S06.E10: The Winds of Winter

[thuganomics85]

Well, then!  I foolishly wonder how they were going to follow last week's episode, and while I won't quite say it topped it, it was surprisingly intense and crazy in it's own way.  It might even be my favorite season finale yet for this show.

So, Cersei has finally been unleashed and it wasn't pretty.  Sure enough, she had Qyburn planting wild fire under the Sep, and they just blew up the High Sparrow, his followers, Kevan, and pretty much all the Tyrells besides Olenna.  Including my poor Margaery!  No!!!  Not Margaery!  Honestly though, I always had a feeling she wasn't going to be standing at the end, so I guess I was prepared for it. somewhat.  Besides, Natalie Dormer has been getting a ton of roles lately, so I think/hope she is on her way to even bigger things, so I'm sure she'll be back on the screen (or movie theater) shortly.  I will miss her though.  And as horrid as the High Sparrow was, I will miss Jonathan Pryce classing up the joint.

As an added "bonus" though, Tommen commits suicide after seeing it.  I think the prophecy was that a queen would be responsible for his death, so I guess this follows, in that her death made him jump.  I have no idea if that was part of Cersei's grand plan, but she really didn't seem that shaken up by it.  And now she has the crown and is sitting on the Iron Throne.  Oh, boy.  Not sure what my favorite part of that was: Lena Headey's perfect smirk, the crowd clearly somewhat thinking "Holy shit!  These next years are going to be rough!", or Jaime's face as his dawned on him what all just had transpired.  I would not want to be in King's Landing for the time being.

The North has happier times at least!  The rest of the North finally wises up (thanks to Lyanna!), and throws their support behind Jon, despite being a bastard.  Feel bad that Sansa will probably not get credit for her bailing his ass out, but I suspect a lot of these men would still rather support a bastard male, then an actual Stark female. I guess that final shot with Littlefinger is suppose to hint that he will try and meddle and turn Sansa against Jon, but I hope Sansa is smarter then that.

Oh, and Lyanna needs to be a regular next season, stat.  Baddest lord in all of Westeros!  Even if her time does come one day, I can see her taking, like, ten White Walkers with her, when she goes out.

Melissandre getting booted south was a bit strange.  They really should have either just gone with the "Jon forgives her" path or "Davos executes her" one.  This just feels a bit like a cop-out and trying to find a way to keep her around longer.

Show remembers Dorne still exists, but they thankfully add Olenna to the mix.  I might actually like this, as long as she's around to verbally smack down the Sand Snakes, whenever they get all high and mighty.  And if Varys makes this alliance workout, I would so be down with Olenna with Team Dany.  I can just see her and Tyrion bantering again.  And her rolling her eyes whenever Dany goes into her "They all must die!" rants.  I can even see some comedic potential between Olenna and Grey Worm too.  In short, Olenna can make anything better!

Ouch, Daario got dumped pretty hard.  I understand Dany's reasons, although after last week, I was wondering if maybe she just enjoyed Yara's flirting more then she let on.  On the bright side, maybe this will free Michiel Huisman up to go back to Orphan Back for it's final season.  Sure, Sarah might not have dragons, but she does have the awesome power known as Tatiana Maslany's acting ability!

Dany making Tyrion her hand officially was a nice scene, although I did think Tyrion was giving off vibes that he might be crushing on her, which I hope isn't the case.  Don't be another Jorah, Tyrion!  Plus, I just dig that pairing. They both benefit each other greatly.

Arya busts in and takes out Walder Frey!  Hell yeah!  Almost makes her boring plot worth it!  Will miss David Bradley being delightfully evil, but that was almost as satisfying as Ramsay's fate.

Sam and Gilly finally get to the library...

Bran finally finishes his vision and discovers that Jon is actually Lyanna's son and not Ned's.  Figured that was coming, but that was a nice reveal.  I wonder where his visions will lead him next.

Varys showing back up on Dany's ships at the very end did through me for a loop.  Did he just come back off-screen?  How long did all this take?  Traveling on this show can be so confusing.

Only real disappointment was no Brienne appearance.  I was hoping we'd at least see her riding back to Winterfell.  With Tormmund, naturally, seeing her and making heart-shaped eyes at her again.

Excellent episode.  Overall, a few stuff I wasn't wild about this season (Sam's stuff, Arya's story-line, etc.), but I thought this was a huge improvement over the weak fifth season.  I'm actually curious to see how these final (?) seasons play out now.  At the very least, Dany better actually get to Westeros.  No bullshit, where she lands on some undiscovered island and has to deal with the people there!

[rozen]

1 hour ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

My question is whether anyone will believe it if Bran survives long enough to tell the truth about Jon's parentage. GoT does not take place in a time where you can get paternity tests done so there's no real way to prove who either of his parents are. I know that religion exists in Westeros but would anyone believe Bran telling them, "I'm the Three Eyed Raven so I can see stuff from the past and that's how I know that my bastard half-brother is actually my cousin"?

The minute anyone tells Dany there's another alleged "Targaeryn" with a claim, she's going to have Drogon roast them. Easiest test there is (given you have 3 dragons lying around ready to immolate anything on command).

