Line #246 Characters/TheLastKingdomSaxons


1	!The Saxons
2
3	[[foldercontrol]]
4
5	!!!Bebbanburg
6
7	[[folder:Lord Uhtred]]
8	!!Lord Uhtred
9	->'''Portrayed By:''' Matthew Macfadyen
10
11	-->''"Why do I leave the villages unprotected and bring the men inside? Is that your question? A village can be rebuilt. A warrior can die only once."''
12
13	Uhtred's father, Lord Uhtred, is a formidable fighter and leader of men, and ruler of the kingdom of Bebbanburg in Northumbria. He is a serious and rather distant man whose commitments to Bebbanburg leave little time for his two sons. Young Uhtred struggles to win his father's affection and approval.
14	----
15	* AbusiveParents: He clearly thinks little of his youngest son, and is at times is even openly hostile to young Uhtred[=/=]Osbert.
16	* ActionDad: A father to two, and a competent warrior.
17	* DeadStarWalking: Matthew Macfadyen is probably the biggest name in the initial cast line-up, but Lord Uhtred doesn't last beyond the first episode.
18	* {{Jerkass}}: Lord Uhtred is a pretty basic prick; he's grumpy, quick-tempered and ruthlessly pragmatic.
19	* UnPerson: Inflicts this on his oldest son, lashing out when Osbert wants to avenge him since now ''he'' is Uhtred.
20	* WorthyOpponent: Ragnar sizes him up as a serious-minded and intelligent warrior king; the Danes certainly consider him more of a threat than his the other two kings whom they correctly judge as pushovers.
21	[[/folder]]
22
23	[[folder:Aelfric]]
24	!!Lord Aelfric
25
26	[[quoteright:480:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/aelfric.jpg]]
27
28	->'''Portrayed By:''' Joseph Millson
29
30	Uhtred’s uncle, Aelfric, took control of the fortress of Bebbanburg usurping Uhtred. Aelfric is venal, scheming, and power hungry. He sees Uhtred as a threat to his claim on Bebbanburg and is committed to his demise.
31	----
32	* AmbitionIsEvil: It's unclear how long Aelfric has harboured ambitions to become Bebbanburg's ruler, but he thinks nothing of murdering a child so he can keep sitting the throne.
33	* ArchEnemy: Aelfric is Uhtred's first great enemy; he's been trying to kill his nephew since he was only a child.
34	* BadBoss: [[spoiler: At the start of Season 4, after a battle against Scottish raiders turns against him, Aelfric calls a retreat. As soon as he's inside Bebbanburg, he orders the fortress gates closed, leaving a lot of his own men to be butchered by the attackers, and then has [[{{Hypocrite}} the gall to call his remaining soldiers cowards.]]]]
35	* BackForTheDead: [[spoiler:After receiving only a cursory mention in Season 3, he returns in Season 4 only to be killed by his own son by the end of the second episode.]]
36	* BeardOfEvil: He's bearded, and very evil indeed.
37	* DeadpanSnarker: He has a pretty sharp tongue, sneering that Gisela must be fond of him to hide away.
38	* EvilIsPetty: At first he's reluctant to marry Gisela, but the moment he learns that she and Uhtred were to marry, he decides he'll have her.
39	* EvilUncle: To Uhtred, whom he's obsessed with killing out of fear that Uhtred will one day reclaim Bebbanburg.
40	* EyeScream: [[spoiler: His own son puts a crossbow bolt through his eye]].
41	* ForeverWar: The opening of Season 4 implies Aelfric has been fighting to keep Scottish raiders out of his lands for a long time.
42	* GeneralFailure: His reappearance in Season 4 starts with im leading his men into a Scottish ambush.
43	* ItIsDehumanising: Insists on calling Uhtred by his birth name, Osbert. Of course, it's also meant to be a rejection of his claim to Bebbanburgh since the rightful lord always takes up the name.
44	* OutOfFocus: He makes only a single appearance in Season 2, and receives only a brief mention in Season 3.
45	* ProperlyParanoid: He lives in fear that Uhtred will return and reclaim Bebbanburg from him, and he ''should'' be afraid since Uhtred has been gathering power for years and has not forgotten Aelfric.
46	* RousingSpeech: Attempts to make one in the wake of narrowly defeating a Scottish attack on Bebbanburg at the start of Season 4, though in places, it comes across more as a VillainousDemotivator and TheReasonYouSuckSpeech to his men.
