Emmys season is bringing out all the stars and technical wizards of Game of Thrones, for a round of new interviews. Gotta love it! Everything from the crown choices of Westeros to the creation of “The Long Night” is covered. Here are the latest interviews featuring Sophie Turner, Carice van Houten, Gwendoline Christie, Alfie Allen, and more!
Best Supporting Actress nominee Sophie Turner speaks her mind in an interview with The Wrap, defending the writing of the show, and some of the final choices made. “The fans are incredible and so loyal, and we love them because of the fact that they’re so, so passionate. I cannot fault them there. But when people were saying that there was no effort, that the writers were terrible …The most effort was put into this final season.”
As for the decision to play Sansa’s brother Bran on the throne, she says, “I think it’s true what Tyrion was saying: Bran holds all of our stories, and we can’t move on unless we remember our history. Daeneyrs had to die. Cersei was a mad queen. Arya is too much of a free spirit. Sansa probably wouldn’t want to rule the seven kingdoms anyway — she wanted to stay in the North and defend the North. I really think Bran might be the perfect person for the job.”
But Turner has her dream ending, which she shares with The Wrap. “I thought Arya would kill Cersei. And I would like to have seen Sansa and Cersei reunited, or Arya and Cersei. But there were so many ways the story could have turned out. I felt very passionately about the ending for Sansa, and I was very happy with the ending that turned out for her.”
The Hollywood Reporter talks to GoT’s sound supervisor and sound designer in their piece examining several nominated shows. “The biggest challenge was keeping the battle interesting and dynamic,” sound supervisor Tim Kimmel tells THR about “The Long Night”, the episode featuring his nominated work. “The scene where the Army of the Dead breach the fire trench and start to climb the walls of the castle to attack was particularly challenging. There were so many layers — with vocals and movement, bows and flaming arrows, weapons and body movement and falls — that keeping it all properly detailed and organized for the mixers to do their job took a lot of time and patience.” Sound designer Paula Fairfield tells them “a pass of weather-related sounds such as wind and rain contributed to a sense of disorientation.”
“The Long Night” was a big moment for Carice van Houten as well. It marked her triumpghant return and death. The actress speaks to The Wrap about her death. “I was very, very happy with my ending. It gave me goosebumps when I read it, and it was the same when I saw it on screen. I thought it was a very elegant, beautiful ending to a bombastic, dark, violent episode.”
Any regrets? She tells The Wrap, “I would have loved to have some sort of little scene with Cersei. I’m so curious what would have happened if those two women got together. That would have been an interesting meeting.”
Debate the success of the final season all you want, but you can’t deny the VFX was amazing. Joe Bauer, the show’s lead VFX supervisor talks to Indiewire about the creation of the devastating Battle of King’s Landing, explaining that “[A]fter seven years of building out the physical and sometimes emotional world of ‘Thrones’ through use of visual effects, in ‘The Bells,’ it was time to add an exclamation point…Our brains registered a level of shock when reading the script pages. Now our world building methods would be used to un-build, to de-construct.”
“Unleashing the full, almost Godzilla-like force of Drogon on a rampage was a thrill,” Bauer says, “but what it meant weighed heavily on us: Dany would never again represent hope for a better world. Finally she could not escape her own blood line. Heavy stuff. The city had to be leveled, and we had a single dragon to execute the carnage. And that took some backward engineering.”
Read the full piece at Indiewire for details on how it all came to life!
THR also talks to Thrones editor Tim Porter about his nominated work in “The Long Night” which offers insight into the show’s motives in what they want us to see and feel. He describes the episode as “three acts” with one to build tension, the second full of action, and then the third “slowing down… with Ramin Djawadi’s amazing score synthesizing the intercut of the Night King’s entrance and our heroes fighting for their lives and ultimately Arya’s arrival and her slaying of the Night King.”
He explains, “As there were so many characters fighting different battles, we were trying to make sure that we weren’t away from each beat for too long, keeping the characters under pressure and the audience involved with their plight. All except for Arya, we wanted to lose her, to take the focus off where she was, and what she was doing, until we see her entrance into the Godswood to save the day.”
He takes us inside the incredibly tense and tightly edited library scene as well- read about it at THR!
