Bring on the blood and gore
Touch of nostalgia in the last season of ‘GoT’, but where is the heartbreak and betrayal?
NOSTALGIA is a big trend these days. We are somehow harking back to those times, when life was simple.
Everything from our clothes, food and music to the content we consume is somehow inspired by the recent past. And that’s what I took from the first episode of the final season of Game of Thrones.
The very first episode of the show took place in Winterfell, where King Robert Baratheon and his family came to visit his old friend Eddard Stark. One of the things that stuck out for me in that episode was a young Bran Stark, climbing the castle’s turrets and walls to spot the king’s entourage.
That happened again in this episode, where a young Northern boy was curious about the arrival of Jon Snow, Daenerys Targyren and the whole crew, including the Unsullied and the Dothraki. He climbed a tree to get a better view, similar to what Bran had done 69 episodes ago. The hark back to the first episode didn’t end there. The final scene, had Bran and Jaime Lamnister locking eyes, with Jaime looking terrified and Bran serene. It was a far cry from the final scene of the first episode, where Jaime pushes Bran from a tower, crippling him and saying: “The things I do for love.” There was none of that bravado, only terror.
I strongly feel that Bran will be the voice of reason this season. No sooner had Jon and Dany arrived when he was quick to remind everyone of the danger at hand: the Night King had a dragon, the wall was down and there wasn’t any more time for pleasantries. “We don’t have the time for this,” he says.
It’s also Bran who urges Samwell Tarly, shortly after Sam finds out Dany killed her father and younger brother, to tell Jon the truth about him, the rightful heir to the Seven Kingdoms. He’s clearly all about business this season and making sure everyone’s prepared for the war.
Speaking of the danger, I was surprised we didn’t get to see the White Walkers in this episode. I would have thought they would have shown their progress. However, the Night King and his walkers left a message for the Night’s Watch at Last Hearth, the seat of the Umbers at Northern house.
Dismembered body parts arranged in a spiral shape around the undead Lord Umber, a young boy we had been introduced to earlier in the episode. This shape was different from the usual message the White Walkers leave. This was alarmingly similar to the Targaryen sigil, but I may be mistaken. But what do these signs mean? Surely there’s someone who should be able to decipher these now? Where are the Red Priestesses when you need them?
It was good to see that our favourites didn’t die when Viserion burnt down the wall. Tormund, Beric Dondarion and Edd of the Night’s Watch are all alive and continue the fight for the living. I also enjoyed the many reunions that happened in this episode and there’s more to come.
Cersei Lannister as always is an interesting character and this season she’s all about the bottom line: she wants to wait out the war in the North. When Maester Querburn informed her that the wall had fallen, she smiled and said: “Good.”
She now has her Golden Company mercenaries, brought across the sea by Euron Greyjoy. However, she’s upset that there are no elephants. She was promised elephants. Even when she finally relents to sleeping with Euron, she can’t help but mention her disappointment about the elephants for the second time.
The 7th season ended with Jon and Daenerys together and that hasn’t changed. It has brought a lot of discomfort to the Northern Lords how quickly Jon bent the knee to Daenerys when he had been named the King in the North.
The ever-brave Lyanna Mormont confronts Jon in front of Sansa, Daenerys and all the important council members about Jon’s decision. It’s a thread that runs all episode long – where do Jon’s loyalties lie? With the Dragon Queen or with his family?
The reunion with Arya sees Jon being reminded of the importance of family.
With him knowing the truth, that he is Aegon Targaryen, rightful ruler of the Seven Kingdoms, it is bound to have a huge effect in his relationship with Daenerys.
With five episodes remaining, I hope they are ready to finally give the fans some action. Bring on the blood and gore, the betrayals, the heartbreak and consequences that
famous for.