Game of Thrones “The Bells” Review

My head is still spinning from what I just saw, but I think I can still sum it up in a few words: what. The heck. Just happened? I will tell you what happened. We just saw one of our favorite characters on Game of Thrones cross the line from benevolent ruler into full-on tyrant. We saw an entire city burned to the ground, and a few of the show’s longest running characters die, some of them in a stupid and unsatisfying fashion.

First, though, let’s address the giant, fire-breathing elephant in the room: Daenerys Targaryen. As the show has progressed, she has become one of my favorite characters. We’ve seen her be ruthless towards her enemies, but we’ve also seen how kind she can be to those she calls her friends. She sincerely wanted to give the people she ruled a better life, and inspired genuine loyalty in people.

Ever since she came to Westeros, though, the show seemed determined to break her. She lost her main allies, then she lost Viserion, Jorah, Rhaegal, and Missandei in rapid succession. By the time we see her in this episode, she’s broken and vengeful. Most people would feel like that. But what she does in the climax of this episode makes her cross the line into becoming the very thing she swore she wouldn’t.

Varys spent the last two episodes trying to bring Daenerys to her senses, only for his pleas to fall on deaf ears. So when he learns that Jon’s the true heir to the Iron Throne, he goes behind Dany’s back and tries to back Jon. That leads to the spider’s demise, though, as Daenerys sentences him to death by Drogon. I liked Varys a lot; he was one of the few people on the show who stood up for the little guy. His death also made me think the spoilers I heard about on Reddit were true.

They were only half right in the end. On to the moment we’ve been waiting for: the fall of King’s Landing.

The last episodes made it seem like Daenerys and Cersei were more evenly matched: she lost a lot of her forces fighting the White Walkers, she lost most of her fleet, and then Rhaegal. Cersei, meanwhile, had the Golden Company, the Iron Fleet, and lined the city walls with Scorpions.

This is what said walls looked like after after Dany was done.

Instead of getting another Blackwater, the “Battle of King’s Landing” is more of a total butt-whooping. The Scorpions suddenly become useless as Drogon levels the walls and Daenerys’ armies mow down the Golden Company. The Lannister soldiers are no match against the enemy and just get cut down until they decide to lay down their arms and surrender the city. For a brief moment, it seems like King’s Landing will be spared further bloodshed. But then Daenerys chooses to ignore that and set Drogon on the Red Keep, burning thousands of innocent civilians and prompting her army to sack the city.

Even Grey Worm gets in on it, killing the Lannister soldiers even after they surrendered. All Jon, Tyrion, and Davos can do is watch helplessly. It gets worse, though. Drogon ends up igniting the wildfire caches below the city, setting the city even further ablaze.

Amidst all this, Arya and the Hound make it inside the Red Keep to kill Cersei and the Mountain, despite that almost certainly leading to their deaths. This gave us one of the episode’s better moments as the Hound manages to talk some sense into Arya, telling her revenge isn’t worth what it does to people. It’s something Arya’s needed to hear for a long time, and the fact that its coming from the Hound give it the most impact. Arya decides to abandon her quest for vengeance and return home, but not before calling the Hound by his name, Sandor, for the first and last time. It’s a very touching moment that almost made me cry.

As for Sandor, he finally got to face his brother in the Cleganebowl. And honestly, it was anticlimactic. The duel between Oberyn Martell and the Mountain was cooler than this. As the Red Keep crumbled and burned, the two brothers dueled to the death, though there wasn’t anything left of the Mountain to kill. In the end, the only way Sandor could kill his zombie-brother was by throwing them both out the tower into the fires below.

The worst part of the entire episode, though, was how it ended the stories of Jaime and Cersei Lannister. After throwing away all his character development to go back to Cersei, the two reunite after Jaime kills Euron Greyjoy (who died smiling because he thought he killed the Kingslayer). Instead of killing her like so many wanted to see, they just reaffirm their incestuous love for each other as they try to escape. Instead, though, they end up dying in the crypts as the roof collapses thanks to Drogon and Daenerys.

