I’ve been putting this off for three weeks now, and I can’t take it anymore. Game of Thrones is over, and I need to talk about the show some more!

To say Game of Thrones is the biggest show of the decade would be an understatement; it’s one of the biggest shows of all time. It’s changed our culture in ways that few stories have ever done. The tens of millions of fans, references and parodies by other shows, works by scholars; I could go on! Not to mention that the places they used to film the show got significant boosts in tourism. Croatia and Northern Ireland have websites dedicated to Game of Thrones tourism.

What I’m saying is that this GoT has gotten a lot of love, and that’s why the final season was so divisive. Its sad feeling seeing a story you love end in an unsatisfying manner, and for some, it can sour an otherwise good memory. I’ve spent the past three weeks thinking about that, and I want to give my answer to this question:

Is Game of Thrones Still a Good Show?

The Plot

Few adaptations are capable of carrying over everything from their source material, and Game of Thrones is no exception. The show took liberties with the source material from day one, but they were never too drastic. Some characters got aged up, appearances changed for casting purposes, things like that. As time went on, though, it began to deviate from the books.

Martin gave Weiss and Benioff an outline of how he was going to end the books, and that’s what they used for Season 6 onwards. Which is good and all, but I’m not alone when I say this: they made the final two seasons too short. HBO tried to go for quality over quantity with fewer episodes, but by doing so, they lost both. I liked Season 7, but it was one big event after another. That may work on paper, but in truth, we need extra time to flesh the story out. In short, they should have stayed at the ten episode mark.

You have to admit; though, even at its worst, GoT is still enjoyable to watch. The casting’s amazing, the music is world-class, and the special effects are incredible. It speaks to the high quality of the show when the worst of it is still fun to watch. I still hate Dorne, though.

The Worries about the White Walkers

Depending on how you look at it, the White Walkers are either the best or the worst thing about Game of Thrones. Despite coming from the book, the White Walkers are more of the show’s work. They’re hardly shown in the book, and they don’t have as significant a role as in the show; not yet, at least.

The reason why its a problem is because the show spent so much time building them up as the ultimate big bad of the show. I even considered all the power plays in Westeros as distractions to weaken them for the war against the dead. By Season 7, it was all I cared about. Then in one episode, it ended thanks to the most badass woman in the show, Arya Stark.

I realized then that prophecies in Game of Thrones are worthless. So much Jon being the one to save the day. Then again, since Game of Thrones likes subverting expectations about fantasy, this wouldn’t be out of the question.

Its Take on Medieval Fantasy

Before George R.R. Martin, people would think of medieval fantasy being something like Lord of the Rings or Ivanhoe. Noble heroes fight against evil, epic battles of magic and things. Game of Thrones takes all that and splashes it with a ridiculous dose of reality.

In real life, the medieval world was more or less the same as life has always been: violent and as filled with jerks as it is with good people. More to the point, it’s not a black and white story, either; its grey. As in real life, people sometimes have to do bad things to survive or achieve their goals. As a student of history who has seen some messed up things, I appreciate the fact that they don’t sugar coat anything.

My favorite moment was still The Battle of the Bastards.

My Verdict

So, was the finale to Game of Thrones not what we expected? Yes. Though, the show may have ended up falling victim to its hype. It had become the most excellent show on TV, so expectations for the final season were high, maybe too high ever to meet.

Does the finale make it any less of a show as a whole, though? I can honestly say that, no, it doesn’t.

The show had its fair share of controversies and bad moments before the final season came around, yet it kept going through it all. When you look back on it as a whole, it’s still an incredible story; one of the best stories humanity has ever told, in my opinion. I am upset that we never got to see Jon slay the Night King as I wanted, or Arya kills Cersei, but we can’t get everything. It may have tripped at the finish line, but I still think that Game of Thrones is worth watching. If you don’t agree, then I respect that.

Team Stark 4 Life, people!

