Warning! Spoilers ahead for The Last Kingdom season 5!
In the final moments of The Last Kingdom, Uhtred stands upon the ramparts of Bebbanburg, having finally reclaimed his birthright, and reflects on those he’s lost in a montage that has one key character strangely missing. Based on the book series by Bernard Cornwell entitled The Saxon Stories, Netflix’s The Last Kingdom season 5 adapts Cornwell’s 9th and 10th books, Warriors of the Storm and The Flame Bearer, and includes the deaths of many of Uhtred’s friends and loved ones, not the least of which was this omitted character. Now, with Cornwell’s final three books being adapted into a movie to end The Last Kingdom, fans are left to wonder why such an important figure, both to Uhtred and to history, was passed over at the series’ end.
Uhtred’s conflicted loyalties have been the basis of the story throughout The Last Kingdom with his love for both the Danes and the Saxons creating allies and enemies on both sides. Taken by the Danes at a young age, the first books and seasons of the series show the strength of Uhtred’s loyalties to what he considers his family, the Danes. When Uhtred begins his quest to reclaim Bebbanburg, however, he finds his loyalties challenged as he builds bonds and discovers allies and friends among the Saxons as well.
By the time Uhtred reclaims Bebbanburg in The Last Kingdom season 5, he has suffered many losses, his pain felt keenly no matter the label of Dane or Saxon. In the series finale’s last moments, Uhtred is seen reflecting on those he has lost, allowing the viewer a moment of closure as well, as he remembers his childhood friend, turned lover, turned enemy Brida, the Saxon King Alfred, Uhtred’s wife Gisela, his great love, Aethelflaed, and many others that were so important to his journey. One face that is missing from the montage, however, is that of Uhtred’s close friend and fellow warrior, Osferth.
A key character in Uhtred’s journey and the history chronicled in The Last Kingdom, Osferth is not only one of Uhtred’s closest friends, but also King Alfred’s illegitimate son. He petitions to join Uhtred and fight alongside him in season 2 and is soon thereafter nicknamed, “Baby Monk,” and, though he is not a skilled warrior and Uhtred initially only agrees to his company to embarrass Alfred, Osferth soon proves himself a courageous warrior and loyal friend. This is why, by The Last Kingdom season 5, after four seasons of companionship, Osferth’s death during the raid at Rumcofa devastates Uhtred in episode five, yet, Osferth is notably absent in the montage five episodes later.
One could argue this is because Uhtred was not present for Osferth’s death, as the scenes included in the montage were all experiences Uhtred had first-hand. However, there were other deaths that Uhtred was not present for, but were still given proper homage in The Last Kingdom season 5 finale. For instance, Uhtred did not witness the murder of his lover Iseult in season 1, but her death is marked in the montage by Skorpa bringing Uhtred her head. Likewise, Uhtred was absent for the death of his infant son by Mildrith but is seen in the montage digging up the child’s grave and cradling the boy’s body in his arms. No such weight is given to Osferth, however, whose tragic passing is marked with only a fleeting clip of Finan and Uhtred embracing in grief, a scene that requires not only a thorough knowledge of the season but is over far too quickly. Given that Osferth was one of Uhtred’s closest and most loyal friends, as well as being the fallen King Alfred’s son, his omission in The Last Kingdom’s ending montage is all the more surprising.
All episodes of The Last Kingdom are available on Netflix.