The Last Kingdom Season 5 Roundtable
The Last Kingdom has returned for its fifth and final season on Netflix (although there is a wrap up movie coming). We assembled a bunch of fans of the show to answer some burning questions about the season. Taking part in this roundtable discussion for The Last Kingdom season 5 are:
Editor Clare, FN Contributors PurpleBrina and Amy, and TLK fans Kim and Dan.
CAUTION: Contains MAJOR spoilers for season 5. Proceed at your own risk.
The Last Kingdom Season 5 picks up after a time jump – approximately 7 years – during which there has been relative peace between the Kingdoms. We saw Uhtred (Alexander Dreymon) and his Pretty Boys at home in Rumcofa where both Finan (Mark Rowley) and Sihtric (Arnas Fedaravicius) were married with families, Osferth (Ewan Mitchell) had women fighting over him, and Uhtred was single. What was the biggest surprise for you after the time jump?
C – How busy Sihtric had clearly been. HOW MANY KIDS?! Actually it was the fact that Finan was married to someone that wasn’t Eadith (Stefanie Martini)!
PB – Babies everywhere haha I mean what else is there to do but make babies!?!?
A – Gonna agree with everyone else, very shocked that Finan wasn’t with Eadith. I still can’t get over that Osferth had women fighting for him and it was a normal occurrence that women would fight over him.
K – I was actually quite surprised that Finan wasn’t with Eadith after the lead up to something the season before. I was rooting for them so it did surprise me he ended up with another lady. The boys had definitely been busy making families which was nice to see for sure but I did feel for Utred being on his own.
D – The biggest surprise was Sihtric’s family, for me. Largely because I’m fairly confident he had a wife and kids in previous seasons. Is this the same family, but now larger? Or a new family? If it’s a new family, what happened to the old family? So many questions!
C – he did indeed have a wife and IMDb says it’s the same wife, they’ve clearly just been busy!
D – well, I am glad they got to enjoy the peaceful times 😉
There were several deaths this season, some more shocking than others, but all very emotional. Which one hit you the hardest?
PB – For me it was definitely Sigtryggr (Eysteinn Sigurðarson)’s death. It was just hard to see him be so strong and have someone he looked up to kill him. It kinda broke my heart to have everyone watch him die.
A – Osferth’s death broke me then following Sigtryggr’s death completely took me out. I was expecting Sigtryggr’s death in the beginning but when it didn’t happen I was, okay this isn’t gonna happen. Totally let my guard down. Osferth’s death came out of nowhere, didn’t expect any of the main guys to be killed off. It was also Finan’s reaction to his death that broke me more.
K – Sigtryggr’s death had me stop watching to pause and take it in as it was truly heartbreaking to watch. Uhtred’s face before, during and after broke me and just superb acting from everyone in that scene. The loss of Baby Monk I did not see coming at all either tbh. I was at first OK but as soon as Finan started saying it was his fault then back to sobbing tears again.
Brida (Emily Cox)’s death, even though she had annoyed me a little bit in the last season and a bit in this one (I was just a bit baffled by her behaviour and what she was doing, why she was doing things tbh) I feel she deserved a better death. In a battle at least and also same with Haesten (Jeppe Beck Laursen) too. I love that character a lot and being taken out how he was, and then we heard nothing else I thought was sad. I wanted to know how he ended up where he did as well. This season definitely made me cry more than ever before. I was happy with some of the deaths as in the bad guys like Wihtgar (Ossian Perret), Aethelhelm (Adrian Schiller) especially but he took the coward’s way out.
D – Osferth’s was the most shocking for me, because it seemed to come out of nowhere. He’s been a part of it for so long, that it almost seemed like he’d be in it forever. But I think the one that hits the hardest is Sigtryggr’s – he brought lasting peace between Saxons and Danes, did very little wrong during his tenure, went after the person who actually caused all of the trouble and then got executed for it. I’d also like to spare a thought for Haesten. Whilst his death wasn’t as shocking as the others – I did really like his journey. He survived for years living as a cockroach who only served himself. Then the one time he finally decides to do something for someone else instead of himself, it ends up with him getting killed. He lived well, he died honourably.
