Season 4 of The Last Kingdom was announced by Netflix on December 21, 2018.[1] The season premiered on April 26, 2020 and consisted of ten episodes. Production began in April 2019[2] and ended in October 2019[3]. It roughly adapted the plots of the "The Pagan Lord" and "The Empty Throne", the seventh and eighth novels in Bernard Cornwell's The Saxon Stories.
Plot[]
"Episode 4.1"[]
Uhtred receives news that Bebbanburg's defences have been weakened by Scottish attacks and plans to seize his birthright, but Edward refuses to help.
"Episode 4.2"[]
As Uhtred and his men draw closer to Bebbanburg, prodigal son Wihtgar returns with some tricks up his sleeve. News of Cnut's treachery reaches Wessex.
"Episode 4.3"[]
Uhtred suffers an unbearable loss in his attack on Bebbanburg but takes some valuable captives during his retreat south. Æthelflæd prepares for war.
"Episode 4.4"[]
Hoping to be joined by Edward's troops, Æthelflæd and Uhtred ally with the Welsh to face Cnut's thousand-warrior army at the Battle of Tettenhall.
"Episode 4.5"[]
A repentant Æthelred lingers near death while his ealdormen vie for control of Mercia and Edward uses his niece Ælfwynn as a bargaining chip.
"Episode 4.6"[]
Eardwulf and his men pursue Uhtred's party as it flees through a countryside ravaged by disease. Tensions rise between Edward and the Mercians.
"Episode 4.7"[]
Ælfwynn suffers from the sickness sweeping the land. Edward proposes an unexpected path forward for Mercia. Brida is freed by Cnut's kinsman.
"Episode 4.8"[]
Uhtred reluctantly prepares to take power in Mercia but secretly formulates an alternate plan. Brida joins the Danes in attacking the Welsh.
"Episode 4.9"[]
The Danes under Brida and Sigtryggr sack Winchester, guided by the traitor Eardwulf. Hæsten ambushes Uhtred's party and seizes valuable captives.
"Episode 4.10"[]
Edward besieges Winchester as he awaits Æthelflæd's reinforcements, but Uhtred isn't convinced that conquest is really Sigtryggr's ultimate aim.
Production[]
Cast[]
Cast | Portrays | Ep. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Alexander Dreymon | Uhtred of Bebbanburg | 10 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Emily Cox | Brida | 9 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Eva Birthistle | Hild | 2 | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ |
Jamie Blackley | Eardwulf | 8 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ |
Adrian Bouchet | Steapa | 4 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ |
Millie Brady | Queen Æthelflæd | 10 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Magnus Bruun | Cnut | 4 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ |
Eliza Butterworth | Ælswith | 10 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Amelia Clarkson | Queen Ælflæd | 8 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ | ✘ | ✔ | ✔ |
Cavan Clerkin | Father Pyrlig | 10 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Richard Dillane | Ludeca | 4 | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ | ✘ |
Finn Elliot | Young Uhtred | 9 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ | ✔ |
Arnas Fedaravicius | Sihtric | 10 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Ruby Hartley | Stiorra | 6 | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Timothy Innes | King Edward | 10 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Jeppe Beck Laursen | Hæsten | 5 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✔ | ✔ |
Nigel Lindsay | Rhodri | 4 | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✔ | ✘ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ | ✘ |
Dorian Lough | Burgred | 4 | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ | ✘ |
Stefanie Martini | Eadith | 10 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Joseph Millson | Ælfric | 3 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ |
Ewan Mitchell | Osferth | 10 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
James Northcote | Aldhelm | 9 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ | ✔ |
Toby Regbo | Æthelred | 6 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ |
Steffan Rhodri | King Hywel | 4 | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✔ | ✘ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ | ✘ |
Mark Rowley | Finan | 10 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Adrian Schiller | Æthelhelm the Elder | 9 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ | ✔ | ✔ |
Eysteinn Sigurðarson | Sigtryggr | 4 | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Ian Hart | Father Beocca | 3 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ |
Guest Starring[]
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Crew[]
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Deaths[]
Battles[]
- Siege of Bebbanburg (910) ("Episode 4.1", "Episode 4.2")
- Sack of Aegelesburg ("Episode 4.2")
- Battle of Tettenhall ("Episode 4.4")
- Sack of Dinefwr ("Episode 4.7")
- Battle of Dinefwr ("Episode 4.8")
- Sack of Winchester ("Episode 4.9")
- Siege of Winchester (911) ("Episode 4.10")
Adaptation Changes[]
- Osbert; In the novel series, in both "The Pagan Lord" and "The Empty Throne", Osbert is a prominent character. Whilst in the television series, he has not even been mentioned this season.
- Uhtred is now Wihtgar; In the television series, the name of Ælfric's son is Wihtgar. Whilst in the novel series, he is also named Uhtred. The probable reason for this change was that there are a lot of characters named Uhtred in both series. so this change was to create less confusion for the viewers.
- Wihtgar's background; In the televsion series, he has been previously banished by his father and pressumed dead at sea. But he cam back when he heard his father was having trouble with the Scots. Whilst in the novel series, in "The Pagan Lord", Uhtred meets his cousin, the other Uhtred of Bebbanburg, Ælfric's son and heir. This Uhtred has a wife, Ingulfrid, and a son, also named Uhtred.
- Sigurd; The character from the novel series is missing from the television series. He was a prominent character in "The Pagan Lord" and "The Empty Throne".