S08.E05: The Bells

[dbell1]

Did Martin really plan the ending like this? Because seriously fuck him. I rescheduled my vacation so I'd be able to watch the finale. That's a bloody mistake.

And bye Qyuburn, killed by your creation, how original.

[tennisgurl]

D&D, first of their names, assassins of characters, butchers of development, writers of awful fight scenes, killers of great shows. 

[mojoween]

I thought this ep was a hot mess and I'm going to need a page or six more explanation of what the fuck happened with Varys.

The credits say D & D wrote this but I would like some proof.

[One Tough Cookie]

Well, and LEAST we got rid of Urine!

[MVFrostsMyPie]

Dany's mad queen was modeled after Lala from Vanderpump Rules, after anyone dares to mention her dead father.

[Clanstarling]

I loved the last scene with Tyrion and Jaimie - the only scene I've choked up about for most of the season.

I liked it - though I found Dany's sudden tactical skills against the fleet and dragon spears a little hard to buy. I found it pretty riveting but then I wasn't championing one character or another, and frankly I think it was all foreshadowed from the get-go.

The biggest thing I was disappointed in was Cersei's ending. She didn't deserve it. That is to say, she deserved a lot worse.

Edited May 13, 2019 by Clanstarling

[cambridgeguy]

Dany's going to want Sansa executed, isn't she?  She (correctly) thinks Jon and Tyrion are idiots who were played by her so she can excuse that but there's no way she can let Sansa off the hook if she truly believes this was her plot to have Jon usurp her.

I bet Jon wishes Arya had waited a few seconds longer and let Viserion bake him before she killed the NK. 

[LoveLeigh]

1 minute ago, Neurochick said:

I loved the episode because in reality people don’t act the way you want them to.  

I’ve worked with people who’ve done 180s because bad shit happened to them, so I know it happens 8n real life, so this episode didn’t bother me at all.

I am curious for all who hated it, what would you have preferred?

I loved it. I would love it even more if I understood it. 

[Luckylyn]

I was so disappointed by Jaime’s conclusion.  His redemption added up to nothing in the end.  

Cersei deserved a worse death.  At minimum, she should have died alone with Jaime not reaching her in time. 

Jon tends by be motivated by what he believes is the greater good.  He’s been so focused on trying to reassure Dany who he knows is insecure about Jon’s claim to the throne that he’s been hesitant to disagree with her.  Now it’s clear he over that and he’s back to focusing on what he thinks is best.   I can see him going after the throne because he no longer trusts that Dany will be a good queen.   Jon does not seek power because of ambition but will accept power to help others.  

I really hoped Dany’s story would go another way.  She was willing to kill beyond what was necessary to win.  I bet Dany’s at the top of Arya’s list now.

Dany had a vision of an empty Iron Throne covered in snow in I don’t remember which season.  I think it symbolizes Jon Snow taking the Iron Throne but ultimately giving it up in favor of something more democratic.

Jon should be very worried about Sansa.  I think Dany’s a point where she’d kill her.  

[Clanstarling]

Just now, One Tough Cookie said:

Well, and LEAST we got rid of Urine!

Cersei's death should have been as satisfying.

[Lemuria]

4 minutes ago, dbell1 said:

And how did Arya survive AND find a white horse? Why not a flipping unicorn.

Pretty much the same way she got past all the NK's generals and a portion of his army in that relatively small Weirwood without anyone noticing her dragging the trampoline she jumped from.

[Lillith]

I'm not the purist some people are, I didn't hate last season, I didn't even hate all of last week's episode. This I hated. The actors did their best but not one damn thing made sense for the characters. Varys is the sneaky spider for YEARS and is found out immediately, Dany goes insane in two days and commits the firebombing of of fucking Dresden? The Unsullied, the most disciplined soldiers ever massacre soldiers who've surrendered? Jaime heads back to Cersei and they die together and in lurve. Arya is the only person not burned to death and finds a white fucking horse she trots off on. Only Davos was remotely in character. This episode was a pile of bad. 

[kieyra]

I’m not sure but I think we just witnessed the end of Peak TV.

[Scout Finch]

WTF?!?

[Leroux]

6 minutes ago, gooberfish said:

There’s going to be a spat between Auntie and Nephew.

Probably not, Jon loves his Queen and didn't blink an eye when Varys was burned to a crisp.

I hope he knows that the next one in front of Drogon is going to be Sansa. 

He probably won't care, as long as Daenerys gets to sit on her throne we all should be happy. 

[Sakura12]

Of course the remaining Starks will be the last ones standing. Cersei and Jamie get a romantic end and Dany went mad for no reason other than D&D wanted her too.

