What can you expect in the Game of Thrones Season 6 Finale?
Vengeance. Justice. Fire and Blood. All that and more.
Spoiler Note: This post is for those who have read the A Song of Ice and Fire series. The post and the comments section will contain spoilers from the novels! Because no, we are not all Unsullied now. If you haven’t read the books yet, please check out our non-book-reader recap. Thanks!
Ah, Game of Thrones. There’s nothing else like it on television. This show had me losing it before the episode even started, thanks to the Tower of Joy and Lyanna mentions in the “Previously On.” The feeling only grew with the ineffable rightness of seeing the Stark direwolf restored to Winterfell in the opening credits. I clapped, goddammit. I actually clapped.
So did the episode live up to the hype?
Oh hell yes. But let’s jump back and recap a bit. (A lot. That’s how I roll.)
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The season finale of Game of Thrones opened up with a stunning sequence, depicting the trial of Loras Tyrell, and Cersei Lannister’s cunning method of using their attempt to bring her down as a way of destroying her enemies. With the scenes set to Ramin Djawadi’s lovely and unsettling “Light of the Seven” (on the newly released season 6 soundtrack, GO GET IT), we’re treated to the players preparing themselves for the big day (Cersei in her best Tywin Lannister cosplay) and gathering in the sept of Baelor.
Loras’s trial is a painful drama, with him forced by the High Sparrow to play his part to rob the Tyrells of their heir. Of course Cersei doesn’t show for her role in the affair, and Margaery wisely catches on that something is afoot, but too late. Cersei’s vengeance has already begun. Grand Maester Pycelle is viciously slaughtered by Qyburn’s little birds, while Lancel is lured underground to witness the lighting of the wildfire caches stored beneath the sept. (Cersei’s special punishment for the lover for who betrayed her, fitting since Lancel had a close shave with death at the Blackwater when he was injured.)
The wildfire explosion kills Lancel, Margaery, Loras, High Sparrow, Mace Tyrell, Kevan Lannister and everyone else in the sept, while Cersei glories in it from the Red Keep (with a glass of wine, I mean this is Cersei). It’s a gruesome sight, the good and the admirable people going up in green flames along with the hateful. Cersei did save one enemy from the fire- Septa Unella, whom she hands over to the Mountain for horrifying up close and personal time.
But there is one casualty of the widespread slaughter that Cersei didn’t anticipate. Kept safely from the trial by his mother’s guard, Tommen is left alone to watch the smoking ruins of his wife and the sept of Baelor. The boy who never sought to be king removes his crown, and leaps from the Red Keep to his death. Poor Tommen. He was a good kid. He didn’t deserve the punishment of being crowned.
Cersei has achieved Rains of Castamere-style victory over those who tore her down, but nothing she did could keep Maggy the Frog’s prophecy from being fulfilled. Every step she took brought the doom closer.
This also confirms that the explosion we saw in Bran’s vision was of course a glimpse of the future, not the past. And that the Mad Queen we should probably be worried about is Cersei, not Daenerys.
At the Twins, the Freys are celebrating their victory in retaking Riverrun but Jaime just isn’t that interested. Not even banter with Bronn over women is picking him up.
Jaime: “Not my type.” Bronn: “Not blonde enough?” Are we talking about Cersei, Brienne, or both? I’m going with both.
He has a chat with Walder over the great victory in ending the siege, which is pretty weak since House Frey had to have their asses saved by the Lannisters. Walder draws comparisons between himself and Jaime, being kingslayers, and Jaime doesn’t care for that either. Unlike Walder Frey, he does care what people think of him, and Jaime’s growing unhappiness with his existence is apparent.
In King’s Landing, Tommen’s death is confirmed as Cersei views his body. She is strangely calm, as though the grief has been burnt away. She orders his body to be turned to ash, and buried in the place where the sept once stood so that he can be with his siblings.
Next up, we catch up with Sam and Gilly who have arrived in Oldtown, and can I just- I mean can I- holy jeez-
Oldtown is supposed to be incredibly beautiful, and Game of Thrones delivers with a gorgeous first shot of the city, with the Hightower in all its glory, and white ravens (signaling winter) flying away.
Once arriving at the Citadel, the duo encounter a hilarious bureaucrat- apparently no one was informed of the changes at the Wall, so Sam’s not quite in as a student yet.
But he does get a sneak peek at the library, and it is the stuff of nerd dreams. There isn’t any book-loving geek alive who doesn’t understand how Sam felt walking in that room. The awe-inspiring library, the endless shelves of books, and beams of light, and the hanging astrolabes (shout-out to the show’s opening credits!), all the knowledge Sam will have access to now… I cried.
And now I wonder if Sam will so easily be able to divide his loyalty between Gilly and the Citadel, if they accept him. Either way, I can’t wait to explore it more in season 7.
At Winterfell, the day of Melisandre’s reckoning has come. Davos confronts her with Shireen’s scorched toy stag, and the priestess admits to burning the girl at the stake in order to further their cause. Davos demands the right to execute her but Melisandre makes a strong case for her survival- she’s needed for the war to come against the White Walkers and the army of the dead. There’s also the little detail that this woman raised Jon from the dead.
Jon compromises by exiling Melisandre to the south, with the warning that she’ll be hanged if she returns.
She leaves Winterfell but I doubt we’ve seen the last of Melisandre. She’s going south, Arya is south- Mel did say the two of them would meet again someday…
Jon and Sansa sort out bedrooms (calm down, shippers) and Sansa admits she doesn’t trust Littlefinger, and that she should’ve told Jon about the Knights of the Vale before the battle. Jon reminds her that they need to trust each other, and they share a smile over the confirmation that winter has come.
We pop down to Dorne for a quick visit that will undoubtedly piss off some ASOIAF fans due to the adaptation of Doran Martell’s well-known speech from A Feast for Crows.
Vengeance. Justice. Fire and blood.
But I liked the scene a lot. Doran’s already been killed and you gotta keep on moving. Yes I would have loved to see the original arc with Alexander Siddig giving the whole speech and blah blah blah, but that’s besides the point. What we saw onscreen tonight was good. We had Olenna reading the Snakes for filth because that’s what she does to people, we have Ellaria using diplomacy and cunning, and we have Varys stepping in to tie it all together, with the Martell-Targaryen alliance being born, with a side of Tyrell.
I think this episode is a good demonstration as well of the principle that a lot of time can pass in one episode of Game of Thrones, and people just have to roll with it sometimes. Varys is in Dorne, and pretty soon he’s going to be back in Essos. We can infer that the boring traveling happened.
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In Meereen, Daenerys gives her boytoy his walking papers, due to the practical necessity that she may have to make marital alliances down the road. Daario is refreshingly lacking in ego, willing to be her sidepiece even when she’s married, but Dany won’t do that. Daario and his Second Sons will be staying behind to help maintain peace in the city, and the khaleesi is moving on. But first she renames Slaver’s Bay “Bay of Dragons.” No ego here.
Afterward, talking it over with Tyrion, Dany admits that she felt nothing while ending it with her lover. Tyrion claims to suck at consoling but then delivers a touching declaration of his own. He’s never believed in anything, but he believes in her. Daenerys gives him a gift she’s had made- a Hand of the Queen pin.
(So now he’s totally going to die, right? Maybe Tyrion is the recurring exception to that rule.)
Back at the Twins, Walder Frey is settling in to eat a heaping serving of pie, which isn’t surprising. He’s always eating or drinking, I’ve noticed. He’s a creature of avarice, always hungry for more.
Not anymore.
Old Walder is looking for his boys Black Walder and Lothar, but the serving girl informs him- they’re already here. As in, right there, in the pie he’s dining on. That’s right, it’s time for FREY PIE.
She tears the face from her, and we see it’s Arya (I guess she swiped one on her way out of the House of Black and White?), relishing in Walder’s freakout. Arya identifies herself clearly, before slicing his throat and watching him bleeding out with barely contained sociopathic joy in her face.
In the godswood at Winterfell, Littlefinger finds Sansa. He shares with her his hope, his vision for himself: him on the Iron Throne, with Sansa by his side. His vast ambition is not surprising considering the maneuvers he’s gone through in the past six seasons. He takes the opportunity to push for more distrust between her and her brother Jon.
Further north, Benjen brings Meera and Bran to a heart’s tree close to the Wall, and explains he can’t go any further with them due to the magic built into the Wall, keeping the dead from passing. He’ll keep on fighting for the living, but Showhands departs as quickly as he appeared.
Bran touches the tree, and dives back into a vision- the one we’ve all been waiting for, the Tower of Joy.
This time, Bran is able to follow his young father up into the tower, where Ned (Robert Aramayo) finds his younger sister Lyanna (Aisling Franciosi) lying in a pool of blood on a bed. Lyanna is dying, and we quickly find out where the blood came from- she’s just given birth. She pulls her brother close, and whispers:
“If Robert finds out, he’ll kill him. You know he will. You have to protect him. Promise me, Ned. Promise me.”
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Ned holds the baby, and with a swell of music, the show non-too-subtly cuts from the child to a close-up of Jon Snow’s face.
This is it, the answer. Sure they held back a little with that whisper- they’ll make us wait until next season to get the confirmation on Jon’s father, but with the Kingsguard watching over Jon’s birth at the Tower of Joy, there is little doubt who fathered this baby. Unless they pull a fast one, R+L=J, y’all.
Now we return to Winterfell for another edition of “Lyanna Mormont is better than all of you.”
At a meeting of the northern lords (plus Littlefinger lurking suspiciously), Lyanna Mormont calls out the lords who didn’t rise to the Starks’ call to fight, and decides that bastard or not, Jon Snow is the king, the Stark, she’ll follow. Manderly and Glover apologize, and the assembled all declare Jon the new King in the North.
Now we know what makes little Lyanna Mormont smile- shaming old men into doing the right thing.
Jon Snow rises, the King in the North.
Sansa smiles too, but sees Littlefinger lying in wait, and we know there’s still mistrust and manipulations to be dealt with. Are Littlefinger’s insinuations working on Sansa or is she merely biding her time until she can find a way to smartly be rid of him?
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You thought we were finished? Not even. After skedaddling from the Twins, Jaime and Bronn have headed back to King’s Landing to find a smoking ruin in the city.
Jaime heads back into town and the Red Keep to find people assembled in the throne room. Cersei marches in, all fierceness in her new black gear with metallic accessories- and takes the throne. As Jaime watches warily from the back, Qyburn declares Cersei queen in her own right. The power she’s always wanted is finally hers. Not by right of birth or marriage, but because she took it.
Oh man, you’re all screwed now.
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And now, what you’ve all been waiting for, for seasons, books, decades- Daenerys departs Essos, heading westward from Meereen.
When we met Daenerys Targaryen, she was a frightened young girl with a mad brother and a rough marriage prospect. Now she’s headed back to Westeros with the might of the Greyjoys, the Tyrells, the Martells, the Unsullied, a Dothraki khalasar, Varys, Tyrion Lannister, Missandei…and three grown dragons.
Not bad, Dany. Not bad at all. Can anything stop her now?
Damn, almost forgot about those White Walkers, didn’t we.
Highlights/Thoughts:
The music: Ramin Djawadi has really stretched and outdone himself this season and this episode in particular. Beautiful work.
The Mad Queen: give Lena Headey that Emmy. But really that first 15-20 minutes or so was just incredible, so eerie and beautiful. The dread grew, and you know what was coming, but with the actors, the stabby children, the ghastly wildfire explosion, and Cersei’s icy vengeance, it was a stunner from start to finish.
The visuals: Give it up for the CGI people, and the writers and the director for their vision. The finish with Daenerys and her full following, Oldtown and the Citadel, the sept of Baelor and the trial, the godswood, and more. The episode was packed with eye candy.
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Lyanna Mormont: You better watch out, GoT actors. Bella Ramsey’s going to walk away with the whole show if you’re not careful. She’s aces every time she’s onscreen.
FREY PIE: I’m glad to see it happen, but at the same time, damn. That was stone cold terrifying. Arya has gone to a deep dark place and I’m worried about her, more than ever.
Still rowin’: Yep, another season without Gendry.
Adaptation quibbles? I’m not bothered by having Pycelle’s death-by-little-birds come at Cersei’s behest instead of Varys’s. And I mentioned up above what I thought of the Fire-and-Blood speech popping up a bit tonight. I was completely blown away by the episode and I think the choices were sound.
Bless the Queen of Thorns: we think it, she says it.
RIP: Tommen, High Sparrow, Margaery, Loras, Mace (NOT NOW- okay, now, since you’re dead and all), Kevan, Pycelle, Lancel, Walder, Black Walder, Lothar. Unella will probably die terribly within a few days, given her company.
The only episode scene that lagged for me was Dany’s moment with Daario and Tyrion, until Tyrion took over and shared his surprisingly genuine thoughts. I’m not invested enough in the Dany/booty-call romance to care, though I do wonder if Daario will turn up down the road, and use the Second Sons against her. He’s a sell-sword, not a lapdog, and the decision may bite her in the ass.
Another fabulous season of Game of Thrones has come and gone. Hard to believe it goes by so quickly! Soon enough we’ll be looking ahead at season 7, and the speculation and spoilers and wondering cycle begins anew. Thank you for joining us all season, and I hope you’ve enjoyed spending this time with us here at Watchers on the Wall!
Howland Reed!
Queenslayer!
ManderlyPieCompany,
Great name!
I concur about Bella Ramsey, astonishing to think she has no prior acting experience.
HOLD THE DOOR
Edit: Damn.
IceMaul
Epic season finale!! Only complaint is lack of white Walkers but I feel like we’ll get them in spades next two seasons.
Amazing episode, and one of the best finales ever. 10/10. I’m not sure which is my favourite episode of the year.. Battle of the Bastards, or this. So many great pay-offs, confirmations, and surprises:
-R+L=J confirmed!!!!! The scene was perfect! “Promise me…”
-Walder Frey is dead! I suspected he might die… but I was shocked when she pulled off her face and turned out to be Arya!
-I also suspected Cersei’s wildfire, but did NOT expect the Tyrells to die! Also did not expect Cersei to claim the Iron Throne for herself!
-I knew Tommen would die tonight, but was shocked by his suiide!
-I expected Jon to become Lord Stark… but did NOT expect him to be crowned King in the North! It was a cool scene (and Lady Mormont was awesome), but… was anyone else worried by this? Reminded me too much of Robb’s ill-fated claim.
After two viewings, I can safely say they painted their masterpiece tonight.
When you realize GoT is gone until next year.
http://i.imgur.com/0lcznOt.jpg
Really wish Jorah could have been on that ship with Dany too. After all these years she finally leaves and he was a huge part of her journey
Pretty cool that we got Frey Pie and Manderly in the same episode, even if not the same scene. With Arya, Brienne, Sandor, and the Brotherhood all in the Riverlands, next season will start out with some more consolidation. Oh, and Melisandre is on her way there too.
Amazing!
If that’s the end of Daario, I have to ask, “Why did that character ever exist?”
Pissed off is putting it lightly. I was furious. They had a choice with Dorne: keep the Martells and the nuances of the Arianne v Quentyn succession fight and Doran’s long-game for vengeance, and ditch the Sand Snakes OR ditch the Martells, and keep the one dimensional Sand Snakes, with a one dimensional plotline. They made the wrong choice, and giving Doran’s defining speech to Ellaria was like one last slap in the face with in that regard.
Aside from that, though, it was a phenomenal episode from start to finish. King in the North!
Dear D & D,
Know that I now am looking, expectantly, to a scene where Ser Pounce consoles a weeping Cersei a la Mockingjay…
Good day to you Sers,
Deekan
That was the best damn episode in the entire 6 seasons.
Yes we hopped on the TARDIS a fair bit but it was def required.
Thanks D&D for finally giving us R+L=J. If we’d had to wait another year I think most of us would have popped a vessel or three.
Wasn’t expecting Tommen to fly out of the window though.
See y’all next year xx
King in The North!
How big is the Lannister army and who is supporting Cersei claim to the throne? Dany will annihilate her.
Thanks! The pie was fantastic this evening!
King in the north! This episode was great! Every bit of it! I teared up a few times.
The wall didn’t come down, but the episode still ROCKED….Its been more than 3 hrs, but my raging boner still hasn’t subsided…
LYANNA MORMONT LYANNA STARK HYPE FOREVER!!!!!
Giving Lyanna Mormont “the North Remembers” line – fuck yeah! Then she gives Jon a smile and Sansa is like so thrilled with her and I just YAY STARKS
But also, I looooooooved that they showed Jon and Sansa smile about “Winter has come.” We’ve seen that be such an ominous line over and over, it’s the threat that hangs over all of them, but when they’re both finally home for two Starks it’s also a reminder of what their house means, what it stands for.
I did not call Cersei crowning herself in a million years actually. I’m stunned. Cersei vs. the dragons I am so down.
Amazing season finale from start to finish. Season 7 speculation can begin since we are now in the home stretch
Hats off to Liam Cunningham though for making me, a grown ass man, cry. His scene with Carice and Kit was so moving. Justice for Shireen!
What was Cersei’s crown?
Anyone else thinks this episode will be the last time we see Baratheon stag on King’s Landing during opening credits?
Might I add: Thank You to Sue and the other people who create content/run this site, Ya’ll Rock!
Btw I thought Jon and Sansa were both freaking flawless. I was so thrilled how they handled that talk – that Jon acknowledged it was what she did that saved them, but she also just flat out apologized for not telling him, even if it did save them.
I was on a Stark high until the actors and Benioff destroyed my buzz.
Please for the love of the old gods and new, don’t give us this Jon vs. Sansa bullshit anymore. I know I thought it was coming, then I started to hope for the best, then I was thrilled with the episode….and now we get all this stuff about how Jon vs. Sansa is going to be an issue. And we know LF is going to fan the flames.
People are not giving LF credit for how silver tongued he is, and Sansa is still vulnerable in some ways. She’s 10000% going to fall for it, for a time. I think it’ll be painful to watch Jon, declared King in the North, still be made to feel un-Stark
BRAN get into a freaking weirwood and tell Sansa and Jon to cut it out I can’t take it.
A bit disappointed that Wyman Manderly was not as awesome as in the books, but the casting was spot on – don’t know the actor’s name, but he fit my mental image of Manderly.
Loved that shot of Greyjoy banners and Theon – Theon was literally, finally, having moment under the sun to shine.
Seven hells.
In terms of sheer scope and spectacle, that was probably the most epic finale ever. Some scenes, like Cersei’s checkmate and coronation, were absolutely fantastic. Others, like Arya killing Walder (with Frey Pie to boot!), felt a bit like fanservice. Overall a really solid finale though. Dany’s finally sailing home!!!!
PS. Varys jaunting over to Dorne and back probably beats Littlefinger for most egregious teleportation on the show so far.
Good King Joffrey’s Warty Penis (formerly renowned as deekan),
Good lord is there enough time between now and next season for all the Curtain Calls that need to happen?
Loved the episode.
So I guess Sophie Turner wasn’t trolling when she said Arya would check 3 names off her list.
1. Walder Frey
2. Black Walder Frey
3. Lothar Frey
(The latter two should be added to the list of deaths, FYI.)
And Red Wedding Revenge is officially done! Three years in the making.
Too late for Hodoring. So I’ll just say….
SUE THE FURY!!!!
Thanks for a season of great recaps, and for the site generally.
This episode also finally finally confirmed the thing I’ve always thought, which was that there were other people in the TOJ!!!
Ned’s visions in the book were so hazy and dreamlike that there was never focus on detail, but it always struck me as impossible that Rhaegar sends his Kingsguard to guard Lyanna having their son, but she’s up there alone? no way.
And we saw that there were two people. The camera even lingered on one of their reactions. Two other people who are (presumably?) alive who know that Lyanna Stark had Rhaegar’s son. Any chance that it becomes relevant?
I suppose that’s as plausible way to get vengeance as any other.
Nadia,
My guess, is yes. Although we didn’t get too good a look at them.
That was a great episode!
And finally we’ve finished act I (of GRRM’s original three-book plan).
Jack Bauer 24,
I was wondering the same. Does the Redwyne fleet even exist in the show? In the final scene, Dany’s had ships with Martell and Tyrell banners. Dorne in the show is basically the Martells, but Reach is not equal to Tyrells. Cersei should get the support of other prominent Reach houses. Redwynes are not an option since Olenna won’t allow it, but maybe we’ll see some of House Hightower next season. Also Randyll Tarly might support Cersei to become Lord Paramount of the Reach (Mace is dead).
I think they will also show the Lannisters under control of Storm’s End (for convenience) to make Cersei appear strong. That way she’ll have Westerlands, Crownlands, and Stormlands. Lannisters think they have the Riverlands too, but I doubt that will be true in season 7, with Arya dealing with the Freys.
I really want Cersei to meet Euron before Dany reaches Westeros. It will be fun.
DireWolfHeart,
Hahaha, of course. Could it end any other way?
Didn’t see anything specifically Lannister, but the antlers from the Baratheon crown are gone.
My god that was an outstanding episode of television.I’m not even upset that I have to wait a year loved that there were no cliffhangers.I know that we had been waiting so long for the tower scene but it did not dissapoint.They handled it perfectly it was so emotional making things clear but still leaving things to be explored next season.And the jump between the baby and adult Jon was so great I got chills
Sexposition?
great episode iam surprised that they didnt submit this one for writing.
i never knew who or what miguel sapochnik was before HardHome but that guy is officially one of the best director out there
every visuals are just amazing and yes Bella ramsey is killing it as lyanna morment
people who come up with darrio being something other than daario will just be disappointed ..just let it go already
sam at citadel ..hopefully we get marwyn and sareela next season and we get into the whole how the citadel conspired against targs
guess it was cersei’s crown in the end and she was rocking that costume
and how cool was that we finally get to see wolf at winterfell in opening credits
and targs banner in those ships
theories confirmed :
RLJ
jon does have a targaryen name
Cersei loves the power most and Dany is YMBQ who will take that away from her
euron and cersei going to team up
that mel scene with jon and davos is another parallel with dany jorah and barristan
a lot of comments about how dany made tyrion answer in last episode …she has asked him to be advisor last season ..done nothing but listen to him ..dany as just acknowledged tyrion that something no one ever did to him not even his family…will people give credit for that ..
Emmy to Diana Rigg. Probably my favorite scene was Lady Olena Tyrell ripping apart the Sand Snakes…Well,that was one way to save the Dorne plot…Get in the cavalry to save the day. Thank you Diana Rigg for being soo awesome!
aabe,
Tommen’s death officially wipes the Baratheon house off the map. (Remember, even though we know he’s a Lannister bastard, as far as Westeros is concerned it’s just a nasty rumor spread by the failed upsurer Stannis.)
The Tyrells were all but wiped out as well. Only Onella remains, and she’s too old to produce heirs.
The Lannisters are close to being wiped out as well. Only Tywin’s three kids remains, and right now they’re all childless. I doubt Cersei and Jaime will be producing baby #4 any time soon. Tyrion better get knocking soon.
The Martells were wiped out by the Sand Snakes.
The Tullys are pretty much gone as well. Edmure lives but is a prisoner. At least he has a son to carry on the name.
The Boltons are officially wiped out as well, bastards or no bastards.
At least the Greyjoys, the Starks, and the Targaryens are still around. Or … Are they?
Yep.
Nadia,
Totally agree with everything here. Jon/Sansa needs to be done.
On a separate note, the two deaths that I found most raw were Tommen and Lancel. Poor Tommen was manipulated his entire life, by his grandfather, by this mother, by his wife, and by the High Sparrow. He was constantly torn in all directions and incapable of making the “right” choice. He was never going to be a great leader, but it seemed like he honestly cared for the people of King’s Landing and Westerns and wanted to do right. It was so sad to think that his only true act of agency was leaping out of the window. That was the only time his decision was entirely his own. RIP, Tommen. And Lancel, after being humiliated, imprisoned, shamed, and tortured, received no resolution. He was truly “the broken man” and I found him so pitiable.
I LOVED the King in the North scene, but it’s clear parallels with Robb makes me worried. KitN didn’t work out so well for the Young Wolf. I felt that a lot of the reticence in Sansa was an echo of Catelyn’s fears and misgivings when Robb was crowned. Also, nervous about poor Arya. She’s in a bad, bad place. I thought the ending of her time in the HoBaW would make her reclaim more of her true Stark self… but here she is skinning people and making them into pies with a smile. Damn.
I loved it all. Some of the smaller details were the most powerful…
*Cersei dressing in black before anyone had died
*Pycelle showing us his ‘younger self’ again in his curtain call
*Finally getting to see how deadly the ‘little birds’ can be
*Lancel reaching out to the candle
*Margery remaining a smart player to the end
*The camera shot on the window as Tommen prepared to jump to his death
*Tommen’s silence as he jumped
*Cersei’s revenge on Septa Unella. Poetic but glad I didn’t have to watch.
*Shame shame shame
*Tyrion receiving his pin and declaring that he finally believed in something
*The release of the white ravens from Oldtown to coincide with Sam’s arrival
*The Queen of Thorns cutting down the Sand Snakes
*The camera shifting from the baby to Jon Snow’s face
*The Red Woman’s tears over the mistakes she has made and stoic acceptance of her banishment
*The tenderness shown between Jon and Sansa
*Sansa remaining politic in her actions with LF
*Lady Mormont’s very existence
*The finger in the pie
*Arya just being back in Westeros
*The crowing of the king followed by the crowning of the queen followed by Dany coming to change everything
*Seeing Cersei sitting on the throne. All these years she’s been a player yet no-one gave her any credit for it, but she proved them wrong.
*The look Jamie gives his sister on the throne
*The sun coming out from the clouds to shine down on Theon’s face
*The mention of the new paint job and then seeing the new paint job
*The music
*The direction.
Someone give that composer, that director and Lena Headey an Emmy stat.
I’m guessing the curtain calls this week is going to be a staff effort?
Next season there’s no reason for the opening titles to go across the Narrow Sea at all. Everybody is in (or about to be in) Westeros! It’s a brave new world.
I’m going to have to take all my rage that has been directed at Ramsey, Walder Frey, the High Sparrow, and Unella and focus it all onto that schmuck at the front desk of the library.
Lol at the poor souls out there STILL trying to argue that Jon could be Roberts son. (I’ve see more than a few pop up on social media.)
That was one of my first thoughts, too. They might’ve won it, too, considering most of the early reviews are saying this was one of the, if not the best, episodes ever.
Loved the finale!! I can’t believe Margeary died… I was hoping she might survive, but such is Game of Thrones… 🙁
I’m sooo happy Olenna referenced the Tyrells in Dorne 😀 😀
And I can’t wait to see her family avenged (I hope Cersei dies a painfull death!!!).
And hail to the King in the North!!! I’m worried by Sansa’s expression when looking at LF in that scene… and having to wait a year to find out what happens it’s just torture!!
I am very interested to see where the North’s loyalties lie when it comes out that John is Targaryian. Though this makes him a royal bastard he still is a bastard.
Frey for thought!
That was the absolute best GOT episode. Every other episode that might have contended for that title seems a distant second now.
R+L=J was so much more emotional than I was expecting.
Well, my guess is that
Best guess is that when Tywin tells Tyrion that “you’re no son of mine”, he’s being literal. Because it’s very likely Tyrion isn’t, but instead the son of the Mad King. We’ve gotten hints this season too. Tyrion walks in on the dragons, and unlike Quentyn Martell in the books, he does not get incinerated. Well, about that…
Nadia,
Well one of them is Wylla isn’t it?Considering they focused a bit on the sword Dawn I think those people might still be at Starfall.They were Dornish right?They could get them if they are needed for future purposes
I didn’t get to see it until 2 hours after the air time and then I had to watch it again right away. So I haven’t seen anyone else’s comments. So apologies if I say anything that has already been said hundreds of times!
Wow.
Completely agreed with Sue about the music. It really stood out to me. Even more than usual. At first I was confused by The Light of the Seven. It’s unlike any music we’ve ever heard on GoT before. But it quickly grew on me. It started to invoke the feeling of a Spanish horror movie. Maybe that’s a weird comparison and a silly thing to say, but trust me. It’s a compliment coming from me. I also really like the music in the final scene when it transitioned from the Greyjoy music to the Targ music.
Yeah, it was obvious both from the subtle clues in the books and the obvious clues in season 6 of the show that Cersei would use wildfire in a terrifying way. I’m sure some people will bitch about how it wasn’t enough a surprise, but I thought it was fanfuckingtastic. There’s a difference between shock and suspense. I prefer the latter and this episode really delivered the suspense. It was excruciating to watch but so, so good. Lena Headey’s performance scared the shit out of me and it will be an absolute travesty if she isn’t showered with awards. I also liked NCW’s performance a lot. Without him having to say anything, I could see he took a giant leap towards becoming valonqar (sp? Too lazy to look it up just now).
In Winterfell, Liam Cunningham was again my favorite. I watched the episode twice already and wept when he spoke of Shireen both times. I also think Aidan did his best work in awhile. Maximum creepiness. I loved the King in the North part deux bit, especially Lyanna Mormont. How cool was it that it transitioned from the ToJ and learning Lyanna Stark was Jon’s mom to Jon’s face to Lyanna Mormont delivering another bad ass speech? I think if Bella Ramsey had been born a few years later she could have played Arya just as well as Maisie does. What a bad ass! She’s a future star for sure. Sophie of course, turned in a great performance as well. I sure hope my girl Sansa knows better than to get sucked in by Littlefinger, but I don’t know.
I have to imagine that Olenna tearing into the Sand Snakes made a lot of people happy! I was clinging to the hope that Margaery would make it out alive up until the end so I’m all about her getting some revenge!
The Citadel was gorgeous and its gatekeeper provided some needed levity. I admit, I was hoping to see the obsidian candle though. Hopefully next season. I just loved seeing all the white ravens going from the tower and the library was so beautiful. No women allowed, my ass! If I lived in Oldtown, I would find a way in there. And in silly, shallow opinions it’s been nice to see Hannah Murray’s beauty not being hidden under rags anymore.
I was pretty excited to see that they worked the Frey pie in for us book readers and the music + the look on Maisie’s face were appropriately chilling. But as happy as I was to see Walder go and get the Frey pie, this scene was my only real quibble with the episode. It came too out of nowhere for my taste. I wish there had been a bit of a set up first. Minor thing though. It was still effective. It made me cheer and worry for Arya’s mental health all at once.
I also teared up a bit at Tyrion becoming Hand of the Queen. I’m so thrilled that Meereen is done and Dany is heading to Westeros at last. I’m not sure what the timeline is supposed to be and how Varys got there with Tyrell and Martell fleets so quickly, but fuck it. Who cares? Dany is finally going to Westeros! Yasssss!!!!!
This is maybe one of my favorite episodes ever. If not the favorite. Fuck the haters I’m sure are going to be posting. I blow a raspberry in your direction!
Snark time now. Did anyone else think of Renham’s suicide in the IT Crowd when Tommen jumped. It was similarly abrupt. I feel bad for thinking that way but it kind of took me out of it for a minute. Also, was anyone else thinking about Heathers when Lancel was trying to stop the wildfire bomb from going off?
I’m not sure she’s getting the chance?
Jaime may murder Cersei before Danny lands in Dorne…
Also did or did not Jon just become the most eligible bachelor in Westeros haha.And yes apparently he does have a Targaryen name
It was great. That’s really what I got.
I would pay to see Jorah run into Daario and ask how his relationship is going. ?
Sad to lose Margaery, who was smart, clever, likeable and strong – unfortunate to lose a woman like her. She was a rare breed.
I am now perfectly happy for Cersei to die, horribly would be nice, as she gets a lot of joy in other’s suffering. The Septa Unella thing had me lose any pro-Cersei thoughts I may have had – too far. Jaime had a look that should have struck her down then and there.
I wish Finn Jones had had more screen time this season. I’m fairly sure he’s the one who pitched a fit over the script, and I don’t blame him. Great actor. Maybe it was just me, but he seemed in more Iron Fist shape in this episode?
Jon has been voted into another leadership role he didn’t apply for, may he fare better than Robb! Lyanna Mormont is so great. May she be his trusted advisor and point out obviousness that he keeps failing to see. Love them both.
At the same time – Littlefinger, may you live and scheme forever.
Arya! Revenge served….well, warm. I’m not that worried about her – she couldn’t kill Lady Crane just ‘because’, she’s got her humanity still. Just not for her list. She could easily have taken faces from the Hall.
Davos, Tormund, Jorah, Jaime, Sandor, Pod and Bronn made it through the season. I can’t complain. I still miss Roose.
I will say I did not care for the piano and music at the beginning of the episode. I’m in the minority, but whatever. My complaints are very few for this episode, probably best of the season.
But no one’s stomach is that flat after giving birth!
1. Let the bodies hit the floor…or be incinerated by wildfire as the case may be…and fuck everyone who thought it was a good idea to include Margery in that…
2. As much as Sansa and Jon tried to avoid fighting each other, recent events plus that meddling little finger will indicate that they are still rivals for power…fortunately for Sansa she’s not as dumb as Lysa, but she’s running out of options…
3. Bran is the three eyed raven, but when will he realize that he is also a pawn of the nights king…
4. Martells all dead. Baratheons all dead, Tyrells all dead (Olennas alive, but as a house they are essentially dead), Tullys down to Edmure and baby Frey, the last Arryn survives only so much as Littlefinger thinks he’s valuble, Starks down to the last ropes, Lannisters and Greyjoys last only so long as they keep from murdering each other, Dany last Targaryn (except for Jon), and I think it’s been established both in book and show she’s barren…if any homo sapiens survive the white walkers they won’t include any members of the nobility except for Jon Targaryn.
5. Varys’s jetpack is far more powerful than Littlefingers ever was
6. Still waiting on a Grey Worm/Theon scene. Though now Varys is present so they can noe have a EunichCon before Dany sweeps the free cities.
7. Frey pies finally. Also humble pies.
8. Last hopes for LS dead and buried. Or thown back as the case may be…
9. Sams future looks bright. I hope he makes some friends soon…
10. Hopefully Euron will do something besides chew scenary next year…
Oh i want to cry! I will miss GOT soooo much for next months….
I woke up at 5:30 am to be able to watch this episode before i go to work…. And i don’t think i will be able to focus on any work today .
And i’m worried for Jon again. I had this bad feeling while they were screaming “The King in the North”
Music in this show is EVERYTHING !
If I recall correctly, William of Normandy (the 1066 guy) was also known as “William the Bastard”, since he was the illegitimate son of Robert I of Normandy.
Jon should do OK.
I can’t remember any episode like this where so many fan theories came true.
