Pumpkin G. Snark

The final episode. Now we know how this story ends. Can’t believe we are here, inside this moment of time. (I have read the books only in 2013, can’t even imagine the feelings of those who have read the first book in 1990s.) Some events in ep 6 were unexpected, at least by me. Yes, Jon’s scene with Dany was more or less predictable from ep 5, even without spoilers, but it was very powerful (not only visually), and the Iron Throne made and destroyed by dragonflame, so epic, so cinematographic. (It reminds the One Ring destroyed in the molten lava of the Mount Doom. The analogy of the IT and the Ring was very popular here.) And Jon was quite ready to be incinerated for his deed. But Drogon had let him to enter. Some could say that CGI-Drogon was acting even better than human actors in this scene. Both human actors were above their usual level, though. The scene with Tyrion in the destroyed cellars of the Red Keep was brilliant. (Maybe too straightforward. I could do without Jaime’s and Cersei’s dead faces. But the viewer must know they are really dead. And we have to see Tyrion’s reaction, of course.) Daenerys speech about future liberation of the whole wide world (in the middle of a dead city, among the wild ululating of her Dothraki) was chilling. And, by the way, what about Dothraki, will they assimilate into Westerosi ways of life? The Unsullied are moving to Naath, very touching. All their war crimes are forgiven, obviously. They were obeying their orders. Is there anybody who predicted Bran’s… coronation? election results? The scene with the council of (electors?) was interesting (maybe not very convincing, but it’s not a book). The company of representatives is so diversified: Robyn Arryn, Yohn Royce, Edmure Tully, Gendry, Yara, a Dornish prince… And they all vote “Aye”. For me it was an unexpected but satisfying twist. And the showrunners (and the actors, and the crew…) somehow had managed to keep it from public knowledge beforehand. Jon’s moving to the True North and Arya’s expedition across the Sunset Sea were only logical. (We do remember Tormund’s words about the North in ep 4 and Arya’s words about “what’s west of Westeros” in Season 6.) And Sansa’s coronation. “The Queen in the North”, after two kings, Robb and Jon. “The King of the Six Kingdoms” sounds refreshingly good. These two Stark siblings, Sansa and Bran, are almost equal now (the North is not very densely populated but its territory is approx. the area of the other six kingdoms combined, we remember it). The scene with Brienne (the Lady Commander of the Kingsguard now) filling Jaime’s entry in the White Book was extremely fitting. “A Song of Ice and Fire” presented by Sam (the Grand Maester now?) to Tyrion was maybe too much (similar book is given to another Sam in the final of LOTR movie trilogy). The new Small Council is, well, not too unexpected. Can’t see why Bronn is there, though. The Master of Coin? Really? Littlefinger turns in his untimely grave. And let me (one more time) admire the brilliant posters of this forum. Can’t remember now who posted it two or three years ago, as a joke: the show (this person suggested) could end with Tyrion’s recounting of his visit to this brothel with a honeycomb and a jackass. “And then all fades to black, the credits roll so we’ll never know how the story ends”. Well – Very strong episode, one of the best. Visually and plot-wise and character-wise. Almost all the main knots are untied. And if these are GRRM’s plot milestones than I’d like to read his version (it’s not an unexpected feeling).