Ever since I started watching this show, I wanted to see Cersei Lannister die for her crimes, but with the way the show kills her, I feel robbed! Cheated! I wanted to see her face justice for what she wrought, but instead I felt pity for her crying about not wanting to die. It seemed like a lazy, rushed ending to one of the best characters in the show. That’s right, I called Cersei one of the best.

So it looks like nobody wins in the Last War, and everybody loses. King’s Landing’s in ruins, and it will take decades to rebuild the city. Two of the series big story arcs end up stumbling to the finish line, and Daenerys did just what her father would do. I DON’T EVEN KNOW WHO TO ROOT FOR ANYMORE!!

The one glimmer of light was the cinematography in the sack of King’s Landing. The overhead shot as Drogon was burning everything was a pleasure to look at, but the real highlight was the shaky camera moments seen through Arya Stark as she just tries to survive. The people who did that deserve an award.

Arya also manages to survive, and thanks to a Deus Ex Horse, she leaves King’s Landing behind. I want her to go back to Winterfell or just spend her life with Gendry, or find some measure of peace. But if the theories are to be right, she may have had added Daenerys to her list.

Its official: Game of Thrones has jumped the shark. I don’t know if it did it in the last episode or this one, but it has. Thankfully, the show has only one episode left, so we don’t have to worry too much about seeing it post-shark-jump. The downside is that there’s no way they can resolve all the show’s plot threads in that time. It’s impossible. I pray that the show can still end on a high note, but I don’t even know anymore.

There’s only one week left before the series finale which will decide where Game of Thrones will stand in the history books. As of now, though, I’m more looking forward to the series finale of Star vs. The Forces of Evil, which comes on that morning.

I Give “The Bells” a 2/5. Burn it All

Game of Thrones, “Last of the Starks” Review

After what happened last week with the Battle of Ice and Fire, I admit that I had my worries. That the show has jumped the shark. But I was wrong, because this week’s episode just sent us on an emotional roller coaster as hearts were broken, faces were broken, and any chance at a happy ending flew out the window.

Except for Sam and Gilly. I think they’re pretty much the only ones who will live happily ever after.

The episode starts off on a somber note as we say goodbye to those who fell in the Battle of Ice and Fire. I thought that this was an emotionally powerful scene on a number of levels. For one, we were saying goodbye to characters that we had known for years, with Theon and Jorah being theirs since episode one. For me, in particular, it felt like this was the funeral for Night’s Watch itself.

Think about it. With the White Walkers extinct and the Free Folk and the North on good terms, there’s no point for them to keep operating. They fulfilled their purpose. And now their watch has ended. It’s up to the living to pick up the pieces.

A big part of this episode is trying to find the answer to an unspoken question: can those left remain united? For a while, it feels like they can. The feast in the Great Hall start out quiet and awkward, but it turns into a party when Daenerys singles out Gendry.

Since he came back in Season Seven, one of my biggest hopes was to see Gendry be legitimized as Gendry Baratheon, Lord of the Storm Lands. I got my wish, and I was happy to see that Daenerys didn’t hold a grudge against him for his dad running her family out of Westeros.

Too bad Arya turned down his marriage proposal. Their kids would have been so bad ass.

So after Gendry’s made a lord, everyone starts getting drunk and celebrating. Brienne and Jaime consummate their relationship, which was a nice sub-plot. But amidst all the merriment, cracks are starting to form. Almost everyone goes around praising Jon for his heroism (and riding a dragon) and treating him like a King, while Daenerys gets little praise.

Jon has said it several times by now: he doesn’t want the Iron Throne, though as Daenerys points out in private, that won’t matter. People will still try and put him on the Throne, regardless, and that makes him a threat to her. They could resolve that issue if they either A.) kept quiet about it, or B.) get married, making it a moot point.

As Daenerys prepares to move her remaining forces south to take King’s Landing. She’s lost a lot of the Dothraki, and only half the Unsullied remain alive. But now she has the support of the Iron Islands (Yara’s taken them back) and Dorne. Jon will lead the North and the Vale south down the King’s Road while she flies for Dragonstone with her fleet. Meanwhile, people start to go their separate ways.

Arya and the Hound are headed down to King’s Landing on their own to settle with Cersei and the Mountain. I’m rooting for her to kill Cersei.