Evil Cersei is back, but what the hell is she going to do? Deanerys has it too easy! Only the Lannisters to face.
Arya..Brilliant. Most pleasing death to see, ever.
Jon Stark Targeryan. That is all! Sansa and Littlefinger gonna dig up trouble I feel.
Deanerys and Daario, he’s gonna betray her. Absolutely certain of that. ‘You will be betrayed three times, once for love’
Wanderer,
She literally says Robert will kill him if he finds out you have to protect him it’s clear.It made no sense for him to be robert’s son anyway
bit disappointed jorah was not with his Queen’s side when she set sail but glad missandei and GW did
another year for GRRM to reveal this RLJ and hope he makes use of it because there wont be third chance
all my years inside episode interviews always made sense with whats happening in the scenes..But sophie’s last two episode videos are just not making sense
this week she says jon doesnt acknowledge what she has done for him..when he actually did say that she should be lady of winterfell and without her the battle would not have been won..come on
Now that Daenerys is sailing towards Westeros, I am really curious to find out next year:
-will they cut or rush Sam’s story now because it should be much further as in the books?
-should they directly attack KL, will Jamie die along with Cersei? I hope not.
-What’s with Jorah Mormont? I hope there is still a place for him in the story
-what will Euron do with Daenerys not being in Essos anymore?
-where will Arya go next?
Best finale every. Maybe best episode ever. Cried the first time staring with ToJ and teared up the second time as well.
Sue, you hit it out of the park on the recap as always. God bless Lady Olenna – she did say what I’d been thinking for two seasons – shut up and let the adults/actresses talk.
I know there is the whole Sansa question given the one comment in Inside the Episode and the comments by Kit, Sophie, and Liam on the other video, but listen, it’s a drama, you need drama, if there wasn’t the slightest question that Sansa could possibly listen to Lord Baelish, then what would the drama be? They have to show Baelish and Sansa interacting to create that drama. What? He’s going to have a monologue intriguing or talk to some underling. It has to be with Sansa. It’s not bad – it makes for good TV.
RIP Tommen – you were too good, Joffrey was too evil, and Myrcella was just right … but all of you are now dead.
Show!Cersei is now the mad queen as was book!Cersei. Interested in seeing Lena’s take on that next year. The prophecy is fulfilled. I’d be interested in seeing if
next season. Jamie, Jamie, what will you do?
Arya – revenge is a pie best served cold … or something like that … I do worry about her … when her lists are cleared … will she be able to have a normal life … whatever that is
Mel on the road south – Brienne, Pod, Sandor, Beric, Thoros, Arya on the road north … could they possibly stop at the same inn along the way? I have a feeling that Mel will return north but will Davos and Jon fulfill their promise to kill her
Where is Kinvara … will the red priests be important in the Great War to come?
So many things! First thank you for the wonderful recaps all season-I’ve loved seeing them!
Biggest–Jon’s mother! I have been waiting SO LONG and I knew it! (PS Ned set down Dawn against the bed and it was central in shot…you know the Dayne sword made from a fallen star that was probably covered in blood?…just sayin)
That was just perfect–I wonder if we’ll ever find out what his mother named him.
Even better-it went right into him being chosen as KitN, as a bastard no less, so based entirely on his own merit.
I felt really bad for Marg because she knew-she tried to warn everyone, tried to escape. And she’d obviously made a deal with HS about Loras because you heard her say-you gave me your word. So all she wanted was to get her family out of there alive and in one piece-but no. The Mad Queen has arrived-with this crown she just happened to have made in case she killed you and drove her son to suicide. How fortunate. Are you done with her now Jaime? Was hearing Walder compare you to him and seeing what Cersei does when you’re away enough? She killed the younger queen, her whole family, your uncle and cousin and took the throne. Just turn around and leave while you still can.
PS Cersei’s army. I could so see Euron and Daario with their ships and second sons joining her ranks–the Vengeance brigade. (I really thought Daario must have had something up his sleeve-but no he’s just a spurned lover…one of the few disappointments that could now be resolved because Dany sucks at breakups.)
PPS-Cersei is queen and wants Sansa’s head. If LF can’t have Sansa/Cat, will he go there to be close to the throne again?
Where’s Ghost? Where’s the Hound? Someone save Sansa from his mind games. And save the actors because–there is no need for tension. Jon did acknowledge her. Jon said she was a Stark-made up the Lord’s bedroom for her-thanked her for saving them and winning the battle. What else is the guy supposed to do, fall on his sword? He can’t help it if people want to follow him. He didn’t campaign or anything. KING IN THE NORTH!
Also Lyanna Mormont for everything. She made stubborn Northern lords say they were SORRY. That was beautiful. Oh and for the bloodline people? Jon is still a Stark. He is Ned reincarnated in his behavior-Ned’s sister is his mother-he has a dire wolf…he’s a Stark. He just also happens to be a Targaryen so…extra badass.
Varys brought ships from Tyrell and Sands back with him-did you see all those ships? And enough time had passed for them to be fit with Dragon heads and sails–and the Dothraki weren’t heaving over the side or curled into little balls-so time had passed.
Don’t ask me how much-it’s getting confusing-but it doesn’t matter. My ONLY Varys beef was this was the very first time you ever saw Dany and Varys together and we didn’t see them meet. The Spider she believed had been sending men to kill her all her life-but was actually on her side. I’d rather have had that meeting than her breakup with Daario tbh.
Sam is in heaven. I hope he has help-that library would take five seasons to go through alone. And Oldtown was beautiful!! And the black stone at the base yay!
I can’t believe it’s over and we didn’t see Brienne or Gendry or snow falling anywhere else. Also how the hell is Meera supposed to get Bran to the Wall Benjen? Couldn’t you find an extra horse or something?
I might have to watch this season 20 times.
A couple more assorted thoughts.
Now we are truly unsullied. Seriously. I have no idea what’s going to happen now. This season we could use our book knowledge to make some pretty good guesses. That goes out the window like Tommen (too soon?) now.
I miss Brienne and the Hound. What happened to them? They were the only ones missing from the finale. Besides poor old Gendry of course!
I’ve never been a Jon and Dany shipper in the slightest but I’m starting to wonder if it’s going to happen. Dany talked about marriage, but who is she actually going to marry? Tyrion and Theon are already on her side. Edmure is I guess still a prisoner and already married. Sweet Robin still lives, but no. Just no. The only powerful bachelor right is Jon. Hmm.
Tyrion’s belief in Dany pulled me back into the scene before he and Jorah were captured by slavers, and Jorah mentioned how he had never believed in something before as well before he saw Dany and her baby dragons. I liked that.
More thoughts…
11. Dany should have spread the Ironborn, Dothraki and Unsullied between the ships so they can learn from each other during the journey
12. Is Dario going to remain loyal?
13. Dollouros Edd gets to live another season. Lucky him #sarcasm
A masterpiece of television and literature…”Game Of Thrones/A Song Of Ice And Fire”.
Not much else to add except to say…thank you for the recap and for all those who keep this site going, for all the work and effort you make on the behalf of all fans!
“Winter Has Come”….
Yep. I’ll be the Lannister Lion for a while, and then It’ll be the Three-headed Dragon…
Ack-I totally forgot about 4 things
-Davos made me cry for what he lost. Liam is the best!
-And the music was amazing-this is the first season I’ve purchased the soundtrack.
-Olenna. I have always loved her-now I am her biggest fan. She shut those sandsnakes down. 🙂
-Cersei’s confession to Septa Shame was so creepy and powerful and disturbing.
Sorry I’m still high on ToJ 🙂
Only Starks smile when Winter comes. Remember the next book was meant to be called “A Time for Wolves”. With my psychic senses I predict the Starks will rise again, stronger and wiser than ever.
One more thing: Jon Stark Targeryan = Azor Ahai Reborn; Half confirmed.
In ADwD, the last dream he has before he dies: He clasps a red burning sword in his hand and shouts ‘I am the King in the North’ while slaying dead men. Well, half of that has come true.
Jon will soon be clasping Lightbringer and kill the Night’s King. It is known. Watch this space.
I don’t know how seriously should we take these statements. It could very well be that they are only trying to give some fodder for off-season theorizing. The actors at this point would have no idea what’s going to happen next season. And as for D&D, at this time last season, they were telling us Jon was deader than dead, which was the truth, but a very misleading one. So I will not give this too much importance now, as I am so done with the “Jon is so naive” narrative.
The episode itself was fantastic. Can’t decide right now whether I prefer 9 or 10.
The tension being gradually built up in KL, that even though we knew what was going to happen it was still gripping to watch. And I agree with Sue, just give the emmy to Lena Headey already.
It looks like finally the Jaime-Cersei break is finally happening.
Loved the North scenes, King in the North!! Lyanna Mormont! Even though, the recall to Robb’s crowning was unsettling. I don’t want to start worrying about Jon’s life- AGAIN!
I don’t see Sansa siding with LF against Jon. I think she will watch his back and ultimately kill LF. Can the Hound reach the North fast enough and give her the motivation to do so.
So relieved to get the rlj reveal, finally. And lol at baby Jon looking as if he had the weight of the world on his shoulders! He was born brooding !!
Since I knew what was going to happen at the Twins, the surprise element was missing for me. I wonder where Arya’s story is headed. North, to her siblings or south, to cross more names off her list.
Dany gets yet another admirer, why am I not surprised. The final scene was fantastic though, just watching the might of Dany and to think all of this is headed to Westeros. I can’t see anybody giving her meaningful opposition right now.
Don’t want to nitpick, but wouldn’t the wilfire below the city not just destroy the Sept of Baelor if it does fire up?
schase,
I really enjoyed this comment.
The books/show really soar when they deliver a huge range of emotion–from triumphant to tragic, from hope to despair, from warm and fuzzy to ice-cold. That’s what made this episode work so well; it didn’t try to hit one shocking note as loudly as possible but went for range.
And a character like Tommen, who is so sweet and so doomed, is part of that. Your heart goes out to him. He was never up to the task, but he was never bad, either.
As for Lancel–that retreat into absolutism is scary, I think. But my heart goes out to Loras, who was a good guy.
dragonbringer,
Trust me don’t listen to Sophie just focus on what’s on screen
She was talking about during the King in the North scene. There when all the northern lords were declaring Jon King in the North. Jon does not acknowledge that Sansa was the one who really won them Winterfell. I am disturbed by those interviews that the show is setting up a conflict between Jon and Sansa that is going to put Sansa into a dark alliance with LF to undermine Jon. I think LF knows about Jon’s true parentage and would love nothing better than to get him out of the picture since he would be a big obstacle to his desire for the Iron Thrown. And if Sansa is miffed that she is not the ruler of the North all the better for LIttle Finger to achieve all his goals. Not liking that potential story arc…
First thoughts:
King’s Landing was sick!
Wasn’t a fan of Young Ned in episode 3, but he absolutely nailed it this episode. Actress who played Lyanna too.
*sigh* Arya is badass, I get it. Stop it with the fanservice already.
Kind of laughed out loud when they did the “Fire and Blood” scene after all. And why are all the Dorne scenes so super short? They always get straight to the point without any smalltalk or anything leading up to it, and the scene is over in seconds.
How did Varys get back to Dany that quickly? I was literally expecting the Sand Snakes to be on that ship when I spotted Varys there. Wouldn’t it have made more sense if he stayed in Westeros to help Dany from the inside?
Did Littlefinger really just try to make another move on Sansa? Really should’ve waited a bit until she trusts you more.
Overall: A bit of a slow episode, mainly because all the good stuff was in the beginning. After that it just dragged on and on. 7.5/10
Terrific finale, maybe the best one yet. “The Children” was great, but this one had a lot of emotional punch, between the tragedy in KL, R+L = J, and Jon being crowned King in the North.
I’m glad we saw Sam, but I did miss the Hound. I was really hoping we’d see him one last time. I’m also bummed at the lack of White Walkers, but what can you do.
It would have been cool if the great stuff in KL had been later on in the episode. It felt like a huge climax, and having it at the start of the episode meant that I couldn’t fully concentrate on the other stories because I was too busy processing what had happened
Will definitely have to re-watch the episode. Many times.
For me, the saddest thing is Margaery’s death. I knew she was a goner, but damn. It’s really tragic.
I also enjoyed Dorne for once, since the writers seem to acknowledge the stupidity of the Sand Snakes by having Olenna verbally destroy them. I thoroughly enjoyed that.
A few more random thoughts :
I was sad to see Benjen go. I have no clue what he is going to be doing now, but I hope we’ll see him again at some point.
I’m not sure how Arya managed to kill Black Walder and Lame Lothar and bake them into a pie all on her own. Seems like the people in the kitchens would have a problem with that. I’m also not sure why Walder is eating alone with no servants or guards anywhere to be seen. Would have also been cool to show us Arya escaping the Twins.
They just make it seem way too easy to infiltrate a fortified castle, murder two of the ruling lord’s sons, possibly some guards, bake them into a pie, serve said pie to the conveniently alone ruling lord, slit the lord’s throat, and escape the castle without being caught, seen or pursued. They should show us how Arya did some of this to make it a little more believable. When it seems so insanely easy to accomplish, it removes all tension and drama for me. But anyway, this is a fairly minor issue.
A slightly less minor thing, is Cersei’s reaction to Tommen’s death. We are told over and over that Cersei loves her children fiercely, and would do anything for them. You would think that after all she has lost, losing her last child would absolutely destroy Cersei, despite the prophecy having already told her that would happen. The fact that she is responsible for his death should make her even more distraught. But we don’t get any of that. We don’t even get to see her finding out that Tommen is dead. Huge rip-off in my opinion.
heh, saw this in the comment on another site and thought it was perfect:
“Who is going to play the role of Lady Stoneheart?”
“No one”
BranTheBlessed,
Didn’t he say “I am the Lord of Winterfell”?
Wow, that was truly breathtakingly good! One payoff after another!
The Winds of Winter: HBO trolls GRRM with the episode title and gives a lesson in how to bring a massive sprawling story back on track. Now we are pretty much down to characters introduced in the first book season with the arcs of secondary characters aligned with them.
Historical note: that was pretty much what would have happened to the English parliament, if the Gunpowder Plot had succeeded. Guy Fawkes really had placed a sh*tload of gunpowder under it.
Jenny,
Hiccup Targaryen,
I guess that makes sense if she is speaking about that scene.
I don’t think LF Knows about jon parentage he may suspect it but will not be sure about it .
On the other hand dany gets the admirer same way jon gets people calling him as LC or KITn or soon to be KO7K.
And that scene where Mel says to jon ” it could have been worse “…the stark children had family feasts and other things …there is someone who didn’t have those things growing up ..
I knew Cersei was going to get revenge on the Septa, she must have said it at least 4 or 5 times, but somehow, seeing it wasn’t nearly as satisfying as I thought it would be. I mean, last week, when Jon was smashing Ramsay’s face, I actually applauded and shushed my inner good person who was reminding me not to take too much joy in such violence. This time, however, I winced. That Septa was a big pain, but …
I’m totally on the Jon/Lyanna ship. Someone said 10 years? Nope, how old was Sansa when they were going to marry her to Joff and actually did marry her to Tyrion? Right after she “bled,” so maybe, what 13 or 14. Lyanna already has her eye on Jon. That’s more clear to me than any Jon/Sansa silliness you might want to put forth. As for the actress, Bella Ramsey, OMG that kid is adorable and nails every scene, like Sue said. I’m hoping they actually use her next year, and she wasn’t just for effect this year.
What will Olenna do with her army? Is it any match for the Lannister’s 8,000 men? Tyrell’s are gone; if old Mace had been spared, he might have found a young woman and made a couple new heirs, that’s done all the time. But he burned, too. The Tyrell’s were the one saving grace Cersei had with the Iron Bank. I know, I’m a nut case about the frikken Iron Bank, but what happens to her if they do call their loans? That’s just one of the myriad problems Queen Cersei is going to have. She can’t send Frankenmountain to fix that. Tywin warned her. Theoretically, couldn’t they seize Casterly Rock?
Someone mentioned seeing these last two episodes on IMAX this winter. Ye Gods, old and new, please make it so. So many many scenes in both episodes that would be excellent on the BIG screen, not the least of which was the sight of the Sept going down in green glory and the sight of Oldtown. Speaking of Oldtown, yikes, Sam will be in a complete stupor in that library. Woman, Baby. What woman and baby? Poor Gilly may be in a hard way in Oldtown.
Thank you, thank you, to Sue and all the other mods who have kept this place in order for this momentous, memorable season. Thank you in advance for keeping us happy in the long-ass off-season. Being a one year veteran of an off-season here, I can tell you newbies it’s well worth tuning in a few times a week for your Game of Thrones fix. Looking forward to seeing you in the weeks to come.
DireWolfHeart,
She’ll go places because of this exposure in Game of Thrones. 😀
Pycelle. WT&F. He was soooo funny.
dragonmcmx,
And why are all the Dorne scenes so super short?
Do you really want Sandsnake dialogue?
O dear!
My favourite Cersei is now Queen and what for a Queen!
And now she can finally make her relationship with Jaime official and have new children!
But I’ll miss Margaery, she and Cersei could have been a great team.
That music in the Kingslanding was so beautiful majestic.
Tywin can be proud of his twins now.
One thing I thought could have been in the next series: Arya killing the Freys, her speech: “I’m Arya Stark and I’m going home” could have been a powerful final S6-statement of her.
And I agree 200 %: Give Lena Headey the Emmy, she nailed it!
Oh Yeah. Still, the King in the North is by default the Lord of Winterfell 🙂
dragonbringer,
Sophie doesn’t really know what she is talking about on this topic.
” I’m not bothered by having Pycelle’s death-by-little-birds come at Cersei’s behest instead of Varys’s”
I guess/hope this is going to be one-upped – the little birds will eventually turn on Qyburn at Varys’s behest. He clearly gave a hint that they are still in his pocket, and it would be a nice (but minor) twist.
Loved, loved, loved this episode! In hindsight, I feel less kindly towards some of the episodes this season than I otherwise would have, but this was absolutely tremendous stuff. I know Emmy voters tend to concentrate on a single episode of a show for awards condieration, but this should have been the show’s Emmy writing submission. Tremendous, even with a couple of logical snafus. And also, give Ramin Djawadi an Emmy already. For heaven’s sake, it’s been six seasons and this was his best scored episode yet. https://goo.gl/AdSwWF
No, which is why we have the Queen of Thorns, thankfully.
Though why in E01 were the snakes so hot for revenge that they’d commit kin-slaying, and still sitting on their butts nine episodes later waiting for a prompt to act?
BranTheBlessed,
Shouldn’t he have already have that in his hand
Anyways He was killing his brother Robb mance halhand ygritte all the time yelling lord of winterfell
Wait, if Tyrion is really the Mad King’s son, wouldn’t that make Dany and he … sister and brother? I don’t know how they would go about proving such a thing, but so many of you seem to be saying it. Which, in a way, would be kind of a cool parallel. North being run by brother/sister; King’s Landing sister/brother (if Jaime lets her live) and now Dany and Tyrion. I’m just giddy trying to comment on all the special things of this episode. Tyrion bent the knee to her. THAT’s one of the last things I’d ever think to see. After all, he declared himself the most famous dwarf in the world. Now he’s totally enchanted by Dany. This will be so interesting next season.
dragonbringer,
I would say Tyrion might fall for Daeny but she seems to be destined to meet Jon. Who else than him. There is no much of options. Daario seems to mentioned that she is she going to marry and Daeny said she doesn’t know or none.
Does he have a Targaryen name? I watch it again and it seems like that only Lyanna warned Ned of Robert and to protect him. But then some people say like she said Ae… Aemon or Aegon?
Wow! This episode stunned me so many times. I will miss Margaery the most of all the people who died. Damn those sparrows! Though she wouldn’t have made it out in time anyway.
I loved Arya serving the Frey Pie and taking out the next name on her list. I suspect that she may have learned to take faces herself. And she definitely didn’t want what Bronn suggested after she poured his drink.
Loved, loved the Tower of Joy. When Lyanna whispers to Ned, I could swear she said, “His name is…” and a name that starts with a vowel. Could it be Aemon?
Now Bran knows the truth, Jon has been named King in the North, and the Night King and Littlefinger are waiting to tear him down. I am dying to find out what happens to all the Starks!
Off to watch this episode again.
I look forward to the Season 7 production followings!
Agreed, but I think the scene overall worked very well. I predicted (and hoped for) a Tommen death by suicide. It was a fitting way to have Cersei arc through ever more responsibility for her childrens’ deaths, ending in “complete”. I wouldn’t be surprised if this is book-canon, though book-Tommen is a bit young for that.
dragonbringer,
But even there sansa was smiling so I didn’t get that vibe.Plus people knew the vale came to their aid Jon says in the beginning that all of them fought together.Words have spread lord royce is there and everybody knows the vale came for sansa because she is robyn’s cousin.It’s not Jon’s fault that people want to follow him and that was a declaration for a leader in war and he is the right man for that job.Honestly don’t listen to sophie love her to death but what she says has nothing to do with what happens on screen.Plus they are setting up the #drama for next season.Make it look like LF comes between the two of them only for Sansa to take him out permanently but they can’t say that yet
Chad Brick,
Time passes slower in Dorne … I don’t know … logic doesn’t apply in Dorne … I really hope that if Dany lands in Dorne she will see them for what they are and send them on a mission to Qarth or Asshai … otherwise I will try to think as little of them as possible 🙂
Did you noticed Dawn that Ned took with him to Lyanna’s chamber. Maybe Jon will wield Dawn and Longclaw will go to Jorah as gift. They seem to make point of Jon, Stark and Mormont connection. Lyanna Mormonts trust in him , Mormont shield used against Ramsey and Jeor opinion on Jon. He valued him and saw potential in him. He gave him the sword and that means something. Probably saw him as a son he never had.
A piece of me really wanted to hear her say she was raised in a shoebox. Or, potentially, the shelf of a dishwasher. If only she had a dishwasher, of course.
Liam Cunnigham said that Jon and Sansa won’t be pretty so it looks worrying. Also that there is anger and jealousy from Sansa according to Benioff. I didn’t see any of that in episode 10.
This is the same woman who really did think Kit was done with the show, remember 🙂
The thing that threw me off the most was Benjen leaving them by the Tree with no provisions, not even a blanket. Good luck? What? What is Meera supposed to do out there in the cold while Bran has his visions. Isn’t he lying on the snow? I kept going, “Wait, Benjen, where tf are you going? You can’t just leave them there.” Then he leaves. That was weird. Am I missing some big piece of info here? You guys fill me in, because I can’t figure what they are supposed to do. Does she walk for the Wall and get help?
Oh well, the vision was the biggest purpose of that scene, and it was a grand payoff. Promise me, Ned. And Bran is seeing this. Does he realize who the baby is? Bloody fucking’ mess, literally. Those midwives, or whatever they were supposed to be, were in a strange situation. But it’s confirmed, after all these years, it’s true. Now, to build on that info and go on to the true meat of the story.
Dragon Tender,
Ha. Book!Mel was likely sold as a slave to the Red Temple … so she may have had a much worse upbringing than Jon
Chad Brick,
Yeah, I agree.
It’ll be very interesting to see how this all plays out in the novels.
PS : to any who would snarkily reply that the books will never come out, please, spare me. Thank you.
This is why I’m hoping that Conleth Hill gets to play the 12th Doctor after Peter Capaldi finishes up in Doctor Who. Because clearly, Lord Varys already has a TARDIS on loan.
Thronetender,
I know. I can only hope that if they panned in the opposite direction, you’d just see a solid mass of ice with a door nearby. No way Meera is going to get Bran up and down the entrance they used to go North. Don’t recall a weirwood tree ouside the Castle Black gate. But I trust that they will find a way.
Dragon Tender,
If we didn’t have something to argue about, what fun would that be? 🙂
Brillliant episode!! It was just perfect!! The only thing i would have liked was after dany’s end scene they should have put a night king or white walker scene!! Dany isnt the only one coming in the direction of westsros. The dead are coming too!! People are pretty chilled out about that even now!!
I also dont understand people’s concer for arya! She is not completely ruthless. She would have killed lady crane if she was! I didnt expect her to blink an eye while killing walder frey and i liked it that she didnt. I didnt understand her need to use a different face tho. No one knows what arya looks like at the twins. Maybe they just wanted to maintain the suspense there. But yay Arya Stark is back!! Get on one of those jet packs and go straight to Jon!! He needs his little sister.
No, there’s no way they’d show LB so soon with two seasons still to go. If there is a LB, I expect Jon to clasp it just before the Final War begins.
Re Jon’s dream: I liken it to Daenerys’ own dreams, one she had when she was in a perilous fever and her world in chaos. She dreams of ‘wake the dragons’ and those dreams come true.
Jon dreams when his own world is in chaos with Melisandre continuously giving him warnings of dangers surrounding him. He dreams that he’ll be Lord of Winterfell and that ‘a balde burned red in his fist’ which he uses to slay the dead.
Jenny,
That’s exactly felt about the scene as well and i feel you are right and agree with what you said as well.
Geralt of Rivia,
There just don’t need to be dany tyrion and jon love triangle..
I believe tyrion was taken back by the acknowledgement he received at the hands of dany and how much she respects him…no one ever was given that to him his family never respected him people did not believed in him ..
And hence he kneels and if there is anyone who us wise enough to understand that he is not fit for dragon queen then it is tyrion ..so I don’t think he or show is going that way..
It did look like he was named something..I would love to just have him as jon no need to have other names because it seems irrelevant ..
And speaking of names who came up with bay of dragons ..dragons bay would have made the job wouldnt it..
Loved it!
1. Bran is going to break the wall, so when dany hits the shore, I don’t think it’ll be Cersei v dany.
2. i have a weird feeling that the library is going to burn.
3. Winter has come.
Another 10/10 on IMBD, well deserved though, for sure.
Didnt expect Jon to be made King in the North, lady Mormont is a badass, for sure. Great scene there, I loved how they revealed R+L=J then switched right to Jon where he was being crowned King, that was brilliant. There is going to be so much more to that, sucks we gotta wait 42 weeks for the next episode.
Maybe Ill binge watch the series over and over until next season starts, lol.
Annoyed that the actors and writers are just throwing the Jon/Sansa bomb in there, because I thought the episode was completely flawless and their interactions were just perfect – and showed how much Sansa had really changed.
And then all of a sudden it’s all jealous and anger and Sansa’s basically to screw Jon. WTF.
I think anyone with any sense knows that LF will do everything he can to get between Jon and Sansa. It would be totally reasonable to say, LF’s there to try and get between them. But instead we get this idea that Sansa STILL has endlessly brewing resentment and Jon has to keep publicly thanking her, has to keep her feelings paramount, after anything, makes her look so small of a character. And she’s NOT!!
Btw, I thought the somewhat ominous parallels to Robb’s KITN were really noticeable. I don’t think our boy Jon will die, but I wonder if Sansa betrays him long enough for him NOT to be KITN any longer and to go into the fight as Jon TargStark
I thought so too, in the beginning, then I rethought what had gone before. I think that in a way she already knew she had lost Tommen. When he denied trial by combat, he threw her under the horse-cart. She looked at him walking by her as though her heart were already breaking. Couple that huge disappointment with how much credence she gave to Maggy the Frog’s prophecy- by the time the kid went out the window, he was already dead to her and she had already done her mourning.
one of the saddest sights i will ever see ~ the countdown clock at the top of the page stopped at zero and not resetting for the next show.
Wait are people implying Jon has a Targ name?? Wow. we’ll likely never hear it, has Bran didn’t
Bran realized what he saw right??
dragonbringer,
Jon and Tyrion were supposed to rival over Arya in the original outline. What if they changed that to Daeny? Daeny and Tyrion with Jon as rulers wouldn’t be good and Daeny refused to take Daario as side lover. Only option for marriage seems Jon and from political aspect it would make sense.
Nadia,
Are we sure that it’s Raegars son and not Roberts son? Remember all the children and his bloodline are born with black of hair. The other bloodline is silver hair. Does anybody know the exact timeline between when she was with Robert and Raegar? Could she already had been pregnant?
I think that’s where Jon and Sam took their Nights Watch vows, so yeah, it was out there. Who knows, maybe Bran will be able to get into Edd’s head or something, and some of the NW find them before they freeze. Wasn’t it cool when Benjen mentioned that there was magic carved into the Wall? I wonder if the show will actually make something of that, or if they will let that thread dangle like they have some others.
Nadia,
He might not be KitN because he’s Lyanna’s son but Northerners seems to follow him as he is warrior, leader to them.
Geralt of Rivia,
The problem with this has always been – when will this happen? Are Dany and Jon going to meet and get married BEFORE the WWs invade? I suppose next season we could have someone – Tyrion? – propose Dany marry the King in the North, but I am somehow quite skeptical. So they fight the Walkers as husband and wife?
And I would eat my favorite hat if AFTER the WWs and this is all done if they are BOTH still alive and both going to get married and rule together on the Iron Throne. It just doesn’t seem to me it will tie up in such an easy way, nor will they both live happily ever after.
So really, when are Jon and Dany even supposed to get and stay married? This has always totally confused me.
Geralt of Rivia,
Its what said from the very moment that letter was released that it changed to dany..
I think a lot of people don’t agree or think its too haooy ending bit I think these three in the position of power after war is a good possibility and best for westeros..
On another note I can’t take people seriously if they worry about jonjon getting killed …he is going to be there until the final episode ..he may be experience some betrayals and such things on the way… Buy who isn’t ..
Geralt of Rivia,
Except Lyanna made a point about being Ned Stark’s son, regardless of if he’s a bastard.
I think Jon will very much care and feel he can’t be King in the North if he ever finds out
Or again, maybe it’s ‘taken’ from him, he finds out who he is, and goes into the battle knowing that, for whatever it’s worth
Geralt of Rivia,
Don’t worry about that at this point. They want to leave viewers in suspense for next season and if there isn’t some element of drama in the Northern storyline we’d get complacent. It’s pretty clear from what they actually wrote into the episode that Sansa will try to work against Littlefinger. As such, their words afterwards are clearly just to make us worry about it till next April. But seriously….do you really see her wanting to be bestfriends with Littlefinger after the hell he put her through? No right? It’s really obvious when you think about it.
I kept thinking this episode how devastated Jon would be when he finds out he’s not Ned’s son.
I think his biggest sense of self-worth and honor comes from being Ned Stark’s son, bastard or not. He’s painfully aware that he’s not a Stark, he even says it again this episode, but I think maybe a small part of him might start to feel like he belongs to Winterfell. Even Lyanna Mormont saying she doesn’t care if he’s a bastard, he’s still Ned Stark’s son reminds us of that.
To find out he’s not actually Ned Stark’s son might be the most devastating thing that could happen to him. As a character, would he give two shits that he’s the son of a prince? Being a real son to Ned I think is all that matters to Jon..
ForestLight,
I think you underestimate that the power of someone like LF is that his whisperings bring out what is already there.
Sansa has already felt all these range of emotions for Jon. She did feel marginalized, showed aside, jealous, angry, and she DID grow up not thinking of him as a trueborn Stark. We’ve seen all of that, and we’ve seen her even act on it. She may shove that aside in this episode, but LF is all about bringing that to the surface.
I think it’s extraordinarily naive to think she won’t give into that, or that it’s just Sansa vs. LF. Even the scene where LF/Sansa are talking, for a moment when he’s describing why he does what he does, you can see her caught up in it.
”he enemy won’t wait for the storm to pass, he brings the storm”
Euron/Cersei will be next years vilians.
Yup! That’s what I keep saying! They’re not going to reveal any potential plots for next season so immediately! That would be freaking insane. The fact that they’ve said anything at all smacks of reverse psychology actually lol. They’re trying to make us overthink it so that we’re more surprised by what happens next season which has most likely been set up somehow this season. So when you watch this episode, keep in mind that all interactions between Sansa and Jon were very positive and, far from appearing greedy for power, she actually seems to be trying to push it towards him. Even in her conversation with Littlefinger she basically said that she’s done with her old ambitions, with “wanting” and dreaming of far off ambitions, and instead will focus on what she has. “What she has” means her family and she confirmed this episode firmly that Jon is her family. Look at how strongly she says it when he denies being a Stark. Yeah…what the writers are saying…this is just a much lighter version of the “Jon Snow is gone forever” lies of last year.
Phenomenal episode and by far and large my favourite of the season, possibly of the show altogether. The music choice was fantastic and really built up both the start and ending of the episode.
There’s not much I can say others haven’t really, almost a perfect episode. My only real complaint is Varys being with Dany at the end of the episode, not because of the distance or anything but because I really looked forward to seeing them meet. This is a man who served her father, who has been pulling the strings to help her for years, who is possibly the most loyal Targaryen man out there and we never got to actually see them meet, he’s just suddenly by her side. Bit disappointing but oh well not the end of the world.
This year long wait is gonna be a real nightmare! I need to know what happens next!
Nadia,
Wouldn’t be surprised if Jon resigns. It would be devastating blow to him on personal level. Even as a bastard he takes pride in being Ned’s son. Notherners might view as a son of rapist. In the North Rhaegar is know as such.
As for Daeny. Yeah timewise it’s not ideal but Cersei doesn’t stand a chance against Daeny and Euron too unless he can control dragons. So she should make a quick work with them. Then they can meet.
dragonbringer,
Not sure about all three of them in position of power. Jon and Daeny King and Queen, Tyrion Hand is pretty much ideal thing. Something George will probably not going to do. There’s got to be twist to it.
But part of Jon and Arya being tormented by their feeling when his parentage is finally revealed just doesn’t fit to Jon and Daeny as parentage might be known.
As Mel said. Maybe is role is to die again because George usually avoids or deconstructs popular tropes and hidden prince is the most popular one.
I found it hard to believe how people of KL are suddenly accepting of Cersei becoming ruler. They loved the High Septon, the Faith, they loved Queen Margery and King Tommen and Cersei burned them all.
I reckon KL will the Mereen of season 7. Half the people against the Queen, bloodshed, Civil war. How ironic would it be that it will be former Mereen Queen Deanerys that’ll end the strife and unite the people to achieve peace. Talk about a character coming full circle.
yes! and it also shuts down the jon and meera twin and the jon and daenerys twin theories. (rolling my eyes so hard i can see the back of my skull.)
