The Last Kingdom Season 4 Episode 9 Review
Helped by The Danes, Bride and Sigtryggr did what they longed to do for a long time. In the episode, we saw Sigtryggr lay out his plans in detail. As the season ends, it’s majorly going to be about Edward, Sigtryggr, and Uhtred. These are the three key players of the game (most of them women). I chose to start with Aelswith first. She’s transformed into a badass who won’t quit. She may have made faces at Uthred for three straight seasons, but this time around, she has some tricks up her sleeve. She knows she’s in the game for the long haul, and she’s here to stay. So she is going to do everything she can–which includes threatening people, to grinning at her enemies. Eliza Butterworth is definitely at the top of her game. There is no questioning that. It’s a turn of events but an interesting one. And what is up with Aelswith and her new trick! Her plan to disguised Aethelstan and Stiorra as Danes flopped severely. But it too is a reminder of the fact that Aelswith knows her ways. All of these female characters are strong and resourceful. They won’t quit the game any time soon. Aelswith’s plan just reminds us of her cunningness, courage, and resolve. Next, in line, we have Eadith. The woman who’s as brave as can be. She stood up to volunteer Winchester. One of the undeniable things about Eadith is her love for Eardwulf. The feeling that she has towards him is absolute and something she won’t compromise. So it’s pretty clear that she will not let anything get in the way of that. She did make a mercy plea during his execution. Eardwulf, too loves her, in a compelling way. It was only the love that made him disclaim her as his sister. Their relationship grows into a complex web with each passing episode. Stefanie Martini and Jamie Blackley have done a brilliant job in the portrayal. If Eadith is alive today, it is because of Eardwulf. Had the Danes found out the truth about her, she wouldn’t have made it alive. Can we take a moment to appreciate how ruthless Brida has become? From the past few episodes, we see a different side of hers. We also debated how Brida could very well occupy the vacant villain post in the show. The woman is breaking bad, so much so that she’s done some of the most unforgettable things. She laughed when the Winchester guardsmen were killed. She laughed again when she opened graves and played with the long-dead Saxon corpses. Yeah, we love that Brida is breaking bad and everything. But please don’t for a second think that this was surprising or something. Her transition into a ruthless woman has been foreshadowed for the most extended period now. She no longer can be correlated to Uhtred. She comes with an aura of her own. How do you ask? The last time when Brida ordered Stiorra’s decapitated head to be sent to Uthred, audiences shuddered. This time when she captured Winchester, the whole thing became chaotically beautiful. I reveled in delight, more so in the brilliant actress that is Emily Cox. Her transformation from a ruthless warrior into a full-blown villain with psychotic propensities is just magnanimous. Most of the fans are confused as to whether Bride should be looked upon as an anti-hero (she no longer is a hero, for sure) or a villain. We’d go with the latter. Brida–the villain has arrived in The Last Kingdom. If for a second you think that anger is going to resolve things here, you are deeply mistaken. It doesn’t help if you have enough courage to storm to the enemy’s gates, empty-handed with nothing in mind. Nor does it help if you cry and scream for surrender. If you are not prepared to face the music, the sheer display of your Royal valor will not matter. Edward and his men are on an all-time high ever since he walked into Uhtred’s cell two episodes ago. Don’t get us wrong, we are happy for Uhtred for finally getting his due. But we are more thrilled about Edward. We know by the end of this season, he is not going to be the same person. And neither is Uhtred for that matter. Besides all of this, we truly hope that rash decisions are avoided. For the siege can be the most crucial and deciding factor in where the show is headed. The many emotions that one sees in able military general Uhtred’s heart are of anger, vengeance, retribution. You know what they say about revenge. That is it a dish best served when cold. Audiences may disagree with us on this. Some are loving King Edward’s character development, while the others believe that he has finally taken his father’s mantel and that he is going to prove himself to be deserving King. When he admired Uhtred’s fortitude and courage, he was no more the same cry-baby and entitled person we knew. The other opinion is that–Edward hasn’t changed. Not even in the least. How so, you ask? First off, he still is paranoid about things. He isn’t grounded and doesn’t possess sound judgment. There are characters more grounded than Edward on the show. Like for example, Stiorra with a strong sense of belongingness. She made it explicitly clear that she was a Saxon and Dane. And it didn’t take too long for her to reach that conclusion. While her father took ages to realize the inherent fact, Stiorra was there before anybody else. God, how we wish Edward could display the same level of maturity. There is no such thing as settling personal scores when it comes to The Last Kingdom. That didn’t work well for Ubba, Bloodhair, and Cnut. If you let your emotions get in the way like that, you and your military strategies are going to fail badly. That’s a lesson that you should never forget.
