The Bells and Finale

I waited a whole week to give everyone a chance to watch the conflagration of “The Bells” before I posted about it because I have a lot to say.

First of all, SEVEN HELLS!!

Second, there was so much potential for good in this episode, but it was a let down for me. Not because it isn’t a happy ending; I love the Game of Thrones' standard of doing the unexpected. Here’s my top five gripes about the episode:

1.       The scorpions that brought Rhaegal down in three phenomenal shots were utterly useless against Drogon. He incinerates them in the first minutes so all anyone can do is sit around and watch the destruction (which is exactly what Cersei does) It completely annihilates any suspense or concern I should feel for Dany and Drogon.

2.       Cersei has no other plan than scorpions and common folk? Remember the Battle of Blackwater Bay? Remember the Sept of Baelor? She’s way too smart for that.

3.       The Hound and Arya have traveled all the way from Winterfell, pushed their way through crowds and are in the Red Keep when the Hound tells her to run away and SHE DOES. They are probably setting Arya up with a reason to kill Dany (see finale comments), but it was weak plotting, in my opinion. Also, she knows how to get out of King’s Landing, she’s done it before, so why is she running crazy through the streets? Get some people and get them out.

4.       I don’t mind Dany going mad, she has never been my main heroine, and I even think that facet is good storytelling-wise, it’s just that the show has always carefully crafted its surprises, and though they surprised me, I could see the architecture that went into their development in retrospect (think Red Wedding, Ned’s beheading, Little Finger’s trial, even the Night King’s end had some construction to it.) They could have made Dany’s descent into madness so good. As a character, she deserves that much. Especially with the precedent of the sack of King’s Landing by Tywin Lannister. I mean then: a Targaryen on the Iron Throne yelling “Burn them all!”, King’s Landing brutally sacked by a Lannister, a different Lannister kills the Targaryen and is found and reigned in by a Stark (not quite in that order). Now: a Lannister on the throne, King’s Landing brutally sacked by a Targaryen (who burns them all) and rocks maybe crush the Lannister while the Stark(s) runs away? Weak effort, although I'm optimistic that the finale will tie of some of these a little more neatly. 

5.       Cersei’s death. No, I'm not rooting for Cersei, but even though she is a primary antagonist, she is a deep and rich character (props Lena Headey for carrying the role) that I love to hate. It was the most unsatisfying death I could imagine for her. I honestly almost hope they are setting us up and she survived so that someone else could kill her in the finale (Sansa, ideally). I mean, Jaime’s hand was around her throat, so they could be trying to convince us that is fulfilling the prophecy only to pull the rug out from under us.

5 things they did right.

1.       As disappointing as it was to have Dany completely about face on the whole tyrant thing and burn everyone, I did think that a total sack was better storywise than a ‘peaceful’ takeover.

2.       Cleganebowl. Although my honest to the old gods first thought was “It’s over Anakin! He has the high ground.” I also loved that Cersei just tiptoed past them. But the end of the Mountain in flames at the Hound’s hands was fitting.

3.       Tyrion betraying Danaerys for Jaime. Jaime betrayed Cersei (and his dad) for Tyrion, so this was spot on poetically, although perhaps the rescue/escape plan Tyrion devised was not his intellectual best thinking. Tyrion is smart, smarter than Cersei. I've loved seeing them pit against each other. So although I like this part, I really think Tyrion should have known what Dany would do. I guess he kind of did, but he sure seemed surprised

4.       Jon staying true to his word. It sets up the choice he's going to have to face very well.

5.    Jaime's death. I know, how can I like Jaime's and not Cersei's? One, I like Jaime and him dying in Cersei's arms is right. Two, it was appropriate timing.

What I (now) hope happens in the finale.

