Game of Thrones: The Finale

So now we’ve all had a few days to digest the game of thrones finale, I thought I’d share some thoughts on it. Warning for anyone who hasn’t watched it yet, spoilers are coming.

First thought: holy shit.

This episode was jam packed with far more than I expected. After the amazing “Battle of the Bastards” (arguably the best medieval battle ever seen on TV or film, and certainly the most realistic), I wasn’t sure how “The Winds of Winter” would hold up.

Somehow, the showrunners gave us a finale that not only wrapped up loose plot threads, but also gave us some truly epic moments.

First off, let’s begin with King’s Landing. As much as I despise Cersei, I have to hand it to her: we all underestimated her. The writers have been building up the presence of the wildfire for most of the season and they pulled off the scene in the most spectacular way possible. With excellent performances from Jonathan Pryce and Natalie Dormer, the viewer’s shock mirrors that of the characters as we all realize the depths to which Cersei will go to achieve her goals and get revenge.

I guess this is why they call it King's Landing...

Perhaps the best scene from King’s Landing dealt with the fallout of Cersei’s plan. The silent simplicity of Tommen’s suicide really hammered home the sick brutality of his mother’s actions. In the wake of all this destruction, I really hope Jaime finally comes to his senses and redeems himself by turning against his sister.

Speaking of siblings, the actions of the youngest surviving Stark sibling provided another fantastic scene. The death of Walder Frey, one of the show’s most viscerally sickening characters, was a suitably satisfying moments. Arya’s list is slowly getting shorter, and I can’t wait to see who she crosses off next. Villains of Westeros beware!

Hell yeah a girl is Arya Stark! 

This episode was chock full of such fan-service moments. Tyrion’s naming as Hand of the Queen was not exactly surprising, yet it was immensely rewarding. He is a character who’s had a really rough time of it, and it is quite heartwarming to see him finally get some recognition for all the work he’s done. From the start, Tyrion has grappled with prejudice and discrimination (largely from his family) despite the fact that he is probably the most intelligent character on the show. I’m glad he finally has some of the respect he deserves.

Now, perhaps (plot-wise) the most important moment of the episode was the conclusion of the Tower of Joy scene. We finally see the confirmation of the R+L=J fan theory. The importance of Jon’s parentage cannot be overstated, as his identity as both a Targaryen and a Stark gives him the most legitimate claim to the Iron Throne, even more so than Daenerys. Whether Jon wishes to take advantage of this claim (unlikely) or whether Bran is even able to tell anyone of his discovery (slightly less unlikely) remains to be seen.

The revelation of Jon’s parentage represents one of my only major criticisms of this season: book spoilers. For those who only watch the show, this isn’t a big deal. But for those of us who have read the books, it’s quite disappointing to have the gun jumped on these points that George R.R. Martin has spent decades developing, from Jon’s parentage to the true meaning of the word Hodor. Understandably, such revelations can’t really be helped, but that doesn’t make them any less disappointing.

My only other criticism of the episode (and the season) are two largely useless plotlines, one dealt with in this episode and the other not.

After nine episodes, we finally returned to Dorne and, again, I find myself wondering why this plot tangent is even in the show. The decision to kill Doran Martell seemed a poor move on the writers’ part when it happened, and it seems even more so now. Why did Doran need to die if they were just planning on subbing Ellaria Sand into his storyline? The treatment of Dorne has left me more confused than annoyed, because the choices made don’t seem to follow any discernable logic.

That being said, seeing the colourful Dornish spearmen marching alongside Daenerys is something I’m excited to see next season.

This season’s other tenuous plotline rests in the Iron Islands. Even in the books, the introduction of Euron Greyjoy and the Kingsmoot seemed to come out of left field; in the show, it just seems like an excuse to send Yara and Theon to Slaver’s Bay (now renamed Dragon’s Bay). Surely they could have come up with an easier way to engineer this? Doesn’t the fact that Yara and Theon stole all of his ships kind of makes Euron a lame duck? This is another instance where the writers attempt to address a secondary plotline yet have neither the time nor the space to do it justice.

"I don't care if he's a bastard: he's my king!"

Overall, however, the finale was a great end to another wonderful season. All the pieces are on the board and we’re rapidly hurtling towards what is sure to be an epic finale. The fact that we have to wait another ten months to see what happens next breaks my heart, but it’s sure to be worth it. For all its faults, Game of Thrones has earned (and continues to earn) its spot as the best show on television, just as Jon has earned the title of King in the North. Both have had their ups and downs, and they continue to make mistakes, but, in the end, we remain loyal, and the world is better off for it.

As always, thanks for reading J