[Conan Troutman]

Okay I did not expect Dany to goll full on bonkers like that. What was even the point? The city has fallen, what did she want to accomplish? I could've taken five minutes less carnage for an explanation on what the hell her motivation was. Or is she just completely bananas now? 

I really liked the Arya/Hound parts (no surprise). Arya walking away from Cersei so she could be the angel of life was a nice almost-ending to her journey. Of course, this being Game of Thrones, everybody died anyways, so it was a gesture I guess?

Jaime offing Euron felt natural, the fight a bit less so - Euron should've kicked Jaime's ass easily. But I'll take it. Jaime and Cersei dying together like that wasn't how I pictured it, but I liked it. Felt like an ending that made sense for Jaime, although a bit rushed (that's more on last week's episode though). 

[mledawn]

I thought last week's episode was my least favourite episode of Game of Thrones, but then I saw THIS episode.

Such trash. Why would you rush the ending on such a fantastic series? One more episode, what else can get fucked up...

[jmnf19]

So is this the actual finale and next week is just a documentary about the show? Or is there one more episode?

Edited May 13, 2019 by jmnf19

[watchTV]

Of course it was coming! All the animosity towards Dany before this episode was a build up. The writers intended to turn her into the mad queen all along. They made sure Dany did it after the surrender so people would see her as a monster. But the icing on this disgusting cake is they  ensured Arya witnessed her atrocities up close so that their disastrous story would have an escape. If Arya kills her then the girl took care of the other girl. It creates an opening. Enter the king Aegon Targaryen.

Summary of episode: A big WTF!?

[tennisgurl]

So the great theme of the whole show turned out to be...bitches be crazy? 

Edited May 13, 2019 by tennisgurl

[GodsBeloved]

8 minutes ago, bluvelvet said:

Also Arya has to be one of the LUCKIEST mofo's out there..

[Fallacy]

This is some shit. I really thought Dany was going to stop once Cersei’s army surrendered, but nope, she burned the entire city because....why exactly?!? I get that the Targeryans were one screwed up dynasty, so this story wasn’t about returning the last member of that crazy ass family back to the throne. But then the show needed do a much much better job of developing Dany’s descent into full mad queen. Man I’m pissed. 

[Brn2bwild]

7 minutes ago, DakotaLavender said:

I did not even understand it.... stupid me. Was Tyrion a traitor? Was he trying to have Jamie orchestrate a false surrender? Is that why Cersei looked so smug at first? 

Did I say I am confused? 

And why was Varys killed? Because he spilled the beans about Jon? 

That, and wasn't he also trying to get his "little bird" to poison Dany?

[StarBrand]

I'm not sure what to think of all that. It's rather disheartening to me to see Dany go full out nuts on the whole fucking city.

I did like CleaganeBowl. I did like the scene between Jamie and Tyrion.  It was worth it  to to see Ceresei scared shitless.

But what's the point now? King's Landing is ashes, and if anyone is King/Queen, what are they Lords of?

I

[revbfc]

I actually dig that it was the bells that really set off Daenerys.  I don’t like it, but I can dig it.  Who makes the decisions?  She does!  No mob of people is going to decide who’s queen, she will.  It’s horrifying, barbaric, unforgivable, and I hope she gets killed next week, but I totally get why she did what she did.

[Neurochick]

I didn’t see Dany as going mad.  If you saw basically two of your children murdered in front of you, would you be all, “okay, it’s all good?”

But I ask again, how would you have changed the episode?

[bluvelvet]

I guess I am the only one who isn't surprised Dany ended up here but they got there in the worst possible way, that it makes no sense.  Way too rushed and very anti-climatic.

Dany is the product of years of incest, she is used to being admired and now she isn't being admired and the entitled crazy came out.  I think she was crazy with grief and not thinking rationally!

Tyrion let Jaime out because he wanted to save KL but it didn't work..

Cersei was always a coward, no surprise that she died crying...very unsatisfied with her death..

Edited May 13, 2019 by bluvelvet

[ShellsandCheese]

Dany still isn't mad. She did that shit on purpose. It's insulting to suggest that she's gone mad, she has not gone mad and she is not mad. She's angry, hurt, and upset about everything she's lost but she's not mad. I know I'm supposed to hate her after this episode, but I can't even be bothered. Varys, Tyrion, Sansa, etc - none of them really care about the regular folk.  She should have burned it all down and said fuck it and went back to Essos. 

[Popples]

2 minutes ago, jmnf19 said:

So is this the actual finale and next week is just a documentary about the show? Or is there one more episode?

One more episode, then the documentary the week after that.

[AuxArx]

I didn't think it was that terrible.  I was on the edge of my seat for most of it. 