One last thing! Did you guys know that there’s a hand-woven tapestry that depicts the events of the show? I’m serious! Located in a museum in Belfast, Northern Ireland, the Game of Thrones Tapestry was modeled after the Bayeux Tapestry in France. It has all the big moments from the show on it up to the end of Season 7, and they’ll be adding the final season soon. Click the link below to see the website about it:

Cool Game of Thrones Tapestry

Game of Thrones, Season 8, Episode 3 Review

Again, I have to apologize for this. You’d think with how much I love Game of Thrones, this would be the highest priority. But then I worry that I won’t write it right, stuff piles up, and this happens.

More to the point, I needed a couple of days to process what happened. The show had been building up to this moment since the very first scene. Then HBO said that this was going to rival the Battle of Helm’s Deep in the Lord of the Rings films. That this was going to be the longest continous battle in television history. Game of Thrones had a lot to ride on. The question is, were they able to live up to the hype?

The short answer is, yes and no. To better explain, let’s head back to the start of “The Long Night”.

As stated last episode, the army at Winterfell can’t win a head on fight. Numbers aside, the enemy has no fear or rational thinking. The plan is to lure the Night King to Bran, then Jon and Daenerys will swoop in on Drogon and Rhaegal and kill him.

Right away, things don’t go the way I expected when Melisandre shows up. I had a hunch that she would show up, but instead of bringing a couple thousand Red Priests as help, it’s only her.

I wanted to see the Red Priests play a role in the Great War since they talked about fighting the darkness. In the end, though, I had to settle with Melisandre lighting all the Dothraki’s swords on fire, which was awesome.

For a brief moment, I thought that things would work out as the Dothraki charged at the enemy. Then I remembered that this was Game of Thrones.

This is what I thought when I saw the Dothraki’s swords go out one by one:

Then the plan falls apart when Daenerys charges into battle anyway. We all get where she’s coming from, but she has a history of letting her emotions get the best of her.

When the Wights appear out of darkness, I thought it was like watching a wave of evil crashing on a shore. It was terrifying to watch, but it would have been scarier if we could actually see them!

I don’t know if they wanted to make the moment even more terrifying, but it was pointless if we couldn’t see a thing. I hope HBO fixes that in future releases. Thank god we had Drogon and Rhaegal to light it up. But then the dragons and their riders got caught in a snowstorm the Night King created.

From that moment on, the battle turned into a scene from hell. Fires burning in the distance, the dim lights, and the snow looked like ash. That was a good way to use the low lights; it conveyed a sense of terror, a feeling of true hopelessness.

When faced with despair, the cast reacted in different ways, but the one who took it best was Arya Stark. She was by far the best fighter in the episode, killing dozens of wights, sneaking past them, and being a master assassin. Then the one moment when she almost gave up, all it took was Melisandre reminding her what Syrio Forel said.

What do we say to death? Not today.

There were plenty of awesome moments in this episode, but aside from Arya proving she was co-mvp, the biggest was the fight against the Night King. In the series’ lore, the last time the world had seen dragons fight each other was in the Dance of Dragons 150 years ago. The fight, while short, didn’t disappoint, and the heroes almost beat the Night King.

Then we saw that it was all a red herring. As it turns out, not even dragonfire can stop the Night King, and seeing him just smirking in the flames scared me. A LOT. Then when I saw Jon chasing after the Night King, I thought, like many people, that this was it. the fight between Jon and the Night King that we had waited for all this time.

As much of a buzzkill that was, I have to give the show props for making the Night King smart enough to not fight Jon. Jon would need one hit to end him, and with him pinned by Viserion, that wasn’t happening.

Despite all their efforts, it looked like the Night King was going to win. The heroes were on their last legs or too far away from Bran to save him. Then I realized something: we hadn’t seen Arya in a while, and I realized what was about to happen.

A master assassin only needs one moment to strike. And while the White Walkers were focused on Bran, Arya reminded us what we say to death: not today.
Just like that, it was over. With one lightning stike, Arya had slain the Night King. It’s ironic that she used the blade that had caused her family so much.
I hereby dub Arya “Arya Stark the Nightkiller”.

As the credits rolled, so many thoughts raced through my head. I loved seeing Arya become the Nightkiller, but it also felt a little anti-climactic, and disappointing that we didn’t get an epic sword fight between Jon and the Night King. Then again, this is Game of Thrones, and Game of Thrones is all about taking the medieval fantasy and throwing it on its head. So, it makes sense, in a way. And it cements Arya Stark as one of the best assassin’s in fictional history.

