Every single episode of The Last Kingdom, ranked worst to best
(12) SEASON 1: “EPISODE FIVE“
“Uhtred joins the fierce Battle of Cynuit Hill and vanquishes a forbidding foe, only to have Odda the Younger claim the victory.”
Recap
A storm batters Guthram’s fleet. Alfred and Aelswith joyously welcome their new son, Edward. Alfred splits his forces so he can hit Guthram and Ubba’s Viking armies before they can join together. Odda the Elder and Leofric encamp on Cynuit Hill to confront Ubba. Uhtred joins Odda the Elder’s forces. Predictably, a parley with Ubba goes poorly. Uhtred suggests a daring attack plan, and Odda the Elder agrees to it. Uhtred sets fire to the Viking ships and kills Ubba. The Saxons win the battle but Odda the Elder is gravely wounded.
Uhtred returns home to Mildrith and to meet his new son. Odda the Younger rides to Alfred’s camp and takes credit for the victory at Cynuit Hill. In Winchester, Uhtred is enraged when he learns that Odda is being honored as the hero of the battle. Uhtred breaks the king’s peace and draws a sword in church. Instead of executing Uhtred, Alfred orders he do penance along with Aethelwold. Humiliated, Uhtred later gets drunk with Leofric. Upon returing home, Uhtred kills Oswald for stealing.
Our Take
A lot happens in this mid-season episode. The locations and cinematography are, as usual, beautiful: the overhead shot of Alfred’s army dividing as it departs Winchester is powerful, as is the show of Uhtred burning Ubba’s ships.
As in the series premiere, little touches add a lot. For example, it’s heartwarming when Uhtred first meets his son, but the moment is made bittersweet when Mildrith is steadfast about baptizing the boy as a Christian.
Uhtred and Odda the Elder’s relationship shifts from antagonism to begrudging respect after the battle, and it’s nice to see Odda keep his word to Uhtred and back him up after he fires the ships. The centerpiece of this episode is the much-anticipated showdown between Uhtred and Ubba, and their gladiatorial clash, surrounded by fire in the night, meets expectations.
Meanwhile, the Uhtred/Mildrith storyline is fascinating on a number of levels. Though Uhtred was delighted by Mildrith’s beauty in the previous episode, his anger at being tricked by Alfred into assuming her family’s crushing debt to the church (2,000 shillings) is still palpable. Add to that his fury over losing credit for the victory at Cynuit Hill, and Uhtred is feeling terribly wronged. However, his barging in on the king at prayer to voice his complaints while waving his sword around is a very bad choice.
Breaking the king’s peace is punishable by death (Aelswith demands the king choose that option), but Alfred is merciful (and understands how much he still needs Uhtred) and forces Uhtred to undergo a disgusting penance with Aethelwold, who is quite used to groveling (this time it’s for “absconding” from a monastery).
This further enrages Uhtred, who takes his anger out on Mildrith before leaving to drink and whore. While boozing, Leofric suggests that they secretly form a band of mercenaries and raid Cornwallum, posing as Vikings, and make themselves rich.
When Uhtred and Mildrith return home, Uhtred kills the despicable and thieving Oswald (the manager of Mildrith’s estate), ignoring Mildrith’s cries for mercy. This murder gives us a window into the darker side of Uhtred’s soul; his brutality, petulance and lack of self-control.
QUOTE: “My son will not be baptized. No priest shall whisper lies and deceits into his ear and half-drown him in water. He is a pagan like his father!” (Uhtred, to Mildrith, after his penance)