The Last Kingdom, based on Bernard Cornwell's Saxon Stories novels, is full of sad deaths, but these ten are the most heartbreaking of all.
The Last Kingdom is full of heartbreaking deaths, but 10 of them rank higher than the rest. The Last Kingdom takes place in a particularly violent period of history, which allows for character deaths that are both gruesome and devilishly sad. The series also excels at building relationships between the characters and the audience, which makes it even harder when those characters meet their often untimely demises.
The Last Kingdom's character development is so strong that it also allows the show to kill beloved names without losing its grip on the audience. No matter who dies in the show, there is always a reason to keep watching. That type of quality storytelling allows The Last Kingdom to craft some truly heartbreaking deaths that will test audiences' nerves. With all five seasons of The Last Kingdomin mind, 10 deaths stand out as the saddest the series has to offer.
Leofric
Leofric, who coins Uhtred's "arseling" nickname in The Last Kingdom, is one of the show's most likable characters, which makes his death one of the most heartbreaking to watch. Leofric dies in The Last Kingdom season 1 finale at the Battle of Edington. His death seems to come out of nowhere when a sword breaches the Saxons' shield wall and gashes him across the neck. The suddenness of his death, mixed with the sorrow of seeing a lovable character die, makes this one of the saddest deaths in The Last Kingdom.
Ragnar The Fearless
Though Earl Ragnar the Fearless only appears in one episode of The Last Kingdom, he is an immediately lovable character, and his death is truly heartbreaking. Ragnar's decision to spare Uhtred, then to adopt him rather than simply enslave him as would have been the custom, shows the compassion Ragnar had for his fellow person. Ragnar is honest and caring, which makes his death by betrayal even harder to watch. That mixed with the fact that he's gruesomely burned alive on-screen makes this one of the show's saddest deaths.
Brida
Brida is a complicated character who often cycles between lovability and contempt. She is a staunch ally to Uhtred for a time, then his greatest enemy later on. Despite that, Uhtred and Brida always love each other, and whatever feelings fans may have for her by the end, her death marks the end of an era in The Last Kingdom. Brida is around for all five seasons of the show, and her good moments are just as memorable as the bad ones. Her death brings all the turmoil and conflict of her story back to the surface, making this one of the most emotional moments in the series.
Alfred
Alfred the Great is one of The Last Kingdom's best characters, and though his death is not unexpected in the slightest, the loss of such a fascinating character makes this one of the show's most heartbreaking moments. Alfred's death in The Last Kingdom season 3 is drawn out in such a way that it carries more weight than many of the show's other tragedies. The audience gets to see Alfred's struggle with his regrets and mistakes as he confronts his imminent demise, lending his death a heavy sense of reality and purpose that makes it one of the most heartbreaking scenes in the series.
Aethelflaed
When Aethelflaed dies in The Last Kingdom it seems to continue the trend of Uhtred losing every woman he loves, but that's not the only reason her death is heartbreaking. Aethelflaed is also an excellent character in her own right. She is interesting and layered, but above all, she is a righteous character with a powerful sense of duty and morality. Those things are rare in the world of The Last Kingdom, which makes losing her even harder to bear. Aethelflaed is unambiguously good, and her death feels undeserved, which is why it's ultimately one of the show's saddest moments.
Gisela
Gisela, Uhtred's second wife, dies in childbirth in The Last Kingdom season 3. Gisela's death breaks Uhtred completely, making it one of the show's most heartbreaking moments. Moreover, the fact that her children have lost their mother only makes it sadder. Dying in childbirth is also a brutally sad way for a character to die. Gisela deserved to live a long and happy life with Uhtred and their children, and her premature death is nothing short of tragic. Had her death been shown directly on-screen, it likely would've ranked even higher on this list.
Ragnar Ragnarsson, or Ragnar the Younger, is Uhtred's adoptive brother, and his Last Kingdom death at the hands of the treacherous Aethelwold is one of the hardest scenes to watch in the entire series. Ragnar is killed in his sleep by Aethelwold, and because he did not die in combat with his sword in his hand, it is believed he cannot enter Valhalla. This makes his death, and the aftermath of it, even more difficult to take. Ragnar is an extremely lovable character, and the grief felt by Uhtred and Brida at his death is profoundly contagious.
Thyra
Thyra, Uhtred's adoptive sister and Father Beocca's wife, also dies a profoundly heartbreaking death. After being trapped beneath the floorboards of her burning house, Thyra chooses to take her own life rather than suffer through suffocation or burning alive. Thyra is a character who never meant harm to anyone, and her death is fully undeserved, making it a real heartbreaker. The combination of watching her death unfold in such a gruesome way and knowing the heartbreak it will cause other The Last Kingdom characters makes this easily one of the saddest moments on the show.
Osferth
Osferth's death is number two in this ranking because of the way he dies and how likable he is. Osferth is still young when he dies, and it feels like his story is cut short when he dies. It always feels like Osferth's innocence will protect him in some way, but he ultimately dies in the heat of battle, just as his uncle, Leofric, did. The manner of his death also makes this scene particularly heartbreaking. Finan is forced to choose between helping Osferth and saving his wife, and while it's understandable that he chooses his wife, knowing Osferth's death was preventable makes it even harder to bear.
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