10 best The Last Kingdom characters not named Uhtred
By Joel Wagler
No. 3: Brida (Emily Cox)
No character endures more overall heartache over the course of the series than Brida. She is enslaved with Uhred as young children by the Dane Ragnar, but isn't of noble birth like our hero.
As they grow up, they fall in love and seemed destined to spend their lives together. When Ragnar is murdered and Uhtred blamed, they are forced to flee to Wessex and fall under the protection and direction of King Alfred.
Brida chafes under Alfred's rules, iron hand, and religion. She wants immediate revenge on those who killed Ragnar and his family and she is not happy with the lack of support the Wessex king gives.
She's becomes pregnant with Uhtred's child but loses it due to a Dane sorcercer's curse. Afterwards she is unable to live under Alfred's rules and leaves to go north. Over time, she becomes the woman of Young Ragnar, the adoptive brother of Uhtred, and probably her one true love.
Despite being on different sides, Uhtred remains close friends with Young Ragnar and Brida, who often protect him from the ire of other Dane warlords. Over time, however, Brida becomes more and more disenchanted with Uhtred, who refuses to break away from Alfred.
She becomes a leader among the Danes and is a fierce warrior in her own right. She is a fiery opponent of Alfred and Wessex and she is always eager for the Danes to do battle.
As the show progresses, Brida loses Young Ragnar and discovers the betrayal of his cousin, Cnut. In a crazy twist, though, she becomes pregnant by Cnut before she learns of his part in Young Ragnar's murder.
When Brida is captured in battle and is doomed to slavery, she begs Uhtred to kill her, but he still loved her and knew of her pregnancy and could not bring himself to do it, and leaves her to her fate. She thereafter becomes his most bitter enemy.
In the fifth season, Brida tries to bring vengeance upon Uhtred's family and friends. She leads a brutal attack on York and murder's innocents in search of Stiorra. Uhtred joins the battle to save his daughter. In the process, Brida's own daughter dies, prodding her hatred of Uhtred to even new heights.
Eventually, Brida dies in Uhtred's arms and it seems as if that is how it always should have been. She went from the love of his life to a comfortable friend to a bitter enemy to fading from his life in his arms. Emily Cox was brilliant in portraying so many emotions, and season 5 was her finest work.