47	-->'''Aelfric''': The last men standing. [[SarcasmMode My greatest fighters]]...or the most fearful, the ones who cowered and hid and ran? The Scots will return! They want to take our land and see us gone. So unless you want to end up rotting on a slave ship, I suggest you find the stomach to fight. To fight! Or leave! Go on, leave now! There is no place for doubt... or weakness. I will never surrender to invaders! My men can be destroyed! The villages starved! They can dig a trench a mile wide! But while I live, these walls will not be breached. This fortress will not fall! I will never yield my birthright, nor seek peace with those who attack us. We fight on, until they are all butchered! We fight on for Bebbanburg!
48	* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: When he finds out Guthred had Uhtred sold into slavery instead of killing him (the condition Aelfric demanded as his price for an alliance), he angrily storms out of Eoferwic, refusing to help fight against Kjartan.
49	* WeHaveReserves: Doesn't care how many men he must sacrifice to retain his hold on Bebbanburg.
50	* WhyDontYouJustShootHim: Is enraged at Guthred for following this trope, knowing Uhtred will break out of slavery.
51	[[/folder]]
52
53	[[folder:Wihtgar]]
54	!![[spoiler:Lord]] Wihtgar
55
56	[[quoteright:1000:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/wihtgar.jpg]]
57
58	->'''Portrayed By:''' Ossian Perret
59
60	The son of Aelfric and cousin of Uhtred, and therefore a rival to Uhtred as a claimant to Bebbanburg. He is initially believed lost while travelling overseas, but makes a surprise return accompanied by a number of hardened soldiers.
61	----
62	* AdaptationalNameChange: His name is Uhtred in the books, but since Season 4 alone already has two different characters named Uhtred, the name was presumably changed to avoid confusing people.
63	* BerserkButton: Any suggestion that Uhtred, not him, is the rightful lord of Bebbanburg.
64	-->'''Wihtgar''': Edward's man is here! Uhtred is inside these walls!
65	-->'''Aethelhelm''': [[OhCrap Uhtred of Bebbanburg]]?!
66	-->'''Wihtgar''': Uhtred ''the imposter'', yes!
67	* ClashingCousins: To both Uhtred and young Uhtred. His father stole Bebbanburg from Uhtred, and he is his father's heir. The only way his claim on the fortress remains secure is if Uhtred and his heirs are dead, and he harshly rejects Beocca's attempts to forge a reconciliation [[spoiler:after Aelfric's death.]]
68	* CombatPragmatist: Prefers to fight with a ranged weapon where he can pick foes off from a distance, rarely fights without superior numbers, and is willing to take a shot while his opponents back is turned.
69	-->'''Uhtred''': I should have known you would not have the courage to fight honourably.
70	-->'''Wihtgar''': Honour does not win a fortress.
71	* DefiantToTheEnd: [[spoiler: Insists he's the rightful heir to Bebbanburg even as Uhtred throws him to his death]].
72	* DirtyCoward: [[spoiler: Immediately orders his men to release Aelfwynn when Uhtred take him hostage. When confronted by Uhtred in the final battle of Season 5, Wihtgar refuses Uhtred's challenge of a [[DuelToTheDeath duel to the death]], [[AtLeastIAdmitIt admitting he can't match Uhtred's skill as a warrior]], [[CombatPragmatist sics a couple of his men on Uhtred]] while he flees, then tries to attack Uhtred while his back is turned]].
73	* DisneyVillainDeath: [[spoiler: Uhtred flings Wihtgar from an upper level of Bebbanburg's great hall, and Wihtgar is [[ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice fatally impaled]] on a pointed candelabra resting on the table below]].
74	* DyingCurse: [[spoiler: His last words are to insinuate that just like Wihtgar killed his father Aelfric for lordship of Bebbanburg, Uhtred's son will one day kill him for it]].
75	* EqualOpportunityEvil: He gathers men from across the four corners of the Earth. In Season 5 we see a his guard includes a black man and a couple of east asian men.
76	* EvilCounterpart: To Uhtred. Both left Bebbanburg at a young age (Uhtred was captured by Earl Ragnar/Wihtgar fell out with his father), both became very experienced outside of Saxon lands (Uhtred was adopted and raised by Danes/Wihtgar went on his own adventures in the Middle East), and both have assembled a diverse RagtagBunchOfMisfits from various locations who follow them loyally. They also have opposite strengths. Uhtred is a GeniusBruiser who backs up his incredible swordsmanship with his tactical knowledge. Withgar, by contrast, primarily relies on his wits and [[CombatPragmatist dirty tricks]] to compensate for his comparative lack of physical strength.