Nadia,
I think you may be slightly overestimating Littlefinger’s hold over Sansa. Even book Sansa has never allowed herself to fully like or trust him and that version hasn’t given her over to a psycho. Now, I’m not claiming I have any info on what’s going to happen next season. What I am saying is that it makes absolutely no sense for Sansa to ally herself with Littlefinger (who she hates) against her family (who she loves). What I’m also saying is that its fairly likely that book Sansa will eventually kill/ bring about the ruin of Littlefinger and with how quickly the plot is progressing on the show (combined with the fact that the writers/actors are so early on trying to make us focus on the Jon/Sansa potential drama instead of the glaringly obvious Sansa/Littlefinger drama) I wouldn’t be surprised if Littlefinger bit the dust early next season.
If I’m right…And I really believe I am…remember you heard it here first! 😉
Even Knights of Vale hailed Jon King in the North. Royce who was sitting close to Jon and Sansa. Kinda surprised by that. Only one who wasn’t shouting King in the North was Littlefinger and Sansa. How fitting but Sansa smiled at Jon. Littlefinger was plotting next move for him and to get what he wants.
Why should it be a blow to him?
If the truth is something horrible-something that kills the image of Ned that Jon has built up- then yes it’d be a hard pill for him to swallow. But as it is he’d be even more grateful and even more proud of the uncle who sacrificed honor to protect him.
For me as a book reader who have waited 9 years for the story to get to this point the episode was very emotional. I cried half of the episode ;( Lol 😀
So emotional right now… For me this was definitely best episode of the series thus far. Perfection.
The music, the pacing, the dialogue… Just perfect.
Oh my…..Did no one notice what King Jon says to Sansa !?!?!
“FATHER ALWAYS PROMISED DIDN’T HE?”
Duuuh…..“Promise me, Ned!”
Despite the hype around Lyanna Mormont, if she doesnt continue as a crucial player next season then having her give that main speech will dissappoint me – it shouldve been Sansa, being the Stark, IMO
I loved the way Manderly mentioned King Robb Stark fondly…made me cry! Oh I still miss you Robb!!!
Im thinking Mel will go South, join BwB and be their LS
Also Daario mentioning CR and Lannisters was nice too.
Man i’m so sad for the Tyrells…esp Margaery!
So theres King of the North & Queen of Dragons the goodies and Night’s King & Mad Queen the baddies
(Cersei’s only chance is now if she marries Nights King and joins him !!)
Daeny’s awesome and all that – but I wish as soon as her dragons see Rhaegar’s son they scratch their heads and join him instead.
Geralt of Rivia,
Let’s see iam going with all three of them surviving for now..too much build up and time spent on them learning to rule and all that..
Josh L,
don´t forget Freys, Karstarks and Umbers…And Im pretty sure the Florents who Selyse Baratheon belonged to are gone as well…They will be followed by House Arryn,shortly
This truly worries me. Why bringing up marriage issue? Ugh. I don’t like the idea of Dany getting political marriage in the future. Tho I must admit, I can see it coming.
All I can hope is that her future husband is not Jon, I prefer him being forever single, haha.
Just get Robin Arryn, as he is also available for Dany to marry :/
Btw, I’m disappointed. Why proclaimed Jon as White Wolf when Ghost is nowhere to be seen?
Thought that in this episode we would see the last of Carice van Houten, but instead we probably have seen the last of Michiel Huisman. Hope for a new Dutchie in the cast next season.
Leuf,
I thought he was quite amusing 😉
In behind the scenes Sophie said that Sansa might turn on Jon or might not. It’s unpredictable. It’s getting interesting.
His part was much earlier in time considering he saw the white ravens being released I think?
Using good headphones to see if I could hear what Lyanna whispered to Ned. She actually said something more than what was already written in the recap.
What I could make out of it was: “His name is … [a name ending on an “s”?].”
And then what was already mentioned: “If Robert finds out he’ll kill him. You know he will. You have to protect him. Promise me Ned. Promise me.”
Was Arya the girl serving Bronn and Jaime? Cant rewatch atm.
It looks like the Endgame (i.e. D & D making sense of GRRM’s original outline based on his notes and discussions with him) will be all about Starks, Lannisters, Targaryens, white walkers and dragons.
NOT: fAegon, Darkstar, Arianne Martell, Penny the she-dwarf, etc.
*shocking*
Sometimes a girl is horny and wants to get some. Plus Daario was useful for character / relationship development with Dany herself, Jorah and other characters.
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Geralt of Rivia,
There just don’t need to be dany tyrion and jon love triangle..
I believe tyrion was taken back by the acknowledgement he received at the hands of dany and how much she respects him…no one ever was given that to him his family never respected him people did not believed in him ..
And hence he kneels and if there is anyone who us wise enough to understand that he is not fit for dragon queen then it is tyrion ..so I don’t think he or show is going that way..
It did look like he was named something..I would love to just have him as jon no need to have other names because it seems irrelevant ..
Yes please, no love triangles. Besides, I don’t know if the show has time to go into all this.
I assume the only reason Lyanna mentioning Jon’s true name was muted was because we are not yet supposed to know he had a Targaryen name. Otherwise, I don’t see what importance his name could have. He might very well have been named Aemon, (Jon in his chidlhood loved to declare that he was Prince Aemon the Dragonknight) but I prefer Jon itself.
Homplomplomo,
LOL.
Indeed. truly shocking…..
Moondoor,
Yes.
Queenofthrones,
This.
Great episode
Have to say Sipochnik has really impressed me even further, after Hardhome. Not.only.is he great with battle episodes but the Sept.scene was some fantastic fantastic suspenseful stuff
Love the themes around Cersei, everything she touches becomes corrupted which is a large point of Ser Robert, eg Kingsguard is now corrupted as there’s a zombie as Lord Commander
I reckon Unella dies.like other women Qyburn “used” and part of that mystery may be explained. Ugh
My opinions have adjusted, no Cleganebowl at all, but i reckon Cersei strips Jaimie.of his position for not coming from RR it will be Jaimie who kills the Mountain and fills the blank page with the deed before burning it (or something)
I loved ToJ, can we actually hear what she said, or was this Bran hearing stuff about Rhaegar which Bran will pass on later?
Love the baby, not sure if it’s been photoshopped but really does look like brooding Kit haha
Dawn in that scene placed at the bed got me thinking. I reckon Mel actually ends up in Dorne, eg she’s been sent there by her Lord in effect. She’ll retrieve Dawn as ordered in flames, take it back to Jon who will execute her by stabbing in Hear (R’hlor flaming heart) of course when he draws it out it will be tempered and alight as Lightbringer
Am expecting Sansa to take up power in RL, strike Cersei down. Later Arya will kill her (Dance of Wolves and Hounds etc)
Fantastic episode
Great music
I wonder why it appears Howland Reed wasn’t at the banquet. Most of the bannermen seems to be in attendance. I was hoping he’d make a brief appearance in anticipation of his daughter’s pending return.
ForestLight,
Wishful thinking by some. Trust me, they have set up for Sansa to continue being swayed by Littlefinger next season. The signs are all there and the actors just confirm it.
Someone had to stay behind and keep everything in check!Rather him than Grey worm or missandei being left behind
15000 votes on imdb and it has got another 10/10. It could end up being higher than BotB
I didn’t worry when I was watching it. (I was busy crying. LOL.) But after watching the Inside the Episode video and Benioff said, “We have to be a little bit worried about Jon”, I felt some trepidation about the upcoming season. Oh no. Don’t go there, GRRM/D&D. Ever.
Thronetender,
I think you’re right, that’s probably what the writers were thinking, though I still feel like seeing her learn of his death would have added to the drama of it all.
I don’t see white walkers being any sort of competition if Jon and dany team up. ..
and I think dario is done …He might be mentioned once or twice but he is done ..no more Essos. …
varys being on that ship was unnecessary but not illogical ….
music up front felt funny ..to me .. but it grew on me ….and after a while ….I was really enjoying it …dany on the ship was really good to see…..There is no way anyone can stop her …….
Eligible men with armies in Westeros.
Jon Snuh (the king in the north!)
Robyn Arryn / Littlefinger
Jaime Lannister
Euron Greyjoy
So those are danys choices pretty much. Of course she can lead on one or more of them ala Elizabeth I.
ThisGirlHasNoName,
True. I’m sure the writers probably didn’t think of it, or maybe they have other plans for how Jon will learn of his parentage, but honestly if Howland is alive (which he is supposed to be), why wouldn’t he reveal it at this point ?
The fear of Jon being killed for it is moot, since he is in open rebellion against the crown anyway.
Nadia,
Because when lyanna starts whispering to ned she says his name is something that start with an A.Bran not only understood what he was sayig but he also heard what lyanna said.You can see it in his face.Next season he will talk about it when he meets JON
dragonbringer,
Yes. I found it weird that Sophie said that. But then, that’s also what Kit said in a way (about Jon not learning his lesson and not paying attention to what Sansa’s feeling). So my guess is that’s how they’ve been briefed by the writers/director about their stories.
ygritte,
Killing Littlefinger is Sansas endgame. They can’t rush it – so yeah there will be some push-pull next season. But he’s now laid his hand out for her to see. Eventually she’ll find out about Ned, make her move, and rid the world of Littlefinger.
What’s going to be difficult to tell next season is how much Sansa is acting / playing LF and how much she’s actually being played by him.
Yes, after crossing everyone in her list, she’ll settle down with Gendry, the last remaining heir of Robert Baratheon. He’s got to have come ashore somewhere by now, right?
First off, thank you Sue for building such an awesome community. It makes the show that much more enjoyable!
One thing I keep thinking about, now that the season is over and everything’s jumbling around in my brain. The relationships between the characters.
There’s so much interconnectedness that the battles to come are going to get really confusing for a lot of characters. Whose fighting who, who is on whose side. Who stays loyal. Who betrays. Just a few I’m thinking about:
Jorah/Lyanna. Loyal to Dany of course. But what happens when he sees his niece for the first time? I assume that Dany and Jon will *eventually* be on the same side, but I don’t think it’ll be an instant thing.
Jaime/Brienne/Tyrion/Sansa/Bronn: This little fivesome – currently serving on three very different teams – has so many interconnections. Tyrion – the little brother Jaime tried to protect, who is now sailing to help another take the throne from their sister and Jaime’s lover. Sansa, the wife Tyrion respected and whom Jaime believes helped kill his son. Brienne, the woman I still have hope to ship with both Jaime and Tormund (hey why not, she deserves two strapping men), who has pledged her sword to Sansa even as she loves Jaime. Even Bronn, former best bud to Tyrion, now the right hand of Jaime.
That all doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface.
Who will end up on which side? We’re in for such a treat.
Listening now to the beautiful soundtrack, Ramin Djawadi you’ll be missed terribly the next series, if it is right, what I’ve read in some articles and Sadzid Hudic will do next year the soundtrack. So it’ll stay on the german-speaking composers.
To Sue and all of writers: I have already a lot of respect for the Curtain Calls you’ll write now and the work yo’ll put in. Thank you!
Speaking of Curtain Calls: My joy of this best GoT-Episode was saddened because today it was made public, that Götz George, one of the most iconic german actors, is dead.
As for what stips Dany
A certain Jon Snow
This is obviously his ascension as Stark and we’ll see some of that later, eg North vs RL we had it confirmed he’s Lyannas son
My guess is Bran and Howland Reed will blab about how he’s Rhaegars son when it comes to that side, eg his Targaryen arc
My guess is they’ll have the Daynes rebel against the Sands (Darkstar plot?)
This will be a great reversal of Jorah vs Lyanna, eg under Dany Tyrion is Lord of Casterly Rock, Yara is Queen of Iron Islands (loves the Sun over Greyjoy banners) Jorah is pardoned Lord of Bear Island so fascinatingly there is the prospect of Lyanna vs Jorah Mormont #Bearbowl
Probably the best finale GoT has ever done. That entire King’s Landing sequence felt like an episode on its own, beautiful music, the suspense (even though you know its coming) and all that topped off with something I did not expect: Cersei becoming the Queen of Madness literally while Jaime watches. Incidentally it is also the best episode of the season for me (the Door comes close though), just amazing television. Loved every scene, from the horror of the wildfire, to the splendor of the library, to Theon watching that banner, to King in the North and the Promise, to… well you get the point!
Will watch the season again soon to get a good sense where it belongs in the hierarchy (for now I suspect a 3rd place after season 1 and 4). Only disappointing episode was “No One”, all the other ones were either mediocre (“The Red Woman”), to good (“Blood of my Blood”, “The Broken Man”) to simply amazing (“Home”, “Oathbreaker”, “Book of the Stranger”, “The Door”, “Battle of the Bastards”, “The Winds of Winter”). “The Door” and “The Winds of Winter” definitely belong amongst the series best episodes.
Oh yeah
Sam finally got to Citadel looking forward to seeing it pn opening credits (hopefully Jagen goes there, can get some more Tom Whathisname)
Big special mention goes to the epic flock of White Birds
Loved the shot of it on Winterfell
WINTER IS HERE!
Jon is indeed the SON(g) of Ice and Fire. 🙂
Oh, how I wished Ghost was there when they declared him the White Wolf. I guess they ran out of budget after that marvelous BotB episode.
Watching it back, I love the look on Littlefinger’s face when Lord Manderly declares Jon King in the North.
It’s a proper “aww, f**k” kinda look.
Re. Sansa and Littlefinger, Brienne needs to get her ass back to Winterfell so that she’s there to lay some truth-bombs on Sansa if she even considers siding with Littlefinger.
Gonna be reading Curtain Calls the rest of year.
One of them could actually die in the end. Bittersweet ending. I won’t be surprised if GRRM goes there.
Anyone else love the way Lyanna Mormont/Bella Ramsay said the word “Call”
Haha she’s been one of the standouts, even her wordless look of disdain while on the Pony towards Ramsay last week was great
The Glover scene earlier made sense as well, he’s ended up with prominent King in the North part etc, he can help House aforeestet yake their home back from the Whitehills now
It’s Tom Wlaschiha.
Did anyone else notice that a number of those who survived in the end was wearing black and silver? Jon, Sansa, Cersei, Olenna, Daenarys? Not sure what it means, but it was an interesting visual motif.
Ha! “I’m not a Lady” Stoneheart confirmed!
Not sure if they die
But both could end up with the simple life
Eg Dany with her Red Door and Jon ranging, possible in Ghost
Could reign over the super pack along with Arya in Nymeria….#Ghosteria
Also, wonder if Daario might go after Tyrion
Seems rather dodgy in the books
He may not be Euron, nut there’s nothing to stop him teaming up with him
But who will take up the stupid hats of the fallen Freys now?
Right? I watched it a second time and still didn’t get that vibe! Kit, Sophie, Liam, and D&D are trolling us, I think. 🙂
The Jon-Arya reunion will be so emotional. I imagine them having the same dialogue as Ned-Lyanna (as it often happens on this show).
Arya: I missed you, big brother.
Jon: I missed you, too.
It’s not Brienne who has the Truth Bomb, it is Sandor Clegane. S1E07.
Everyone’s final moments acting were splendid in King’s Landing : Loras’s confession, Margaery’s understanding of the situation, Mace’s horror in front of Loras’s torture, the High Sparrow finally expressing fear… Pycelle’s face even made me think of a little boy’s frightened and sad expression. It’s only a shame they didn’t develop Kevan a bit more.
The burning of the High Sparrow and the court seemed very, if not extremely, instant. Do you think they actually suffered ?
I need the recipe to that Frey pie!!!! How many Freys does it take!?! Yum!
ThisGirlHasNoName,
Add Theon to that, who’s on Dany’s side but also “owes” something to the Starks. It’s going to be an interesting season 7!
Good episode. There’s always room for some nitpicks, but it worked out well enough. Some excellent and dramatic moments and developments. I just wish they’d shifted some of them into the episodes after The Door. There was a bit of a lull in the action at that point in the season, but perhaps it’ll be fine when watching the episodes back to back later this year.
Bring on Season 7!
Don’t care about ‘jet pack’ or ‘time travelling’ remarks. Events don’t happen chronologically, that’s fine with me.
Three minor quibbles though:
1) wildfire is very volatile and extremely flammable. “When you piss on it, your cock burns off”. Thinking about a small fire that started in London bakery in 1666 and almost burned the entire city down… how could Cersei know that the wildfire stash wouldn’t burn down the whole city? Why did the fire go out in the first place?
2) where was Ghost!?! Come on, guys, one shot of the direwolf at Jon’s side would have been enough.
3) Walder Frey all alone? Two sons in the pie? How did she manage? Getting in, getting out,,, How did Arya know that they (of all the enormous amounts of Freys) killed Talisa and Catelyn? How did she get to them? Was all a little too convenient…
And a question: we saw a photo of Bran on a horse or pony released before. Did I miss that shot in the episode?
Whichever Northman: “He’s the White Wolf!”
Jon: “D’oh! $#!+! You know I used to have one of those. What did I do with him? Anyone seen an enormous white direwolf running around loose anywhere? You there, get some mutton and go looking for him. He answers to Ghost, or “Ghost, to me.” usually. Also, print up some flyers and post them on the trees and around the villages. $50 reward. Contact King Jon. Thanks. Now…Where were we?”
Sam,
They really are.I mean I’m sure there will be tension and LF will be LF but no way it ends with Sansa betraying Jon for good.If that was the case I bet everything they would all be saying how united they are and how much they love each other lol,no way they give away plot points.Point is they can’t leave us thinking it’s all sunshines and rainbows for our heroes so they throw in everything to make us talk
Another 10/10 for me.
So many fantastic things.
– Dany going to Westeros with that huge fleet
– Everything with Cersei
– Lyanna Mormont
– Jon named King of the North
– the music
– Davos confronting Melisandre
– Olenna telling the Sand Snakes what’s up
I am going to miss Margaery!
The war of the five kings is over. It seems that the queens will be taking over. Dany is super powerful, so I wonder if Cersei and most likely Euron are stupid enough to take her on.
I wonder where Euron will turn up with his 1000 ships. I’m betting on an alliance with the Mad Queen – the Lannisters are going to need some reinforcements, to have a genuine chance of beating Dany’s Coalition of the Thrilling. Cersei + Euron and his 1000 ships = a fight on her hands.
https://twitter.com/shxrlocked/status/747267170564866051
The similarities! Just love the details in this show.
Also did you see the lingering close up of Arthur Dayne’s sword over the blood on Lyanna? The symbol of the star over the blood? “when the stars bleed and the cold breath of darkness falls heavy on the world…” Jon IS Azor Ahai!
Thank you! I actually wished I didn’t watch those videos. I wouldn’t get a sense of what they’re talking about if not for those. Anyway, they’re creating drama, that is all and that’s understandable. Can’t be all roses for them wolves from here on. However, I’m sure they’d realize soon enough that “a lone wolf dies but the pack survives”. Unite, Starks, unite. And kill that weasel LF and avenge your family.
I am listening to Ramin Djawadi’s beautiful soundtrack. Wow!
But I need some help, please? Where do I find the socalled Greyjoy theme? I guess it must be from season 2 – but what is the number called on the album?
Huge thanks in advance.
Kellie is Coming,
Nice! I just hope they don’t have the same endings.
Best season finale episode for me 🙂
I am quite literally fanwanking this one…
“Promise me, Ned”
FREY PIE!
Too much to take in as yet…
I actually thought despite what the actors said about a split between Jon v Sansa – that Sansa is keeping her friends close but her enemies closer. She is playing LF; it wouldn’t be believable Of her to be 100% trusting with him so she’s appearing wary but also giving him some hope that his little whispers are being heard. That he might win her over with his promises. I believe she totally sees and knows what he’s doing and she’s leading him on; she’s going to catch him out when he inevitably makes his move on Jon.
On another note I was really shocked that Edmure is back in a Frey cell- so Jaime’s promise to let Edmure live with his Frey wife and baby at Casterley Rock – was just another broken promise?
Ha, Jaime x Daenerys has been a guilty pleasure ship of mine for years… They would have such beautiful children (and TBH I think they are each others’ “type” in a way – heck we confirmed last episode he likes Blondes, right? What’s more blonde than a Targ chick*?? :p
Anyway Dany in the show has come to terms with her Dad being a monster so it’s not THAT crazy. In E9 she appeared to totally accept Tyrion telling her that Jaime killed him because he was going to murder everyone in KL, in fact that changed her mind. I feel a bit sad about it because I always wanted Jaime to share that fact with her in person…
* Brienne actually has recent Targaryen heritage. Probably explains why her hair is so blonde it’s almost white.
What an utter coward King Tommen proved to be at the end. There can’t have been many Kings who committed suicide. I would have loved it had he grown some balls and put his mother back in chains.
WightsNatch,
He was on horseback just before Uncle Coldhands left him by the psychedelic tree.
You do recall correctly. His mother was Robert I’s mistress.
Having a big bad army behind you, probably puts your opponents on the defensive 😉
Anybody think Arya (wearing the serving girl’s face) taking special interest in Jaime has to mean something? Instead of heading north, she may head to KL instead, to take out some Lannisters. It’s very likely that we will get an answer to this from the filming reports itself, of course.
An oustanding episode with Djawadi’s KL score being the highpoint. Cersei’s assumption of power was masterful but I really wonder who she is going to interact with next season now that all those great, major characters are gone. I admit I am mourning the loss of Maergery , who was smart, savvy, ambitious but seemingly decent.
And now three of the great houses are gone. Who will Dany marry? I was never a Dany/Jon shipper but it looks likely now.
Boy am I worried about the Stark girls. Arya killing Walder did not feel satisfying. It was rushed and did Arya really kill, chop and bake two grown men? That is awfully gruesome and the little smile she had while killing Walder, as deserved as that death was, did not feel right. Much like Sansa’s little smirk last week. I just don’t see how Arya can come back from this.
Having real mixed emotions about Jon being KitN. It’s understandable on the one hand, the WW are here and no one knows them better than Jon. But Sansa’s succession rights were just set aside and that kind of cast a shadow on the moment for me. I will keep my trust in the Jon-Sansa alliance and that Sansa will keep Jon’s back against and eventually kill LF but still hating the writers that they can’t give us an unambiguous Stark show of unity.
In the meantime, Dany continues to acquire admirers/ followers without any effort, Tyrion being the newest addition without giving us any reason. The Dothraki seem to have been born at sea, not showing any kind of distress at crossing the poison water, something they have been taught to fear since they were born.
Will have to see it more than once, maybe I’ll change my mind.
After rewatching: Did Sansa actually thought Lyanna was talking about her when she was declaring for the one whose name is Stark? When she said the word “bastard” Sansa looked surprised and disappointed.
It is poor editing / directing to have two consecutive, emotionally connected, contrasting scenes and then throw in a pointless visual whose only logical resolution is to assume the two scenes actually occurred months apart. Maybe that doesn’t bother you, but it smacks some of us upside the head like a sack of rocks. Would your experience have been any worse if Varys were not there? Not a whit. You would have never noticed, or if you did think about it, would have deemed it logical because he was still in or near Dorne. In contrast, as soon as that appeared in my screen, ZOOM! I am no longer enjoying Dany’s triumph, but thinking for the millionth time “wtf, D&D?”. I much prefer the former, as do many. So what’s the downside of getting it right and having it make sense? Inconsistencies don’t bother all or even most watchers, but they really irk some of them, so why include them unless absolutely necessary to compress the plot into TV limitations?
ghost of winterfell,
I think she is in a revenge mode now and hence will probably go to KL to scratch remaining two names of her list
Chad Brick,
Events don’t happen chronologically. And it could have taken Varys as little as a month in total to go to Dorne and back. Which seems perfectly reasonable and not rushed at all.
I have a question I’m wondering if the mods can address (maybe even with a post?), or if not then some kind commenter.
Now that it’s all over, what the heck was up with the spoiler situation? I avoided it when I could but is it really the case that there were actual legitimate spoilers for the entire season out there? Was this very different than previous years (which I though I remember ended up being wrong most of the time)? Were they the “reddit spoilers” I saw mentioned? Was this someone in the production who actually had the scripts and leaked information? Was it all about the last episode, or about stuff throughout the season?
And although I avoided direct spoilers for the most part, I now think that a lot of “speculation” I saw throughout the season was actually based on the spoilers. Like when I was talking about Cersei doing the wildfire thing back in episode 6 and everyone said “nah it’s too early”. And people seeming so sure that LF/Vale would be (almost) the only force to help the Starks, even though it would have equally made narrative sense for other Northern Houses, or the Tully force, or even the Lannister force to join. There are other examples of vague stuff like that where I wasn’t spoiled exactly, but I still feel a little sullied, if you know what I mean?
I guess I’d like to know more, because I want to know whether I should just “go dark” next season. I tried to do that this season but eventually (re-) joined the fray. But if spoilers are gonna end up being “real” I might try harder to resist the temptation. Or use another site (probably the no book talk threads on previously.tv) for my speculations…
This! if this was really going to be the storyline next year, there is no way they give it away through interviews, now itself. They are doing this to keep up the interest in the off season. There may be a couple of episodes where we doubt Sansa’s intentions, but ultimately she won’t betray Jon.
My one problem with the KitN scene was when Glover (I think it was) declared that he would follow Jon Snow because he avenged the Red Wedding. This was a weird thing to say when everybody knew that the Vale knights (and by extension Sansa) had a big part in the victory. I can imagine them following Jon because he led the battle, but to say he was the one to avenge the RW, they all must know that that’s not entirely true. I wonder what was the point of that statement. That they are so misogynistic that they are being willfully blind?
This episode topped the last one, it was the very best of the season, the best of the series. The first 20 minutes were outstanding.
Can we have Sapochnik direct all the episodes of the next two seasons, please?
And possibly keep letting him alter the scripts a bit? All his adjustments were awsome.
QueenofThrones,
Yes there were spoilers regarding the entire season released on reddit. We also had a thread about it the forums
SANSA SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE ONE DECLARING JON KITN
Instead she just sit there and says nothing? Really D&D? She’s the goddamn true heir to Winterfell for god’s sake, she should’ve speak up. I can’t believe this David and Dan, i fucking can’t.
the girl who played lyanna stark was really beautiful. great choice.
i loved how sansa and littlefinger looked at each other when jon was declared king in the north. i had that feeling that sansa wasn’t too pleased with it. maybe she and littlefinger will conspire together in s7… can’t wait to see how this will turn out.
and: THAT LIBRARY! i want to go there.
The First 20 minutes of the episode were like the end of the Godfather films with Cirsei just taking everyone out. Excellently put together. KL was a total bore until then. That with the ‘Hold the Door’ sequence were the 2 best of the season.
QueenofThrones,
There was a redditor, who had leaked a lot of details about the season before ep 4 itself. And once the episodes aired, people realized that everything he said was true. He was 100% correct. He had spoiled Dany’s big scene in ep 4, Osha’s death and the manner of death, the Hodor moment in ep 5 (in this case he was so brief and did not spoil the whole sequence). He had described how Rickon died and that Jon would be KitN. That’s why so many people were sure of this. We even knew Lyanna Mormont would give a speech. One thing he said though which might be relevant to discussions here is that SAnsa supports Jon as king. He also spoiled ToJ. There were a couple of others too on reddit who were legit. No idea about spoilers in the previous seasons though, as I did not follow GOT online last season.
The War of Kings and Queens begins!
The Mad Queen and Queen on the Iron Throne, Cersei Lannister
The White Wolf and King in the North Jon Snow
The Dragon Queen and Queen of the South, Daenerys Targaryen
The Drowned King and King of the Iron Fleet, Euron Grejoy
… and finally…
King of Winter and the White Walkers, the Night King
We’re at the home stretch. All debts are settled, homes reclaimed, prophecies fulfilled and secrets revealed. Things that will happen going forward:
1. Littlefinger tearing a rift between Sansa and Jon; Bran’s reunion with his family mending the wound and bridging between them with his important knowledge that changes everything; Sansa finally choosing family over power and executing Littlefinger for his crimes
2. Euron and Dany clashing in Oldtown, with Euron having a trick up his sleeve; Sam learning an important secret at the Citadel, the key to defeating the White Walkers; Sam meets Dany and tells her of the Northern threat
3. Cersei’s cold turn pushing Jaime away; Cersei deciding to “burn them all” at the face of Dany’s unstoppable army and setting King’s Landing on fire; Jaime finally accepting the evil that is his sister and ending her just as he ended the Mad King, only to die holding her corpse in the ashes of King’s Landing
4. Dany stepping into the ashes that remain of the Throne room and the city; Tyrion finding his brother and sister dead in eachother’s arms and laying claim to Casterly Rock
5. The Wall coming down, and the White Walkers crossing it
“FREY PIE: I’m glad to see it happen, but at the same time, damn. That was stone cold terrifying. Arya has gone to a deep dark place and I’m worried about her, more than ever.”
Agree…however…
She killed a serving girl took her face (can’t just take a fresh face from the halls she is miles away) then cut up two men cooked them in a pie – with the eye arranged for him to see what he had eaten then slits his throat. Ya Arya is going to come completely apart – the walking living breathing version of Lady Stoneheart. Sadly I think Arya will die before the end. One of my fav characters but she is way to damaged now.
I cried when Tyrion was made hand of the Queen one of the best scenes ever, I love Tyrion and he finally got the respect from someone. Someone who finally sees him as the true intellectual he is and not a Imp! WOW amazing seen go Danny. And as she said and I think a lot missed – there was not meant to be a connection to her removing her “lover” as she said, she did not feel a thing doing it!
L+R=J finally took to long to finally come about I was ok got that done – was not the big moment it should have been as too much was given away.
Sam and the books gave me goosebumps what a stunning shot!
But the last seen Dany and her dragons WOWOWOWOW we were all standing cheering!!!
But now for future – is all these actors got massive pay rises it better not have come from the CGI budget as I wants me more Dragons, Direwolves and White walkers please next season!!!!
Good King Joffrey’s Warty Penis (formerly renowned as deekan),
With the Pounce that was Promised:
Varys in Dorne occurred after the burning of the Sept. So did his appearance with Dany. Thus the latter must have occurred well after the Sept burning (many weeks), while Cersei’s coronation occurred immediately afterwards (the Sept was still smoking when Jaime arrived).
Yes, you can logic you way out of the time trap, but only by assuming poor editing that made things that appeared to be (and should be, from a story perspective!) approximately simultaneous actually occurred far apart in time. There was simply no reason for this. Nothing was gained from it.
We missing Tyrion pouring wine back?
It could be indeed the scene with Benjen, though thought he was actually sitting up from the picture?
ghost of winterfell,
Yeh I might not visit this brilliant site as much next year if the same fool is going to leak huge spoilers. I just would not enjoy the episodes to the fullest knowing I’m expecting this or that scene to appear. The fact that he’ll potentially be on set ready to spoil what will be the ending of the show, GoT/HBO need to tighten their security!!
Did anyone try subtitles when Lyanna Stark whispered to Ned? Subtitles aren’t available on my streaming service,
I guess it just read “Lyanna mumbles”. Oh what a tease..even with the cut to Jon’s face…
Here’s hoping the serial detractors don’t take over this or it
https://media.giphy.com/media/xT0GqAWpofcRdAzTdS/giphy.gif
Qyburn has turned Varys’ little birds into murderers. That guy is probably the most quietly sinister character on the show.
Just thought about this: does Dawn fulfill the being born under a bleeding star part of the prophesy? They made it quite clear in the ToJ scene that the sword was Dawn, with the closeup of it and all.
Ser Not Appearing in this Series,
His name is […] . You have to protect him. Robert will kill him, you know it. Promise me.
Something like that.
Also, John I of Portugal was a royal bastard who became king. It’s recurrent throughout history.
Jjddss,
That was funny :))
Walder mentioned specifically she wasn’t one of his servants, so the face wasnt from a twins servant. Combined with Jacqens face change waaaay back without seeing him physicall taking a face from someone nor having access to hall of faces. I think her stealing the face seems more likely, since it seems possible to carry a face with you somehow
Atish Vaze,
ghost of winterfell,
Ok that’s pretty messed up – seems like it would have to be someone involved with the production of multiple episodes, not just Episode 10. I hope they find out who it was and fire his/her ass. Probably was someone who was pissed off at their bosses. Talk about biting the hand the feeds you. I doubt it was a book purist revenge thing because why the hell would they be working on the show if they hate it so much??
Ugh well if this is going to be the order of business I probably will not follow this site as closely. Then again that’s what I said last year and yet Here I Stand… :p
Northern Lady,
Yep, Bernard of Italy, King of the Lombards too.
What is wrong with you people?!
Are none of you paying attention to the fact that Jon’s name is not Jon? WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU FUCKIN’ PEOPLE???????? NOBODY UNDERSTANDS!
I come back here after a night of sleeping and still… just blahblahblah this episode was awesome, blahblahblah, shit happened… blahblahblah R+L=J… but not one mother fuckin’ mention of “his name is…” not fuckin’ ONE?!
I mean, outside of the comment section where smart people go to shout into the winds of winter.
QueenofThrones,
The guy was not a book reader. He probably works/worked on HBO as he had apparently spoiled True Detective S1 too 2 years ago.
The sword was definitely very prominent in that scene, but I thought Jon had already been born before Ned reached Lyanna’s room? Maybe the scene is just foreshadowing that Jon will wield Dawn? Idk.
Does this mean it is known who it is?any source?
I regret so much reading that , assumed it had to be fake but then it was spot on
traveljunkie,
Hopefully dock at Meereen only to be told the dragon sailed away ages ago
What an amazing and epic 70 minutes of television. It is so easy to forget while watching that this is in fact a TV show and not a blockbuster movie. Outstanding all round: outstanding writing, producing, direction, acting, the score, the cinematography, the suspense… just all of it was amazing! This series had been GOT at the top of its game. I am just so unbelievably excited to see where they go from here. This season has set the bar high for what is left to come.
A few thoughts before I rewatch it again this evening with my husband (after staying up till 2am to watch and consuming a bottle of wine, I will have missed a great deal).
Sansa/Jon: To all the shippers out there: do you have siblings? If you do, imagine for a moment, what it would be like to get romantically involved with one of them. Feel a bit sick and creeped out? Well then why the hell are you envisaging that for Jon and Sansa. Perhaps the Cersei/Jaime twincest has desensitised you, but even in the weird and wonderful world of Westeros, incest is still pretty frowned on. At this point in the story (and for their whole lives) Jon and Sansa believe themselves to be half brother and sister, they believe they had the same father. I just don’t see how any of you can think they can just ignore that fact? Is it because they’re both attractive? What gives? There are powerful social and biological mechanisms in play to stop siblings from ever being attracted to one another even if they are the most beautiful human beings on the planet. Reading about all these Sansa/Jon theories really cheapens what has been a powerful sibling reunion and subsequent struggle to figure out how to live harmoniously together. Perhaps it’s strange seeing a Stark with another Stark in a familial way, but I see nothing at all romantic about their interactions. Even when they find out their cousins, they will always have grown up thinking of one another as siblings. There’s just no way it’s going to happen! If you need a Jon ship, look no further than Lyanna Mormont 😀 in ten years time or so. She is so incredibly amazing. Besides, that’ll give him time to get over Ygritte.
