Jon Mark Selmy

It is and it ain't. If you go by the show (and I believe the book ending will follow the same broad strokes) you will see that from now on the king will be chosen by an election and that one of the most culturaly diverse areas of the realm is now independent. Also, a new culture has been integrated to Westeros (dothraki), a woman has notoriously became a knight, and so on and so forth. All those things stablish precedents for further democratization, further secession, and further social advancements.

No. It's about the nature of power and a study on how to deal with it and what it causes. The "apocalyptic once in a millenia invasion" is just the text. Politics is the actual subtext. (But I don't see why more houses need to fall, specially considering the show does not presents many of them either way.)

Pretty much this. Except it will be well written and actually make sense.

"9" Great, great episode. And most of the criticism people make (like the 'toned down Tormud and Mance) are actually for the best. TV is a different media and some things won't work in a drama series.