77	* TheExile: He was banished from Bebbanburg after an argument with his father and [[ReportsOfMyDeathWereGreatlyExaggerated presumed to have died in a shipwreck]].
78	* HeroKiller: [[spoiler:Beocca dies to save Young Uhtred, jumping in the way of Wihtgar's crossbow bolt.]]
79	* HiredGuns: Returns to Bebbanburg with an army of mercenaries he's collected on his travels. [[spoiler: Most of them abandon Wihtgar when the siege of Bebbanburg turns against him]].
80	* InTheBack: [[spoiler: Wihtgar tries to stab Uhtred in the back, but fails because Uhtred sees Wihtgar's shadow on a wall beside him, giving him enough warning to turn and overpower his cousin.]]
81	* JustYouAndMeAndMyGuards: Admits he can't beat Uhtred in a straight fight so he waits until he has several of his men backing him up before he dares try to face him in combat.
82	* KickTheDog: He makes a point of being sadistic when he has Uhtred at his mercy, [[spoiler:attempting to kill Young Uhtred first so as to maximize his enemy's suffering. It backfires on him.]]
83	* OhCrap: His reaction when [[spoiler: his killing of Beocca sends Uhtred, who'd been on the point of surrendering, into an UnstoppableRage that costs him the lives of many of his men before Uhtred's forces have to flee Bebbanburg]].
84	** [[spoiler: It's also his reaction to seeing Constantin's army being routed, leaving nothing to protect him from a vengeful Uhtred storming Bebbanburg]].
85	* {{Patricide}}: [[spoiler:Puts a crossbow bolt through his father's eye when Uhtred has him at sword point.]]
86	* TeethClenchedTeamwork: With Aethelhelm in Season 5.
87	-->'''Wihtgar''': ''(after Aethelhelm tries to order him about)'' I am ''not'' your lackey! You may be an ally of [[spoiler: King Constantin]] but you are a guest in ''my'' fortress!
88	* UnderestimatingBadassery: Tells his men [[spoiler: not to bother killing a fleeing Uhtred and his men, thinking the storm they're fleeing into will kill them. Anyone who knows Uhtred could have told him that's a mistake]].
89	* VillainousBreakdown: Has a massive one in Season 5 after [[spoiler: narrowly escaping Uhtred trying to kill him and realising that between his guards [[ScrewThisImOuttaHere either deserting Bebbanburg]] or joining Constantin's counterattack against Edward, there's no one in the fortress to stop Uhtred making another attempt on his life]].
90	* WhyDontYouJustShootHim: He came so very, ''very'' close to averting this, but had to grab the VillainBall at the last minute. [[spoiler:He fully intended to shoot Uhtred in the courtyard of Bebbanburg, but instead of just doing it and ridding himself of the principle threat, he [[EvilGloating spent some time gloating]] and then tried to kill Uhtred's son first.]]
91	* WouldHitAGirl: [[spoiler: Tries to use Aelfwynn as a hostage to force Edward to stand down from besieging Bebbanburg, then orders his lieutenant to throw her off the walls when Aelfwynn insists threatening her won't dissuade her uncle. Fortunately, she's saved by Uhtred taking Wihtgar himself hostage]].
92
93	[[/folder]]
94
95	!!!The Kingdom of Cumbraland
96
97	[[folder:Guthred]]
98	!!King Guthred
99
100	[[quoteright:572:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/guthred_5.jpg]]
101
102	->'''Portrayed By:''' Thure Lindhardt
103
104	A Dane who is chosen to be a Christian king of Cumbraland and unite the tribes of Dane and Saxon. Sold to a slave trader, Alfred arranges his release in order to build allies in the north. Affable, funny and intent on being a good king, Guthred also has a ruthless streak that will lead to a betrayal of those he holds dear.
105	----
106	* BigBrotherInstinct: [[spoiler: Although he butts heads with her at times, Guthred does care about his sister Gisela. He asks about her and expresses relief when Uhtred grudgingly tells him she's safe and happy]].
107	* CantKillYouStillNeedYou: [[spoiler: About the only reason Uhtred doesn't disembowel Guthred is because Alfred wants him alive to maintain stability in Northumbria]].
108	* ChuckCunninghamSyndrome: Aside from a brief mention by his sister, Guthred is never seen nor mentioned again after Uhtred leaves Northumbria to return to Wessex in Season 2. Aethelflaed briefly mentions to Edward in Season 4 that the Mercia army she sent to recapture Eoforwic has succeeded, inferring Guthred may have been deposed and/or killed during the interim period.