Jon/Sansa part two: I was wary about Sansa’s intentions after last episode, but seeing her heart-felt and genuine discussion with Jon and how happy she was when everyone hailed him KITN (setting aside the look she gave LF for a moment), I believe she wants nothing more than to ally herself with the only family she has left and support him as much as she can. That part where she was telling him that regardless of his bastard status, he’ll always be a Stark to her, was the most telling to me. Either Sansa has become a really good actress, or more likely, that was genuine and heartfelt. LF is trying to mess with her head as always, but she’s smarter than that now. That look she cast him at the end of that powerful scene strikes me not as a look of torn-allegiance and feelings, but instead as a look of caution and warning. She knows LF can’t be trusted and she fears for Jon’s life at this point. I would hate to be wrong 🙂 I can’t wait for the whole set to come together next season and Stark it up at Winterfell before all hell breaks loose – that’s assuming Bran comes South of the wall and Arya heads north rather than south. How amazing would it be to see the last surviving Starks come together?
Cersei/Dany: So I have to say, I was thrilled by how much this episode manipulated me into loathing Cersei again. I really think she has gone to the top of my list of most hateful characters. Where last week I was routing for her to beat the HS, this week, I was sickened to the core by what she has become. I can’t wait for Dany to arrive and destroy the mad queen (though perhaps Jaime will beat her to it). I find it odd that after blowing up the sept, killing hundreds of people (including the queen and the hand of the king) and then assuming the throne for herself when she has no entitlement to it, that people aren’t going, “Wait a minute…WTF?” I guess she has the gold-cloaks on side? Aren’t the Tyrell army still there? Why isn’t anyone contesting this… That was the only bit that struck me as a little strange in the whole episode. Having said that, who else is there to rule? Until Dany returns and/or/if Jon’s parentage comes to light, there is no one else. The Baratheons are destroyed. I am really looking forward to seeing Cersei’s downfall. I guess she’s the new super-villain in the show from next season.
Jaime: I have to say, I have been a bit annoyed this season by how Jaime’s feelings towards Cersei are so very different to how he feels in the books at this point. Seeing the climax of that corronation scene, with the hatred in Jaime’s face as he guessed what his sister had done, it gave me pause. In the books, it feels like there are a series of events that happen that gradually make Jaime hate his sister and we are exposed to these through his POVs. In the show, I think it will have been too hard to adapt this plot and so going for this approach, is actually a lot more effective. You can see the betrayal and hatred in his face. I am really worried for him. How is he not going to go absolutely queen-slayer on his sister at the start of next season?
Continuity: I find it amazing that in a show this complex, with a dozen or so different storylines going on, that people gripe about characters appearing in two locations in the same episode. If anybody still thinks all this stuff is happening in real time and concurrently in each episode, then you haven’t been paying attention. How long do you think it would take to paint two thousand sails (2 per ship) and organise two armies, one 100,000 strong and the other 10s 000 strong? I imagine quite a while, maybe even a couple of months. That is plenty of time for Varys to return from Dorne. The makers of the show put segments where they narratively make sense. We, the audience, need to accept that time is not linear in this show. We might be watching a scene with Dany that is followed by a scene with Jon that took place perhaps three weeks before the one about Dany. I don’t see anything wrong with that. I find it a strange thing to nitpick about.
All in all, an absolutely amazing episode! I am still too hyped up to start to think about the next ten GOT-free months.
I doubt it, because Jon was already born before Ned entered the room.
Besides, that prophecy has already been fulfilled by Deanerys
‘When the red star bleeds and the darkness gathers, Azor Ahai shall be born again amidst smoke and salt to wake dragons out of stone’
The prophecy that Jon MAY fulfill is this one below
‘There will come a day after a long summer when the stars bleed and the cold breath of darkness falls heavy on the world. In this dread hour a warrior shall draw from the fire a burning sword. And that sword shall be Lightbringer, the Red Sword of Heroes, and he who clasps it shall be Azor Ahai come again, and the darkness shall flee before him’
and this one clearly does not require being born under bleeding stars, it requires pulling out or forging Lightbringer under bleeding stars.
We might have know how this season was going to go and end, but now… What? We know nothing, I’m mean, what’s going to happen in season 7? We have a year to find out, unfortunately.
Well, Arya is not taking the family reunion seriously at all. Once again, her kill list takes higher priority over hightailing it back to Winterfell. So much for that declaration to Jaqen. It doesn’t seem like Arya will ever be interested in going home. Yes, Old Frey is dead, but I’m really annoyed with Arya, sorry.
Jon as KITN = Jon as LC. Which means it won’t end well. It’s a cluster fiesta waiting to happen.
Did not expect Cersei to declare herself queen in her own right. That is quite the impressive coup. Shades of Rhaenyra Targaryen. Let the Dance of Lions begin!
🙂
Lol at that LatrineDigger guy hating on the music in the opening KL sequence. Troll confirmed.
I certainly hope they figure out who it was and fire them. What a jackass.
gewa76,
Because we aren’t done with Daario?
Cersei’s look this episode was FIRE. Queen in Black. The level of detail is astounding!
The Citadel and Sam in the library was breathtaking, he was finally in his element, wonder what damning information he’ll find. The actual look of the Citadel with it’s tower was exactly how I imagined it to look.
Cannot get LF’s look of utter disdain towards Jon out my head. It’ll be engrained in my mind til S7 arrives bahhh! Jon has Sansa by his side like Ned had Catelyn by his, the former in sibling way of course (just siblings?), LF will do everything he can divide them. I do think the more he acts on his whims and desires the closer he’ll get to death. LF is measured in his moves but he dealt his card to Sansa, this is going to play out in an epic way come Season 7.
Ramin has to get an Emmy this season, the music this episode was just sublime. For me he was the real winner this episode.
That would presume Arya left Braavos knowing exactly what she was going to do. Isn’t that presuming a bit too much? She couldn’t have known about Riverrun and the feast at the Towers.
It’s more plausible that she took a face from a random girl on her way, just not one of the household servants.
aabe,
In the final scene the banners were Targaryen and Greyjoy on the ships, not Martell and Tyrell.
Nadia,
Right??? I didn’t get Sansa was pissed about the KITN. We are naive too. Of course, she would be angry. Nobody acknowledge the Vale was there because of her. I hope Bran and Arya get home soon.
lady olenna’s appearance in dorne took place well after the burning of the sept. she had already mourned her family and gotten over her initial grief. she stated cersei had destroyed the future of her entire family. what you would perceive as just minutes after the explosion could have been weeks later.
there is no evidence to prove cersei took the throne right away. it has already been stated wildfire burns and burns until it burns itself out. it did not burn just the sept. it also destroyed the surrounding buildings. the explosion was shown to flow out into the streets and down the streets destroying even more buildings. it was not just one building but more like a couple of city blocks of buildings. so yes, it is entirely probable the fire would still be burning weeks later. and really, do you think cersei just happens to carry a freshly minted crown around in her pocket on the off chance her son would die and she would make herself queen? it took time to make that crown.
jaime was at the twins in one scene and outside kings landing the next scene. from the riverlands to kings landing took the better part of an episode in season 1 but just a few minutes in this episode.
when sam arrived in old town he saw the white ravens being released. yet just a few short minutes later, lo and behold a white raven is approaching winterfell. a raven can fly from point A to point B faster than a person can walk or a horse can run. and maybe even faster than a ship can sail. but unless it has rockets attached to its wings it can’t get from old town to winterfell in minutes.
the directors and producers cannot spell this out for you like a dick and jane toddler’s book. this is where you have to use your imagination and accept that not everything is going to happen on camera. time goes by without it being put on film.
I saw more “horror” than “hatred” but YMMV.
To be honest, I really like the way they did this.
Jaime’s reasons for abandoning Cersei in the books: She was an asshole to him personally and slept with other men.
Jaime’s reasons for abandoning Cersei in the show: She secretly plots mass murder and crowns herself Queen over the ashes.
Can someone explain why the first one is “better” than the second, exactly? Or that it makes Jaime a better person, which seems to be what people argue here?
Cersei in the show is smarter and more subtle than the book version. She shows she’s actually capable of delaying gratification, and plays Jaime like a fiddle this whole season – she actually makes him feel like a hero. Though nevertheless he finds himself equally drawn by Brienne and the life of honor she represents. Jaime is torn, conflicted, uncertain.
Meanwhile book Cersei is too stupid to realize that she now has to put some effort into keeping Jaime loyal. She mocks him constantly, orders him around, and insists he do her dirty work. It’s very easy for Jaime to let himself despise her. Show Cersei (especially this season) is much harder for Jaime to hate. Until this episode when the scales fell from his eyes in dramatic fashion.
So, Watchers on the Wall, I can’t possibly check in the chat thread any more, since it has like 10 000 comments on it, so I’ll ask again – will you do 11 “Curtain Calls” now? 😛
Nope, I checked – there are definitely Martell banners (Yellow with red suns) in addition to the Targ and Greyjoy ones (black with red and gold insignia respectively). I didn’t catch Tyrell but it wouldn’t surprise me if there were a couple.
Jack Bauer 24,
Yeah, she has the Lannister army, which I am guessing will get bigger than the current 8,000 that Jamie is controlling. Will regain men from the Crownlands. I am guessing the Tarly’s will come back into play. I would hate for the actor who played Randyll to only get one scene. Who knows maybe Storms End as well. Dany can follow fAegon arc from the book possibly, but with shortened season I don’t see it.
But you are right, I am guessing once Dany shows up Cersei will know for sure that she can’t win so she chooses to burn the city down with rest of Wildfire and that is when Jamie kills her. Fulfilling the prophecy.
Jorah is his son.
QueenofThrones,
This, this and a hundred times this!!
Nadia,
Yeah it is interested. This season was advertised with Dany taking on Dothraki, Jon/Sansa taking on Ramsay, and Lannisters vs the Faith. the fun twist and creative part in all this is all the main characters won their battle this season. dany won over the Dothraki, Jon finished the Boltons, Cersei beat the faith. The first two are good things. Different, but it appears like the good won that battle. But Cersei beating the faith feels like the bad won in this situation won. I mean it is the faith and they do want to do good. Are they fanaticals? Yes. But still doing good. So it is interesting how it ended up when you think about that way. Everyone wanted a new big bad. Looks like Euron and Cersei next season.
Ironic Lady Olenna would say this – it was she who destroyed her family, not Cersei.
Stargaryen,
Do we really think that Jaime is going to give her the Lannister army? Or that they will rather follow her than Jaime, if he chooses to leave for Casterley Rock? And if he stays in KL… what’s he planning to do? I think he’s too smart to think for a second that Cersei will give up the crown and run away with him (if he even wants that after what she did). She did just murder Kevan and Lancel Lannister so that won’t endear her to the Lannister forces. And she was crowned “Queen” by freaking Qyburn. Who in their right mind would follow her?? Then again we apparently have all Tommen’s (anonymous) KingsGuard backing her. Or maybe they are more Qyburn zombies that stole the KG armor. :p
I predict the Lannister forces will split in to Pro Jaime and Pro Cersei factions. Then when Dany comes with Tyrion… whew. Most akward family meeting ever.
Imagine how Jaime must be feeling.
To see that his dear lover sister has carried out the same atrocity that he ( Jaime ) broke his vow to prevent all those years ago when he condemned himself to forever be called ‘Kingslayer’
WightsNatch,
She knew that Black Walder killed Cat because in the season 3 finale she heard some Frey guys talking about it. She and the Hound then killed those guys.
I don’t know how she knew about Lothar killing Talisa, I guess we have to assume she heard about it in the Riverlands.
How she knew what Black Walder and Lame Lothar looked like is an another matter.
I loved the episode, but the stuff with Arya really didn’t make much sense.
She just appears in the Twins and kills Walder. OK. So she infiltrated the castle, somehow located Lothar and BW, killed them, chopped them up, took their chopped up bodies to the kitchens and baked them into a pie, and then went to kill Walder. No guards, no servants, nothing. Nobody in the kitchens objects.
It’s all way too easy, and they don’t show us how she did any of it. Now we also have to presume she escaped with no problem.
Given how easy it was to sneak in and do this, and how fast people travel on the show, what’s to stop her from showing up in Cersei’s chambers in the season 7 premiere and killing her ? She could pose as a handmaiden, a Lannister guard, whatever.
They’ve literally made it seem like she can just appear anywhere, do whatever she wants, and then escape.
THANKS for sticking with me all season on the Jaime “redemption train” – sometimes it feels very lonely. :p
Nadia,
See I didn’t get that vibe at all. To me it felt like a genuine conversation that brought jon and Sansa together. I don’t feel like there is some angst still there between them. Sansa will need to keep it together, or choose to be with Littlefinger. Or marry Robin Arryn to keep the Vale in the fold. To me I feel it is more Sansa vs Littlefinger still with Jon having to work with Littlefinger. I think Sansa has Jon’s back. But it appears she will have to play the game for Jon while he leads.
Exactly! And last year they told us that Jon was dead!
There are only 13 episodes left. That’s not a lot of time to give us lengthy Jon v. Sansa drama. We have a Mad Queen in KL, angry Jaime, Dany sailing in with her entourage, WW approaching, Bran and his visions, Arya on her revenge tour, Sam at the Citadel and Euron poised to do something.
Sansa will not betray Jon but she may choose not to be the Lady of WF. Whatever her choice is, she has to make it independently of LF. And honestly, LF’s sphere of influence has changed dramatically. The world will soon be focused on the arrival of one Targaryen in the South, the presumed rise of another one in the North and the battle with the WWs. LF will try to manipulate Sansa but he will underestimate her and the changing world around him. I would like him gone sooner rather than later.
Boromir,
He didn’t teleport. He came back via ship, bringing Dorne ships with him. If you look you can see other ships in Danys army
Ravyn,
I second that. A second viewing made me realize that I was watching not just Game of Thrones, but something out of this world with how well executed it was with the organ instrument’s support. Best TV moment ever.
Stargaryen,
Nevermind there were Tyrell and Martell sails at the end. I didn’t catch that. mmh, they didn’t have to do that. All that does is make people like us go, okay how did that happen in less than 15 minutes. Dany better be crawling up to Westeros in first 10 minutes of season 7. ha ha. wow never caught that. How is Theon going to handle possibly taking on the Starks? He has no beef with them but is also the only person besides possibly Tyrion that will not want to fight the Starks for control of Westeros.
Didn’t think she took it with this specific purposes, just generally being prepared? she still had her list of names and it would be safer to travel with a disguise available, there are some enemies who still could recognise Aryas face.
QueenofThrones,
I know the feeling….. I have said Jaime will snap, rather then slowly break away from Cersei for years….
Feels good to be right, kinda.. I did thought he would do it before he kills her, but I won’t complain if this gives us 1 more year of fantastic acting from Lena!
The drama in KL, next season, will be amazing!
Markus Stark,
It feels like fan service but bloody cool fan service and we got Frey Pie into the bargain!
ghost of winterfell,
wow
so some people knew everything. wtf
so most of the speculation I saw came from real spoilers. some people were adamant that jon would be king.
anyway, next season ill stick to Oz’s posts only, and some news articles.
As many have said awesome music in last night’s episode. Ramin D. must be nominated (and win) this year. The Light of the Seven soundtrack also reminds me of young Cersei’s visit to Maggy the Frog – haunting, mysterious and deeply foreboding.
Also, I hereby nominate Lady Lyanna Mormont of Bear Island to succeed David Cameron as the next Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
Flora Linden,
Shes getting revenge on her way home.
Love it.
Dragon Tender,
But who in the show could prove that Tyrion is a Targ? That has always been the question to that statement. even if he is, who would prove it? Bran?
I missed that those were spoilers about Jon being pronounced king, very gratefull for that. I read predictions about it but I thought those were solely based on the conversation between Tormund and Davos so didn’t expect them
Dee Stark,
I read his first spoilers. The Mel reveal in episode 1. After being a bit letdown with it, I decided not to look for those anymore. It did wonders.
But I am honestly supprised he knew all of these… Hope they guard it better next season, they did improve, we didn’t get the first 4 episodes leaked online at least…..
Glad I decided not to read them anymore… It would have spoiled the feeling quite a lot.
Moondoor,
Same here…..and a bit of book info.
Mihnea,
yeah it sucks really.
Hope they fire this guy.
Dee Stark,
HBO will likely unleash their lawyers on him, like Sansa did with the dogs on Ramsey…
Wouldn’t want to be the poor guy…
Dee Stark,
Yup. For me, I think sometime after ep5, I saw somebody mention the forums here, so I checked it out. That was when I read all the spoilers. But at least I was not spoiled on the Hodor scene, which probably was the biggest surprise this season 🙂 .
Didn’t think she took it with this specific purposes, just generally being prepared? she still had her list of names and it would be safer to travel with a disguise available, there are some enemies who still could recognise Aryas face.
It’s possible she stole a bunch of faces before leaving, I suppose. Weird she managed to do that behind Jaqen’s back, but weirder thing have happened in Arya’s storyline in Braavos.
But really, the only ones that would recognize her in Westeros are friends of her (Sansa and Jon, Sandor, the BwB, Gendry, Hot Pie and Brienne).
I just want to say that I absolutely loved that episode. It can easily be my #1 of the entire series (SORRY BOTB LOL). I need to do a rewatch and I need to rewatch the entire season and then the entire series.
But wow. I never thought I would say that.
It was perfection from start to finish, the cinematography, the music, the visuals, the actors, everything.
And then there was my very satisfying moments as a Stark fan: Sansa & Jon’s special moment together – Smiling at winter
Arya Stark, red wedding revenge, finally.
Jon, King in the North? REALLY???? I CRIED FOR LIFE.
And everything else was perfection:
Dany – Hand of the Queen, sailing to Westeros with Tyrion, Varys, Three Dragons, 100,000 Dothraki, Unsullied, Martells, Tyrells, Greyjoys. Simply phenomenal and I was NOT expecting that.
KL – Perfection wow. Tragic end for Marg and Tommen. Broke my heart. Cersei, the mad queen, gave me shivers.
Sam/Gilly, so cute.
Dorne scene was sick.
And finally, this one needs one of its own:
BABY JON. <3 simply marvellous. Poor Lyanna, so tragic, so sad. What happened? I want to know. I need a prequel.
200/10
THE KIT IN THE NORTH!
And with that Jon is now the most eligible bachelor in Westeros. Jon/Dany wedding coming to a TV near you tbh.
I’m dying to know Jon’s Targaryen name. I thought it sounded like Aegon or Aemon.
Bran and Arya need to return to Winterfell and knock some sense into their sister.
lalla,
What about Littlefinger?
…Oh, wait, we already went there, didn’t we? Never mind. 😛
It all makes sense now…..Born under a fallen star……Sir Arthur Daynes sword forged out of a meteorite…..prince that was promised….promise me Ned……Even the name that Lyanna gave Jon starts with an A…….
And the prophecy itself: Created by Bran Stark through his time travel.
The discussion is moving too fast to keep up with, but I’ll just leave my comment.
For my money, this was my favorite episode of the series. Even grading for the Dorne missteps (toast can never be bread again…). The first 15-20 min should pull some emmy’s. R+L=J. I can die now.
Lyanna Mormont is the best thing ever. Better than Walter White. Better than Optimus Prime. I want to see her in a sass off with the Hound and Lady Olenna. I also want her stink face from episode 9 on a T-shirt (make it happen HBO)
Dee Stark,
I based it on the forshadowing in the books/show and the spoilers confirmed it. It wasn’t a surprise to me.
Also best baby casting ever. The baby nailed Jon’s brooding.
Littlefinger will play his games with Sansa and Jon, but right when LF thinks he is going to win, it’ll all come crashing down. I’m guessing Sandor will reveal LF’s deception of Eddard to Sansa, since the Hound was in the throne room. Shortly after that, the wall will come down and it’ll be zombie apocalypse time. Jon will probably end up with the North, Vale, and Riverlands backing him, but it’ll be a losing effort. (throw in characters like Bran and Howland showing up with info about his parentage in there)
Dany will be fighting Euron and Cersei. After she disposes of them, she’ll go north and turn the tide. Afterwards, Tyrion will broker a political marriage between his new friend Dany and his old friend Jon to reunite the 7 Kingdoms. Predictable, I know, but it really does seem to be the direction this is heading.
Also, I can’t believe I never noticed this before, but Jon, Dany, and Tyrion all lost their mothers due to complications of giving birth. That’s some more 3 heads of the dragon symmetry.
Dee Stark,
I’m glad you enjoyed that moment. But for me, I’m just over the whole Arya revenge thing. I’m afraid this list will take over her life. Arya, GO HOME TO WINTERFELL NOW. Jon needs you, Sansa needs you, Ghost needs you. . .go help the family members who are still ALIVE.
I’m not putting a damper on your or anyone’s enthusiasm over Frey’s comeuppance. Just my own opinion.
🙂
King’s Landing: I think the explosion of the Sept of Baelor was drawn out a bit unnecessarily, but whatever, this was a very strong series of events. I also agree with people above who thought Tommen’s death would elicit a bit more of a reaction, but we’re at full Mad Queen now, so I guess she’s just fully boarded the the crazy train.
Oldtown: Well, they’re not feeling rushed to let us know what the point of this story is. The scene was cute, even if the Citadel not knowing Mormont was dead is utterly ridiculous since Tyrion (and, by association, King’s Landing) knew about it by Season 4; that’s a clear case where somebody thought of a joke and then didn’t care to consider whether it fit into the world established.
Beyond the Wall: I wasn’t overly impressed with the kid playing Young Ned in episode 3, but he really delivered the goods this time.
The North: All of the scenes in this work. Carice van Houten was really underused this season considering the emphasis on her in the first couple of episodes, but she was great in her big scene here, as were Harington and Cunningham. The incipient interpersonal conflict between Jon and Sansa is still not being written very well, though, and considering this is set up to be a major part of Season 7, I’m antsy about this development.
The Riverlands: That played out pretty much as I predicted — it’s a lot easier to build up Arya’s Faceless Man prowess by not showing her before the big moment. Though I profess confusion about her using face-changing; at the end of Season 5, doing that made her sick. What exactly changed? Does Arya know how to change faces at will now? How and when did she learn that? Seeing that would have been a lot more interesting than her getting beaten with sticks over and over.
Dorne: I liked the scene, and the somewhat belated use of Doran’s “fire and blood” spiel (I liked that they got in the “heart’s desire” phrase, because I always liked that). Some time had clearly passed, but I kind of wish we’d seen Olenna’s more immediate reaction to her family’s murders, because Diana Rigg would have killed that.
Meereen: Very strong ending for the season. So much of the speculation around Dany leaving somebody behind focused on Missandei and Grey Worm, but in the end it was Daario who got the severance package (and a nice one at that). Great imagery of the fleet and dragons.
Unless Euron has some real black magic up his sleeve, this particular battle of the queens seems like it should last maybe an episode and a half. The odds are ridiculously stacked in Dany’s favour.
Flayed Potatoes,
It would most likely be Aemon as Rhaegar already had a son called Aegon. And it was somewhat foreshadowed in the books too, Jon would always claim himself to be Prince Aemon the Dragonknight in his games with Robb, iirc.
Excellent episode. Really liked it.
I didn’t see the after show comments by Sophie and Kit and the writers yet but remember: after last season, they spent months and months telling us that Jon was well and truly dead so I wouldn’t put too much worry into what they’re saying.
Oh, and one small take away: The little bird that lured Lancel was much better at the stabby stabby than the Waif. Or else Arya was just much tougher than Lancel.
aabe,
Few points I dont think have been discussed:
– In Jon’s convo with Sansa he says “Father always did PROMISE didn’t he?”
Cool foreshadow to “Promise me, Ned”
– As Daeny said about marriage – Jon’s gonna need a wife – I hope they marry each other simple cos theyd compliment each others personalities perfectly – No one else is good enough to father Daeny’s kids IMO – and the true Targaryen line needs to continue…but maybe Lyanna Mormont when shes of age.
– Having said that – when Jon ‘s Targ-ness is known, there will literally be no obe to continue the Stark house. ITS ACTUALLY OVER!!
Even if Sansa or Arya have kids, tgey wont be Starks!
Though what happened to Ned’s cousins (Lord Rikard’s brothers children etc) ?,???? Will the show totally ignore any relations?!?!?
I dont complain usually…but some things this ep were really underwhelning!!
– Like Daario’s ending was weird – seems they either tried to streamline characters or set him up to be villain for Tyrion in the future – either way they turned it into a modern day dumping of a BF – some of the lines were cringe inducing!
– Also Rickon, show washed its hands of him quick – didnt even get to see Jon in the cypts!
– Jon hasnt referenced Robb or Arya even remotely for years!
– Arya – damn the Frey execution was so messed up. HOW TF did she infiltrate, kill 2 lords, slice em up and bake em without any1 noticing….
Avenging 1 of GoT’s greatest tragedies, Red Wedding (many references to it in ep too), gets stuffed into an episode in such a way was shambolic.
ghost of winterfell,
That’s my thought as well. It reminds me of Maester Aemon too.
Chad Brick,
Yes, I was suprised to see Varys there. “THAT was quick” was the first thing that sprang to mind. I totally understand your reaction. It doesn’t bother me, but I have to admit that a) it wasn’t necessary. Ppl would assume they would pick him up in Dorne. b) it was jarring for a second.
I rationalised after the event, but when you see it…
Sword of the Morning,
Good point…..Did they bring the hound back just to have him killed by “A Woman” in Arya this time? I doubt they will be buddies after the way they left each other. I have to go back and revisit that list of hers, but I remember the one name she always ended with
Dee Stark,
yes, it’s really depressing to realise that some people who claimed to be making ‘predictions’ had actually read the spoilers. I’ll avoid all predictions next year, too, as people obviously can’t be trusted. I guess they want the acclaim of people thinking they were so smart to figure it all out. It’s too bad, because predictions are fun.
But who the heck is leaking all this accurate information anyway? We’ve had leaks in the past, either small leaks, or big leaks which turned out to be false (remember that “leaked plot” from last year, which was ludicrous and had the Wall brought down by Euron in Episode 10?). But I don’t remember a big leak which was 100% accurate for the whole season, like this apparently was. And this after they “doubled down on secrecy”. I guess, again, it comes down to “people can’t be trusted.”
Earlier this season Jaime referred to the Tyrells as having the second-largest army in Westeros, the implication being the Lannister army was still the largest. The massive depletion of the Lannister forces in the books clearly hasn’t happened in the show, probably because the writers are making the final conflicts more Lannister-centric with the elimination of certain other characters. So yeah, probably considerably more than 8000.
Not that it should matter. Dany has House Sand(?)/Dorne, House Tyrell, (part of) House Greyjoy, 100,000 Dothraki, 8000 Unsullied, and three dragons. Taking the field as it presently stands, it should be a cakewalk.
Girls can pass on the family name in Westeros, if need be.
From the cadence, it appears to have three syllables, not two: Something-something-ys. Also, there is a second word afterwards that I cannot make out. Not sure if it is a name or something else, but I perceive it to have two syllables and no hard consonants. (Sounds weirdly like “Ahai”, but that’s crazy).
I admit that I missed this entirely the first time. Tinny iPad speakers made the whole sentence incomprehensible and I had assumed that was intended. Instead, I was only supposed to not hear two words. It’s clearly comprehensible with my headphones on.
Stargaryen,
Maybe if he’s able to ride a dragon? If the show establishes that only Targs can ride dragons…. There are currently two dragons without a rider…. And Jon is a Targ.
OMG!!! I was brought to tears more than once in this episode. AMAZING job by D&D, Djawadi, the cast and crew, so many acolytes deserved. This was by far the best episode of GOT OR of a television show. There was nothing I didn’t love about this episode. Best of all, R&L=J! We’ve all thought it for so long and it was beautiful to see then the cutaway to Jon’s face. There is so much praise and so many thoughts in my head that I would be writing Armageddon if I tried to write it all here. Winter has Come. Favorite shot though was the white raven flying towards Winterfell.
Okay, I’m going to stop writing now because I’d go on and on. LOVED the episode, everything about it.
Markus Stark,
It has the same solution as do most things that get complained about on this show.. time. We don’t know how long she was at the Twins before the Lannister party, learning names and faces, earning trust in the kitchens, and watching guard rotations as the Freys “relax” after their victory. Certainly, she’ll need to skedaddle pretty soon, but the other Frey sons will probably spend more time killing each other to claim the Twins, than chasing down a theoretical Faceless assassin who murdered the guy they all wanted dead anyway.
swornsword,
Yes – good point, I forgot about Edmure. I have a feeling they will just close the book on the Riverlands in the TV show now, though. The BWB and Hound will head North. Arya will head North and run into Red Woman on the way. There’s nothing more to do in the Riverlands, is there? We may just hear from someone that “Edmure is now back in Riverrun”.
Personette,
Oh man, I meant to write Loras, not Lancel. I feel NO pity for Lancel, really. I should, but no.
aabe,
Season 7, Episode 1, cold-open …sun beating down on the open, dead-calm, sea. Close-up pov looking down at a small squid… Greyjoys, maybe?… a hand darts into the water from offscreen, grabbing the thing by its tentacles, snatches it up, and voraciously begins to eat. We see a heavily bearded and horribly sunburt gaunt ropey figure, in a rowboat. Suddenly, from the horizon we see a brilliant green flash, the figure pushes aside his wild long dark hair and stares in the direction if the flash, seeing a mushroom cloud of smoke push above the horizon, and the the sound of low rumbling rolls over him. Taking it as an unmistakable sign of land, he takes up the oars in his calloused hands, and rows towards the growing column of smoke…
Wylla was there. The wet nurse that he returned to Winterfell with when he brought Jon home. Wylla knows. Where is she and is she still alive? That’s the question.
A lot of the “jet-packing” can be rationalized post-hoc, but my point is more that with good editing, this should rarely have to happen in the first place. The vast majority of the time, the show seems to have reasonable consistency with travel times, with about one episode for moving from city to city on one part of a continent, about two episodes for North to South or vice versa (or from Westeros to Bravos). and about three from Westeros to Slaver’s Bay. But once in a while it does something completely incongruous with this, and it can be quite jarring. I shouldn’t have to stop and think things like “Well, if these two scenes which appeared one after the other and are thematically linked actually occurred months apart” or “If I assume a particular scene from last week actually occurred well before all the other scenes” in order to make sense of the time lines. Doing so is distracting and should only be done if necessary (or in rare cases, and element of the plot itself. For example, Stannis at the end of ADWD).
Just one comment about your very interesting comment before heading off to my volunteer job (at a charity bookstore – Sam would be so proud of me):
That’s the flip side of wanting Arya to get her revenge. What used to be thrilling to contemplate is, now that she’s a trained killer, truly terrifying.
And as you can see from my name, I’ve been there and it ain’t pretty. 😉
Really?
LOLOL
I was wondering about that, but if the show is going to have Littlefinger stirring up dissent at Winterfell, the Hound can’t get to Winterfell too quickly. So I’m wondering if there’s going to be something going on in the Riverlands to delay that for much of the season, which would probably also involve Arya and maybe Brienne.
Aegon and his sisters conquered all of Westeros with three dragons and a few thousand men. It is difficult to imagine anybody giving Dany a problem considering what she has backing her. It seems like she is going to sweep through the south next season then go north to help Jon and co. in the final season.
Then again, maybe Lady Lyanna Mormont will just glare at Drogon and send him fleeing. 🙂
Wow guys episode 9 has over 100.000 votes on IMDb and still a perfect 10/10 score.
Episode 10 has a 10/10 as well with 20.000+ votes. This is unprecedented. GOT RULES
Yeah I’m feeling the same way. How annoying. i really like the vibe of this place – IU’ve been here since pre-show, and really don’t want to have to leave. But now I feel like I probably should move on. Or just get of the internet. I don’t know…
I really wish people that read spoilers would either 1) put everything they speculate into spoiler coding or 2) just STFU. If you’re “speculating” or “replying to speculation” based on legitimate spoilers – no matter how plausible your predictions are – that’s NOT SPECULATING even if you frame it as such. It’s spoiling others. And it’s wrong. STOP IT.
Wow The Winds of Winter toped the children as my favorite Finale, Well done cast and crew of Thrones, well done.
I wonder if this would have been a better choice for the Writing Emmy, oh well XD
I guess the picked the episode they like the most :p
Rhaenys Stark,
Really hope Game of Thrones keeps that 10 on IMBD, if I remember the first and only show to have two 10 rating on IMBD so far ? 🙂
Sam,
That would make for a happy ending that I can hope for but somehow don’t expect
Yeah, this. The fact that they played so fast and loose with time this episode, and yet didn’t show Brienne back at Winterfell (which seemed really deliberate), or the Brotherhood/Hound anywhere, AND the fact that Arya is still in the Riverlands, AND the fact that Melisandre seems to be headed in that direction suggests some kind of set-up of that. Beric, Thoros, and Mel were all on Arya’s long-list, and obviously she has history with the Hound.
Jack Bauer 24,
I completely agree. I do think that she felt nothing when she left Daario because she loves Jorah though! <3 🙂
Matthew The Dragon knight,
Exactly! Only Breaking Bad has a 10/10 rating for ‘Ozymandias’ . I’m certain GoT will keep those two perfect ratings. These episodes were two of the best in TV history (if not the best).
So did the vale also take jon for there king ?
From Wikipedia:
‘Upon airing, “The Winds of Winter” received overwhelming acclaim from critics, with many calling it one of the best episode of the series, with some even calling it the best. One critic calling it “very surprising and satisfying.” The episode has since been called one of the best episodes of television ever made. ‘
I’m so happy 😀 totally deserved. BRING ON THE EMMYYYYS
Geralt of Rivia,
I was pretty sure she said Aegon
Agreeing on the weird stuff in her plotline!
Well the remaining lannisters know how she looks and not sure how up to date Araya is with what’s going on in Westeros though she knows what happened to Joffrey through the play.She did run into Jaime at the twins, though a coincidence it would have put her at risk if she used her own face.Not a specific prediction arya would have been able to make but I like to think she learned her lesson from the waif stabbing her.
I’m not sure what you are referring to with LF but I always thought he did recognise her, just didn’t want to hand her over.
So I haven’t seen anyone talk about this, but in the episode, we learned through Ellaria that some of the first things Cersei does is declare war on the Tyrells and Martells. Think she’d also make a declaration for The North, once she finds out the Starks have reclaimed it?
