>>6178157>>6178159>moral negotiation vs conflict>the MORAL PURPOSE?I included this image sequence
>>6178049from Bernard Cornwell The Last Kingdom (my recommendation: stop watching after the first two seasons, from the third season onwards nflx bought it, the storytelling quality noticeably drops) my understanding is that the tv adaptation departs from his books but I was fascinated by this scene with the Skorpa character.
The backstory here, the main hero Uhtred he was born Saxon/Christian but gets orphaned and raised as a pagan/Dane, he is tricked into swearing fealty to the Christian King Alfred and cannot break his oath but resents having to follow all his orders etc.
One day Uhtred has enough of taking King Alfred's orders, he decides to just leave and take some of his loyal warriors and companions to raid Cornwall with them all disguised as Danes. In Cornwall he encounters an impoverished Cornish king who offers him gold if he can recapture his fortress the Cornish king also dangles the enticing prospect of offering his beautiful Seer Queen temptress companion hehe as a sex ? reward for battle victory. Uhtred agrees to retake the stronghold, but it turns out to be occupied by actual Danes (outmatching his disguised men) led by the insane Skorpa, but Skorpa knows if he fights Uhtred and his followers, he will lose many men even if he ultimately prevails and thus his leadership over his own marauder warband will be weakened. So Skorpa, who is demented and insane (he basically fights by biting into people's necks in berserk rage lol with bloodstained teeth) Skorpa offers Uhtred a deal, to renege on his promise to the Cornish King, they can join forces and massacre the pathetic King's meagre warband together, and divide the plunder, women and the attractive Seer Queen between them. And Uhtred accepts! He just agrees and completely acquiesces lol.
I just thought that this storyline was interesting, it was an unusual occurrence and rare depiction of a morally "good" hero negotiating with and completely collaborating and working with an "evil" character hehe. It made me think of all those dnd or OSR type encounters where you actually effectively negotiate with the enemy. Sadly after a few more episodes it does not end too well for the pretty seer Queen prophetess love interest lady though
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