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I don't know about that. She's immune to fire but her own brother, who was just as Targaryan as Dany, was not so that seems like an awfully risky way to test whether Jon is related to her or not. She has no family left so she might want to keep Jon around because she has no other blood relatives (especially after Tyrion tells her that Jon is an okay guy). Plus he hasn't been trying to march on King's Landing and declare himself the King of the Seven Kingdoms so he's not really a threat to her claim to the throne. If anything, she might try to convince him to support her claim which would help her win over the north. Right now the only other house who has pledged that kind of support is the Iron Islands and they're very isolated so I'm not sure how much that helps her.

Edited June 27, 2016 by ElectricBoogaloo

[Save Yourself]

3 hours ago, AlliMo said:

Hitch yourself to that Lyanna Mormount, Jon Snow. She's got some years to go before she's of marriageable age, but you'll be busy for awhile anyway.

I suspect that when Cersei does finally get hers, it will be at Jaime's hand.

Dany will never sit on the Iron Throne, if only because the first thing that she'll do is have her dragons melt that monstrosity down.

100% agree

[candall]

For various reasons, I caught the last 15 minutes first.  (Okay, I woke up on the couch and could NOT tear myself from Lady Mormont dressing down the Sers.  Awesome.)  But it was a great way to see it--the coronation of Jon, the coronation of Cersei and the launch of Danaerys' fleet, then back to the beginning for everything else.  I did wonder, though, what tribunal put Cersei on the Iron Throne?  Ha, I learn later, no tribunal--she just marched up there on her own initiative!  Is that allowed?

 

So many good bits!  I loved the shot of the horse looking up through the skylight at the dragon flying by.  I enjoyed Sam and the snooty receptionist at the Citadel, but I hope Gilly doesn't end up rearing that child out in the lobby while Sam loses all sense of time, feasting on reading material.

The show is so dim on my non-hi-def tv, I couldn't see that the books were chained to the shelf, so thanks for pointing that out.  On the plus side, I couldn't see the grisly bits in the Black Walder pie. 

Damn, the league of child assassins is severe.

[Pete Martell]

I can't help feeling like Sansa is such a cipher at this point. I assume that Jon will ultimately hand the North over to her, as I doubt he really wants to be a leader even if he were better at it than he is, but the sympathy I should feel for her isn't there, partly because she's been so hollowed out the last two seasons, reduced to tedious I Spit On Your Grave-style tropes and some type of supposed destiny to be a ruler that rarely felt backed up by her actions, but also because she only really has two relationships on the show now - one that they never bothered to invest in this season (Jon) and the other they completely and totally eviscerated last season when he happily left her to be raped, tortured and killed (Baelish).

When I first started this show, Sansa was one of my favorite characters and I saw a lot of the show through her eyes. 

Now, all I see is blankness and all I end up feeling when I watch this part of the story is apathy and disappointment.

[mojoween]

Apparently humans can use Varys's transporter but the ravens cannot because how the hell did the Citadel not know that Mormont and Targareyen were dead and there was a new Lord Commander* at the Night's Watch?  It's been months, at least, if not years.

*Two, actually.

[soulza]

Jon and sansa as a couple ? it could happen as they are not brother and sister are they? this would also solve the problem of who rules the north and confirm Jons position.

One thing that has bothered me from last season ,during the battle with the white walkers , the leader looks at Jon and it was like he recognised him ? i have watched this over and it happens,now then consider this, we all are led to think that the red witch brought Jon back to life ?

I think she didnt and couldnt ,he came back himself ,he has a conection to the white walkers somehow

[soulza]

when the king revoked the trial by combat last episode , he sealed his fate , his mother realised he was to weak to lead and lost, she did what she had to domif he didnt jump himself she would have had him killed he had to go.

[SimoneS]

4 hours ago, GrailKing said:

I thought they spelled it out perfectly in season 1 and season 5 with confirmation this year.

Unfortunately, there are important elements that need to put into dialogue for some fans or that "ah ah" moment passing over their heads. I knew there would be still people wondering who Jon's father is or wanting confirmation even though the show made it clear.

Edited June 27, 2016 by SimoneS

[SimoneS]

2 hours ago, rozen said:

The minute anyone tells Dany there's another alleged "Targaeryn" with a claim, she's going to have Drogon roast them. Easiest test there is (given you have 3 dragons lying around ready to immolate anything on command).

I have always thought that Daenerys will have her dragons burn Jon to test him or maybe it happens accidentally. Jon will survive proving he is a Targaeryn and a dragon also.

Edited June 27, 2016 by SimoneS

[RedHawk]

That was all quite satisfying. 

As for possible marriage, Jon and Sansa are first cousins, though I don't think that matters in Westeros. The Targaryens certainly wouldn't have a problem with it, and Cersei can't say shit. So let's see -- Dany is Jon's aunt, and Maester Aemon at the Wall was Jon's great-great-uncle and a good friend and advisor to him, and sadly Aemon died without knowing they were related.