Maybe you remember this interview with Kit Harington: “Who is/was Jon’s greatest love? – Ygritte”. Now we know it’s not only because of, you know, Rose Leslie. Now we can see it as a spoiler of sorts. Jon finally sees what Dany is capable of. And then no love will hold him from… what? Confronting her? (And her armies, and her dragon.) I liked ep 5, it’s very spectacular. Many results (if not the scenes themselves) seem like fulfilled predictions and/or threats. Varys’s fire death, for example. (He had no reasons to love fire.) Can’t see what’s so special about these rings. All could see them on his fingers so they were not some secret sign. And they would be melted in the dragonflame anyway. Well at least he’s managed to send some of the letters, correct? It was rather obvious that unGregor and Sandor both will die in their fight (it didn’t seem too long to me). And Jaime told Bronn in s5 about his (Jaime’s) wish to die in his woman’s arms. It’s a powerful scene. Maybe it will not be the same in the books where we have the valonqar element of the prophecy, hands about Cersei’s pale throat etc. But I think in the books they’ll leave this world together, too. The scene with Tyrion releasing Jaime is very touching. Yes, it mirrors the famous final of season 4, but it creates some strong feelings. No Tysha – but her story was not fully disclosed in s4, so – no expectations ruined. Arya is our agent in the field, through her we see the atrocities of war (like around the Red Wedding). Maybe now it’s time for her to sail across the Sunset Sea. Jon’s behaviour is, well, moderately believable. Is he still one of the few people who is able to at least try to convince Dany to… to see reason? Don’t even want to start to think about Dany. I agree with many posters who argue that the signs were here all along, that the proverbial coin was in the air etc. But now the coin has landed (showing the dragon side). Just a weird thought: maybe we’ll see not a murder but a suicide? The Breaker of Chains (and of the Wheel) realizes that it was all in vain, that people don’t love her (quite understandable), that now they know there’s someone with a better claim. This madness must have, well, stages. In the books we’ll (hopefully) read all these internal monologues, in the show we only hear these voices in the Previously On (well, it’s not enough, but it’s something). It would be great if in the end Dany (it’s strange to call her Dany after KL’s destruction)… Daenerys eventually sees the situation as it is. Ep 6 will be around 80 min, but there are so many lines to conclude. Maybe we’ll not see Yara, Tormund, Hot Pie (terrible thought), even Gendry, but there should be Brienne (and Podrick), Bronn, Davos, Sam + Gilly. And of course Tyrion and all the Starks. And will we see some other locations besides KL. Winterfell and maybe the Wall (in passing)? Or it all revolves around the Iron Throne (if it survives as such after ep 5’s inferno) as the title sequence hints? Anyway, ep 5 was stunning visually, but uneven plot-wise and character-wise (well, it’s not the first episode like this…). With some very touching scenes (Tyrion + Varys, Tyrion + Jaime, Cersei + Jaime) and one very powerful POV (Arya’s). And “The Light of the Seven” fusing into “The Rains (Reines) of Castamere” in the end. Ep 5 could be a good movie in itself.

Some vague random thoughts. Maybe too long a post for a general thread. But it’s been a while. Every episode in this season (so far) feels like something… maybe not unique (ep 801 demonstratively echoes 101; ep 3 mirrors all the major battles from the Blackwater to Castle Black, Hardhome, the frozen lake etc.) but definitely… well, peculiar. Themes and motives are the same, the characters are the same (mostly), but there’s something off. Can’t tell exactly what. The rhythm, the pace – sometimes jarringly uneven? The feeling that all the main lines have to converge somehow and now the time is almost up? The overall sense of urgency? And ep 4 is maybe the strangest (so far). It’s like a patchwork of very different pieces, “an alloy of iron and beef”, a combination not of ice and fire but of some totally disparate elements. Maybe they still can be combined meaningfully and smoothly: a funeral pyre, a bawdy feast, one or two (or three) love scenes, a reunion of sorts, some conspiracies, a surprise naval battle, a weird (but impressive) negotiations on/near the city walls… But it looks like an oversized teaser trailer, though some scenes may seem unduly prolonged. The feast in WF’s Great Hall is one example. Yes, the lines of conflict between Dany and Sansa, Dany and Jon etc. should be shown. And the sight of drunken Brienne perhaps is necessary too. But the time and the timing could be used more productively. There are some conversations, at least. Though I agree with those who think that Sansa could reveal Jon’s secret to Tyrion onscreen, not offscreen. Plots and schemes (“they are the same thing”) are back, it’s very good, but we have only two episodes left, abt. 80 mins each, yes, but is it enough to untie / cut all the main knots? I’m afraid there will be more cutting than untying. The fundamental problem of “what is more important – the magical confrontation or the human one” was resolved in ep 3. Apparently we couldn’t have it both ways, there must be only one main antagonist in the final (and now we know her name is Cersei, right?). But the conflict (as it is shown in ep 4) is multifaceted now and we surely can’t predict with absolute certainty how all the major players (Cersei, Dany, Jon, Sansa, Varys, Tyrion, even Euron) will deal with it. The show has omitted the part about the valonqar for a reason so maybe it’s safe to say that Jaime and Cersei will die in each other’s hands. Jaime says something about his wish to die in his beloved’s hands – in his conversation with Bronn after their arrival to Dorne. By the way, for now Bronn’s path is season 8 remains slightly contrived. Too straightforward, maybe. This stuff about one / two castles is being repeated too often (some fanfics suggested Bronn will get the Twins). But the very