So in the end, was this the battle that HBO promised us? It did live up to the hype at times, but it was also hindered by the poor lighting, and the ending seems anti-climactic. But let’s not forget that while the White Walkers were always going to be a major plot point, they weren’t going to be the end all for the show. This show has always been about one thing: the Throne and who sits on it. And while I may have some issues with the episode, I will not deny that I was entertained from start to finish.

Valar Morguhils

I Give “The Long Night” A 3/5. Fix the darn lighting already, and give me the head of Cersei

Stray Observations

• Just once, couldn’t we just let Ghost fight in a battle? For god’s sake, we don’t even see him again
• A lot of people agree that the “tactics” the living used were idiotic.
• I’m almost tempted to just bail on the show now that the White Walker’s are dead. Only thing keeping me here is the hope of seeing Cersei dead.
• RIP House Mormont, Beric Dondarrion, Melisandre, Dolorous Edd, Qono, and Theon Greyjoy. You didn’t die in vain.

Game of Thrones, Season 8, Episode 1 Review

After eight years, sixty-eight episodes, and more deaths than I can name off the top of my head, the end is here. The Wall has fallen, and the Night King leads his undead army south to conquer Westeros. Now the Seven Kingdoms must put aside the fact that they’ve been at each others throats for years and fight as one. With only six episodes left, the final season of Game of Thrones needs to end in a way that will please most of the fans.

Despite the urgency in the show and in real life, the first episode of Game of Thrones’ final season is a slow burn. That’s a good thing, though! Given what’s about to happen, now is the time to wrap up any remaining plot threads before the final battle. With almost all the surviving cast converging on or at Winterfell, this was the right time to focus on tying up loose ends.

The first scene was a virtual book-end to the first episode. Mirroring King Robert’s arrival in Winterfell in the first episode, Jon, Daenerys, and all the people in their camp arrive in Winterfell. Daenerys’ arrival is as different from Robert’s as summer and winter. The North remembers, and while we know that Daenerys isn’t a tyrant like her father, it will take time to earn everyone’s trust.

Speaking of trust, Euron came through for Cersei and got her the Golden Company. What’s more, she seems to be willing to fulfill her promise to marry Euron, her only big ally left. As for Jaime, she now considers even him an enemy, to the point where she tries to convince Bron to kill him and Tyrion if the White Walkers don’t. Aboard the Iron Fleet, a smaller reunion takes place as Theon manages to quickly rescue Yara.

I’ve long considered the Greyjoys story to be among the show’s weak points, but in spite of that, I had hoped otherwise. I thought that Theon would rescue Yara and they would end up killing their uncle, but I’m quickly remined that that doesn’t happen in Game of Thrones. With Yara departing to retake the Iron Islands, we may not even see her the final episode, if at all. As for Theon, he’s going to fight at Winterfell, and I’m almost certain he’s going to die there.

The rest of the episode, though, focuses on what it needs to: reunions, revelations, and first meetings. A lot of the show’s caast met each other for the first time in years, and it was fun to see. The moment that made the Internet lose it, though, was the reunion between Jon and Arya. Arya’s road has been dark and bloody and has hardened her heart. Yet when I saw her face light up as she ran into Jon’s arms, I could see the little girl she once was. Which made me even more upset at when Arya subtly told Jon to never forget who his family was.

Now, let’s talk about the scene we’re all here for: Jon Snow knows something. I admit, I did not expect it to happen the way it did, and it was upsetting that Sam had to tell Jon right after learning that Daenerys killed his father and brother. It almost like it was done out of spite, something I didn’t think Sam was capable of. But my concerns over that, though, vanished when I saw the look on Jon’s face when Sam told him the truth: he was the son Rhaegar Tarygaryen and Lyanna Stark. His face twisted into one of confusion, then shock, and then disbelief.

What he did next I didn’t expect: he was shocked, but about the fact that Ned Stark lied to him his entire life. If you know Jon Snow, then you know that Ned Stark wasn’t just his father-figure, he was his hero and role model. From the moment he left Winterfell, he’s tried to honor what Ned taught him. Once that sinks in, he refuse to accept the truth of his heritage, declaring Daenerys to be his Queen, despite Sam’s insistence.