I really liked those wine glasses Dany and Dario were drinking from. I wish Dany would Tweet out where she bought them. Oh, yeah, she probably got them as a promo gift in return for product placement.

Liam Cunningham acted the hell out of his scenes when Davos called Melisandre to account about Shireen. I really felt his pain and righteous anger. That was one of my favorite GoT scenes ever. I wanted him to snatch off that necklace as she walked by him on her way out. But she'll get hers, I have no doubt. I'm glad she's out of Jon's orbit.

The scenes with Sam and the Citadel receptionist were so Monty Python-esque! I was rolling. Sam has the prettiest eyes; Gilly wisely hitched herself to one of the finest men in Westeros, although he should at least have gotten her and baby Sam set up in a little apartment somewhere before he got consumed by the Library. Something tells me the Citadel does not offer Married Housing. Gilly better hustle herself up a job and some childcare because she's not going to be seeing much of Sam for a while. Is he going to get his chains Matrix-style and read All the Books in about a month? Jon and this show don't have time for him to futz around -- Winter is HERE!

P.S. If Lyanna Mormont ever decides she wants more education, that Citadel receptionist is NOT going to stop her from marching in and checking out some BOOKS.

Edited June 27, 2016 by RedHawk

[Arnella]

Quote

P.S. If Lyanna Mormont ever decides she wants more education, that Citadel receptionist is NOT going to stop her from marching in and checking out some BOOKS.

Yup.  When Tyrion knelled to Dany, I was happy for both of them but I don't think I could do it. There is too much risk of Dany and her plan going way wrong.  Hungry dragons and wild Dothraki loose in Westeros??

I would swear my sword to Lyanna Mormont as I know she will always to the right thing AND she will rule, not by force, but by strength of will.

[Neurochick]

9 hours ago, Popples said:

God I hate how Cersei got a chance to be smug about something. I don't care if she's sad about Tommen's death. Can't wait for someone to throw her off the Iron Throne. Fuck her and her ugly crown so much.

I agree, and that crown looked stupid on her.  The witch practically crowned herself.

 

8 hours ago, BitterApple said:

Even though I don't like Cersei, I was laughing hysterically when she was chanting "Shame! Shame!" while she closed the door on Oona.

I didn't laugh because the High Sparrow's ascent was HER fault, as was Tommen's death.  Sansa should let Ramsay's dogs have a go at her.

I gasped when Arya showed up, I'd totally forgotten about her.  So now the Frey's and the Bolton's are history.  Now on to the Lannister's. 

[revbfc]

Samwell's carriage driver: I can take you about five miles from town but you'll have to walk the rest of the way.

Samwell: OK.

Edited June 27, 2016 by revbfc

[Tyro49]

What I don't understand is why the High Sparrow &  co. Would not let anyone leave the trial. Surely it doesn't matter who's in the audience.? He looked like he was just standing there waiting for something to happen.

[Save Yourself]

I'd hate it if Jon and Sansa were married, it didn't even occur to me until some people brought it up on the board last week. It doesn't matter if Ned is Jon's father or not, he and Sansa were brought up together as brother and sister, it would be just as incestuous as Jaime and Cersei. Ned raised Jon as a son (as much as he could while maintaining the facade that Jon was his bastard son) and Sansa and Jon looked on each other as siblings, it would be very odd for them to get romantically involved and completely out of character for them both. And even if they did, I don't think that people are cool with cousins marrying - look at what happened to Cersei because she was sexing Lancel.

[hoosiermommy]

1 hour ago, soulza said:

when the king revoked the trial by combat last episode , he sealed his fate , his mother realised he was to weak to lead and lost, she did what she had to domif he didnt jump himself she would have had him killed he had to go.

If she really thought that, and his death was her plan, why stop him from going to the Sept in the first place?

[RedHawk]

I'm thinking that Cersei realized that the Iron Throne was what she has wanted all along, that she'd always believed the Prophesy about her children's deaths, and once it started coming true she gave herself over, bit by bit, to the inevitable. Tommen's death hurt but didn't shock her. She had no more time for grief when she saw it was her chance to take power. 

I hope now Jaime sees the fully realized monster she's become. "Fuck anyone who isn't us"? Not sure he's going to feel that way now.

Edited June 27, 2016 by RedHawk

[Neurochick]

5 minutes ago, RedHawk said:

I'm thinking that Cersei realized that the Iron Throne was what she has wanted all along, that she'd always believed the Prophesy about her children's deaths, and once it started coming true she gave herself over, bit by bit, to the inevitable. Tommen's death hurt but didn't shock her. She had no more time for grief when she saw it was her chance to take power. 

I hope now Jaime sees the fully realized monster she's become. "Fuck anyone who isn't us?" Not sure he's going to feel that way now.

I think this is a very good point.  I detest Cersei, but I remember in season 2, the drunken conversation she had with Sansa, when she thought they were going to die; that the only joy a woman in that society could have, is their children.  Now Cersei has lost all of her children, what can she do now?  She has no purpose, and now no joy.  She might as well sit on the Iron Throne until someone throws her off of it, and I'm sure she knows that will happen.