And finally, from The Wrap’s Emmy series, Gwendoline Christe and Alfie Allen, among others, weigh in on their characters and Emmy noms. Christie address complaints about Brienne crying when Jaime left her, saying, “I was incredibly pleased to have that moment, because I think we see that Brienne has allowed herself to love someone. I don’t think there should be any thought that loving someone and being in pain when that person leaves her should be painted as a weakness, ever. She showed strength in every different area. Why shouldn’t she be allowed to be devastated?
As for Allen submitting himself for Emmy consideration, he admits he did so, because he “had people advising me to do it, and it felt right. I really don’t know how the mechanics work, but it felt like the right time to do it. But I had no expectations whatsoever.” As for Theon’s and the show’s conclusion, he says, “Some people weren’t satisfied with how it ended, but it’s the same with a lot of these TV shows. But in terms of the arc of Theon, I hope people were happy with it. On the day I felt happy with it, and when I got to see it, I was thankful that Dan and David had given me that kind of stuff to do.”
They deserve all the awards. Thank you to Benioff the Brilliant and Dan the Wise and the entire cast and crew. May you ride off into the sunset with all of the gold. Thank you for a magical and magnificent 8 seasons and a breathtaking final season and finale. I’ll always be grateful 🙂
Cersei and Lena are so iconic that everyone wanted a scene with her lol.
Carice, Sophie, Maisie, Emilia,…
I remember Indira Varma saying the same. And she said she would like to play Cersei.
Cersei is a legend. The first and the last Queen on the Iron Throne. She she will be remembered in Westeros as ruler sho gave shelter to people of KL against invader and tyrant Daenerys. Lol
Life is not fair I guess.
Cersei and Lena are so iconic that everyone wanted a scene with her lol.
Carice, Sophie, Maisie, Emilia,…
I remember Indira Varma saying the same. And she said she would like to play Cersei.
Cersei is a legend. The first and the last Queen on the Iron Throne. She she will be remembered in Westeros as ruler sho gave shelter to people of KL against invader and tyrant Daenerys. Lol
Life is not fair I guess.
There is new interview with Kit at HR.
mau,
Although I don’t like the character Cersei, I think she is the best (written) character on TV. Every scene with Cersei is brilliant and I loved her legendary moment in 6×10. Lena is just amazing.
I think GOT winning Best Drama, Dinklage winning Best Supporting Actor, Miguel Sapochnik winning Best Director, and all the VFX/music, etc. are basically a lock to win. Kit and Emilia have a chance, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they didn’t win. For Best Supporting Actress, it’s between Maisie Williams, Lena Headey, and Julia Garner. Not entirely sure about Guest Actress. I hope Carice wins, but I don’t know her chances. Either D&D or Emerald Fennell (Killing Eve) will win Best Writing. I don’t see GOT pulling a Handmaid’s Tale and getting completely snubbed. They should bring home a lot of Emmys.
mau,
Although I don’t like the character Cersei, I think she is the best (written) character on TV. Every scene with Cersei is brilliant and I love her legendary moment in 6×10. Lena is just amazing.
I think sweep is coming. They will win Drama/Writing/Directing.
Peter will get his Emmy and maybe Maisie and Emilia.
I don’t see Kit wining. Porter will.
If I didn’t admire Maisie so much, I’d love Gwen to win – she is fabulous. Hope Carice wins, and Alfie would be the bees’ knees!!!
[Editor Tim Porter] explains, “As there were so many characters fighting different battles, we were trying to make sure that we weren’t away from each beat for too long, keeping the characters under pressure and the audience involved with their plight. All except for Arya, we wanted to lose her, to take the focus off where she was, and what she was doing, until we see her entrance into the Godswood to save the day.”
_______
You wanted to “lose her, to take the focus of where she was, and what she was doing”?
Yay. Surprise. 😡
• Yeah, isn’t that something? EVERYBODY wanted a scene with Cersei/Lena Headey. None of them got that chance.
• Ironically, Cersei’s “Mad King’s Daughter” speech (in S7e2, I think) turned out to be prophetic.
• Yes, you’re right. If historical accounts are faithful, Cersei will come out looking like the good guy.
Strange. I have not heard about any interviews or TV appearances by Maisie Williams. “Campaigning” plays a part in drumming up support for an Emmy.
