The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die Ending: Is Uhtred Dead? 

That battle was the crowning moment of Seven Kings Must Die, twenty-plus minutes of visceral squelch and blood flying on a scale that The Last Kingdom hasn’t seen before.

The film ended with a quiet scene that concluded a thread woven throughout this story from the start. Alfred’s dream was finally achieved-England was formed not by him, nor by Edward, but by King Aethelstan and Uhtred Ragnarsson, who was left hanging in the balance between life and death.

The film takes place several years after The Last Kingdom season 5, which saw Uhtred finally reclaim his ancestral seat at Bebbanburg. Seven Kings Must Die tells the final chapter in the unification of England. 

Let’s get into more details. 

1. Does Uhtred die at the end of the film? 

The most likely scenario is that Uhtred dies at the end of Seven Kings Must Die. However, the final scene of the film leaves his fate somewhat open-ended. 

Uhtred’s vision of Valhalla seems to imply that he is about to die, but the accompanying voice-over from Finan states that his fate was unknown in the chronicles. This allows fans to make their judgment concerning Uhtred’s fate.

It does not seem likely that he would have survived the serious injuries he suffered at the Battle of Brunanburh. However, the movie would not have left it so ambiguous if he were definitively dead. Audiences of The Last Kingdom have developed a strong relationship with Uhtred’s character, so it is fitting to leave his ultimate fate up to viewers individually. 

While it does seem likely that he died, Uhtred is alive at the end of Cornwell’s novels, so it’s not difficult to believe he ended up recovering from his injuries and ruling in Bebbanburg as a vassal to King Aethelstan.

2. Who were the titular seven kings?

Ingrith’s prophecy is brought back up in the film’s final moments when that very question is asked. Five kings from the Scottish-Danish alliance escaped the battlefield, but their sons and heirs who fought alongside them were all killed so their bloodline would not survive. 

Add King Edward’s death at the beginning of the film, and Uhtred’s possible death (though not styled as a king, there’s no doubt that he’s as much one as any of the Scottish chieftains or Danish Jarls in this story), and that makes seven.

3. Who won the Battle of Brunanburh?

Thanks to Uhtred’s military nous, the Danish-Scottish alliance lost the battle, and King Aethelstan’s troops won, ensuring his reign over a united England. Uhtred had armed the front line of his troops with spikes to throw on the ground and injure their oncoming attackers. 

He lured their opponents into position until they were surrounded by secondary troops led by Uhtred’s son Osbert. Osbert was hiding in nearby trees until they received the signal to fight.

While it looked as though Father Pyrlig and Uhtred had both fallen in battle, they both survived and were brought back to Bebbanburg to recover. Ingilmundr, the traitorous former lover and advisor of King Aethelstan, fared worse and was executed on Aethelstan’s orders.

4. What happens to Aethelstan after the movie?

Aethelstan had a successful and lengthy reign following the events in Seven Kings Must Die, becoming one of the most famous kings in the history of England. He was famously the first king to rule all 4 of the Saxon kingdoms: Wessex, Mercia, East Anglia, and Northumbria. He is known for centralizing the English government and building on the legal reforms of his grandfather King Alfred. 

He is also well known for being one of the most pious of medieval English kings. Aethelstan never married and was succeeded by his brother, Edmund, as he promised to Uhtred in Seven Kings Must Die.

Seven Kings Must Die does not show any of Aethelstan’s rule after the Battle of Brunanburh for a couple of reasons. Firstly, this has always been the targeted ending in history for the series. 

The Last Kingdom is meant to tell the story of the unification of England, which is accomplished in Seven Kings Must Die. Secondly, there was so much that needed to happen in the movie that there just wasn’t enough time to include any of Aethelstan’s reign afterBrunanburh.

5. How the Last Kingdom’s ending is different from the book? 

The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die ends with Aethelstan’s victory over Anlaf and the other kings at Brunanburh, just as the final Saxon Stories novel, War Lord, does. 

The events leading up to this battle are entirely different and virtually unrecognizable when compared to the book. Uhtred survives in War Lord and lives peacefully as the lord of Bebbanburg for years after the Battle of Brunanburh. He has one final love interest, who lives with him in Bebbanburg, along with his eldest son and heir, Uhtred.

The Last Kingdom simply grew too much into its adaptation to go the same way as the books. The timeline in the books has Uhtred in his 70s by the time he fights at Brunanburh, which wouldn’t work for the movies. 

Events are sped up drastically for the show and movie which forced the writers to reinvent the story. While the plot of The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die turns out to be completely different from the book, it works nicely to wrap up the show canon and conclude Uhtred’s arc.

6. About The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die

The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die is a British historical drama film directed by Edward Bazalgette, written by Martha Hillier, and based on The Saxon Stories by Bernard Cornwell. It is a sequel to The Last Kingdom television series. Alexander Dreymon reprised his role as Uhtred of Bebbanburg. 

In the wake of King Edward’s death, Uhtred of Bebbanburg and his comrades adventure across a fractured kingdom in the hopes of uniting England at last.

It was released by Netflix on 14 April 2023. It is also the conclusion of the series and the story.  The movie stars Alexander Dreymon, Harry Gilby, Mark Rowley, Cavan Clerkin, and James Northcote among others.