Edited June 27, 2016 by Neurochick

[fastiller]

9 hours ago, dangwoodchucks said:

 

 That library was amazing.

 

True.  With all the chains on the books/stacks it brought to mind the Library at the Unseen University where the books are so full of magic they have to be chained closed (in a magic-book-related accident the Librarian was turned into an orang-utan).  Upon seeing these chained books as Sam walked through the stacks I was compelled to say "Oook!"

[revbfc]

I'm interested to see where the whole Littlefinger/Sansa thing goes, but I'm not very invested in it.  Arya is on her way, after all.

1 minute ago, fastiller said:

True.  With all the chains on the books/stacks it brought to mind the Library at the Unseen University where the books are so full of magic they have to be chained closed (in a magic-book-related accident the Librarian was turned into an orang-utan).  Upon seeing these chained books as Sam walked through the stacks I was compelled to say "Oook!"

It also reminds me of a bank.

I wonder if the Iron Bank puts chains on their quills.

[Popples]

2 hours ago, candall said:

But it was a great way to see it--the coronation of Jon, the coronation of Cersei and the launch of Danaerys' fleet, then back to the beginning for everything else.  I did wonder, though, what tribunal put Cersei on the Iron Throne?  Ha, I learn later, no tribunal--she just marched up there on her own initiative!  Is that allowed?

Who was going to stop her? I think it was Jorah who told Dany that no one has a right to the Iron Throne, you take it by force. The Targaryens had dragons, so that kept everyone in line. Then when the dragons died out and Robert rebelled, he got it. I don't think there was a single person in that room who was going to risk getting smashed by FrankenMountain just to say Cersei isn't the rightful ruler. But now Dany is coming with an army and dragons, so Cersei's hold on the throne is fleeting at best.

[EyesGlazed]

Great episode.  The music especially at the beginning was amazing.  RIP Margaery, you were almost always the smartest person in the room but that didn't save you in the end.

What was FrankenMountain doing to Septa Una?  I wasn't clear what exactly Cercei's evil revenge was.

Nitty point, but what was the deal about the white raven being sent from the Citadel?

10 hours ago, bluvelvet said:

A bit confused about Arya, how did she have access to the face changing if she is not a faceless man?  Did Jaquen give her leave to use faces at will? Is she a faceless man? Is this what Jaquen meant when he said she is truly no one?

THIS.  Can someone please fanwank this for me so it makes sense?  We never saw Arya getting any training other than stick-fighting with that little pyscho.  How does she know how to use another's face?  And if she didn't renounce her name and become "no one", then why is she allowed to use these powers?  Also, we aren't shown where or how she's getting the face she used as the serving maid.  Is she killing innocent women too?  Did she then leave the face on the floor, or pack it in Saran Wrap to re-use for the next assassination?  

10 hours ago, KaleyFirefly said:

Sam in the giant library -- I know how he feels. That's how I feel when I'm surrounded by books too. I love bookstores and libraries.

Yeah that was very cool.  But I fear Sam won't have a lot of time to enjoy his reading, given that Winter Is Here.

Edited June 27, 2016 by EyesGlazed

[garyvp]

Truly a great final episode in a truly great season. The writers, cast,and cinematographers have set a very high bar for cable tv. 

Cersei: 'I love the smell of wildfire in the morning. That smell, that gasoline smell.......it smells like.........victory."

And who were all those little birds of Qyburn (Children of The Corn?)? 

So. he doesn't know it, but John's a Stark and a Baratheon and actually could marry his first cousin, but why waste the plot line on romance at this point. When can Bran reveal this to all?

So Arya grabbed a many-faced changing kit on the way out the door?!!  How cool is that. She will be the one to deal with Cersei. And what about Gregor Clegan?  Who else is left on her list?

Will Brienne and Jaime face off again - and as what?

Jeez, it will be a long wait till season 7.....maybe I'll just rewatch the first 6 until then.

[RedHawk]

28 minutes ago, Neurochick said:

I think this is a very good point.  I detest Cersei, but I remember in season 2, the drunken conversation she had with Sansa, when she thought they were going to die; that the only joy a woman in that society could have, is their children.  Now Cersei has lost all of her children, what can she do now?  She has no purpose, and now no joy.  She might as well sit on the Iron Throne until someone throws her off of it, and I'm sure she knows that will happen.

Cersei now has nothing left but bitterness and nihilism so she took power to protect herself (no one else will, not even Jaime) and enjoy revenge on all those who harmed her and her children. I detest her, too, but she was magnificently malevolent. Her "confession" to Septa Unella, that she liked all those things she'd done because they felt good, was splendid as was her intoning "Shame, shame" and closing the peephole door. Brava, Lena Headey.

Edited June 27, 2016 by RedHawk

[terrymct]

I wonder if Dany's fleet will land in Dorne and march to King's Landing rather than sailing in. Of all the secondary characters now involved with Dany's trip to Westeros, I do think that Olenna Tyrell is the most potentially dangerous. She's smart, strong, and she's lost all of the people she loves and who were supposed to carry on her legacy. The Queen of Thorns doesn't give an F except for getting revenge on Cersei. On another front, Lyanna Mormont should end up as the Queen of the North when she's fully grown as a successor to Jon Snow. So, we know now that Lyanna Stark is Jon's mother. I guess we can assume who his father was, but that will annoy me a bit because Jon's hair is coal black and they make a big deal of hair color in this show.

