WiC Watches: The Last Kingdom season 4
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Season 4: “Episode Two”
As Uhtred and his men draw closer to Bebbanburg, prodigal son Wihtgar returns with some tricks up his sleeve. News of Cnut’s treachery reaches Wessex.
Recap
Uhtred continues traveling toward Bebbanburg. In Winchester, Edward, Aethelflaed and the Wessex court fear that Aethelred plans to break away from their alliance and declare himself king of Mercia. Aelswith and Aethelfled vie with Aethelhelm for Edward’s ear. Lacking money for the defense of Bebbanburg, Aelfric seeks to sell the precious holy relic the “Heart of St. Oswald” to Aethelred’s monks.
Uhtred and company catch up with Aethelred’s monks at a whorehouse in Grimsby, Northumbria and Uhtred sends Young Uhtred to join them. In East Anglia, Aethelred informs Eadith of his desire to kill Aethelflaed. Cnut’s army arrives to attack Aylesbury in Mercia and we learn that Brida is pregnant with Cnut’s child.
Image: The Last Kingdom/Netflix
Aelfrich’s long lost son Wihtgar (Ossian Perret) arrives at Bebbanburg with reinforcements. Aelswith tells Hild she wants to secretly visit with the illegitimate son Edward had with Ecgywin, named Aethelstan.
As the forces of Cnut and Brida pillage Aylesbury, Young Uhtred joins Aethelred’s monks. Cnut and Brida learn of Aethelred’s slaughter of the Dane villagers. Edward and the Wessex court learn of the Dane invasion of Mercia. Gaining access to Bebbanburg, Young Uhtred signals Uhtred but is waylaid by Wihtgar, who kills Aelfrich and surrounds Uhtred and his company.
Image: The Last Kingdom/Netflix
Our Take
“Episode Two” picks up right where “Episode One” leaves off, with Uhtred, Finan, Osferth, Sihtric, Beocca and Young Uhtred in a boat on the way to Bebbanburg. The religious conflict between Uhtred and his monastery-raised son is sharp, and mirrors the pagan vs. Christian tensions of Britain just like Uhtred’s arguments with Alfred once did. The Wessex court remains a viper’s nest, with Aethelflaed and Aelswith worrying about Aethelhelm’s growing influence over Edward.
The ever-certain Aelswith doubting her choices is a nice touch, along with her seeking the counsel of the departed Beocca (whom she tried to banish) and getting a harsh reality check courtesy of father Pyrlig. I’m hoping a character as powerful as Aelswith will learn her lessons and find a way to regain her position alongside Edward. “Episode Two” lines up a series of father/son relationships, including Aelfric/Wihtgar (briefly), Uhtred/Young Uhtred and Edward/Aethelhelm (as father figure) … interesting.
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This was a powerful episode for Aelswith, with her realization of her mistakes and her seeming attempt to make amends by reuniting Ecgywin with her son Aethelstan. The move also smacks of political maneuvering, because Aethelstan has royal blood and thus a legitimate claim to the throne of Wessex. Aelswith has sometimes been too smart for her own good, but a heavy dose of reality (and her loss of control over both Edward and his son) appears to have recalibrated her thinking.
Overall, “Episode Two” moves along nicely, rearranging the show’s narrative chess pieces as it sets up the storylines for season 4: the emergence of the new characters, including Young Uhtred, Wihtgar, Eardwulf and Eadith; the defiance of Aethelred towards Edward while in the throes of a Dane invasion of Mercia; Uhtred’s best chance ever of finally regaining Bebbanburg; Aelswith’s new interest in Edward’s illegitimate son Aethelstan; Uhtred’s split with Edward and, of course, the potentially explosive hidden affair of Uhtred and Aethelflaed.
Image: The Last Kingdom/Netflix
Whew! It’s an accomplishment to set up this much conflict in roughly one episode. and while the action was minimal in this installment, The Last Kingdom season 4 rolls forward on too many collision courses to count. Also, it ends with one heck of a cliffhanger! Nice!