Ten Bears,
Well, it worked. Arya is my favorite character and I loved her scene with Melisandre, but as soon as the dramatic music started playing and we spent 10 minutes seeing how hopeless the situation was, I completely forgot about her. They are experts at building suspense.
Like she needs it.
Ten Bears,
Yeah. It turned out to be true. And even in her scene with Tyrion she noticed how full of shit Daenerys was and how her whole ideology makes no sense if someone had to stop her from burning a city.
It’s interesting that both Cersei and Sansa asked Tyrion the same question – why her? Sansa also noticed that Tyrion is afraid of Daenerys. Not good sign for future saviour. Lol
LF thought her well. When you try to understand a person’s motive assume the worst. She did. And she was right.
Young Dragon,
The last thing I heard from Maisie was about her new role in Sky TV’s “Two Weeks to Live” back in June. I am greatly looking forward to hearing her interviews at the Emmy’s and seeing her fashion. I can picture her going up to get her statue when she wins! It would be awesome if she starts her acceptance speech by reciting her list of people to kill (oh I mean thank)
Actually the way season 7 was set up we all expected a different season 8, much more interesting, with a thicker plot. Narratively Sansa and Arya not meeting Cersei at all is a true disappointment.
I’d also like Theon to have lived through this. Poor guy has been punished far too harshly in Martin’s world to lose his life too. His chapters are among my favorites in ADWD. Funny thing, I thought that Jamie defending Bran makes much more sense because it is the Lannisters that tried to kill him. But then again Theon being alive in the end would mean that the Iron Islands would have supported Jon at the dragonpit, wouldn’t it?
It is disappointing that Cersei, much as I loathed her since the first season, had so little interaction in the eighth, and never got to meet several people who would’ve made interesting scene partners. The thought of monstrous Cersei being remembered well (GAG–oh the lying and twisting and ignorance that’d take), and Daenerys as just a rampaging tyrant makes me want to hurl. The upside is, we never heard from Daario again for some reason, and no news is good news, right? So I take it all is well over in Essos, where the true Mother of Dragons, Breaker of Chains will be celebrated and revered forever. 😀 With any luck the people of Westeros will someday learn the truth.
On my rewatch I remembered how much I had despised Theon in the earlier seasons. Still I’m glad he got to see his redemption arc through, even if he couldn’t survive it.
I’d like them to get all the acting categories if possible, and/or drama, directing… The supporting actor categories are kind of tossups. Only one I don’t think stands a chance is Sophie. And I’d like to see somebody besides Dinklage, finally. Can’t wait to see the cast at the ceremony and find out what they’re gonna wear and all…x3
Omg, if Maisie wins it *would* be brilliant to commence her speech by listing names Arya-style. XD
High in the halls of the kings who are gone
Jenny would dance with her ghosts
The ones she had lost and the ones she had found
And the ones who had loved her the most
The ones who’d been gone for so very long
She couldn’t remember their names
They spun her around on the damp old stones
Spun away all her sorrow and pain
And she never wanted to leave, never wanted to leave
Never wanted to leave, never wanted to leave
They danced through the day
And into the night through the snow that swept through the hall
From winter to summer then winter again
Til the walls did crumble and fall
And she never wanted to leave, never wanted to leave
Never wanted to leave, never wanted to leave
And she never wanted to leave, never wanted to leave
Never wanted to leave, never wanted to leave
High in the halls of the kings who are gone
Jenny would dance with her ghosts
The ones she had lost and the ones she had found
And the ones
Who had loved her the most
Meraxes,
That makes a nice earworm I could live with today. The montage of that was also incredibly well done. Wish Daniel Portman could put out a recording of songs like those – could listen to that voice all day
ash,
Not sure if this is a new video or if I have been hiding under a rock but this video with Florenece and the Machine had me in tears. Powerful stuff here
Totally agree. Considering how much of the season Maisie carried–from opening sequence to closing sequence!–she was almost a third lead. Peter too. I think she deserves it. Normally I’d also back Lena but she got to do so little this season. Gwendoline did get a chance to shine, which is lovely. But she didn;t carry the season per se. If Maisie were not nominated, I’d be rooting for her.
We’re still in the early rounds. I suspect Maisie will be in focus toward the end of voting or the actual ceremony.