Rhaenys Stark,
I read that as soon as I woke up today, music to my ears 😀
I just realized in all my giddiness I never thanked everyone who keeps this site up and running. I know it’s a tremendous amount of work. Sue and the crew, have LITERALLY been the Watchers on the Wall to us all. Heartfelt thanks!
King in the North,
He dishonored his house. Jon is brave, loyal, honorable and Jorah with what he did dissapointed him. That’s why Jeor saw Jon as son he never had. He thought that Jorah would be that but he sold people to slavery.
Why the hell would Lyanna’s son be named Aegon when Rheagar already had a son named Aegon from Elia?
Dany,
Yes I heard Aegon as well. And it would make sense for him to be named after Aegon the Conqueror.
KingSnow!LordCrow,
As Daeny said about marriage – Jon’s gonna need a wife
And as it is likely that either can have children then they don’t have to worry about this issue …
Dany,
He already named his first son Aegon. It sounded like Aerion or maybe Aemon?
She already asked little finger for Sansa her head, under the impression Sansa was partly responsible for Joffreys dead. Don’t think declaration of war on Sansa or the Starks is really needed,they already are.Can’t imagine her actually trying to take them on though.
Wondering if the Little birds are gonna warn her of what’s coming or their locality is with Varys
Interestingly enough the people who actually arranged it are still alive, Cercei still tried to make an ally out of QoT and considers LF a friend. Unknowingly she got her vengeance with the QoT but unless OF really send out those ravens allying the Vale with the North Cercei might think LF will still serve her Sansa head
I’m pretty sure Lyanna named Jon Azor Azhai. The “prophecy” of the Prince that was promised I’m 100% sure was planted by Bran in the past, as a tale foretelling “jon’s” birth. As I’ve mentioned:
1. The birth under a falling star/come is Sir Arthur Daynes sword which Ned was carrying
2. Promise me Ned, is what is meant by Prince that was promised (like Hold the door and Hodor)
3. I’ve rewatched the scene numerous times….the syllables that Lyanna says referring to Jon’s real name match Azor Azhai. His real name clearly stars with an A.
Josh L,
It was impossible to guess the 3 names. Rivers and Lothar were never on the list (explicitly). Had we known that Lothar and Rivers were on Arya’s list, we would’ve guessed that easily. Sophie tricked me with that (not going to call it a troll though).
OT: Marge really got messed up. Locking them in the sept was the most difficult part of this ep for me.
Wasn’t Battle of the Bastards submitted for the writing emmy? I wonder why they didn’t submit this episode. It was perfect!
Queenofthrones,
I find that the more people say “this is speculation” or “this is just my speculation” and it turns out 9/10 times they are correct (and the other time may just to be to avoid total suspision) and then they talk about how they hate when people do that, then that is likely that the person may have done more than good detective work, but hey that’s “just my speculation.” Not referring to you … just other unnamed people 🙂
It sure is eerie seeing the counter at the top at all zeros…
Dany,
If that were the case, Rhaegar would have had two sons named Aegon, right?
Rhaenys Stark,
YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
Edit: Ep 09 has over 100k votes, still at 10/10
Ep10 has over 25,000 votes and is sitting at 10/10
Brilliant episode, my favourite after episode 9.
Also for the first time ever since the series started I have felt a sense of conclusion at the end of the series.
I feel the first chapter of the story is now over and the second is about to begin (Dany’s invasion/conquer) and the last season will be dedicated to the last chapter (WW’s invasion). That’s in line with GRRM’s project.
I think that from now on the plot will be less about politics and much more about war and survival. Next season starts next week right? A man can dream
Walder is saying she isn’t one of his daughters/granddaughters not that she isn’t one of his servants.
The Serving girl was at the Frey/Lannister feast (even made eyes at Jaime IIRC). While that may of course have still been Arya you’d have thought she would have tried to kill Jaime as well as the Freys if she had a chance.
Rhaenys Stark,
LOLOLOL
didn’t see this comment of your I said the exact same thing.
Also technically, Bran is the heir to Winterfell
Im so sad! 🙁
Connor,
Why?
I don’t think there are words that can express how surprised I am that they submitted “Battle of the Bastards” for the writing Emmy instead of the finale.
This episode is so much meatier in terms of writing, so much richer thematically and emotionally, I don’t know what they were thinking.
I mean there was very little actual writing involved in crafting episode 9. There was minimal dialogue and minimal plotting. There also wasn’t anything surprising. It was mostly action and a very straightforward narrative. What was amazing was the spectacle, the epic scale, the intensity, the visuals, the special effects and the direction. Nothing amazing about the writing.
It’s a little baffling to me.
I was hoping by now someone would have figured out what Jon’s real name is.
Well, appears we have a small cliffhanger for next season.
What I found most interesting was that both Targarians will now have 3 houses of support. Dany has the iron islands, dorne and the reach. Jon has the North, the Vale* and presumably has the Riverlands now that the Freys are dead.
*The houses of the Vale appeared to be chanting “King of the North!” with the other northern houses at Winterfell. And why wouldn’t they? It’s become very clear that Robin Arryn is a useless, sickly child and Jon offers The Vale an opportunity to rid themselves of LittleFinger.
As Lena Headey said in the HBO videos posted on their website, Cersei is now empty. She is beyond angry, beyond destroyed.
You know, if someone was patient enough to estimate the number of remaining Stark and Bolton forces from the last episode, I’m sure there will be someone who will try to decipher what she whispered to Ned. 🙂
That is the question I’m dying to know the answer to! I hope the jewelry maker tells us soon. My guess in the Sept explosion, but Laura (I think) thought the Iron Throne.
Holy shit. The opening scene was one of the best bits of television or movies I’ve ever seen. The music especially was so fantastic as Cersei went full Michael Corleone on her enemies. Really fantastic. As a book reader who hasn’t been keen on all of their choices, Dan and Dave really knocked this one out of the park.
Since seemingly everybody is speculating about the end of Game of Thrones.
Last scene: Jon walks into the throne-room, sits down on the Iron Throne…and then peels off his face, revealing Jaqen.
Last phrase of the show: “No One wins.” ^^
If you’re talking about Jon as King of the North, there are people that have been speculating that Jon would become King for the last sixteen years, ever since Storm of Swords came out. Heck, in the books George has ravens squawking “King Crow” every five minutes any time they come into contact with Jon…
I thought I heard Walder Frey said Edmure was sent to the “south”, which I assumed was Casterly Rock. Was he back at the Twins? I’d really like the Tullys to get back RL so they can back Jon (through Sansa) in the coming Great War.
Sam,
I thought he said Edmure was back in the Twins’ dungeons?
Woohoo! There will not be a show like this in a long time. So let’s enjoy while it lasts.
Walder said that Edmure was back in his cell (presumably at the Twins)
Arya heard this too, since she was within earshot of Walder serving wine when this happened.
Re watched the scene,missed the”too pretty” part of the comment you aren’t one of mine. Guess it would make more sense if he indeed means family when you take that into account.
Assumed Arya was making those eyes to get him alone but that it didn’t work.
That is what I heard, back in his cell.
He said he was back in his cell and that he was glad they didn’t have to kill him as killing in-laws would give the Freys a bad name.
I say dany is in love you think her and they will get married to strengthen the bond between the houses, but there is also that she wants to destroy the house system
Good point.
Stargaryen,
The show didn’t do “3 treasons you will know,” correct? I felt like last night was goodbye to showDaario.
Edit: treasons not betrayals
Mihnea,
Because the show is over and we have to wait 10 months for it to return.
Maybe not, but I think they’re doing the “three fires” thing, even though they haven’t referred to the prophecy directly. Danny so far has lit 2 (the dragons and the Khals)
George,
Oh thanks! I heard wrong. I hope Arya freed him. Taking RL back will be part of the Red Wedding revenge, too.
gewa76,
In the books Daario was kind of a metapher for Dany’s struggle in her decisions between war and peace in slaver’s bay:
Her marriage with Hizdahr zo Loraq was the reasonable, secure decsion.
Steady and the right thing to do – but actually very boring and unsatisfying and not what her heart wants –> PEACE.
Her affair with the sellsword Daario was the wrong, kinda forbidden thing to do.
Risky, reckless and immoral – but so tempting to her –> WAR.
Others have mentioned the great Inside the Episode.
Connor,
Indeed. 🙁
A long wait is ahead of us.
Unfortunately, Jaime only has eyes for blondes. 🙂
LOL! I love it. That will be the nastiest plot twist ever.
Jack Bauer 24,
I think that’s the point… Cersei and the Lannister army is NOT enough to stop Dany. She’s got a fuck ton of support from other houses, ships, cavalry some seriously good fighters and great council… And 3 fucking dragons. Cersei is fucked. Which is why I predict Jamie will have a repeat of the mad King with Cersei and once again be forced to strike down the king/queen in order to prevent them from destroying everything with wildfire – only this time she will manage to destroy the red keep (que danys house of the undying iron throne Vision).
This will lead to Cersei dying and the lannisters being destroyed. Jamie will probably survive and join with Dany, the North will face off with Dany and just before the two “good teams” start killing each other the White Walkers will destroy the wall and cue season 8…
from http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2016/06/24/game-of-thrones-how-does-this-season-stack-up-for-critics-and-fans/
Well I never!
BTW I think Sue the Fury contributed on behalf of WOTW to the above article.
Season 6 has been a bit hit and miss but at least now that we have seen the whole season’s arc play out it’s much easier to judge, rather than just pick out some scenes or storylines that seemed off.
I still think season 3 & 4 were my faves, with seasons 1 & 6 just below that. Seasons 2 & 5 probably just the least satisfying for me. But the margins between favourite and least favourite are very narrow.
Sam,
How about he starts peeling back his face and it starts playing the Saw twist reveal music from the movies, and we get flashes of all these cues that Jon has been A Faceless Man the whole time,
Finally it’s Jaqen on the throne and he turns to the camera and says “Game Over”
So when KIT said this was Jon’s biggest season, he wasn’t bullshitting
God I love him!
Remember: Arya just killed Walder so Edmure may be fancy-free come next season.
Sue the Fury:
Exactly my thougts! Cersei’s arc is precisly a classical greek tragedy. Whatever she does to prevent her destiny, it is exactly the trigger for meeting it. And the audience is mute and incapable to help or warn her.
Queenofthrones,
Yeah, I realized some of the things I’ve read here were spot on although I was lucky enough to avoid the major ones. (I hate spoilers!) This is the first year I joined the chats here although I’ve been reading the articles and news for the past seasons. I’ve enjoyed chatting with the people here. It’s really a good community. I’ll see if I’ll do it differently next year (i.e., complete blackout and avoid chats/comments sections altogether).
When Dany said that I told myself, she didn’t love him, and that’s why she felt nothing. Drogo is Dany’s love of her life. I don’t think she’ll ever love somebody as much as she loved him.
Rhaenys Stark,
I feel the Emmys are coming. And the Globes, and the SAGs… 🙂
Lord Parramandas,
What a great review!!! I agree with most of everything you said!
Thank you for the shout out at the end of your review, that is so sweet! 🙂
Happy to help cheer on my favorite show, our favorite show, and keep it positive! Not much left after this season!
Ive never read your reviews before this season but I will definitely make sure to check them out from now on!!! 🙂 I look forward to it!
Hope to see you around in the offseason! I will be here (only non-spoilery news/articles)
Sam,
Wait untill she meets a certain Northener:
– dark hair with a diverse haircut
– lousy shaven
– skilled sword fighter
– wild animal tamer
Or this fella:
– red massive beard
– short sword bad ass
– bear lover
– no talk, just action
should be 2 matches for her… 🙂
I watched the clip on YT, it sounds like, “His name is _,_,rys.” It’s a 3-syllable name, I think. Rhaenerys? Too close to Daenerys, so maybe not.
After viewing it again, I’m wondering if we’re going to see Jamie forced in to the same position he was in when he killed the mad king? If she’s on the throne when Dani gets there, I’m fairly confident she’ll burn down Kings Landing and everyone in it before surrendering the crown. I wonder if we’ll see Jamie open the gates to the invading army, as his father did, and put an end to the mad queen. It would make for a hell of an arc, IMO at least.
By the way, while the wildfire wasn’t a shock, I really didn’t see her killing house Tyrell and then taking the crown after what she did to her son. She has nothing left but that crown now.
Im gonna pretend you are talking about Brienne!
Being relatively new to GOT, I did venture over to Westeros.org at one point. A couple of the video reviews were enough for me. Endless negativity depresses everyone.
I fail to see what anyone gets out of spending their life endlessly complaining about the show week after week? ? Don’t watch then. Easy! ***10 eye rolls***
Well, I don’t have time to read all these comments, but uh did anyone else pick up on QoT’s interaction with Obara? She called him “Barbaro” and remarked that she looked “like a … boy”. Alleras?
My review of final episode:
What I Loved:
-Cersei burning the Sept
-Dany’s admitted lack of emotion
What I Liked:
-Sept Unella getting her due
-Sam’s arrival at Oldtown
What I Disliked:
-No Oldtown in the opening credits
What I Hated:
-Ramen’s score during the events of King’s Landing
-Cersei’s lack of reaction to Tommen dying
-Jaime going to The Twins for no reason at all
-No Euron
-Daario likely ends up being a completely pointless character
-The children assassins were lame, not sure why they were even introduced in the story
-Lackluster ending for Maergary
-Arya’s very predictable killing of Walder Frey
And now it begins crazy theories like rhaegar actually naming jon as azor ahai..seriously ..
I already rewatched the episode twice .
Its just pure brilliance from start to finish.
Sam,
Haha, thank you. Well, at least it would be a bitter-sweet ending and an elaborate ruse, things GRR is very fond of. 😉
eusgaam,
I’m thinking that too. Arya will most likely free her uncle and he’ll try and rally whatever Tully forces are left. I think even a semi restored house Tully could be a problem for Littlefinger.
Ginevra,
Wow, this video has even more insight into the Jon-Sansa drama.
Did Sophie/Sansa miss the part where Jon has had the master suite drawn up for her and says,
I’ll just drop these here, without commenting too much.
There were no reviews of mine prior to this season because I wasn’t on the site back then (and now I regret it). I joined the site in September 2015 after I’ve blocked westeros.org in my browser due to negativity and insults towards me and the show on that site. My love for writing reviews grew through this season and I even surprised myself with that. The ones I wrote for earlier episodes are nowhere close to the recent ones.
Even if you will be mainly following unsullied articles next year, I’m sure you know where to find my reviews.
Dee Stark,
Right? Brought back to life-family reunion-war with Ramsay and a battle that makes it clear he has something on his side-born with royal blood and kept secret–King in the *&*&! North!
I love Prince Jon Stargaryen 🙂 The White Wolf
Also ? Thank you–this was my first season hanging out at Watchers and you’ve always been one of the most positive/fun voices on here.
Fat ‘n’ Balda,
Like foreshadowing an Alleras intro at the Citadel?
He’s the KIT in the North! I love that cutaway shot of him (from baby to adult Jon). He’s got to be nominated this year. I hope. He was superb in episodes 3 and 9.
Dolorous Methuselah,
I think the difference is that the child hit an organ, basically incapacitating Lancel whereas the Waif use a small knife and wanted Arya to suffer so she didn’t mean to kill her quickly. She wanted her to bleed to death.
Haha! I love the “lousy shaven” bit. Who’s the second option?
Another poster upthread suggested: (not a fan of it though)
– handsome
– blonde hair
– skilled sword fighter (until he lost his right hand)
– kingslayer (ooops! daddy’s slayer! maybe not?)
From this day forward, it’s Brienne and only Brienne! 🙂
Tycho Nestoris,
No, I mean perhaps Obara/Barbaro = Sallera/Alleras, hmmmm?
Tormund!!!!He would have my vote
Ginevra,
Thanks for sharing the video, really insightful indeed.
Yes, I could see the writing being a close call for “The Door” and “The Winds of Winter,” but the writing for TWoW was much better than the parts that are clearly writing in BoB. I think they’d have a hard time deciphering how much of the battle choreography is writing – and that was the true brilliance of BoB.
Ahhh! Tormund. But, he’s already smitten with:
– blonde
– very tall
– skilled sword fighter
– possibly in love with a blonde, handsome man
RG,
Everything you said. Amazing.
Awww 🙂 youre so sweet. Thank you!!
Nadia,
Maybe Bran can watch the vision again? This time stand closer?
Marissa,
She always loves jorah just not the way he wants her to love..
How would naming him after Aegon the conqueror makes sense
Ginevra,
TBH, when I saw those 2 videos earlier, I never got a sense of what they were talking about. Even in my 2nd viewing, all I saw was Sansa and Jon being in good terms and Sansa being supportive of Jon. So, I don’t get what Liam, Sophie, Kit, and D&D are talking about. If I didn’t watch these interviews I wouldn’t even know there’s supposed to be this “angry, jealousy angle”. Is it just me? I’ll just pretend for now that I didn’t see those videos. I mean, what do these actors and writers know about the show, anyway? They know nothing. LOL!
Lord Parramandas,
I know that Mace has two sisters in the books which are wed to lords Redwyne and Fossoway.
And more importantly two sons other than Loras as well.
Halfman,
I went on there today I felt like being annoying and just posting a comment as a random user about how this was the best season 🙂 but I don’t know how the non user friendly website works so I wouldn’t even know where to comment.
Lord Parramandas,
That’s crazy, about westeros.org. Not surprised though. Those people have no lives, I would never invest so much time in something I don’t like. LOOOOOOOOOL
And yes, I definitely know where to find your reviews from now on, and ill look for them
Wow! I have such different feelings after this finale than the others. Last year’s was filled with somewhat depressing cliffhangers for instance. This one was massively satisfying for me! I don’t know how they manage to keep one-upping themselves! I thought after BotB that the finale would be somewhat deflating and perhaps a bit stale. Man, was that not the case!! It put a cap on the season and sealed it as my favorite of the series so far.
I didn’t expect so many substantial characters to die. I believe I guessed Walder, a few in KL and others would be saved by cliffhangers. I tormented a friend that doesn’t watch the seasons until the box sets come out by simply stating “about eleven characters were eliminated.” That was rather mean I suppose.
I’m seeing a lot of people comment on the music. That score in KL is really fantastic. He’s used so little piano if any for in-episode scores that it felt unusual and out of place at first, but after a bit it became brilliant.
I watched the episode my usual three times last night and kept backing up to replay the back-to-back scenes of Danaerys/Tyrion and Arya/Walder several times. I love the look on Tyrion’s face when she names him Hand of the Queen. He’s never been accepted and wanted for him as a person like that before, not just because of his name. Arya’s revenge was great. I’m not worried about her in the sense that she’s in a dark hole. Many said the same after she brutally killed Trant but we know that her humanity is still there and she saves her rage for those that have harmed her family.
Some feared Grey Worm and Missandei would also be left behind along with the predicted Daario so it was nice to see them going along. I’m also glad Varys’ plan was indeed to help Danaerys and not any other betrayal speculation.
A great episode, the storytelling was finally a bit more ambitious. Sansa and Jon smiling at each other because winter has finally come was a truly amazing and bittersweet moment and played perfectly by Kit and Sophie. One of my favourite scenes of the show for sure.
I hate what D&D have done to Arya’s character, they don’t seem to understand her at all and the writing for her and her storyline has been atrocious for a while now. A huge disappointment in an otherwise great episode.
I still don’t understand why Qyburn would go along with Cersei’s insane plan. Also, everyone in the North wanting Jon to become the king in the North came out of nowhere. I adore Jon and want him to become the king in the end, but why wasn’t Sansa even an option? It doesn’t make sense.
This season’s finale was a nice contrast to last season.
Last season we ended with Jon dead, Arya blind, Sansa/Theon are jumping off a castle (possibly to their deaths), Meereen in turmoil, Dany held hostage, Jamie returning with a poisoned daughter, and Cersei effectively evil neutered. All points of frustration for our characters of interest.
This year we end on numerous happy notes. Jon is the King of the North. Sansa is now a character with a backbone (Theon on the same trek). Maureen/Essos is now a great slave free place to raise your kids. Tyrion gets a promotion. Dany finally has the gang together to start their world tour. For those who enjoy evil, Cersei is again racking up the kills (The Night King might now be getting jealous). Arya is again dishing out revenge (was the Frey Pie served cold?) Jaime has returned to again be with his true love (maybe next season he’ll reconsider if this was a good thing).
Maybe I should miss the angst of last seasons ending, but this year’s finale was very fulfilling. In roughly 10 months, I should be starving for GoT again.
Sam,
I agree with you.
To me he acknowledged everything to her, when they had their sweet little conversation. I didn’t see any jealousy/drama. I KNOW it will come though, with LF there, he will attempt to whisper in her ear, it may work, it may not, it may work at first and she may turn on LF in the end (I think she will)
As of now, I am satisfied with how this played out in the episode.
Why is lyanna even whispering in the ear like anyone in the room doesn’t know about this child..
Why
Darkrobin,
Yes, but it was confirmed that in show continuity, Margaery is Mace’s eldest child and Loras her younger brother, thus his only son, so unless Mace has some distant male cousin, the male line of Tyrells is officially extinct and consequently the name itself.
GeekFurious,
I’M TOTALLY WITH YOU ON THIS!
I’ve been scrolling these comments hoping for someone to mention it! But barely a thing!
What is his name!! I thought Aegon at first, but he already had a son called Aegon, or was the first Aegon dead by then……..
Someone thinks it ends in S, JAeherys?
Loved it. All these years and finally the pieces are in place to resolve all of the political conflict next season right as the Army of the Dead finally attacks the Wall.
The showrunners said themselves in the Inside the Episode, no one wants to follow Cersei. She’ll be the queen with the least support anyone has ever had. Qyburn has no authority to crown anyone. Right now, she has Qyburn and his little birds and that’s about it. If we recall, she told him to send them out into the country to infiltrate the castles of her enemies, so they may be out there getting ready to assassinate more people. The citizens of King’s Landing just look terrified. They’ll follow her because they have no choice.
Outside of King’s Landing, the North and the Vale just declared their independence, the Iron Islands never stopped declaring their independence, the Freys were just murdered in their own castle and Arya and the Brotherhood probably return Edmure to power in Riverrun soon, so one more kingdom out. Dorne just declared against her officially. What’s left of House Tyrell is against her. The Lannister army can’t feasibly go out and fight any of these places, as they need to consolidate to protect King’s Landing and Casterly Rock. She probably has Storm’s End and Dragonstone left over from defeating Renly and Stannis, and that’s it. Her only trump card is the wildfire. She has absolutely zero chance of resisting the invasion coming to her shores. She knows it, too. She has completely resigned herself to the inevitability of the prophecy playing out. All of her children are dead. The younger, more beautiful queen is going to depose her. She’ll be killed by one of her little brothers, probably Jaime. All she has left is the satisfaction of killing as many of her enemies as she possibly can and burning down as much of the city as she can reach before it happens.
Tension in the North? I’m not buying it. Sophie Turner has no idea what the story will be next season because it hasn’t even been written yet and no one would have told her. Winter is here. It’s the time for wolves. Bran and Arya are on the way and the Starks will be as strong as they’ve been since the beginning. The coronation is unnerving because of how similar to Robb’s it is, but this isn’t nearly the same situation. He isn’t in hostile territory fighting a war against a force twice the size of his, with enemies in his ranks plotting to bring him down. The King in the North, in Winterfell, in winter, after vanquishing everyone who plotted against his family. The only exception is Littlefinger, but what power does he have left? Sansa knows he killed Jon and Lysa Arryn. Sandor knows he plotted against Ned. His game is up. He might have had a shot at the Iron Throne if Sansa still cared, but she’s exactly where she wants to be. The Starks are never leaving the North again. And Daenerys makes the whole thing moot anyway.
So about those Starks, eh? I’m not all that worried about Arya, personally. They showed what they needed to show. She’s as stealthy a killer as Jaqen was. All the questions people raised are easy to answer. How’d she get into the castle? They were throwing a party and she posed as a serving girl. Sandor got into the Red Wedding by pretending to be a pork salesman. How’d she get to Black Walder and Lothar? They have dicks, right? She got to them the same way she tried to get to Jaime. She smiled at them and they invited her back to their rooms. How’d she cook them into pies? It’s the middle of the damn night and no one else was in the kitchen. She murdered Lord Walder in the morning, as he says his sons had promised to be there by midday. Everyone was expected to sleep in because they were all nursing hangovers, so Lord Walder was feasting alone until his sons woke up. What’s difficult to buy about any of that? This is Arya’s strength now. She uses small stature and a pretty face against men who would never suspect a serving girl is going to murder them.
What I am kind of worried for is Beric, Thoros, and Melisandre, all of whom were on her list at one point (not so much for Sandor, since she realized playing the game of faces that she no longer wants him dead). Hopefully Melisandre can let her know that Gendry was eventually let free unharmed and she buys it. I’m not sure they can convince her of the religious necessity of this stuff, any more than Jon and Davos were convinced.
Finally, Bran. I wondered, too, how he was supposed to get south of the wall now. He’s bigger than Meera and she can’t carry him. They don’t even have the sled any more. But that’s pretty clearly the heart tree of Castle Black where Jon and Sam swore their vows and Jon burned Ygritte. They just need to signal to the watchman on the wall to be let through. Tell Edd who he is and they’ll give them horses to get them to Winterfell.
And that vision, oh that vision. The story finally confirms what we all knew. Jon is Daenerys’ nephew. His is the song of ice and fire. Stark and Targaryen. King in the North and Queen in the South. They can and will unite for the great war. And then this stuff about Daenerys needing to marry for political alliances. First off, does she really? She has half of House Greyjoy already on her side. Kill Euron and they’ll all be on her side. She has what’s left of House Tyrell and the rulers of Dorne, neither of which even offers a male heir anyway. Theon isn’t going to marry because he can’t have children. Yara will further the Greyjoy name. House Baratheon is already gone. That leaves House Tully, but Lord Edmure is already married and already has a son. House Arryn, which is a great ancient house but heck no as soon as she meets Robin. Jon is the only option left, right? They’re telegraphing it and everyone will say no because the story has to subvert tropes, but does it? Daenerys has already had two husbands die. Supposedly she can’t have children. Jon has already been murdered. His brother and his alleged father were murdered. His lover and all of his friends aside from Edd and Sam have all died. Is a story only a believable trope-subverting story when literally none of the good guys have anything good happen to them? King in the North and Queen in the South. They both need the alliance. Rhaegar saw the logic in uniting House Stark and House Targaryen. He tried and Jon is all that is left of that attempt. Now his little sister gets to finish what he started. Robb and Cat saw the logic in uniting with someone in the south to defeat the Lannisters and tried with Renly, who at the time had the strongest force. Now Jon can accomplish what they tried to, knowing this time they don’t just need the alliance to defeat the Lannisters, who they don’t even care about any more. They need it to fight the army of the dead.
That is the end game. Jon and Dany uniting to fight the threat from beyond the wall. All that matters is how they get there, what happens to everyone else in the interim, and to what extent do they succeed? It can’t be a complete triumph because it’s just too strong an enemy. Three dragons can only burn so many wights that can reproduce faster than dragons can fly. The Walkers themselves have shown to be immune to fire and I don’t see that changing just because it’s dragon fire. Dragonglass undoes the magic that binds them because they were made with dragonglass in the first place. Besides, we’ve already been told by both Bloodraven and Benjen that Bran will be the key to defeating them. The final twist will be discovering how.
This is going to sound ridiculous, but I’m literally heartbroken that Sansa’s claim and succession rights were not even discussed/ completely dismissed. If she is pissed, I won’t blame her. For me, it was a huge shadow on what was supposed to be a great scene (Jon being hailed KitN). I will continue to hope that Sansa will watch Jon’s back against LF (and we know he needs all the help he can) and eventually kill the weasel.
While the writers couldn’t give us an unambiguous scene of Stark unity, all is perfect in Dany-land. Even the Dothraki looked like sailors, even though they have been taught from birth to fear the sea.
I thought Arya’s revenge scene was too rushed, especially considering it was pay back for one of the great, momentous tragedies of GoT. There was no build up and it did not feel satisfying. And, just like I did not enjoy Sansa’s smirk last week, I did not care for Arya’s smile, after she butchered at least four people (I know the Freys had it coming, but still). There seems to be no coming back for this little psycho.
The KL scenes were perfect. The score especially was outstanding. I will mourn the Tyrells though, especially smart, ambitious but still decent Margeary. Who is Cersei going to interact with next season, with all the major characters in KL dead? Jaime? Her isolation from other characters this season did not make her story the most fascinating.
Only book nerds will understand Sam’s sense of wonder in the library. It was a great scene.
I think I will take a looong break from these sites in the next couple of months. Need to get my life back lol.
About the cast billing, Kit Harington seems to have jumped above Emilia Clarke. Sophie has jumped above a whole lot of people and Maisie got a saparate listing in this episode, which was long overdue.
I don’t think Jon is naive at all. When the show started and he was heading to the watch, yeah but now? Not at all. The army he had was what he could work with. As he stated, battles have been won with less. What did Sansa expect him to do? Call it off?
She was the one adamant when they were at the wall that they had to go and get Rickon and their home back. He was tentative because they lacked numbers, plus he just, like, rose from the dead. She is all “We have to! We have to!” and he is left scrambling.
And in episode 10, he totally acknowledged Sansa’s role in winning the battle. He didn’t even appear to be bothered that she kept key information from him. I felt they had gotten past their issues with trust but Sansa wanted to be heard, so much, but when given the chance to open her mouth and speak, she didn’t say anything. I think what followed showed a wee bit of Sansa’s lingering naivety. She isn’t a fool but, like Jon, she isn’t immune from mistakes.
And the comment Jon made about Littlefinger selling Sansa to the Bolton’s, that isn’t how it happened at all. I don’t think that is really a big deal, that she didn’t clarify it with him, but she agreed to it. Littlefinger gave her a choice. Of course it was a choice made with his influence (he is a master at that) but he didn’t deliver her to Roose and Ramsay in chains, in exchange for a bag of coins or any promise of power.
He manipulated her into thinking this was a power move FOR HER.
These seem like the only realistic choices politically. Jon and Jaime will command the largest armies left. Houses Stark and Lannister are the greatest houses left along with Arryn that aren’t completely extinguished, but Robin Arryn is way too gross. No way Dany marries her father’s own murderer, though, even if he was justified. Marrying her own nephew is kind of weird in itself, but I guess that’s normal Targaryen behavior anyway.
Sam,
I can see that interpretation but even before I saw the videos I wondered about that look between Sansa and LF and Sansa’s reaction to Jon’s being named KiTN.
First, this is a show and they are writing drama. So to have drama you need some tension. I am not putting Sansa down in anyway. In fact, I would respect her more if she is a little miffed.
Sansa is very adept at hiding her feelings behind courtesies. She would never obvertly indicate that she was not happy with that. They had Sophie go through that hint of a smile with Ramsay like 12 or 14 takes to get it just right. To me it was intended that that look was intentionally vague as it was. The fact that people are arguing over this means that the writers have succeeded.
Do I think Sansa will ultimately betray Jon? Of course not. As others have suggested, to me all that remains is for Sandor to sing his little bird a song about a mockingbird. That would be the case where to kill a mockingbird is not quite the sin Scout was led to believe.
Dee Stark,
Yes, it looks like they’re setting it up that way. We may see some sibling drama/tension in the first few episodes but nothing to worry too much about, I think. But boy, I’m so dreaming of Sansa finally putting an end to LF’s smirk! (great acting by Aidan, by the way) Maybe in the season finale next year?
That scene with Davos confronting Mel had me in tearrrrs! Uhg, it was like Shireen had just died all over again! Liam Cunningham was amazing.
To torment us! 🙂
Morning after–I’m still stunned by the visuals and have more to say haha The newness this episode brought was just…
The music and Sept of Baelor had a very different vibe-creepy and beautiful with everyone dressing and the seven septons sitting at every point of the star.
Cersei’s insane Mad Queen outfit-and a return of some old jewelry. She’s been purposefully plain all season-the transformation was clear.
Oldtown and the Citadel felt like a different show too-I was wishing we had come earlier because I REALLY want to explore Oldtown!
The Targaryen, Sunspear and Tyrell ships full of Dany’s army on the water was beautiful-especially with that soundtrack and that look of almost wonder on Theon’s face.
Sansa and Jon on the battlements in the snow.
Just beautiful visuals.
Young Ned’s acting-WOW WOW-I saw it all on his face. With a few words Lyanna changed his life forever. His promise means to protect this child he has to lie to his new wife, lie to his best friend and king, to everyone for the rest of this baby’s life. Now we know why Ned always looked like he carried the weight of the world on his shoulders. He did. It also explains why he was so upset at Robert for being so bloodthirsty about wanting to kill Dany. Even after all these years, Lyanna was right.
I do feel for Jaime-because at this point what did he get from dinner at the Twins? A bad taste in his mouth because Walder thinks they are two peas in a pod…and a target on his back because pretty, flirty girl kept looking at him-and now we know it was Arya seeing that he is celebrating yet more of her family being beaten-the Tullys. And after all that–he finally sees his great love for what she is–the mirror of the Mad King he killed to save King’s Landing.
Lyanna Mormont-I know fellow book readers were looking forward to Manderly speech and upset that he was actually one of the ones that forgot–I personally loved that speech in the books–but as soon as she started speaking I forgave it all. I was like-YEAH! You go! Shame those old men! She was just so badass and confident.
I hate that it’s over for a year.
It will be pretty hard for me to stop laughing if jon is actually named jahaerys not only I have been saying that he can be like jahaerys the conciliator but what’s more funny is his name will be in rhyme with daenerys who can be good queen alyssane
One thing vame to my mind though… Why did the Knights of the Vale take up the “King in the North”-chants? Even John Royce did.
Aryamad,
He always is–loved him
Just wondering, is Willis Tyrell (the one they tried to setup with Sansa) still alive? Technically he can carry on the Tyrell line.
dragonbringer,
Bran will probably reveal it eventually, so they want the audience not to know yet.
Sam,
for sure
agree fully!
I’ve been lurking here all season and enjoying the comments, felt it time that I finally comment!
– Euron and Cersei are definitely going to get married now… once he realizes that Theon and Yara have formed their own alliance with Dany, he’ll have a fleet of ships and no where to go. Kings Landing is most obvious choice – he’ll give Cersei his fleet to battle Dany and, in return, he’ll marry her. He is much more cunning than Robert ever was, that will make an awesome on screen partnership.
– Tyrion learned from his failed relationship with Shae that no one in the game can have people they truly care about, it’s a liability. So he had Dany do what he couldn’t do himself, and that bolstered his belief in her.
