Game of Thrones Season 8 Episode by Episode Review

 Game of Thrones (2011-2019)
Season 8 - 6 episodes (2019)

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Created by: David Benioff, D.B. Weiss
Starring: Emilia Clarke, Peter Dinklage, Kit Harington, Sophie Turner, Lena Headey, Maisie Williams, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau,  Gwendoline Christie 

Plot: 
HBO's fantasy drama series adapted from George R.R. Martin's book series A Song of Ice and Fire follows the civil war of kings and usurpers in Westeros who wish to sit on the throne. The ticking clock signaling the end are the undead White Walkers descending from the North. The scale and scope of the story is staggering, fully realized with a large ensemble cast.

This is the final season of the series, though HBO is planning a prequel series.

Review: Episode 1 -Winterfell
At the end of season 7 the White Walkers smashed the wall in the North with the help of an undead dragon. Winter indeed has come and that army is huge.

Jon Snow was revealed to be Aegon Targaryen, the true heir to the throne. That makes Daenerys his aunt and they have started a relationship after he bent the knee to her. Jon being Jon I don't see him rescinding his offer of fealty.

While Cersei agreed to fight the undead with the North and Daenerys' army, that was a bluff. She's also carrying Jamie's child. Jamie plans to ride North despite Cersei's claims of treason.

Sansa and Arya have dispatched Littlefinger, but being in Winterfell they will be one of the first houses to encounter the incoming undead.

Theon seems poised for a redemption arc.

The show has been headed towards a great war since the beginning. Will houses or walker striumph? Will a house prevail or will a few scattered survivors craft a new world out of the rubble?
I have to imagine someone is going to develop a trick to defeat the walkers.

Bran has the knowledge of the world. Will we get answers on how the walkers were first imprisoned and how the world was built? If it was done once, surely it can be done again. Maybe this could usher in an era of peace, but if that's the case I expect a lot of destruction before that point.

What fun is the first episode without predictions? I expect a lot of death this season, thought it may be easier to predict who lives.
Jon, Sansa, Davos, Bron will live. I don't know about Daenerys because she has a lot of loyal followers. Cersei, Jamie, Arya, the Hound the Mountain, Tyrion, Jorah, Euron, will die.

Episode 1
Jon and Daenerys arrive at Winterfell.  Arya hasn't spoken to Jon since season 1 but refrains from calling out. Jon and Arya had the best relationship of the Stark children. She also sees the Hound for the first time since season 4 when she robbed and left him for dead.
The North doesn't much care for Daenerys which makes her all the more satisfied when her dragons scatter the crowd with a flyover. First timers the lot of 'em.
There's a lot of symmetry this episode. Season 1 started with Robert Barantheon and Cersei in a procession to Winterfell. Here we have a different king and queen under different circumstances.

Daenerys and Jon arrive in Winterfell.

Jon and Bran meet for the first time since season 1. Lots of reunions happening, but Bran lets everyone know to dispense with the nonsense. Death is the way. The house leaders of the North meet to firm up their defenses where young Lady Mormont chides Jon for leaving as King of the North and returning without a title and a Queen. Mormont is as fierce as ever.

Bran and Jon meet once again.

You can feel the tension between Sansa and Daenerys. Both are afraid of the other. Sansa's met more than a few powerful women, and all it's done is made her stone cold. Sansa could turn the North against Daenerys and she's also Jon's 'sister.'
Sansa and Tyrion haven't met since Joffrey's wedding where Joffrey died in season 4. Tyrion and Sansa were wed that season as a sick joke. Sansa is the first to question Cercei's claims her army is marching North. Why would Tyrion believe Cersei? Sansa is going to be a force this season. She may very well be the reason they succeed.

Sansa, Jon, Daeneyrs.

Where do loyalties lie? Jon is going to side with Daenerys while Sansa and Arya may end up on the other side. Jon wants to reassure Sansa or possibly placate her. That's not going to be easy. The Stark women are talking family and Jon only thinks he's a Stark.

Arya and Jon.

Cersei has the Golden Army in her port, but that's some awfully fast travel seeing as how the undead haven't advanced very far and Euron just left last episode. It's a creative timeline to say the least. Then again Jon has traveled from King's Landing to Winterfell so what is the undread army doing? Biding their time?
Euron's goals are simplistic... I'm guessing that will be to a fault. He just wants to bed Cersei. While she's not one to honor promises, she does bed Euron. I don't see him lasting long, with Cersei or the show.

Euron, Cersei, and the Mountain.

Cersei wants Bron to kill Tyrion and Jamie, with the family cross bow no less. Bron has perhaps the most fun arc. Starts as a mercenary and earns a title and house. He's still around which may be the most surprising part of his story.

I bet Yara was surprised Theon rescued her. He's proven less than heroic a time or two. Yara plans to take the Iron Islands back from Euron since he's not even there. Theon will fight at Winterfell.

Jon and Daenerys are quite the couple and that's not unnoticed by Davos and Tyrion.
Daenerys and Jon are riding dragons together? What a power couple. She's quite snarky this episode too. But the thing is, only Targaryen's can ride dragons. This is a big clue for everyone and I'm surprised it wasn't mentioned directly. It's all but confirmed he's a Targaryen.

Two dragons, Daeneyrs, and Jon.