I remember I spent the entire week between episodes 2 and 3 rewatching this video and dreading all the deaths that I thought we were going to get on the battle
Great interviews. And I agree with all. And about Alfie, you are right to submit yourself. You’re scene was amazingly acted. And I think he has been snuffed in the past.
Sohpie’s choice (I made a movie pun sorry couldn’t resist) about Arya ending Cersei and her being there would have been amazing. Just like with LF they both doing the job. But in the end it was Dany who destroyed Cersei. Which made sense. Dany was relieving this world of Tyrants. And as for death’s. I think people are too hung up about certain characters not dying how they suppose to die. GoT is about people dying in ways that you wouldn’t expect. Robert died with a boar. Not really heroic. Robb died at a wedding. Again not heroic. And many more. The only heroic dead in GoT were Hodor prior to season 8. And in season 8 Jorah we could count in with Theon.
Heroic/ Justice is not a dead that is done many times in GoT because that’s what kind of show GoT is.
And Emmy’s are coming.
One show to take them all.
Where are my Emmy-wins?
Come on Emmy voters, do you duty. (Let GoT win it all)
I too watched this video repeatedly and I always lose it when Jon holds Ygritte in his arms as Florence sings “and the ones who loved us the most”. How can I help but not watch it again and again as Arya always begins the video with her water dance. We may have not lost as many as we thought during “The Long Night”, but by seasons end many more had met their final fate. The video took on even more meaning for me after season 8 was over.
Tron79,
That is the exact moment for me as well and have played it over and ovre. Is that mor id? Or acknowledging that we all share in the tragic moment , and all of our hearts break for them They really should ave stayed in that cave
It’s funny – I thought Ygritte was irritating as heck and didn’t miss her. I was sad she died as she meant something to Jon, but I also half expected him to get an arrow through the neck sitting there in the middle of the fray holding her. Ah, drama.
I found Ygritte more annoying than I’d remembered my second time through the show, but still liked her and was so sad for her and Jon (#fvckOlly!)
Ten Bears,
And how would they think “oh a great way to distract during this time is to have Jon yell at a dragon.” That’s the best you could come up with after hyping the dude as hero of that story-line for 7 years?
also Pigeon
I was surprised the you both found Ygritte annoying. She was the opposite from annoying for me. I thought she played her plan perfectly with Jon as she annoyed him to the point that they both fell for each other.
Speaking of annoying, I think many had the reaction that Sophie’s Sansa was annoying. Kit even makes a huge point of how much Sansa annoyed him in one of those “The Cast Remembers” videos. But I vote for Sophie Turner for most improved actress. I wish the Emmy’s had such an award. From what I understand Sophie had a very hard time with the fans criticism of her acting and her character when she was growing up on the show. I think much of this was because her character was written to do very annoying things. She was written to take the safest route as she learned how to strategize. I thought as an actress, she had great scenes in both season 7 and season 8. I do wish that she had a chance to act with Lena in the later seasons. I think people would have seen that they would have performed on equal footing. The kids on the show must have learned a ton from their adult actors. Sophie’s mentor on the show and real life was Lena/Cersei. I hope Sophie is over all of the early fan noise. I can see how a young person who lives on social media could have been devastated by reading the twitterverse. Sophie has my vote for MIA (Most Improved Actor, but MIA has the wrong connotation, since she definitely wasn’t missing!! It was Lena who was missing in season 8 because of the story path.
ygritte,
You must’ve read my mind! I was going to snark about Jon Snow being reduced to ducking out from behind a rock to yell at an undead dragon, and then ducking behind the rock again.
P.S. I should hasten to add that for me, in the span of 73 episodes there must be over 100 unforgettable scenes. Unfortunately, the downfall of NK isn’t one of them.
I honestly thought Jon was going to use his Targ powers by waking up Viserion with his yell and Viserion was either going to move out of the way or bend down so Jon could get on and ride over to the godswood. That’s my brain coming up with my own fan fiction but that’s what I was thinking in the moment it happened the first time I watched it. D&D were consistent in always picking the more straightforward path with Viserion just being a Whight and nothing more. I was thinking with dragons being magical and the strong Targ connection that there were other possibilities like Jon waking up the dragon with his yell! I thought it would have been a good use of Jon’s Targ story as well.
Tru dat.
