Every single episode of The Last Kingdom, ranked worst to best
(25) SEASON 2: “EPISODE FIVE”
“After a season of peace, Uhtred receives a mystical call to follow his fate. Erik makes a cunning request, and Beocca navigates matters of the heart.”
Recap
Three years have passed since the episode previous and we find Uhtred leading his men to quell Viking raids in Mercia. He returns to his small estate at Coccham, where we see he and Gisela have a son and daughter. An oddly sober Aethelwold appears with news of a dead Dane named Bjorn who rose from the grave speaking prophesy. King Alfred visits Coccham, unhappy that Uhtred is hanging Saxon thieves without trial.
Hild removes her armor and returns to the nun’s life, praying with Alfred. Erik seeks passage upriver to have an audience with Bjorn and asks Uhtred’s permission to pass. Alfred worries about Aethelwold’s activities. Erik and Sigefrid arrive in Beamfleot. When Uhtred arrives in Winchester, Beocca tells him of his love for Thyra, and Uhtred approves. Thyra accepts Beocca’s marriage proposal.
Alfred and Aelswith prepare for Aethelflaed’s wedding to Aethelred. Erik and Sigefrid raise a Viking army at Beamfleot and attack Lunden. Uhtred and Aethelred visit Bjorn, who says that Uhtred will be a great king, but Bjorn soon proves to be a fake.
Our Take
Three years is a long time, but beyond Uhtred and Gisela’s family life, not too much has changed in the world of The Last Kingdom, with Saxons and Danes still skirmishing around the edges of Alfred’s fragile peace. Uhtred is once again making bad decisions despite Gisela’s wise counsel. Alfred is still annoyed at Uhtred’s paganism.
The Bjorn storyline takes up a lot of this episode; too much, given how little it pays off. When Alfred arrives in Coccham to complain about Uhted’s extrajudicial brand of justice, he sets the scene for Uhtred’s next dumb move (crossing Watling Street into Daneland) in one big, clunky stroke:
"There are laws. Carefully written laws. And if you wish to remain an ealdorman you will adhere to them. You should not impose your pagan ideals within my kingdom. We are west of Watling Street, not east … We do not cross over into Daneland. We do not cross over into Danelaw, in mind, nor body or spirit."
Uhtred immediately lies to Alfred about Aethelwold’s intentions, and just digs himself deeper and deeper from there.
Beocca and Thyra’s relationship is odd and sweet, and works well. But Aethelwold’s constant conniving to claim the crown is getting old by this point, and we wonder why Uhtred puts up with it at all. And the Bjorn prophesy scene is sufficiently spooky, but the air goes out of it when Sihtric names it a deception.
QUOTE: “You are to be king. King of Mercia. King of Saxon and Dane. King of other Kings. You, Lord Uhtred.” (The dead man Bjorn, to Uhtred)