Earlier in this same scene, Sam told Jon that he’s “always been a king”. Sam was right: time and time again, Jon has proven himself to be a king. When he sees something wrong, he’s the first to speak up about it or fight over it. He’s the first to jump into battle, and inspires loyalty in those who follow him. And unlike a lot of the king’s on this show, he has a moral compass and will follow it.
Jon has many of the qualities that would make for a good king; given practice and help from Sansa, he could learn how to deal with politics.

There’s one quality about Jon that Daenerys, Cersei, and Euron don’t have, though: he doesn’t want to be king. He’s smart enough to know that being a king stinks. It’s a lot of hard work that involves making morally questionable choices and putting up with people you hate. And now that he’s being told that he’s the rightful king of the Seven Kingdoms, he wants nothing to do with it.

He might not have a choice, though. I’ve come to the conclusion that either he or Daenerys will not survive the final season, and that the one who survives will be the best claimant to the Iron Throne. It’s just a question of whom, and we have five episodes left to answer that.

So yes, this episode was slow, and considering what’s at stake, that might not be for everyone. I understand how important it is for this episode to be a slow burn: because of what’s coming. In one week’s time, the Seven Kingdoms are going to experience the biggest storm television has ever seen. We need these last moments of calm before that happens, and I’m grateful the show knew this.

In short, I loved this episode. Everything was well-written and thought out, moments fans have dreamed of for years happened before our eyes, and the actors gave it their all. Even the one part I didn’t like with Theon and Yara didn’t last long.

I Give “Winterfell” a 5 out of 5.

Stray Observations

• Cersei really wanted those elephants.
• Remember Ed Sheeran and that awful cameo he made last season? Turns out his character’s alive, but he got his eyelids burned off by Drogon
• Rest In Peace, Ned Umber, the first casualty of the final season

6 Biggest Deaths from Season Six of Game of Thrones

Season Six of Game of Thrones had a lot of big deaths as the status quo was once again upended. Then again, this is Game of Thrones, so there really is no status quo, is there? Aside from being my favorite season, Season Six also saw the deaths of several people that I hated. With two days left until the final season, here are the six biggest deaths of Season Six.

#6- The High Sparrow and Everyone Else, “The Winds of Winter”

When Cersei Lannister’s finally backed into a corner by the High Sparrow, what does she end up doing? Destroys everyone and everything that gets in her way. This time, though, she does it on a bigger scale. Using the wildfire caches hidden under the city, Cersei blows up the Sept of Baelor, killing the High Sparrow, Loras, Margarery, and Mace Tyrell, Kevan and Lancel Lannister, and who knows how many others.

This may have been the single greatest killing of major characters the show had seen since the Red Wedding. I had no love for the High Sparrow; I have read enough history books to know what happens when religious factions go too far. But to go that far just to kill a few people? There are no boundaries that Cersei Lanniset will not cross.

#5- Tommen Baratheon, “The Winds of Winter”

Picking up on the deaths of everyone in the Sept of Baelor, King Tommen is completely shattered. He just lost his wife, his faith, and half of his family. Emotionally shattered and unable to go on, Tommen chooses to commit suicide, jumping out his window to his death.

This was a very tragic moment. Unlike his brother, Tommen was actually a good and gentle person. This show has a habit of eating those people alive, though, and he fell under the manipulations of the Tyrells and then the Sparrows. The worst part to all of this, though, is the fact that he died knowing that it was his mother who was the cause for all this.

#4- Roose Bolton, “Home”

This man had it coming for years. Reviled for his killing of Robb Stark at the Red Wedding, Roose Bolton was declared the new Warden of the North, only to have that claim contested by the fact that the Northern Lords hated his guts. His attempts to secure his position by having his son Ramsay marry Sansa backfire with her escape. When it looks like Roose will pass over Ramsay in favor of his newborn son, Ramsay kills his own father via knife to the heart.

This death is notably ironic, given that Roose died the same way he killed Robb Stark. While I have no lost love for seeing him die, as another person got crossed off my hate list, it serves to prove a point: that Ramsay Bolton was too evil for even the ruthless Roose to control. This moment would end up leading to the extinction of House Bolton, something Roose tried so hard to avoid.