presence of Bronn during this late stage of the game is interesting. And anyway, the show has to pace its killings: from abt. 35 named characters (in eps 1–2) there are abt. 26 left. No more Sept-of-Baelor-like explosions. Or… what? We do remember Bran’s vision(s) of a dragon’s shadow over King’s Landing and I guess it was not prediction (fore-shadowing) for ep 707 when Daenerys arrives to Dragonpit. But in the show there’s another important (more important) vision – Dany’s vision in the House of Undying. (Its book version is very complex and couldn’t be adequately translated to the screen.) But if the main part of it (“Daenerys almost touches the Iron Throne but there’s Snow on it”) turns out to be true it will be somewhat disappointing. Though we know that the showrunners not always remember all the details of all the prophecies. Maggy the Frog predicts (foretells?) that Cersei will have three children but in the show-verse she has four (her firstborn, from Robert, had dark hair and died very early – so this child doesn’t count?). And now she’s expecting the fifth? We still don’t know the truth. A miscarriage would be shown or at least heavily hinted at. One could argue that she freely drinks wine now but this evidence is indirect at best. It’s hard to tell (from her face) what she thinks when in ep 4 Tyrion says “Think about your children” (or something like that). Maybe it will be revealed that she’s not with child (anymore?). It’s very refreshing to see Varys scheming again but does he have to do it so… glaringly loud? And of course Dany could end up dead but if it’s Varys who does (orchestrates) the deed it will be not fitting. The Mountain must be killed by his brother, Cersei must be killed by her valonqar (but, then again, there’s no such line in the show), I was thinking Dany will die in childbirth but maybe there’s no time left for it. Of all the pregnancies, only Gilly’s is a sure thing now. Arya would drink moon tea immediately. Don’t know what Brienne would do. About Brienne + Jaime. Well, it seems like a decent rendition of all these countless fanfics. Like Arya + Gendry, though I don’t remember a fanfic where Arya refuses Lord Gendry’s marriage proposal. Totally makes sense, character-wise. And in the final she sails away across the Sunset Sea (see the final of Season 4), yes? Don’t know what Brienne will do now. Ride to KL with Podrick? But she has to stay at Sansa’s side, no? Sansa’s story is one of the strangest this season. (Across seasons and among all the main characters too.) There are many brilliant experts on book/show-Sansa’s nature and motivations here so I wouldn't go into these depths. But I have a feeling (all this post is about feelings. intuitions etc.) that sometimes she could be more consistent as a character, more articulate about her wishes. I have read many posts here about her spilling Jon’s secret to Tyrion. It’s one of the most popular topics concerning ep 4 and it’s really worth discussing. To me, it’s much more interesting than all the thoughts about NK’s weak spots. Magic fades away from the world, NK and his army are destroyed forever, Melisandre dies of old age (well, it’s a suicide of sorts), the dragons are reduced to Drogon who really can’t be a gamechanger because this saga is about people. Even NK was killed due to human skills (with a magical weapon, though: but he’s a magical creature, after all). I always thought one of the main difficulties for GRRM is the need to keep the perfect balance between magical and “human”. Maybe that’s why “The Winds” take so much time to complete. Of course, the show streamlines many plots and subplots (well, it has to), but the principal twists will be the same? Or not? I can see Missandei’s decapitation by Ser Robert Strong in the books. (And I know this opinion is not popular but I think that Emilia Clarke’s face expressions were very… convincing in ep 4.) Maybe the main lines of Tyrion’s final intrigues (such as they are) will be the same, too? Well, it’s too early to say. We are in the territory of “A Dream of Spring” now, and it’s hard to make book-predictions without “The Winds”. A published Euron’s chapter from “The Winds” develops his image as an evil, merciless, somewhat mysterious figure. Of course show-Euron is more 2D, he’s being shown as a capable pirate, though (his abilities to abduct people in/from the sea are superb). We should not forget about Yara (she’s building more ships?). Cersei is Jaime’s (not Arya’s, after all), unGregor is Sandor’s (in ep 4 it is stated bluntly: “unfinished business”), and Euron is Yara’s. There could be twists, of course. OK, but what about Dany and Jon? Some think that all this talk about True North seems to suggest that Jon will eventually move there and reunites with Ghost and Tormund. Would it be bittersweet? I really can’t see Jon’s eventual fate from here. He died once so he (unlike Beric) might live. The main point: I’m not sure Jon’s actions in Season 8 (as well as his words, interactions with others…) are interesting enough. He lacks something. He’s never been a great thinker but he always was a man of action. His role in the Battle for the Dawn was not insignificant (he unites people, he – among others – organizes the defense, he rides a war-dragon…), but now’s the time for the game of thrones again. And his role in this game isn’t clear. He says again and again that he doesn’t want to sit on the Iron Throne. And Dany doesn't believe him. She can’t understand it. I think book-Daenerys has much more depth than her show version (well, it’s not surprising: not all her thoughts, feelings and visions could be shown onscreen, and the books have more space anyway). But whether the showrunners are really trying to depict her as a Mad Queen… I agree (to some extent), there’re signs, but I think she stays on the brink for now. The final scene of ep 4 could make her take a step into the abyss. But it would be too predictable. Anyway, I think it was a decent episode. I liked it more than “The Long Night”: here are more conversations, more intrigue, more conspiracies. It’s pity there’re only two eps left.

