Uhtred plays Kingmaker one final time in The Last Kingdon: Seven Kings Must Die as he ushers Aethelstan on the right path to ruling medieval England.
Uhtred of Bebbanburg is the main protagonist of The Last Kingdom series and the feature film The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die which are both based on The Saxon Stories written by Bernard Cornwell.
While there is a real historical figure named Uhtred the Bold, this character takes loose inspiration from his namesake as he lives in an entirely different time period.
Uhtred is a Saxon-born, Danish-raised warrior who plays an important role in the rise of the Saxons in England and eventually becomes the Lord of Northumbria, choosing not to swear his lands under King Edward of Mercia, Wessex, and East Anglia.
When Edward dies, it is up to Uhtred to guide his former ward and protege, Aethelstan, with the right advice so that the young ruler may unite England once and for all.
A warrior’s death
Uhtred takes part in the battle of Brunanburh against Anlaf and the armies of Scotland, Man, Shetland, Orkney, and Strathclyde. It is his strategy to turn the enemy army on the battlefield that gives them a significant advantage leading to eventual victory.
However, Uhtred is gravely injured during the battle and is later found by Finan and Sihtric and taken back to Bebbanburg to recover. He eventually gets back on his feet to grace the others but in a greatly weakened state.
He finally pledges is loyalty and lands to Aethelstan, making him the king of a united England and then tells everyone else not to worry about his fate as he is sure to die on the battlefield.
He soon hears cheers behind him and when he investigates, he sees a great hall in Valhalla with his fallen kin celebrating the afterlife. Finan claims that Saxon Chronicles did not record whether Uhtred survived or not, as he asked Aethelstan not to bother.
In the film, his death is left ambiguous although strongly hinted at with the vision of Valhalla.
Also Read: The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die summary and ending explained
