The Last Kingdom Season 1 Episode 2 Recap – Episode 2

After seeing that his nephew is still alive, Aelfric sends his men to capture Uhtred and Brida. The two manage to escape, so they continue to go to see Ubba. They plan to tell the story to Ubba and ask the chieftain for help in avenging Earl Ragnar’s death. Uhtred also thinks that Ubba is the one who can help him take back Bebbanburg. They see a ransacked village on their way, and luckily, there is still one villager that remains alive.

When he tries to attack Uhtred, Brida throws an ax at him, hitting him in the back. The villager says the Danes did it after they heard of an uprising in the north. It all started when a Saxon slave killed his master at a wedding party. Uhtred says he will end the man’s suffering and kill him quickly if he says the name of the Saxon slave he speaks of. The man says the Saxon slave’s name is Uhtred. Brida knows it won’t be easy to go to chieftain Ubba to ask for help. Another story goes around, and they don’t know which one Ubba will believe.

In Winchester, in the Kingdom of Wessex, Alfred, brother of the king, seeks help from father Beocca. He wants to remain faithful to his wife, but being close to the servant girl tempts him to sin. Father Beocca tells him that instead of avoiding the servant, he should keep her close. And every time he avoids temptation, it will strengthen his will. Then, the priest mentions an uprising in the north. He adds that the person responsible for it is Uhtred of Bebbanburg.

Father Beocca says Uhtred killed his master and his 40 men. He tells Alfred that he knew Uhtred as a child and that he will be useful to the king. Because Uhtred knows the language of the Danes and their language. But Alfred says he will only mention Uhtred to the council if he sees him. King Aethelred speaks to his council about the letter he received from King Edmund of East Anglia asking Wessex for an army. They have all agreed to pray for East Anglia and its king, but they also have decided not to send an army. They now realize that once East Anglia falls, they will be the last kingdom in England.

Uhtred and Brida watch East Anglia burn to the ground, knowing that Ubba did it. Brida is worried that Uhtred might get killed if he approaches Ubba to tell him what happened. Uhtred, however, is not as worried as Brida.

That night, while they are having sex, Brida comes up with an idea to keep Uhtred safe. They know that Ubba always asks his sorcerer, Storri, for messages from the gods. So, the next day they travel to East Anglia. Uhtred pretends that Brida is a gift for Storri given by Ubba.

When they get to the chapel, they find Storri killing the priests. Brida takes Storri away as a hostage, while Uhtred meets with Ubba. Ubba and Guthrum spend their time mocking the king of East Anglia and his beliefs, but in the end, they still kill him.

When Uhtred approaches Ubba asking for help, Ubba calls him a traitor. He thinks Uhtred was the one who killed Earl Ragnar. Uhtred says it was the Danes who killed Earl Ragnar. He names Kjartan and his son, Sven, as the ones who killed his family. Ubba doesn’t believe him. So, Uhtred says they have Ubba’s sorcerer as a hostage. And if Ubba wants to get the sorcerer alive, he should let Uhtred leave unharmed.

When Uhtred comes back to Brida, they let the sorcerer go. Now, they have lost all hope that they can ask for help from Ubba. Brida wants to go to Young Ragnar, but Uhtred knows it’s impossible because he is in Ireland. Uhtred and Brida go to the Kingdom of Mercia because they know the Danes don’t go there often.

Uhtred asks a swordmaker to make him a sword that will last a lifetime. He hands the man the amber stone given to him by his father and asks that the swordmaker put it on the handle of the sword. Just after the sword is made, Uhtred uses it to defeat some men. They know that they are making enemies wherever they go. So, he decided to go to Wessex to ask the king for help. He needs help to avenge Earl Ragnar, and to get Bebbanburg back.

King Aethelred asks his son to fix his ways and to stop getting too drunk. So his son, Aethelwold, promises that he will change. But the king has already made up his mind that he will pass the crown to his brother, Alfred. He tells his general, Odda, that his son can’t be the king if he ever falls in battle. Odda has doubts because Alfred is sickly and has a weak body. But, the king has already decided that Alfred will be the next king. 

Uhtred and Brida go to Wessex. A general, Leofric, refuses to let them get into the palace. But, Father Beocca recognizes Uhtred and tells the general that Uhtred needs to see Alfred. When Uhtred gets inside the palace, he sees all the scrolls in which history is written. Alfred tells him that he has eyes and ears in each of the kingdoms. He knows that they will soon be forgotten if events aren’t written. He even knows that Kjartan benefitted the most from the death of Earl Ragnar. He knows that Kjartan wants to kill Uhtred because he doesn’t want young Ragnar to know the truth.

Alfred also knows that Ubba has sent men to kill Uhtred. Alfred admits that he dreams that one day all kingdoms become one, united under one God. He is very pious and even says he only puts his faith in God. He thinks that they need to save Wessex to fulfill that dream. Alfred mentions that the Danes have gathered an army in Readingum under the leadership of Guthrum. He says Father Beocca mentioned that Uhtred would be useful to them; however, he thinks Uhtred is only there to hide and save himself.

Later, Father Beocca tells Uhtred that Alfred knows Uhtred is an ealdorman. The only thing Uhtred has to do is act like one. So, to get on the good side of Alfred, Uhtred goes to Readingum to get new information. He wants to get Alfred’s trust because he believes Alfred can get him Bebbanburg. Brida doesn’t agree. After watching the ships and the surrounding land, Uhtred returns to the palace with new information. Father Beocca says he vouches for Uhtred, so Uhtred gets to share the information personally with the king. He says the Danes aren’t in Readingum to settle but to attack.

The king and the generals believe that Guthrum will attack in spring, but Uhtred is sure the attack will happen within days. The warriors have made sacrifices, and Uhtred saw these sacrifices hanging from a tree. He says sacrifices are only made days before the battle. Because the Danes are low in supplies, he knows they will first attack a town rich with grain and livestock, like Abbendum. He advises the king that to defeat the Danes, they must meet them on the road to Abbendum. Alfred decides to follow Uhtred’s advice to be on top of the hill at the time of the battle. However, he tells his men to take Uhtred and Brida away. When they reach the top of the hill, they see they are at an advantage. Meanwhile, Brida and Uhtred are both inside their cages.

Our Thoughts:

Brida and Uhtred don’t want the same thing. Brida wants to find a new place to live, but not with the Saxons. Uhtred, on the other hand, wants to get back what is rightfully his. He chose to ask for help from Ubba but eventually realized he would not help him. The only person he knew who could help him was Alfred. Without father Beocca’s help, it would be difficult for Uhtred to try and reason out with Alfred. They just don’t see eye to eye, and both of them already have assumptions about what kind of person the other is. 

Since Brida and Uhtred grew up together, they rely on each other for support. However, we wonder how long they can stay together. They have enemies everywhere, and battles are happening around them. It’s not just a matter of principle, land, or silvers, but also of power. In every battle, both armies take their gods with them.