109	* CruelMercy: [[spoiler:He genuinely believes he's doing Uhtred a favor by selling him into slavery instead of killing him outright.]]
110	* OhCrap: [[spoiler: When he sees a pissed off Uhtred storming back into Eoforwic after being freed from captivity. Also during the multiple times Uhtred threatens to kill him if Guthred so much as annoys him slightly]].
111	* PetTheDog: [[spoiler: He promises to write to Alfred and say Uhtred and Ragnar are attacking Dunholm on his orders, so Alfred doesn't punish them for abandoning his orders to pursue [[YouKilledMyFather their personal vendetta against Kjartan]].]]
112	* PuppetKing: He's a puppet to whatever advisor is most adamant at the time, due to being easily swayed.
113	* ReformedButRejected: [[spoiler: He does attempt to make amends for his actions (see PetTheDog) but Uhtred makes it clear his forgiveness will not, if ever, be forthcoming for Guthred]].
114	* UngratefulBastard: [[spoiler:In spite of everything Uhtred does for him, including freeing him from slavery, Guthred still allows himself to be turned against him by Eadred. He sells Uhtred into slavery, and even laments the irony.]]
115	* ThisIsUnforgivable: [[spoiler: Uhtred makes it plain he will never forgive Guthred for his betrayal, nor the fact it got Halig killed]].
116	-->'''Uhtred''': [[spoiler: You will do as I ask or I will kill you! [...] [[SuddenlyShouting I WILL KILL YOU AND TAKE EVERY CONSEQUENCE]]! [[TranquilFury What you did to me, what you did to Halig, I can never forget]], and I will ''never'' forgive]].
117	* TooDumbToLive: [[spoiler: Having already been warned that he would die if he so much as crossed Uhtred, Guthred starts complaining that Uhtred merely exiled Sigefrid and Erik instead of killing them, at which point Ragnar advises Guthred to shut up before his petulance get him killed]].
118	-->'''Guthred''': [[spoiler: How do I know Sigefrid and Erik are gone?! Like your uncle, I would have preferred a head-!]]
119	-->'''Ragnar the Younger''': [[spoiler: [[ShutUpHannibal One more word, lord]] [[ImpliedDeathThreat and it will be]] ''[[TranquilFury your]]'' [[ImpliedDeathThreat head]]. You will do as my brother says or I will kill you and take Eoforwic for myself.]]
120	* WeakWilled: As intent as he is on being a well-loved and strong king, Guthred is remarkably easy to persuade.
121	[[/folder]]
122
123	[[folder: Eadred]]
124	!!Abbot Eadred
125
126	[[quoteright:480:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/eadred.jpg]]
127
128	->'''Portrayed By:''' David Schofield
129
130	A pompous and powerful priest who claims to have seen St Cuthbert selecting Guthred to be the King of Cumbraland in a vision. The abbot is deeply disapproving of Uhtred, and seeing his popularity as a threat to King Guthred’s influence, turns Guthred against him, with shocking consequences.
131	----
132	* ArrangedMarriage: [[spoiler: Tries to force Gisela into one of these to make an alliance between Guthred and Aelfric. Fortunately, it's stopped by Uhtred's arrival and Eadred's inability to keep his mouth shut until Uhtred has enough and puts a knife in his gut]].
133	* AssholeVictim: [[spoiler: Virtually no one is sorry when Uhtred sends this vile, racist misogynist to meet his maker. The only reason Hild and Alfred raise a fuss is because [[NonActionGuy Eadred was unarmed]] and Uhtred killed him inside a church]].
134	* CorruptChurch: One of the worst examples in the series.
135	* EvilChancellor: Serves as one to Guthred.
136	* FantasticRacism: Another Christian who's openly racist towards pagans.
137	* KnowWhenToFoldEm: [[spoiler: He orders his men to stand down and let Gisela go when Ragnar threatens to kill them all. Unfortunately, he can't resist having the last word against Uhtred (see TooDumbToLive for the end result)]].
138	* LaserGuidedKarma: [[spoiler: He's one of the driving forces behind Guthred betraying and selling Uhtred into slavery. Guess who's the first to die when Uhtred gets free]].
139	* ObstructiveBureaucrat: He does his best to contradict Uhtred's advice in front of Guthred.
140	* OhCrap: His reaction to Ragnar the Younger casually suggesting they kill Eadred and his cronies.
141	* StayInTheKitchen: His attitude towards Gisela and his comments on women in general smack of these.