In addition to already mentioned scenes. In Season 5 (ep 7, "The Gift"), when LF and Olenna meet in one of LF's brothels (now defunct due to the Sparrows), she says: "I promise you, Lord Baelish, that our fates are joined. Together we murdered a king. If my house should fall, I will have nothing to hide." But of course she doesn't mention it during her conversation with Jaime. Now it's quite satisfactory for her to be seen as the only person who is responsible for his son's murder.

First impressions, random thoughts, it’s relatively early here, the warblers are singing merrily, the sun shines through the birches. Season 6 is all about wish fulfillment, who said that? It’s true. We’ve been wishing it and now we get it, we see it. Ramsay eaten alive by his dogs while Sansa is watching? Done. Three fire-breathing dragons over enemy fleet? You have it. Davos confronts Mel with the wooden stag? Well, it’s the beginning of this inevitable confrontation. (And yes, Shireen was carrying the toy to her burningplace, a heartbreaking scene. Maybe she dropped it before the fire started.) Epic battle? Even two. Wun Wun smashing the gates? Yes, he does it. And many, many more wishes do come true. Well, they tried to show us two battles so both came somewhat less significant, less impactful. Daenerys and Tyrion, two children of harsh fathers, meet alone, what a scene it could have been (but it wasn’t). And then Daenerys and Yara / Asha, two children of violent kings. Yara’s (no, I think she’s not Asha, after all) words “I’m up to anything” are very GoTish. Anyway, the Masters are defeated (temporarily), what about Euron’s fleet? Maybe there's even no need for Meereen in ep10. But there must be KL. They’ve been postponing and postponing Cersei’s trial and now it really can’t be postponed much more. Dany and Tyrion talk about Aerys’ wildfire caches under KL so it’s another not-so-subtle hint for Cersei’s madness. (Were they shooting KL in Girona (not only in Dubrovnik) for this season? I think somebody said the filming crew have no plans to return there.) Well, no need to kill off Kevan, Pycelle etc. separately from the rest of the capital then. But this Varys scene from Dance epilogue could be inserted, why not. And I don’t know about Tommen, he obviously has to die but they have no time for this (I remember s5ep10 with its death-sprint, though). And there must be ToJ, Bran, Sam (?), who else? Arya? You remember this lying game with Maisie and Sophie: now, after these three episodes, we know that Maisie’s #1 (probably) and #2 are true (then #3 is a lie and she yet has to kill someone from her list because she didn’t know the Waif’s name), Sophie’s answer #1 (very satisfying scene) is true and #2 is probably not (no LSH) then #3 must be true and Arya has to kill not one but three persons from her list but this would be virtually impossible during only one ep, however long. But maybe the answers were not just about Season 6? Which is near its end, can’t imagine this. The main battle was not so perfectly done, too many fast, almost stroboscopic movings for my liking, but Jon is alive (and even not wounded, it seems) and Tormund is alive and I think Lyanna Mormont is alive and even Melisandre is alive though now she sees the Stark banner over the Winterfell walls so now she what? must go? What about her second meeting with Arya predicted by Mel herself during their first encounter? Overall, ep9 is a redemption for some previous eps. What Jon and Sansa will do now? To whom Winterfell belongs now? And what about the North, will Sansa be its queen? And what about Littlefinger, by the way?