Tron79,
I found Ygrittes character refreshing; she doesn’t live in a fancy castle, she lives a hard scrabble life but manages to love and laugh and fight. Would of been cool if she met Arya, they would have lots to talk about.
Tron79,
Totally agree; the hate was because people kept forgetting she was a child, doing childish things and not understanding the repercussions. They blamed Sophie for all those things, a young girl herself who was trying to act as the character was written. And she got death threats for it! I hope she’s over it too but suspect it took lots of therapy (she has said she was treated for depression)
sounds like they all did; i also credit the older actors to keep them from making the same mistakes that othr child actors have – I think of Drew Barrymore (who managed to overcome her issues) and Judy Garland (who didn’t).
ash,
I recall reading an interview of Maisie Williams in which she credited Lena Headey for helping keep her grounded. I couldn’t find that interview. I did come across two others (that have nice pictures too):
• Maisie Williams July 15, 2019 interview by Kiernan Shipka in “Tings” (tingslondon.com)
https://tingslondon.com/2019/07/15/maisie-williams/
_____
• 3/29/19 Smagazine interview
http://smagazineofficial.com/trending/meet-our-spring-cover-star-maisie-williams-032915191
Excerpt:
Williams has also formed a unique friendship with Lena Headey, who plays the cunning, cruel, and cold Queen Cersei. “Lena has always treated me like a young adult. Even when I was a kid, she never treated me as one,” she says.
That feeling of equal treatment and recognition from such a veteran co-star was huge for Williams, as navigating life while in the spotlight felt particularly unusual. “I really loved that, because it was such a weird world; one week, I was at school having to raise my hand to ask to go to the toilet, and the next week we’re with fans signing autographs,” says Williams. “She just always respected me.”
I just loved Rose Leslie as Ygritte. And obviously I wasn’t the only one…
In my compilation of Perpetual Rewatch scenes, there must be at least five or six Ygritte scenes, including one in which we get a rare smile from the King of Brooding:
Ygritte & Jon (from S3e7, “The Bear and the Maiden Fair,” directed by Michelle MacLaren)
at 1:30 – 1:50
Ygritte: “Oh! A spider! Save me, Jon Snow! My dress is made of the purest silk from Tralalalalaaeeday.”
Tron79,
Ten Bears,
Variety is the spice of life and all that. I think most people liked Ygritte, I’m fine with not being one of them. 🙂
I have never understood being so riled up about a fictional character that you take it out on the actor. You don’t have to like an actor, either, but if you’re being a twat to someone because they play a character you don’t like, I’m pretty sure you need a massive reality check. Case in point: Brenock O’Connor.
I assume and hope that “being a t*at to someone” and needing “a massive reality check” weren’t directed to me.
All I wrote was that I really liked the Jon & Ygritte scene from “The Bear and the Maiden Fair.”
I don’t think I’ve bashed an actor or character in quite a while (except for calling Euron a “cackling clown” several weeks ago.)
Pigeon,
While I’m replying to you, let me add…
(*In voice of Mad King*)
“🔥Burn the mall!”🔥*
https://i.pinimg.com/736x/19/32/57/193257e204ff3c9cd1b98e8fe825f16a.jpg
* Not to be taken seriously! I am NOT promoting arson, or in any way insinuating that I’m planning on setting fire to anything.
mau,
Miscellaneous question and comment about actors and actresses wanting scenes with Lena Headey/Cersei:
• Arya’s last scene with Sandor in S8e5 (link below) began with:
Sandor: “Go home, girl. The fire will get her, or one of the Dothraki. Or maybe that dragon will eat her. It doesn’t matter. She’s dead. And you’ll be dead too if you don’t get out of here.”
Arya: “I’m going to kill her!”
***
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DgACkATLvA
Then, Sandor talked her out of it:
Sandor: “You think you wanted revenge a long time? I’ve been after it all my life. It’s all I care about. And look at me.”
(He pulls her by the arm to get her attention, and implores her…)
Sandor: “Look at me!
(He gently cradles the back of her neck, looks into her eyes, and says earnestly)
Sandor: “You want to be like me? You come with me, you die here.”
(As he walks off, Arya calls after him)
Arya: “Sandor! Thank you.”
• Question: When Sandor ascended the stairs, he saw that neither the fire nor a Dothraki had gotten Cersei; a dragon was flying high above and didn’t look like it was about to eat Cersei. She was certainly not “dead” yet.