I hope that Arya tries to kill Dany, and Jon is faced with choosing between his Queen and his beloved sister. I know, I’m awful, but it’s an important character dilemma that would echo Ned Stark’s choice that betrayed his honor, choosing between his King and his beloved sister. Remember Jon saying, "We're family." and Arya replying "Don't forget that."? Jon is going to have a choice like Theon's: Stark or Targaryen. And I don't think he has the luxury of picking both. Either way, all hell will break loose and most of them will end up dying. Bran will hear of the destruction, decide humans are terrible, travel back in time and communicate (there’s already precedent that he’s trying to do this) with the Children that men are evil and to just kill them all before they have a chance to spread across Westeros, making the entire series pointless as none of our beloved characters would ever exist at all. Maybe that won't happen, but something like it. I don't like Bran and think he's boring, but I hope that the writers are doing that on purpose for one amazing twist at the end.

I am definitely looking forward to the release of GRRM’s next book so I can find out how it really goes.

Food for thought: What if Bran was controlling Drogon during the sack of King’s Landing? Unlikely, but interesting to think about. He is arguably the most powerful person left in the game. What if the "I don't care about anything really." is just a ruse? I find the Bran dilemma interesting because in the books he is a rich, interesting and obviously important character.

Anyway thanks David Benioff and D.B. Weiss for bringing Game of Thrones to the screen.

Good job and huge thank you to: Kit Harington, Maisie Williams, Sophie Turner, Isaac Hempstead Wright, Emilia Clarke, Peter Dinklage, Lena Headey, Nikolaj Coster-Waldeau, Rory McCann, Gwendoline Christie, Alfie Allen, Carice Van Houten, Iain Glen, Sean Bean and really the entire cast that I can't list here for making some of my favorite novels and some of my favorite characters come to life in such a spectacular, beautiful fashion. I'm going to miss you!

And thanks George R.R. Martin for the world you created. As someone who dabbles in writing, I know the work it takes and the amount of your heart and soul that goes into creating a world. I love yours and love losing myself for a bit in it.

Arya Stark

I watched last night’s episode on the edge of my seat, hands to my mouth. When Arya delivered the killing blow, I threw my arms up in victory and shouted. It was like watching your favorite football player score a touchdown, but with a little more on the line.

From this moment:

To this:

and so many moments in between, I have cheered for Arya. I didn’t often get to cheer out loud, because she met so many sorrows along her way, but even if her story ends this season, I’ve loved every minute of it. She’s a badass.

She’s never been a lady. She was always fierce, always the warrior.

That's not me.

She’s been beaten and broken:

And she came back.

She’s loyal and strong--a true Stark.

So, yes, I shouted for joy when she stabbed the Night King and saved the day. I have every reason to, she's been my heroine all along. 

What do we say to the god of Death? Not today.

More GOT

My husband doesn't watch Game of Thrones, so I'm just going to have to keep a running commentary here after I watch each week, or I might explode. There are spoilers if you haven't watched this season or the previous ones, so you've been warned.

I cried when Jaime knighted Brienne. I'm not much of a crier, but I loved it. If nothing else happens this season, I'll be happy.

I have loved the reunions between Arya and her family and friends. I'm a little weirded out by the Gendry thing though. Now I'm questioning whether Arya is Arya. The Hound mentioned that she was quiet now and she used to never shut up. She mentioned something to Gendry that really Melisandre would only know. But she knows stuff that only Arya would know. I was right though and Beric is no longer on her list, so I'll count that as a small win, but I'm watching her.

Jon has previously expressed that he has no interest in the Iron Throne. So it's a little surprising that he doesn't throw that in when he tells Dany his real identity. Maybe his interests have changed. Maybe he believes he would be a good king, or that it is his duty. Or maybe he is just very introspective right now, but his lack of reassurance doesn't bode well. I wonder if the North would bend the knee to the Iron Throne if Jon was on it. They don't like Targaryens much, but they love Starks.

Rhaegar may not have abducted and raped Lyanna, however the two sure could have stopped a lot of grief with a little bit of honesty. I wonder if Robert knew. I think he might have, not about Jon, but that Lyanna chose Rhaegar.

Brienne won this week. That was my favorite scene since Arya killed Little Finger.

 

Game of Thrones Predictions and Hopes

Since I’m fairly confident everyone wants to hear my Game of Thrones theories and hopes (this is a mix of both, so some of it doesn’t have hard backing), I thought I’d lay them all out for you. You’re welcome.

