6 plotlines to remember for The Last Kingdom movie Seven Kings Must Die
By Daniel Roman
2. Uhtred, Lord of Bebbanburg
At the end of The Last Kingdom season 5, Uhtred finally reclaimed his home of Bebbanburg castle and declared himself its lord, finishing the show’s longest-running plotline. The Last Kingdom begins with Uhtred being taken from Bebbanburg and seeing his position there usurped by his uncle. In the final episode of the series, he finally takes it back with the help of King Edward’s army.
It was a bloody victory which saw Uhtred kill his cousin Wihtgar, who had since taken ownership of Bebbanburg. But when the dust settled, Uhtred was finally able to resume his duties as the most powerful lord in Northumbria.
3. King Constantin of Alba and his claim on Northumbria
That’s not to say that Uhtred and Edward’s victory was entirely uncontested. Fighting alongside Wihtgar was King Constantin of Alba (Scotland), who used the unrest surrounding Edward’s successor to try and stake his own claim to Northumbria. Constantin is a complex vllain; despite allying with Uhtred’s enemies, he also made it clear that he held to his own particular code of honor as well.
After the battle at Bebbanburg, Constantin tries to persuade Uhtred to swear fealty to him as part of a deal to return prisoners, including Aldhelm and Uhtred’s son Oswald. Uhtred declines, though he is still able to negotiate the return of his comrades. However, Constantin promises that this is not the end of their conflict, and that he hopes to lay claim to Uhtred’s lands.
Uhtred manages to avert a potential continuation of the conflict by agreeing that while he won’t declare fealty to Scotland, he also won’t swear his lands to Edward of Wessex either. This is enough to convince King Constantin to withdraw his claim on Northumbria, but severely frustrates King Edward. Scotland, Northumbria and Wessex are in a precarious equilibrium by the end of the series.
Since we know that King Constantin will be back in Seven Kings Must Die, it’s safe to say that equilibrium may be disrupted.