– I also think Tyrion will have a hand in forming the future Dany/Jon alliance… let’s not forget that he encouraged Jon to become a leader at the Wall, he was kind to Sansa in their forced marriage, and he gave Bran plans for a saddle that would allow him to ride a horse despite being crippled. Hopefully none of the Starks have forgotten that he is the only decent Lannister.
Can’t wait for next season!!!
Meh, I just now realized why Daario was left behind in Mereen. He’s going to be next seasons Baelish, i.e. the on call plot device who will show up to save the day when Dany is in trouble. Early prediction for next season.
LatrineDiggerBrian,
1. What you liked: Nobody cares
2. What you didn’t like: Nobody cares
3. What you hated: absolutely nobody cares
Go back to westeros mon vieux, maybe you’ll be crowned king there?
Shawn,
He doesn’t exist in the show.
Jade,
It’s the mark of a child to get butt hurt when someone doesn’t see things exactly the way they do.
Adam,
Love your Frey pies explanation and I can totally buy it!
But nope with Dany/Jon uniting and their end game. I do hope they will become a family for real (a Targaryen alone in the world is a terrible thing) but not by marriage, I mean, just like Jon with Stark family. That will be sweeter for me ?
Some people say that actress who played lyanna looks a lot like deanerys…are people seeing this aswell ( before anyone starts jumping no no one is saying dany is the child )..
And i believe child is actually CGI ..
When will be the game revealed video for last two episode will be released waiting for it
dragonbringer,
It’s the eyebrows. I thought she looked a bit like Emilia.
King in the North,
The Riverland lords proclaimed Robb as King in the North as well, probably because the Starks were descendants of the First Men and have the blood of kings.
“His name is…” Aerys!
I’ve watched that scene several times now. Lyanna mouths a name that begins with an “Air” sound and ends with an S.
Jon Snow = Aerys III Targaryen.
I am shocked and baffled at the total lack of White Walker action this season… by my understanding, they withdrew FURTHER NORTH to make spooky faces at Bran, then just took some chill-out time when that didn’t work out as well as they’d hoped.
I’m not disappointed, per se, just really really surprised. I get that the political drama is what made this show, and it can’t just be abandoned in favor of snowmonsters, but if all we have left is a couple of half-seasons and the “real war” everyone keeps talking about is still being totally ignored… I was never in the “wall is coming down in the finale” crowd, but I did think we’d see the ante upped in some significant way.
Oh well! Pretty much loved everything about the episode regardless…
I liked it when the Sand Snakes got served by the Queen of Thornes… seemed like a tastefully-done form of pandering to the fans.
As for Varys’ throwback to the F&B speech, I didn’t find it a particularly inspiring way to weave that speech into the show narrative, but nor did it bother me in any way.
I was a ever-so-slightly let-down by the ToJ stuff… the whispering seems pointless, just reveal what you mean to reveal, please, otherwise you’re left with another “NAH-UH, STANNIS ISN’T ACTUALLY DEAD CUZ I DIDN’T SEE AN ECU OF HIS SEVERED HEAD ON THE GROUND” thing. Furthermore, Bran can zip around through time, into trees and animal brains and shit, but he can’t take two steps forward to eavesdrop correctly? Puh-leaze.
But that’s just nitpicking as a defense mechanism in reaction to how bad it hurts for this season to be over already :'(
Flayed Potatoes,
Yeah I guess ..
But I take Sam said to torment us and also give GRRm another year to reveal it..
LatrineDiggerBrian,
You mean that what she can’t achieve with 100k dothraki 8000 unsullied and 30000 dorne and tyrell men and Yara and theon’s IB and 3 dragons will be done with darrio and his 2000 men
Arya. Just Arya. Will she meet up with Jon and Sansa? Will she just go solo and become the show version of Lady Stoneheart? I was sure it would be Sansa, but after last night, it is clear to me Arya will fill that roll. I am looking forward to hear meeting up with the BwoB and Sandor. That should be fun. She wasnt happy about them giving up Gendry and what are her true feeling for The Hound?
dragonbringer,
Yeah assuming no setback, i.e.
LatrineDiggerBrian,
I have no intention of arguing with you but man, you are such a downer this season…
Lord Parramandas,
Sorry I can’t help it. Season was a disappointment to me.
I agree with your second and third points. Those were the two things that bugged me about the episode. Being a fan of creepy in general, I felt that the creepiness factor of the Frey Pies was rather wasted by the rushed way they chose to do it. I’d rather have had Walder Frey served the pie in the first scene and then eat the entire thing, before being killed at the end. And yes, no Ghost again was rather irritating, especially with the whole ‘White Wolf’ name the lords have given Jon.
As for the first point, my interpretation was that the sheer volume of collapsing stone from the sept smothered the flames. I don’t think Cersei would necessarily have taken that into account (although Qyburn might have advised her); rather, I think she was gambling that the Red Keep would be safe and ultimately didn’t really care what happened to the rest of the City (especially not after they all jeered and threw things at her during her atonement).
King in the North,
Good manners, surely. If your hosts are declaring a new King in the North it’s rude not to join in.
On a serious note, I think that’s more or less what it was. They’re declaring Jon a King. People would have to acknowledge his new status, including members of any friendly/allied houses. The Knights of the Vale are guests at a coronation.
Notice how the Wildlings don’t join in, because they don’t kneel or recognise kings or care about Westerosi customs and politics.
Mihnea,
Yeah when I first watched I didn’t see anything like that ..bit after people mentioned it was fixed in my mind so wanted to get an opinion..
On the other hand what a performance by Lena headey..I must be really sick because I laughed when she said shame and the way she said it…but i felt bad for laughing .
Can we have a moment of silent for destruction of baelor and along with it all those targaryens remains ..one of the monuments targ built is blown up and this is only going to be the beginning cersei is going to put whole city to waste..
And those poor dragon heads skeletons will be turned to dust I guess.
Walder Frey is actually dead …I never realized how much I hated until I read dunk and egg novella ..he makes an appearance in that as a child for a scene ..but even then he was Hateable those who read it must understand this feeling
Darkrobin,
Yeah, I agree that Sansa has the right to feel miffed one way or another. I actually expected Jon to protest about it (the way he did in the books; he’s always contended that his siblings should inherit WF, not him, and so he refused being legitimized). But, I understand they can’t drag the scene too long and go back and forth about it. “No, Sansa is the rightful heir.” “No, we want you.” “No…” and on and on. We’ll see in season 7 how Jon will handle this situation with Sansa. He obviously knows his “place” (e.g., had the lord’s master room prepared for Sansa and called her the Lady of WF) but he’s also in a dilemma because the Northern lords just declared him the KitN and they basically set aside/ignored his sister’s birthright.
True that, liked the convo between bronn and pod outside the tent regarding the blonds!I kinda like the idea of her getting the happy romantic ending with Prince charming lookswise but I’m still bit disgistued with twincest and pushing kids out of Windows…
Tormund would be the better man for her for sure!
Would like to see first meeting with him and Dany though…
Clearly I’m not ready to commit to either
Anyone know what happened to Lord Karstark? I can’t seem to let go of this loose end.
Extraordinary episode, loved it all, and actually cried when Jon was proclaimed King in the North.
And great review.
KingSnow!LordCrow,
I get so impatient when people say that Arya’s or Sansa’s children can’t be Starks. If there’s one thing this show repeatedly emphasizes, it’s the fact that power gives you license to make big exceptions to “the rules,” including rules of inheritance and naming (as we saw not once, but twice in last night’s episode). Patrilineal inheritance laws are a social construct, not a biological absolute. If Sansa or Arya hold Winterfell and have the backing of Jon (assuming he’s a Targaryen king, and therefore out of the Stark line – although who knows whether this will play out in this way), they can give their kids whatever name they want to. All they have to do is marry second sons who don’t stand to inherit, and there won’t be any obstacle to doing this. Or, like the Mormont women, take lovers and just make their children Starks. Matrilineal inheritance shows up several times in the books, including among the Starks. Arya and/or Sansa can indeed continue the Stark line.
Sorry to be a bit rant-y about this, but it’s something I frequently see people assert, despite the precedence in both real-world situations (where, in the absence of an heir, children from a maternal line of the family were often adopted and given the patrilineal name) and within the books.
Ramsay’s 20th Good Man,
I know some one they will bend the knee to and she is on her way ..lol
But seriously thats just silly if you ask me ..if you are going to be in the westeros then you have to respect its customs…even Targs when conquered respected the westerosi customs…
Still speechless from last nights viewing! I should probably see a doctor as my raging throner has yet to subside! Im gonna be peaking all week! #fullpeakweek
And yeah let’s just look at the state of planetos for a minute…
In the Riverlands–
Riverrun was taken and Edmure is imprisoned…is there even a Frey left to release him? Maybe his wife and child? Tully’s basically gone.
The Twins–there must still be a few Freys wandering around-but that house is basically done. Freys gone.
Harrenhal-belongs to LF and is basically empty shell used as campsite for military campaigns.
In the Reach
Main Tyrells wiped out at KL-Mace, Margery, Loras. Olenna survives only for vengeance. She had a lot of extended family and she rules the whole reach-someone might take over-but the direct line is gone. Tyrells gone
Old man jerkface aka Tarly has lost his family sword-but I assume he’ll join Olenna to fight for Dany because he’s one of her bannermen. Tarly’s still there.
In Dorne: Oberyn died in combat, Doran and Trystane and Areo murdered. Ellaria and Sandsnakes rule. Martells gone.
In KL
The Baratheons from the Stormlands are gone-even bastards (except Gendry) Lannisters have lost Tywin, Kevan, Joffrey, Tommen, Myrcella and Lancel but Cersei has taken throne as first female to sit Iron Throne, Tyrion is the Hand of her rival queen and Jaime is sick of this shit. Lannisters on the edge
In North
Boltons are gone. Starks have lost all of their original household along with Ned, Cat, Robb and Rickon. Benjen is half dead and trapped on wrong side of wall. Bran is 3 eyed raven, Arya is an assassin, Sansa is a Lannister-Bolton with a Littlefinger stalker and King Jon is half Stark, half Targaryen…though not Ned’s direct descendant.
With Dany
Her husband died, her fiance died, her brother died, her kingsguard Selmy died, Jorah is off looking for a greyscale cure and she dumped her boyfriend-but she is really in the best position at the moment. She still has all her dragons, Missendei and Greyworm, Tyrion and now Varys along with a Dothraki horde, an army of Unsullied and Dorne, Greyjoy and Tyrell supporters.
I was just thinking of the map-you know-Westeros is in complete disarray right now. So many ancient lines and powerful houses gone or on the brink. This is what Dany is going to find when she starts her campaign. This is what Jon is going to find when he looks for aid in the Great War to come. The wheel is already broken. It’s almost apocalyptic and the WW haven’t even come through the Wall yet.
I don’t even understand this name business. Clearly Lyanna knew Robert would be a danger to her child, why then would she give him a Targeryan name? And what would be the point of revealing his ‘true’ name so late in the story?
He’s Jon, he’s always been Jon. So to see him suddenly fashioned after a Targ- who he has never been all his life- would be really weird.
Violencersei,
Can I ask if you are German? 😉
Aryamad,
Yeah, that scene was heartbreaking.
Not only when he was talking about Shireen but when she tried to justify the sacrifice because it was the only thing they could do and he says, “The only way for what? They all died anyway”; and it dawns on you just how tragic and pointless Stannis’s doomed march on Winterfell really was.
With that moment, the King in the North scene and the Tower of Joy I was welling up more than I ever have with this show before.
Like so many of you, I think the younger brother who will kill Cercei is Jaime. Do you think she will survive to season 8?
Jaime’s character development over the series has been amazing. He’s such a tragic figure now. I have a prediction of who will kill Jaime if he doesn’t kill himself. The show seems to like karmic events, especially deaths. The first person Jaime killed was a Tarly. I’m predicting he will be killed by a Tarly: Sam.
I would like for Sansa and Tyrion to end up together after all!
Yes and he defeated 30 000 spanish with only 7000 men. One of the greatest battles in Portugal’s history
Season 7. Cersei Lannister vs the World.
The North is united again under the Starks. North of the neck everything is Stark. Maybe a little cleanup needed but it will not be an issue with minor houses will to prove their loyalty to the new Stark house.
In the South, Tyrell and Martell are aligned with the incoming dragon army.
The Frey’s were not worth anything, never a major house, and will now fall apart. Reed and Tully will rise.
House Arryn is the wild card but you can bet it will see which way the wind blows when Daenerys and her dragons arrive. Petyr Baelish might find he has a thing for blonds after all.
The remaining Baratheons have not really been seen, but will not be happy with the current events.
The minor houses all likely lost someone at the Sept. Cersei will not reign long.
Yes, but the level of your disappointment is almost unrealistic, like you don’t want to enjoy the show anymore and that you watch it for the sake of watching it and I really wonder what did you actually expect from it. I mean no harm with this comment but I think you should seriously reconsider watching it in the future because I doubt things will get better for you. The show in its resolution phase is always the most predictable and spending the entire year on a fansite will not help at all.
Poor Loras he could have saved himself some pain before going in a blaze
The 3 dragon riders will be…..
2. Jon Targaryen (Snow)
3. Jamie Waters (Lannister) Targaryen
Lord Parramandas,
I’ve said that I liked 3 of the episodes, loved one of them, thought two others were average to OK. I enjoyed the first 5 seasons. I think the issue is more with you getting upset that someone has a different opinion than you. Is it not enough that the majority of people who post agree with you?
“The show in its resolution phase is always the most predictable” – this is complete bullshit. While maybe some things were inevitable like the Stark’s taking back the North, Ramsey dying, or Arya coming back to Westeros, the machinations of how they happened didn’t have to be nearly as predictable as they were.
Besides, Jon knows that winter has arrived, and it’s only a matter of time before the WWs arrive. So he may see himself more fit to lead at such a time than Sansa, which could be one of the reasons he did not protest when the northerners and Vale knights named him KitN.
Also interesting to see, Tormund was the only one who did not raise his sword when the others were declaring Jon as king. Looks like he truly has no use for kings anymore.
I note the season began with Sam saying that Gilly couldn’t stay in Oldtown because they had no money, but unless he’s put his Valyrian steel sword in a pawn shop for unlimited credit, nothing has changed in that regard.
Nadia,
I think people are missing the direction of Sansa’s arc now. She may still harbor ambitions, and a smidgeon of jealousy, but she’s not going to try to usurp Jon in Winterfell. As LF telegraphed quite loudly, his ambition is the Iron Throne with Sansa by his side. Sansa dreamed of being Queen as a child, and now she has a chance to fulfill that with her eyes open (and to enact her vengeance on Cersei Lannister). So though there may be tension between Jon and Sansa (where he, say, advises her not to lead the Knights of the Vale and allies south to take KL), it’s going to be about disagreements over strategy and Warfare, and not on who deserves Winterfell. My guess is that Sansa’s next step is to take up leadership of the Vale by marrying Robin Arryn, keeping her eye on Baelish (and/or throwing him under the bus), and then marching a Vale plus allies army on KL to unseat Cersei and take the throne. That’ll happen while Dany builds up her base in Dorne, and prepares to March north. If I were to make a wild guess, I’d say that Sansa may be Queen of Westeros when Dany turns her eyes to KL. And she’ll either ally with Dany (and Jon), or oppose her. Probably the latter, as Dany will be after her throne. Which could lead to a Sansa vs. Jon situation. Or not.
Whatever happens, this is some exciting shit.
House Arryn is now officially aligned with House Stark, as Baelish said, and we saw Royce and other Vale lords at the ceremony proclaiming Jon king.
You make some good observations, that gets me thinking but I sure enjoyed it a lot while I was watching it.
LatrineDiggerBrian,
I think liking only 3 out of 10 episodes is a clear indication that you don’t enjoy the show anymore and you probably got bored of it or you are watching it for the wrong reasons, especially considering that you liked all previous ones. I don’t want to drag this further though…
And how much do you think that “officially aligned” is worth to Baelish, if his ambitions sees another path?
I don’t really understand why Sansa should be queen in the north as some people have aserted; Lady of Winterfell certainly, but Queen in the North? She managed to secure an alliance with the Vale, who saved the day at the BOB, but other than that, what has she done for the North, or more to the point, what will she do for the north in the story yet to come? Jon, at this point, hasn’t done anything for the north yet (less than his sister), but we know what is to come and the part he is most likely to take in rallying the northern troops (and possibly more) in battling back the WW. Sansa is becoming very skilful at playing the game, but when it comes to the WW invasion, she is not going to be on par with Jon. I feel it’s right people rally around him as he prepares the north for the most epic battle for thousands of years.
LatrineDiggerBrian,
I think one of the worst elements of GoT fandom is the concept that unpredictability, and “twists,” are valuable in and of themselves. When, in fact, they are a staple of B-level dramas and soap operas (and ASOIAF is certainly soap opera-esque in many places). I think the writing this season has been an improvement on some other seasons because events were set up, sometimes subtly and sometimes overtly, in a way that was true to the characters and narrative logic. And though many fans saw the wildfire play coming, I guarantee that a lot of lay audiences didn’t see it coming. But when they thjnk back to previous episodes, they’ll realize that the seeds were there. And that’s a sign of coherent storytelling. My second favorite season, I’d say.
Sansa wanted Ramsey dead and she told Ramsey that he was going to die the following day. Sansa didn’t tell Jon about the Vale army because Sansa didn’t want to cut a deal with Ramsey.
If Jon cut a deal with Ramsey… Ramsey would still be alive. Sansa wanted Ramsey dead more than she wanted Rickon alive. Sansa and Littlefinger timed the Vale army’s battle plans perfectly to easily destroy Ramsey’s army and feed Ramsey to his hounds.
I don’t think she did, though. The brilliance of “No One” was that it showed that Arya knew how to take a face off and put it in the Hall. She also knew how to put a face on. I believe Arya has made her own face now. Part of me wonders if she’ll take Walder’s face, although I’m not sure they’ll ever have Arya take known faces. If we ever see Filch again, we’ll know immediately.
Considering the other lords are coming onside with Jon, Baelish’s ability to switch sides is very limited at this point.
firstone,
Wow I was already starting to duck as I saw you quoted my episode review, but thanks, I’m glad you enjoyed it.
weirwoodtreehugger,
Just a thought Dany wouldn’t need to marry if she declares her brothers child as her heir. It would also unite north and south. Not sure how it would play out though.
Danny,
Yeah. You’re probably right. I think the Waif was just not a very good Faceless Man (despite a lot of skill in stick fighting). And I think that was intentional and was why she is now dead.
And Lancel – well he’s Lancel. I think Pycelle put up more of a challenge. And he was up against several.
I’m actually kind of rooting for the little birds. Poor little kids need to spy and kill people to get some candy. That’s harsher terms than Willie Wonka lays out.
Lord Parramandas,
Again, I think you’re just really having trouble accepting the fact that someone could have a different opinion from yours. Of course I’m not going to stop watching the show, I watched the first 60 hours and will definitely invest in the last 13 (or whatever).
For sure, and although I doubt she’d take Walder’s face, if Filch shows up at King’s Landing carrying Ser Pounce to meet with Cersei, I am a-ok with that.
I think it’s Aemon.
George may have telegraphed this in the books: Didn’t Jon like to play as Aemon the Dragonknight when he was little?
ArgonathofBraavos,
I’m not necessarily talking about massive, mind blowing twists like Oberyn or the Red Wedding or Ned or whatever. I’m talking about suspense and a little bit of unpredictability. I’m not asking for much. Never before in a GoT season was I able to predict the major events of episodes 9 and 10. I miss those days.
Clob,
My Lord, I misspelled Daenerys both times in that post. I chastise myself!
—-
While I didn’t really want Jon crowned as King of the North, I certainly didn’t want Sansa to be QotN either. She seems barely equipped to even lead the House much less considered as a ruler. I don’t give her any credit for winning the battle and she doesn’t have a knack for diplomacy as all she does is throw around is her name and expect allegiance.
Adam,
V v interesting read. I m coming round to the Jon – Daeny union & marriage after last ep too…your explanation of why that is plausible helps answer lotsa doubts…
Tbh I do think there will b a confkict b4 that though….the real revelation of R + L in Westeros, alongwith WW threat will help that conflict be put to rest.
Wasn’t the main thing about that house how many direct descendants Walder had?
That should be closed off somehow, hoping for internal disagreement to rip them apart or do you think they will just leave it at the familiar faces?
They have been doing that for a lot of families in the show but there were supposed to be so many frey s though not necessarily named.
Jaime Lannister a dragonrider? Now I’ve heard everything.
What’s more likely is he dies with his sister. ‘We came together into the world, we’ll go together too’ – been mentioned far too many times in the books.
In Dany’s “goodbye” talk with Daario, she alluded to political marriages in her future . . .
In Dany’s conversation with Tyrion, Tyrion said “Daario was not the first man to love you and he won’t be the last.”
With that clear foreshadowing, who will Dany end up marrying / who will be the next man to love her?
I know the fan-base has been pining for a Jon/Dany romance for a long time – is that where the story is headed?
Lord Parramandas,
Agreed. Well there’s always adoption like the old Roman patrician families used to do.
“We pop down to Dorne for a quick visit that will undoubtedly piss off some ASOIAF fans due to the adaptation of Doran Martell’s well-known speech from A Feast for Crows.”
I am not upset they used his speech. I just don’t see why this scene was in the finale and not in a previous ep. Ellaria kills Doran for being patient, then proceeds to wait for about the same amount of time (an entire season) he did. Ellaria also feels like an accessory to Varys’ plan. So she didn’t have a plan after killing Doran? Olenna could have been there earlier too. It’s not like the wildfire was necessary to push her to an alliance with Dorne. The Martells vs Tyrells is a book thing only (if I am not mistaken).
I did like the scene (mostly because Olenna’s pwnage of the SS).
Adam,
Excellent summation of “what comes next.”
This, for me, is the key question in the LF/Sansa story line. And if he does possess any power, can Sansa usurp it?
Queenofthrones,
The King in the North speculation? I think that one is projected in the shows and the books so clear as day that it’s impossible to imagine it would be anything else. From King Crow and Jon’s visions in the books to “Jon snow is not a king”, the endless references to being a bastard/Stark, and the fact that there was just zero chance that the kind of Northern lords they showed us would ever ever back Sansa as a woman, misogyny or not.
I can’t be bitter about people speculating that one. If Sansa became Queen there would be no arc for Jon, not really.
LatrineDiggerBrian,
And what does that say about you? What is it a mark of, when your fictional name, on a website is so abhorrent? You may as well adorn yourself with the Mountain’s head, because that’s about the level of intelligence, acumen, and aesthetic judgement you display when you comment on the episodes. Like I said, nobody cares, and you only look like quibbling little petulant child with your critique.
Also remind me again, weren’t you wildly misogynistic over the Sansa/Jon thing a few episodes ago? Remind me again why your opinion matters a whit?
I think they unloaded him simply to open the possibility of a Jon/Dany (gross) or Dany/”Player to be named later” relationship.
Dany’s reasoning for leaving Daario behind was weak as fuck. She needed to be free to make alliances?
For all her talk of a new age coming to Westeros, new leadership and women taking charge, the tradition of marrying based on status is obviously something alive and well for her.
The Dany I knew up-to that point would’ve been like, “Yeah, this is my lover. Problem?” Now she is already making plans get married up, as if she needs to make any type of alliance. She has an enormous army and dragons. This should be a cake walk.
I know it won’t be, of course, because there would be no drama in that. But Dany has pretty much everyone bending the knee once Drogon shows up, so why would she need a man to keep the trend going?
Not that I will miss Daario much. Hot but a “meh” in general.
Jade,
My name is a reference to that dude in season 4 who Jon nominated to clean the latrines. It’s a joke. Get a sense of humor.
Judging by your response, you don’t even read my posts. You’re just an overreactive child. Plenty of people respond to my posts with intelligent arguments for or against. They don’t just waste time getting into a name calling match, probably because they’re actually mature adults.
And no I wasn’t the misogynistic poster or whatever the hell you’re referring to. If you actually read my posts you would’ve known this 🙂
Now we return to Winterfell for another edition of “Lyanna Mormont is better than all of you.”
Indeed.
So, Jon of House Snow, First of His Name? Did we just see the birth of a new royal House? Sansa can still be the Stark in Winterfell in her own right after all.
And what will the new bastard name in the North be, if Snow’s are now royalty? Suggestions are welcome.
Here is the reality and I am surprised that people just aren’t getting it. It gives you some sort of pleasure to come to this site and post mostly negative things about an episode that universally is liked. You KNOW that this is going to cause people to react and that is what you want. The reaction of others so then you can defend yourself whilst calling them out for not allowing you your impressions. Boring and that, for my money is what is considered trolling. I have ignored you until this episode, then I had to say it.
People, this guy does this for the kicks of getting a rise out of you. My last and only response to “brain that digs outhouses”.
Well her grandchildren would still be in kings landing, one of them a queen.
I think QOT said before it was mace who wanted his daughter made queen, not her IIRC.
Once engaged to Joffrey they were kind of stuck, margaery can’t exactly tell the crown we changed our minds about this alliance and are going home now byebye!
However with no hostages left in kings landing, that’s a completely seperate story!
Kells,
Yeah I agree, those are good points. Dany has a bazillion man army and dragons, why does she need to find a match? And you’re right, it’s not in line with her personality to marry someone based on politics (especially not to just dispose of someone like that). It’s kind of another example of them forcing the issue with a character because they need the story to turn out a certain way or don’t have room for a character. Other examples:
-The whole Jon and Sansa feud
-Jaime willingly allowing himself to be banished (with an army) to miss the trial
-Jaime heading to The Twins instead of back to King’s Landing
-Davos convincing Mel to bring back Jon
Many more examples and a big reason why this season has been a let down for me.
KatjaKat,
I think Lyanna essentially called him a Stark in her speech. If Lyanna says, it is so.
“The North remembers. We know no king but the King in the North whose name is Stark. I don’t care if he’s a bastard. Ned Stark’s blood runs through his veins. He’s my king, from this day until his last day!”
JohnnyLaw,
The Dany/Jon thing has always confused me, because it seems so typical fantasy trope – hero and heroine, get married, fight the enemy together and win – that I just cannot in any way see it happening.
But it just seems even stranger to me that they would fall in love. I guess I just can’t see that happen at all.
I don’t think both Dany and Jon survive the WWs, get married, and rule together.
So, does it happen BEFORE, a political marriage? Maybe. Dany is so outrageously unstoppable with her dragons, hoards of Dothraki, Unsullied, Dorne, Martells…. she could fly North and burn Winterfell to the ground. But yes, Tyrion will likely advise her that it’s better to ally than destroy the North and Jon is a decent man to do it with.
I just think I’d lose some respect for this show if it turns into a Jon and Dany love affair.
Also, I’m seriously irritated at the the idea that Daenerys Stormborn, mother of fucking dragons, leader of the thousands of Dothraki, head of the Unsullied, with the Greyjoy fleet……needs to get MARRIED to rule. Fuck that. Don’t diminish her, please.
I still don’t agree with the idea that Arya will join up with the BwoB, or the desire for her to do that, not that you specifically suggested that. The thought is greater for some viewers simply because Sandor is with them now. For one, she doesn’t need them to achieve her goals. She doesn’t need Sandor anymore. They’d probably get in the way more than anything. She’s trained to do things independently, not as a leader of a group. Secondly, their goals and actions are different from hers. She has a singular effort, eliminate those that have harmed her family before finding her living family. Her individual list is very short now and doesn’t require her to spend time in the Riverlands or to go north to fight the NK. Lastly, she doesn’t like the BwoB. They saw her as just a big talking little girl they could use as an auction piece. They have no reason to see her any other way now.
If they take her that direction it will be a forced union that doesn’t fit with the direction of her storyline imo. If she encounters the band that’s one thing, but her becoming a psuedo-LSH… no thanks.
JCDavis,
You’re wrong. I posted near completely positive reviews about episodes 5, 6, and 7. I was very active in the GoT50 posts, rewatching all of the episodes, and making comments mostly about what I liked (other posters can attest to it). My posts aren’t just a bunch of canned statements designed to get a rise out of people. They are well thought out and usually include stuff that I like and dislike. You just need everyone to validate every opinion that you have which is clear sign of immaturity.
Best season ender yet for GoT, season 6 has, on my list, 4 of the top 10 episodes, therefore best yet, even with 2 of the bottom 5 episodes.
Everyone thinks Tyrell’s are gone, but don’t forget all those niece’s and granddaughters from the RK garden vying for the prize necklace. Plenty of female Tyrell’s still around.
I’m worried how Mia Forrester is going to escape the Sept disaster.
Cersei’s secret weapon to deal with Dany is, Qyburn; with assistance from Euron.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Tyrion tries to rekindle (kindle) things with Sansa. I think she will realize in all her time he was the only one who treated her with respect. Perhaps after disposing of LittleFinger in a clever way.
Moondoor,
Hmm. So Marge as a hostage to HS or Cersei? And were are talking about an invasion causing Marge to be a hostage, correct?
JohnnyLaw,
I think theres only Jaime and Jon available. No one from big Houses left. Only other guy with real power in Westeros is NK – a bit too old & cold for her I think!
Jaime has one hand, killed her father, had a well known incestuous relationship all his life & is a bloody Lannister – would be a real step down to marry him!
But King Snow, I think Daeny wont mind him at all!! Probably share a lot of visions on justice, and would be ideal for North – South alliance – but am sure theyll write in many complications along the way – not least his parentage reveal – she shouldnt mind but he might.
I’d love it if the reveal happens by means of a standoff between Jon’s ppl and hers…she tries intimidating him with dragons….but on seeing him they smell Rhaegar’s blood and submit to him!!! Then Bran rides in from the. sidelines and explains the story…perhaps showing Jon the vision too!!
Nadia,
Did they diminish Robert when they had him marry to Cersei so he could rule and consolidate power? No. Is it only different and diminishing because Daenerys is a woman? No, it is call politics. Dragons are not immortal. Dragons went extinct for a long while in Kings Landing because they can also be killed. Pacts and deals based on nothing but vengeance can shift and turn and with them armies go too. Daenerys looks unstoppable but she’s only as good as the support she gets around her. Fear can win you power but it does not keep it. Marrying someone is simply a way to secure more support. If Kings do it why not Queens?
Mrs. Podrick Payne,
I agree in regards to the non-issue issue of Sansa’s rights. Pretty much every injustice she’s suffered has been because she was supposedly “the key to Winterfell.” If we can just up and proclaim anyone king, what was the point of Ramsey being legitimized (a huge matter of importance to him) or whether Cerisei’s are actually Roberts. I like the idea of KitN, but I’m not crazy about just throwing away the world building and succession rights. Other than killing off Littlefinger, I’m at a loss for what Sansa will do now, or what anyone will do when/if Bran shows up and when/if we find out Jon’s a Targ. Because clearly women don’t have the same importance in succession as men (par with historical accuracy), but Lyanna Mormont claimed that he had Ned’s blood. If he’s a Stark because of Lyanna Stark, will that matter?
Tl;dr Sucession rights have been trumped by charisma and strength in Westerns, as per the Hound’s words “strong arms and sharp steel” running the world. More hard lessons for Sansa
KingSnow!LordCrow,
I like the idea about the dragons being able to smell Targaryan blood. You may be on to something there!
The problem that we have now is there are only ~ 15 episodes left to get into a lot of nuanced possibilities. Whichever direction the writers go, it’s likely going to need to be really condensed. We may end up seeing a Jon/Dany romance evolve over three episodes . . .
Nadia,
I agree. Jon and Daenerys marrying and ruling together with Tyrion as their hand would be incredibly cheesy. I still think Daenerys dies at the end because of the vision in the House of the Undying. and implications that she is a conquerer, not a liberator. She has everything at the moment and considering that this is GoT, something has to go wrong for her. Maybe the WW will not go down as easily as we assume. Or maybe something bad happens to her dragons…
LatrineDiggerBrian,
OK. Yet she agreed (in the books as well) to marry Hizdar for political reasons. So it may not be in line for her character but let’s not pretend she’s never done it before. Characters sometimes do things not because they want to but because they have to.
Jaime is a fucking lost cause for me. I agree, he would’ve headed right back to Cersei seeing as The Twins is in the opposite direction.
But…I guess we had to have some type of eye contact between him and faceless wearing Arya. That was weird.
I think with Dany, the end goal is that the writers want to badly partner her up.
GoT doesn’t do “love stories”. There have been “loving” stories but maybe D&D want to do some star-crossed lover shit. Who knows. Dany suddenly using her sex to secure anything seems so out of character and so not feminist. I may not be a huge Dany fan but that to me is goes so against the grain for her.
The Starks made me so damn emotional – like tears in my eyes, lump in my throat – emotional so many times.
The TOJ obviously, when Ned looks at this little baby. Robert Aramayo just nails that. And they found a little baby that looks as world weary as Jon Snow?? Just tears.
Lyanna fucking Mormont. I just cheered out loud, over and over, “yes yes yes yes.” When the music starts playing when she says “The North Remembers” and Sansa smiles and I just cry.
I said over and over how much I wanted Robett Glover to get another scene. Tim McInnerny is just a fantastic actor and it was a crime to think he only gets one scene, and he captured that sense of betrayal the North felt so spot on. When he declares Jon King in the North…the end, me.
And last, when Jon and Sansa smile and laugh at Winter is Here. AWESOME. We’ve heard everyone warn about winter over and over, it’s this ominous cloud that hangs over the whole series, from episode one we hear “winter is coming” and we’re made to fear it. And then Winter comes when the Starks are back in Winterfell and there’s pure joy there. It’s an amazing amazing amazing moment. A Time for Wolves indeed.
<3 <3 <3
And, because I actually love Marge, I had tears in my eyes watching it dawn on her exactly what was happening. RIP House Tyrell, you are a decent folk. Live forever Olenna.
Danny,
True, good point. Though she did that out of necessity. It seems like they’re just lazily clearing out Daario now to make room for whoever she ends up with.
Nadia,
I don’t know if I see Dany making it to Westeros with her massive power contingent totally intact. If that were to happen, she is an unstoppable force and will be able to dictate terms to any houses. No, she wouldn’t need to make any political alliances if that were the case.
I have to think that Euron and his massive fleet will intercept Dany’s fleet before she makes it to Westeros. Instead of Dany making landfall with an army of 100,000 and three dragons, maybe she makes landfall with 10,000 troops and one dragon . . .
That would set the stage for more alliances needed to consolidate power in Westeros and fight the threat in the North.