So Edmure has a son from Roslin Frey, his young wife whom he haven’t seen since the wedding-and-the-bedding night, i.e. since the RW. (For some obscure reason I can’t remember this from the books but I do remember that in the GRRM texts Jaime managed to lift the siege too, and to pass the castle to some annoying Lannister-Frey couple. And yes, it would have been better if the Blackfish could escape. But then again, the storylines are converging, characters are being eliminated.) And now Edmure expects to be rewarded by the Crown and / or the Lannisters (but I think he will not be). The facial expressions of this captain of the castle guards were priceless. So Brienne made her travel to Riverrun for nothing except this nice encounter with Jaime. (Yes, LF will save the day, what a surprise.) And Podrick meets Bronn, yes, it’s a very important scene when we’re 3 episodes from the end of the season. So Tyrion participates in the second naval siege in his life. He wants the defenders to do battle at the riverbank, naturally. And I like this moment when Dany casually walks into the council chamber alone. Where is Yara’s fleet now? Will they all meet Euron the Shipbuilder? So Cersei’s trial is being postponed again. I’ve been waiting for this procedure, much more than for the Battle of the Bastards because the result of the BB you can predict with great accuracy: Jon will win, Sansa will live, the North will suddenly remember. But the results of the Cersei's trial are unknown beforehand. Probably there’ll be Yes, yes, now all main KL events must happen during two final episodes of any season. Qyburn confirms old rumors about the wildfire storages, we can guess about the rest. Yes, it would be fitting if Jaime will return and save the city from the mad queen. But in the show Maggie the Frog says nothing about the valonqar. What else? Oh yes, Arya. Book-Arya’s storyline is deep, touching, unpredictable, you name it. Show-Arya (Maisie Williams) is very good in her portrayal (maybe one of the best aSoIaF impersonations at all) but she has to work with the material given to her, I think actors are not allowed to write their own lines (if you are not Lady Crane). (Though I like this bit about “what is west of Westeros”: the Iron Islands, no? Euron claimed he had seen the Sunset Sea.) Anyway, we have the most simple (and simplistic) development here. The actress is killed by the Waif (offscreen) and then the Waif is killed by Arya (offscreen), and then Arya is not killed by Jaqen, and then Arya is allowed to go home, and it was Arya all along, all your brilliant versions with blood sacks, triple faces etc. are not for this TV-story. Okay, so Maisie told the truth about 1 (she returns to Westeros) and 2 (we see her bloody hand in the trailer) but lied about 3. This means Arya Stark will cross off another name from her list. But we know (we’ve been reminded) that her sad little list contains only three names now. I can’t imagine her killing Cersei or the Mountain this season. But how she would manage to get to the Twins in the 2 remaining episodes? (And the next ep is probably North-centered). I was glad when the Hound returned (for me he's one of the most interesting characters in the books, and Rory McCain is one of my favorite actors in GoT along with J.Pryce and D.Riggs) but now I’m beginning to think there’s already too much of him. Yes, I guess Sandor sometimes relieves himself into a nearby river (well, who wouldn’t?) but do we absolutely have to see this? All these Tyrion-Missandei-Grey Worm social interactions mean one thing: somebody will die soon. And we can guess it will not be Tyrion. Good strong episode overall, but I think the Waif/Arya scenes were somewhat rushed and almost all the others were too slow for a 8th ep. How the show-runners fit Bran+Meera, ToJ-2, Sam+, Dany+Daario, Yara+Theon, Euron, Jorah (?) etc. into the 2 remaining episodes? Davos + Mel. Dorne (?). Varys (?). And these two battles and their nearest consequences. Well, show us more Lyanna Mormont and we’ll be happy.

