“I do things because they feel good,” says the wicked and cunning Cersei Lannister (Lena Headey) as she finally has her moment…well…several moments of sweet revenge. The finale of a season filled with building action begins with a loud, explosive bang that is felt throughout Westeros. The next in a line of incompetent and immature boy kings, Tommen Baratheon (Dean-Charles Chapman), tragically takes his own life following the murder of his wife Queen Margaery (Natalie Dormer) and the evil twin of Pope Francis, the High Sparrow (Jonathan Pryce). Another dead Lannister. Plainly speaking, Cersei gets her revenge by committing mass murder in King’s Landing. Will the power get to her head? We are counting on it!
Winter has come to Westeros. As the snow falls on Winterfell, Jon Snow (Kit Harrington) poignantly turns to his younger sister, the elegant Sansa (Sophie Turner) and says, “Father always promised, didn’t he?” That one got me right in the feels! Jon Snow has a big episode as he joins the very emotional and angry Davos (Liam Cunningham) in confronting the sad and quiet Melisandre (Carice von Houten) for the murder of Princess Shireen and Jon kicks her out of the North. Where will she go? We know she has an important place in the story, yet. In a rousing scene, the feisty young Lyanna Mormont (Bella Ramsey) leads a room full of disgruntled old men in claiming their loyalty to Jon Snow as King in the North (finally!)!
As Samwell Tarley (John Bradley) leads Gilly (Hannah Murray) to the halls of the Grand Meisters, Danaerys (Emilia Clarke) names our beloved Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage) her Right Hand. Olenna Tyrell (Diana Rigg) makes her way to Dorne with revenge on her mind and runs into that crafty eunuch Varys (Conleth Hill), who enlists her to join the team of Fire and Blood (Team Dany, duh!).
Bran Stark’s (Isaac Hempstead-Wright) Uncle Benjen (Joseph Mawle) departs into the snowy wilderness, leaving him with the ever-loyal Meera Reed (Ellie Kendrick). Bran names himself The Three-Eyed Raven as he places his hand on a tree and psychically travels to the past to find that Lyanna Stark (Aisling Franciosi), his aunt and Ned’s (Robert Aramayo) younger sister, gave birth to Jon Snow. Jon is not Ned’s bastard. If we follow the storyline closely we know from the pilot of Season One that Lyanna was once abducted by Rhaegar Targaryen. According to the literature, Rhaegar raped her and beat her. Rhaeger may have impregnated her. Rhaegar, the evil king, is Danaerys’ father. You know what that means? Jon Snow is a Targaryen and the half brother of Danaerys! BAM!
The tremendous Arya (Maisie Williams), in a surprising turn of events, shows up at Walder Frey’s (David Bradley) dinner table and checks off another name, successfully, on her death list. Will she make her way to Winterfell and join Jon and Sansa? We hope so.
In the breathtaking final scenes, Dany, Tyrion, Varys, Theon Greyjoy (Alfie Allen), Yara Greyjoy (Gemma Whalen), Missandei (Nathalie Emmanuel), and Grey Worm (Jacob Anderson) are making their way, finally, to the shores of King’s Landing in Westeros by ship as Cersei Lannister takes her seat in the coveted Iron Throne and is named Queen of Westeros.
In what has proven to be one of the better executed season finales of GOT, David Benioff and D.B. Weiss have successfully set us up for the end of our beloved series. Make no mistake, the final battle is beginning. Winter has come to Westeros and with it comes The Night King and his White Walkers and Danaerys Stormborn Targaryen, Mother of Dragons, and her entire fleet of very loyal subjects and soldiers. Who will stand? It is time to draw the “game of thrones” to a close.
Joey Armstrong is a hospital chaplain from Western New York. He is also a playwright and amateur cartoonist. Follow him on Twitter @chaplainmystic and Medium, where he writes more reviews for film and television.
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