It looked to me that Sandor let Cersei skeedaddle down the stairs and scamper right by him. (Yes, I realize he was focused on his big brother Gregor.)
I just wondered: Why didn’t Sandor take a whack at Cersei with his sword?(“Oh! Another name off the Wolf Girl’s List! I’ll do it for her.”)… or grab Cersei by the throat, thereby fulfilling the Valonqar prophecy.
• I admit that when I saw Sandor approaching Cersei, I was hoping Sandor would turn out to be the Valonqar. My tinfoil Valonqar Sweepstakes had Sandor Clegane at 4:1 odds, right behind Jon Snow aka Aegon Targaryean 2.0 at 3:1 odds. (I had thought it’d be a neat twist upon a twist by GRRM if Cersei thought Tyrion was the prophecied “little brother” who’d strangle Cersei; the fandom thought Jaime would be the “little brother”; but the “little brother” turned out to be the younger son of Rhaegar/lilttle brother of Aegon 1.0 that nobody knew about. After S7, I had also surmised – incorrectly – that the scene in S7e2 of a pissed off Jon choking LF foreshadowed Jon later choking someone who placed Sansa in peril; and that Cersei would follow through on her threats and abduct Sansa. Otherwise, that Jon/LF encounter was (to me) just a throwaway scene. )
I had not included Random Falling Brick #322 in my Valonqar Sweepstakes.
5:54 pm: I just noticed a new post for WotW Awards “Best Death” Preliminary Round Voting! Off I go!
Ten Bears,
“After S7, I had also surmised – incorrectly – that the scene in S7e2 of a pissed off Jon choking LF foreshadowed Jon later choking someone who placed Sansa in peril; and that Cersei would follow through on her threats and abduct Sansa. Otherwise, that Jon/LF encounter was (to me) just a throwaway scene. )
I had not included Random Falling Brick #322 in my Valonqar Sweepstakes.”
Lol.
You and everybody else I guess.
That scene replaced a scene with Ghost that was actually filmed but never made it to screen. Apparently they thought that Jon had had no scenes with master of plotting and murder, so they decided to add one with the same meaning but a more intense vibe (Cogman said this).
Had they followed the leads of season 7, we might have seen an actual plot in season 8.
You should have included that brick after all.
That scene with LF was brilliant. It was awesome seeing those two alone in a scene. They both chewed up that scene and executed it magnificently.
What scene with Ghost was cut? Cersei finally showing how afraid she was of dying while everything she thought she built and ruled was crumbling and crashing down around and eventually on top of her was breathtaking. Jaime being there was the icing on the proverbial cake. He was addicted to Cersei and was always going to go back to her and die with her. He died in the arms of the woman he loved.
Ten Bears,
thanks for those, TB. Its weird looking at those incredible shots of her, and remember the first time I saw her she was using a bucket for a helmet and hiding from the royal family. Ive said it before-they were so lucky that they got these kids who are so talented, and who are also good kids (well, young adultss now)
Ten Bears,
probably my fav too! She was so great in that role!
ygritte,
Jon did much more than simply yell at a dragon. He united the biggest army in Westeros and brought them to Winterfell to combat the threat, organized Winterfell’s defenses, and, with the help of Danerys, knocked the Night King off his dragon. Besides Arya, Jon contributed the most to defeating the White Walker threat.
Ten Bears,
I’m surprised to hear you say that, since taking out the Night King was Arya’s big moment. For season 8, it’s probably the scene I replayed the most along with “Sandor. Thank you.”
Exactly. From the very beginning Jon was putting it all into play. If it wasn’t for Jon going to HH, nobody would have even known the NK existed in the first place and no preparations could have been made. He also united the NW and the wildlings and brought Dany and her armies into the fold. And like you said, he assisted in knocking NK off Viserion. That alone made NK way more vulnerable, so Arya could eventually get to him on foot and deal the final blow.
Jack Bauer 24,
“What scene with Ghost was cut?”
Instead of the LF scene there was a scene with Ghost where Jon says goodbye to him and asks him to take care of Sansa (“take care of her for me” was the line).
The focus of both scenes is Sansa.
I suppose that along with other scenes it was made for establishing for the audience the strong bond between Jon and Sansa (therefore, I guess, killing Daenerys in the end for Sansa wouldn’t seem so strange).