But, again, we only have ~ 15 episodes to finish the story. Whatever happens can’t be drawn-out.
I think Dany felt she was going to be stuck in Meereen a lot longer, therefor ruling a lot longer and needing some political clout. She is now on a boat (like a boss!) with a massive army, 3 dragons and three powerful (albeit in name only right now) houses backing her.
She may encounter conflict but she will be the one making the rules, not bending to them.
She has entered an agreement of marriage before, sure, but since then her power and influence has grown so much (dragons will do that) that she can write her own ticket and not do anyone else’s bidding.
Lord Parramandas:
There is a crazy theory that Deanerys will be Jon’s Nissa Nissa. Jon and Deanerys fall in love and face the Walkers together. But they fail and her dragons stand no match against Night’s King. So in an act of great sacrifice, she asks and Jon plunges his sword into her bringing forth Lightbringer which he uses to kill the Night’s King, dying in the process himself.
As dark as tin foil theories come.
Nadia,
My thoughts exactly. I’m glad you liked it. Everything about the North was utterly amazing in this episode. I was initially worried that Sansa and Jon will end on separate sides (as enemies) at the end of the season but then I saw Sansa smile to Jon after him being declared King in the North and I was so relieved. More details in my review above.
JohnnyLaw,
You totally stole that Euron theory from me!
LatrineDiggerBrian,
I’ve read so many of the posts on this board, I don’t even know where I get my thoughts anymore.
At any rate, kudos, “great” minds think alike!
Danny,
I hate to nitpick. The re-casting of Daario to someone traditionally handsome, well mannered may have hurt this scene. If bookDaario were there, she could have easily said, “dude you are just not presentable to the high lords and ladies of Westeros.” Then again, all these Dothraki and Iron Born are not presentable either so not sure why she cares at all about her entourage or Westerosi perception of it. I also don’t see a situation where she marries to form another alliance. Who are the options? Euron (no)? Jon? Jaime?? Who else is even a possibility? Maybe she’s thinking ahead but the marriage never materializes?
BranTheBlessed,
I’m not sure how crazy this theory is because it may as well happen. The battle for the Dawn HAS to be hard and there must be sacrifices. Three dragons just burning everything down would be very anti-climatic. And now that all the Children are dead, I’m sure Bran will play an important part as well.
Kells,
Yeah they’re clearing out space for her to make room for whoever she ends up with. They could’ve easily just killed Daario, but I bet you they’re keeping him alive so he can swoop in and save the day when Dany gets into trouble with Euron (D & D have really fallen in love with this trope).
The other thing about Dany that was out of character was in episode 9, when her and Tyrion were just standing around for hours while the Master’s were attacking the city and killing innocents. Then she made the comment like, “I’ll reduce Slaver’s Bay to ashes” which is totally out of character for her because she does care about the slaves and former slaves. Then even more ridiculous, they go out and meet with the Master’s during a surprise attack. The whole thing was silly. She could’ve just ended it immediately by gettong on Drogon and torching a ship, but they needed to kill time.
Well originally it would be to the Lannisters, we make you granddaughter queen but that forces you to be on our side. I mean remember what happens in Sansa’s case, though Joffrey isn’t alive I can’t imagine you want to just abandon your granddaughter and try find a better alliance. The QOT genuinely seemed to love and care for her family.
Then HS brought it to a new level, with keeping Margaery and Loras prisoner. Even though Margaery was released, Loras was being used against her as he was still a prisoner of the faith. Marg seemed to think she had some kind of deal with the HS, regarding loras being forgiven but then he was made part of the faith militant. Which she wasn’t impressed with and even in the very end she was trying to get her brother to leave with her.
One question for you: If your theory about Euron proves to be true, will you be happy or sad/angry?
Tycho Nestoris,
The Martells vs Tyrells is a book thing only (if I am not mistaken).
Well Lady Olenna did mention a 100 scorpions greating the last Tyrell to be in Sunspear or something like that so I assume that was to indicate that there was no love lost between the Martells and Tyrells.
BranTheBlessed,
Can you imagine how crazy people will go if they have the woman with the dragons sacrifice herself so the man wins?
that theory makes tons of sense to me, but the hate GOT will receive will taint the entire outcome.
As always Sue delivers good insight. Jaime and Walders meeting really served to underscore Jaime’s conflict of caring what others think of him / wanting to be good. And I didn’t catch the double meaning of the blond reference referring to Cercei and Brienne. Also looking forward to a meeting between Arya and Melisandre next year!
One thing that I’m still wondering about is where was Shae? The filming spoilers suggested Tyrions dead liver would make an appearance. Maybe as a deleted scene on the DVDs? Here is hoping! And we should get a lip reader to tell us what Lyanna whispered. I feel like all I saw was “Jon”.
The Tyrells/Martells thing is not just a book thing. When Daeron I. invaded and conquered Dorne, he left in charge Lord Lyonel Tyrell who was murdered by Dornishmen shortly after that. It was mentioned in Histories and Lore, so it is canon in TV continuity. In the books, there is another event when prince Oberyn unintentionally crippled Mace’s eldest son Willas in a turney.Willas’s leg was crushed and he had to walk with a cane after that.
Wasn’t Davos the Hand of the King for Stannis? He’s still alive…
I was surprised at Jon being named King in the North, especially what happened with the previous king. I thought he’d be Lord of Winterfell at the most. Does this mean he can name Sansa the Lady of Winterfell? The King and the Lord don’t have to be the same person, right?
Lyanna Mormont needs to Jon’s Director of Public Relations. Davos will probably be his Hand.
Littlefinger’s “This was not in my plan” look when Jon is named king. He’s going to be sowing some seeds of discontent with Sansa.
The pretty stuff: Cute baby Jon, gorgeous library, and Olenna telling the Sand Snakes to let the grown folks talk.
The “Little Birds” of Westeros need a big raise. That’s a lot of work for some candy.
Dany isn’t going to have much of Westeros to rule. I’m assuming part of agreement to support Dany is independence. So that takes away Dorne, The Reach, and the Iron Islands. The North and the Vale are committed to Jon (at the moment). That leaves the Westerlands, the Stormlands, and the Riverlands.
I guess Tyrion is the key to uniting with the North since he’s friends was Jon, somewhat married to Sansa, and was helpful to Bran.
I’m worried about Arya when her list runs out.
I got a little misty when Tyrion is named Hand of the Queen. Not sure about the “foreshadowing” about Dany’s love life. I don’t think Dany and Jon make good romantic interests for each other. Allies/Friends -Yes, Hump Buddies -No.
Is Meera supposed to carry Bran around now?
Hope Brienne and Pod didn’t row themselves to wherever Gendry is.
The music in the King’s Landing part of the episode was scary. Good, but scary.
Oh hell, here goes my vow to ignore your ignorant remarks. But I just can’t help it.
You should not talk about maturity, because you are the one who gets childish when someone bring up an argument you cannot dismiss.
Let’s revisit our ‘discussion’ about Euron being a plot device this season to get Yara and Theon to Essos.
I believe the first sentence of your reply was “you think you are so smart…blah blah. .reading spoilers blah blah. ..they could have gotten them there in another way….Euron is an important character in the books”.
When I told I did not read the books you told me neither did you. So Mr. “Your opinion is not valid because there must be a spoiler out there that you are just regurgitating”, how the Fook do you know Euron is important?
And guess what, there are other folks here that can apply critical thinking, not just you.
So why don’t YOU grow up and stop discrediting people with your childish remarks.
Personal attack coming in 3…2…1
Oh, and don’t bother telling me to grow up. I did that and grew old.
Lord Parramandas,
Happy. I want some conflict. I want a new awesome villain. Dany is too powerful now. How dull will it be if she lands on the shores of Westeros and just runs everyone over with her dragons and army?
Darkrobin,
I love how you constantly pull small details to make logical conclusions. Still, that clue was not only for book readers but the top 1% of them. Well done.
Lord Parramandas,
Dany brought dragons into the world. Magic re-entered the world.
They shall come day and night to see the wonder that has been born again into the world, and when they see they shall lust. For dragons are fire made flesh, and fire is power.
I think that Dany may be faced with a choice that involves her children and as you suggest possibly herself.
Nadia,
Dany would do it. She is selfless.
Newbietothegame,
Well I apologize for that remark. Sometimes when I’m fending off a multi pronged attack from you guys, I lose track of who is who. I thought you were someone else. Even after I made those remarks I still wrote out a well thought out paragraph with my opinions. And to that argument, you were repeating the same argument that others were making to me, that the whole purpose of Euron mentioning the 1000 ships was so Yara and Theon would know to go to Dany. But you weren’t taking into account the speech he made when they weren’t around. That’s why I’m not clear how you guys were so sure that he wouldn’t show up, or that his 1000 ship speech was pointless.
Lord Parramandas,
I wouldn’t be remotely upset if Dany’s power-base was diminished. I think that a more even playing field makes the political posturing in the story a lot more compelling. And it’s always fun to root for an underdog.
Full-disclosure: I’m not a huge Dany-fan anyway. Like most, I’m “Team Stark.”
dragonbringer,
Dany,
As anyone who’s read the books knows, unless Lyanna and Rhaegar secretly married (haven’t gone back to doublecheck whether Rhaegar was a widower before Lyanna gave birth or bigamy is allowed), their child would take the surname given to Targeryan bastards; i.e, “Blackfyre”.
Dee Stark,
She would do it. I see it completely, even though I really myself don’t love the Jon/Dany fall in love angle.
People who watch the show will go back to being angry about how D&D write women, that the most powerful woman ever, with 3 dragons, has to be sacrificed by a man, regardless of how in character it all is.
If Dany is AA, somehow, it would be interesting if it’s more someone she loves dying. Jorah?
Darkrobin,
Oh yes, I totally forgot that for the Dance, dragons are required. I always thought her opponent will be the one who will never appear on TV, but he has no dragons!
LatrineDiggerBrian,
Dude. Please. You’re acting like the show doesn’t plant seeds for future season, when that is what this show does SO DAMN WELL.
Mel burned three leeches. The third king, Balon, only died seasons later. But we were introduced to them, to the leeches, well before.
If Euron showed up with 10,000 ships everyone would be bitching and moaning “HOW DID HE BUILD HIS SHIPS SO FAST.”
They set him up for seasons to come. This show always does that, and they give us the payoff.
JohnnyLaw,
Well, I’m not a Daenerys fan either (or maybe I don’t like the actress) but this season I started to like her more. Her goodbye to Jorah was one of my favorite scenes and I liked her scene with Tyrion in season finale.
Lord Parramandas,
It’s because that’s human vulnerable Dany, not “burn them all/mother of three dragons/Dothraki/Unsullied/untouchable Dany who can defeat any foe.”
Nadia,
That’s not the argument we’re having. I agree it would’ve been ridiculous of him to have built the ships so fast. But anyway, if he meets her in the Narrow Sea he would’ve built them pretty fast anyway, but I guess the off season would’ve dulled that effect.
LatrineDiggerBrian,
I remember this convo because I was part of it, i just want to reiterate that NOBODY said his 1000 damn ships speech was pointless. I said at this point that speech and his role was to introduce him as a villain AND get yara and theon out of there and aware of Dany…. so I concluded we wont see him in the finale, logically, because we didn’t need to, Eurons role for next season was already set up.
Edit: Whats with the obsession with Euron? He had two scenes, and meh.
Lord Parramandas,
I don’t “dislike” her, but her constant bluster (tough-guy shtick) allows me only to like her so much . . .
I am a big fan of every Mormont. Jorah got moved down to second place after meeting Lyanna . . .
Nadia,
Yes. Like I said in my review for Battle of the Bastards, I dreaded Fire&Blood resolution for Slaver’s Bay and I was glad that it was more subtle one (although it still ended with flawless victory). If they continue with the scenes like that, I’m sure I will like her in the future.
Nadia,
Honestly, if Dany sacrifices herself for the greater good, that would be amazing (as much as I love her), and im a woman, and it doesn’t even matter.
Tycho Nestoris,
To be honest I don’t really think the idea came from her. It most likely came from Tyrion. Tyrion the politician. Tyrion who at this point probably doesn’t know that there are no more viable candidates, though it would be hilarious if Dany were to marry Sweetrobin. The intent of the producers is obvious, they want people to speculate whether this means that a Jon/Daenerys pairing is in the horizon. Nothing different than what is in the books really. Sooner or later Dany and Jon have to come face to face. How sweet, how bitter, how tragic it would all be in the end? Who knows. In the books she had the mount for love, in the show she had to go to the Wall to find her husband and child. Cheesy some say. Depends on how it ends I say. And just to be clear, I don’t want the pairing but I accept that the possibility for its development is a strong one.
Dee Stark,
it is LITERALLY what they did with the three leeches!!!! Mel burned three leeches and we all knew it was coming, we were introduced to the Greyjoys, and Balon died when it was necessary for the show. But that plot was introduced.
It’s the same damn thing they did for Tarly and Heartsbane.
This show is exceptional at introducing threads and this slowly weaving them all together in this incredible tapestry, sometimes so slowly that we don’t even realize it’s happening until you rewatch something or you see a scene and you think “oh shit!”
Characters aren’t introduced because they immediately have some huge purpose. Euron was introduced now because in the immediate plot he gets Yara and Theon to Dany. In the future, he’s being set up for a much bigger role.
Lord Parramandas,
The show may not decide to go in that direction (and i’m assuming GWWM still does for the books, but he might not). But it would add some spice to the story between now and the Battle for the Dawn.
Wow, this was so, so good. I assumed it would be a bit of a letdown after BoB, but boy was I wrong.
I was actually surprised that Cersei showed as much restraint as she did, burning down just the sept and not the whole city. Although I’m more convinced than ever that
I’m very excited to see Jaime finally break from her.
Poor Tommen, you little marshmallow. You got played by everyone. It didn’t really bother me that Cersei didn’t have a great deal of reaction to his suicide. I feel like she’s been waiting for it to happen since the moment she found out about Myrcella.
Walder Frey, you had it coming. Although I’m a little worried about Arya. She looked just a wee bit too delighted. I don’t know what I want more for her: a reprise of the Arya/Hound road show, or just for her to get home so Jon can call her “little sister”.
So much happened at Winterfell. First, Davos made me cry. Melisandre’s banishment puts her squarely in line to meet Arya again, as she predicted. Sansa and Jon’s scene was so sweet, especially the “winter is here” line. And then of course the ToJ cut directly to Jon’s face. Finally! And of course, KitN. Lyanna Mormont slayed, as she does.
Also got a little weepy when Dany gave Tyrion the pin. He was so good last time he was hand, and never got an ounce of recognition for it. So nice that already he is being trusted.
QoT was awesome in the Dorne scene, and I’m glad that ended up being where Varys went as well. It’s a really good Lanister-hating alliance they’ve got going there.
And to wrap up, a huge thanks to Sue and everyone else here. This is my first season reading this site, and it gave me hours and hours of enjoyment!
Darkrobin,
Well, something (bad?) has to happen. Otherwise, Daenerys will have nothing to do in the meantime.
Dee Stark,
I am with you 100%. I don’t know how I feel about the Dany/Jon in love trope but I think if that’s how it goes, it would be completely in character for Dany to do that (and for Jon to be so tortured by it that he could never be the same).
Having said that, the same people who were so furious with Sansa’s Winterfell arc, with making it about Theon’s pain, etc (I was NOT one of them) will be bitching that the show sacrifices the most powerful woman – she has dragons!! – for the man to “win.”
Nadia,
I agree!!!
Nadia,
I agree.
Also, I didn’t think of it as a Jon/Dany love thing. I thought of it as two people who are trying to fight the great war together to save the realm. She will have to sacrifice herself in the process.
Dee Stark,
I know it sounds awful because I actually do think Dany is a fantastic character, but it would make more sense to me and would rather it be her than it be Arya, which I’ve also seen as a theory – because Arya is basically so far gone that she’s never going to have “normal” life, and going out this way makes the most sense. But I will NEVER recover from that.
Dee Stark,
Dee, I know you haven’t read the books but all you have to know about Euron is that he’s an idiot. I mean you can probably tell by the fact that he thought that Yara and Theon were going to go easy into the night. Wrong. Euron, you idiot, they stole your ships and you were stupid enough to let them in into your masterplan.
Tycho Nestoris,
Thanks. As so many have commented, Lady Olenna was what the Dorne scene needed. I may be mistakened but I believe that the scorpions in the bed was from the books. It’s amazing how the scriptwriters pick up those details in some throw-away background exposition in the books and drop them into conversation.
Darkrobin,
The scorpions in bed were explained in Histories and Lore (season 4) as well, so it is canon in TV continuity.
Lord Parramandas,
Agreed. The only remaining human antigonists appear to be Cersei, Euron, Littlefinger, maybe Daario (that may be stretching it), some fraying of the Targaryen/Sand/Tyrell alliance, and perhaps the Citidel/archmaseters and/or red priestesses. Unless some other characters pop up from the dead (which I sincerely hope do not).
To be honest, its one of the reasons I start getting the feeling of dread whenever my favorite books/show starts nearing the end. Cause there’s bound to be a casualty or two that I won’t like to see.
I find this ever increasing notion of “Happy ending=Boring ending” ridiculous. I like to think most writers would love to take the happy ending route but because the majority of fans think that’d be boring/unrealistic, they make it darker. I’ve seen so many shows ruined because of this need to manufacture controversy in the ending.
JK Rowling didn’t go that route. Imagine how it’d be had Harry died along with Riddle.
But yeah, this is ASOIAF we’re talking about. Where heroes die more often than villains 🙂
Lord Parramandas,
Thank you. Did not know that. But did recall that in one of the Dorne book chapters some mention was made of a Tyrell who found himself in a bed of scorpions.
LatrineDiggerBrian,
Do you not consider the Night’s King as worthy opposition? There’s no time for the Game of Thrones, not anymore. Winter Is Here. Or so says the Citadel.
Darkrobin,
You are correct, Tyrion IX (I had to look it up of course). Lord Parramandas is right, too! I think it’s fair to characterize those refs as obscure canon (in a good/easter egg-y way) and say most viewers (and book readers) missed it.
I hope we see Wyman, Robett and Lyanna next season too. That was such a bad ass scene.
He doesn’t ‘win’ though. Her power will become his sword. That’s where the theory comes from. That’s the story of Azor Ahai and Nissa Nissa.
Right now, her magic is split in three dragons. When she sacrifices herself, the power of all her dragons along with her own strength and character will forge into Jon’s sword, making it an ultimate weapon.
It also has Jon dying along with the Night’s King. Basically, Deanerys and Jon sacrifice themselves to protect the rest.
There were Tyrell banners too. Golden rose on green field. They were among the ships we saw on Dany’s left hand side. The other side had the orange banners of House Martell.
How did Cersei acquire Septa Unella? Was that ever mentioned? Would she not have been at the sept for the trial and killed in the explosion?
She probably had her captured (possibly by Qyburn or ser Gregor) before the trial actually happened.
Danny,
Hahaha !
I can see that. Lol!!!
Demon Monkey,
Dead Liver. I think Tyrion’s liver is very much alive but enjoyed the typo. I am also wondering about what happened to the rumors of Shae showing up this season and the set photos with her in costume. I find no information out there about this to answer this question.
Some wrote here that Bella Ramsey had no prior acting experience, but elsewhere I read that she had been acting with her school’s theatre group. That would qualify as some sort of acting experience I’d guess, not much perhaps, but more than none.
Anyway, I am very taken by Cersei’s having gone for the “thermonuclear first strike” option (not nuclear perhaps, but nevertheless very thermal). The ladies on the show are really the bad ones. Either they employ means of mass destruction like dragons or wildfyre, or they approach like no-one to cut their enemy’s throat. Not to forget burning away anyone deemed unfit for the long night full of terrors, or stabbing them with the help of a shadow baby. The men are no match here really.
Dee Stark,
No part of the argument was you were saying Dany would sail for Westeros by the end of the episode and you were so sure of it. And I was bringing up the speech Euron made saying “well what happened to that?” as a counterpoint as to why she wouldn’t, he would probably have to show up first or else why did they have him make that speech.
Look, I don’t think you looked up the spoilers, but I think you got caught up in hearing the chatter of people that did and pretended like they didn’t know what was going to happen. Everyone was so certain that Dany would sail to Westeros by the end of the episode, to me it wasn’t that obvious. And the main reason being Euron’s speech, because if she sails to Westeros, what purpose does it have? That’s why I’ve come up with the theory of Euron’s fleet meeting her in the Narrow Sea, it’s the only way it makes sense. Or else it was just completely pointless of D & D to have Euron make that speech. It served no purpose.
Danny,
I absolutely hate zombies, they are awful villains. They are like a natural disaster movie. Just some force of nature that has no personality and wreaks havoc. Not scary at all to me.
LatrineDiggerBrian,
While you’re at it, it would be great if you would apologize to Dee, as well. I stayed out of it, as Dee is more than capable of handling herself, but for you to go on and on and on about how she, one of the most dedicated posters I’ve seen to remaining Unsullied, read leaks, then pretended she didn’t, but posted what she’d learned from the leaks as though they were just speculation, then lied about having not read any leaks when you accused her of doing so, was really, at least imo, out of line.
Plenty of people, without a single peak at any leaks, predicted there would be no Euron in the finale. As for people thinking the season would end with Daenerys finally leaving Meereen and heading for westeros, well, that, at least in my recollection, was one of the top 3 suggestions of how the season would end, since before the season even started airing (the other two being the season ending with a shot of the WW’s and the Wight army at the Wall, and the Wall coming down as the last shot).
Homplomplomo,
Trolling the guy who created the world that they used to make countless millions off of? Yeah right…. I am no fan of waiting years for the next book but to shit on the guy who created this universe is just beyond fucking dumb to me.
It was my favourite season finale and made me happy for so many reasons. First of all, the TOJ which, finally, showed what I had felt to be true: Jon’s parents revealed (even if they didn’t name Rhaegar). Secondly it’s another Lyanna to love, after her young version in the beginning of the season and the clever beyond her years Lyanna Mormont – I guess if you want a girl to be special, just name her Lyanna 🙂 Thank you, Sue, for another beautiful recap and for disclosing her name. She seemed familiar and, after having found that she is Aisling Franciosi I googled her and realized that I had seen her in The Fall and Jimmy’s Hall, but, to give her justice, I should rewatch. Just a quick recommendation for the people who haven’t watched these yet.
Last but not least I’m happy for all my beloved characters who are still alive: Brienne, Jaime, Davos, Pod, Bronn, Jorah, Tormund, Meera, Bran, Olenna… (I had been sure they couldn’t bring Jon and the Hound back just to kill them) and it’s a true relief to see Walder Frey and Pycelle finally getting what they deserve. No, I won’t worry for the Stark sisters’ sanity or Jon’s becoming KitN… I’ve learned to be grateful for little gains.
Nymeria Warrior Queen,
I never directly accused her of intentionally pretending that she didn’t read the leaks and acting like she did. I think people that did read the leaks introduced the whole idea that Dany would be sailing to Westeros in the last scene of the episode, and it got accepted as what would happen by people that didn’t. However, for people to make this prediction and completely discount Euron’s speech, it’s telling me they’re not paying that close of attention to the season, or that they’re inadvertently accepting the information from the spoilers as gospel. There was a purpose to Euron’s speech. They could’ve had him say something else if they didn’t intend to follow up on it, or else it’s just bad writing.
So it was really curious to me to see people neglecting that bit of information and saying ridiculous things like “oh that speech was just put there to show what an ass Euron is” or “that speech was put there so Yara and Theon knew to go meet Dany” (even though Yara and Theon weren’t even there when the speech was made).
I really do think the leaks eventually start to spread as theories and then get accepted by everyone.
So Edmure still ended up back in his cell even after surrendering Riverrun? That poor dumb bastard, trusting an oathbreaker.
What would you call it? Tribute?
They chose to name the final episode after a book, which millions of fans have been waiting for with bated bread, hoping it would be finished before this season.
Also, it is possible to interpret the names of previous three (!) episode finals, as references to Lady Stoneheart, beloved by many: Mhysa (S3), The Children (S4), Mother’s Mercy (S5).
Some interpret it as trolling their fans.
Darjan,
Blackfish should have put an arrow through Edmure when Rivers threatened to cut Edmure’s throat. I say this only semi-jokingly.
I don’t know – how old is Cersi? She might be thinking she will have another child with her brother who will be the next king/queen. I suppose they could make her get preggers. After all she doesn’t have any real claim to the throne anyway – it wouldn’t pass to the King’s mother. She just seized power.
The death of Margary is the first death I was really disappointed in. I read the books so I was expecting most of the others – that might be it. I notice they pointed out that all of Cersi’s family aren’t just dead, they’re ashes. So no chance of bringing them back. After this season in particular I keep looking for people to come back. Several did, including the hound. Though technically some of them weren’t dead.
Kudos to everyone on this site for pretty much predicting what was going to happen in this episode. I pulled up the thread predicting what was going to happen this episode and people were saying things like “A fire will burn down the sept and kill off the Tyrells” (though they had it burning Tomen as well – no one predicted his suicide). “Ayra will come back and kill the Freys” and of course that we’d see the tower of joy scene. They pretty much got everything right – I made a few feeble predictions but I stink at predictions. No lady stoneheart which was mine.
Dee Stark,
I feel like we should start calling him Kit(N) instead of Kit. The King in the North!
I don’t get your objections. People widely thought Daenerys leaving for Westeros would be the final shot of the season before the season even began. And even without the leak, the soundtrack release effectively gave it away with the mixed Greyjoy/Targaryen theme titled “The Winds of Winter.”
Also, did you watch the last two episodes? When she asks Tyrion if after the Volantenes surrender and Theon and Yara arrive if she now has enough ships, he tells her almost. Meanwhile, we know Varys set off in episode 8 to find more. That’s probably a good hint that she’ll have enough pretty soon to pack up her whole crew and get out of there.
As for the purpose of Euron’s speech, how about that is his plan? The purpose of him making the speech is to get elected. He wants to build a thousand ships to go court the dragon queen. How on earth is he supposed to know she’s going to acquire the fleets of Volantis, Dorne, and the Reach before he gets the chance? She didn’t even know that.
LatrineDiggerBrian,
You really need to think before you post. We’re not talking about some minor plot point – it’s one of the biggest most obvious most projected plots in this show.
Go back and read the filming spoilers discussions BEFORE the season started. Literally almost everyone picked the Wall falling or Dany arriving/leaving for Westeros as the end of season 7.
Funny thing today, I’d like to share: an Unsullied friend called me today to clarify the ToJ scene. He understood Jon was Lyanna’s child, but was at a loss who the father was. He literally said: “It’s not one of those awful incest things again, right? Ned wouldn’t do that, right?” So, I explained
When I pointed out the two (should have been three, D&D!!!) KG at the Tower of Joy, it finally dawned on him: Jon is a Targ. Then he said: so, he is Dany’s other brother then? And is he older of younger? Who is the rightful King?
*silence*
“But they just made Jon King in the North. If he’s not Ned’s son, he doesn’t have a claim! That’s not right!”
Gotta love some of the Unsullied…
Thanks for the recap, and all your hard work on the site! I’m still so happy. And I can’t get wait for our s7 off season to start.
Adam,
It’s irrelevant what people predicted before the season. I was making my prediction before the episode aired based on what had gone on during the season.
He made the speech after he got elected. After Yara and Theon took off. You don’t just show a character making a speech like that on camera for no reason. If they never intended to follow through on it, he could’ve said something else.
So far not one person has given me a valid reason as to why Euron made the speech he did after seeing Yara and Theon sail away. If they don’t intend to follow through on it, it was completely pointless.
Can someone help me out? The extra that was killed in the street after the Sept blew up? I can’t remember his name, but his face does ring a bell.
Nadia,
YOU should probably do some thinking before you post. What people predicted before the season has no relevance to the discussion. We’re talking about what I said I thought would happen before episode 10 based on what happened during the season. What is your explanation for the purpose of Euron’s speech? (the one he makes after seeing Yara and Theon sail away).
LatrineDiggerBrian,
BECAUSE IT WILL COME INTO PLAY NEXT SEASON!!!
Why are you being so dense about this!?!?!?
The show had Mel burn three leeches, we saw Balon Greyjoy, we saw other kings die, but Balon Greyjoy only died when his plot became relevant.
The show regularly and consistently introduces nods to characters or plot points in advance of them becoming major points.
What’s your explanation for why Sansa talks about Lyanna Stark last season if we didn’t get TOJ last season?
I could make a list like that of a hundred different times that the show has introduced concepts or characters to plant the seed, but they become important in the time that’s right.
Nadia,
Dude you’re the one who’s not getting it and I don’t know why you stepped into the middle of this argument when you’re not understanding the context of the argument.
So we’re talking about Euron building the fleet, not just him showing up in general.
The only way it can come into play next season is if his ships meet Dany’s in the Narrow Sea. This is the theory I came up with that no one else was saying. They were either ignoring his speech, or they were saying it only happened to show Euron was an ass or to give Yara and Theon info about Dany so they could go meet her (even though they weren’t there to hear the latter speech).
So here’s my point: everyone was so ready to accept that Dany would be on her way home at the end of the episode, but when I asked them about Euron’s ships, they had no response to it. They mentioned the above reasons which are ridiculous, they didn’t mention the reason I came up with about him confronting Dany with his fleet in the middle of the Narrow Sea. That’s why I felt like they already knew what was going to happen (i.e. her leaving Mereen with a fleet even though the Euron thing still hadn’t been followed through on).
It’s here if you (or Dee) want to read it now: http://watchersonthewall.com/topic/most-of-the-season-has-leaked/
Somehow eerie that someone knew it all. I’m glad I stayed almost spoiler-free until the end.
LatrineDiggerBrian,
Actually, he made the speech about Dany needing ships prior to being chosen as the King. Including the big cock remark (which Yara repeated in the meeting with Dany). So he gave too much away. Yara and Theon knew. The speech after he was crowned King and it was discovered that Yara and Co. took the best ships was the one about having everyone start working building the ships immediately.
Still it feels weird to use this phrase in that context. Normally I would use it only if there were no sons at all.
I like to imagine that there will be a moment when Bronn and Daario share sellsword stories over some ale. These last two episodes were basically a string of epic moments, but another thing GoT is known for are the mini buddy-movies with clever banter (Bronn-Tyrion, Jaime-Brienne, Arya-Hound, Tyrion-Jorah, Bronn-Jaime, Jorah-Daario etc. etc.)
I know what you mean. He’s a dead ringer for someone, I just can’t think of who.
newbietothegame,
Yes I know. That’s the speech I’m referring to. You don’t give a character a speech like that without there being a purpose for it. Or else it’s pointless. So it’s either a) bad writing or b) his fleet is going to meet Dany in the middle of the narrow sea. Because they could’ve just easily not had him made the speech if they didn’t intend to follow up on it.
Thank you for all of your work Sue, I know how hard it must be.
I’m not going anywhere; I’ll be sticking around between seasons.
Heck, if anything this is when we get to slow down from the frantic pace and actually focus on closer work. More intimate. Actually able to read comment posts that are 40 responses long, not 300.
And a second successful year of Watchers on the Wall continues!
When you’re accusing people of reading leaks, whether knowingly, or unknowingly, and basing speculation on them, yes, it is relevant that people were predicting the season would end exactly the way it did before the season even started.
Nymeria Warrior Queen,
No it isn’t. Because what happened in 9 episodes would completely change people’s predictions. People have a lot more information to factor into their predictions after 9 episodes, so what they said before the season is irrelevant. Information like when a certain villain commands his people to build 1000 ships for Dany. So I have no idea why you guys are bringing up preseason predictions, it makes no sense to any argument.
I can see Euron being the ‘bad guy’ next season. The show needs one, the Harpy and the Sparrows are now gone. I don’t know if he can get such a huge fleet build in time to meet Dany in the Narrow Sea. Does he have enough men to man those ships is another question. Maybe if he and Cersei team up.
I am no one.
I think Euron will show up to Mereen looking for Dany but will only find Daario, they will form a team. Daario didn’t like being dumped like that and Euron can be convincing.
I also think Euron will have learned some special tricks or some certain knowledge about dragons (during his worldly travels before coming back to claim King of Ironborn) and will be able to counter their power somehow or even kill them.
Not sure if Cersei will be around long enough for them to show up and be an alliance with her but we’ll see how that plays out.
That look that Sansa gave LF when Jon was declared KITN was a look of ‘oh shit, now I have to fuck this guy to play the game with Jon.’ She knows that she’ll have to string LF along for a while at least and she’s not looking forward to it. Can’t she just fuck a guy that she actually likes for once? Maybe someday that might be Tyrion?
Maybe Jon’s name is something as simple as ‘Ajon Targaryen’? Lol, maybe something a little more eloquent but I’m not sure his actual name matters, he’s a Targaryen that’s all that really matters. Although he can be burned; he burnt his hand in season one when he grabbed that lantern before he tossed it on that wight, so there’s that.
Also, Jon and Dany might not fall in love but I do believe that Dany may want to have his child. Isn’t it the Targaryen way to keep their bloodlines strong, doesn’t matter that he’s her nephew. So that marriage would make sense.
Arya is just fine, she’s not loosing her mind or anything. She had her game face on (pun intended) and was just focused on that task at hand. Let’s not get too worried about the exact details about how she was able to kill the Frey boys and turn them into pie before serving it to old Walder, she’s trained and has these abilities, nuff said. She won’t team up with the BWB or anything, she’s an assassin and they work alone. She may run into them but don’t think she becomes a part of the team. Her and Milesandre will run into each other and hopefully we find out some more about Gendry… he will be an important character moving forward imho.
Thanks for listening.
Cheers
Loved it, from start to finish.
But one complaint… where the hell is ghost now? As Jon “the white wolf” was proclaimed king in the north…. ghost should have been there.
I get how cgi extensive this episode and season is, still.
Time to start a petition for dire wolves to HBO.
And a corner of the Internet called “ghost watchers”.
schase
I feel deeply disappointed about the whole northern arc, no matter how great the BoB was. The north remembers after the fact and only swears loyalty after the battle is won. No northern house rose against Ramsay, a tyrant, whose insanity never had consequences except on a very personal level with Sansa.
Don’t even get me started on Sansa. ‘The key to the north’ according to Tywin, no mean politician. ‘You can’t rule the north without Sansa’ according to Roose, a friggin northerner. Sansa was pawned because of her Stark name and succession rights and now they appear to be worthless anyway and her trauma was for nothing except another bitter lesson for her and those who believed in her rise from the ashes.
Once upon a time I believed in this show all words/action matter eventually. Season 6 taught me otherwise: all careful world building can be disposed off in a matter of minutes.