The Hound, Gendry, and Arya in one room, how about that. Arya wants Gendry to craft some kind of device or weapon, I'm not sure what it will do. He's making lots of dragon glass weapons, thought I'm not sure there is enough time to make enough. Maybe the undead army will zig and zag before they reach Winterfell.

Sansa isn't happy that Jon abandoned his kingship, and their allies aren't all in line. Sansa again asking the tough questions. Is it strategy or attraction?

Samwell Tarly is told by Daeneyers his father and brother are dead and just to pile on Bran tells him he must tell Jon of his true lineage. It's a crazy arc from bastard son to king of the seven realms. It's a unique hitch in his relationship with Daenerys. As Samwell says, Jon gave up his crown for allies and the hope of peace. Would Daenerys? I'm sure she'll be skeptical, who wouldn't be?
Daeneyrs killed Samwell's father and brother. Sam doesn't seem the type for revenge, but that could be a wrench in the gears in later episodes.

The Night King is leaving some horror movie level messages nailed to the wall. I'm surprised no one died. Tormund and some night watch are going to be racing down the Winterfell to warn everyone of what they already know. The night king is coming.

I didn't expect the Jamie Bran reunion, we're just bringing everyone back together. Jamie pushing Bran out the window when he caught Jamie and Cersei was one of the big events that set this show's plot into motion. Jamie and Bran are very different people eight seasons later.
This season is the chance to put characters together that have never met. I hope we can get that out of the way without it becoming a game of who will meet next.

Review: Episode 2 - A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms
Episode one was full of reunions, some of these characters hadn't been on screen together since season one.

Sansa and Daenerys are wary of each other, everyone knows Jon and Daenerys are an item, and Jon rode a dragon which should cement for everyone he is a Targaryen because he is Aegon Targaryen, the true heir to the throne, but he bent the knee to Daenerys and no one in the North likes that. Could they be co-rulers?
Sansa is the smartest character in the show right now, and Tyrion believed Cersei which seems insane.

Jamie is riding North to fight the white walkers who are storming South. Cersei promised to fight the walkers but lied and tasked Bron with killing Jamie and Tyrion.

There are only four episodes left now! This episode is stand out, though it teases a white walker battle that doesn't happen this episode. Another week to wait. Part of what makes this episode great is that there is so much history and a lot of emotion between these characters.

The episode opens with Jamie standing in front of Daenerys who's telling the bedtime story she heard of when Jamie killed her father. Daenerys doesn't trust Jamie for a second, and Jamie admits Cersei lied about the troops. This makes Tyrion look terrible. I hate that for Tyrion. He's been so shrewd and he looks like an idiot now.

Jamie refuses to apologize for anything he's done during the war, but Bran burns him with words, "The things we do for love." That leaves Jamie slack jawed.

Brienne vouches for Jamie. That's an awesome moment. She's willing to fight by his side. If Brienne vouches for him, Sansa will accept him. It's awesome to see these moments from seasons ago come back full circle. That's what this series has been building to. This season is payoff, good or bad.

Arya checks in on Gendry to see if the weapon she asked him to craft is ready. It's not. He has no idea what kind of a killer she is. She impresses him with some knife tricks and Gendry is ready to bet money that Arya survives. Not to metion Arya's solemn line about "Death has many faces. I look forward to seeing this one."

If Bran can see everything, why can't he see the end of this fight? Can he only see the past? Bran made Jamie, Jamie made Bran. Both the better for it.

Jamie wants to serve under Brienne's command.

Jorah defends Tyrion. How about that. You know Daenerys will buy that when Jorah doesn't even like him. This leads to Daenerys talking to Sansa. I wondered if Jorah told her to make up with Sansa, but it looks like Daenerys just wants to throw subtle insults. Daenerys chides her advisor Tyrion for trusting Cersei and Sansa chides Daenerys for trusting Cersei as well.

Daenerys admits to Sansa to fighting the white walker war for Jon, something she never had any intention to do. It's a convincing argument. They may just make up and unite to wage war on everyone else.

Sansa is always thinking one step ahead. What happens after the white walkers and Cersei are gone? Sansa isn't about to let go of the North again and that doesn't sit well with Daenerys.

Theon arrives at Winterfell and he wants to fight for Sansa. Theon is the one that rescued Sansa from Ramsay Bolton. Everyone in Winterfell is getting weapons ready. The time is nigh. The dead arrive tomorrow according to Tormund and Eddison. They saw the destruction at Last Hearth and rode around the undead army to Witnerfell. It looks like we'll get a fight this episode!

Jon wants to go after the Night King and Bran states the Night King will expose himself to kill Bran the Three Eyed Raven and induce an endless night. Bran is bait and Theon will stand by his side. There's no way they end this fight this early... or is there? There are plenty wars left to wage and killing white walkers would be an ongoing task. Could the Night King fall this early? Could he fall at all?

Edd, Samwell, and Jon on their last watch. The Night's Watch started as nothing more than a punishment. It was men watching after ghosts, but those ghosts became real.

Everyone is so resigned to their death in this white walker battle, that I'm willing to bet they are going to live. They are laying it on a bit thick. That and we have a few episodes left and Cersei must meet her demise.

