Summary

• Stiorra's absence in Seven Kings Must Die movie left her story incomplete.
• Stiorra would be a great lead for a Last Kingdom spinoff series.
• Exploring Stiorra's storyline post-Uhtred offers a new narrative opportunity.

The 2023 Netflix movie Seven Kings Must Die attempted to end The Last Kingdom's story on a suitably epic note, yet while many characters received satisfying send-offs, I can't help but feel that one major player still needs their own series. Although she didn't become prominent until later in The Last Kingdom's five-season run, Uhtred's daughter Stiorra was a significant presence in the story. Not only did she enhance Uhtred's narrative journey, but she stood out in her own right as a strong female character with plenty to contribute. And yet, despite her status, Stiorra was swept aside when it came to the movie.

Although she was still very much on the scene at The Last Kingdom movie had an incredibly stacked cast of characters, simultaneously incorporating figures from the show and introducing several new faces, it's perhaps understandable that the movie made cuts where it could. However, for me, Stiorra feels like a glaring omission. Not only has her season 5 arc been left incomplete, but the show missed the chance to adapt her heartbreaking storyline from the original Bernard Cornwell novels – something a Stiorra spin-off could yet rectify.

Stiorra Would Be Great For A Last Kingdom Spinoff

She Was One Of The Show's Most Compelling Characters

As one of the younger generation of Last Kingdom characters, Stiorra is ideally placed to lead a spinoff series. Season 5 already proved that she is more than capable of shouldering a dramatic storyline, with her and Sigtryggyr's conflict with Edward forming a cornerstone of the show's narrative, but she is the perfect character to continue Uhtred's legacy. The pair's strong personalities often clashed, partly because of how similar father and daughter actually are, and she is in many ways Uhtred's natural successor after his Seven Kings Must Die death.

However, perhaps the most compelling argument for a return in a Last Kingdom spinoff is that Stiorra's story is still ongoing. After Sigtryggyr's heartbreaking death in season 5, Stiorra seemed destined to strike out on her own and forge her own path, potentially becoming a major player in English politics. And yet, she was entirely absent from the movie's story, raising the obvious question of what happened to her once The Last Kingdom ended. I, for one, would love to learn how her father and husband's fates shaped her future and how she might carry Uhtred's mantle into Aethelstan's reign.

What Happened To Stiorra?

The Books Provide A Template For A Spinoff

The issue of what happened to Stiorra after Seven Kings Must Die and The Last Kingdom is made more complicated by the adaptation's deviation from the source material. Although the show spins a compelling narrative (and arguably made Stiorra an even more central presence than in the novels) there were several changes to her original story. For one thing, the show never shows Stiorra and Sigtryggyr's children dying of plague – a harrowing episode in The Saxon Stories that has a profound effect on her character. However, the biggest Stiorra change concerns her death.

In the books, Stiorra actually died before her husband – a moment that has seismic emotional implications for Sigtryggyr and Uhtred. Unlike in the show, the literary version of Stiorra is left to defend Eoforwic alone against Sigtryggyr's uncle, the villainous Skoll. Although both Uhtred and Sigtryggyr race back to Eoforwic to save her, they are too late. It is a profound moment that, as a reader, particularly resonated with me, as it is yet another example of the brutality of The Last Kingdom's world and is a particularly traumatic episode for Uhtred.

The Last Kingdom Could Still Tell Stiorra's Sad Story The Show Left Out

It Would End Up Being Very Different

Given that her novel and television series fates are very different, there is clearly scope for a Stiorra spin-off series to explore the conflict between her and Skoll. I'd love to see a show that both explores her life post-Uhtred and Sigtryggyr, yet ends in the same tragic way – answering ongoing questions left by The Last Kingdom and Seven Kings Must Die while honoring her narrative arc from the original novels. It's easy to imagine, for instance, how a one-season spinoff could see Stiorra continuing Uhtred's legacy (perhaps defending Eoforwic on behalf of Aethelstan) before dying in the same way as she does on the page.

One alternative could be to set Stiorra's story between The Last Kingdom season 5 and Seven Kings Must Die, in which case Uhtred himself could still appear.

Of course, such a spinoff would be unavoidably different from Stiorra's original story. In the novels, her death is most notable for the way in which it affects Uhtred – something that would fundamentally change if a Stiorra spinoff was set after Seven Kings Must Die. One alternative could be to set Stiorra's story between The Last Kingdom season 5 and Seven Kings Must Die, in which case Uhtred himself could still appear. This would potentially allow for Stiorra's death to be just as impactful as it was in the books (and retrospectively explain her absence in the movie).

Considering the approach Seven Kings Must Die ultimately took, it makes sense that Stiorra was ignored in favor of other characters. However, now that audiences know where Uhtred's story ends, there's a great opportunity to revisit other aspects of The Last Kingdom that haven't yet been adequately explained. Even if it means revisiting old storylines, I think a proper resolution is the least that Stiorra deserves.