The 25 Best Characters on The Last Kingdom

19) RAVN

Like Earl Ragnar, Ravn (Rutger Hauer) doesn’t survive the first episode, but is still extremely memorable. He’s Earl Ragnar’s father and a ‘skald,’ a Viking wise man and poet. Though Ravn and Earl Ragnar are both tough as nails, one can see how the son inherited his warmth and compassion from the father.

When the traumatized Young Uhtred is brought before Ravn at the violent Viking party celebrating the defeat of the Saxon army and the death of Uhtred’s father, Ravn immediately begins giving the boy advice. First, he hands Uhtred a sharp knife and asks him to cut some chicken for him. He has Uhtred describe the scene for him, then says, “If you get to live you should be aware of the big man, Ubba. My advice for you is never cross Ubba, and never, never fight him.” Of course, Uhtred will later ignore that advice, but it was kindly given.

Ravn supplies the viewers with some early background information about how the Vikings view their invasion of England. “Northumbria is ours,” he says. “Mercia will soon be ours, then East and West Anglia, Corwalum, and then the greatest prize, is the last kingdom, Wessex … Anything will grow in Wessex.” Ravn also sets the stage for Uhtred’s arc. “Now I know why my son spared you, Uhtred of Bebbanburg. You are a warrior, Here, have some ale.”

Like his son, Ravn grows to love the adopted Uhtred and Brida as if they were part of his own biological family. Ravn dies in the inferno when the household is later attacked by Kjarten and his conspirators, but the old man, pierced by an arrow, dies well, carrying Earl Ragnar’s wife into the afterlife. And it certainly doesn’t hurt his memorability that Ravn is played by Rutger Hauer, the best-known actor on the show to date.