I love this. Jamie, Tyrion, Brienne, Podrick, Davos, and Tormund hanging out before the battle. That's one fun thing with so many people in Winterfell, we can put all these characters in one room.
Tormund tells an amazing story of how he became so strong. Every single one of them has fought the Starks at one point. Here they are defending them. Tyrion posits they may live. Between them they've survived more battles than they should have.

Jamie is going to knight Lady Brienne. Amazing moment. This episode is delivering. Talk about full circle. Ser Brienne of Tarth.

Arya and the Hound sharing a moment atop the wall. Beric joins the party. All three have had differing run ins. Arya leaves the two old men and decides she wants to make love to Gendry before her death, just once to know what it's like.

In the crypt Jon is looking at the statue of Lyanna Stark and there Daenerys comes. Now Jon tells Daenerys the truth of his patronage. "My name, my real name, is Aegon Targaryen."

Daenerys doesn't like this news at all. It threatens her claim. Yet he rode a dragon, so how are people not already on this theory? That rumor should be circling Winterfell faster than the white walkers. Only Targaryens can ride dragons. Daenerys is allied with Sansa and Jon and both pose threats to Daenerys rule.

The white walkers arrive and the episode ends. Boo! I wanted a battle. I suppose that will fill all of next episode. It was a bit much to hope for a battle that doesn't last a full episode.

Review: Episode 3 - The Long Night
Episode two teased the battle of Winterfell that didn't come, but I bet it's in this episodes. Bran will be used as bait to lure the Night King into a trap, but will destroying him destroy every white walker? That seems a bit easy, but from a show standpoint Daenerys and Cersei still have to face off so I get the show wants that moment and needs to remove that hurdle, but one fall and they all fall seems underwhelming.

We got a great moment with Brienne, Jamie, and others. It's a payoff the show has been building since season one. I expect more of those this season.

Jon admitted to Daenerys that he's Aegon Targaryen. She doesn't like that much.

We're half way through the final season. Three episodes left, and this episode is a full hour and a half.

This episode is a beast in so many ways, but man what an episode. It's intense, wild, and I loved it. While it's visually dark, much darker than anything you'd usually see, it creates a mood. It puts you in the moment. Admittedly the pictures in this post do it a disservice. While dark, it didn't inhibit my understanding. Also the music and music queues in this episode are really strong. My only concern now is, can the rest of the season live up to this episode?

We start with Samwell as he receives dragon glass dagger. The troops are arming for battle, and the music is ominous. This is doing a great job of setting the stage. They're staring into the darkness, waiting... waiting...

Melisandre rides up. What's she been doing? She's casting some kind of spell that sets the soldiers blades on fire. Again, from where did she come? I'm sure she's an emissary of the Lord of Light and required to show up, but still. Davos isn't happy to see her but Melisandre assures him she'll die before Dawn. Davos wants to kill her for killing Shireen, Stannis Barantheon's daughter.

Melisandre shared a moment with Arya back in the day, basically predicting Arya's faceless men phase. Arya added her to the list.

If you're going to fight white walkers, the presiding theory is to light your

The Dothraki charge ahead blades ablaze and at least one of them sees a giant or something huge. The rest of Winterfell can't make out what's happening in the distance, but the flaming swords are extinguished one by one rather quickly. Then a few Dothraki and Jorah return. Though none of them had dragon glass. Seems like a big mistake using blades that won't kill the undead. What was the point of them heading out first? Just fodder?

Jon and Daenerys prior to dragon riding.

The white walkers are a tidal wave until Daenerys' dragon cuts through them. Jon somehow thinks he can sneak right up on the Night King while riding a dragon, but then a cold mist obscures all sight and Jon loses him.

Arya sends Sansa to the crypt, handing her a dragon glass dagger. Sansa doesn't know how to use it and Arya tells her to stick them with the pointy end. Jon gave Arya that same advice back in the first season.

That's a horde of white walkers.

Team Winterfell is just smashing zombies left and right and it seems endless. especially with the mist. The good dragons can't see.

A retreat is inevitable and the Unsullied are left protecting that retreat. They're outnumbered and outgunned as it is. The episode does a great job of capturing the insanity and bewilderment. We know just enough of what's going on, and that's not much.

Melisandre working the magic. The Lord of Light had some players in this battle.

A moat of fire for the castle.

The plan was to retreat all along it seems, They had retractable bridges over trenches that Daeneryes was going to light with her dragon, but then her dragon can't see in the mist and is lost flying in circles. Arrows aren't enough, and no soldier can't reach the trench with a torch. That's why Melisandre is here, to bring the fire.

Tyrion in the crypt

We get a break in the battle by going to the crypt. Tyrion opines he wish he could see so he could make a difference. After all, he was instrumental in the Battle of Blackwater. Sansa drops some truth, if they could make a difference they wouldn't be in the crypt.

Bran is here to tell everyone they're exactly where they need to be. He saves Theon from an awkward apology. Then he wargs into a bird. I forgot he could even do that. We see through Bran the Night King riding a dragon. He lifts his hand and one by one walkers begin jumping on the trench. It's going to be a bridge of bodies. Smart move. It's also proof that the Night King has some kind of telekinetic control over the walkers.

Jamie and Brienne on the Winterfell castle walls fighting the good fight.

The walkers have no problem forming a dead body pyramid and scaling the wall. That makes it easier to fight, but there are just so many of them that Winterfell gets overrun.

