The Last of King Alfred

The last week gave us two of the most anticipated moments in movie and TV history: Avengers: Endgame and The Battle of Winterfell in Game of Thrones. But then, both of them gave me X-men: The Last Stand vibes. Because the films only allowed for a few seconds to mourn the deaths, I barely got to feel anything. It was always... almost; not even a tear for dear Tony Stark or Theon Greyjoy.

But because of this momentum, I craved for anything 'super hero' or those set in the middle ages. This brought me back to The Last Kingdom Season 3, which I've followed since 2017. I watched the first episode of season 3 upon its release last year but was put off by Skade, an annoying sorceress.

King Alfred (left) having his peace with Uhtred (right).

King Alfred had me bawling from the moment he had his one-on-one talk with Uhtred until (yes, the tears embarrassingly kept coming) his death.You see, Alfred is a very proud man, of his status, intelligence, knowledge, and faith. And these two clash all the time, mostly because of their inability to accept a culture or religion different from theirs. Yet in this long, quiet scene with Uhtred, a very weak Alfred humbled himself, admitted his mistakes and apologized, though not without getting something in return, which stays true to his character.

It was always for England.

His was a very slow death spanning three seasons; and he would have wanted to have died earlier if not for his fear of leaving the kingdom without someone to protect his legacy and continue on with the dream of a united England.

"He was a man I loved and despised, but it was never less than an honor to serve him." - Uhtred

Just like Uhtred, I go back and forth between love and 'hate' for Alfred. Sometimes I would question his decisions. But as what Uhtred said to Brida, that love will always be there. The two men were like yin and yang, complete opposites who share a complicated bond. If you have not seen the show, it would be worth a try just to see the dynamics of these two characters: on the one hand an honest, skillful warrior, and on the other a shrewd and pious, frail king.

"You may dislike me, hate me if you wish, despise me at times. But love is immortal. It goes on." - Uhtred to Brida

David Dawson was perfect as Alfred. I will surely miss his presence on the show.

P.S. Before The Last Kingdom, I tried watching Vikings again, but finally gave up after Season 2 Episode 1 when Lagertha left Ragnar.