First a quick summation of where we are in the show. The Others have breached the wall with their resurrected dragon and are heading South. Danaerys, Jon, Tyrion, and the remaining Starks are in the North or on their way to face them. Cersei, despite her promise, is not planning to meet them, but Jamie is keeping his word and heading North as well. Cersei plans to face whichever foe emerges victorious from the North.

Before I delve into my theories, here’s a few background things you might need a reminder of, you can skip these if you want:

Major Prophecies of Game of Thrones:

Azor Ahai (reborn): The Prince (genderless) that was promised will be born amid smoke and salt. His flaming sword, Lightbringer (requiring the sacrifice of Azor’s wife to be forged) will be drawn from the fire. He will awaken stone dragons and free Westeros from the second Long Night. The original Azor Ahai was instrumental in ending the Long Night. When it ended, and the Others were defeated in the Battle for the Dawn, the Wall was put up, and the Night’s Watch started.

The Stallion Who Will Mount the World: will unite all the Dothraki in a single khalasar

Rhaegar Targaryen: Danaerys sees Rhaegar, Ellia and son Aegon, Rhaegar says “Aegon…What better name for a king…He is the prince that was promised and his is the song of ice and fire.”

Maggy the Woods Witch: Most of them have already been fulfilled, the ones that are unclear is who the younger more beautiful queen is and “when your tears have drowned you, the valonqar (little brother) shall wrap his hands about your pale white throat and choke the life from you.”

Mirri Maz Duur: “When the sun rises in the west and sets in the east. When the seas go dry and mountains blow in the wind like leaves. When your womb quickens again and you bear a living child, then shall he return and not before.”

The Undying ‘Three’: "three fires must you light... one for life and one for death and one to love... three mounts must you ride... one to bed and one to dread and one to love... three treasons will you know... once for blood and once for gold and once for love..."

The Horns: Largely left out of the show so far, there are two horns that might be instrumental in the fate of the battle.

The Horn of Winter: Can bring down the Wall and raise the giants (no one knows what this refers to, but some think it is the ice dragons the Wall is maybe made from.) Location unknown.

Dragonbinder: gives control of any dragon who hears it to the horn’s master (not the one that blows it, they burn from the inside out). In the book this has been found by Victarion Greyjoy (not featured in the show and is probably combined with Euron Greyjoy to simplify)

The Swords:

Ice: Ned’s Valyrian steel blade was melted down after Ned’s death by Tywin Lannister and reforged into two swords: Oathkeeper for Jaime and Widow’s Wail for Joffrey. Jaime gave Oathkeeper to Brienne of Tarth and it remains with her (she is in the North) Widow’s Wail. When Joffrey died the book never mentions the sword again, but in the show Jaime has it when he confronts Olenna Tyrell. So both swords from Ice are heading home.

Heartsbane: The Valyrian steel sword of House Tarly recently stolen by Samwell Tarly, who is heading North.

Longclaw: Jon Snow’s Valyrian steel blade from Commander Mormont. He still carries it.

Tyrion’s dagger: The one that was used to try to kill Bran Stark. Little Finger gave it to Bran and Bran gave it to Arya and Arya killed Little Finger with it. She still carries it.

Needle: Arya’s sword from Jon. She lost it but retrieved it and carries it still.

Dawn: The sword of house Dayne, only wielded by knights, not passed from lord to heir. After Ned slew Ser Arthur Dayne, he delivered the sword to his sister Ashara to be sure it remained in the family.

Lightbringer: It is the legendary sword of Azor Ahai, forged of fire and tempered in heart of his wife, binding her soul to it. Melisandre called Stannis’ sword this. In the book, Maester Aemon suspects that Stannis’ sword is not the real Lightbringer, the whereabouts of the blade are unknown.

Blackfyre: Aegon the Conqueror’s Valyrian steel sword that may be in the possession of the Golden Company, as the last known holder was the man who founded the Golden Company.

Dark Sister: The Valyrian steel sword of Visenya Targaryen. It was last known in the possession of Brynden Rivers who joined the Night’s Watch and may be the three-eyed raven. In the show, when Meera Reed is fleeing the white walkers, she comes across a sword and grabs it. This may just be the long lost Dark Sister.