142	* TooDumbToLive: [[spoiler: Having already earned Uhtred's enmity by conspiring with Guthred and [[EvilUncle Aelfric]] to [[SlaveryIsASpecialKindOfEvil sell him into slavery]], when Uhtred returns to find Eadred trying to force Gisela into an arranged marriage to Aelfric by proxy, it would probably be a good idea to keep his mouth shut. Uhtred was initially willing, at Gisela's urging, to walk away, but when Eadred insists on trying to have the last word, Uhtred finally has enough and Eadred comes down with a fatal case of knife-through-bowels]].
143	-->'''Uhtred''': [[spoiler: Say [Gisela]'s married one more time and the devil will take you, priest, I swear it!]]
144	-->'''Eadred''': [[spoiler: You're nothing but a heathen and ''the bitch is married! [Uhtred promptly stabs him in the gut]''.]]
145	* UnwittingInstigatorOfDoom: [[spoiler: Eadred's death gives Alfred leverage to blackmail Uhtred into swearing another oath of service to Wessex by [[IWillPunishYourFriendForYourFailure threatening to punish Ragnar for not intervening when Uhtred murdered the abbot]], giving Uhtred even more reason to resent Alfred]].
146	[[/folder]]
147
148	!!!Other Saxons
149
150	[[folder:Mildrith]]
151	!!Mildrith
152
153	[[quoteright:480:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mildrith.jpg]]
154
155	->'''Played By:''' Amy Wren
156
157	Uhtred’s wife, and Odda the Elder’s godchild, Mildrith is good-natured, trusting, and beautiful. A very devout Christian, she is generous and committed to the workers on her estate. Mildrith is ashamed of the debt to the church that she inherited from her deceased father. Her piety grows the longer she is with the untamed pagan Uhtred, driving a wedge between them.
158	----
159	* BreakTheCutie: She is left swimming in debt, gets pawned off to a semi-barbaric warrior despite never having met him before, and her Saxon friends wish for her husband's death in battle. Things start to get better until Uhtred actively becomes a JerkAss towards her and constantly insults her in her own home. The fact that she didn't become completely bitter earlier is a testament to her good nature.
160	* GoodParents: She is, by all appearances, an excellent mother.
161	* HappilyMarried: She and Uhtred genuinely love each other and she reacts with dismay when Aelswith tries to comfort her by telling her that Uhtred (who is a hostage of Guthrum) will soon be dead. If it wasn't for Uhtred's {{Pride}} being wounded by the enforced penance and other events, there's every chance that they would have remained so.
162	* MoralityPet: To Odda the Younger.
163	* NiceGirl: She is, by default, a very lovely person, to the point where it gets in the way of her good sense, and it's a large part of why Uhtred warms up to her. This makes it all the more upsetting (for her and the audience) when the penance drives a wedge between her, pious, and Uhtred, pagan and prideful in equal measure.
164	* OutlivingOnesOffspring: Iseult's magic treatment of Baby Edward's illness causes the death of a random child somewhere. This child is the son of Mildrith and Uhtred.
165	* PerfectlyArrangedMarriage: She and Uhtred don't meet until the wedding, but quickly warm up to each other and, one suspects, would have been very happy with each other if events had gone another way.
166	* TakingTheVeil: Has apparently become a nun.
167	* TookALevelInJerkass: She angrily rebuffs Uhtred when he tries to offer his regrets for not being there when their son died and tells him not to contact her again.
168	[[/folder]]
169
170	[[folder:Iseult]]
171	!!Queen Iseult
172
173	[[quoteright:1000:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/iseult.jpg]]
174
175	->'''Portrayed By:''' Charlie Murphy
176
177	One of Cornish King Peredur’s two wives, Iseult is a ‘shadow queen’; a beautiful sorceress with magical powers.
178
179	Iseult captivates Uhtred from the first moment they meet, and teases him with visions of his future. Mysterious, cool, and slightly aloof, Iseult is a world away from Mildrith, and Uhtred is powerless to resist her charms.
180	----
181	* AloofDarkHairedGirl: She's a tall beautiful woman with dark long hair. She's mysterious, composed and aloof. And she is a seer.
182	* BettyAndVeronica: The Veronica to Mildrith's Betty.
183	* BlackMagic: What she is perceived to know.
184	* DueToTheDead: Beocca restores her body and grants her a funeral pyre in accordance with Uhtred's wishes.
185	* HopeSpot: Gives Uhtred one when she tells him his adopted sister Thyra is alive, albeit as a slave of Kjartan and Sven.
186	* HotWitch: Uhtred most certainly thinks so. She has seer powers and is a natural healer. She's also breathtakingly beautiful.