The white raven from the Citadel was the official announcement that winter is no longer coming, that it's HERE. That means that the White Walkers may finally stop walking in circles north of The Wall rather than heading directly south. Edited June 27, 2016 by terrymct

[revbfc]

2 hours ago, EyesGlazed said:

Great episode.  The music especially at the beginning was amazing.  RIP Margaery, you were almost always the smartest person in the room but that didn't save you in the end.

Nitty point, but what was the deal about the white raven being sent from the Citadel?

THIS.  Can someone please fanwank this for me so it makes sense?  We never saw Arya getting any training other than stick-fighting with that little pyscho.  How does she know how to use another's face?  And if she didn't renounce her name and become "no one", then why is she allowed to use these powers?  Also, we aren't shown where or how she's getting the face she used as the serving maid.  Is she killing innocent women too?  Did she then leave the face on the floor, or pack it in Saran Wrap to re-use for the next assassination?  

Yeah that was very cool.  But I fear Sam won't have a lot of time to enjoy his kreading, given that Winter Is Here.

Here's your "fan wank"

Jaqen: A girl, you have successfully moved on to the next round.  Are you ready to play?

Arya: I've given it a lot of thought, and I've decided I'll never stop being me.

Jaqen: Well, we've loved having a girl on "Who Wants To Be No One."  We appreciate your self-awareness, and we have some lovely parting gifts for a girl.  Ghost of Don Pardo, tell her what she's won!

Ghost of Don Pardo: It's some new faces!  Yes these faces are the exact kind used by the faceless men.  People won't see you coming, and you'll look spectacular doing it.  With an estimated retail value of priceless, each face is one-of-a-kind!

Edited June 27, 2016 by revbfc

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Quote

Nitty point, but what was the deal about the white raven being sent from the Citadel?

I assumed it was the snotty receptionist asking Jon to confirm that Jeor Mormont was no longer Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, Maester Aemon had died, and that Jon had sent Sam to the Citadel to be trained as a Grand Maester. But the other significance (according to Sansa) is that the ravens turning white mean that Winter Is Here.

Cersei confessing that she liked killing all those people, having sex with her brother, and doing things she's not supposed to do or like just made me dislike her even more. Now that she has absolutely no fucks to give, she is going to be a hellacious ruler.

Does KL have a stash of different crowns (you know, like the British royals)? Or did Cersei have that crown specially made for her recently? Tommen taking his off before he took a swan dive out the window seemed so sad. The shallow part of me wondered if there were more tiaras and crowns hidden away somewhere when Margaery died in the sept but Cersei showing up with another one later still didn't totally answer my burning question (heh, no pun intended).

[RedHawk]

22 minutes ago, revbfc said:

I'm interested to see where the whole Littlefinger/Sansa thing goes, but I'm not very invested in it.  Arya is on her way, after all.

It also reminds me of a bank.

I wonder if the Iron Bank puts chains on their quills.

That reminds me that the Lannisters Who Always Pay Their Debts are in hock deep to the Iron Bank. I wonder how Cersei will react when the bankers come to collect. She may decide her family's motto was another thing of her father's that don't mean shit to her now. I'd like to see her tell them what to do with their IOUs. "I, Cersei Lannister, Queen of Westeros, First of Her Name, etc. am not responsible for debts incurred by anyone other than myself."

[revbfc]

1 minute ago, RedHawk said:

That reminds me that the Lannisters Who Always Pay Their Debts are in hock deep to the Iron Bank. I wonder how Cersei will react when the bankers come to collect. She may decide her family's motto was another thing of her father's that don't mean shit to her now. I'd like to see her tell them what to do with their IOUs. "I, Cersei Lannister, Queen of Westeros, First of Her Name, etc. am not responsible for debts incurred by anyone other than myself."

She'd probably kill anyone coming to collect and claim that was payment.

[RedHawk]

3 minutes ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

I assumed it was the snotty receptionist asking Jon to confirm that Jeor Mormont was no longer Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, Maester Aemon had died, and that Jon had sent Sam to the Citadel to be trained as a Grand Maester. But the other significance (according to Sansa) is that the ravens turning white mean that Winter Is Here.

Cersei confessing that she liked killing all those people, having sex with her brother, and doing things she's not supposed to do or like just made me dislike her even more. Now that she has absolutely no fucks to give, she is going to be a hellacious ruler.

Does KL have a stash of different crowns (you know, like the British royals)? Or did Cersei have that crown specially made for her recently? Tommen taking his off before he took a swan dive out the window seemed so sad. The shallow part of me wondered if there were more tiaras and crowns hidden away somewhere when Margaery died in the sept but Cersei showing up with another one later still didn't totally answer my burning question (heh, no pun intended).

