The Last Kingdom is one of the most popular Netflix Originals. The series takes place during the Early Middle Ages across the island that would come to be known as the United Kingdom. The series details the clashes that take place between the Anglo Saxons and the invading Vikings, highlighting the difficulty in uniting England in the process.
The show has currently enjoyed 4 seasons on Netflix and with a season 5 almost guaranteed to follow soon, fans have been wondering what the next season will bring.
Hild
Hild is a fan-favorite character. Despite being a huge part of earlier seasons, with Hild accompanying Uhtred and his gang on various adventures, the abbess doesn’t feature too heavily in the fourth season of the Last Kingdom, with her most memorable scene being a conversation with Father Beocca.
Season 5 must include more of Hild, the character is so popular that it was a real shame that fans never got to see her character develop even further in the fourth season.
Relationship Between Uhtred And The King Of Wessex
To say that Uhtred had a fractured relationship with King Alfred would be an understatement. Despite Uhtred constantly helping the King of Wessex, Alfred would always appear to make a decision that would cause Uhtred to storm away and swear never to speak to Alfred again.
This fractured relationship continued when Edward became the King of Wessex, with Edward clashing with Uhtred in the fourth season. Hopefully, the fifth season of the show leaves these clashes behind.
Æthelhelm
The Last Kingdom has always done a great job of portraying cunning, slimy Anglo Saxon characters. Notable archetypes from the past include Young Odda and Æthelwold, but season four’s best slimy Saxon character was Æthelhelm, who poisoned Ælswith while imprisoned in Winchester.
Season five simply has to include some justice against Æthelhelm, hopefully he will be ousted by King Edward and seen for the snake he is before he causes any more damage.
Reunite Uhtred’s Family
The final episode of season four made it clear that Uhtred’s family had been divided, with his son returning to the church and his daughter departing with the Viking Sigtrygger. To see Uhtred’s family divided after finally being reunited was difficult for fans.
Hopefully, the fifth season of The Last Kingdom will bring the family together again, perhaps even uniting them at Uhtred’s home of Bebbanburg.
Shield Walls
The battles in the Last Kingdom are some of the best elements of the show, with the series doing a fantastic job of creating compelling and brutal battles that, at least to the average viewer, are historically accurate in terms of their battle tactics.
One particular tactic that became a huge part of the show was the shield wall. It was this tactic that helped King Alfred win great victories against the Vikings early in the series, so it was a shame that the tactic only really appeared in the final episode. Hopefully, there’ll be more shield walls in season five.
Æthelstan
One of the central plot points of The Last Kingdom‘s fourth season was the dilemma of Edward’s eldest son, Æthelstan. Ælswith sent the boy to a monastery in order to guarantee a wedding between Edward and Ælflæd. However, in season four, Ælswith tracked the boy down so he could meet his mother.
The season ended with King Edward giving his son to Uhtred. While spoilers won’t be revealed here (if it’s fair to claim history is a spoiler), Æthelstan is certainly based on a real person and this makes his inclusion in the series very interesting indeed.
More Of Wihtgar
Season four may have been the most shocking season yet, with Father Beocca meeting his end as Uhtred and his gang stormed the castle of Bebbanburg. Unbeknownst to Uhtred, his cousin Wihtgar had returned and brought warriors with him to defend his father’s castle.
As a result, Wihtgar shot Beocca with an arrow bolt, killing him in the process. The fact that Wihtgar killed such an important character makes him a brilliant villain already, fans certainly want to see him in the next season.
Sigtryggr
The fourth season of Last Kingdom introduced the audience to, perhaps, the most interesting Dane yet in the form of Sigtryggr. Rather than being a brutal warlord, Sigtryggr was thoughtful and didn’t want to simply fight for the sake of fighting.
The season ended with Sigtryggr accepting Eoferwic in exchange for Winchester, with Sigtryggr promising to never invade Wessex, Mercia, or East Anglia. However, Sigtryggr also took Uhtred’s daughter, Stiorra, with him as a hostage (though it was clear Stiorra and Sigtryggr had formed a bond). Season five will hopefully reveal how their relationship has developed.
Brida’s Redemption
Brida is one of the longest-running characters on the show, with the character appearing in the very first episode of the series. Brida has had one of the most interesting character arcs in the show, with the death of Ragnar, followed by Cnut’s betrayal, turning her into a ruthless character.
Season four ended with Uhtred sparing Brida’s life, despite her promising to cause him harm in the future. The question remains, however, will Brida be redeemed or will she truly cause harm to Uhtred or those he holds dear?
Uhtred’s Birthright
The first episode of the Last Kingdom showed how Uhtred lost his birthright of Bebbanburg, with the character being betrayed by his uncle and sold to a local Danish warlord. However, despite frequently mentioning how he wants to regain Bebbanburg, he has still yet to do so.
In season four Uhtred came close to taking his family castle back, but he was thwarted by Wihtgar and ultimately lost Father Beocca in the process. Hopefully, season five will conclude with Uhtred winning back his castle.