I don’t know where Sam’s going, but with the Night’s Watch pretty much disbanded, he can become Lord of Horn Hill, with Gilly, Little Sam, and their unborn child with him. That’s right, they’re having a kid; and if its a boy, they’ll name him after his best friend, Jon.

Jaime and Tyrion get blackmailed by Bronn into giving him Highgarden in exchange for not killing them. And since Jaime can’t stay away from Cersei, he ends up leaving Brienne and Winterfell to head back to King’s Landing. Hopefully to kill her.

That’s a jerk move, Jaime, and we get it. You used to be a huge jerk, but the fact that you’re owning up to it means you’re a better person than you think you are.

Tormund decides to take the Free Folk back up North now that the White Walkers are gone. With the hole in the Wall and the Night’s Watch having no reason to fight them anymore, they can come back whenever they want. And Jon decides to send Ghost with them so he can with the other direwolves (poor Ghost. No love anymore).

And right before he left, Jon did the one thing he shouldn’t have done: he told Sansa and Arya his heritage. And despite swearing not to tell anyone, Sansa tells Tyrion, who then tells Varys, who then rightfully says that it’s not a secret anymore. And now Varys is considering backing Jon instead; not because he’s the rightful heir (or because he’s a guy) but because Daenerys may not be suited anymore.

The Mother of Dragons has lost a lot since she came back to Westeros. Most of her original allies are gone, she lost one dragon, and she just found out she may not be the rightful Queen, after all. So what does the show do? Break her even further.

As soon as she returns to Dragonstone, Euron Greyjoy’s fleet ambushes her and wrecks her ships. Worse, they’ve mass-produced Qyburn’s Scorpion, and they use it to shoot Rhaegal out of the sky. In another blow to her mental state, they capture Missandei and, in the episode’s final moments, behead her as Daenerys watches from outside the city gates.

I saw the look of grief and rage in her eyes when Rhaegal died. It was like a fire that threatened to consume her. But the look she gave in the final shot of the episode scared me: it looked like she was one step away from losing her sanity.

What. The Heck, GoT? I know that the Targaryens have a history of mental instability, but I wanted to see Daenerys dodge it. Yet ever since she got back to Westeros, it feels like the show is determined to push her to becoming similar to her father. I’m not even sure I want her on the Throne anymore, but since I hate Cersei and Jon doesn’t want it, she may be the best chance we have left.

Regarding the question that I posed before, I think the answer that this episode gives us is a big no. Even after standing united in the face of death itself, humanity can’t help but turn on itself the moment the crisis is past. It’s sad to watch, and its made even more difficult by the fact that the people who survived the Great War may end up dying at each other’s hands. Which is as sad as seeing World War 1 Veterans die from the Flu.

But, that’s what Game of Thrones does. It messes with our expectations. Sometimes, they work. Other times, it doesn’t work. Here, I think it does both. Either way, though, this episode proves that even after a climatic war against death incarnate, Game of Thrones still has what it takes.

But I’m still upset at how Daenerys, Brienne, and Missandei get treated, so that brings down the experience.

I Give “Last of the Starks” a 3.5/5, at best

Stray Observations

• Cersei promised Bronn Riverrun. Last time I checked, Edmure Tully’s alive. Even if he wasn’t, he has a kid.
• The improbable travel speed of the dragons strikes again
• My reaction when Rhaegal died:

• I wished that Missandei chose to walk off the wall instead of letting herself get decaptitated. And I’m not the only one.

• Daenerys needs to find more dragon eggs. Unless Drogon turns out to be a girl.

• Why is the show not giving any love to the dire wolves? First we don’t get to see Ghost fight in the Battle of Ice and Fire, and now they’re setting him free north of The Wall?

• Who saw the coffee cup?

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 2 “A Knight of the Seven” Review

The stillness before battle is unbearable. Such a quiet dread.

-Chief Arnook, “The Siege of the North, Part 1”, Avatar: the Last Airbender

I must apologize for the fact that this is coming out just hours before the premiere of episode three. Sometimes, it can take a while to figure out what I want to say. And considering what happened in Episode two, I had a lot to think about.

