Every single episode of The Last Kingdom, ranked worst to best
(8) SEASON 2: “EPISODE EIGHT”
“Odda defies Alfred to coerce the king into war. Uhtred conspires with Erik to rescue Aethelflaed, forcing a fateful confrontation with Sigefrid.”
Recap
Uhtred and Aethelred arrive in Winchester and tell Alfred of the ransom the Vikings require to free Aethelflaed. Odda tries to convince Alfred that paying the ransom will doom Wessex, and that Aethelflaed must be martyred. Alfred sacks Odda instead, sending him home to Devonshire. In Beamfleot, the lovers Erik and Aethelfaed plan to escape, sending a note to Uhtred asking for his help.
Odda decides to take matters into his own hands, raising his powerful Devonshire fyrd and marching on Beamfleot, forcing Alfred to march his army and intercept him. Sigefrid, suspecting that Erik has fallen for Aethelflaed, locks her in an iron cage strung up on the rafters of the great Beamfleot hall.
Image: The Last Kingdom/Netflix
Alfred and Odda the Elder’s armies face off outside Beamfleot. Inside the city, Erik and Uhtred try and free Aethelflaed, setting the surrounding buildings on fire as a diversion. Erik discovers the deception and kills Erik as he covers Aethelflaed’s escape. Uhtred manages to take Aethelflaed to Alfred, but Sigefrid and his men are close on their heels.
A great battle ensues, Sigefrid falls (under a sword thrust from Aethelflaed) and the combined Saxon armies are victorious. Aethelflaed later decides to remain with Aethelred, Odda the Elder commits suicide in jail and Uhtred, still sworn to Alfred, returns to Coccham.
Our Take
“Episode Eight” is a strong end to the second season, loaded with both monumental battles and small personal moments. I daresay we’ll never forget Sigefrid being forced to kill his brother Eric in the burning hall of Beamfleot, nor the quiet, dignified end of Odda the Elder in his prison cell.
This episode in many ways belongs to Odda the Elder and Alfred. Odda, weakened by injuries and wine, is determined to save Wessex even if it costs the life of Aethelflaed. He’s right, but Alfred is incapable of sacrificing his daughter, no matter the consequences. Odda’s raising of his Devonshire fyrd and forcing Alfred to bring his army to Beamfleot ultimately saves Wessex, but Odda will never be considered a hero. Like Uhtred, he rarely receives full credit for his heroics.
The climactic battle sequence, which takes place at night, is less impressive than others in the series, but still effective, especially when we see the formation of the Saxon shield wall. Sigefrid’s suicide charge and the fact that Uhtred gets clobbered early on gives it a different feel than previous battle sequences. Of course, every victory on this show comes with loss, and here we bid farewell to good guys Odda the Elder, Erik and Clapa. It’s also a shame to lose entertaining bad guy Sigefrid.
The last shot of Uhtred riding off into the sunset, the evening light gleaming through the Saxon amber stone on the handle of his sword, is probably the way every single episode of The Last Kingdom should end.
QUOTE: “It seems you have made a habit of rescuing Wessex.” (Alfred, to Uhtred)