Minor Characters and their fates:

Brienne of Tarth: Brienne is hardcore when it comes to her word. She is a foil for Jaime Lannister and I think their fates will be entwined. Jaime had a dream that was basically him and Brienne against 7 dead mean (mostly former Kingsguard, but also Rhaegar Targaryen) In the end, I think she will be the reason Jaime remembers his first broken oath and tries to redeem himself. Most things seem to indicate that Brienne will survive the season.

Sam and Gilly: Sam would be a likely choice for Jon’s Hand, when they finally reunite, though he is a sworn brother of the Night’s Watch, so that might keep him from it. It is hard to say what will become of the Night’s Watch with the wall coming down, but my guess is that they will largely join the battle against the dead and their oaths will change of necessity. He may also become Maester at Winterfell, eventually. Gilly’s son is Craster’s last (and 100^th!) and should have become a White Walker. His being at Winterfell will be noticed by the White Walkers and I expect he will play a role in the upcoming war, on which side I don’t think I have enough information to say.

Theon and Asha: Asha (Yara) tried to rescue Theon from Ramsey, but Ramsey had already nearly destroyed him. I think Theon will rescue Asha, but Euron will have nearly destroyed her. I hope she will come back from it and will become the leader of Danaerys’ navy and get revenge on Euron, though that is maybe too happy of an outcome for Game of Thrones. I think Theon will die in the battle. Sacrificing himself to save one of the Starks would be fitting, since his greatest guilt stems from his betrayal of them.

Major Characters:

Sansa Stark: I started with her for my friend, Marshall. Sansa is quickly becoming a woman to be reckoned with. I think she will end up ruling Winterfell (Jon is bound for more and Bran has no interest and a different fate, Arya doesn’t want it either, so Sansa is the eldest surviving Stark and fits the role.) I think she will be key in the downfall of Cersei Lannister, fitting as Cersei was key in the rise of Sansa.

The Hound and Arya Stark: I put the Hound as a major character because of the interesting arc of him and Arya. The two have had opposite arcs, she starts a girl with a strong moral compass who hates the Hound, a soldier who likes to kill because he’s good at it. She ends a soldier for the Faceless god, who likes to kill because she’s good at it. He finds his moral compass and is a much milder person, though he isn’t seeking redemption for his misdeeds, he is clearly on a different path. I think he will have a showdown with the Mountain, it has been a long time coming. I don’t think he will win, but I think Arya will bring down the Mountain for him, she might die doing it and save the Hound. The Mountain is on Arya’s kill list and will be the last one she crosses off. She’ll probably do in Melisandre and Ilyn Payne as well. I think perhaps Beric Dondarrion might’ve earned himself a way off her kill list, if Gendry forgives him, which seems likely. Everyone else is gone already, save Cersei and I think her doom lies elsewhere (actually maybe not, read Jaime*). I’d be surprised if the Hound or Arya make it through the season, though this is one prediction I’d love to be wrong about. Arya has been my favorite Stark since day one. I also hope that Arya might end up wielding Dark Sister.

Cersei Lannister: If Cersei is pregnant, the baby will not survive, she’s already had her 3 children. Cersei has nothing left to lose. I think she would like to watch the world burn and is going to give it her all. She will attack the North, I think it likely that she will even ally herself with the Night King. The horn of Winter or Dragonbinder would be a good bargaining chip. She will doubtless put up a mighty fight. But, “in the game of thrones, you win or you die” and I don’t think Cersei will win.