Ep7 was a disappointment, the second in a row. The Hound, though. (Rory McCain is an excellent actor.) Eps 1-8 of Season 5 were essentially a preparation for the final two-three episodes (sorry but I really don’t like “Hardhome”, I think the main enemy was revealed too soon). Eps 1-7 of Season 6 are something like that. It’s a season of resurrections but it’s also a season of waiting. It’s not a filler, it’s not really a build-up, it’s constant, sometimes tedious waiting. Jon was awaiting his resurrection and now he waits for the battle. Sansa waits for a chance to make a strong move and LF waits for his chance too (offscreen). Dany waits for a fleet (but this season she did manage to do something, namely burn some male chauvinistic pigs and send off Jorah again). Yara & Theon are sailing to her (offscreen) while doing nothing else. Arya waits for a ship too, we haven’t really seen her new special skills yet. (Arya’s line could be the best if it weren’t so sparsely distributed.) HS waits for I don’t know what (a chance to rule the empire through Tommen and his extremely modest wife?). And he doesn’t start the trial. Cersei waits for her trial obviously doing nothing (I hope we really don’t see it but she’s actually planning, scheming, reviewing wildfire storages, offscreen). Margaery waits for her chance too. I can hardly imagine how they fit all these storylines into only three episodes, however longish. (And Ep 9 will traditionally be the battle, probably without anything else.) Bran and ToJ, Samwell and his extended family, Euron the Shipbuilder, Brienne and Jaime reunion, (Podrick and Bronn reunion), Blackfish and the siege, Davos-and-Mel confrontation, Sandor and the Brotherhood, Meereen. And possibly some Dorne too. The Hound is the only good thing in this episode. And all the castles are very pretty though I remember another Riverrun, not so nicely formed. And yes, Lyanna Mormont. But she’s too perfect so she’s probably doomed.

About the Frog’s prophecy. I’ve always thought it obviously means Cersei’s little brother, nobody else’s. Any other meaning would be too general, too vague (and not so sinister) because too many people are somebody’s little brothers. (For example: “And then the son shall choke you”: should she think that’s some other’s son, not hers? A Son of the Harpy, maybe? The Sun’s son? Some son of the wh..?) This prediction was about Cersei, about her future husband, sons etc. Yes, I agree, there’s a little ambiguity (GRRM is GRRM, after all): the valonqar, not your valonqar. But it only adds darkness to the foretelling. In the beginning the reader doesn’t know what this word means, exactly. I’m sure these quotes appeared here many times but it’s such a pleasure to reread them (and I’m sure they do have connection with Cersei’s story in Season 6). Martin prefers to do it subtle: And yes, Cersei’s sure it’s Tyrion but it’s probably Jaime. In the books the twins are gradually drifting apart, I think it’s one of the most intricate and impressive storylines in the saga, but in the show we haven’t even heard (in s4ep10) these famous Tyrion’s words about Lancel, one of the Kettles and the Moon Boy (when Tyrion speaks with Jaime in the tunnels). I’m not the first who thinks that in Season 6 Jaime is not developing at all (yet). But if GRRM plans to make him Cersei’s killer then I expect that it somehow should be the case in the show, too. Probably not this season, though. This season’s KL is a long, long preparation for the trial, the riot, the explosion, whatever. I’m glad that in this episode we’ve seen at least some movement.

First impressions. Mixed feelings. Yes, our wishes are being respected again. Sam takes Heartsbane, Arya takes Needle, Daenerys Stormborn First of Her Name Breaker of Chains etc. takes Drogon who has become totally huge. Bran meets his uncle Benjen. And the long absence of the latter has a very simple explanation. Well, there’re only 17 episodes left. Bran can rest till Season 7 but before this he has to reveal R+L=J to these viewers who somehow missed this interesting theory. Jaime rides to Riverrun under some vague and awkward reasons. Well, in the books he rides there too. The trick with Tommen’s “conversion” is very clever. But the old witch had said very distinctly: gold will be their crowns, gold their shrouds. Arya’s storyline goes as predicted. Jaqen is not a kindly man. The Waif obviously lives her last hours. Somehow the show-writers manage to make her a one-dimentional cold-blooded killer with strange envy/loath towards Arya (who is much younger than her, at least in the books). Anyway, it would be weirdly satisfying if Arya will not kill her. Once again: the Waif is not Rorge, or Polliver, or Meryn Trant. It’s her work. The Horn Hill scenes are relatively good. The castle itself is very impressive. The castle cast is, well, not bad. What Randyll Tarly will do now? And the rule “3 or more fresh corpses for an episode in Season Six” is not observed in ep6. This is the greatest surprise. (Wights can't be seen as “fresh corpses”. Honestly, I don’t like and never liked these happy skeletons in the TV-version of the saga. It’s not Peter Jackson’s LOTR. I think TV-White Walkers are more sinister.) Cersei’s trial is nowhere in sight.

