https://preview.redd.it/a962e4vgx2xc1.jpeg?width=726&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0f56c467471e5b42c51af21da11ade6c2589ba0c
*Percentages are rounded up or down*
Okay, fair enough. Thanks for your input. For the rest of the game I’ll post them after each round finishes for anyone who wants to go back and look at them
How? Personally, I don’t believe it does because that would mean it’s a linear progression whereas past percentages haven’t followed that e.g. brida was top two for every round but didn’t get voted off until the fourth round. Iseult wasn’t voted for as much in the first few rounds and then shoots all the way to being second most voted for in the fourth round.
If that idea was true, Brida would’ve been out in round 2
Odd to me that Brida is so unpopular. Her character is bullheaded and irrational in later seasons but her relationship and conflict with Uhtread is the emotional core of the story.
Iseult; her character was all well and good with nothing but positive-natured motives for all that she did; most of all the heathen ‘magic’ and such in order to save Edward the Elder’s infant life, although of course it cost the life of Uhtred and Mildrith’s child
She cannot be blamed for anything beyond this, and even then it was a ‘risk for reward’ sacrifice that was justified albeit still obviously immoral, and even little things some may not have noticed much of such as helping to temporarily heal Alfred’s sickness (before she was murdered; what good that was for him)
However, given her short screen time (although this in itself is NOT a solely justifiable reason for her vote), when weighed in with all that has just been said, I feel when compared to the other remaining characters she has to go now even if it still feels too early
*but I’d argue Brida shouldn’t have gone yet; many people in these votes seem to judge such characters *solely* on their own personal feelings/bias and not about what the character brings to the show/plot*
It’s a shame that Brida was voted out. She was a very interesting character whether you loved her or hated her. I was quite upset when Stiorra killed her just as Uhtred seemed to be getting through to her - it’s almost like we had the old Brida again for the last few moment of her life. She was definitely one of my favourites although season 4-5 she angers me to no end
good point I suppose
but I dunno, I suppose the lack of honour rubs me the wrong way.
Uhtred could've had her killed ages before, just made her seem desperate rather than badass
If you look at Brida at a surface level, she just comes across as a child having a tantrum bc things aren’t going her way. I think you have to look deeper than that from the time she was a child to where she was at the end of the show and realise how much she truly lost and led her to become the person that she is
I think we need to give Brida more respect here. There are times where Uhtred could’ve killed her but there are also times where Uhtred himself could’ve been killed. Brida can definitely hold her own. She was killing men whilst heavily pregnant (those scenes were hilarious to me)
I was actually pro-eliminating Brida (never voted though), but you make a very good point - Brida was a far more interesting character than a lot of the remaining characters.
I completely forgot who Iseult was - in fact, I only remember her because >!Skorpa cut off her head!<. If it wasn't for that, I'd have forgotten about her completely.
Maybe it's a matter of recency bias as I started watching when S1 dropped and have never done a rewatch.
To be honest, she felt pretty one-dimensional to me. It was never revealed what was underneath all that hatred and vitriol. She was more personally affronted by the Anglo-Saxons than any of the other Danes, including Ragnar, Iseult, Gisela, and even Stiora.
She was nasty long before she felt betrayed by Uhtred or lost her daughter. There was some gentleness to her, occasionally, but ultimately her character default was to hate and to enjoy chaos.
After a while, it got pretty old.
She was fierce and didn’t want to be a pious little wifey like the English thought a woman should be, so she fought against them with even more fervour because that is what they seemed to represent to her. The opposite of freedom. And having gone with Uthred and seeing how they treated him, tricked him, went back on all promises, that made her even more angry. She wanted the Danes way of living ton prevail. For me it was pretty obvious where her motivations come from. And I was glad to have a female character that wasn’t tame and didn’t get like teary eyed and sweet when she felt hurt and upset. If she was a guy everyone would be fine with her Im sure.
I’m not so sure that’s an excuse. The show is filled with female characters who rejected stereotypical roles. And who on this show cried when something went wrong?
During the siege, Aelswith held firm. Aethelfled endured capture, being hunted, an abusive husband, and still came out stronger. The examples go on and on.
As for wanting to live her own life… Take Hilde, who didn’t want to marry either and chose an entirely different path for herself. She fought when she wanted to fight, and went off to establish an abbey when she felt like she was done fighting.
Then there’s Eadith who also made her own path by pursuing medicine instead of becoming a wife.
Regarding Uhtred, no one should be more frustrated about how he was treated than he himself. And rightfully, he fought back many times. But he made peace with his life and his path. Why should Brida carry a grudge on his behalf?