I have had this rant before and yes, I actually feel very sad for a fictional character. But it only shows how much I invested in this show and believed in its inner consistency. I am a Stark loyalist to the core and as happy as I am to see them back in Winterfell, it feels terribly bitter sweet.
And yes, I must be the only person in the world who hates Lyanna Mormont.
Tycho Nestoris,
It would have been a mercy. Undoubtedly some of Walder’s 50 other sons and grandsons will keep Edmure in his cell shoeless and unshorn until the WW arrive. It’s not like killing two of his sons makes a great dent in the Frey household.
Alexis G,
Could be. But Rhaegar and his father were on the outs and his father had just murdered Lyanna’s brother and father.
Nothing that intentional is without meaning, so yes, I thought there must be something to those looks. Jaime was never on her list, but then again neither were Lothar and Black Walder. Cersei is on her list, and taking Jaime’s face would be a perfect way to reach Cersei, although I’m not sure Jaime would be easier to kill than Cersei herself.
Of course!
They gave us less than Sue, although I’m sure Sue is right. I think Miguel said that the answer to the whispering was that we weren’t going to know more than we could hear and see in that scene. Period. They are saving some reveals, obviously.
There aren’t that many boats that go to Winterfell, I fear.
I don’t think Lyanna’s whisper was about Jon’s father. She said “his name is…” (Jon? Or something else, something too Targaryen that Ned had to change?) And really, Jon’s father couldn’t be anyone other than Rhaegar. It’s certainly not her own brother, and if he were Robert’s, Robert wouldn’t have wanted to kill him. Probably would even have legitimized him, as his only child with Lyanna. But I don’t think Lyanna and Robert ever lay together.
I’m completely okay with the criticism. I know that you aren’t picking just expressing how you feel.
I will say that it might be possible for Arya to help Jon via her new gifts. If she were to take Walder’s face, she could send the Freys north. If she were to take Cersei’s face, she could send more north. I doubt we’ll see her do either, but I also think her facelessness will play an important role in the war to come.
We also have been promised a Frey reckoning since Season 3 with the Red Wedding followed by the Rat Cook story. This vengeance has been 3 years in the making. It needed to happen.
Would I want a real girl to be so vengeful and full of hate? Of course not. But this is Game of Thrones. No one is completely pure and only three or four have never done something that is real-world unforgivable.
Exactly. So many Sansa fans are discrediting the interviews but it’s definitely been set up during that scene. Just look at Sansa’s face. It’s pretty clear that she was thrown by Lady Mormont’s comments. Also a lot of complaining that the writers are creating this false tension between Jon and Sansa but there are some signs that Grrm may be planning the same thing. Each of the children being mentored by someone with their own agendas that are very far away from the Stark agenda. It’s not unreasonable to see them pitted against one another through the manipulation of their mentors. I don’t think something like that would last or escalate to the ranks of Cersei/Tyrion or the Targ battles but it’s hardly a scenario that’s impossible to imagine. Why does everyone assume the Starks will be the same “lovable kids” when they are reunited?
Yes, Arya knows how to take (“No One”) and how to wear (“Mother’s Mercy”) a face. She got sick in “Mother’s Mercy” because she was the one who drank from the vial even though she hallucinated that it was Jaqen instead. She continued hallucinating that Jaqen died, that he was wearing all of those faces including her own, that the Waif was wearing Jaqen’s face, and so on and so on. And then what was in the vial made her blind.
newbietothegame,
Dany is a bit too powerful, I feel a correction coming. And yes I agree, we need a dynamic new baddie.
Lord Parramandas,
She did liberate the slavers bay so yeah she is liberator..
I have seen people keep talking about how that ending can be cliche and cheesy …but if thats the way they want to end up I can see that..
http://awoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/Aemon_Targaryen_(son_of_Viserys_II)
That’s so interesting. I hadn’t remembered that, but I see a lot of parallels, reading the link above. Honorable, Lord Commander, valiant, a great fighter … The sister-love is interesting, too. Hmmm.
Yes. I was quite upset about how flagrantly folks were “speculating” KitInTheNorth and all the other cutesy names that were given to something that was obviously not speculation at all. There were several regulars on this site who even outright said it wasn’t speculation even after given a space (forums) to discuss leaks freely. Grrr.
BranTheBlessed,
You don’t get this do you ..
Will dany sacrifice herself and her dragons in order to win the war…totally ..
But it will not be for making a sword..infact iam going to tell this now there isnt going to be any special sword that jon is going to wield ..
If its a sword we have already seen it like longclaw and dragons
gRRm has said that he doesn’t like heroes getting a magical sword at the end to defeat the enemy..what he said was decisions was what makes the characters hero..so having three dragons one can ended up enslaving the world but instead freed them from slavery..decisions that’s what matters..
And GRRm has compared Aragon’s sword with dany’s dragons…soyeah there won’t be any literal flaming sword that he will carry in the field
“I clapped, goddammit. I actually clapped.”
Me too, and I may have squealed a little bit. Crap, I can’t remember half of my thoughts, but thanks for clarifying the whisper, I only caught “he’ll kill him, you know he will.”
Cersei pretty much did what Jaime killed the Mad King for trying to do, I don’t think that is going to go over well. Good riddance, he is a much more interesting character when he’s not bothering with her.
This show has been pretty good at subtle moments of foreshadowing, and I think there was another one tonight. Jon specifically asks Sansa about LF selling her to the Boltons, then we see LF continue his attempts to manipulate her. I don’t think that conversation between Jon and Sansa was for no reason. Hopefully it was a sly reminder that Sansa isn’t going to buy into LF’s nonsense anymore.
Ginevra,
Luckily, I don’t recall coming across the North “speculation,” but I did see about Tommen a week or two ago. I convinced myself it might not be true right up until the very end. When Ser Gregor (as Cersei still calls him) put his hand on Tommen’s shoulder, I was kind of hoping he had decided Tommen was one of Cersei’s enemies, since Tommen had a hand in eliminating Trial by Combat. Stupid, I know, but it’s how I keep spoilers from spoiling.
King, yes, but not King-in-the-North, especially before the Targaryen reveal. Some may have speculated just that before the Reddit spoilers came out, but it wasn’t so rampant, specific, and self-assured at that time.
I haven’t read through all the comments to see if this was mentioned, but did anyone catch that we finally heard the Frey words? “We Stand Together”. Didn’t even realize it until my second re-watch tonight.
Another oath broken?
Rating this season is crazy hard for me. This season gives us more to love than any other season to date, certainly, so that makes me want to put it at #1. And even though all of the elements are there for topping everything we’ve ever seen before, we are missing the mortar that holds it all together, that makes the magic incredible in the positive sense rather than in the negative sense. Even this stellar and best episode ever gives us magically apparating Varys, apparently on purpose. I don’t care how you finagle that timeline, there’s just no way that Varys travels all the way around the globe in the time it takes Dany to get packed.
And she’s right. (Lady Baby Bear is always right!)
Ned to Jon: “You may not have my name but you have my blood.” He’s a Stark through and through.
That’s exactly what I was hoping! The whole time that the ignorant scholar was giving Sam and Gilly and Baby Sam such a hard time, I was waiting for Alleras to step up and step in. They’ve set things up nicely to go this way. I’m hopeful they made Sam’s plot so slow this season because they wanted to wait to cast Merwyn and Alleras. I mean, why does it take Sam all season to reach the Citadel when Varys can go that same distance inside of a single episode?
“Cersei’s crown appears to be molded into the shape of a lion’s head (surprise, surprise) with its mane radiating outward in sharp points mirroring the Iron Throne itself. ”
http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv/queen-cersei-dressed-kill-game-thrones-finale-article-1.2689844
if that helps at all.
BoB is where the real tension is, not TWoW – although there is a moment in TWoW when everyone is yelling KitN and Sansa isn’t looking terribly comfortable though it’s not obvious exactly what she’s thinking. For BoB, though, there were many of us screaming “WTF, Sansa?” even before the show faded to black, I promise. There was quite an interesting bit of Sansa tension and fallout. I’m surprised you missed it.
Not everyone did get it, so you aren’t alone. The tension was subtle and only implicit, so much so that many argued that we were seeing something that wasn’t there at all – making something from nothing. And that’s why I’m posting these quotes since they confirm, as I suspected, that all of this animosity was there and was intentional. I don’t think we should make definitive conclusions about the tension, but there certainly is tension there.
Nadia,
You captured my sentiments well. Even on second viewing, I still cried.
-I cried when Davos shouted, “I loved that girl like she was my own!” Oh, Davos.
-I cried when Tommen sadly put down his crown and then seconds later jumped out of the window. I know some of you here were criticizing him for being lame, weak, etc. but I just felt for that boy.
-I cried when Tyrion looked emotional/about to cry when he was made Dany’s hand.
-I cried the whole TOJ scene. Young Ned’s shocked face when listening to Lyanna’s whisper was on point.
-And then… King in the North! Jon’s shocked and slightly terrified look was superbly done.
We’ve been talking about how well-written and well-directed this episode was. It was also very well-acted. Great acting over-all from everyone.
LatrineDiggerBrian,
Well, in some cases, people’s predictions for how the season would end obviously didn’t change, whatever you want to tell yourself.
Moving on to far more important and positive things…
I’m still actually buzzing about last night’s episode, and even though it hasn’t been a great day, whenever I’d stop to take a breath, I’d get a big smile on my face thinking about what an incredible episode we were fortunate enough to get, last night.
I think one of the most impressive things about it, at least to me, is after a superb episode 9, this episode didn’t feel like a let down, at all. In some ways, it felt, at least to me, like even a bit of a step up, which is difficult to fathom. The fact we got two such different episodes, both of which were extraordinary, and both by the same director, well, it blows me away.
We are so lucky. 🙂
Tormund isn’t a northern lord so he has no vote. He was wise to keep quiet. Davos, a southron lord, didn’t speak either, did he? Not about the king-in-the-north, at least, although he might have spoken about the war to come.
I just have to say, Sophie looked so beautiful as she was smiling up to Jon in that scene. And then she saw LF looking at her and her smile faded. I loved how she acted that scene.
Ser Pounce! Who will feed and love him now?
how about Jaehaerys? the name of Rhaegar’s younger brother who died as a young child. also the name of Rhaegar’s grandfather. names are often repeated throughout the generations within a family. whispered and without sound, pronouncing the name would look like it started with the letter A as so many people believe the name starts with, based on the film clip.
Tycho Nestoris,
Or it could be just a plot device to get rid of the character. 🙂 I understand why others think Dany doesn’t need to marry to conquer Westeros. However, she’ll need to produce heirs. Is she also barren on the show? I don’t remember if she is. If so, yeah, no need to marry.
In the book, Dany still has options (Martells, Tyrells) other than the bachelors left on the show.
I love the name Jaehaerys! But I still prefer for him to be just “Jon Snow”.
Wow, I’m sorry that got out, too. I thought he’d go to the Sept regardless of Cersei trying to stop him and die that way. I was happy to be surprised and then surprised again. Gee, that sounds awful! But I’d resigned myself to losing Tommen at some point very soon.
WightsNatch,
Haha! After the show, I got messages from unsullied friends also asking, “So, who’s the daddy???” They mostly didn’t catch the talk about Rhaegar abducting Lyanna (which was shown again in the “Previously…”).
Ginevra,
Not quite fair to say that you know. People have read the novels and in those novels Robb most likely legitimized Jon as a Stark and named him his heir. He pretty much tells Cat that that is what he intends to do and most of us believed he did and that others knew this. We didn’t need the spoilers to tell us that there was a good chance Jon becomes KitN. And of course, many times throughout the novels GRRM pretty much implies how kingly Jon is. It was never really a discussion of if he was going to be crowned as it was which crown he would end up getting: King beyond the wall, King of the Seven Kingdoms, King in the North or King of Winter.
I totally forgot about Kinvara. The way they introduced her, it would seem that she’s going to appear in future seasons. But what would her place be if the story isn’t going back to Mereen or Volantis? Could she just end up being filler for this season? That would seem kind of pointless.
You guys are going to hate me for this, but you can’t deny that they did an absolutely awful job of filling Tyrion’s time as ruler of Mereen with anything interesting or meaningful. Everything was pointless. Tyrion’s freeing of the dragons was pointless, Dany could’ve done it when she came back or she could’ve just used Drogon by himself. The pact with the masters was pointless. The whole scene with Kinvara seems to be pointless in the end. Then you have the two awful game scenes between Tyrion and Missandei / Greyworm. It was just all uninteresting filler.
LatrineDiggerBrian,
We don’t often agree, but I have to this time. Was very disappointed in what they did with Tyrion. Loved his scene unchaining the dragons, wanted more of that, maybe training them, maybe riding them! I liked that he was instrumental in revitalizing the city, but the rest….. no, just didn’t work fo rme. Minor quibble tho, because so much else did.
I just watched the episode for the third time. I didn’t think it was possible, but I loved it more each time.
It is visually stunning, from the Sept being filled to the explosion/aftermath, to the sunset on the Twins (literal and metaphorically), to Davos’s confrontation with Mel (and Jon/Sansa on the battlements when Mel rides off), the farewell scene with Benjen with the Wall in the distance, to the Tower of Joy (the transition from the baby’s eyes to Jon’s intense face made my heart jump), to Dany’s scene with Tyrion when she names him Hand, to the King in the North rally, to Cersei’s coronation, then ending with the ships. The ships! And Drogon’s wings flapping in the water? Chills.
The visuals were so intense that you could watch the movie with the volume off and still be moved.
But why would you? The music is haunting and intense and sad and exciting and perfect throughout.
The scenes, while ok perhaps a little chronologically confusing, don’t feel rushed and give almost every character their own special moment – a moment that hints at things to come for them.
I thought it was impossible to beat the hype from last year’s finale. And while this one may not have such intense post-season speculation, I’m just as stoked for next year.
Even after watching three times, I’m still in awe. IMHO, this was not only the best GoT episode, but the best episode of any show in the history of TV.
Sam,
I was struck with how radiant Carice looked in the scene at WF. Better than she ever has. She got her mojo back I guess. I wonder how Jon felt as he sent her away. I’m sure he was repulsed at hearing what was done with Shireen but I’m curious if he had any mixed emotions like fear that this is the kind of god which brought him back to life for some reason….as for Sansa I’m sad to say I don’t even trust her smile to be true. She only did so when Jon looked her way. She was smiling when Lyanna Mormont gave her support speech but then when she/they specified the Stark they wanted she wasn’t anymore.
LatrineDiggerBrian,
do you collect a fee for every time you type the name Euron if the answer is no, you might want to remember , spoiler Euron is not a real person he only exists in books and television, I am sorry you found out this way, sugar
Sam,
Liam was outstanding in that scene. He, Kit, Lena and Ramin (sorry don’t remember his last name he did the music) really deserve recognition.
After my second viewing just now I was wondering if anyone else noticed that they did not show Ned respond to Lyanna’s plea? I was waiting for a nod of the head at least. Also the statue in the crypts looks nothing like that young lady in the TOJ. Though Robert did mention that 🙂
Sam,
You know the girl must be crushing on Jon Snow a bit, who wouldn’t? It would be funny if she offered her hand to him next season. Would he feel obliged to accept the years long engagement?
I noticed this too on my second viewing. When Lyanna is speaking Sansa starts smiling and looking down/sheepish (like she thought Lyanna was talking about her). Then the second she identifies Jon as her King, Sansa’s eyes look up and the smile fades. It’s subtle. The first time I watched it I thought she was smiling, happy for Jon.
Littlefinger planted the seeds. She doesn’t want to feel this way, and I don’t think she’ll end up being Evil Sansa. And in some ways her feelings are perfectly understandable. But I suspect we haven’t seen the end of the drama.
dragonbringer
No, you don’t get it. Look, I get you are a Deanerys Super fan and its hard for you to look at the possibilities that other character (Jon) may share her mantle as savior. But I like them both and see the evidence for what it is in the books.
A snip from the first chapters of AGoT
‘There are no more dragons, Dany thought, staring at her brother, though she did not dare say it aloud.
Yet that night she dreamt of one. Viserys was hitting her, hurting her. She was naked,clumsy with fear. She ran from him, but her body seemed thick and ungainly. He struck her again. She stumbled and fell. “You woke the dragon,” he screamed as he kicked her. “You woke the dragon, you woke the dragon.” Her thighs were slick with blood. She closed her eyes and whimpered. As if in answer, there was a hideous ripping sound and the crackling of some great fire. When she looked again, Viserys was gone, great columns of flame rose all around, and in the midst of them was the dragon. It turned its great head slowly. When its molten eyes found hers, she woke, shaking and covered with a fine sheen of sweat. She had never been so afraid . . .’
I don’t think I need tell you that this is exactly what happened in the final chapters of AGoT.
This is not the first time GRRM has used the medium of dream to foretell what may happen with the character. We’ve seen it with Bran, with Tyrion, with Cersei.
Bearing that in mind, From the final chapters of ADwD
Burning shafts hissed upward, trailing tongues of fire. Scarecrow brothers tumbled down, black cloaks ablaze. “Snow,” an eagle cried, as foemen scuttled up the ice like spiders. Jon was armored in black ice, but his blade burned red in his fist. As the dead men reached the top of the Wall he sent them down to die again. He slew a greybeard and a beardless boy, a giant, a gaunt man with filed teeth, a girl with thick red hair. Too late he recognized Ygritte. She was gone as quick as she’d appeared.
The world dissolved into a red mist. Jon stabbed and slashed and cut. He hacked down Donal Noye and gutted Deaf Dick Follard. Qhorin Halfhand stumbled to his knees, trying in vain to staunch the flow of blood from his neck. “I am the Lord of Winterfell,” Jon screamed.
See how similar it is with Deanerys’ dream vision? Notice the part with the sword and compare the word with the Azor Ahai prophecy
There will come a day after a long summer when the stars bleed and the cold breath of darkness falls heavy on the world. In this dread hour a warrior shall draw from the fire a burning sword. And that sword shall be Lightbringer, the Red Sword of Heroes, and he who clasps it shall be Azor Ahai come again, and the darkness shall flee before him.
As to other evidence that there could well be such a magic sword may indeed be forged and such a sword may be more powerful than Deanerys’ dragons, how about this from ADwD
‘Dany folded her hands together. “Words are wind, even words like love and peace. I put more trust in deeds. In my Seven Kingdoms, knights go on quests to prove themselves worthy of the maiden that they love. They seek for magic swords, for chests of gold, for crowns stolen from a dragon’s hoard.”
Hizdahr arched an eyebrow. “The only dragons that I know are yours, and magic swords are even scarcer.”
Hizdahr looked thoughtful. “Ninety days and ninety nights without a corpse, and on the ninety-first we wed?”
“Perhaps,” said Dany, with a coy look. “Though young girls have been known to be fickle. I may still want a magic sword.”
Last but not least, this very subtle of hints that GRRM lays in his first book
‘Frog-faced Lord Slynt sat at the end of the council table wearing a black velvet doublet and a shiny cloth-of-gold cape, nodding with approval every time the king pronounced a sentence. Sansa stared hard at his ugly face, remembering how he had thrown down her father for Ser Ilyn to behead, wishing she could hurt him, wishing that some hero would throw him down and cut off his head. But a voice inside her whispered, There are no heroes, and she remembered what Lord Petyr had said to her, here in this very hall. “Life is not a song, sweetling,” he’d told her.’
For me the biggest foreshadowing in the books. The ‘Hero‘ who will cut the head of Slynt and there’s even mention of ‘a song’ .
Ginevra,
Thanks, there’s always the slight chance that in all the various language subtitles someone slipped in a little more – like the name!
ThisGirlHasNoName,
Glad someone else noticed, yeah it was subtle. I do get the feeling that it’ll play out with her feeling torn between loyalty to her brother/family name and the chance to become what she’s always wanted to be, a queen. You’d think that ambition would have fell by the wayside but I guess not. Knowing how LF operates it might just come down to a betrayal that she won’t even realize she was a pawn in until it’s too late. At that point I hope Jon either has another priest(ess) with visions in his posse, or perhaps Bran shows up and intervenes.
What I don’t understand is why anyone would be loyal to Cersei, like Qyburn and the ‘little birds’. I thought they’d burn in the wildfire too and wondered why they would sacrifice themselves. I can suspend my disbelief about Qyburn’s ability to run like the wind back to the Red Keep and to safety, but I don’t get his loyalty. What’s in it for him? I get that the Mountain owes his life to her, but Qyburn is a smart man. Why can’t he see that she cares for no one except herself? And all the citizens of Kings Landing who clapped for her in the end. Seriously people? She just demonstrated her caring about people by burning her main alliance, the Tyrells and her own relatives, Kevan and Lancel! I probably don’t have half of Qyburn’s smarts and I’d be outta there PDQ.
I do believe her divine retribution will be to suffer burning herself by one of Dany’s dragons. I know what the prophecy says but damn. Death by fire would be more fitting.
Thronetender,
Why wouldnt he bend his knee to her. It was a ceremony more or less, he named hand of the queen. More than appropriate to kneel. Also she was maybe the first person who really appreciated him. Naming him the hand, proving that she trusts him and his advise. Thats all he ever wanted from his father. To be appreciated for something.
Ginevra,
http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/gameofthrones/images/7/7e/The_known_world_HBO.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20130507121142
Mereen is not that far from Dorne.
Varys left two episodes ago.
So while they were fighting the masters, Varys was already there.
Varys then leaves shortly after while Dany was presumably packing.
Packing thousands of horses, dothraki, unsullied, greyjoys, etc, takes a very long time.
BranTheBlessed,
Please its getting tiresome to be labelled as dany fan and dont see other characters importance ..
I agreed with you in last thread about jon will become one and we shall wait and see..
I never ignored him or anything..
Even in my above comment i mentioned about him having longclaw or dragon or dawn …
What i argued against is the idea that jon will forge a new flamimg sword by killing dany and literal flaming sword..
That sword you keep mentioning in that dream quote may very well be longclaw or dawn ..understand what am saying..
And about the hero and song and foreshadowing..
It didn’t foreshadowe anything ..
Janos slynt was first hanged in the wall when GRRm read that chapter and it was fans who made him change to behead…
ash,
I liked the unchaining of the dragons as well (minus “punch me in the face”). It just didn’t really amount to much in the end. Maybe they should have had the Masters invade in episode 1, and spent the rest of the season having Tyrion, Varys, Greyworm, and Missandei trying to get out of that situation.
LetoAtrediesIII,
I like where you’re going with this! I feel the same way, he’ll show up sooner or later. Whether he’ll be alone or will have gathered some company to take back the throne for the Baratheon’s is what we’ll have to wait to see.
Lord Giantsbane,
Damn you, you beat me to it! I was also going to point that out about how each of those three killed their mother’s during birth. There has to be some connection there, right? We may just see the three of them riding dragons before it’s all over, that’d be kind a cool. Or would it be over the top?
Stargaryen,
I completely agree with you. Sure, Sansa may be a bit hurt by the houses in the North for basically forgetting she was in the room, but I don’t think she’s so power hungry that she’ll turn her back on Jon or be any type of enemy to him. I think that wouldn’t really be believable. They’ll both play LF together, Sansa will get her title before too long.
Shawn,
That’s an interesting theory; Bran planting the prophecy. But can he actually do that? Do you think Bran can alter the past so easily? I think that’s a slippery slope if he can essentially time travel and insert information wherever he wants. You might be right, or close to being right, but even if you’re wrong I like the theory!
Dee Stark,
Not only that, but the ships also got those good looking wooden dragons carvings!
Handwork man! that takes some time!
Jack Bauer 24,
Probably Cersei will marry Euron Greyjoy and ally with Littlefinger, who is going to lure Sansa and then betray her, making her a prisioner again in Kingslanding and thickening the plot in season 7. Dany and Jon will have to ally but they will be at terrible odds with each other. Arya will align with Melisandre and the Brotherhood and will be responsible for the rescue of Sansa.
First time posting here. I’m about 300 comments into this thread but haven’t seen a couple things mentioned yet.
1) The Fire and Blood speech in Dorne somehow relates to episode 10 of season 1 which was titled “Fire and Blood”.
2) When Gregor Clegane took off his helmet my partner pointed out his face looked just like Benjen Starks. They both had the bluish rotting look. Could it be the magic Qyburn used to bring him back is the same the children of the forest used on Benjen? Could set up some fascinating scenes down the road.
Cersi is now the female version of Ramsey. I hope she dies a brutal and painful death in season 7.
Nadia,
I think
Ginevra,
I think Sansa is smarter than Jon and offered him the power because she doesn’t want to loose wintefell to little finger. Having Jon in power sabotages his plans and that is what she wants, she is playing the game as a Stark not Sansa, meaning she is betting for her family not her own personal power. For me her last scene is very telling, despite her being the legit heir the masses took Jon because he has a dick and they are not open minded and political enough to realize she is the person for the job and her right, and because this same reason if she takes Winterfell it will be easier to Petyr to continue with his plans. I think Sansa will plan to little finger and is Jon’s biggest chance to succeed as a king.
Jon is naive, while he is super happy for being pronounced the king she is starting to play the game of thrones for him.
Hi, welcome! Good questions. I’d imagine that Qyburn would know about that, tho I expect the reason that he looked like Benjen was that he’d been dead at one point (well, mostly dead 🙂
The Fire and Blood speech comes from the books and I think Doran is the one who actually says it (its been a while, I could be very wrong)
Sam Torres,
Oops, I meant she is planning to kill little finger before he tries to hurt and sabotage Jon.
LetoAtrediesIII,
Gendry!
Fantastic episode. I haven’t read all the above posts (though have read a lot of them) because there are so many.. but some strike gold and some I think don’t.
On the episode: excellent work by actors, director, cameramen/women and all others, not least on music. Just one bit bothers me, and that’s Arya’s story in the Twins, which while giving a nod to the books (Frey pie) doesn’t work. How and why?
How does Arya manage to make pies – and ‘pork pies’ take a lot of making and baking, over time…?
Much that I’d have liked to say about this episode has already been said: but apart from the Arya pies, I thought it well crafted and a fitting conclusion to the season.
Blackfish´s Ally,
Like that a lot!
spaewife,
Hey, spoilers worked! First time I’ve used them 🙂
Two things in particular have stayed with me from the first watching: the transposition from ‘baby Jon’ with his dark eyes and wee wrinkled brow, to Jon; and the Queen of Thorns slapping down the SS.
Lord Parramandas,
Thats pretty much my rating as well , and this last episode the best of the season
r,
lol
Pigeon,
groan…
BranTheBlessed,
Excellant analysis. How do you square the location of Jon’s dream (the Wall) with the location of Dany’s vision (the Trident) as the site of the battle?
Sean C.,
I was thinking along those lines too, until it occurred to me that a horrific naval battle might cut down on the Dothraki numbers. I wouldn’t put it past DnD or GRRM to kill one or both of the weak dragons during an unexpected siege. Nothing is a cake walk in this world.
Lex,
I honestly thought Cersei would be dead by Jamie’s hand before she had to take the throne. I thought she’d be inconsolable once she found out Tommen was dead.
Apologies as I’ve jumped to the end (but support me…).
Did ANYONE ELSE see Sansa blow a kiss to Littlefinger as the northern horde yelled KING OF THE NORTH!
She blows him a kiss, it’s indisputable. Watch again and WTF ??!!
Yes, I know. One poster, in an argument that had gone on for a while, said something like “well, that’s not what the spoiler speculation said that has been right for x many episodes thus far.” Another poster said: as they say on Reddit, KITINDANORF or something like that – not the books but Reddit. And then Nymeria Warrior Queen called out one poster who kept on and on and on putting stuff in the main threads. So, yes, I do know. Of course not all was straight from Reddit. But there was a good bit. You can take a look at the forums to see some of who knew and then look back at the preview thread for this episode, if you’d like.
Thanks, Dee. This isn’t my first rodeo, so I do actually know how far Meereen with four Es is from Dorne. It is much, much, much further than Deepwood Motte is from Bear Island, http://winteriscoming.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Official-Map-A-Song-of-Ice-and-Fire.jpg. Deepwood Motte is the closest castle to Bear Island in the upper left corner of the map, much closer to Bear Island than Winterfell. Note that even Sunspear to Meereen is at the very least ten times the distance from Bear Island to Deepwood Motte.
And then here is where one of the world’s most prestigious magazines for the entire television business questions the believability of the timeline jumps in “The Broken Man,” where they do the journey from Bear Island to Deepwood Motte, which should have taken weeks, in a single episode.
This timeline leap is, by far, the biggest they’ve ever done. I don’t believe I’ve complained about timeline leaps (at least not more than in passing) before, when hundreds have, but there is a point where enough is enough. If Sansa got married, pregnant, and gave birth all in the same episode, would that be reasonable? Fuck no. And neither is a ten-to-twenty-week trip reasonable in much less than a whole episode, especially when there was no set up that he was going back to Dorne.
I’m okay that D&D can do no wrong in your eyes. Your enthusiasm and blind devotion to the show is wonderful. I’m not like that. That’s not me. I’ll sing their praises on the great moments, which are better than any other show on television, hands down, but I’m not going to whitewash their bullshit.
Don’t know, if anyone has expressed this already or not. Could anyone explain me, why Pycelle was killed in advance / separately, when it’s clear that he would be going to attend the trail.
RAMS,
It was a nod to book readers and they possibily wanted to end the conflict between Pycelle and Qyburn in a more direct way.
I joined this site after season 5 ended.
I had so much fun being updated on casting and filming news and reading other member’s speculations.
So this was my first season of following and I am disappointed just how many think it is cool to get leaks from some place and then post them here.
The mods make every effort so we can watch the show and there will be still surprises, which I enjoy.
For the life of me I don’t understand why any fan would want to know everything prior to the episode airing.
Why bother watching?
And why would they think it is okay to deprive us of our viewing pleasure?
Everyone posting here knows the rules.
I was really disappointed that some of the regulars, that I conversed with during the off season, joined in.
Shame, shame, shame..
And if someone just cannot help it, please start a leak thread in the forum and refrain from discussions in the mods threat. It makes absolutely no sense for people readings leaks to discuss an upcoming episode.
And here is my final thought on this subject.
Anyone that thinks they are cool posting or referring to a leak, you are not.
You are an a$$hole.
(Sorry mods, someone had to say it).
Those are my two cents on that subject.
BranTheBlessed,
I believe we’ll have a last huge sacrifice before the series ends and the Nissa Nissa prophecy should happen. If Jon has a new love interest in Season 7, she is doomed. IMO, the candidates are Sansa and Danny. Lady was sacrificed by Ned and it could be a hint of Sansa’s future. This relationship could develop after they know they are only cousins. They are in the same place at least.
The other option is that Jon and Danny marry to make an alliance and unite Westeros against the White Walkers. I can’t see the series finishing with a happy marriage between Danny and Jon. One of them must die or maybe both.
In order for the Nissa Nissa prophecy to happen, there should be some love interest development in Season 7.
RAMS,
The same reason Cersei kept Septa Unella. Qyburn wanted to watch Pycelle die, IMO. He represents the Citadel that rejected him. Qyburn is the main Cersei’s advisor and he is obviously crazy. I expect him to have a crazy solution for Danny.
JCC,
No. She is surprised, angry and scare. I wish we had the script because I think Sophie didn’t nail the scene, otherwise it wouldn’t be so confusing. But I don’t see a kiss, she opens the mouth though in desbelief IMO.
Sam,
I was avoiding saying that b/c I don’t like being labeled a “hater.” It is odd that Daario is left to govern Meereen. I mean c’mon, Daario? Daario ruling is just “no way.” He took the obvious lie from Dany really, really well. Maybe he has other plans? Book wise he is more devious so maybe if show Daario returns, he’ll have more of that.
I don’t buy into this upcoming Jon-Sansa feud in S7 one bit. I clearly thought her look towards LF at the end suggested her worry for Jon’s safety. Then I read Sophie and Kit and D&D’s interviews which suggested trouble brewing in paradise, but I just can’t bring myself to believe it. Just doesn’t add up.
They are all saying the same thing; Sansa does not feel like she is being given her due credit and she seems to be falling in LF trap. I think Kit also said that he thinks he is trusting Sansa blindly which might come back to haunt him. I think this is all created by the show runners and actors to provide a cliff hanger for the audience until show returns next year. Just like they did with JS possible death at the end of last year. It is very clear show runners never want the audience to feel safe about any of the Starks. That is what the show is based on, audience forever feeling vulnerable over Starks’ safety. But I just don’t buy the fact that Sansa will join forces with LF to bring down Jon, and that she felt underappreciated. If that is truly the take away they wanted the audience from this episode then the show runners did not do a very good job of selling it to the audience. Every sign pointed to the fact that she fully trusted him and was genuinely happy for him. Moreover, it was also made clear that she does not trust LF at all at this point. So why would his meaningful stares at the end of the episode all of a sudden change her mind about him and Jon? It was shown very clearly in the KiTN scene that she was smiling and truly felt happy for Jon and House Stark reemergence. Her happy look changed to consternation only when she spotted LF smirking, and it had to be because she feared for Jon’s safety because she knows what LF is capable of.
Jon clearly gave her all the credit for winning BOTB and in return she told Jon that she considers him a Stark. Why would she join forces with someone she knows she can’t trust to backstab a Stark?!
Just wanted to say I loved the episode and the music. I continue to thoroughly enjoy the Dany and Tyrion exchanges and teared a bit when he became hand of the Queen. I think the look that he gave her was not necessary one of romantic love but more of the admiration one would have for a younger sister who they are exceptionally proud of. But what do I know, I don’t have a little sister.
Upon much closer inspection I realized that the larger explosion within the Sept of Baelor was not just caused by wildfire but due to Margaery realizing her impending doom and then her own extreme level of hotness causing her to spontaneously combust. I wouldn’t want anyone else to have to go through the trouble of trying to verify this though, because it took me hours to view the minute details and reach my conclusion.
Lady Mormont is a total badass and if I ever have a daughter I want her to be like the little Bear.
And my prediction for a character introduction next season is Wun-Dor, the long-lost cousin of both Hodor and Wun Wun.
Sam Torres,
I agree with your theory, but how do you explain Sophie, Kit and D&D interviews suggesting otherwise?
Sam,
Yes!!! My points exactly! These videos and 6:10 do not sync with each other AT ALL! That is why I think it is a ploy by show runners to keep fans hooked.
Agreed, let’s not forget they said Jon Snow is dead after season 5.
Fantastic episode in so many ways! The music was beyond amazing.
Can someone tell me how Varys got from Dorne to the ship in the last scene so quickly?