It’s a challenge to design a tightly plotted, coherent TV show with just the right amount of scenes given to side characters without being redundant.įortunately, The Last Kingdom does it well. While we all appreciate a diverse and extensive cast of characters, that also runs the risk of the focus being spread-thin across all of them. Where was the Daenerys who freed hundreds upon hundreds of slaves? Who walked bravely into a crowd of those she liberated, smiling as they lifted her up? Truly, her end was tragic. But the shot of her astride her dragon, face twitching with unbridled fury, as she decided to ignore the bells of surrender and set fire to the people she vowed to protect, was insanity. Granted, Daenerys had always been a formidable queen. It seemed as though the real Daenerys was replaced by an evil, mercurial twin, lacking all the heartfelt purpose and the admirable strength she displayed prior. On the other hand, Daenerys absolutely blindsided us Game of Thrones fans in its final season. But, still, the TV show emphasizes who he is at his core, restraining from any radical transformation. His impulsivity gives way to thoughtfulness his arrogance turns into self-awareness. Over the seasons, his dynamic character unfolds with gradual precision, paralleling the ambitious time span that follows him over decades of his life. In The Last Kingdom, Uhtred’s life is pure pandemonium, riddled with battles and losses as well as gains, and he always emerges out of each one slightly reformed. The shifts may be incremental or sudden, of great magnitude or subtle, but there must be evidence to demonstrate them. There is, in reality, no such thing as true stasis. Believable character arcsĬhange is arguable the most important aspect of character growth, because we are constantly influenced by the challenges we face. Taking into account these similarities, the scales still weigh in favor of The Last Kingdom, as there are elements in it that Game of Thrones is sorely lacking. There is a pervading rawness in both, strangely enlightening in discussions of destiny and birthright yet grimly outlined by secrecy and revenge. Their choices, guiding us through winding paths, are tempered with betrayal, heartache and fury. Thematically, they feature the characteristics that mark a truly sophisticated TV show, with morally ambiguous characters whose cruelty may startle you and whose vulnerability will stun you. To top it off, there are influences of magic and mysticism in both, and though their presence is much more overpowering in Game of Thrones, The Last Kingdom will certainly leave you doubting pure coincidence. Blood is spilled either by a piercing of the flesh or by the maneuverings of politics. In both, swords, axes and arrows are brutally handled as much as the deliberate venom of elocution is used. Moreover, both shows are set in a medieval-type, archaic world, with all the telltale viciousness and intrigue. Intimidatingly long, the books are densely packed with all the material that lend themselves to impressive TV adaptations: characters strewn across locations, storylines that intersect or collide, rich detail and epic adventures. Concretely, they are both based off of two lauded book series that have established all the casts and the world building before-hand. While there are slight differences between The Last Kingdom, which has a historical slant, and Game of Thrones, which takes on a more fantastical route, they are of the same vein.
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