#3- Balon Greyjoy, “Home”

After failing in his second rebellion against Westeros, Balon Greyjoy decides to continue trying just for the heck of it. Then, he is met by his younger brother, Euron. When Euron makes his intent to usurp him known, a brief scuffle ensues, only for Balon to be thrown from the rope bridge to his death.

I’m just going to say it: Balon Greyjoy was an idiot. He had no plans for the Iron Islands beyond his petty conquests in the North, causing pointless deaths and exhausting what little resources he had. He was incompetent ruler, and considering he’s partially responsible for how Theon turned out, I wasn’t sad to see him go.

#2- Walder Frey, “The Winds of Winter”

It was hard choosing between this and my number one pick, but I think I made the right choice. After managing to secure Riverrun, the vile Walder Frey his hold on the Riverlands is secured. As he’s waiting for his sons to join him for dinner, he is horrified to find that they have been baked into the pie he is eating. He is then terrified to learn that the servant who gave him the pie is none other than Arya Stark, who proceeds to taunt him before ending his wretched life.

This was quite possibly the icing on the cake to an incredible season for me. With Walder Frey’s death, all of the people who were responsible for the massacre of the Red Wedding had met their ends.

#1- Ramsay Bolton

Let’s review every rotten thing Ramsay has done on the show:

• He maimed, mentally broke, and emasculated Theon Greyjoy (I don’t care if he was being a jerk. No guy should have their privates cut off!)
• He hunted down girls with his dogs for sport
• He killed people after promising to spare them.
• He raped and beat Sansa Stark
• Killed his father, his stepmother, and baby half-brother
• Threatened to march on Winterfell, kill the Free Folk, then make Jon watch as his men gang-raped Sansa before killing him
• Killed Rickon Stark right in front of Jon

Before Euron Greyjoy was introduced, Ramsay was the most evil person in Westeros. So watching Jon beat the s*it out of him was almost carthatic.

Keyword here is almost. Jon realizes that Ramsay is not his to kill, and lets Sansa deliver justice/revenge to the man who hurt her. And we’re just going to watch what happens rather than explain anything.

This wasn’t just the best death of the season, it was one of the best deaths in the entire show. Several things factor into this decision. First is how Ramsay tries to mess with Sansa one last time. In response, Sansa calmly tells him that all memory of him and his house will disappear, showing that she is beyond his abusive influence.

Second is how Ramsay died at the hands of his own hounds, which is ironic for several reasons. The big one, though, is that his demise drives home the lesson that he could never understand. That if you treat those who serve cruelly enough, they will eventually turn on you. It’s why Theon finally escaped, and it’s why his dogs ripped him to pieces. Enjoy burning in hell, Ramsay, and say hi to Joffrey for Sansa.

Wasn’t Season Six the best part of the show? Tell me if you shared Arya and Sansa’s smirks when they killed their respective targets.

Click Here to See my favorite moments from my favorite season.

My 7 Favorite Scenes from Season Five of Game of Thrones

I will honest with you, people: I didn’t really like Season Five of Game of Thrones. I didn’t like the Dorne subplot, and I hated the Sparrows because they’re a bunch of religious fanatics. I’ve read enough of history to know how dangerous religious fanatics can be. And do I even have to mention what happened to Sansa? I can’t even watch that scene!

Yet despite being the worst season of Game of Thrones, the show still manages to give us some great scenes and memorable moments. With three days left until the final season premieres, who are my favorite moments from Season Five of Game of Thrones.

#7-Cersei Gets Arrested, “The Gift”

Ah, Cersei, too stupid to even realize that you’re in trouble. After finding herself being forced out of power by the Tyrells, Cersei attempts to turn the tables on them by backing the religious movement known as the Sparrows. Initially, her plan works, with Maragery and Loras Tyrell arrested by the Sparrows. It then backfires on her, though, when the Sparrows arrest her for all the crimes she’s committed.

