‘The Last Kingdom’: What Happens When Uhtred Fights Ubba 1-on-1?
In the hit series The Last Kingdom, the main character, Uhtred (Alexander Dreymon), faces Ubba (Rune Temte), a fierce Viking warrior followed by many, in season 1, episode 5. What happens when they fight? We have all the details about the tense moment.
Ravn warned Uhtred about Ubba in ‘The Last Kingdom’
Uhtred is originally a Saxon boy who becomes a Dane after being kidnapped by Earl Ragnar (Peter Gantzler). He meets Ravn (Rutger Hauer) at York after being kidnapped. Ravn is Ragnar’s father and a former Earl, and he gives Uhtred advice about Ubba that he doesn’t follow later on in life.
“If you get to live you should be aware of the big man, Ubba,” Ravn tells Uhtred. “My advice for you is to never cross Ubba. And never never fight him.”
What happens when Uhtred fights Ubba 1-on-1?
In episode 5, Uhtred is a grown man when Ragnar and most of his family are killed. Uhtred now allies himself with the Saxons and King Alfred (David Dawson) when rumors are spread that he killed his family. He once came to Ubba to tell him that he had nothing to do with Ragnar’s death, but his truth isn’t received as such. He only escapes because he had previously kidnapped Ubba’s sorcerer. Ubba even tells Uhtred that he’ll kill him. With nowhere else to go, Uhtred works together with Alfred against the Danes in hopes he will get his revenge on those that killed his family along with retrieving his ancestral lands of Bebbanburg back.
He devises a plan involving lighting animal fat on fire to start an enormous blaze to Ubba’s ships, which have landed in Wessex. Uhtred pulls off the diversion alone, and Odda the Elder (Simon Kunz) arrives with his forces to take on the surprised Danes just after Uhtred fights Ubba in a 1-on-1 showdown.
Uhtred had attempted to flee, but Ubba challenges him to fight him, and Uhtred accepts. Ubba is a renowned fighter and warrior, so to take him on is a major challenge for Uhtred. But he doesn’t back down, and he faces the opportunity head-on.
Uhtred is surrounded by Ubba’s forces who watch the spectacle as the ships continue to burn. Uhtred takes off his armor as Ubba isn’t wearing any. He then tells Ubba that he “will die,” but that doesn’t stop Ubba from fighting him. With weapons and shields, the two opposing sides fight to the death.
Uhtred asks, “First blood, or to the death?” But Ubba just yells, and charges through at him. Ubba knocks Uhtred’s sword out from his hands, but Uhtred recovers it. The fighting continues with Uhtred being knocked to his feet, but he gets back up immediately. Although Ubba is pummeling Uhtred with shots from his ax that are blocked by his shield, Uhtred manages to cut Ubba’s leg. However, Ubba comes back for more, hitting Uhtred in the chest with his shield and getting him to the ground.
Does Ubba die in ‘The Last Kingdom’?
With Ubba’s shield on Uhtred’s neck, he rallies his troops before throwing the shield aside. Ubba then raises his ax to kill Uhtred, but Uhtred manages to grab a dagger and stab Ubba in the thigh. While he’s distracted, Uhtred wounds his legs on both sides, and stabs him again as well.
Putting an ax in Ubba’s hand, he says, “Go to Valhalla lord,” killing him. Ubba loses his life in the fight against Uhtred, something his warriors weren’t expecting.
Uhtred manages to live another day after Odda’s troops get there just in time before Ubba’s warriors can fight him. It’s a situation that’s part of the history of the series, and one that fans can surely never forget.