The LF scene was far stronger imo. It contains a good part of LF’s mo to try to find out what triggers Jon (he “flatters” him, mentions that he owes him, that Catelyne didn’t like him, etc), and he found it in the end; it’s Sansa. The scene mirrors LF’s chocking by Ned back in 1.3 (? I think) and establishes Jon as Ned 2.0.
Cogman said that after making this scene (apparently for filling in the narrative gap of Jon never having a conversation with the master of conspiracies), including the goodbye scene with Ghost in the courtyard would have been anticlimactic, while the chocking left quite a lot of tension lingering, so they decided to cut Ghost.
If I’m not mistaken another reason that has been put forward for Ghost not appearing at all in season 7 was budget reasons; meaning, it was said that the bear scene in 7.6 was far too expensive to actually include Ghost too (which imo is not a very reasonable explanation). In this case they ditched the Ghost scene and decided to replace it with the LF scene, which was more intense. (I loved both KH and AG in it)
Young Dragon,
That doesn’t count of course to defeat the white walkers. Bringing them together. They would have won no matter what right? right? If Jon didn’t bring them together they would have won? (sarcasm off). Jon did the most of all to win that war. Bringing them together. For me it doesn’t matter who nicked a magical sword in the NK ass in the end. But for some only the ending counts. Who delivered the last blow.
I remembered loving Ygritte on first watch mainly because she was a bada$$ redhead and I did ship her & Jon. The second time I thought, “Didn’t recall her being so sex-obsessed…” xD But I still always liked her. Hated Sansa from the start. Towards the middle I said, “Well, at least she’s…getting better?” But by the end she was still among my least favorites, and even further down the list if possible. I’m not a huge Sophie fan, but she did improve over time. And of course it’s crazy not to be able to separate an actor from a character.
One thing people seem to forget in all the hand-wringing about season 8 and particularly the fate of KL, is just how big a betrayal had been committed by Cersei. Not only Cersei but all of KL with her. Through tremendous cost and danger the delegation from the north had shown them the danger of the army of the dead in the north but coming south – with the captive chained wight. Everyone then understood the mortal danger that all humans were facing. At such a moment Cersei chooses to gamble with the future of all of humanity by betting that it if she and KL renege on their promise to help in the battle against the NK, somehow everything will be OK and the NK will only weaken her enemies.
No-one seems to have really grasped how enormous a betrayal this was, dwarfing all her other treacherous acts. And all KL – except Jaime Lannister – fell meekly in line behind her with this. After that they were maybe deservedly cruising for a braising after all?
To hunt for an analogy to such a betrayal, imagine that two powerful nations like – say – Russia and the USA, find themselves up against a powerful and deadly adversary that threatens all of humanity, and they agree to join forces against it; only then, while Russia for example joins battle with this evil foe, the Americans (and perhaps the British with them) hang back and leave Russia alone to fight this enemy. Hang on though – didn’t that already happen, in WW2!?
Ten Bears,
You wrote: “After S7, I had also surmised – incorrectly – that the scene in S7e2 of a pissed off Jon choking LF foreshadowed Jon later choking someone who placed Sansa in peril; and that Cersei would follow through on her threats and abduct Sansa. Otherwise, that Jon/LF encounter was (to me) just a throwaway scene. ) I had not included Random Falling Brick #322 in my Valonqar Sweepstakes.”
LOL, Ten Bears. I was sure it was brick #VS 325. Seriously, Dany was apparently the Valonqar IF there was one. Unless Cersei got captured, tried, and executed by Dany, probably the only practical way Dany could killl Cersei was to have Drogon bring the house crashing down around her. That seems fitting since Cersei herself had spent much window time contemplating her masterpiece, the Sept ruins, which she had made by bringing it crashing down on her enemies.
I consider the Jon v Baelish scene essential to Jon’s arc. We viewers know LF had long plotted the downfall of House Stark and was the prime mover of endless mayhem. He had betrayed Ned and (my theory) given Joffrey the idea of surprise-killing Ned after he made his humiliating confession. Jon didn’t know any of this and wasn’t there when LF was formally accused of many crimes by the family and executed by the MFGess. But by then Jon must have realised that LF had some hold over Sansa and possibly romantic intentions. Jon merited a mano-a-mano conversation **in front of Ned** where he threatened that scoundrel to protect the sister he was leaving alone. And if Ned was watching with stony eyes, he saw Jon push LF up against a wall by the throat and threaten him…just like Ned had done.
