The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die | 2023 | TV-MA | – 4.8.3

Why is “The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die” rated TV-MA? The TV Parental Guidelines Monitoring Board rating indicates that “this program is specifically designed to be viewed by adults and therefore may be unsuitable for children under 17.” The Kids-In-Mind.com evaluation includes a couple of implied sex scenes, a couple of passionate kissing scenes, several battle scenes with some ending in villages of people being killed, one extended battle sequence with many men killed and wounded, several arguments and some strong language. Read our parents’ guide below for details on sexual content, violence & strong language.

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Standalone finale to the TV series “The Last Kingdom”: The warlord kings dominating 10th century British isles attack newly crowned King Aethelstan (Harry Gilby) when he is tricked into attempting to unite the disparate kingdoms by force. Fearsome and honorable warrior Uhtred of Bebbanburg (Alexander Dreymon) reluctantly joins him in battle. Also with Cavan Clerkin, Pekka Strang, Laurie Davidson, Mark Rowley, Agnes Born, Elaine Cassidy, James Northcote and Zak Sutcliffe. Directed by Edward Bazalgette. [Running Time: 1:51]

The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die SEX/NUDITY 4

 – Two young men kiss passionately in a few scenes and in one scene we see them reaching under each other’s clothing and later seated on a bed (sex is implied). A crowd scene shows many people gathered and drinking and there is one couple that looks like they could be thrusting or wrestling (it’s not clear) and another couple kissing. A man sees two other men in a romantic embrace.
► People make crude comments about two men having sex. A woman tells another woman that people are gossiping about her relationship with a man and the woman dismisses the remark as untrue. A man wags something at his groin (implying genitals) while making crude remarks.

The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die VIOLENCE/GORE 8

 – Many armed men get off boats and move along the shore as a spotter calls out that they are coming; the spotter is struck with a thrown axe and falls dead (we hear a crunch and see blood spurt) and a nearby encampment is attacked with many people being stabbed and slashed (blood and wounds are shown). Several invasions followed by battles are shown, with people being cut down by men with swords and spears (blood is shown) and structures left in flames.
► A man is stabbed through the back of the neck and we hear the crunch of the blade, we see blood and hear the man gurgling before dying. Two young men argue and yell at each other, one orders the other to open gates and he eventually does, exits the gates and drops his sword before being stabbed in the abdomen and falling to the ground dead (we see the bloody wound); many men on horseback charge through the gates and slash and stab the people inside (we hear yelling and slashing with a lot of blood spraying) even as they plead for mercy and surrender; one man is struck in the head with a rock, punched and kicked and his sword is stolen.
► During an extended and bloody battle sequence, many men charge toward many other men, step on spikes on the ground that cut through their feet (we see blood), arrows are loosed and men cover themselves with their shields, but some are struck (we see blood), many men clash and slash each other with swords and spears, and one man is struck and falls under the feet of many others pulling himself on the ground and out of the battle; men on horseback dragging logs charge into the battle knocking many men down and the riders slash with swords killing others with many close-ups of stabbings and blood spewing, and one man is stabbed and slashed several times and we see bloody wounds as he falls to his knees.
► A man walks toward a noose hanging from a tree, he steps onto a stump, the noose is placed around his neck and the stump is kicked out from under his feet; we see his feet thrash and he is shown dead later. People enter a village and see that it is empty; they are taken to a cave that has been blocked by a boulder and when the boulder is removed, we understand that the people of the town were held inside and they are all dead (we see bodies taken out and placed on the ground). A ransacked village is shown with many bloody bodies on the ground. Men are held with swords to their throats and we hear slashing as they are killed.
► A man is bound and forced to his knees where another man holds a sword to his throat (he does not kill him). Three men attack guards and knock them unconscious as many men on horseback arrive at the gates to a town. A man punches two other men. A man is pulled off his horse and held with a blade to his throat (we see him in a cell later). A man punches another man a couple of times and yells at him. A man is stripped of his possession and outer clothing and banished from a kingdom; we see him trudging through cold terrain and shivering. Two young men are taken away and we are told that they will be trained to fight as their parents protest. Armed men enter a room where a woman prays over a coffin and the men lead the woman and her son away.
► We hear that the sons of kings died in a battle leaving no heirs. We hear that people will be forced to be baptized. Large stones are pulled over and we hear that they are considered an affront to Christianity. A man is accused of being an “enemy of God.” Men discuss killing a king. People talk about something that a woman apparently “saw” in a vision and she repeats, “Seven kings must die.” We hear about a group called “wolf warriors” attacking villages. A maneuver is employed during a battle and it is called a “swine wedge.” We hear about factions being at war for 100 years. We hear that a king’s health is failing and then that he died. A man tells a young man, “God wants you to fight.” A man is described as eating “the skin of men.” Many men prepare for battle and line up very close to each other; one man jokes about “the smell of a thousand armpits.”
► Many people line up to pay taxes. Introductory sequences included animated drawings of battles with spears and flaming arrows. A man vomits before a battle and we see goo. A man urinates as a battle begins and we see urine running down his pant leg. A dead wolf is shown lying on a table outside a village (no blood is evident). A sharp piece of metal is pulled out of a horse’s hoof and it whinnies.

The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die LANGUAGE 3

 – 5 sexual references, 1 scatological term, 5 anatomical terms, 4 mild obscenities, name-calling (bastard, fool, foolish, tyrant, gossips, poison, liar, you dog), 10 religious exclamations (e.g. God wants you to fight, God, oh my God, Jesus, thank God, enemy of God, may God reward your kindness, ungodly, God be with you, God lies). | profanity glossary |

The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die SUBSTANCE USE

 – People are shown drinking in a few scenes with a couple of scenes showing people inebriated.

The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die DISCUSSION TOPICS

 – Betrayal, trust, unification of England, war, peace, chaos, prophecy, loyalties, humiliation, atonement, forced Baptism, pagans, Christianity, honor, treaties, vanity, piety, sin, Valhalla, destiny, martyrdom, hope.

The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die MESSAGE

 – Trying to keep promises and at the same time defend against betrayal is complicated.