C – Osferth. Hands down. That was such a shock as I kinda figured all of Uhtred’s pretty boys were gonna make it. Sigtryggr was incredibly hard to watch because of the emotions of everyone else in the scene.
As so often seems to happen, a lack of communication was responsible for a lot of death and destruction this season. Do you think that could be handled better, or do you think there was nothing more that could have been done?
A – You’d think that they would have learned with communication. A lot of the issues could have been avoided if they only listened to Uhtred and his men for once; it’s been the ongoing theme in all the seasons.
K – Oh yeah absolutely better communication could have helped in a lot of the things that happened but I guess distance between a lot of them probably didn’t help either.
D – The lack of communication definitely played a huge part. But I also think the deliberate withholding of information played a bigger part. If Edward (Timothy Innes) had put a tighter leash on Aethelhem, as he wanted to, then almost all of it could have been avoided. As always, if people listened to Uhtred and his advisers more, it also could have been avoided. SO yes, miscommunication and the deliberate concealing of information was the major impacting factor for what took place.
C – Absolutely, 100% could have been handled better. As Dan said, if Edward had been more in control of Aethelhelm then things definitely would have gone smoother on that front. Many would still be alive!
PB – I think people in times of war already have their minds made up. Fight was gonna be happening regardless
They really upped the stakes this season, more big battles and dramatic sequences. What was the standout moment for you in season 5?
K – Edward getting the old chaps killed was like a holy moly moment for me. I did not think he would resort to such brutal tactics tbh. The scene with Uhtred and lady Aelswith in the Chapel after Aethelflaed passed away was a beautiful scene between them both and when everyone stood up to Edward was beautifully done too. Many highlights in this season for me it’s hard to choose between so many!
D – I really enjoyed some of the softer moments of the season. When Uhtred is the one to go and tell Aelswith (Eliza Butterworth) that Aethelflaed (Millie Brady) has died was an amazing scene. The scene where Uhtred was about to execute Sigtryggr. When Finan and Cynlaef (Ryan Quarmby) find Uhtred and Sihtric, and they ask where Osferth is. The emotional moments provide the payoffs to the bigger battle and dramatic sequences.
C – Totally shallow answer? Sihtric’s biceps when they were climbing the cliff path to Bebbanburg and Finan fell. Good lord!
Serious answer – Aelswith’s moment where she told Edward he was wrong and that she stood with Uhtred. Can you say character development?!
PB – Gonna agree with C – Aelswith telling Edward she stood with Uhtred. When she showed them how she knew how to kill somebody with her little knife and then when she did it.
A – I’m agreeing with C; Aelswith siding with Uhtred; from the beginning of the series Aelswith has never been a fan of Uhtred so the fact that she agreed with him has to be the top stand out moment.
What was your least favourite moment this season and why?
D – Edward certainly had some jarring moments this season. There was also a part, about halfway through, where Aldhelm (James Northcote) had a wobbly moment. That was disappointing. Something that disappointed me, but isn’t really a moment, was the lack of Sihtric. They really underutilised the character and the actor, and I hope that gets corrected in the movie.
C – Edward’s complete volte-face from being an impetuous idiot to being a coward is definitely up there for me. I do agree with Dan though, there was a serious lack of Sihtric this season and I was really disappointed that he didn’t even feature in Uhtred’s flashback montage at the end as he stood on the walls of Bebbanburg.
PB – The lack of seeing shirtless men….but seriously Edward just bugged me this whole season.
A – Majority of the Edward scenes; he became a pompous idiot. At one point I think he was trying to be too much like his father and wanting the dream of a united England but didn’t want to meet anyone halfway. There were a lot of things about Edward that just got on my nerves.
K – Absolutely agree not enough Sihtric this season and I still do not get why tbh. Was the same last season too, I thought. Edward after a while definitely got on my nerves as he just didn’t want to listen to anyone. Sort of his way or no way attitude made me roll my eyes after a bit.
