The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die Ending Explained – Who Dies in the End?

By Amanda Guarragi
Published: April 14, 2023 (Last updated: July 4, 2023)
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We discuss the ending of the 2023 Netflix film The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die, which will contain spoilers.

The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die is the final send-off to a series that has been on Netflix since 2015. The Last Kingdom has been a huge draw for the streaming service for the past five years.

The series did come to an end in 2022 (see: The Last Kingdom Season 5 Review), and this movie was made for television.

Even though it is an extension of the final season, the decision to incorporate so much in a two-hour film was certainly a choice. Fans obviously wanted another season because there is still so much story left to tell, but this movie was the compromise for everyone.

The title of the film Seven Kings Must Die is a prophecy the film that Uhtred’s wife foresees. There are eight kings in total in the kingdom, but she has said that seven of them will most definitely die and that one will reign. Instead of a generic fight for the crown, the prophecy adds another layer to the ongoing battle.

The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die ending explained

Who Dies in The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die?

There is a massive battle at the end with everyone (it’s hard to tell who’s fighting who), but all weapons are coming at full force. Flaming arrows from above and spikes all over the ground to stab whoever comes near. While Uhtred defends the people closest to him by bringing in more men, Ingilmundr and Aethelstan do parish.

At the same time, Uhtred is badly wounded. However, something does save him. The other kings are all fighting but soon find out that their sons – Orkney, Shetland, Strathclyde, and Scotland, are all dead. The prophecy was a bit twisted, and the heirs to the throne died instead of the actual Kings fighting for their lives.

Does King Uhtred Live or Die in The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die?

Uhtred is badly wounded, but Pals Sihtric and Finian find him close to death and take him back to Northumbria. There, he is still conscious enough to pledge his own to Asethelstan, which does unite England.

The only issue they do have moving forward is that they must not produce any heirs. And his half-brother Edmund will eventually take his place on the throne. The deal comes with a preconceived notion that Aethelstand does not want an arranged marriage for the sake of the crown. So to inherit the throne, this is realistically the only deal that can be made to secure himself.

After that, Uhtred is still beaten up pretty badly and is struggled to even walk. As he enters this other room, he hears everyone in the background cheering for the deal that was just made. Uhtred opens the door to see people from his past in flames all around the room. He knows that he is passing on to the next life with his loved ones and his own form of heaven.


What did you think of the ending of the 2023 Netflix film The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die? Comment below.

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