The Last Kingdom season 5 release date, cast and plot

As The Last Kingdom has advanced through the seasons, it has drifted farther afield from its source material. Several key events and characters have been changed or eliminated altogether, so it’s becoming more difficult to hypothesize about where the showrunners may be going. In theory, season 5 will adapt the ninth and tenth novels in Bernard Cornwell’s series, 2015’s Warriors of the Storm and 2016’s The Flamebearer.

Season 4 ends in a place similar to that with which Warriors of the Storm picks up, even if it took a much different route to get there. Uhtred has once again put his life and his men on the line to save Wessex and, in the end, he suffered a massive personal sacrifice for his fidelity. His daughter, Stiorra, is now wedded to the Danish Jarl Sigtryggr, who rules Northumbria from the great hall in Eoferwic (modern day York). As tensions once again begin to flare between the Saxons and the Danes, Uhtred is likely to be caught between his loyalty to Edward and Aethelflaed and the safety of his own daughter in York.

One key change that the Netflix series made has important repercussions for the role of Uhtred’s son, also named Uhtred. In the books, Uhtred the Elder has three children instead of two: Uhtred, Stiorra and Osbert. Uhtred the Younger from the Netflix series has much in common with Uhtred the Younger from the books, but it seems like the series’ writers have combined Osbert and Uhtred into one character, to some extent. This is important, because Uhtred’s two sons enjoy very different fortunes in the events to come. If Uhtred the Younger follows book-Uhtred’s course, then he’s about to get kidnapped and castrated by Brida. If he follows Osbert’s course, then he is likely to become a great warrior, and his father’s heir.

In book world, this duology culminates in Uhtred’s successful invasion of Bebbanburg (second time’s a charm), and the destruction of his sadistic cousin. Should the series not continue beyond season 5, the ending of The Flamebearer certainly offers some degree of closure. Even if we never get to the Battle of Brunanburh and the fulfillment of Alfred’s dream of a united English Kingdom, it will be nice to see Uhtred warming his feet by the fire in Bebbanburg.

Written by: Looper