The above quote comes from the Season One finale to my favorite cartoon as a kid, Avatar: The Last Airbender. All the heroes are preparing for a massive invasion by the oppressive Fire Nation, and one of them remarks on how quiet it gets before battle. It’s that gnawing sensation that sharpens people’s nerves as they prepare to fight, knowing in the back of their minds that they may not live to see another day. That’s what this episode comes down to, in the end.

Tormund, Eddison, and the remaining Free Folk and Night’s Watch get to Winterfell and let everyone know: the Army of the Dead is coming. They have less than a day before they arrive. And so, Winterfell prepares for battle, even though they know that not all hands are on deck.

After showing up at the end of the last episode, Jaime lets everyone know that Cersei hopes they and the White Walkers kill each other, save her the trouble. Daenerys is livid that Tyrion messed up again, but her bigger focus is on Jaime. Despite knowing full well that her father got what he deserved, it seems like she wants to punish Jaime for killing Aerys Targaryen. Not to mention his transgressions against House Stark. The only reason that Sansa doesn’t try and kill him is because Brienne vouches for him and how he saved her from the Bolton’s, twice.

While two of the most powerful women in Winterfell may not be able to forgive Jaime yet, Sansa seems willing to forgive another new arrival: Theon Greyjoy. He took a handful of Ironborn and came to the sight of the worst mistake of his life to fight for the living, and Sansa hugs him for it. They will need all the help they can get.

The Night King’s goal isn’t just to wipe out humanity: he wants to erase all memory of the world and the people in it. That’s why he was hellbent on killing Bran Stark before: as the Three-Eyed Raven, he holds all the world’s history in his head, and is the Night King’s biggest threat. Against his family’s wishes, Bran opts to wait for the Night King in the Godswood as bait. Theon and the Ironborn will guard him, and Jon and Daenerys will use Drogon and Rhaegal to destroy him.

And with that, the rest of the episode is essentially the surviving cast preparing for what’s to come, knowing full well they may not survive. It’s an emotional time, both for the people in the show and for the people watching this on TV. We know, just as the cast does, that not everyone at Winterfell is going to survive what happens next.

The thing about the prospect of imminent death is that it makes people reflect on their lives up to that moment. The entire cast starts talking with each other, swapping stories and bonding over the events that brought them to this moment. And I will be going over them in my list of favorite moments for the episode

The one that may end up having the biggest impact, though, is the meeting between Jon and Daenerys in the Crypts. Daenerys has heard so many good things about Rhaegar from the people who knew him, so the fact that he kidnapped another woman doesn’t make sense to her. Then, Jon tells her the truth: that Lyanna and Rhaegar loved each other, and that he is their son, and thus a Prince by birth.

I think it’s telling that Daenerys is less concerned with the fact that she slept with her nephew, and more about the fact that this makes Jon the King of the Seven Kingdoms by birth. I would freak out, too, if I learned that the dream that I had all my life may not even be mine to begin with. If it weren’t for the fact that Westeros is facing Armageddon, this might be more important an issue. But like I said last week, Jon doesn’t want the Iron Throne. If Daenerys really wants that thing so badly, I don’t think Jon would care.

The only reason I’m brought this scene up here rather than my list (which will be shorter this week) is because I think that only one of these two Targaryens will survive to the end of the show. There’s even an algorithm made by German students that says that Dany has a 1% chance of dying in the final season. I’ll believe it when I see it, and the next two episodes may decide who lives and who dies.

There are only a few hours left before the Battle of Winterfell begins. The Night King is upon Westeros once more, and whatever happens tonight will make TV history. Given the fact that so many people are going to die, I think it was smart for the show to take one final episode to breathe and let us say our goodbyes to everyone. Because tonight, the bodies start dropping

I Give “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” a 5 out of 5.

I meant to publish my review and list of favorite moments from the first episode the day after it aired, but I couldn’t think of what it is I wanted to say. I want to make this count. I was a latecomer to Game of Thrones; I didn’t join until the end of Season Six. After going back and watching it in its entirety, I understand a little of why it’s the greatest show in the world.

