spoilers! watch before reading
The beginning to this episode was beautiful. First it shows Dany mourning over Jorah, and she appeared to whisper something to him, I hope we find out what. Then Sansa crying looking at Theon, handing him a Stark pin. I would have liked to see him buried in the crypts, but those must be a real mess right now, so this gesture was enough for me. He was recognized as a Stark when he died.
We see Jon looking at Lyanna Mormont, who named him king in the north. Sam looking at Edd, who he was close with at the Night's Watch. Arya looking at Beric, who died to protect her. They all lost someone that meant something to them. While the whole ordeal was sad, we don't see much of this type of mourning in the show. Just shedding tears, saying goodbye, and burning the bodies. In Game of Thrones, death is usually followed by anger and revenge. Jon also gave a beautiful speech, which he so obviously made his voice deeper for, and the leaders stepping forward to light the pyres was pure art. They must have practiced it ahead of time, they were perfectly in sync.
The gloomy burning of bodies soon turns into a warm, Winterfell style feast, with lots of the best characters confined to one room. At the front table, we have Dany, Jon, Sansa, Bran and Tyrion, which obviously bring tension with it.
Dany finally got some positive attention from the northerners when she mentioned Arya being a hero, and named Gendry as Lord of Storm's End. But it dies quickly as people shift toward Jon, namely Tormund, who starts praising him for riding a dragon. "What kind of person climbs on a dragon? A madman, or a king!" I guess he forgot that he rode on a dragon too? And also forgot that Dany, the MOTHER OF DRAGONS, was sitting right there. Tormund also mentions that Jon "keeps fighting" which sounds like forshadowing to me.
After this, Dany looked as lonely as she did back in season one, maybe even lonelier. She just lost Jorah. But still, when Jon looked at her like he was asking permission if hanging with the boys was okay, she put on a happy face and nodded at him. Varys was watching all of this, but instead of being concerned for her, because she's clearly hurting, he turns against her. Observant as he is, I can't believe he turned from her to Jon so fast.
Another part that made me cringe was Sansa and The Hound. I was waiting for that reunion for so long, and I got, "heard you were broken in, boken in rough." I know the Hound can be an asshole but he's really speaking of rape this way? When, in King's Landing, he went after Sansa to protect her from it? Screw that. I didn't like her response either, "if I left with you, I would have stayed a little bird." Growing strong from the awful things she went through is a silver lining, for sure. But her saying it needed to happen, that she needed to be beaten and abused and raped, was too far. Good did come from this conversation though, I liked that the Hound brought up how he could have protected her all those years ago, he really loves the Stark girls. And while Sansa holding his hand confused me, his little smile afterward was adorable.
This feast is the first time we get to see Brienne let loose, thanks to the alcohol and Jaime's presense, I'm sure. I don't know why Tyrion had to ruin it bringing up her virginity, but Jaime later saying, "I've never slept with a knight before," in response to her never sleeping with anyone was so sweet. And go Jaime, using the "you keep it warm in here' as a reason to strip. The actress who plays Brienne said that even though Jaime went back to Cersei, she was glad they slept together, and called it a spiritual experience, which just about sums up how I feel about it. It didn't make their good bye any less heartbreaking though.
Another couple that broke me heart was Arya and Gendry. He was looking everywhere for her, he had been made a Lord, and he was in love and knew who he wanted by his side, only to be shot down. His proposal, his face, and their kiss, ahh. Even though Arya said no, because let's be honest, she was never going to stay in one place and stand by a Lord's side, but she still loves him. I don't think Gendry would have wanted to 'tame' her, just to be with her, but I can't hate her for saying no anyway. I'm glad they were canon, even if it was short lived. I'd also like to believe that, just for a second, Arya considered marrying him.
A few other things that happened at the feast are Tormund realizing Brienne loves Jaime, not him, and going to The Hound to talk about it. As if The Hound has ever given relationship advice in his life. Tyrion told Davos that they might have defeated the Whitewalkers, but now they have monarch problems to get back to. Following that, Tyrion talks to Bran about being Lord of Winterfell, and Bran says he doens't want it, doesn't 'want' at all anymore. Foreshadow?
Dany and Jon drew a line between them this episode. After being left out at the feast, Dany goes to him, probably looking for comforting. I might have misunderstood, but Dany said "is that all right?" after saying she loved Jon, like she needs permission to. Maybe that is because it's incest and like Varys says later, Targaryens like it but Northerners don't. I'm not even phased by it anymore, they could make some cute Targ babies and I'd just be happy for them. But after kissing her, Jon stops. Something is wrong between them, but I doubt it's incest. Dany says about his heritage, "I try to forget, then I say them aroung you, say how they looked at you." Dany realized Westeros would choose Jon and cast her aside. She is the one with so much to lose, why is it Jon who is pulling away?