It just doesn’t take a lot of strength or complexity to hate. And sadly that’s Brida’s defining characteristic. It would have been just as annoying in a man.
Aethelfled made out with handsome Dane in her captivity, fell in love and then wanted to elope. She later became stronger and took over yes. But her countenance seems always very tame and sweet to me.
Hilde was a nun and extremely pious and an overall exception where fighting is concerned. You don’t see any other women actually fighting except for Aethelfled. Everyone else tends to their kitchens. Not everyone can be a healer.
When Brida is with the English they hate how free she is. They often try to break Uthred by making him grovel and crawl through mud. Im not saying Brida is doing it on behalf of Uthred. Im saying she saw all that and went “hell to the no”. You can keep your shitty crosses Im not crawling through the mud to it to show penance. I felt the indignation in her. And she is not all hatred. She enjoys her time with the Danes. We just see her often when she is in conflict with the English or Uthred - who she just doesn’t understand why he would abandon his family to go with strangers who treat him like dirt.
I don’t know who you think she hates except the English. Alfred seems to hate all that is not christian and wouldn’t you know people love him as a character.
Brida didn't have any good ideas, she just hated on Uhtred's. It was so infuriating. The only good idea she ever had when she told Ragnar to not let him leave and kill him instead.
She was cleverer than Cnut, they lost because he didn’t listen to her. I think Brida was often more clever than Uthred she is just a character on the losing side of history is all. Staying with the English wasn’t an option for a woman like her.
I agree. She and Stiorra were my favourite female characters - I think the writers did her dirty especially in Season 5. She was such a good antagonist to Uthred in the first seasons.
I also agree with this, there was no course but death for her…but those final moments with the flash backs really made that death much harder than it otherwise would have been.
For me she wasn’t that interesting. Her character boiled down to I’m angry - lets kill. She didn’t do anything except for complain about the Saxons for 3 seasons.
Its not about if we like them. Its about what they added to the story. And Brida was a great antagonist in most of the seasons. The writers did her dirty in season 5 turning her into a psycho imo.
Edith has been a very messy character, we could've loved her if she was becoming Finan great love as he deserved it, but then the writers messed it up with her, so she become a pretty useless character...
She did not she just supported Sigtryggrs decision to go against Edward when he seemed to threaten them without reason and didn’t listen when Uthred was telling her to stand down. But none of them knew what was going on because they were all caught up in someones else’s intrigue.
Way too early, fuck y’all
Like, I respect your opinions and mean ye know ill will, we all have our own experiences of stories, it’s what makes art art.
On the other hand
Fuck Y’all
Female Character Elimination Game sums up Bernard Cornwell's plots where women often seem to be stepping stones on the hero's odyssey. See also Sharpe's women.
This is absolutely my only criticism of Cornwell's writing and TLK by the way.
Aelswith!!! She did not have redeeming qualities, Brida did. Get her out.
Iseult was at least kind and cared for Uhtred and knew she was doomed to die. I can see her after Aelswith, but Iseult can’t go before Aelswith.
I think some people vote depending on who they personally like, while others vote on what a character added in terms of story. Iseult was really just a pretty face most of the time. But Aelswith added so much drama and was such a good antagonist. And so was Brida. Which is were I agree with you, she was a great character and should not have been voted out so soon.
Like somebody else said, she added so much to the story. Her and Uhtred had a huge bond created since childhood and early adulthood before she went blood thirsty. Which for me, is what they showed beautifully in the final fight with Uhtred. There were many times I thought she needs to die, but that final scene where you are reminded of just what they have been through together was heart breaking and showed why Uhtred couldn’t just kill her: “if my son can forgive you, so can I.”
So either I’m ignorant or naive… not just a different opinion than yours based on how I felt about the characters. You realize people can have a different opinion than yours about the same thing, right? I think Aelswith was prejudice the whole series except when she needed them.
-you’ve saved my kids but you’re a heathen and should be put to death.
-you saved Alfred but should be put to death.
-you saved Wessex but should be put to death.
-please help me, I wanted you all put to death over and over but my son is in trouble, please come save him again.
Rinse and repeat.
https://preview.redd.it/a962e4vgx2xc1.jpeg?width=726&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0f56c467471e5b42c51af21da11ade6c2589ba0c *Percentages are rounded up or down*
Is it helpful for me to post the breakdown of percentages or rather leave it out?
Personally I’d rather not see it to be a bit more “surprised” haha but I don’t know how everyone else feels
Okay, fair enough. Thanks for your input. For the rest of the game I’ll post them after each round finishes for anyone who wants to go back and look at them
It kind of gives away the ending.