Loved the Lannister brothers saying good-bye.

Hid my face when The Mountain started to squish The Hound's eyes.  And that is one ugly dude.  Looked up the actor and he's only 30 years old!  I'm going to go to my rocking chair and stay for awhile now.

Really disappointed in Jaime.  He's always been a favorite (mainly, and I mentioned this a couple episodes back, because I'm shallow and like to look at him) but they ruined him.  I was so sure he was a changed man for the last few seasons, and suddenly he's back with his evil sister.  I was so hoping he'd be faking us all out and would cut her throat.  Oh well...

Was that wildfire I glimpsed in some of the shots?

Were there Dothraki in Dany's army?  I thought they all died in the third episode.

I know Grey Worm and Dany were all mad about Messandei and all, but did they have to go full-on crazy killers?  Not cool, Dany, burning everyone after they surrendered.

Still can't wait for the finale.  I've stuck it out this long; I want to see how it ends, even if I'll be sad to see it go (and a little upset with some of the decisions made for certain characters).

Edited May 13, 2019 by AuxArx

[Lemuria]

11 minutes ago, MissLucas said:

Guess we needed that pale rider.

Except she didn't do anything in this ep except talk big, and then run around looking scared.  Assassination is one thing; battle is something else again.

Edited May 13, 2019 by Lemuria

[Katalina]

RIP Sandor and Varys. I was really hoping the Hound would somehow survive.

Many seasons ago, one of Bran's visions was of snow blowing over the iron throne, but after

tonight, I'm thinking it was ashes.

And I hope Tyrion is alive. In spite of his part being written as not-too-bright these last few episodes, he's still a smart character and I want him to survive.

And Arya----what a survivor. May she survive the rest of the show. Some of the characters I care about have to make it!

[catrice2]

11 minutes ago, Growsonwalls said:

FUCK THAT EPISODE.

8 years of character building and they decided to assassinate everyone's character in one episode.

Where do I begin?

Jaime's redemption arc killed by him crawling back to Cersei and having us believe that this sick twisted relationship which Jaime finally severed was The Greatest Love of All.

Cersei, the sickest, most ruthless queen crying romantically in Jaime's arms. Wtf? 

Dany's reputation as a fearless and ruthless but ultimately humane queen ruined by her torching a city AFTER THEY SURRENDERED. And she torches innocent women and children yet doesn't torch Cersei who's standing out in the open on a balcony. WHAT IS THAT ALL ABOUT???

And we don't even see Dany's thought process. We just see a dragon torching people for most of the episode. Emilia Clarke deserves better.

Jon Snow being a total spineless bitch who stands around looking confused. You know nothing, Jon Snow.

Tyrion and Varys being traitors so idiotic they'd be like some bumbling buffoons in a movie musical. 

At least we got the Hound dying a heroic death, and Arya showing her humanity till the end. But other than that, I have nothing good to say about this episode. If this is the ending they thought was best, then I don;t think D&D had any clue what was so great about this show.

And humanizing Grey Worm just to turn him into a savage. 

[phoenix780]

I don't know how to feel about that. I mean, we probably aren't heading for a Dexter level finale, but, um. They burned enough anonymous women and children for me to lose support for the dragon queen, yet I still can't root for Jon. Of all of them, he's been the least interesting to me, certainly in comparison to Dany. 

So...huh. I was still riveted. I feel like someone can write a really great essay about how we wound up with two mad queens and dudes trying to calm them down. I'm looking forward to the finale. I just have no idea what outcome to even hope for, let alone expect. 

[Growsonwalls]

1 minute ago, Neurochick said:

I didn’t see Dany as going mad.  If you saw basically two of your children murdered in front of you, would you be all, “okay, it’s all good?”

But I ask again, how would you have changed the episode?

For starters I would not have had Jaime crawling back to Cersei. 

[Leroux]

10 minutes ago, dbell1 said:

I'm so mad I don't even know where to begin right now. This is not the show I've watched for eight years. Is Dany so insane that she would burn children? That's not the character we've seen.

And Jaime??? Really, you went back to her? After all the growth he's shown, he went back to Cersie?!?

Clegane bowl happened, and it would have been epic if they hadn't kept cutting to Arya.

And how did Arya survive AND find a white horse? Why not a flipping unicorn.

There was not one moment that I liked tonight. So damned annoyed.

There is no character assassination at all. 

Daenerys has said since her first season that she will get the Iron Throne with Fire and Blood, that she will burn cities to the ground to get what was stolen from her.

This is what Fire and Blood look like, this is what a city burned to the ground means. 

She has never lied, she just did what she said she was going to do. 

[Paws]

I thought It was good. Sorry! Dany has done insane shit for a long time!  