187	* TheMedic: She makes several herbal tonics for Alfred that alleviate his stomach pain during his time in the Somerset marshes.
188	* RavenHairIvorySkin: Iseult is a British shadow queen from Cornwall who is married to a minor king Peredur. She's mysterious and keeps her virginity because she believes it maintains her seer powers. Iseult is a great beauty with fair skin, dark eyes and black hair. She's very much admired and hero Uhtred falls in love with her.
189	* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: She goes through this when she believes the spell she performed to save Alfred's son killed Uhtred's son in Edward's place.
190	-->'''Iseult''': You know I did this to you, when I saved the king's son.
191	-->'''Uhtred''': No.
192	-->'''Isuelt''': ''[in tears]'' [[EquivalentExchange I knew an innocent would die!]]
193	* OffWithHerHead: Skorpa kills her and [[DecapitationPresentation throws her head at Uhtred's feet]] to taunt him. That is a mistake.
194	* PetTheDog: [[spoiler: She consoles Uhtred when he discovers [[OutlivingOnesOffspring his son by Mildrith has died in his absence]] and points out to a fearful Uhtred the fact Mildrith took the time to bury the boy indicates she was not killed by the Danes who ransacked their estate]].
195	* PromotedToScapegoat: When Iseult suggests to Uhtred she can save Alfred's seriously ill infant son, Hild warns Iseult will get this treatment if her efforts fail.
196	-->'''Hild''': You had best succeed. If the child dies, you will be blamed.
197	-->'''Uhtred''': We cannot sit and do nothing!
198	-->'''Hild''': That is not what I am saying...but Iseult is a woman ''and'' a pagan. She ''will'' be blamed, regardless of her meaning well.
199	* RapeIsASpecialKindOfEvil: She clearly believes this to the point she [[EyeScream stabs a Danish warrior in the eye]] for raping a nun.
200	* VirginPower: It is believed she will retain her powers so long as she remains this. In Episode 8, she begs Uhtred to take her virginity to free her from the power she has come to view as a curse.
201	[[/folder]]
202
203	[[folder:Asser]]
204	!!Brother Asser
205
206	[[quoteright:736:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/asser.jpg]]
207
208	->'''Portrayed By:''' Nicholas Rowe
209
210	* FantasticRacism: Surprise, surprise, another Christian prejudiced against Danes. He also is very vocal in disparaging Iseult, considering her a witch.
211	* JerkassHasAPoint: For all his misogyny and fanatical prejudice, his testimony against Uhtred for illegally raiding Cornwallum and helping Skorpa kill King Peredur is accurate.
212	** While being in the lead to flee Winchester is hardly an act of bravery, Asser makes a good point to Beocca that the Danes are unlikely to show mercy to Christian priests.
213	-->'''Asser''': ''[to Beocca]'' Father, they will hack the likes of us to pieces!
214	* OhCrap: His reaction when Alfred selects him to be a messenger to rally troops to fight at Ethandun. Also when Guthrum's army assaults Winchester and when Skorpa attacks the Saxon camp at Ethandun.
215	* TheNeidermeyer: A non-military example: Uhtred is worried Asser will try to undo his work to convince Alfred he needs to fight back against the Danes.
216	* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: When Uhtred and Skorpa join forces to kill King Peredur, Asser flees at the first chance. He's also quick to flee when Guthrum's army invades Winchester and when Skorpa attacks the Saxon camp at Ethandun.
217	* StrawMisogynist: His distaste for Iseult seems as much on account of her being a woman as for her paganism.
218	* YoungFutureFamousPeople: Historically, Asser became King Alfred's biographer and is largely believed to be the reason any record of Alfred survives to the present day. His life's work, ''"The Life of King Alfred"'' is believed to be one of the best historical sources of information on Alfred's reign.
219	[[/folder]]
220
221	!!!Wales
222	[[folder:Hywel]]
223	!!King Hywel
224	->'''Portrayed by:''' Creator/SteffanRhodri
225
226	The warrior king of Wealas (Wales), Hywel dislikes the Saxons of Wessex and Mercia, having clashed with them before, and is dismissive of Alfred and Edward's dream of a united England, but he despises and recognises the Danes as a far greater threat.
227	----
228	* EnemyMine: He dislikes the Saxons of Wessex and Mercia, but is willing to fight beside them at Tettenhall, rather than risk Cnut's army emerging victorious and turning its attention to Wealas.
229	* EveryoneHasStandards: Disapproves of his younger brother's [[KickTheDog cruelty towards a captive Brida]]. He's also appalled by the devastation Brida and Sigtryggr have wreaked on his subjects.