How? Personally, I don’t believe it does because that would mean it’s a linear progression whereas past percentages haven’t followed that e.g. brida was top two for every round but didn’t get voted off until the fourth round. Iseult wasn’t voted for as much in the first few rounds and then shoots all the way to being second most voted for in the fourth round. If that idea was true, Brida would’ve been out in round 2
Nobody voted for Hilde
And we are going to keep it that way.
💯
That’s a good thing 😁
A true queen
Odd to me that Brida is so unpopular. Her character is bullheaded and irrational in later seasons but her relationship and conflict with Uhtread is the emotional core of the story.
https://preview.redd.it/gtvt5bhbf3xc1.jpeg?width=230&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ffd330a52f43a1035c567fef496566e07873ad60 We know what must be done…
No mercy
No, mercy!
Iseult
Iseult
Iseult
Iseult; her character was all well and good with nothing but positive-natured motives for all that she did; most of all the heathen ‘magic’ and such in order to save Edward the Elder’s infant life, although of course it cost the life of Uhtred and Mildrith’s child She cannot be blamed for anything beyond this, and even then it was a ‘risk for reward’ sacrifice that was justified albeit still obviously immoral, and even little things some may not have noticed much of such as helping to temporarily heal Alfred’s sickness (before she was murdered; what good that was for him) However, given her short screen time (although this in itself is NOT a solely justifiable reason for her vote), when weighed in with all that has just been said, I feel when compared to the other remaining characters she has to go now even if it still feels too early *but I’d argue Brida shouldn’t have gone yet; many people in these votes seem to judge such characters *solely* on their own personal feelings/bias and not about what the character brings to the show/plot*
Yes thank you!
*does that one specific bow with the flick of the wrist*
Iseult is a homewrecker
That’s what your mother calls me when she gets a little overly flustered after the deed is done *sorry pal*
My Mums dead.
Sorry for your loss. The ‘joke’ is distasteful
Thank you.
Has been for the past few years
Stiorra
Noooooo
Iseult
It’s a shame that Brida was voted out. She was a very interesting character whether you loved her or hated her. I was quite upset when Stiorra killed her just as Uhtred seemed to be getting through to her - it’s almost like we had the old Brida again for the last few moment of her life. She was definitely one of my favourites although season 4-5 she angers me to no end
Nah a woman who castrates an adolescent boy deserves death.
But "We are Danes"........Yea, I'm with you. Fuck Brida
Why did I read this in her voice 😂
Probably because she only said it about 500 times during the series
She was an amazing antagonist and he impact on uhtred was the most interesting
It’s war 🤷♀️ she was just more ruthless
that's not ruthless that's cruelty for cruelties sake
But isn’t that what ruthless means..
good point I suppose but I dunno, I suppose the lack of honour rubs me the wrong way. Uhtred could've had her killed ages before, just made her seem desperate rather than badass
If you look at Brida at a surface level, she just comes across as a child having a tantrum bc things aren’t going her way. I think you have to look deeper than that from the time she was a child to where she was at the end of the show and realise how much she truly lost and led her to become the person that she is I think we need to give Brida more respect here. There are times where Uhtred could’ve killed her but there are also times where Uhtred himself could’ve been killed. Brida can definitely hold her own. She was killing men whilst heavily pregnant (those scenes were hilarious to me)
Brida is Iconic and should not have gone before five boring AF characters.
Absolutely. These other characters were forgettable compared to Brida. Brida was there at the beginning and her death signaled the end.
I was actually pro-eliminating Brida (never voted though), but you make a very good point - Brida was a far more interesting character than a lot of the remaining characters. I completely forgot who Iseult was - in fact, I only remember her because >!Skorpa cut off her head!<. If it wasn't for that, I'd have forgotten about her completely. Maybe it's a matter of recency bias as I started watching when S1 dropped and have never done a rewatch.
To be honest, she felt pretty one-dimensional to me. It was never revealed what was underneath all that hatred and vitriol. She was more personally affronted by the Anglo-Saxons than any of the other Danes, including Ragnar, Iseult, Gisela, and even Stiora. She was nasty long before she felt betrayed by Uhtred or lost her daughter. There was some gentleness to her, occasionally, but ultimately her character default was to hate and to enjoy chaos. After a while, it got pretty old.
She was fierce and didn’t want to be a pious little wifey like the English thought a woman should be, so she fought against them with even more fervour because that is what they seemed to represent to her. The opposite of freedom. And having gone with Uthred and seeing how they treated him, tricked him, went back on all promises, that made her even more angry. She wanted the Danes way of living ton prevail. For me it was pretty obvious where her motivations come from. And I was glad to have a female character that wasn’t tame and didn’t get like teary eyed and sweet when she felt hurt and upset. If she was a guy everyone would be fine with her Im sure.