While WatchMojo said that this moment was pratically cathartic, it just isn’t doing it for me. I hate Cersei so much, I doubt I’ll be satisfied unless I see her run out of Westeros or die on-screen. Since it’s being done by the religious fanatics of the Sparrows, I can’t get much satisfaction from it.

#6-Cersei’s Walk of Atonement, “Mother’s Mercy”

After being held captive by the Sparrows for who knows how long (I wasn’t paying attention), Cersei becomes so desperate to return to the Red Keep that she confesses to sleeping her cousin Lancel. The High Sparrow lets her leave, but she forces her to walk naked through the streets all the way back to the Red Keep . And the angry mob of people who jeer and pelt food at her.

As much as I love seeing Cersei get what’s coming to her, again, I could not get any enjoyment from this. I never thought I’d say it, but I actually felt bad for her. The sight of her bloodied and in tears was one of the most pitiful things I’ve ever seen. On the other hand, I’m impressed at how the show’s crew was able to pull this scene off. The way that they combined Lena Headey with her stunt double was well-executed.

#5-Stannis’ Army is Slaughtered, “Mother’s Mercy”

If you read the counterpart to this article, then you know that I did not shed any tears over seeing Stannis Baratheon die. What I did feel bad watching, though, was how easily his army was rundown by Ramsay Bolton. After being sabotaged by Ramsay Bolton, half of Stannis’ army deserted him for burning his only daughter alive. The remaining troops are then run down by Ramsay’s cavalry, while Stannis himself is killed by Brienne of Tarth.

As I said, I didn’t lose any sleep over watching Stannis die. Even so, I thought the way his army was destroyed so easily was sad. This was the man who almost took King’s Landing three seasons ago, dying in the frozen north. It shows just how far the man who could have been king had fallen.

#4- Theon rebels and Sansa Escapes, “Mother’s Mercy”

Thanks to Brienne being distracted by her quest for vengenance against Stannis, she’s not there to see Sansa give the signal for her to be rescued. As Sansa tries to return to her chambers before anyone knows she’s gone, Ramsay’s Harley Quinn, Myranda, and Theon corner him. Before Myranda can do anything, Theon throws her off the balcony. Right as Ramsay returns, Theon and Sansa jump off the walls into the snow below.

This scene’s important to both Sansa and Theon’s stories. The Sansa of Season One would have been too terrified of Myranda to move, but here she openly chooses to die rather than go back to Ramsay. As for Theon, his concern for Sansa’s enough to finally make him rebel against the man who had tortured him for years. It’s a very satisfying moment, and it pays off with both characters, for the first time in years, gaining back their freedom.

#3-Arya Avenges Syrio, “Mother’s Mercy”

Remember how in King’s Landing, Syrio had that awesome swordsmaster from Braavos, Syrio Forel. When Ser Meryn Trant tried to take Arya hostage, Syrio held Meryn and his thugs off with just a wooden sword while Arya escaped, losing his life in the process. Year later, while visiting a brothel in Braavos, Arya disguises herself as an underage prostitute (because that’s Meryn’s fetish) and stabs him to death.

How Ser Meryn got to be a Kingsguard is beyond me. I’m betting it has less to do with his swordskill and more with his ability to kiss people’s butts. After seeing him regularly beat up Sansa in King’s Landing, plus his lies at Tyrion’s trial, I was happy to see Arya kill him. It was another name that both of us could cross off our lists. That’s right, I have my own Game of Thrones hate list.

#2- Drogon Saves Daenerys, “The Dance of Dragons”

Some people just can’t let the past go. After outlawing slavery in Slaver’s Bay, Daenerys Targaryen finds herself facing a rebellion in the form of the Sons of the Harpy. To try and curb people’s concerns, Daenerys decides to re-open Mereen’s fighting pits, only for the Sons of the Harpy to attack en masse. Just when it looks like Daenerys and her allies will die, Drogon appears and drives away the assailants before flying off with his mother.

Since the previous season, Drogon had largely been absent from the show, having left on his own to fly around Essos while his brothers were chained up underneath Mereen. Despite briefly returning, Drogon left after his mother was safe, and wouldn’t appear again until the second half of Season Six. Oh, and he left Daenerys in a field to be captured by Dothraki. Nice job, Drogon.