Every so often, mankind will come up with a story that not only entertains people, but redefines how we tell them. Something that pushes the boundaries of what our collective imagination can do into places that we may never knew it could go. A story so great, that people will be telling it for centuries after the original storyteller is dust. Greece had The Iliad and The Odyssey, England had the works of William Shakespeare; our parents generation had the original Star Wars. And now we have Game of Thrones.

What D.B. Weiss, David Benioff, and the countless people behind this show has redefined what can be done in a TV show. It’s done things that people would have called impossible. It’s not just one of the best shows of all time; it’s one of the best stories of all time. If mankind lives long enough to see the next few centuries, I hope that will still be talking about this show. That’s why I want to make this as perfect as possible, as a fan and as a writer.

Now, though, a week has passed, and the next episode airs tonight. the time for reflecting/fanboying is over. You can expect the review and best moments for episode 2 on Tuesday.

Click here for my review of Episode 1: “Winterfell”

P.S.- Happy Easter Sunday, everyone!

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

My 8 Favorite Scenes from Game of Thrones, Season 7

After seven seasons, winter has come. Yet the Seven Kingdoms remains as divided as ever. Dorne and the Reach are in revolt against the Iron Throne, which Cersei Lannister now controls. The North has declared its independence once more with Jon Snow as king, with the Free Folk and the Vale backing him. The Riverlands are in chaos. Daenerys Targaryen is about to make landfall. But the biggest issue at this long list of problems is that the Night King is marching on the Wall!!!

This season wasn’t as epic as the previous one, to be sure. But with only seven episodes this season, and six in the upcoming final season, it was more important that all the remaining pieces be put in place as the storm approaches. And now that they had moved beyond the books, the show was in uncharted territory. There was no telling what would happen now, but it turned out to be awesome.

With one day left before the final season, here are my eight favorite moments from Game of Thrones. That’s right, I’m going one up for this season!

#8- The Band of Seven Moves out, “Eastwatch”

When Jon realizes that he will be unable to convince Cesei and Jaime (or fully convince Daenerys) without proof, he comes up with the craziest plan ever. He will go beyond the wall, capture a wight, and bring it back as proof for Westeros that the threat is real. He won’t be alone, though. Six other battle-tested warriors join him in the Wight Hunt: Ser Jorah Mormont, Gendry, The Hound, Beric Dorrdarrion and Thoros of Myr from the Brotherhood Without Banners, and Tormund Giantsbane of the Free Folk.

Once upon a time, this team up was the kind of thing that only existed in fan fiction. Now, it’s making the fan fiction writers drool. Seeing them together isn’t even the best part, though. That happens in the next episode, where we see the seven of them talk about their experiences, both shared and separate, is amazing to listen to, and one of the best parts of this season.

#7- Daenerys arrives in Dragonstone, “Dragonstone”

Since the moment she was born, Daenerys Targaryen has been living in exile from her homeland. Making her way back to Westeros and taking back the Iron Throne has always been her objective, and at the end of Season Six, she set out with her massive army, her allies, and her dragons. In the final scene of the first episode, Daenerys arrives in Dragonstone for the first time since she was born.

This scene lasted for several minutes, but not a single word of dialogue was spoken. Instead, the actors let their bodies speak for them. From when Daenerys silently kneels down on the beaches of Dragonstone to feel the ground of her home, to her looking around her family’s castle (and tearing down Stannis’ banners), you can feel so much emotion behind it. All while not saying a thing, until the very end, when Daenerys looks at Tyrion and says “Shall we begin?”

#6- Gendry’s Back, “Eastwatch”

When we last saw Gendry, he was rowing all the way back to King’s Landing back in Season Three. After that, he just dropped off the map. It got to the point that people had made memes about Robert Baratheon’s last son.

Knowing that Jon needs all the help he can get, Ser Davos sneaks into King’s Landing to find Gendry, laying low and working as a blacksmith for the people who killed his father. When Davos mentions he has something planned up North, Gendry’s happy to come along… with his giant war hammer

Unlike Joffrey, Gendry is the spitting image of his father: he’s strong, brave, and a good fighter. And since he grew up a commoner, he doesn’t have his father’s vices. So it was disappointing to see him leave in Season Three. The fact that the show chose to bring him back so close to the end means one of two things: either they’re trying to tie up loose ends, or Gendry has a role to play in the Great War.