Samwell has been bailed out twice, I'm getting tired of that.

Lyanna Mormont is stone cold. It's easy to like her, thirteen going on forty. She gets rocked by a backhand from a giant and that doesn't slow her down. She gets up and charges. The giant easily grabs her and begins crushing her, but then on the brink of death Lyanna stabs the giant in it's only good eye. She's a character that had very little screen time but made a huge impact. It's fitting she gets to go out bringing down a giant.

Arya in the castle trying to stay alive.

Arya enters beast mode. She needs a spin off. Then she looks death into the face, managing to live for at least a few more minutes. She ends up in a library where walkers are shambling around. Who knows what they're doing. It's intense, but what's the point? She can't fend them off as she's hurting. The episode is stacking the odds against her. She's grossly outnumbered. I'm guessing the Hound will come into play. He and Arya have a bond.

The Hound's fear of fire comes up in a big way. Is he done for this episode? Beric is urging him to fight, and he's not having it. Just a note, I'm not sure anyone of note has been killed which is a surprise with the bloodbath this has been.

Beric and the Hound stumble across Arya. Beric doesn't make it, the Hound pulling Arya away. The Lord of Light brought him back many times for a purpose. as Melisandre tells Arya, "That purpose has been served."

"Not today." We say to the god of death. Arya runs off, but to where? This episode is intense!

Daenerys has been surprisingly ineffective. We've got three dragons above the mist and the blue flame from the dead dragon looks fierce.

The Night King silently laughing on the inside.

We get a dragon fight with the Night King and Jon riding. Daenerys steps in while dragon riding to shut that down. The Night King is knocked off the dragon and Daenerys finishes him off with her dragon. How about that. Is that the end of the Night King? Jon is going to confirm and to his, mine, and everyone else's surprise dragon fire doesn't do a single thing to the Night King.

Jon's going to attack him because why not. What else can he do in a field alone with him? The Night King motions, bring it. Except that motion really means all the dead bodies in this field get up and defend me. Jon isn't going to kill the Night King right now. All those dead bodies are getting up. Their friends, allies, and countrymen are rising from the grave. It's round 2.

Sansa and Tyrion in the crypt.

Back in the crypt... yes a crypt... where all the non fighters are holed up to stay safe, those dead bodies in the crypt are getting up. Are we going to see Ned Stark?
We're two thirds in to this episode. Are we going to see the conclusion of this battle? What is going to turn the tide? Will the tide turn?
Everyone in the crypt is dying. Sansa and Tyrion together vow to fight.

Theon and crew are loosing arrows to protect Bran. If Theon dies it will be a good death, but what is Bran up to? Theon makes a hero's stand and dies a hero's death.

Daenerys and Jorah on the battlefield, outnumbered.

Daenerys saves Jon and lands and her dragon is swarmed. That's just brutal to see the dragon go down like that. Why land? Shouldn't the dragon's skin be thick enough to resist daggers? Daenerys is thrown off and of course Jorah is there.

Jon is on his way to Bran and saves Sam. Quit saving him. It's just raining bodies literally. I'm going to need a full episode to decompress and tally who's dead and alive after this. I'm glad I get a week in between episodes. I need it after this episode.

The Night King's hype crew on their way to see Bran.

I'm not sure the tide will turn. This might just be a grave yard. If it is, what do the other three episodes matter? The only thing that can turn this is Bran. That's my call, but can he?
Is this episode going to be titled "Everyone Dies."

Arya leaps

The Night King loses

OH MY GOSH. From out of nowhere... Stunning. On the brink of death, and this episode even called it. We were told what would happen and we didn't even know. WOW.

Destroy the Night King and all his minions die. I thought that would be cheap, but this episode works it where that ending felt earned. Kudos. Arya kills the Night King.  I'm loading this episode again.

Everyone in the episode is as stunned as I am when the walkers all fall down. What one liner will Bran utter? Apparently he's saving that for the next episode.

How can the finale top this? Melisandre drops her magic necklace and finally dies of old age. This was her purpose? I don't get it, but it's a great visual to end this episode on.

Review: Episode 4 - The Last of the Starks
What an episode three was, we got the Battle of Winterfell, and I was surprised at how many people survived. The show had been building to that moment, and I only hope the rest of the season isn't a let down. It will be hard to match. After you've beaten the White Walkers, is Cersei really going to be that intimidating? The answer is yes.

Arya may be the instrument that ends everything. She was crucial in this battle, and she has a lot of animosity towards Cersei.

I was concerned episode three was going to end exactly as it did which seemed too easy, but the episode earned that ending. I wasn't disappointed at all. Will episode four look at what happens after the Winterfell Battle and tally the dead? Will we move towards King's Landing or wait an episode?

Cersei charged Bron with killing Tyrion and Jamie, and we still have to address that Jon is a Targaryen. If the previous episode was too dark, you'll enjoy the varied settings in this episode. There are only two episodes left now.

This episode opens with Danerys mourning over the body of Jorah. He's the reason she's alive. He scarified himself for her, though there was no other way he was going to die in this show. He loved her and we knew he's offer his life.
Sansa mourns Theon. He saved her life and sacrificed himself for Bran as a means to right his wrongs. There's a lot of bodies, though not many named characters.

Jon delivers a rousing speech in their memory. This battle was history, like the tales we've heard in all the books of Westeros. This is a new tale, a new book.