Dany begs Jon about keeping his ancestry a secret, "I've never begged for anything, but I'm begging you." She's so scared, and she tells Jon she just wants them to be how they were. She's mourning a friend, she's in an unknown place, and she wants to be able to rely on the man she loves. I can't be surprised that begging turns into a threat, "I've just told you how." She was the Queen they chose, and she gained most of her power by being just, but it's not going to work on this side of the sea. If she was not a Queen, and Jon was not heir to a throne, and these were just two average people, people would forgive her for getting cold with him. But because that's not the case, and her reign can hurt, or even end people, she's not allowed to be scared or angry.
At the meeting later, Dany is fed up with waiting and wants to attack King's Landing and dethrone Cersei. Tyrion tells her she shouldn't attack, because innocent people will get hurt. Dany looks angry and annoyed with him, but takes in his advice nonetheless. Sansa on the other hand, didn't even challenge Dany's plans, but told her that people needed time to rest before another battle, and Dany took it as a threat. I can't tell if Jon was smart or stupid for siding with her and saying they will fight now if she wants. He endangered tired soldeirs, but potentially saved himself. After last night's talk, Dany might not take well to him going against her. Dany's acting more on emotions than logic at this point, but I find it hard to believe she couldn't wait a week when Rhaegal was hurt and could barely fly. That's her child after all.
Jon chooses his family over Dany's wishes, even with her threat, and tells his sisters about his parents. This is somethig that's been building up since what, the second episode of the show? And finally when it happens, his past is to be revelaed, we DON'T GET TO SEE IT? D&D really let me down. At this point, I'm in it for the Starks, and not getting to see Arya and Sansa react to finding out Jon isn't their brother was a major blow. Even what we did get to see was irritating. Arya tells Jon she respects him and that they needed Dany to help fight the whitewalkers, but then says, "don't need many allies." You JUST said it was necessary. I wish they had a better reason to dislike Dany than, "she's not from here." The only good part about this whole interaction is Jon saying he's not a Stark, and Sansa and Arya immediately looking like they want to both hug and slap him.
Arya's character arc was all about her family. Lot's of the names on her list were people who hurt her family, not just her. And then when she was training to be No One, she could not forget her family, and almost died trying to get back to them. And now she leaves to King's Landing to kill Cersei, and doesn't intend to make it back. If Cersei was a threat, I could understand sacrificing herself to protect her family, but as they just discussed, Dany is the current threat. She wants the north to kneel, she doesn't like Sansa, and she's starting to turn against Jon too. Sansa is going to be left alone in the North (I don't count Bran) and Jon is going south where he could die, and Arya just fucks right off to kill someone who Dany is planning on killing anyway. As much as I love Arya and The Hound, this felt very out of character.
Someone who did something totally in character and very family oriented, was Sansa. Yes, she didn't keep her promise to Jon to keep her mouth shut, but she is still looking out for him in her own way. She trusts Tyrion, and she knows Tyrion will tell Varys, so she's created two allies that will be on Jon's side. While is seems like a betrayed, she's protecting the North, and trying to protect Jon because she fears for his life. Sansa telling Tyrion, "you're afraid of her" is going to age well I imagine.
I was already not a huge fan of this episode, and what made it all the worse it Rhaegal's pathetic death. Arrow. From a ship. That he was flying over, and somehow could not see??! I call bullshit. My guess is they wanted Dany to have more reason to be angry, and to get her down to one dragon so she was more vulnerable. But it was executed horrible, no pun intended. Following his two second death, Dany charges at the ships, and pulls away, dodging all the other arrows. Not believable either. What are the writers thinking.
Fast forward to King's Landing, which now looks like a wasteland even though used to have mountains and plenty of trees. Tyrion mentions Cersei being pregnant with Euron standing right there. He just found out himself. I wonder if he's smart enough to put two and two together? Not your child, honey.
Qyburn talking to Tyrion was more funny than serious, and Qyburn said to him something that he said to Sansa earlier, "she's your Queen too." Goes to show how dumb Monarchy is. Dany and Jon were both chosen, and that went a whole lot further than fear. Dany is no longer appealing to the people, but using force, and I predict that is her downfall.
Cersei's display of power with the arrows reminded me of an earlier season where she said "power is power" and got her guards to seize Littlefinger before letting him go. She may not be the best person, but she's got style. In fact, her acting in this scene killed me. It was flawless, no wonder Lena Headey made 1 million an episode. Tyrion was a fool to think she would eves surrender, but it was worth seeing the look on her face. She was scared, angry, and a mother trying to protect her child. She is not heartless, she has grown to hate the world and her enemies in it.
This scene showed Tyrions character too, Him and Cersei have always hated each other, but he wants to save her now. Part of his motives might be because Jaime loves her, but I think he also regrets killing his father, and doesn't want to see more of his family die. He's done betraying his family.
Missandei deserved a better death, not dying in chains.
Dany looked pissed. There's no going back to her Essos form of ruling now, where she tries to make everyone happy and is just. Westeros has been cruel, and she will be cruel back.
"Dracarys.'
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