That said, I hope Gendry lives. After Jon and Daenerys, Gendry’s the person I want to see sit on the Iron Throne. At the very least, he can be legitimized and we can start calling Gendry Baratheon, Lord of the Stormlands. To be honest, I’ve been calling him “Gendry Baratheon” for years now.

#5- Jon Snow and Daenerys First Meet, “The Queen’s Justice”

After Melisandre tells Daenerys and Tyrion about Jon Snow being the King in the North, Daenerys decides to ask him to come to Dragonstone and recruit him in her fight against Cersei. Jon goes to recruit her in the fight against the White Walkers, because she has her dragons, and Dragonstone has a mountain of dragonglass. Their first meeting is awkward and filled with tension, and while the Dragon Queen isn’t convinced about the White Walkers, she does let him mine for dragonglass.

Another moment that once existed only in the annals of fanfiction, this is a major moment for the show. Unknown to all but the audience, Jon and Daenerys are the last members of House Targaryen, and thus blood-related. Which makes the romantic tension growing between them all the more regrettable..

#4- Jaime Finally Leaves Cersei, “The Dragon and the Wolf”

Cersei Lannister doesn’t care about anyone except herself, her children and Jaime. So when Jon and Daenerys ask her to join forces with them, she refuses, then seems to agree when she thinks her unborn son is at risk. Later, Cersei reveals to Jaime that her real plan is to let Jon, Daenerys and the Nigh King exhaust themselves, then fight the winner using her new army of mercenaries.

Just when I thought I wouldn’t find any more reasons to despise Cersei, she pulls this off. She’s willing to let Westeros be destroyed if it means keeping her throne. She’s selfish, short-sighted, spiteful, and worse. Everything that I despise in a ruler. Disgusted at his sister’s willingness to let Westeros die, Jaime finally abandons his sister and rides north by himself to fight in the Great War.

The Jaime Lannister we met in Season One would never have done this, but he’s been through a lot since then. Being captured by Robb Stark, losing his sword hand, and traveling with Brienne have changed him into something better. He finally realizes that his sister has become as evil as the Mad King and wants nothing to do with her anymore. I hope he lives through the Great War.

#3- Jon Proves the White Walkers are Real, “The Dragon and the Wolf”

For years, the Lords of Westeros scoffed at the idea that the White Walkers were real, let alone a threat. If they knew the truth, then maybe they wouldn’t have exhausted themselves in the War of the Five Kings. Jon Snow silences those doubts for good at the meeting in King’s Landing when he presents a captured wight to the Lannisters and Euron Greyjoy.

I will never forget the look on Cersei and Jaime’s faces when they first saw the wight charge at them. When Jaime asked them how many there were, I could tell that this was the most terrifying thing that he had ever seen. Then Euron Greyjoy, who we’ve never seen be scared of anything, pretends to run back to the Iron Islands and hide. Ploy or not, I think that he was truly terrified by what he saw.

This moment makes everyone in the Seven Kingdoms realize that they are facing Armageddon. Regardless of how much they’ve hurt each other over the years, if they don’t fight as one, then there will be nothing left for anyone. Yet Cersei still refuses to help because she’s an idiot.

#2- Battle on the Goldroad, “The Spoils of War”

After her attempts to use her Westerosi allies to take the Seven Kingdoms falls flat, Daenerys loses patience. Forgoing clever plans, she decides to take the late Olenna’s advice and be a dragon. She launches an all-out attack on the Lannister-Tarly army using her Dothraki and Drogon. The result is a total rout of the Lannister-Tarly forces.

I had thought that the Battle of the Bastards was impressive, but this was one of the most amazing feats in the shows history. Dozens of actors, world-class cinematography, and the fact that this is the first true battle that the dragons have been in, all made for one of the best scenes in the entire show, a personal favorite of mine. Years from now, film students will study how they pulled of this scene.