230	* NotInThisForYourRevolution: Makes it plain to Edward he has no interest in a long-term alliance or becoming a vassal state to Wessex.
231	-->'''Hywel''': There will be no alliance and no more favors. The people of Wealas do not need Saxon help.
232	* OhCrap: His reaction to his pilgrimage being disturbed by [[SpareAMessenger a survivor of the men he left with his brother]] handing him a sack containing the [[DecapitationPresentation severed head of one of his captains]] and being told a Danish army has landed from Ireland and is ravaging the undefended Welsh countryside.
233	* OnlyInItForTheMoney: Makes it plain to Edward after the Battle of Tettenhall the only reason he and his Welshmen fought was because Pyrlig promised them the lion's share of the spoils of battle.
234	* PetTheDog: When his army finds child survivors of a Welsh village massacred by Brida and her supporters, Hywel tells the children to hide somewhere safe and promises the attack on their village will be avenged.
235	* ReligiousBruiser: A warrior king who celebrates his victory over the Danes at Tettenhall by going on a pilgrimage.
236	* RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething: A Welsh warrior king who leads his men into battle and tries to protect his subjects from Danish raiders.
237	* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: Manages to escape the trap Sigtryggr laid for his army by fleeing the battlefield.
238	[[/folder]]
239
240	[[folder:Rhodri]]
241	!!Rhodri
242	->'''Portrayed by:''' Nigel Lindsay
243
244	King Hywel's younger and more impulsive brother.
245	----
246	* BadassBoast: Gives one when Aethelflaed asks why Welsh forces have come to fight at Tettenhall.
247	-->'''Rhodri''': We are here to fight Cnut, lady, and best the Dane as we have bested the Saxon for so many years!
248	* BlatantLies: Mocks Brida at the Welsh victory feast to celebrate Tettenhall by menacing her with a sword he claims belonged to Cnut.
249	** When Sigtryggr's army storm his brother's castle, where Rhodri was left in command, and take him prisoner, demanding to know where Brida is, Rhodri claims to have killed her. [[InstantlyProvenWrong Unfortunately, Brida starts screaming from her cell under the main hall]] to alert her Danish rescuers.
250	* TheDragon: To King Hywel.
251	* FoolishSiblingResponsibleSibling: The foolish to his older brother's responsible.
252	* KickTheDog: [[SlaveryIsASpecialKindOfEvil Takes Brida as a slave after Tettenhall]] and mistreats her at every opportunity. [[TheDogBitesBack She repays his treatment in kind when Sigtryggr frees her]].
253	* NeckSnap: Brida wraps his chains around his throat and kicks him into a pit, killing him via this.
254	* YouAreInCommandNow: Hywel leaves him in charge while he goes off on pilgrimage.
255	[[/folder]]
256
257	!!!Scotland
258	[[folder:Constantin]]
259	!!King Constantin
260	->'''Portrayed by:''' Rod Hallett
261
262	The ambitious and warlike King of [[UsefulNotes/CelticKingdoms Alba (Scotland)]], Constantin (the [[HistoricalDomainCharacter historical]] Constantine II of Scots) views Edward's dream of a united England as a threat to his power. When a disgraced Aethelhelm offers him a way to challenge that threat, Constantin seizes the opportunity to diminish his rival.
263	----
264	* AndNowYouMustMarryMe: [[spoiler: Aethelhelm kidnaps Aelfwynn to offer her as a bride to Constantin to cement their alliance]].
265	* AntiVillain: He agrees to help the genuinely villainous Aethelhelm against the protagonists, but his primary reason for doing so is very reasonable, mostly centering on the potential threat of an openly expansionist Kingdom of England being positioned right on his borders.
266	* BeardOfEvil: A long red one.
267	* BigBadDuumvirate: Becomes this with Aethelhelm in the last half of season five, conspiring to overthrow Edward and place Aelfwyrd on the throne in exchange for staying out of Northumbria, [[spoiler:sealing the alliance with a planned marriage to Aelfwynn]]. Aethelhem is the one proposing the scheme while Constantin provides the military support. Aethelhelm is the more villainous of the pair, though Constantin is the more powerful of the pair.
268	* BloodKnight: He dismisses Aethelhelm's suggestion [[spoiler: to wait out Edward's siege in favour of leading a two-pronged attack against the Wessex forces.]]
269	* BoisterousBruiser: A skilled warrior who's quick to laugh, smile and crack jokes
270	* BrutalHonesty: Constantin pulls no punches, bluntly telling Aelfweard not to trust his grandfather and [[spoiler: telling Aelfwynn their marriage will be [[SexlessMarriage a celibate one]] because he is in love with someone else. Aelfwynn even admits she appreciates his honesty compared to the lies and double dealing she's had to endure recently]].