Well, considering how fast those suits of armor bearing the Sign of the Seven were made for Tommen and his guards... I think whipping up a new crown for Cersei would be the work of a minute. There's a lot of Magic going on here behind the scenes, y'know, what with teleportation and Sansa's rapid sewing, all that stuff.

[dangwoodchucks]

I missed seeing John Bradley's name in the opening so I groaned when I saw Hannah Murray's. At least they kept that part pretty short. With the size of that library Sam's gonna need a research assistant to help him find any useful information before the WW reach the Citadel. Sam and Gilly didn't have teleporter passes either.

My husband wondered if the Unsullied are going to be standing at attention on deck for the entire trip. I was looking for the ships carrying the Dothraki, they would be the ones with the slippery decks :) I wonder why the writers went through the trouble of introducing another Red Woman when we didn't even see Dany have any kind of interaction with her when she returned.

21 minutes ago, Tyro49 said:

What I don't understand is why the High Sparrow &  co. Would not let anyone leave the trial. Surely it doesn't matter who's in the audience.? He looked like he was just standing there waiting for something to happen.

Bad writing maybe? At least he put on a clean caftan for the trial. I would not have wanted the job of lighting those candles that were stuck in the wildfire. What did the kid come back for after he stabbed Lancel? I couldn't tell what he did.

I noticed when Bran went back to the Tower of Joy that Ned turned and looked, yet Bran didn't call out that time. So was it coincidence and Ned hadn't really heard him the first time?

[RedHawk]

37 minutes ago, EyesGlazed said:

Great episode.  The music especially at the beginning was amazing.  RIP Margaery, you were almost always the smartest person in the room but that didn't save you in the end.

What was FrankenMountain doing to Septa Una?  I wasn't clear what exactly Cercei's evil revenge was.

Nitty point, but what was the deal about the white raven being sent from the Citadel?

THIS.  Can someone please fanwank this for me so it makes sense?  We never saw Arya getting any training other than stick-fighting with that little pyscho.  How does she know how to use another's face?  And if she didn't renounce her name and become "no one", then why is she allowed to use these powers?  Also, we aren't shown where or how she's getting the face she used as the serving maid.  Is she killing innocent women too?  Did she then leave the face on the floor, or pack it in Saran Wrap to re-use for the next assassination?  

Yeah that was very cool.  But I fear Sam won't have a lot of time to enjoy his reading, given that Winter Is Here.

She was, and then she couldn't get out of the room.

Looked like Septa Unella was going to be raped in a slow and gruesome manner. Shudder. I will say that Cersei was totally correct in calling Unella out for sadistically enjoying how she abused and berated her. "Shame, shame, shame."

Did we actually see the Mountain's face or just a hint of gruesome features deep in shadow? I streamed the episode with my screen fully brightened and that scene was still too dark.

Like taking the Iron Throne, did Arya actually need permission from Jaqen to use the Techniques of Facelessness? I've decided she did learn them while she was in the House of Black and White, we just didn't see that part. 

 

Edited June 27, 2016 by RedHawk

[RedHawk]

The candles in the wildfire were a great idea. I actually was not sure Lancel wouldn't make it and stop the explosion. I mean, I knew he wouldn't but the tension was really there, and possibly he'd blow out at least one. As he crawled I thought for a second that he might succeed, Cersei's plot would be discovered, and it would all "blow up" in her face. Excellent scene.

[STFUFrank]

33 minutes ago, garyvp said:

Truly a great final episode in a truly great season. The writers, cast,and cinematographers have set a very high bar for cable tv. 

Cersei: 'I love the smell of wildfire in the morning. That smell, that gasoline smell.......it smells like.........victory."

And who were all those little birds of Qyburn (Children of The Corn?)? 

So. he doesn't know it, but John's a Stark and a Baratheon and actually could marry his first cousin, but why waste the plot line on romance at this point. When can Bran reveal this to all?

So Arya grabbed a many-faced changing kit on the way out the door?!!  How cool is that. She will be the one to deal with Cersei. And what about Gregor Clegan?  Who else is left on her list?

Will Brienne and Jaime face off again - and as what?

Jeez, it will be a long wait till season 7.....maybe I'll just rewatch the first 6 until then.

Jon isn't a Baratheon. He's a Targaryen and Stark. The son of Lyanna Stark and Rhaeger Targaryen. 

[Primetimer]

But don't worry; there's plenty of fire to keep you warm.

View the full article

[Drogo]

Just now, RedHawk said:

Like taking the Iron Throne, did Arya actually need permission from Jaquen to use the Techniques of Facelessness? I've decided she did learn them while she was in the House of Black and White, we just didn't see that part. 

This actually isn't Arya's first face-steal.  She wore a young girl's face in order to kill Meryn Trant. 

Face Application 101 must be one of the prerequisites for Advanced Stick Fighting and Intermediate Blindness Training. 

[RedHawk]

10 minutes ago, TotalHellion said:

Jon isn't a Baratheon. He's a Targaryen and Stark. The son of Lyanna Stark and Rhaeger Targaryen. 