Jamie Lannister: I think Jaime will kill Cersei (sort of*). It will offer him fulfillment of his vows (the vow to keep the Stark girls safe and the vow to keep Rhaegar’s children safe (Jon’s the only one left, and when Jaime discovers this, I think he will be determined to fill his vow Rhaegar) It also would make Maggy’s final prediction to Cersei literally true (all have been literally true so far), killed by a ‘little brother’. I don’t think Jaime will survive the season, however. (I'm adding on to this is parentheses, I read a theory about Arya wearing Jaime's face would kill Cersei, and I really like it as it keeps the meaning of the prophesy intact while making the bit about hands shocking and spot on.*)

Tyrion Lannister: There are rampant rumors that Tyrion is a Targaryen and they aren’t unfounded, Aerys was infatuated with his mother (if true it would mean that Tyrion and Jaime killed each other’s fathers). I’m on the fence. I’d like him to be a Lannister because that would make Tywin wrong. But I’d like the Targaryen aspect because then he might get to live his dream of flying a dragon. Regardless, I don’t think Tyrion is in for a happy ending. He will find some insight in fighting the walkers and may work to help Bran, but his skills aren’t in battle. I think Tyrion will die and it will probably be Cersei’s doing, which might help motivate Jaime. His death will end the Lannister line which, considering Tywin’s obsession with legacy, would be just.

Danaerys: The prophecy of three is a little confusing and probably not entirely literal. The three fires she lights, life for her dragons, death for the slavers or the Dosh Khaleen, love might be a reference to Jon and awakening the Targaryen in him or maybe she’ll go mad like her father. The three mounts would be Drogo to bed, Drogon to dread and Jon to love? Three treasons are harder, she is betrayed a lot. The blood was probably Mirri Maz Duur, the gold I’m inclined to believe was Jorah. So, who betrays her for love? I think probably Grey Worm for his love of Missandei may betray Danaerys in a crucial moment. It could also be Tyrion for Jaime, but I don’t think so. Dany is probably the stallion who mounts the world, she has succeeded in uniting the Dothraki and riding to the ends of the world. Danaerys also fits the prophecy as the prince that was promised, she could easily be Azor Ahai reborn. She wakened stone dragons and was born of salt and smoke. She is leading the fight against the others and I think she will win, at great cost. See Jon Snow and The Dragons for more on this. I think Mirri Maz Duur’s cryptic answer to Dany about Khal Drogo may have some prophesy in it. See Bran Stark for more on this.

Jon Snow: In the TV show, Jon was revealed to be Aegon, trueborn son of Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryen. Rhaegar had two trueborn children with Ellia Martell: Rhaenys and Aegon. I think the show is combining Aegon and Jon for simplicity. In the book, Aegon was saved from the Mountain and is still alive. It would be odd for Rhaegar to have two trueborn sons named Aegon, so this somewhat muddles the prophecies. Jon still fits the bill for Rhaegar’s prophesy, especially the part about the song of ice and fire (he has both the blood of the Kings of Winter and the blood of the dragon). Many people argue that he is Azor Ahai, but I think a stronger argument can be made for Danaerys. He is missing the sword and the stone dragons, both which may come about eventually, but I don’t think so. I think he will lead the fight against the Others, I think he will ride a dragon (Rhaegal, most likely, but he might waken his own--there is rumored to be an egg in the crypts of Winterfell, it just wouldn’t have time to grow up, I’d think.) So if she is Azor Ahai, how does Jon fit in? I think in the bit of the prophecy that Dany is missing. She is Azor Ahai and he is Lightbringer. Bear with me here. Lightbringer is probably not a literal sword. Lightbringer is the tool that ends the Others. So how is Jon this tool? Well first let’s look at the forging of Lightbringer and the forging of Jon Snow. It took three times to get it right, to make it powerful enough to complete its purpose and took the sacrifice of one AA loved. Jon has passed through three identities, first Jon Snow-bastard of Winterfell, second as a man of the Night’s Watch, and finally he is (probably) going to become Aegon Targaryen. Second, let’s look at the description of the sword itself. It is called a sword. It is said to give off heat, especially when used in battle and it ended the Long Night in the “Battle Before the Dawn”. Now let’s look at Jon’s Night’s Watch vows. Particularly “I am the sword in the darkness…I am the fire that burns against the cold…the light that brings the dawn”. True there are hundreds in the Night’s Watch, maybe they are all Lightbringer together, but I think that Jon particularly fits. I think he will be instrumental in ending the Others, but at the cost of his life (for real this time, like the sacrifice of Azor Ahai’s wife). I do not think Jon Snow is likely to survive the season. He may live long enough to get Dany pregnant (with twins, ideally).