#1-Jon Snow’s Not a Bastard, “The Dragon and the Wolf”

Last season confirmed that “R+L=J” was true: Jon Snow is actually the son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark. Bran never anyone this, vowing only to tell Jon when he returned. Then Samwell remembered what Gilly read in the High Septon’s diary: Rhaegar had his marriage to Elia Martell annulled. All Bran needed to do was confirm it with his greensight.

Lyanna was never kidnapped: she and Rhaegar fell in love and ran away together to get married in secret. That means that Jon, whose real name is Aegon Targaryen, is legitimate. All this time, all this fighting over who should be on the Iron Throne, and the rightful king has been under everyone’s noses.

To be fair, I disagree with Bran when he says that “Robert’s Rebellion was built on a lie”. I consider it a tragic mistake. I doubt that Rhaegar and Lyanna meant for it to get so out of control. It’s the Mad King’s fault for starting a rebellion. Whether or not this will affect who gets the Iron Throne has yet to be seen. I do know this, though: if Jon and Daenerys keep sleeping with each other, they’re repeating the mistake that brought down the Targaryens in the first place!

Agree with my picks? Ready for the Final Season? Let me know what your favorite moment from this season was.

Click here to see my favorite deaths from this season

The 6 Biggest deaths from Season Seven of Game of Thrones

If the first three seasons of Game of Thrones were the first act, and seasons four through six were the second, then Seasons Seven and Eight are the final act. With the Great War upon the Seven Kingdoms and all who live in them, Season Seven was about putting all the remaining players and pieces of the game into their roles. It also meant clearing away the pieces that weren’t needed for the war to come.

One day remains until the final season of Game of Thrones, and we are going to look at the six biggest deaths of the penultimate season to this legendary show.

#7- House Frey, “Dragonstone”

In the opening scene of Season Seven, there appears to be a flashback of Walder Frey meeting with his sons to discuss House Frey’s plans for the winter. After a quick toast, he then reminds them how they murdered Robb Stark, his army, his wife and unborn child, and mother at the Red Wedding. One by one, the Freys fall to ground, spewing up blood from drinking poisoned wine. It’s then that we see that “Walder Frey” was, in fact, Arya Stark wearing Walder’s face.

While I was already satisifed with the masterminds behind the Red Wedding dead, Arya took it a step further and wiped out everyone who took part in the massacre. The fact that it’s not revealed until the end that it was Arya in disguise was a very satisfying twist. What makes this even cooler, though, is what Arya tells the women who witnessed what happened: that the North remembers, and that winter came for House Frey. That last line’s turns House Stark’s words into not only a warning of bad times will eventually come, but a threat to anyone who incurs House Stark’s wrath.

#6- Olenna Tyrell, “The Queen’s Justice”

After her entire family is killed when Cersei blew up the Sept of Baelor, House Tyrell’s was doomed to extinction, and Olenna Tyrell knew it. So, she decided that she would take Cersei down before she died, allying with House Targaryen to get revenge. Sadly, Jaime Lannister is one step ahead of her, and marches the Lannister army on Highgarden before she can rally her forces, then allowing her to commit suicide by poison.

Olenna Tyrell was one of my favorite characters in the entire show, and I was really sad to see her go. She dished out the best insults! But my sorrow turned to joy when Olenna used her final moments to troll Cersei one last time. She let Jaime and Cersei know that she was the one who killed Joffrey. She may have died, but she got the last laugh!

#5- Randyll Tarly, “Eastwatch”

Despite claiming to be a man of honor and loyalty, when Jaime offered House Tarly the chance to become the new Wardens of the South, Randyll Tarly turned on Olenna Tyrell. Forutnatley, he didn’t get to live long enough to enjoy his new status. After being capture by Daenerys’ army at the Kingsroad, Daenerys burns him and his son Dickon for refusing to bend the knee

This one’s on here less because it helped drive the plot forward, and more because of personal feelings. From the moment I saw Randyll Tarly, I hated him and his Q-ball hairdo. He was a cruel and abusive father who constantly bullied his son Sam because he couldn’t fit his idea of what it means to be a man. He even went so far as to tell Sam that if he didn’t join the Night’s Watch, he would make sure he would “accidentally” die on a hunt.