I think the reason some viewers are still confused about Jon's father is because it was very hard to hear what Lyanna said to Ned, and it was only bits of conversation anyway, right? We didn't actually hear her say, "The child is Rhaegar's" did we? It's just that many of us have heard the "R+L=J" fan theory (Rhaegar + Lyanna = Jon) and now believe that it's been confirmed. If you haven't heard much about that theory, you could still think the baby was Robert Baratheon's.

1 minute ago, Drogo said:

This actually isn't Arya's first face-steal.  She wore a young girl's face in order to kill Meryn Trant. 

Face Application 101 must be one of the prerequisites for Advanced Stick Fighting and Intermediate Blindness Training. 

Thank you! I thought she had done that before.

Edited June 27, 2016 by RedHawk

[Duke Silver]

O.k., that was awesome.  I found most of the past two seasons to be a trudging bore, but when this show decides to unleash, it does it as well as anything we've ever seen on TV.

--The Sept goes BOOM!! scene was cinematic as they come.  It is the best single scene I can recall ever seeing on TV.  Every part of it was perfect from the music, the design, the editing.  Everything.

--Agree w/ the Lyanna Mormont love.  About 5 minutes of screen time, and she is already one of my favorites.

--We had, what?, 9 legit/important characters die in this episode?  Amazing.

So we'll get something like 12 more total episodes through the series finale, I'm guessing.  It's gonna be a hell of a ride these next two half-seasons (I'm basing this totally off assumptions I'm making).

Edited June 27, 2016 by Duke Silver

[Pop Tart]

Quote

I just realized that Bronn ALMOST hit on Arya (in disguise). Would have loved to have seen that scene.

What I find interesting is that in that scene Bronn is mentioning how the serving girl only has eyes for Jamie. But now we know she's Arya, so her eyeing Jamie was a lot more in the "hmm, who to kill first, you or Walder" mode then it was in the "I want you". Jamie is on her list, isn't he?

[deedee]

Davos was heartbreaking in that scene where he confronts the red witch. I can only hope that he gets the opportunity to spend some time with Lyanna
Mormant. They seemed to have a nice connection.

Was Arya thinking about killing Jamie? She was giving him the eye when he was talking to Bronn.

[RedHawk]

2 minutes ago, Pop Tart said:

What I find interesting is that in that scene Bronn is mentioning how the serving girl only has eyes for Jamie. But now we know she's Arya, so her eyeing Jamie was a lot more in the "hmm, who to kill first, you or Walder" mode then it was in the "I want you". Jamie is on her list, isn't he?

Oh, good point! 

Is he? Cersei is but maybe not Jaime. I was trying to remember the List. You'd think I could, having heard it enough!

Edited June 27, 2016 by RedHawk

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Quote

Jamie is on her list, isn't he?

No, Jaime never made it onto her list.

ETA: Arya's list:

Joffrey (killed by Lady Olenna/Littlefinger)
Cersei
Walder Frey (killed by Arya)
Meryn Trant (killed by Arya)
Tywin Lannister (killed by Tyrion)
The Red Woman
Beric Dondarrion (killed six times but resurrected by Thoros)
Thoros of Myr
Ilyn Payne
The Mountain (killed by Oberyn Martell but resurrected by Qyburn)
The Hound
The Tickler (killed by Jaqen H'gher at Arya's request)
Polliver (killed by Arya)

Edited June 27, 2016 by ElectricBoogaloo

[Cyranetta]

This was an amazing collection of images, juxtapostions, contrasts and emotional moments.

There were certain visual elements that kept repeating in an almost musical fashion – the use of overwhelming interiors like a kettle drum, and a glass of red wine like a marimba. (The music itself was amazing, sweeping movements departing from the usual theme songs.)

I wonder how many others were on the edge of their seat watching the credits to make sure that the flaye-man sigil was gone from the Winterfell model?

The opening scenes at Kings Landing were an odd combination of detachment and extreme closeup (maybe as a signal that there would be no escape from the consequences). The way the camera lingered on various moments of getting dressed was reminiscent of knights getting armored for battle.

The “little birds” inherited from Varys show that they have beaks and claws (and are perhaps a feral forerunner of what Arya has become).

The green fire acts to mirror the rot in the whole system, even though its use is occasioned by Cersei, she didn't put it in place. However, there is something particularly vile about Cersei's use of the Mountain to punish the Septa with rape, so the rottenness of the city is not strictly a Targaryen leftover.
Tommen's exit is inevitable, and only startling because of its calm and quiet.

At the Citadel, the Maester's comment about “This is irregular” made me think he hasn't even begun to be confronted with the massive amounts of “irregularity” to come. The library's books contain so much knowledge (much of it likely quite “irregular”), and if it could be easily accessed, it might bring down political and social structures much the same way as the green fire brought down stone buildings.

Melisandre's confession mirrored Loras Tyrell's, although hers was more voluntary. 

Tyrion kneeling in fealty to Daenerys mirrored Loras again, and again there was a contrast in compulsion.

Arya's dispatch of Walter Frey certainly showed what a good student she is (and her amazing recuperative powers!), since she not only put into practice lessons from The Many-Faced God but also her time as Tywin Lannister's page. I just wonder if there was a copy of the Westerosi Titus Andronicus in the House of Black and White to inspire her baking efforts.