The scene between Jamie and Tyrion was PERFECT.

Just because Jamie changed In his story arc, it makes total sense he’d go back to the person he has loved his WHOLE life. 

Nobody on this show show has been killed by the person we expected to kill them, other than Walter Frey by Arya. I’m Ok w Cersei going out according to her prophecy..her tears turned to ashes, and Jamie died in the arms of the woman he loved.

[GodsBeloved]

How did Dany's men escape the fire and burning buildings? That's all I want to know.

[Katalina]

And yes, I was hoping Jamie went through all that so he could stab Cersei, but no.

[Lillith]

The only thing I'm grateful for is the spoilers of the Dothraki going on a rape rampage were false. 

[Neurochick]

1 minute ago, revbfc said:

I actually dig that it was the bells that really set off Daenerys.  I don’t like it, but I can dig it.  Who makes the decisions?  She does!  No mob of people is going to decide who’s queen, she will.  It’s horrifying, barbaric, unforgivable, and I hope she gets killed next week, but I totally get why she did what she did.

Thank you, I got it too.  Dany was like, fuck all of you. That’s what power can do to someone, especially after what happened to Dany on the last episode.  

I don’t care if I’m the only one, I liked the episode.

[bmoore4026]

Well, other than the Arya scenes, that was a whole shittin' load of disappointment.

However, Dany going Dresden on King's Landing was prophesied in a vision Bran had way back in season 4 or 5, so I was wondering when they were going to get to it.  Really didn't want her to go nuts, though.

You know, I'm beginning to think HBO just doesn't like women.

[LuvScottishAccents]

2 minutes ago, bluvelvet said:

I guess I am the only one who isn't surprised Dany ended up here but they got there in the worst possible way that it makes no sense.  Way too rushed and very anti-climatic.

Dany is the product of years of incest, she is used to being admired and now she isn't being admired and the entitled crazy came out.  I think she was crazy with grief and not thinking rationally!

Tyrion let Jaime out because he wanted to save KL but it didn't work..

Cersei was always a coward, no surprise that she died crying...very unsatisfied with her death..

I wanted her to die slowly and painfully. She got off way too easy.

[Sakura12]

I spent 2 years excitedly waiting for this show to start and in 2 episodes the writers made me not at all excited for the series finale. Congratulations D&D. 

[screamin]

I can't imagine how the penultimate episode of an eight season show, which must therefore pack SO MUCH into its last few hours - managed to drag so. So many slo-mo contemplations of ultra-violence - yes, we got it after the first hour. The ridiculous deja-vu SECOND TIME Arya rises up from the dead covered with more shit than she was covered with the FIRST TIME she rose from the dead covered with shit in the same episode started verging on black comedy - especially when she found a handsome white Mustang parked exactly where she needed it with the keys in the ignition.

I didn't buy Dany's sudden turn to madness. I would've bought it if she'd just decided 'fuck it' and incinerated the Red Keep, wanting to take vengeance on Cersei herself, but the whole city? That isn't Dany, even bereaved, sleep-deprived, starving Dany.

Honestly, I blame Jon a great deal. He wasn't even surprised when Varys started propositioning him for the throne, as if he'd expected it to happen. His wishy-washiness in swearing utter servility to Dany and going along spinelessly with the unnecessary immediate attack while Dany was in very bad condition, his swearing he loves her but then not even really trying to TALK to her when he sees how badly off she is, and what condition she's going to battle in - meh.

The death of Cersei and Jaime was utterly disappointing. 

I did notice there were flares of green explosions throughout the city after the dragon passed over it...was it wildfire? Are we supposed to conclude something about this? Do I care? Not really, but idle curiousity is all I have left when hope for a good story ending is dead.

[kieyra]

I know there’s a certain amount of hubris to being a television fan and saying “I could have written a better episode”.

I could have written a better episode. 

[Scaeva]

Daenerys needs to die. In a singe day she became a worse monster than Cersei and the Night King combined.

I'd be willing to bet that Mad Queen Dany is 100% Martin, but the show didn't really do a good job of selling her pivot toward villainy. Maybe it is a consequence of the short season.

[GodsBeloved]

12 minutes ago, DakotaLavender said:

And why was Varys killed? Because he spilled the beans about Jon? 

I didn't understand that either and Daenarys let off with "Jon betrayed me".

[voiceover]

I know I might be the only member of this club, but I took no joy in CleganeBowl.  Just another example of a blown character arc.

The Hound no longer needed to kill his brother to be a whole person.  His friendship with Ian McShane's character, and his safeguarding of the Stark girls, had made him a good man.  He'd let go of his need to avenge a childhood wrong.  Or so I thought.

Fuck this shit.