lunabee34

I love this show. As a nerd heretic, I love it better than the books, and I especially love this latest season (I think because the pacing has improved and because we've finally moved beyond what the books have to tell us and are getting new information, including the confirmation of long-held fan theories).

The finale did not disappoint.



First, I love all the reunions. I realize that could get tedious for some viewers, but I eat it up with a spoon. Westeros, turns out, is actually pretty small, and most of our main characters know each other for good or ill. I like the way that demonstrates how arbitrary some of the divisions among them are: Podrick is glad Tyrion is alive, and Tyrion's glad to see Podrick, and Podrick and Bronn are thrilled to see each other, and Bronn and Tyrion missed the shit out of each other even though they're all on opposite sides of this little drama. I think it also serves to show that honor and goodness are not reserved for one side alone; there's no real bad guy here (except the Night King). Almost everyone (except maybe Cersei) has committed acts of kindness and generosity and self-sacrifice (even Bronn!). It also shows that this group of people totally could work together for a common goal if they wanted to.

I loved Brienne telling Sandor that Arya is alive and can take care of herself. Loved Sandor confronting Gregor; I sincerely hope that Sandor gets to have some kind of closure there. Loved Brienne and Jaime seeing each other again. Loved Theon and Tyrion riffing back and forth on dwarf jokes.

Also on the subject of reunions, Sam's reunion with Bran was awesome. It was funny (and also tragic) the way Sam just rolls with the whole, "I'm actually the 3 eyed raven now." It also gave us more information about Jon's true identity. Now we know that Jon is a trueborn Targaryen. He's the true heir to the throne named Aegon Targaryen, and his parents loved each other. I know a lot of people don't like that revelation and think it doesn't work logically with the information we get in the books and the show; I'm not really so much interested in that part of it (I agree that divorcing Elia doesn't make a lot of sense, and naming a kid the same name as your other kid doesn't make much sense either unless you're George Foreman). What interests me about that revelation is how futile it makes so much of the human action. Lyanna wasn't kidnapped or raped. She didn't need rescuing or avenging. I assume that Ned eventually realizes that she and Rhaegar were in love; this means he spends the rest of his life knowing that all that death was pointless and that the real claimant to the throne is living in his household. I am super interested in the psychological implications of that knowledge for Ned. I also think Ned did the only thing he could to keep Jon alive; Ned doesn't want to be king, and I don't think he wants his nephew to be king. He wants Jon to be alive. I think he could have told Catelyn the truth; I understand why he thinks he couldn't risk it, but I think he could have told her the truth about Jon. I think she'd have been an ally.

I'm really interested to see how Jon reacts to the news. He does not want to be king. He's a good leader, and I think he'd make a good one, but he has no fucks to give. I wonder how Dany will react, and I wonder whether either of them will be bothered by the incestuous nature of their relationship. I predict Dany won't care about that aspect, and Jon will care for awhile and then get over it. I suspect they're going to end up deciding to co-rule (Dany is angry that he's the true heir, and Jon's all I don't even want the job, you do it totally, and then she's all guilty and well, you're really the heir, and they love each other, and so end up doing it together until one or both of them dies).

I really loved the conversation between Theon and Jon because I think the advice Jon gives Theon is the advice he's going to need for himself. He tells Theon he's a Stark and a Greyjoy; he forgives him for all that he's able and tells him to go save his sister (I really hope he's successful; I don't care if he dies doing it; I just want him to have that moment of his sister being proud of him). Jon may be a Targaryen, but he's Ned Stark's son, and no revelation of parentage can take that from him.

Littlefinger suggests to Sansa that Jon and Dany are going to get married, and once again he's most likely got his finger on the pulse of the nation. I mean, Jon's declaration that a witch might not be a reliable source of information about her fertility seems another anvil dropped on that score. I think it's pretty clear that the two of them will eventually marry and have a kid (although he'll probably die before it's born).

Cersei's characterization fascinates me here. She is so much more multi-faceted and interesting in the show than in the book. I love that when push comes to shove, she can't kill her family. We know she hates Tyrion. She blames him for her children's deaths even though she knows now that Tyrion had nothing to do with it, and yet she cannot kill him when given a chance. That scene between the two of them is so powerful; Tyrion loved the children; he never would hurt them, and she *knows* that. She knows that. Tyrion gives off such a powerful sense of wistful longing in that scene for what could have been, a relationship he never got to have and would have had with Cersei if she'd let him, if she'd loved him.

Cersei seems to see reason after they loose the zombie. She seems to realize it's real and a big deal, but she wants too much in return. She wants the North to remain neutral and Jon to essentially bend the knee, but Ned Stark's honesty comes into play, and Jon announces that he's Dany's man, so Cersei just leaves. (I imagine her internal monologue went something like, "You ride in here on a fucking dragon, you heathen bitch, and I totally wish I had a dragon. I'd be cooler than you on a dragon. But I don't have a dragon, so screw you, I'm taking my toys home.") Tyrion seems to get through to her (and what courage, Tyrion, going into the lion's den like that), but she's just faking him out, too. She has no intention of involving herself in this war.

She tells Jaime that Euron didn't really get scared and leave the council; he left on her orders, and he's gone to raise her an army of sell-swords. When Jaime pooh-poohs that idea, she tells him she wants to let the North essentially destroy itself fighting off the White Walkers while they stay safe in the South (let the monsters destroy each other). The show tries to frame this as another aspect of her love of family; she's pregnant (and Tyrion knows it), and she wants to protect the only kid she's got left. But I think this is really about power. Cersei can't compromise; she can't strategically give up. I wonder how much of that is because of her relationship with Robert and how he just steamrolled right over her. I can see her saying she'd never give up or give in ever again after that.

I was so proud of Jaime for leaving (you got to him, Brienne! Yay!). I love that it was snowing in King's Landing when he left. Winter has come; this shit is real; Cersei is wrong; King's Landing is going to fall. I love that she can't kill Jaime either even though he's defying her. I also love that Jaime and Tyrion still have affection for each other despite all that's happened in the past.

Finally, a conclusion to that bullshit between Arya and Sansa. I am choosing to believe that all the tension and weirdness and creepiness between them both was deliberately manufactured, and that they were acting the whole time just in case Littlefinger was watching. The scene where they executed Littlefinger really demonstrates how much they have both learned and their strengths; Sansa really is a good leader. Arya is a better executioner than her dad ever was. LOL They work best in concert. Loved Sansa telling Arya she's still strange and annoying after everything was over.

That final scene with the ice dragon--damn! I really hope Tormund and Dolorous Ed survive (especially Ed). Dany is going to lose her shit when she realizes she has to kill one of her babies. I loved that Cersei picked up on one of the dragons being missing.

Here's what I want to happen next season:

Tormund and Ed survive
Jaime gets to Winterfell in time to take part in the big battle
A scene between Tyrion and Sansa in which they have affection for each other
Jaime and Brienne forever in all the scenes; I mean, I get that it isn't going to happen, but lordy do I ship it
Jon and Dany get over any angst pretty quickly about the incest
Sansa is on the throne in the North with Arya at her side at the end
Cersei dies (I mean, it's prophesied, so she will, but I'm ready for it)
Sam becomes the Grand Maester for whoever ends up on the throne; and they let him marry Gilly :)


What was up with Tyrion lurking out in the hallway while Jon and Dany consummated their sweet, sweet love? I don't think he's in love with her or jealous or anything. Is he worried that a relationship between them is a bad thing? I don't get it.


Love to hear what you thought!