Sansa in the Weirwood represents another contrast – what do characters believe vs. what do they want? It also is a neat segue to Bran's final revelation of Jon Snow's true origin, and several neat segues follow – the baby's face to Jon's adult face, and one Lyanna giving birth to another Lyanna assisting in the “birth” of a new King of the North (and I want Lady Mormont to have conversations with practically every  other character in the show, since she's such a compelling and unusual character).

The final scene of the ships assembled acted like a callback to the opening credits. The pieces have been assembled, so on with the show (although the dignified picture was momentarily broken with the dragon's playing in the waves).

As a season finale I found it immensely satisfying, with just enough resolution to counter the forward momentum into next season.

[dmc]

So many thoughts???

First, why Tommen kill himself?

Why is Arya sending flirtatious looks Jaime's way?

[RedHawk]

13 minutes ago, Duke Silver said:

O.k., that was awesome.  I found most of the past two seasons to be a trudging bore, but when this show decides to unleash, it does it as well as anything we've ever seen on TV.

--The Sept goes BOOM!! scene was cinematic as they come.  It is the best single scene I can recall ever seeing on TV.  Every part of it was perfect from the music, the design, the editing.  Everything.

--Agree w/ the Lyanna Mormont love.  About 5 minutes of screen time, and she is already one of my favorites.

--We had, what?, 9 legit/important characters die in this episode?  Amazing.

So we'll get something like 12 more total episodes through the series finale, I'm guessing.  It's gonna be a hell of a ride these next two half-seasons (I'm basing this totally off assumptions I'm making).

In honor of the extinguished High Sparrow's Cult of the Seven, and because frickin' greedy HBO is breaking the final season into two halves, I hope we get 7 and 7 episodes. 

Of all the dead and near-dead (Septa Unella), the only one I'll miss is Margery. Poor Tommen was a sweet boy, far too naive for the Game of Thrones, and I knew the Prophesy was gonna get him. His suicide scene was marvelous and chilling. 

Still wondering why they couldn't have had the High Sparrow realize that Margery not only had played him (I think he did get that) but was totally right in that doom was impending, so that he made a moment-too-late order to let everyone leave. They couldn't have gotten far enough to escape the fire-blast anyway. There was tension in watching his face as he tried to figure it all out, but his realization that he was done for, and by Cersei, would have been more satisfying to me.

Edited June 27, 2016 by RedHawk

[GrailKing]

2 hours ago, SimoneS said:

Unfortunately, there are important elements that need to put into dialogue for some fans or that "ah ah" moment passing over their heads. I knew there would be still people wondering who Jon's father is or wanting confirmation even though the show made it clear.

I agree but in my case, my wife figured it out between the crypt scene with Robert and Ned and the talk Ned had with Jon as they all left Winterfell.

She doesn't read and she's not a fan of GOT type films.

If she figured it out as a person who may see an episode 1 or twice a mont I say the show people got the job done.

[RedHawk]

10 minutes ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

No, Jaime never made it onto her list.

Then he ain't all bad!

[MissLucas]

The score in this episode was out of this world - that beautiful piano/cello piece accompanying the scenes in King's Landing at the beginning was so ethereal (and in complete contrast to what was going on). The score to Cersei's crowning sequence actually picked the theme up with some variations and gave it a darker twist. Girl got the best music this episode and a killer dress (on a shallow note I'd like to have that cocktail ring she put on in the dressing scene). I also liked the shot of her walking towards the throne and the swords for a moment framing her head like a crown.

Daenerys presenting Tyrion with the Hand sigil/brooch made me a bit teary - great scene. The room where they had their little convo was beautifully shot and then have Tyrion stand on the steps so that he was almost eye-to-eye with her was fantastic blocking. But what really made the scene so touching to me was Daenerys' admitting that she was not sure the design was right  - a little reminder how foreign her supposed home is to her and a rare moment of vulnerability. Beautifully played by both actors.

I thought it a bit ironic to get all the Northern Lords declaring allegiance to Jon Snow as the heir of house Stark immediately after that shot of NotMysteryBaby merging into Jon Snow. I wonder if the truth about his parentage will make things harder for him in the North and easier in the South.

The biggest surprise of this episode for me was Littlefinger telling Sansa he wants to sit on the Iron Throne. I sure as hell expected him to tell her he wanted her love but she was just an afterhought and he admitted it. Littlefinger being honest is a truly shocking thing to see - and his feelings for Sansa might lead to his downfall. So she has to tread carefully but from what we've seen this episode she's fully aware of the danger. She kept him at arm's bay without telling him to f*** off and during the King of the North declaration she did not forget his presence and what it could mean for Jon and her.

(I find Bron's attempts to get Jaimie some 'action' a bit tragic. I think Bron has realized the iron hold Cersei has over Jaimie and this is his clumsy way of trying to save the man.)

Great, great episode - and I guess this is my favorite season for many reasons but mostly because Daenerys is finally on her way and so is Winter, two things we were waiting for since season one.

Edited June 27, 2016 by MissLucas