Red Dragon10

I feel kind of discombobulated, so I'll just do some point form... - I was quite confused by the NW thing. Why in the world would there still be a NW? I'm really shocked that Grey Worm actually let Jon go and didn't kill him immediately. So I guess Jon filled everyone in on what happened, since they knew he had stuck a knife in her heart? LOL. Classic Jon! I was happy to see him reunited with Ghost. So he is just going to go roam the North now? Is there anyone left at Castle Black, or is just abandoned now? So many questions! - I was pretty surprised by how overwhelmingly "go Stark's!" the ending was. I know we began the show with them and that they have kind of been the focus and heroes, but it was less subtle than I anticipated! - I wonder what Drogon did with Daenerys? - I found a few scenes to be surprisingly dull. Such as the "trial" scene where they chose Bran as king. - and other scenes I found a bit cheesy. Even though I'll admit, I did feel a bit emotional seeing the whole Stark family separating and going their own way, I did find the way everything felt so...tied up with a bow, to be slightly cheesy. I guess its just the result of things being so rushed this season. - pets for Ghost! Huzzah! - I want to talk about Daenerys. I haven't been much of a fan of hers for a few years now. I did think she was pretty cruel. I often got the feeling "are we really supposed to be cheering her on as she destroys this or that person, just because they were bad men? Does that make it right?" There was always the worry of: what if she decides a group of people are evil...but they really aren't? And that's exactly what happened. Anyway, all that said, I found her ending actually really depressing. So much time spent on her, watching her evolve and grow. She came so far. From a beautiful girl with no power whatsoever, to the most powerful person in the world, basically. Everything she thought she wanted, was in her grasp. The IT was so close. But in the end, she lost everything. The home she had always wanted, was actually lost long ago, the little family that couldn't be, in that tent she saw in the House of the Undying. Drogo and Rhaego. I went back and rewatched that HotU scene and it broke my heart all over again. I haven't liked Daenerys for awhile...but I certainly felt compassion for how lost she was in this episode (and since she came to Westeros). This sounds silly, but I hope she found her way back to that tent, in the end. Home at last. No distant sounds of dragons calling her on, no need for the IT anymore...just family, acceptance and love. The point of all that is to say: in the end, I felt much more sorry for her than I thought I would.

Ahhhh....gotcha.

This was my impression. I'm not sure that it meant anything more than that Varys knew he was going to die for what he was doing, but he thought it was so important, he did it anyway.

One other thought on the smaller details - I was kind of surprised that Cersei apparently was in fact still pregnant. I guess that means that all those moments where she wobbled on tears or looked sad and distant were about Jaime abandoning her/being alone, rather than sadness over a lost baby.

This may be super obvious to everyone else...but, were we supposed to understand that Varys was trying to have Daenerys poisoned, at the beginning of the episode? I'll have to rewatch; that is the feeling I got, but maybe I read too much into it.

Definitely, Daenerys starting burning everything first, then he threw the spear. But killing everybody was definitely what Grey Worm wanted to do! I think him and D were of a similar mind to make everyone pay.

If I was watching this show for the first time, and I started with this episode, I think I would be pretty impressed. It was super cinematic and amazing to look at. Really beautiful. The episode itself is good...it just doesn't make sense AT ALL for a number of the characters. So its difficult for me to articulate what I think about it because aspects of it are done so well and other aspects are completely nonsensical. I've mostly appreciated Sandor's arc. I don't buy that he was able to end Arya's drive for revenge with what he said, but I can appreciate what they were saying about the senselessness of vengeance consuming one's life. And I'm glad that Sandor understood that, too (even if he felt it was too late to change it). I was fairly impressed with Emilia's acting this episode. She does well playing Daenerys in this way. It's so unfortunate that the lead up to this was so abrupt. I am one of those who has thought she would likely end up being a very cruel and unfit ruler, from very early on. Ever since she saw her brother crowned. And there have been multiple signs all through the seasons that reinforced my opinion that she would eventually turn into a tyrant. That she wasn't the person she thought she was (not a savior). BUT. If she had 'snapped' and had flown to the Red Keep and burned that, I would have found it believable. But there is absolutely no excuse for her suddenly deciding to destroy the entire city, and all the people in it. THAT was too abrupt. Jaime. I voiced my thoughts and disappointment about him in the 'they ruined Jaime thread'. They did indeed ruin him. They have shown him to gradually be someone who *does* care about innocents. Who has that 'true knight' inside. And then, in his last 2 episodes, they have him completely revert to the man he was in 1x01. Huh?! I never thought he stopped loving Cersei, but to reiterate that nothing but two of them matter...to care about nothing else but saving this woman, to essentially say to hell with everything and everyone else. I'm so disappointed. Probably more disappointed about his character than anyone else on the show. I don't see anything else for Jon but death or exile. I do like his character...but this catastrophe is absolutely on him as well. One tiny moment - I admit my breath did catch a bit when Tyrion put his hand on Varys' arm; the look on Varys' face. Like no one had touched him with kindness and friendship in...ever. A good moment.

I don't know why so many people think that acknowledging that you've changed as a person, due to the adversity you've faced, and that you don't necessarily want to return to the person you were before that adversity (Sansa doesn't want to be a foolish, naive little bird) is the same thing as being "happy" that the awful thing happened. It's not. People are more nuanced than that. I had a really tragic thing happen in my life, and I would never wish it on anyone or say "I'm glad that happened". It makes me sad every day. At the same time, I also don't want to be the person I was before it happened. Maybe it should have been worded better, but some things that people lose their mind over just don't make sense to me.

LOL. #1, Sandor doesn't need to be manipulated in order to kill the Mountain. #2, Sandor was trying to get Arya to kill him by saying the worst things he could think of (raping Sansa).

Was anyone else confused about the weird little desert area behind Kings Landing? Since when has that been there?

You mean her dead sons and daughter? Lol. Really? I thought the look from Qyburn was definitely him confirming to Euron that it was true...but it wouldn't be surprising at all if he were lying, since it benefits Cersei for Euron to be devoted to her.

Do you think Cersei really is still pregnant? She's been drinking wine again... I kind of thought maybe she lost it and is just pretending that she's still pregnant.

0 in my opinion. The 'affection' has always been on Tormund's side. Brienne has no interest.

Anyone know if the music played during the funeral at the beginning was new or a reworking of another theme? It sounds familiar but I can't place it.

I thought it was obvious that Tyrion must have told Varys.