The story of Uhtred and the formation of England will wrap up in the forthcoming Netflix movie Seven Kings Must Die. What are your predictions for the movie?
C – Well I’m pretty sure we will see the unification of the kingdoms of England under one king – Aethelstan (Harry Gilby). Weird as this sounds, I kinda hope it ends with Uhtred dying, and going to the afterlife (whether Heaven or Valhalla I don’t know) and seeing those he has loved and lost at peace.
PB – I love that idea that we see Uhtred pass and he finally gets some peace.
A – A united England under Aethelstan’s rule. He would be the perfect king. It’d be great to see Uhtred with his family in Bebbanburg before passing and being reunited with everyone in the afterlife.
K – I think a happy ending for all would be good with united kingdoms and if big deaths do happen, done the right way in battle or old and grey in bed surrounded by family.
D – I agree with Clare. I’m fairly sure that will be how it goes. We’ll see Uhtred’s heir in his ancestral home of Bebbanburg, Aethelstan as King of England and maybe some other descendants scattered around. It would be nice to have a sequence where Uhtred has passed and he sees people he loved and lost – from start to finish of the show – and see them happy and (maybe) waiting for him in Heaven/Valhalla. It would be a lovely nod to such an incredible show if they could somehow bring back all of the big characters for that one, final time.
In terms of character development, who do you think had the best arc across season 5 and the show as a whole?
A – Gotta say Aelswith has the best arc and character development through the show as a whole; I went from disliking her to her being in the top favorite characters. She literally went from hating Uhtred and all Danes to standing up for them and moving in with them. I do need to toss in Haesten; the double crosser that he is and all around shady guy, finally grew a set and it’s obvious that he has changed over the time jump.
K – Aelswith for me too was really great to see how she did so much to help others this season and not being so righteous anymore. Her killing Bresal (Harry Anton) was an insane scene but done so well may I add. But yeah definitely some huge growth and change throughout and I loved her by the end. I was happy to see Uhtred get what he wanted after SO long and rightly so too after a lot of loss and fighting for what he believed in.
D – Within season 5 itself, either Uhtred (for finally getting what he wanted), Stiorra (Ruby Hartley) for going on the epic journey she had, or Aethelstan for just growing up a lot and becoming a great character. Across the show as a whole – Aelswith. Without doubt. By the end of season 4 you started to like her, but by the end of season 5 you love her. Her character has gone on a HUGE journey, and has developed massively.
C – This season – Aethelstan I think. Going from untested boy, to Aetheling in all but name. Across the show as a whole it has to be Aelswith. She’s gone from the most loathsome woman who I almost booed like a panto villain to start with, to a genuinely likeable character who saw reason, and did what was right when it counted. That last moment when she says she’ll need a room with a sea view at Bebbanburg – I about died laughing. It was wonderful!
PB – Aelswith was the best one for me. Hated her in the beginning of the series but I loved her in the end. Also seeing Uhtred grow and think before running into battles was good growth as well.
With the addition of lots of new characters in this season some didn’t get as much screen time as others. Was there anyone you would have liked to see more from?
K – I agree with Clare that Wolland (Jaako Ohtonen) was a great character and definitely wanted to see more of him. He stepped up a lot. I wanted more of Haesten and how he got to where he did.
D – Definitely Sihtric, as always. Horrendously underutilised. Haesten was also missing too much from this season. Wolland looked to be so cool, and having him die was a shock. I expected him to be for Stiorra what Aldhelm was for Aethelfaed, to be honest.
C – I said before that I wished we’d seen more of Sihtric, but also Wolland. He seemed to be shaping up to be a Dane equivalent of Aldhelm, Stiorra’s right hand, especially after Sigtryggr’s death. I would have liked to see more of them after they left Eforwic, and onwards into the movie.
PB – Sihtric and Finan but I wonder if covid had anything to do with the lack of them.
A – Sihtric and Finan; I’ve always loved their dynamic and it felt off that we didn’t see more of that.
The Last Kingdom Season 5 Score
Clare: 8.5
PurpleBrina: 8.5
Amy: 9
Dan: 9.5
Kim: 9