Dire guineapig,
You wrote: “… Not only Cersei but all of KL with her…Through tremendous cost and danger the delegation from the north had shown them the danger of the army of the dead in the north but coming south – with the captive chained wight. Everyone then understood the mortal danger that all humans were facing.”
The KL residents didn’t ‘betray’ Dany. It was vital that Cersei paint Dany as a foreign invading devil, not the saviour of Westeros. They were manipulated by Cersei. I doubt Cersei even told them about the Others, just about Demon Daenerys and her Deadly Dragons. Worse, Cersei had the gall to use the people as human shields. The populace were innocent victims caught in the crossFIRES. We saw the horrific price they paid for Cersei’s misdeeds in the final 20 minutes of S8E5.
Dire guineapig,
And still the people of KL are innocent they didn’t know about this evil. They don’t believe in it. Cersei didn’t tell them. So how were they suppose to help?
Stark Raven’ Rad,
This. If we would punish the civilians for the deeds of their leaders, not a single person would be alive today. Every country has some bad leaders, now or in the past.
I guess maybe the valonqar was a combination of Tyrion (who aided Dany, helping to bring the instrument of Cersei’s demise to Westeros) & Jaime (who actually had his hands around her…)
“Human shields” against someone on a dragon is such a weird concept. She didn’t have to burn everybody else. (Well, aside from the fact that the prescribed ending called for Jon killing her, of course.) And I still don’t know what was going through any of their heads, running INTO the city where some dangerous shenanigans were clearly about to go down. I would’ve packed as much as I could in time and gotten outta the way like, “Yeah, this is between you two.” Much like Cersei scooting past the Cleganes. xD
Shelle,
I didn’t get that either. The city is under threat of being dragon-bombed, so the citizens of KL decide it’s better to pack together into the middle of the city that’s about to get roasted? Perhaps they just didn’t have anywhere else to turn and assumed Cersei would protect them?
Shelle,
About the Volanqar: I think the Volanqar is not in the books, or not alive at the moment anymore when Cersei dies in the show. I still think it’s Young Griff, some others think it’s Stannis (Highly unlikely in my book). Another is that it refers to Dany herself. Which make sense what the show depicts. The Volanqar part was just spoken after the name Rheagal was spoken. But also after Robbert. And another is that it’s Euron in the books.
About the human shield. Well depends. If Cersei depicted Dany as a Tyrant, a demon etc, fleeing put you in Dany’s territory. She is out there. Inside she is not, and they put their fate in Cersei’s handywork.
But I think it has more to do with the timing in the show, and eliminated characters, that it’s Cersei and Dany in the end. Which I think in the books it’s a dance with dragons: Griff vs Dany vs Jon. And that make much more sense that the people stay with their King which they adore and would gladly die for instead of you know Cersei.
Mr Derp,
Ikr?? Seemed pretty clear that a bloody, probably also fiery battle was likely to be taking place in the city shortly…dispersing and camping out elsewhere or whatever might not be ideal but it’s preferable to being roasted or caught in the fray (like, I live in NJ and my parents pulled my brothers and me out of school on 9/11 *just in case* we had to run anyplace)…and they’d have to be even dumber than I thought to have any impression of Cersei as a protective monarch. xD But I suppose I’m asked to believe that they did herd in like sheep and put their fates in her hands.
kevin1989,
And yeah, I can’t really guess how the valonqar thing will play out in the books. Assuming they arrive. x3 I’m sure there are some theories with reasoning behind them (Stannis though, really? Wow.) But yes…that does seem far more plausible!
Sigh, yet another article where a key actor/actress has to defend S8 due to the criticism from a segment of the fan base. I agree with Sophie on her character (even though far from one of my favourites), Sansa got a “good” ending, ruling the north having a lot of influence etc. Also it makes sense for Bran to rule given the remaining options, my only disagreement was the build up for it – there wasn’t any.
Regarding Mel, I agree her death was fantastically done and well set-up. My only minor criticism was how she rode in just before the AotD arrived but to be honest that’s not really any issue.