Frighteningly enough, I think AHS is more cohesive than this. I need to take another bath after saying that.

Isabel is the best character on the show, and I won't hold the bit at the end against her. I see it as keeping your frenemies closer.

The idea of Ath dying isn't impossible for me, but rather the silliness that lead up to it. Like him shagging Judith. It seemed like the only reason he did it was because it was in the script. It didn't feel earned, at least not for me, but YMMV.

The worst part is how you're forced at gunpoint to look at it and read about it.

Good idea. I sometimes get weak and read the comments and am immediately reminded why I shouldn't. It's like picking at a scab until you bleed.

Man, I really wanted there to be a History of the World: Part II when I saw that "trailer". Knew it was a joke, but still I wanted it.

Oh, almost forgot to do a quick historical note here: Asser was a real person and that really was his name. He was Alfred's biographer and while there's no evidence if Asser was an ass, he definitely thought Alfred was awesome. It says something that Alfred was so great that a Welshman developed a man crush.

Yahoo has comment sections for their stories. It's painful.

I've read fanfic that had Athelstan as Egbert's secret son who was put in a monastery for safekeeping. Like a spare in case if Aethelwulf was killed or something. That would've worked as an explanation for why a mere monk had so much knowledge and experience (he already knew Old Norse, and spent time in Charlegmagne's…

Well, keep in mind that Danes have laws and limits too. If Uhtred pulled some of the crap he has with Alfred on Ubba or Guthrum, his neck would be very drafty, if ya know what I mean. Danes used diplomacy as well (in fact, since both Scandanavian and Anglo-Saxon societies are of Germanic origin, their laws and…

True, but the Germanic base of English is still very much there. Most of the words we use in everyday speech are of English or some other Germanic origin. There's a site where they use only words of English/Germanic origin and exclude anything Latin or Greek-based. Here's their translation of Shakespeare's famous "To…

And both are better than Yahoo comments. Shudder.

Exactly. Because he created a unified England , the Norman Invasion didn't wipe out the national identity, law, customs, and language. The country was altered, but ultimately the English-ness survived, as evidenced in the language we're speaking right now. Not a bad achievement for a sickly nerd who liked to read. <g>

Wow. You found a unicorn there, that's for sure.

Now I know you're full of shit <g>

Aethelred is Alfred's brother. Interestingly enough, Egbert had a son named Athelstan, who died the same year Egbert did. And Aethelwulf also named a son Athelstan, who became king of Kent. Also, Alfred's grandson, who becomes king eventually, is also named Athelstan. Yeah, they really liked that name.

Well, that victory wasn't totally short-lived. Because of Alfred, English laws, customs, and language was preserved long enough that when the Normans came, they were that much stronger. So yeah, some things changed but the core of the culture survived.

Well, Aethelwulf is Alfred's dad in this show, and Aethelwold is Alfred's nephew. So there really isn't a Vikings equivalent yet, since the Vikings Alfred is too young to be an uncle. Oy, Season 3 of Vikings really screwed with history. Still hate the idea that Athelstan is Alfred's father on that show and everyone…

I sure hope not, cuz that other relative deserves better.

Yeah, the tie-dye, ugh. I'd think that checks and plaids would be more accurate.