We see a lot of bodies of people that were presumably, Ed Tollet, or definitely, Lyanna Mormont, revived as white walkers but they look quite normal here. Do people revert or is this just a lapse due to ease of filming?
It's a powerful scene, but it also underscores how few named characters died in the battle. For a show that always seemed like most would die by the end, it makes me wonder what's in store yet. I suppose we've saving all of that for the final episode.

Gendry may have some feelings for Arya. Daenerys calls him out, asking him to confirm his father is Robert Baratheon. Is this some kind of power play on her part? She states Gendry should be lord of Storm's End. She makes him a lord, as the son of Robert Baratheon. It's a nice arc for him, but why? I could buy it more if it was in part to his iron smithing, forging so many weapons and arming the armies, but as Tyrion surmises, Daenerys has created a lord loyal to her until the end.

Tyrion's making the rounds during the feast. Davos wonders about Melisandre, Bran is Bran, Tormund drinks too much, and Arya is toasted as a hero.
You have to wonder, they seemed to be on the brink of out of food before the battle, but not they feast.

You see the gears working. Sansa wonders what power play Daenerys will make. While Daenerys hears about Jon's exploits and wonders about the following he has, Jon died and came back, that's sure to get you a few points in the loyalty department. People follow Jon due to his character, they follow her because of her dragons. If people knew the truth about Jon, they'd want him to rule. Jon has given his word to kneel, but he just doesn't understand that is unacceptable to most people.

The feast is a lot of fun. Plenty of flirting and drinking games. It's a respite before a battle we know is coming, but it's a well deserved moment.

We get The Hound almost apologizing for what happened to Sansa, but she reassures him. What happened to her made her who she is.

Gendry is smitten, he asks Arya to marry him as the Lord of Storm's End. That doesn't seem like it would suit her, and she politely declines.

What is Jamie's game with Brienne? This seems like fan service for the shippers. It's all but setting up something between them. They had a contentious relationship before, but here is Jamie shedding clothes claiming it's hot in the room. This was all set up with the drinking game where Tyrion asks Brienne if she's a virgin and she storms off. What is this? I suppose in many ways Brienne is the polar opposite of Cersei. That might be part of it. Brienne is one of the most noble characters.

Jon and Daenerys start kissing, but it stops short. He's a Targaryen and she wishes she didn't know. She presses him to ignore it and never tell anyone. If people know they will press him to take what's his even if Jon doesn't want it.
Jon feels compelled to tell Sansa and Arya, but Daenerys cautions him. She claims Sansa wants her gone. This is a test for Jon. Where does he split between honor and love?

Winterfell plots for King's Landing. The balance of armies is less than ideal now. Daenerys will be content with nothing less than the Iron Throne.
Tyrion is sure the people will overthrow Cersei when they see the odds. Sansa wants to postpone, to give the soldiers a chance to recover.There's a lot of tension, a triangle between Daenerys, the Starks, and Jon.
They have won the Great War, and now comes the Last War. Daenerys is set on being Queen, but is it for a title or for what's right for the Seven Kingdoms?

Arya admits Jon did the right thing by kneeling to Daenerys and getting her army, but she doesn't trust her. It's here that Jon admits to Sansa and Arya what Bran already knows. He's not a Stark.
While Jon swears Arya and Sansa to secrecy, I don't think they will want to keep that promise. It's a note in their favor.

Jamie and Tyrion are swapping stories when Bron barges in. Of course they're alone. Where is everyone else? Awfully convenient. Bron is working an angle. He wants to make sure he comes out winning either way.

The Hound is riding towards King's Landing. Arya joins him, stating she doesn't plan on coming back. They both have unfinished business down South. Certainly much more variety to scenes this episode.

Tyrion is singing Daenerys's virtues to Sansa, but she's distracted. I'd guess it has to do with the information she now has about Jon. She reveals to Tyrion there is another option for ruler of the Seven Kingdoms.

Tormund is taking the free folk back home. Jon asks him to take Ghost back as well. The dire wolves seemed much larger in other seasons, I don't know, maybe not. Jon wishes he could return too, but it's not in the cards. Goodbyes all around as Sam is heading somewhere.

Tyrion knows about Jon. He tells Varys who states that with eight people knowing it's not longer a secret. The eight are Sam, Bran, Jon, Arya, Sansa, Tyrion, Varys, and Daenerys. Jon has the better claim and that trumps what Jon wants.

On the way to Black Reach, we get a HUGE surprise. One of the dragons is shot multiple times. It's the one Daenerys is NOT riding, which is convenient. That hurts the chances of victory, down to just one dragon now. I did NOT see this coming. The dragon got pelted three times which seems like crazy accuracy. It's a very sad moment, even if it is a dragon. Those are Daenerys's children.

It's the Iron Fleet and of course, Euron is the one shooting. You know, there is no way they could reload that thing as fast as he fired those shots. Oh, each boat has a dragon killing cannon. Still that accuracy is beyond belief.
Daenerys is MAD! Nothing happens to her as the giants arrows miss. She flies away and the dragon cannons fire on the boats. It's doing massive damage. The Daenerys navy looks to be done. There were a lot of boats and very few people on the shore.

