading for mercy, he fell on Aethelstan’s dead ears and was executed for treason.
- Ingrith – Finan’s wife, predicted the prophecy that seven kings must die. After Finan and Sihtric were tricked into leaving Bebbanburg and traveling south to meet Uhtred, a band of wolf warriors sacked the castle. The survivors were trapped inside a Saxon crypt, where they would all sadly starve, including Ingrith.
Finnan, Sihtric and Uhtred try to free Ingrith and the other residents of Bebbanburg – Carnival Film & Television
- Brand – Anlaf’s wife, would perish in the battle of Brunanburh thanks to a well-placed arrow that pierced her chest.
- Five Princes of the Seven Kings – All seven kings had sons to carry on their legacies, except many of them fell at the Battle of Brunanburh, including the princes of Orkney, Man, Shetland, Strathclyde, and Scotland.
- ingilmundr – King Aethelstan’s lover, Ingilmundr orchestrated the chaos that unfolded in the British Isles, tricking the king into doing his bidding. His betrayal would be paid for with his life, after the King defeated him on the battlefield, he was captured and later executed.
- Uhtred of Bebbanburg – One of the greatest warriors of his era, Uhtred’s age finally caught up with him after he let down his guard on the battlefield and received several fatal wounds. Uhtred would later die of his injuries in Bebbanburg Castle, as the halls of Valhalla welcomed him to the afterlife.
Is this really the end of the last kingdom?
We should let Uhtred rest. With Uhtred now in the halls of Valhalla, the story of the last kingdom it’s over.
What did you think of the end of The Last Kingdom? Let us know in the comments below!