First impressions. Castle Black and Mole’s Town. Yes, Sansa meets Littlefinger and doesn’t order Brienne to execute him at once. He came to them alone? Brave man. Perhaps he wanted to inspire trust etc. And the place of their encounter is so appropriate. Maybe LF feels himself more confident even in a now-defunct brothel. He somehow slithers away from Sansa’s accusations but I feel he has to live till almost the end. Anyway, our heroes now leave the Wall and ride south. What about Edd? The Wall is his now. (While it still stands, anyway.) Iron Islands. Well, the show-writers have condensed all the electoral process into one relatively short scene. It does make sense. Even Theon’s presence is somewhat justified. But why do the Ironborn even listen to him? Maybe some of them don’t realize who (and what) he is, exactly. So Euron explains it to them. Very simple but very effective speech. And I like that Asha/Yara and Theon manage to flee “with the best ships” during Euron’s immersion (they have what – one, two minutes?). Were do they go? To tell Dany about their evil nuncle? Braavos. Unlike “Mercy”, Arya doesn’t play her sister. The self-parody show is relatively funny. (And it echoes the dwarf battle from the Purple Wedding). Arya’s storyline has to move faster, just has to. We learn some more about the Waif so we’re supposed to expect her to be killed by “young lady Stark”. But should it be so predictable? And a girl is going to leave a man, no? Near Vaes Dothrak. Can’t believe that Dany sends Jorah away. It’s what, the third time? Maybe the show-writers see something poetic about it, something meaningful. However, this scene has some beauty. Jorah wants her to take the pity and, well, she does. Go and find the cure. (And it would be such a surprise if he will obediently find it. Victarion had no greyscale, though.) Meereen. Yes, I’ve read the leaked audition script last summer. But now we see it onscreen. All Tyrion’s political games seem desperate and not-so-subtle, in KL he had managed to be more (clever? intuitive? influential? fearsome?). But, then again, it serves the purpose: we have to see that in Meereen he’s not at home. Anyway, his measures seem to bring the desired result for now. And this lull before the storm reminds us of KL (I’m glad we don’t see it in this episode: maybe next time the events there will move faster). North of the Wall. Didn’t expect it to happen so soon. For me the main question now is – how Bran and Meera would survive there. Somebody must help them. (Coldhands? I always thought he’s Benjen.) The most shocking thing is: Now the two great (maybe the greatest) secrets of the whole saga are revealed. We know where the White Walkers / Others come from. And we know what “Hodor” means. Do you feel some sadness too?

First impressions. So many knots to tie or cut, so many loose ends, and the final episode had to deal with them all. Well, the pace was fast, at least. And there were some surprises for me. Mildly surprised about: 1. Selyse (now D&D will tell us that GRRM had planned that in his books too? Not only that, though). (And yes, I didn’t believe the leaked photo. Sometimes they turn true.) 2. “There will be no siege”. Totally surprised about: 1. Stannis + Brienne. Too obvious. (And yes, we didn’t see the actual cutting.) 2. Myrcella. My bet was Tommen. Deftly done, anyway. 3. Varys. Nice turn. Not surprised about: 1. Samwell + Gilly 2. Sansa + Theon + Myranda 3. Jon, Arya, Cersei (the book has its strong sides, after all) * * * The corkscrew / candle scene was very sad. Simply done but strong. But again, how were they supposed to see this tiny flame in daylight? The battle for Winterfell. So tactfully shown. Visually mirroring Stannis attack on the Wildlings from season 4. Cersei’s walk feels too long. But we must have such a feeling, of course. And yes, Lena Headey and Stephen Dillane are excellent actors. Arya + Meryn: such a strong scene. And then this scene with faces. (And Arya’s (temporary) blindness gets another explanation. Fine for TV.) Why can’t they do this kind of adaptation all the time? Eps from 8 to 10, full of action, somehow compensate for build-up eps 1 — 7. This season (sometimes too slow) has its great moments (I thought there would be less… fewer). Now what? Waiting for the bulk of TWOW. Have read only 5 chapters by now.