What’s more, he was also racist, deriding Gilly once he found she was a wildling, and calling her “a thing”. If I were there, I would walk right up to him, punch him square across the jaw, and tell him “Sam may not be perfect, but whatever his faults, he’s more of a man than you’ll ever be”. I’m only sorry that Dickon died with him.

#4- Ellaria and Tyene Sand, “The Queen’s Justice”

When we first met Ellaria, she was Oberyn’s lover and the mother of their children, the Sand Snakes. After the Mountain killed Oberyn, Ellaria became filled with hatred and became determined to destroy Cersei, even killing her innocent daughter, Myrcella, and Oberyn’s brother and nephew to seize power in Dorne. This comes back to bite her when she and her daughter are captured by Euron Greyjoy. Cersei then sentences Ellaria to life in prison, watching as her daughter dies from the same poison used to kill Myrcella.

I may have felt genuinely bad for Ellaria and the Sand Snakes for Oberyn’s death, but that turned to disgust when they murdered Myrcella and their own family. Ellaria was so consumed by her hatred for Cersei that she became that which she hates the most. Ellaria may not have died, but her character’s been written out of the show, so she’s basically dead. And personally, I think that she and her daughter got what they deserved.

#2- Viserion, “Beyond the Wall”

After Jon leads an expedition beyond the Wall to capture a wight as proof of the threat of the Night, they are cornered by his army. Somehow, Daenerys gets word of it in time, and, through the magic of plot convenience, shows up with Drogon, Rhaegal, and Viserion to rescue Jon’s group. Before anyone can react, though, the Night King wields a icy javelin, takes aim, and pierces Viserion straight through the chest.

I knew for a long time that the three dragons were going to be a major factor in the war against the White Walkers It’s probably why they hatched when Daenerys’ family failed so many times. But I never thought that the White Walkers would be able to kill a dragon so easily. I shared the look on the group’s faces: shock, then howling rage, and then sadness.

The worst part is that even though he’s dead, Viserion’s not gone. The Night King brought him back as a wight, and it seems he’s more powerful than he was in life. If Drogon and Rhaegal were to fight him now, they could end up losing. I hope that they do not.

#1- Littlefinger, “The Dragon and the Wolf”

Given everything that has happened since Season One, it’s easy to forget how the entire show started with the death of one man: Jon Arryn, King Robert’s Hand and Lord of the Vale. The mystery of his death didn’t even get solved until Season Four when Lysa admitted to poisoning her husband on Littlefinger’s command. And that was before the show even started.

Since then, Littlefinger continued to work in the shadows to amass more power, but all his schemes come undone when he tries to turn Arya and Sansa against each other. With their knowledge, and the fact that Bran can use his greensight to see everything, they finally corner him for everything:

• Getting Lysa Arryn to murder Jon Arryn
• Getting Lysa to lie to Catelyn and Ned, saying that the Lannister’s were behind Jon’s murder
• Betraying Ned Stark and letting him be wrongfully executed
• Murdering Lysa Arryn to gain power in the Vale
• Trying to turn the Stark children against each other.

With the overwhelming evidence, Arya then executes the snake using his Valyrian Steel Dagger, avenging the tens of thousands of deaths that he brought about.

Littlefinger has been on my “GOT Hate List” since I started watching the show, and next Cersei and Euron, he was the one I wanted to see die the most in Season Seven. When I saw the stunned look on his face as Sansa and Arya outed him, I grinned from ear to ear. When he finally died, I wanted to shout out, “YES!! HE’S GONE! HE’S FINALLY GONE!!! I’M SO HAPPY RIGHT NOW, I DON’T EVEN CARE THAT CERSEI’S STILL ALIVE!!!!”

That was one of the best moments of my life. The only thing that can top it is seeing Cersei Lannister bite it in the final season.

Do you agree with my picks? Were you as happy as me to see Littlefinger die?

Click here to see my favorite moments from Season Seven

If you guys want to see which characters have the best odds of survival in the final season, click here. It will take you to a website featuring an advanced algorithm that predicts who survives.

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.