Cersei is spinning her webs in King's Landing, and somehow she got Missandei. How'd that happen? Cersei is packing King's landing with civilians to thwart any attacks. Attacks will kill many innocents.

It's the last season and Varys and Tyrion and moving pawns around the board still. Varys believes Jon may be the best ruler. Someone who doesn't want the throne usually is.
Tyrion is pushing for them to rule together. Tyrion is backing Daenerys and staying loyal. Varys is bound by the greater good.

Jamie is headed to King's Landing despite Brienne's pleas. What a time for Jamie to pick Cersei when he's finally found a shred of happiness. That pull is unimaginable, but he's addicted. He's knows she's terrible, and he's choosing death as some sort of penance. He rode to Winterfell to spite Cersei, why ride back?

Daenerys asks Cersei to surrender. We all know the answer, but for appearances sake it must be done. With Cersei, nothing can be trusted. Cersei demands Daenerys surrender on the spot. If not Cersei will kill Missandei. This is kind of cheap. The show has built the Grey Worm-Missandei relationship with no real reason why, and this is it. The show set us up specifically for this fall.

Tyrion approaches Cersei directly and the archers nock arrows. Tis but a tease. He addresses her, appealing to the future safety of Cersei's child. It's to no avail. Cersei has Missandei killed as Daenerys's rage grows.

Review: Episode 5 - The Bells
Episode four was putting us in the lane to the conclusion. The Winterfell and Daenerys crew made it to King's Landing in record time.

I have to wonder if Arya will be the one to end Cersei. The fact I think that means it may be misdirection, could mean it is that easy.

Jamie had just a bit of happiness with Brienne before his compulsion for Cersei led him South. Don't think he'll outlast this one.

Daeneyrs is already a bit jealous of the loyalty Jon inspires, and Cersei's murder of Missandei is going to put Daenerys on a warpath. That's only going to widen the divide between her and Sansa. That's after one of her dragons is killed. She's down to one.

Everything is moving just a bit fast as we dive headfirst into the conclusion.

Varys is writing a letter about the one true heir, Jon. While Tyrion has chosen Daenerys and will stick with that choice, Varys states he's bound by what's best for the seven kingdoms. To whom is he writing? There aren't many allies left unless he's writing to Dorne. Then again there are other cities in the world, but they don't have much stake in Westeros.

Varys is talking to Jon about power and rulers. Jon's vehement that Daenerys is his Queen. Jon gave his word, and it's going to take something big to force him back on that word. Daenerys isn't speaking or eating after the last episode. It seems the group is at Dragon Stone.

Tyrion reveals to Daenerys what Varys is up to, though Daenerys assumes Jon is the one that betrayed her. Shows how much she knows. Jon is bound by his word, good or bad. Except, Daenerys spells it out, that she holds Jon at fault since he told Sansa despite her wishes. Daenerys is facing threats all around. She's already concerned about loyalty and with these secrets swirling, that could lead her to rash decisions.

Varys hears soldiers marching towards his door and knows exactly what's going on. What will be his fate? He's made it this long, through good and bad rulers. Will this be his downfall, doing what he thought was right? Varys only hopes that he deserves his punishment and that he is wrong about Daenerys. That's a man with conviction. He's going out like a champ. No pleading, no unnecessary violence, just resolve. It's death by dragon, but I have to wonder how Jon felt about that. Jon's quick to give Daeenrys leave to do as she pleases, but Jon can't be in favor of the punishment. I get setting an example, but does she have people to spare? Varys could have been useful with a delayed sentence.

Daenerys is shifting blame to Sansa. Is Daenerys going to kill everyone that stands against her? There won't be many people left if that's the case.
She makes a move on Jon and he pulls away. Jon has the loyalty of the people, Daenerys has fear. With Jon no longer interested in a romantic relationship with his aunt, their tryst may be done.

Daenerys will not let Cersei exploit her. Tyrion is arguing to spare King's Landing, but Daenerys is ready to go full steam ahead. She agrees to stop if the city surrenders, but you have to wonder how much vengeance will get in the way. Tyrion won't live to make another mistake. This presumably leads Tyrion to ask the smuggler Davos for a favor. We assume Tyrion wants to smuggle himself out, but that's just an assumption.

Arya arrives at King's Landing. She tells the guard she's there to kill Cersei. The Hound tells the guard to let her in. That could end the war and save a lot of blood.

Tyrion calls off another set of guards to speak with Jamie. This very well could be their last conversation. If Tyrion releases Jamie, that may be the end of Tyrion. Jamie is convinced to run away with Cersei, but there's no way he'll convince her.
Tyrion is trying to save bloodshed. He's willing to sacrifice his life for tens of thousands.

The city is readying for war. Arya is marching down main street to the castle. I'd bet even money she reaches Cersei. What happens then?

What does Cersei think? Does she think she can win? Tyrion is confidant she won't, but we haven't heard Cersei's plan. Does she think human shields she's filled the city with will suffice?

The city gates are closed. Jamie doesn't make it in, but Arya and the Hound do.

Daenerys is charging the Iron Fleet head on. That seems like a bold move that shouldn't work, but it seems to be quite effective after all. I guess last episode when a dragon died from a ballista equipped boat was just an anomaly. Really, that shouldn't be a surprise. The ballistas don't turn quickly, so surprising them from behind is effective.