#1-Massacre at Hardhome, “Hardhome”

I thought the Battles of the Blackwater and Castle Black were brutal, but this was some of the bloodiest fighting I’ve ever seen. While evacuating the Free Folk south of the Wall, the Free Folk settlement of Hardhome comes under attack by the White Walkers and their undead wights. Despite the best efforts of Hardhome’s warriors and the Night’s Watch, the settlement’s overrun.

This was one of the most terrifying moments in the entire show’s run. We had seen the wights in action before, but never in numbers this great. It was akin to seeing a medieval zombie apocalypse. The most terrifying part, though, was the Night King himself. Without saying a word, he quietly raised his arms and reanimated everyone who died as a wight. The fact that there was none of the show’s iconic music present highlighted the sheer terror of the evil that Jon would one day have to face.

Like my picks? What were the moments you liked? Tell me in the comments.

Click here to see the best deaths of the season.

Talking about the Trailer for the Final Season of Game of Thrones

Eight years. Tens of millions of fans the world over. A show that helped define a decade of TV. A story that can stand among the greatest in the history of mankind. In just one month, its the beginning of the end for Game of Thrones.

But before we do all of that, I want to talk about the trailer for the final season and what I think it could mean for the characters, while reflecting on how far they’ve come for the GoT Final Season

Arya Stark

Arya Stark is, and has always been, a fighter. From the beginning it was clear that she was not meant to live the kind of life that society expected of her. She’d rather swordfight with the guys than knit or that stuff.

Season one onwards, Arya went through a trauma conga line, losing her pet wolf, her father, mother, and brother, sometimes right in front of her. Seeing all this trauma forced Arya to grow up fast. With the help of the Faceless Men, Arya’s become a skilled fighter and assassin. Not going to lie, watching her kill Walder Frey and most of his sons was a satisfying moment

In the trailer, Arya claims that she looks forward to seeing this new face of Death, most likely meaning the White Walker. As good a fighter as she is, though, she’s never been in an actual battle before. Given how the first shots in the trailer are of her covered in blood and sweat, running through the darkened halls of Winterfell, I fear she may be in over her head.

Arya Stark is a survivor, but not even she may be ready for the White Walker. But remember what Syrio Forel told her all those years ago about they say to Death: “Not today.” Whatever comes next, she’ll go down fighting.

Bran Stark

You can barely even recognize the bright and energetic young boy that Bran Stark was at the start of the show. He lost the use of his legs thanks to Jaime throwing him out of the tower, and was ready to give up on life. Then he discovered his warging and greenseering powers, which gave him a new purpose in life.

After journeying Beyond the Wall, Bran trained under the Three-Eyed Raven to become his successor, and it shows. The experience of viewing so many past events has left him with few emotions. When Sansa tearfully hugs after seeing him for the first time in years, he didn’t even react.

Even so, I think that Bran still cares about his family. He certainly cares about the well-being of mankind, as he seems to be ready to use his powers to fight the White Walkers. I only hope that he can make it through the Long Night that is to come.

Jaime Lannister

There is no getting around it: when viewers (and book readers) first met him, Jaime Lannister came off as an arrogant pretty boy. Who was also in an incestuous relationship with his sister. While he is pretty arrogant, it’s not unjustified given his skill as a swordsman.

The events of the show, though, took him down several pegs. Losing to Robb Stark and enduring captivity at the hands of the Northerners, and then getting his hand cut off by the Boltons stooges. It humbled him a lot. It also revealed that he’s not as bad as everyone thought.

His infamous betrayal and killing of the Mad King was explained in a way that was not only understandable, but could even be justified. The events of the show, particularly his friendship with Brienne, steer him to becoming a man who keeps his promises. It’s this new outlook that leads Jaime to finally leave Cersei out of disgust for her actions. And I think that it’s about time.

As we see in the trailer, Jaime has kept his promise to fight for the living. Alongside the Northerners, Unsullied, and Dothraki he’s fought against, no less! And from the look of things, he’s going to be fighting right in the middle of the war against the White Walkers. He’s still one of the best swordsman in Westeros, but I fear that he’ll be vulnerable fighting with one hand. Jaime’s already come this far, but this fight may be his last.

