The Last Kingdom on Netflix: How does Uhtred’s story end in Seven Kings Must Die?

Warning, spoilers. The following paragraphs show plot elements from the movie Seven Kings Must Die.

The hugely popular series on Netflix, The Last Kingdom ended at the end of its fifth season, which was an epic ending for its protagonist Uhtred de Bebanburg (Alexander Dreymon). But his story isn’t quite over, as he’s back in Seven Kings Must Die, a nearly two-hour feature film available on the platform today.

Adaptation of a literary series Saxon stories Bernard Cornwell’s So ends with a film that will surely end Uhtred’s epic. The Edward Bazalgette-directed feature film confronts Uhtred with his responsibilities as he must once again do his best with his comrades to forge a united England as invaders and rival heirs to King Edward vie for the crown.

However, the end of the fifth season offered a happy end For a hero who spent his childhood among Vikings. Back in Bebanburg, in a warm home and in the dignified protection of his family and people, he was able to make some kind of peace between the Danes and the Saxons, the two parts of his identity, all with the blessing of the gods.

What is the end of Uhtred de Bebanburg?

A few years have passed and an unexpected event turns all the cards: King Edward dies. His Wessex-backed second son Ælfweard (Ewan Horrocks) hires mercenaries to take the crown as his first son Æthelstan (Harry Gilby) is drafted in to rule.

But the latter is an illegitimate child and is therefore considered a bastard, especially since he was raised by Uhtred. Queen Eadgifu (Elaine Cassidy), now a widow, shelters her young son Edmund (Zach Sutcliffe) and Lord Aldhelm (James Northcote) at Uhtred’s house to avoid attacks from invaders and the Olfweard.

Uhtred vows to do whatever it takes to put Æthelstan on the throne. But the young man has changed a lot, immersed body and soul in the faith, and is manipulated by his new mentor, Lord Ingilmundry (Laurie Davidson), who urges him to conquer all the kingdoms by violence.

Æthelstan kills his brother Elfweard and increasingly attacks the lands of the other kings of the British Isles, who gather to form an alliance and oppose him. Except that their fate is disastrous. Ingrit (Ilona Chevakova), the wife of one of Uhtred’s best friends, Finnan (Mark Rowley), made the following prophecy that would give the film its title: “Seven Kings Must Die” (“and your lover”).

After several unfinished schemes, Uhtred is banished by Æthelstan, but rescued by the other kings together. They then ask him to kill Æthelstan to stop his tyrant. But we learn that Ingilmundr was from the beginning connected with King Anlaf of Denmark (Pekka Strang) and other kings of the British Isles.

Uhtred understands this scheme and tries to convince Æthelstan of his good faith, and Bebanburg is destroyed, and with it Ingrid, who, unfortunately, was a “beloved” disturbed by the prophecy.

Æthelstan then realizes that he has been manipulated and wants to fight to end the conflict with Ingilmund and the combined army of kings and sacrifice himself as a martyr. But Uhtred doesn’t see it that way, and he sets out to fight to prevent Æthelstan’s disastrous fate, to finally create a united England, with the help of his family and his son Osbert (Jacob Dudman).

A long and impressive battle follows, the Battle of Brunanburh, where Æthelstan and his men are victorious. All the other kings who had lost their heirs went back. Æthelstan then becomes the undisputed king of what officially becomes England.

The film Seven Kings Must Die ends well with seven dead rulers: the five heirs of the defeated kings, King Edward, but also Uhtred, given that his final scene, joining a very bright room of majestic warriors, is an allegory for his death. Even if the ending of the feature film leaves room for doubt.

Finan’s voiceover concludes Uhtred’s epic as follows: “Seven kings dead? The chronicles don’t say if Monsignor Uhtred survived, but those who knew him like me did as the greatest warrior of his time. The man who built a kingdom.”

And so the story of Uhtred Bebanburg ends with the success of this hero’s most cherished wish: the final battle that gives him glorious status and a united England.

The movie Seven Kings Must Die is available on Netflix.