Season 8, Episode 4
Last week, I asked where Game of Thrones could go after the The Long Night. The answer of course is straight back to the political, backstabbing world of wartime Westeros. The episode begins with a colossal love in at Winterfell that sees Gendry’s heartwarming proposal to Arya rejected, Ser Brienne’s flower beautifully plucked by your friend and mine Jamie Lannister, and yet another torpid encounter between Jon and Dany in which Jon bafflingly proclaims that he must tell Sansa and Arya about his lineage because ‘he owes them the truth’ – a statement that literally means absolutely nothing.
This will most likely be the last time these characters are all together and definitely the last time that they are all together and on the same side. Tormund is taking Ghost and the free people (great band name) back to the real north, Brienne and Sansa are staying put at Winterfell, while the Hound and Arya seem to have resumed their unlikely partnership on the way to Kings Landing, presumably in search of CleganeBowl and Cersei respectively.
Also heading to Kings Landing were Dany and her various generals before Euron Greyjoy shows up, kills Rhaegal the dragon (disconcertingly easily I might add) before capturing Missandei. This leads to the showdown outside the Red Keep in which Tyrion appeals to Cersei’s humanity only for the Queen of the Seven Kingdoms to chop Missandei’s head off via the Mountain with her defiant last words ‘Dracarys’ ringing in everyone’s ears. Google informs me that Dracarys means Dragonfire in High Valerian so this suggests that the Mad Queen’s Dany’s retribution will no doubt be swift and chaotic. Next week ought to be pretty special.
Extras
- RIP Missandei and Rhaegal the dragon. You aren’t the main characters that people seem absolutely desperate to be killed off but at least you brought more to the show than Brandon Stark ever will.
- Jon Snow’s refusal to drink out of Tormund’s massive horn was so Jon Snow. As usual it was up to J-Lan, Tyrion, Ser Brienne and our boy Podrick Payne to bring the party. Jon Snow also neglected to say a proper goodbye to his dog. And this is the man that some people want on the Iron Throne? World’s gone mad.
- The mere mention of ‘the new Prince of Dorne’ sent a shiver down my spine. Let us never go back to Dorne ever again.
- I understand that Daenyrs is being turned into a heel but it feels like they have made this decision too late for her motivations to truly ring true. She is unrecognisable from the compassionate Queen who was to bring balance to the force a couple of seasons ago.
- I almost forgot about Bronn’s parlay with the brothers Lannister. His tactic of double crossing Cersei seems destined to fail and it’s starting to feel like Cersei will get her elephants before Bronn gets his castle.
- After last week, a 7/10 episode was to be expected but actually The Last of the Starks was much more than that. This was an hour and a bit of television that was frequently funny, touching and compelling. As we race to the show’s conclusion it’s difficult to argue that season 8 hasn’t been a success. Just don’t mess up the final two episodes now…
Jon was a disappointment in this episode, especially with Ghost! I do think that the 4 siblings hatched a plan under the weirwood tree though. The Stark kids have all learnt their lessons and learnt them well, (let’s not forget what happened to little finger). They seem to finally know how to play chess! They’ve all shown each other mad loyalty, especially Jon going against the mad Queens command at keeping quiet. Sansa knows exactly what would happen by telling shorty, so perhaps Jon has left Ghost behind knowing they’ll be attempts on his life and things, he still should have fussed that fucked between his ears.. Oops. Ear… So.. I’m wishing that they are playing on the audiences love for the starks so when it comes to it… Pow… Starks pull out the check mate on the final episode. Fingers crossed!