‘The Last Kingdom’ Ending Explained: Does Uhtred Die? What Happens to Brida? Who is Osbert?

Destiny is all! And Netflix’s The Last Kingdom has finally met its destiny. The Last Kingdom Season 5 premiered on Netflix today showing us how Uhtred of Bebbanburg’s (Alexander Dreymon) story finally ends. We saw the warrior’s final showdown with Brida (Emily Cox), his tragic farewell to lady love Aethelflaed (Millie Brady), and Uhtred’s long-awaited return to Bebbanburg. So how exactly does Netflix’s The Last Kingdom end?

The Last Kingdom is based on Bernard Corwnwall’s best-selling Saxon Stories. Those sweeping historic novels follow a mostly fictional character named Uhtred who rubs elbows with Saxons and Danes during a tumultuous time in English history. Uhtred was born a Saxon, but after his father’s fortress at Bebbanburg was overrun by Danes, he and a girl named Brida were adopted by the warriors. For the last five seasons, Uhtred has fallen in love, fought with valor, and changed the course of history. His one true goal? Reclaiming Bebbanburg for himself and his children.

So what happens in the final moments of The Last Kingdom? Will there be more seasons of The Last Kingdom? Here’s everything you need to know about The Last Kingdom Season 5’s finale…

The Last Kingdom Ending Explained: Does Uhtred Die?

The Last Kingdom‘s final episode opens where it all began: Bebbanburg. Uhtred has snuck into the castle to help save his beloved Aethelflaed’s kidnapped daughter, Aelfwynn, from the scheming Aethelhelm and his current ally, King Constantin of Scotland. Uhtred’s nemesis Wihtgar attempts to threaten Aelfwynn’s life on the battlements. Uhtred, hiding there, grapples with Wihtgar to save Aelfwynn. While Aelfywnn flees, Uhtred finds himself reunited with his friends, but Wihtgar alerts his enemies. A battle ensues with Edward leading his forces (including Aethelstan) against Bebbanburg while Wihtgar hunts Uhtred inside.

Hild offers to try to sneak Aelfwynn to the gate. Uhtred and buddies decide to distract their enemies with a fight so the women can get away. However Constantin hatches a plot to make it look like they’ve fled Bebbanburg to lure Edward to his doom. Uhtred and pals head back to the ramparts where they can see Constantin’s trap. Edward’s forces are surrounded and Constantin strikes, pushing Edward’s army into the sea.

All seems lost, but Uhtred and his boys make it outside of Bebbanburg. He finds Stiorra and begs his daughter to commit her Danish forces to the Saxon cause. Uhtred calls upon his dual background to say that if they win Northumbria will be a place where Danes and Saxons will live together in harmony. Stiorra and her people agree and manage to attack the Scots from the rear. Constantin panics and orders his men to set Bebbanburg on fire.

Uhtred runs into Bebbanburg to face Wihtgar. First he must battle his lackeys. Aethelstan follows his mentor into the fortress and finds Aethelhelm. His half-brother Aelfweard enters and threatens Aethelstan, who in turn reveals the evil older dude’s schemes were responsible for Aelfweard’s mother’s death. Aelfweard abandons his grandfather, who decides to die by suicide when Aethelstan chooses to leave him alive.

Uhtred and Wihtgar grapple in the dark and our hero easily kills his evil cousin by pushing him off a balcony. Uhtred and Aethelstan reunite in the burning courtyard of Bebbanburg. Aethelstan wants him to leave, but Uhtred says it is his destiny to die in Bebbanburg. The heavens open up and quench the fires with rain. Uhtred finally takes his birthright and negotiates a peace with Constantin, who leaves. Our hero is reunited with his children. All of them. (See below.)

Uhtred reveals that he promised Constantin that Northumbria would remain a buffer zone between England and Scotland until a ruler worthy of uniting England comes along (That’s Aethelstan, the first historic king of a unified England.)

We get a final montage where Uhtred acknowledges that he is Uhtred, son of Uhtred and destiny is all!

Who is Osbert? The Kid Hild Brings to Bebbanburg at the End of The Last Kingdom?

After Uhtred and Edward defeat their enemies, we see tons of celebratory reunions. One major one, though, happens off-screen. But it happens!

Good old Hild is hurrying to Babbenburg with a kid named Osbert. The teen is hoping someone at the fortress can tell him about his father. Hild confirms this is the case because…yes! Uhtred is Osbert’s father. Hardcore fans will remember Osbert was Uhtred’s name before his older brother died and he was re-baptized with his father’s name.

It’s easy to forget, but Osbert is the baby that Uhtred’s wife Gisela died giving birth to ages and ages ago. He was adopted by the church and has therefore escaped most of his family’s adventures. Osbert is Young Uhtred and Stiorra’s full sibling, so it would have been interesting to see that reunion. (Osbert is also the boy Hild says is too young to help Uhtred in The Last Kingdom Season 5 Episode 9.)

What Happens to Brida in The Last Kingdom Season 5?

Uhtred’s fate has always been tied to Brida’s and so has hers been to him. The Last Kingdom Season 5 opens by revealing that Brida has been hiding out in Iceland for a few years. There, the daughter she gave birth to has been recognized as a seer. Brida has been building an army of Danes viciously obsessed with the old gods to go back to the kingdoms of England to take her vengeance.

Brida castrates Young Uhtred and hunts down Stiorra, who is a Danish queen at this point. However her war with Stiorra soon gets vicious. She massacres innocents and Christians, all to get under Uhtred’s skin (but she mostly pisses off Stiorra). When Brida’s daughter dies in a fall, the warrior has nothing left to live for.

In The Last Kingdom Season 5 Episode 7, Brida coaxes Uhtred into the forest they traveled together in their youth. She has dug a grave for their final fight to the death. It’s obvious she wants Uhtred to kill her, but he refuses. In doing so, he seems to rekindle a bit of the old Brida, but it’s for nought. Stiorra shoots Brida with an arrow, ending the saga of Brida and Uhtred for good.

Will Netflix Make The Last Kingdom Season 6?

No, but yes! The Last Kingdom Season 5 was intended to be the show’s final season and it rightfully ends with Uhtred reclaiming his birthright. Netflix has not announced any plans to continue the story with additional seasons of The Last Kingdom, but there is supposed to be a spin-off movie starring Alexander Dreymon as the hero. The film is supposedly called Seven Kings Must Die. 

However, if you need more Uhtred, his journey continues (in a very different way) in Bernard Cornwall’s best-selling books.

If you need more Saxon vs. Dane violence and Saxon/Dane romance, Netflix just confirmed new series Vikings: Valhalla has been renewed for Seasons 2 or 3.

Binging is all!

Watch The Last Kingdom on Netflix