Bran Stark: Let’s face it, the only reason Bran is still around is because he plays a vital role in the final battle. I think he is trying to stop it from happening and continues to venture into the past to find the key to stop it. Along the way, he may become the reason Aerys Targaryen went mad in the first place (think of Hodor and if that had happened while Bran was entrenched in a battle where burning your enemies is the only way to be sure they stay dead) If he’s smart, he might sort out that he did this and stop delving into the past, which would, ironically, mean that he would never be born because his uncle Brandon would still be alive and would have married Catelyn. But I don’t think Bran will realize this in time. I think he will try to stop the original White Walker from being created (He has hinted at trying to communicate with the past already with his father) When he does this he will try to warg into someone in the past, most likely the man who becomes the first White Walker as he hasn’t ever warged into one of the Children before. If he succeeds, great, battle over before it starts all White Walkers vanish. That probably won’t happen. What probably will happen is that Bran will die. When a person’s body dies while they are warging, they are trapped in the mind of the thing they are warging into. I believe Bran will die in the present while he is warged in the past, trapping him in the mind of the Night King. Over the ages, he probably becomes less Bran and more the Night King. But when Jon was at Hard Home, I think the part that is Bran starts to remember. The part that is Bran will be the key to the Night King’s undoing. They will wrestle for control. If Bran wins, the Night King will be defeated, and his armies will die for good. If not, they are in for another Long Night. I favor the first but grant that it might be too happy for Game of Thrones. Bran travelling back in time might fulfill the sun rising in the west part (like time running backwards) of Mirri Maz Duur’s prophecy, so if Dany has a living child and the Mountain gets thrown about in the wind (maybe his body is cremated and blows in the wind), might Khal Drogo return?

The Direwolves: There are two still alive, Ghost and Nymeria. Nymeria seems to no longer be tied to Arya and is roaming the Riverlands. I sort of think she was taken out and probably won’t play a huge role, but I hope that what happens is that since Lady died for Nymeria’s crimes, I hope that when Arya dies fighting for Sansa, that Nymeria will return to the surviving Stark sister. I think that Ghost will probably fight alongside Jon and may eventually die, or Jon may warg into Ghost when he goes (this is hinted at in the book as an ability he has along with his siblings.)

The Dragons: Danaerys named her dragons for her two brothers and her husband: Viserion, Rhaegal, and Drogon. She rides Drogon exclusively. Rhaegal is named for Jon’s father and I would guess Jon will be Rhaegal’s rider. Viserion fell to the Night King (Viserys perished at the hand of another king) and is being ridden by him. There might be a way to get him back, if Dragon binder comes into play, or if Bran Stark can warg into Viserion (either way, Bran is flying, as promised by the Three-Eyed Raven) There are several hints about three dragon riders in the prophesies. If Dany is one and Jon is another, who is the third? Many people think Tyrion (who may be the illegitimate son of Aerys, making him Dany’s half brother). I kind of don’t think so, but maybe.

I think it likely that at least one, maybe two, of the dragons will die. Who will bring them down? I think they are likely to parallel their namesakes. If Viserion dies (again) it will be Drogon that kills him. If Rhaegal comes down, it will be at the hand of Gendry. And if Drogon dies, it will be Danerys herself who has to kill him in the end.

It is worth noting that the first Targaryens to conquer Westeros were Aegon, Visenya and Rhaenys Targaryen. It would be appropriate if the dragons that conquer it a second time were Drogon, Viserion and Rhaegal.

Is the throne of the Game of Thrones necessarily the Iron Throne? Are we even looking at the right combatants? Are the gods fighting for control? Death and Life? Good and Evil? Which will win? I would love to know what you think!

Okay, I’ve spent far too long and this and want to post it before the premiere in a few hours. I’m sure I’ve missed something, but that’s all I can fit in so far. Also, I typed this late at night, so forgive any typos and misspellings.

*added 4/22/19 I haven't watched yesterday's yet! I'm going to do that immediately!