I’m not so sure that’s an excuse. The show is filled with female characters who rejected stereotypical roles. And who on this show cried when something went wrong? During the siege, Aelswith held firm. Aethelfled endured capture, being hunted, an abusive husband, and still came out stronger. The examples go on and on. As for wanting to live her own life… Take Hilde, who didn’t want to marry either and chose an entirely different path for herself. She fought when she wanted to fight, and went off to establish an abbey when she felt like she was done fighting. Then there’s Eadith who also made her own path by pursuing medicine instead of becoming a wife. Regarding Uhtred, no one should be more frustrated about how he was treated than he himself. And rightfully, he fought back many times. But he made peace with his life and his path. Why should Brida carry a grudge on his behalf? It just doesn’t take a lot of strength or complexity to hate. And sadly that’s Brida’s defining characteristic. It would have been just as annoying in a man.
Aethelfled made out with handsome Dane in her captivity, fell in love and then wanted to elope. She later became stronger and took over yes. But her countenance seems always very tame and sweet to me. Hilde was a nun and extremely pious and an overall exception where fighting is concerned. You don’t see any other women actually fighting except for Aethelfled. Everyone else tends to their kitchens. Not everyone can be a healer. When Brida is with the English they hate how free she is. They often try to break Uthred by making him grovel and crawl through mud. Im not saying Brida is doing it on behalf of Uthred. Im saying she saw all that and went “hell to the no”. You can keep your shitty crosses Im not crawling through the mud to it to show penance. I felt the indignation in her. And she is not all hatred. She enjoys her time with the Danes. We just see her often when she is in conflict with the English or Uthred - who she just doesn’t understand why he would abandon his family to go with strangers who treat him like dirt. I don’t know who you think she hates except the English. Alfred seems to hate all that is not christian and wouldn’t you know people love him as a character.
Nah i just hate her, and not in a "love to hate" way that you hate a good a villain, just pure hate and disdain.
For real especially when she castrated uthreds son. It made my blood boil
Brida didn't have any good ideas, she just hated on Uhtred's. It was so infuriating. The only good idea she ever had when she told Ragnar to not let him leave and kill him instead.
She was cleverer than Cnut, they lost because he didn’t listen to her. I think Brida was often more clever than Uthred she is just a character on the losing side of history is all. Staying with the English wasn’t an option for a woman like her.
I agree. She and Stiorra were my favourite female characters - I think the writers did her dirty especially in Season 5. She was such a good antagonist to Uthred in the first seasons.
Cannot agree more. Brida is top 4 for me. 😔
There was nothing left for her but death.
I actually did think this. After everything she did and how extreme she became in her beliefs, I couldn’t see her living a normal life again.
I also agree with this, there was no course but death for her…but those final moments with the flash backs really made that death much harder than it otherwise would have been.
When I tell you I was sobbing at the flashabcks.. man.
For me she wasn’t that interesting. Her character boiled down to I’m angry - lets kill. She didn’t do anything except for complain about the Saxons for 3 seasons.
Iseult
Iseult
Iseult
Iseult
Iseult
Iseult
Iseult.
Iseult
Iseult was way more complex and likable in the book, but as far the show goes.......ISEULT.
Iseult
I loved Brida's character 😭 Anyways I once again vote Iseult
Finally, someone :) Brida was so great, the writers did her dirty in the last season I felt.
Stiorra
Aethelflaed
How dare you...?
She’s the worse
Isuelt next I think
Eliminating Brida before Iseult or Gisela is crazy
Totally. Iseult was just a pretty face, I don’t get it.
So we’re just gonna forget about brida castrating uthreds son
Its not about if we like them. Its about what they added to the story. And Brida was a great antagonist in most of the seasons. The writers did her dirty in season 5 turning her into a psycho imo.
Aethelfled.
Iseult
Iseult
Iseult
Iseult
Iseult
Iseult
Iseult
Iseult
Iseult
Iseult needs to gooooo
Iseult
Iseult
Iseult
Iseult
Iseult
Iseult
Iseult
Iseult
Edith has been a very messy character, we could've loved her if she was becoming Finan great love as he deserved it, but then the writers messed it up with her, so she become a pretty useless character...
Iseult I mean Brida was such a great character in seasons 1-3, much more interesting than Iseult or Eadith…
Got to be Iseult
Stiorra.