The Golden Company also goes down quite easily. There really aren't many King's Landing forces left. Even the wall is destroyed. At this rate, team Daenerys will be able to charge right up the castle stairs. The dragon is a one creature wrecking tool... as it should be. The problem is it's hasn't been up until this point. Will there be anything left of King's Landing? Does Cersei have a back up plan?

Right now Cersei is hoping for one good shot, but she's unaware that the ballistas are gone, the Iron Fleet is gone, the walls are breached, and the Golden Company is down. If she has a backup plan, the show is playing coy because from what we're seeing, Cersei is done.

Her soldiers, faced with Jon and his army as well as a dragon throw down their swords. It's the smart move.

This battle is over and the show runs the clock on whether the bells will ring to signal surrender. If they don't ring will Daenerys rain fire? Eventually they do. Daenerys is victorious, but Cersei is still in the castle. Daenerys takes off, who will she attack? The answer is everyone. The innocents and the surrendered. Grey Worm leads the attack on men that surrendered, but Jon remains immobilized. He's trying to stop them, but Daenerys and Grey Worm's vengeance has made this an unfortunate attack that violates the conduct of war. Maybe there aren't any rules in war, but this is reign by fear, and when that's the case people will always want someone like Jon on the throne.

It looks like King's Landing will be nothing but dust. Winterfell won't be clamoring to kneel to Daenerys after this. Also, why doesn't Daenerys take down the castle first, just to dispose of Cersei? Is it so we get Jamie and Arya in the castle to confront Cersei? Something's going to happen there.
Also, doesn't the Hound have to meet the Mountain?

This isn't just fighting, this is blood lust. Soldiers are murdering the innocent. This might be the thing that spurs Jon to place a claim on the throne. Even he has his limits and I have to imagine this is close to it. He's forced to kill one of his own army to protect an innocent.

Jamie is on his way to save Cersi when Euron stops him. It's awfully convenient for timing and location. That's a knock down drag out kind of fight. It just keeps going. Euron was underdeveloped. From the books I thought he'd be this cool pirate type, but in the show he's just a pompous jerk. It's crazy to think this show just doesn't have enough time when we're eight seasons in, but that does seem to be the cast just a bit.

The castle is falling. Cersei refuses to believe it. I wondered if the show would pull some kind of twist out of thin air, but it doesn't seem like it and I appreciate that. It's happening as it should. The focus isn't on who wins this battle, but the repercussions of how Daenerys won.

What a rousing speech from the Hound. He talks Arya out of her quest. What he said is true. Cersei is as good as dead. That and he's been seeking vengeance his entire life.

Gregor the Mountain and Sandor the Hound face off. Not even the Queen's orders are enough to stop Gregor. It's Clegane Bowl. Will we finally see his zombie face? That's a yes. How will Sandor kill a man that's already dead? What a fight.

Jamie makes it back to Cersei. Someone needs to end her. A falling rock isn't personal enough. Their escape is blocked by rubble. I'm glad she doesn't get to escape. Cersei is begging for the life of her baby, but I don't see that happening. It's the end, the only question is what gets her. And it was falling rubble, but with her cool demeanor finally breaking, that makes it a bit personal. We got to see her defeated emotionally.

Arya is running through the city, but she lacks the resolve we usually see in her. I'm guessing mostly for effect to give us a view from the street.
Arya isn't looking to good, but I refuse to believe this is how it ends for her. Her arc has been too good. Now she's leading survivors to an escape. Well, she was. That was short lived.

Jon calls the men to fall back. This city is done. Is this going to claim the lives of more main characters that the Battle of Winterfell?
The entire city is crumbling, fire is everywhere, but we're not seeing any Daenerys shots. How does she feel about leveling an entire city and killing innocent people? Is she grinning or crying?

A nice way to end it, Arya finding a horse and riding out.

I'm guessing next episode comes down to who actually sits on the Iron Throne. No doubt there will be fall out all around from how Daenerys handled this battle. She killed innocents. Even Jon is going to balk at that regardless of how much he's attracted to his aunt.

Review: Episode 6 - The Iron Throne
Daenerys certainly seems to be written on a path where she's unlikable, labeled crazy, and must be dispatched.

I'm guessing Arya might be involved in that. I'm also predicting Daenerys's actions at King's Landing will be the catalyst for Jon Snow to halt his unwavering loyalty to her as Queen. The city surrendered and Daenerys leveled it with dragon fire. A mystery party may also come forward about Jon, who knows.

This is it. This is the end of Game of Thrones. Some how it doesn't quite feel ready to conclude. There is a fair amount of story left, but this season has been very fast and this episode is poised to be another one that moves quickly.

That's my biggest complaint with this season, it just seems a bit quick. This is a show that made note of how long it took to travel and it built the characters between those moments. This season travel is instantaneous, and while I understand the plot needs to move, we've been robbed of these character building moments.

 I feel like the opening theme song visuals should be changed since King's Landing doesn't exist anymore.

Tyrion is walking through the rubble... and bodies. Tyrion knows what this implies. It's not a good way to start a rule in Westeros.

Tyrion is headed to the Red Keep alone, despite Jon's protests. Does Tyrion want to see if Jamie and Cersei made it out? It seems that way. He finds them, and as we saw in the previous episode, they didn't make it.