271	* CoolUncle: Constantin's nephew is also his [[TheDragon right hand man]], who is clearly valued enough by his uncle [[spoiler:for Constantin to agree to a prisoner exchange, including Young Uhtred and Aldhelm, for his safe return]].
272	* DeathGlare: He and Edward exchange one as Constantin departs Bebbanburg.
273	* EvilRedhead: "Evil" is debatable, but he's red haired and a rival king in league with Edward's enemies.
274	* AFatherToHisMen: [[spoiler: Orders his army to retreat and save themselves, rather than die fighting for a lost cause when the battle for Bebbanburg turns against the Scots]].
275	* FrontlineGeneral: Personally leads his army into battle.
276	* HeroKiller: [[spoiler: Constantin kills Haesten in the belief he's an enemy spy]].
277	* HorribleJudgeOfCharacter: Subverted in that he's clearly aware [[spoiler: Aethelhelm and Wihtgar are [[ObviouslyEvil untrustworthy scumbags]] but [[CooperationGambit Constantin collaborates with them because their own schemes serve his ambitions]].]]
278	* LadykillerInLove: He's seen leaving a bed full of beautiful, naked women to attend a war council with Aethelhelm and Wihtgar, but later tells [[spoiler:Aelfwynn]] he's in love with the wife of one of his nobles.
279	* NearVillainVictory: [[spoiler: Constantin was on the verge of killing Edward, forcing him and his army off a cliff, when Danish reinforcements led by Uhtred and Stiorra attack his army from the rear, [[HeroicSecondWind reinvigorating Edward's army to fight on]] and leaving Constantin's forces trapped between the two]].
280	* NoSympathy: [[spoiler: His only response to Wihtgar whining about Uhtred making an attempt on his life is [[GetAHoldOfYourselfMan to bluntly tell Wihtgar to deal with the problem]] before Uhtred tries again]].
281	-->'''Wihtgar''': [[spoiler: This alliance has brought me nothing! Now he hunts me in my own fortress!]]
282	-->'''Constantin''': [[spoiler: [[StatingTheSimpleSolution If he hunts you, I suggest you find him]].]]
283	* NobleDemon: He's the warlike king of a rival nation, but he has principles, is not afraid of getting his hands dirty and leading his men into battle, and comes across as a more decent man than his subordinates.
284	* OhCrap: His reaction to [[spoiler: Uhtred and Stiorra's army attacking his forces from the rear]].
285	* OutsideContextProblem: After four and a half seasons focused on conflict between the Saxons and the Danes, Constantin - who belongs to neither group - comes out of left field to become the final season's BigBad.
286	* PetTheDog: [[spoiler: Takes the time to reassure a captive Aelfwynn that he will not mistreat her once they are married, and though it will be a celibate marriage, he will ensure she lives in comfort and wants for nothing in Scotland]].
287	* PragmaticVillainy: [[spoiler: Having lost the battle, Constantin orders his nephew [[SaltTheEarth to burn Bebbanburg to the ground]] before fleeing, insisting he won't allow his enemies to have such a powerful fortress so close to the Scottish border]].
288	* ReligiousBruiser: A surprisingly devout Christian who's shown praying before leading his warriors into battle at Bebbanburg.
289	* ShutUpHannibal: [[spoiler: Constantin shuts up Aethelhelm's [[BackseatDriver constant attempts to tell him how to battle Edward besieging Bebbanburg]] by retorting he could quite easily [[RewardedAsATraitorDeserves hand Aethelhelm over to Edward]] in exchange for his own safe passage back to Scotland]].
290	* VillainHasAPoint: He cites Edward's conquests of Mercia and Northumbria as evidence that Wessex is an imminent threat to Scotland. Considering Edward had by that point repeatedly betrayed his own allies and killed people in cold blood in order to bring those kingdoms under his control, Constantin's fears are far from unjustified.
291	* VillainTeamUp: With Aethelhelm and Wihtgar.
292	* WeWillMeetAgain: Implied; although Constantin [[spoiler: accepts Uhtred as Lord of Bebbanburg and agrees to a peace deal that keeps Northumbria a neutral kingdom, his final scene has him and his nephew studying a map of Northumbria and potential troop movements against Bebbanburg itself, implying he isn't willing to forgo conquering Northumbria for Scotland completely]].

Context Characters / TheLastKingdomSaxons