"Episode 9" is the first episode of the second season of The Last Kingdom. It aired on March 16, 2017.
Synopsis[]
Sent north by Alfred to ransom enslaved king Guthred, Beocca seeks help from Uhtred, who makes a new allegiance in his quest for vengeance.
Plot[]
Winchester, Wessex; Ælswith, Æthelflæd, Æthelwold, Odda the Elder, Father Beocca listen as Alfred gives a speech. After the legendary Battle of Athendun, King Alfred and Wessex basks in the glory of victory. But King Alfred knows the Danes are not fully defeated. He turns his attentions north towards the city of Eoferwic, Northumbria, where the people are ruled mercilessly by two war-hungry Dane brothers named Erik and Sigefrid. The brothers depart from Eoferwic to battle the Scots, leaving a commander named Haesten in charge of the city. But the Christian priests who lived there under subjugation seize the opportunity of Erik and Sigefrid's absence to revolt and kill all the Danes.
Bother Trew rides into the kingdom wishing to speak to King Alfred.
Odda and Alfred discuss a betrothing Æthelflæd. They are interuppted by Father Beocca who brings in Brother Trew in front of Alfred. According to Brother Trew, Father Eadred of Cumberland claimed Saint Cuthbert came to him in a vision, and spoke of this Guthred who would be king.
Lichfield, Mercia: Not long after this, Uhtred, accompanied by Hild and Halig, come upon the city. Uhtred has begun his journey back north, but spends his nights drinking and whoring. A wench almost steals Uhtred's sword whilst he sleeps but Hild takes it away from her. She goes to wake Uhtred up by throwing a bucket of water at him. Hild insists Uhtred is insulting Iseult's memory with his constant drinking and whoring, and does her best to remind him why it is they go north: to free Uhtred's enslaved sister from Kjartan, the same man who killed his Viking father.
Eoferwic, Northumbria; Father Hrothweard is belittled and beaten by Sigefrid, just before he and Erik prepare to lead their men into war. They leave the city under Hæsten’s control. Father Hrothweard retreats to the hall, where he tells his fellow priest that they must rise up. Father Hrothweard leads the men of Eoferwic into battle with Hæsten and his men, and Hæsten is taken prisoner during the Revolt of Eoferwic (878).
In the city square, the Saxons have tied Haesten, the only surviving Dane, to ropes and make him fight various members of the crowd for amusement. Uhtred frees him to the anger of the townsfolk, but is pardoned when they learn his name, which has already reached legendary status following the Battle of Athendun.
There Uhtred coincidentally reunites with Father Beocca, who has left Winchester on Alfred's orders with Brother Trew to free an enslaved northman prophesied to be the next King of Northumbria. The two priests have taken silver from the church, granted by Alfred, to pay the ransom fee for Guthred's freedom, and are travelling with a group of lepers for protection, as fear of the disease ensures none will threaten them. Beocca tries to recruit Uhtred to his cause, knowing a skilled warrior would help them their task. Uhtred is disinterested in helping until Beocca mentions that Guthred's father was killed by Kjartan, and is now enslaved on his lands. He now sees an opportunity to attack Kjartan if this future king and potential future army were on his side.
Winchester, Wessex; Ælswith comes to wish Alfred good night and he tells her to stay and they kiss passionately.
Eoferwic, Northumbria; Hild and Uhtred talk.
In the morning, Uhtred, Hild, Halig, Beocca, Trew, and monks leave the city.
Northumbria; Uhtred spies on Hild as she gets dressed after washing; she admonishes him, insisting she has no interest in becoming his lover, and that she travels with him because she feels safe with him. They then walk by the stream, Uhtred fishing out a wolf's skull from the river, and Hild asks Uhtred to teach her how to use a sword, to which he agrees. They return to their camp and Uhtred, aware that the number of guards at the slave camp will be too much even for him, Uhtred devises a plot using the three lepers travelling with Beocca to free Guthred. He sends on Beocca, Trew and Hild to enter the camp, then follows them with the lepers, disguised as a pack of undead horsemen, Uhtred hooded and wearing the wolf skull as a mask, claiming to be sent to take the souls of Kjartan and Sven (who is unexpectedly at the camp for a slave auction hosted by the camp's master, the slaverGelgill). All goes to plan; the camp's guards flee in terror from the horsemen, Hild kills Gelgill for insulting her and his crimes, while Uhtred knocks out one-eyed Sven, blindfolds and ties him, and releases him to find his way back home.
They successfully rescue Guthred.
Dunholm, Northumbria; Kjartan's warriors find Sven and bring him back to Dunholm. Kjartan is furious to learn Sven was bested by a make-believe figure, and gets angrier when the dogs in the cellar won't stop barking. He yells at Sven to "shut his bitch up". Sven descends into the cellar to tell Thyra to make the hounds be quiet. He is clearly afraid of her.
Northumbria; Meanwhile, Guthred feels indebted to Uhtred and offers to make him the commander of his army. Uhtred, knowing he would need an army to command if he were to overtake Dunholm where Kjartan lives, accepts.
Cumberland, Northumbria; They travel to Cumberland where the village folk greet the new king warmly. The Abbot Eadred briefly mistakes Uhtred for Guthred before being corrected. Guthred is sworn in over the bones of Saint Cuthbert as the new King of Cumberland.
Following the crowning of Guthred, Abbot Eadred questions Brother Trew on Uhtred's loyalty. Trew informs him that Uhtred wishes to take back his ancestral home of Bebbanburg. Eadred says that Uhtred must be watched.
Dunholm, Northumbria; Sven informs Kjartan of Guthred's crowning, and that the commander of his army is none other than Uhtred. Kjartan sends out his man, Tekil, to join Guthred's army. Kjartan orders him to kill the king if possible, and to bring Uhtred back as a prisoner.
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