Netflix's The Last Kingdom makes some big changes to Bernard Cornwell's novels, but these 10 alterations improved the show's story and characters.
Netflix's The Last Kingdom makes some notable changes to its source material, including a number of critical alterations that helped improve the series. The Last Kingdom is based on Bernard Cornwell's iconic Saxon Stories novel series, which contains a whopping 13 volumes. The series' extreme length makes tweaks to the source material inevitable, especially when considering The Last Kingdom only spans five seasons plus a movie.
It's always difficult to know what sections of a book to alter or cut when adapting such a lengthy series, but The Last Kingdom does a fantastic job of condensing the stories from the books without missing out on critical themes or plot points. While The Last Kingdom does leave some questions unanswered at the end of the series, and it occasionally makes poorly received changes to the books, it mostly serves as a good example of how to adapt a lengthy book series.
Netflix Was Right To Make Uhtred Younger
While there has been some chatter about Uhtred's age plot hole in The Last Kingdom, it was actually smart to make him younger in the show's continuity. In the books, Uhtred is an old man in his 70s by the time the Battle of Brunanburh occurs at the end of the series. A man of that age would not be able to participate in the many fight scenes Uhtred is part of in The Last Kingdom, which are a big part of what attracts people to the series. Aging his character too far would also require recasting, which would remove the show's most popular actor.
Uhtred's Relationship With Young Uhtred Fits The Last Kingdom Better
Another important change from the books in The Last Kingdom is Uhtred's healthier relationship with his eldest son, Young Uhtred. In the books, Uhtred resents his son's commitment to Christianity, spitefully labeling him "Judas" and stripping away the name Uhtred in favor of his younger, more martial son. Uhtred is a more level-headed, open-minded character in The Last Kingdom, so including this would have felt out of place with the show's version of him. It works much better for the show to have Uhtred accept his son after some initial discomfort with his religious preference, as he does in The Last Kingdom.
Stiorra Surviving Makes The Last Kingdom Happier
In The Saxon Stories novels, Stiorra dies at the hands of a Viking warlord before Uhtred and Stiorra's husband, Sigtryggr, can arrive to save her. The show tweaked this story so that it's Sigtryggr who dies instead of Stiorra, though the circumstances of his death are unique compared to the books. There are a lot of heartbreaking deaths in The Last Kingdom, and most of them come at the expense of Uhtred. Adding Stiorra to that list would have been brutal for fans, so it makes sense to have Sigtryggr die in her place, thereby keeping the show just a little bit happier.
Steapa's Last Kingdom Death Fits His Character Better
In The Last Kingdom, Steappa, one of Uhtred's friends and an important warrior in Wessex, dies while saving Edward's life during the Battle of Tettenhall. In the books, Steappa survives this battle and ends up retiring peacefully in the countryside after growing tired of fighting. This is a much happier ending for his character, but the show's ending for Steappa actually fits him better. Steappa is widely known as a fearsome warrior, and it only seems right for him to die in battle. Moreover, if he was going to leave the show, it made much more sense for him to die on-screen than to randomly disappear into retirement.
Father Pyrlig Surviving The Last Kingdom Improves The Cast
Father Pyrlig is one of The Last Kingdom's most likable characters, so keeping him around through the end of the series was a smart decision. In the book series, Father Pyrlig dies peacefully of old age in the intervening time between novels. This is a happy way for Pyrlig to die. However, if the show had followed this story it would have removed one of the show's best characters. Father Pyrlig's sage advice and easy-going manner make him a fan-favorite, and there was no narrative reason to kill him off, so it seems like the right choice to keep him around until the end of The Last Kingdom.
Aldhelm Being Good Improves The Last Kingdom's Story
Aldhelm is an almost entirely different character in The Saxon Stories, but the changes The Last Kingdom made to his character helped the show's Mercia plot line significantly. Aldhelm is a loyal adviser to Aethelred in the books, and he even tries to kill Aethelflaed on Aethelred's orders. Aldhelm receives those same orders in The Last Kingdom, but he refuses to carry them out, instead going to Aethelflaed and warning her of her husband's attempts to have her killed. He becomes an important adviser to Aethelflaed later on, becoming a critical player in The Last Kingdom season 4's Mercia plot.
Uhtred's Fate Fits The Last Kingdom's Story Better
Uhtred's fate in Seven Kings Must Die, The Last Kingdom's sequel film, is somewhat ambiguous, but the overwhelming likelihood is that he died of the wounds he sustained in the Battle of Brunanburh. Uhtred is the narrator of The Saxon Stories, meaning it was impossible for him to die during the story, but The Last Kingdom has no such restrictions, allowing Uhtred to sacrifice himself for the sake of a unified England. This is a fitting way for him to die, considering the unification of England has always been the purpose of this story.
The Manner Of Ragnar's Last Kingdom Death Helps The Plot
Ragnar Ragnarsson, Uhtred's adoptive brother, is murdered in The Last Kingdom by Aethelwold, the devious nephew of King Alfred. This is a large departure from the books, in which Ragnar dies peacefully behind the walls of Dunholm. While this is a terribly heartbreaking moment in the show, it creates an extra storyline that ends up being highly entertaining. Because of the way Ragnar dies, he cannot reach Valhalla, which Brida and Uhtred set out to fix by killing Aethelwold with the blood of Ragnar's kin on the blade. This makes for a riveting storyline, and it provides a good way of killing off the much-hated Aethelwold.
Uhtred & Hild's Platonic Relationship Improves Uhtred's Character
Hild is one of the most beloved characters in The Last Kingdom, in part because of her powerful friendship with Uhtred. In the books, Hild and Uhtred end up having a brief romantic relationship, but the show opts against that, writing the characters as close friends instead. This is a smart decision because it improves Uhtred's character from the books by making him less sexually driven. In the books, he ends up having a romance with most of the women he grows close to, but allowing him to have a simple friendship like this makes him a more multidimensional character.
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