Essie Fox reviews the last TV screen appearance of Uhtred of Bebbanburg in Seven Kings Must Die, the final episode of the long-running The Last Kingdom series. She finds much to admire.
Seven Kings Must Die is the one-off Netflix film that finally concludes the historical TV series, The Last Kingdom. These enthralling screen adaptions have been based on the best-selling Saxon Stories books by Bernard Cornwell.
They provide a masterclass in character and plot development which many fans claim to be equal to those in The Game of Thrones – but without the fantasy, and with a much smaller budget. Not to say the storylines don’t sometimes stray to realms of fiction, and there are prophecies aplenty: including one from a seer that ‘Seven kings must die.’
For those who have not seen the shows, their foundations are in fact. Set in 10th-century England, they trace the fate of Uhtred, the young heir of Bebbanburg, a castle keep from where Northumberland is ruled by his father.
Uhtred’s inheritance is lost when his father is attacked and killed by warring Danes. In turn they take the orphaned child to raise as their own.
From that point on, forever trapped between two tribes and two religions, Uhtred comes to accept and even value his new life – until this second family is also destroyed by another vengeful Dane. Fleeing to safety in Wessex, Uhtred comes to develop a complex friendship with Alfred, the Saxon Christian king to whom he swears his allegiance, using his fighting skills to broker peace between the tribes and the factions who are warring for control of the land.
The ensuing interplay of loyalty versus distrust between himself and the Saxons, or those still loyal to the Danes, goes on to form a central backdrop to all the future episodes – ending with Uhtred’s return to stake his claim on Bebbanburg.
It is at this point that Seven Kings Must Die takes up the threads of the story and attempts to knit together Cornwell’s three remaining books – starting when Uhtred has been living a life of feasting and hunting in his warrior retirement. But this peace is not to last.
Alfred’s heir, Edward the Elder, is now on the point of dying. This leaves the kingdom in some chaos, with two half-brother sons both laying claim to the title. One of them, Æthelstan, makes the violent and misguided choice to murder the other, which, as Uhtred points out, is a serious mistake for he will now make enemies where he might have gathered friends.
On top of this, other claimants are converging on the kingdom. The Danish warrior, Anlaf, means to strike and take advantage of the ensuing power vacuum. In this he is joined by the leaders of Scotland, of Wales and of Strathclyde, along with kings who rule the islands of Man, Orkney, and Shetland.
It is, of course, our hero Uhtred who will be instrumental in the final battle’s outcome. But not before he has suffered a humiliating exile from the distrusting Æthelstan who prefers to put his faith in a cunning, false advisor who is also his lover.
Suffice to say, from the opening illustrated credits and stirring ululating voice that provides the music score, it is exciting to embark upon the final chapter in the history of Uhtred. The settings, the costumes, and the cinematography are as convincing as ever with a gritty, grey pall hanging over scenes of chaos, neglect and dereliction.
But less convincing is the sense of jumpy inconsistency in moving about between so many locations as the various contenders for power are introduced. There is also the problem of so much of the plot being condensed into one film. The story feels rushed with little time to develop relationship complexities. As such it never quite attains the same dramatic heights and emotional depths of Uhtred’s exploits the past.
Another fault is that the women who survived previous dramas now have little or no part in the story’s last instalment. Perhaps, in due course, their own fates will be told? For now it almost feels an insult to lose such important characters as Hild, Eadith, Stiorra, Ælfwynn, and Ælswith.
Despite these shortcomings there is still much to admire, not least the enduring charisma of Alexander Dreymon as he plays the part of Uhtred. We have seen many Uhtreds in the telling of this saga, from his youth to his prime, in times of battle and of love. Now, he convincingly portrays a man in middle age whose fate is, once again, to defend the Saxon king.
As the tensions are raised, Uhtred’s confidence is low, knowing the Saxons are outnumbered in the Battle of Brunanburh. But, when one highly prized and significant object returns to mirror his past and the oath of loyalty he once swore to King Alfred, it becomes a talisman to give him hope for success – to help create a single kingdom of people unified, no matter where they started from.
And where does it end? Don’t read on if you have yet to see the film yourself. The conclusion is one that had this viewer in tears, with the gravely wounded Uhtred standing before King Æthelstan, who is newly victorious, and looking back through a door to see beloved long-dead Norse friends laughing and feasting in a hall.
What is Uhtred’s fate? Is it to walk on through and join them, or to stay and serve the Saxon? Or will he stand forever lost between the faiths of his two worlds?
Even though one character towards the end of the story claims that: “Only fools try to understand Destiny,” we have known from the start that Uhtred’s “Destiny is all.”
May his fate lead him to Valhalla.
The Fascination, the latest book by Essie Fox, is published on 22 June, 2023.
Essie has written several features and reviews for Historia, including:
The Victorian theatrical world of mystery and illusion
The ghosts of silent film
The muse for Alice in Wonderland
The traditions of Halloween
And reviews of The Clockwork Girl by Anna Mazzola, Brontë’s Mistress by Finola Austin and The Coffin Path by Katherine Clements
See more about Bernard Cornwell’s last three books in the series: War of the Wolf, Sword of Kings and War Lord.
You may also enjoy these features about the historical background to Seven Kings Must Die:
The Battle of Brunanburh by Hilary Green
Review: Warrior by Edoardo Albert with Paul Gething (about new finds at Bamburgh) by Matthew Harffy
‘England’ in the 10th century by MJ Porter
Rival kings and the fall of Mercia also by MJ Porter
Anglo-Saxon women with power and influence by Annie Whitehead
In Search of Mercia also by Annie Whitehead
The power of alliance in the Viking Age by Matthew Harffy
Was King Alfred really the father of the English navy? by Chris Bishop
Horses in battle at the time of Alfred the Great also by Chris Bishop
As you’ll have seen, many HWA authors write about this period, both in fiction and non-fiction. If it’s one that interests you, do check them out.
Images:
- Netflix promotional poster for Seven Kings Must Die, to illustrate this review
- Bamburgh Castle: Pixabay (CC0)
- Detail from Æthelstan presenting a copy of the book to Cuthbert, frontispiece to Bede’s Life of St Cuthbert, c930: MS Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, 183, f1v via Wikimedia (public domain)