Cersei Lannister

I’m going to be blunt here: I want Cersei to die. I’ve only been watching the show for two measly years. Other fans have had the show’s entire run to hate her; two decades if they started out reading the books. She is one of the few fictional characters that I loathe with every fiber of my being.

Cersei has always been a bad person, but she’s somehow gotten even worse during the show’s run. We could devote an entire list of all the horrible things she’s done, but near the top was blowing up the Sept of Baelor and killing hundreds of people. Not even the threat of the White Walkers is enough to curb her selfish narcissism. She plans on sacrificing half of Westeros to the Army of the Dead if it means she can keep her throne.

It seems that she’s holding true to her intentions in the trailer, remaining in King’s Landing where her only allies left are Qyburn, her Queensguard, and Euron. Euron seems to have hired the Golden Company like they planned, so she’s going to sit in King’s Landing and drink her wine while Westeros fights for survival.

Cersei Lannister’s managed to outlive most of her enemies and allies, but with Jaime gone, she has so few left to her. A lot of people are hoping to see her die, but the Mad Queen has cheated death before. I still hope she dies, though.

Rhaegal and Drogon

Considering how they’re dragons and not humans, it can be easy to forget how Drogon and Rhaegal are as much of characters as the rest of the cast. Since they hatched at the end of Season 1, the two dragons have grown from adorable little lizards into young adults ready to fight and die to protect their mother, Daenaerys.

The dragons are nigh unbeatable opponents, but as everyone learned last season, they’re not invincible. Viserion’s death at the hands of the Night King was a shock to the audience and to those present to witness it. If Daenaerys is mourning the loss of one of her children, then imagine how her two remaining dragons must feel.

Viserion’s death would have been the first time the dragons would know what it means to be truly powerless. They can wipe out entire armies, but they couldn’t save their brother. Now that brother has been reanimated as a wight to serve the Night King. They must be furious.

The two dragons are seen several times throughout the trailer, driving home the point that they will play a major role in the Great War. Both of them seem eager to fight, but will they be able to defeat their own brother, if necessary?

Daenaerys Targaryen

Daenaerys Targaryen has come so far since Season One. Gone is the timid girl who cowered under the yolk of her abusive older brother. In her place stands a proud Queen who’s determined to take back the Iron Throne, and will use everything she has to do so. At least, that’s how it was at first.

Since she arrived in Westeros, Dany’s learned of the ancient evil that’s threatening to overrun all of Westeros, and that she may be one of the people prophesied to save humanity. Now she’s seen the White Walkers, and watched as one of her beloved dragons was slain like it was nothing. Not even she can fight them alone, and will stand with those she once fought for the sake of the Seven Kindgoms.

The trailer seemed to be vague about how she will fight in the Great War, but it is certain that she will fight. Whether she will survive, though, is another matter entirely. People are saying that either she or Jon will end up dying in the fight against the White Walkers. And that doesn’t even bring up the elephant in the room..

Jon Snow

From the Bastard of Winterfell to the Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch to the King in the North. Jon Snow has been through a lot over the show’s run, and has come into his own as a leader. More than anyone, he knows how dangerous the White Walkers are and what is at stake, and has devoted himself to defeating them. But there are things about Jon that not even he knows.

The end of Season Six confirmed the longtime fan theory that Jon was actually the son of Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryen. The end of Season Seven built on that even further by revealing that Lyanna was never kidnapped. She and Rhaegar had fallen in love and secretly gotten married. Jon’s no bastard: he’s the rightful King of Westeros.

As shown in the trailer, Jon is going to be fighting on the front lines alongside his allies. If anyone can defeat the Night King and save the Seven Kingdoms, its Jon Snow. Even so, fans are worried that Jon may end up giving his life in order to save Westeros from an eternal winter. That, and there’s the fact that he and his aunt Dany are in love with each other. And that’s just history repeating itself.

In Conclusion

At this point, I think it’s fair to just put every character left alive on the chopping block. As we have seen in Game of Thrones, no one, not even a main character, is safe from death. And now death is at the gates of the living.

There are plenty of other characters that I did not have time to cover in this, but I had to limit this to the ones who were most prominent in the trailer. Whatever happens in April, history will be made.

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