Grey Worm is sentencing people to death when Jon stops him. You can't kill prisoners.
Grey Worm states he is following orders of the Queen, kill all who follow Cersei. It's about to go down between Jon and Grey Worm when Davos intercedes. What does the Queen have to say?

Jon and Arya are making their way to the Red Keep, but they no longer seem welcome.
Daenerys is looking a bit more imposing dressed all in black.

Grey Worm is named Master of War. Does that mean she's not done with war? Apparently not, she's going to liberate everyone. The way she liberated King's Landing was killing everyone, so I think she may get some push back on that.

Daenerys states Tyrion freed his brother, an act of treason, but Tyrion replies she slaughtered a city. The play on words is plain. Tyrion relinquishes his role as Hand to the Queen. He's taken away, giving Jon a wistful look. This train is moving and I don't think talk is going to stop Daenerys.

Arya finds Jon and explains that Jon will always be a threat to Daenerys. Arya knows a killer when she sees one.

Jon visits Tyrion. Tyrion asks Jon if there is life after death, but Jon hasn't seen it. Tyrion is resolved to his fate. Jon states the war is over, but Daenerys didn't sound done fighting.

Jon's trying to defend her but Tyrion calls him out. Jon wouldn't have burned the city to the ground. While Daenerys has killed evil men before, King's Landing wasn't evil men.
Love and duty are at a crossroads.
Tyrion can't convince Jon to oppose his Queen. Tyrion points out Jon's sister's won't bow the knee. While Tyrion and Sansa can't choose who rules, Jon can.

Daenerys finally gets the Iron Throne. This has been her arc since the first season. She's joyous, but Jon isn't. He questions the fact soldiers are being executed and Daenerys claims it's necessary.
Daenerys claims she tried to make peace, but that's only half the story. The city fell and Daenerys didn't stop. Jon wants a world of mercy, but Daenerys plan seems to be to murder everyone and then start with mercy. That's not how mercy works.

Daenerys wants to build a new world with Jon. Jon claims she is his Queen... well now, that's a shocker. Jon stops her reign. How is Jon going to live through this when people figure it out?
What's the dragon going to do? Somehow it knows what happened, realizing the instant it happened.
That's the end of the Iron Throne. It's certainly symbolic if not a strange thing for the dragon to do. The dragon scoops Daenerys up and flies off. That might be the last we see of them.
Jon could have had it all, but did what he thought was best.

Tyrion is brought before the council. It consists of all the familiar faces, most of them last seen in Winterfell. Even someone from Dorne I believe. They're all the heads of the great houses. Some time has to have had past, but Grey Worm is the one that brought Tyrion, so what's the deal here? Jon is a prisoner and Grey Worm is ruling the city. Seemingly it's known what Jon did. I'm surprised they just kept him prisoner. The Unsullied will not free Jon. I find it hard to believe they haven't killed him already.

Tyrion is surprised a King or Queen hasn't already been named. All the most powerful people are present. The Black Fish begins to make a claim, but Sansa exerts her dominance.
Samwell proposes some kind of democracy. He's ridiculed for such a silly suggestion. It's odd to try and insert comic relief at this point.

Tyrion is asked his pick and he talks of the strength of stories. He suggests Bran, the one who keeps all of history to lead them into the future.
When Tyrion poses the question to Bran, Bran responds, "Why do you think I came all this way?"

Almost everyone is in agreement, except for Sansa who states the North will remain independent. It has a certain amount of symmetry. Bran is the one that started a lot of this when he stumbled upon Jamie and Cersei. Here he is as the King. It was the conquest of power that put Bran in that role.
Bran wants Tyrion as his hand. Bran doesn't want the kingship, Tyrion doesn't want to be hand, so it works.

The Unsullied want justice. Bran sends Jon to the Night's Watch. Another bit of symmetry. Jon ends where he began. That's a hard fate after all he's been through. I assume he'll be the commander, though there can't be many men left there.

Arya is heading West of Westeros, where all the maps stop.

Brienne writes the history of Ser Jamie Lannister. It's a history she'll never be a part of, though she is a King's Guard as Jamie was.

Samwell is a Maester. He presents Tyrion with a book, A Song of Ice and Fire. Davos and Bronn are on the small council. I'm guessing Brienne is the Captain of the Kingsguard. How did Bronn become the Master of Coin? They're rebuilding the city.

 

Jon is greeted by Tormund at the wall. Jon made it back North after all where he's also reunited with Ghost. Sansa is a queen, as she always wanted, but she took a much different path than she ever imagined. Arya sets sail West.

I wasn't disappointed with the finale. It wrapped up all the story lines and provided a few surprises too. This season just felt truncated, but as a capstone to the series it got us to the end which was it's job. I'm content with how things ended up, though I had a few gripes along the way. I watched this show weekly as it came out, and while I'd like to watch it all from the beginning now that I know how it ends, that's a tall order. If would be fun to watch the very first episode again since there was plenty of symmetry. This has been an intricate and demanding series with plenty of characters playing all kinds of games. Few series ever reach such epic proportions and manage to capture the pop culture spotlight as this did. For nine years I was captivated by the quest for the throne. On this day that story ended. Now I wonder, will the books ever conclude or is this all we'll ever get? If the books do conclude, I can't wait to see what changes.

The series was never really about who would sit on the throne, it was about the journey each of these characters endured and it was a many marvelous journey.