WiC Watches: The Last Kingdom season 4

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Image: The Last Kingdom/Netflix

Season 4: “Episode Seven”

Aelfwynn suffers from the sickness sweeping the land. Edward proposes an unexpected path forward for Mercia. Brida is freed by Cnut’s kinsman.

Recap

At Aylesbury, signs of Mercian unrest trouble Aethelred’s funeral procession. Father Pyrlig helps Uhtred sneak into the city with Stiorra, Aethelstan and Finan. The Mercian ealdormen call a contentious witan without inviting Edward, who crashes the party, followed by Uhtred. Uhtred reveals Eardwulf’s betrayal. Osferth and Eadith care for the desperately ill Aelfwynn while hiding in the Wyre Forest.

Uhtred refuses to tell Edward of Aelfwynn’s location. Edward has him arrested as a traitor, and Uhtred is tortured by Aethelhelm and Cenric. Edward decides to break the Mercians instead of negotiating with them. He impounds their grain, resulting in a standoff with lord Burgred. Osferth and Eadith decide Aelfwynn’s only hope is to be seen by a healer in Aylesbury.

Image: The Last Kingdom/Netflix

Edward meets with the brutally beaten Uhtred, releasing him and then sending Athelhelm back to Winchester. Edward decides to offer the popular Uhtred a temporary guardianship of Mercia. The Welsh are overwhelmed by the Dane Sygtryggr (Eysteinn Sigurdarson), who is looking for Brida. Uhtred accepts Edward’s proposal. Aethelflaed is thrilled to find that Aelfwynn has survived her sickness.

Our Take

“Episode Seven” starts out at a run, leaving the slower-paced “Episode Six” in the dust: Uhtred sneaks into Aylesbury and drops the Eardwulf murder/betrayal bombshell on the Mercian witan where Edward and the ealdormen were already almost coming to blows.

Image: The Last Kingdom/Netflix

In many ways, this is an Edward-centric episode. We’re unsure about what direction Edward is going: he began with such promise, but his youth and weak will are prey to a snake like Aethelhelm. We see sparks of maturity in Edward, but his imprisoning of Uhtred is an act of petty, self-centered retaliation. Likewise, his decision to take lord Burged’s son into his custody is a clever but treacherous political move.

The scene between Edward and the bloody Uhtred in the Aylesbury prison cell is important, if a bit underwhelming. Edward has decided to take his own counsel and force Mercia to submit to Wessex; we’re not sure if Edward is experienced or wise enough to act alone, but he’s seeking a way to break through the uncertainty that plagues him. Having finally sent the devious Aethelhelm away, he has the anti-Uhtred Aelswith in his ear again.

Image: The Last Kingdom/Netflix

Despite Aelswith’s protests (even though Uhtred is directly responsible for the survival of her son Edward, grandson Aethelstan and Alfred’s dreams, among other things), Edward shows some real savvy in proposing that Uhtred take a short term guardianship of Mercia in return for Edward’s assistance in later helping him reclaim Bebbanburg: it’s an offer Uhtred surely cannot refuse, even though it complicates matters with Aethelflaed. It seems Edward finally is getting his feet squarely under him, at least until Aelswith plays the Aethelstan card and he looks overwhelmed again.

The gruff but wise soldier-monk Father Pyrlig is fast becoming a loyal if somewhat reluctant friend and counselor to Uhtred, and he’s a fine replacement for our beloved, late Beocca.

Enter a new Dane with invasion on his mind: Sygtryggr! He’s a tall, strapping, handsome lad (and a cousin to Cnut) who looks to be more of a Guthram/Cnut-style thinker, as opposed to berserker Danes like Ubba or Bloodhair.

Image: The Last Kingdom/Netflix

“Episode Seven” has some nice emotional cards to play: Aethelhelm’s long-awaited dismissal by Edward, Uhtred’s acceptance of the guardianship of Mercia and a somewhat renewed partnership with Edward right as a new Dane invasion threatens them both, Aethelflaed’s discovery that her daughter Aelfwynn has survived, and her reaction to the news of Uhtred’s promotion.  It’s all a great weave of character and political maneuvering, with a little extra The Last Kingdom joy tossed in at the end.

To Uhtred of Mercia!? Sounds … weird.

Episode Grade: A