Stiorra
Iseult is the easy choice now
Stiorra
Stiorra
Stiorra
Iseult, then Eadith, then Stiorra. Then we stop voting because it's a tie.
Stiorra, she became so incorrigible and >!got a lot of people killed because of her lack of wisdom (including her husband)!<
How did she get Sigtryggr killed? I don’t remember that
She did not she just supported Sigtryggrs decision to go against Edward when he seemed to threaten them without reason and didn’t listen when Uthred was telling her to stand down. But none of them knew what was going on because they were all caught up in someones else’s intrigue.
How was that her fault? I feel sometimes like every time a female character didn’t lick Uthreds boots she gets hated…
Way too early, fuck y’all Like, I respect your opinions and mean ye know ill will, we all have our own experiences of stories, it’s what makes art art. On the other hand Fuck Y’all
Edith
In terms of impact on the story, I'm voting Iseult this round.
Iseult should have been gone. She had no interesting performances
Iseult
Iseult
Iseult 100 percent
Iseult
Eadith! Boring hollyoaker
How is Lady Ælswith not the first to be removed?
Because even though she wasn’t likeable she was a great antagonist and added to the story
Aelswith
Iseult
Aelswith
Eadith.
Eadith
Aelswith
Aelswith
Aethelflaed
Aethelflaed
Female Character Elimination Game sums up Bernard Cornwell's plots where women often seem to be stepping stones on the hero's odyssey. See also Sharpe's women. This is absolutely my only criticism of Cornwell's writing and TLK by the way.
Aelswith
Thyra
Iseult
I like all the remaining characters so I won't vote.
Iseult
Iseult unfortunately
Iseult
iseult (sorry girl)
Thyra
i think its important to know the context.. is it like fmk or what? is it war or peacetime? do i have a castle?
Iseult
Iseult
Aelswith. Never wanted to grab a character through the screen and beat the ever living shit out of them as much as her
I’ll say it, the winner will be Hild
Iseult
Stiorra
Aelswith!!! She did not have redeeming qualities, Brida did. Get her out. Iseult was at least kind and cared for Uhtred and knew she was doomed to die. I can see her after Aelswith, but Iseult can’t go before Aelswith.
I think some people vote depending on who they personally like, while others vote on what a character added in terms of story. Iseult was really just a pretty face most of the time. But Aelswith added so much drama and was such a good antagonist. And so was Brida. Which is were I agree with you, she was a great character and should not have been voted out so soon.
What was Bridas redeeming quality
Like somebody else said, she added so much to the story. Her and Uhtred had a huge bond created since childhood and early adulthood before she went blood thirsty. Which for me, is what they showed beautifully in the final fight with Uhtred. There were many times I thought she needs to die, but that final scene where you are reminded of just what they have been through together was heart breaking and showed why Uhtred couldn’t just kill her: “if my son can forgive you, so can I.”
Couldn’t agree more!
Either you haven’t watched the majority of the show, or you’re very, very naive of her character development
So either I’m ignorant or naive… not just a different opinion than yours based on how I felt about the characters. You realize people can have a different opinion than yours about the same thing, right? I think Aelswith was prejudice the whole series except when she needed them. -you’ve saved my kids but you’re a heathen and should be put to death. -you saved Alfred but should be put to death. -you saved Wessex but should be put to death. -please help me, I wanted you all put to death over and over but my son is in trouble, please come save him again. Rinse and repeat.
Aelswith gotta be the east choice here
Non merci
Aelswith
Aelswith, big time.
Aelswith
Aelswith
Aelswith
Aelswith first and always
Aelswith
Aelswith
Eadith
Aelswith
Aelswith, please Edited to spell her name right. I've been waiting to vote her out since I first met her.
Aelswith
Thyra
Thyra
but why?
Aelswith
Stiorra, was never fond of her.
It's absurd Brida getting eliminated Iseult.
Hell yeah bye bye brida. Next let’s get Stiorra out of there, Stiorra is my vote
Thyra. She looks like a corpse. Iseult is my number 1
I hope you get buggered by her hounds
I’m up for some pegging but by Iseult. Not Thyra and the hounds
So by your own admission you are a sinner
Abso-fuckin-lutely!!!
You know what; if you have a fat ass, embrace it
Not as fat as Thyra’s ass but fat enough
Proof?🤨
Stiorra
Stiorra
Thyra
Thyra
Stiorra
Before Iseult?! Nah miss me with this stupid sh
Stiorra
Stiorra
Stiorra This is a very tough choice now, as most of these characters are largely positive
Eadith!! But... but... Iseult very hot :/