'Game of Thrones' Finale Review
Rachel Smith 16’/ Emertainment Monthly Staff
The season 5 finale of Game of Thrones was everything you’d expect. There was a war, lots of nakedness and four main character deaths. Let’s start with the war.
Since the Red Woman convinced Stannis (Stephen Dillane) to burn his daughter, he was rewarded with good weather. The snow is melted and he and his men can march on Winterfell. Before they march, Stannis sees his wife’s lifeless body hanging from a tree: death number one. It is also a sign that Stannis may have been wrong about the whole dark magic thing.
Sam (John Bradley) and Jon Snow (Kit Harington) have the ultimate bromantic conversation. Sam asks to leave Castle Black with Gilly and baby Sam to become a Maester. It makes so much sense for Sam to go read and be the brains for the Night’s Watch for next season. Jon agrees. They cheer to Sam and Gilly finally getting it on and says, “I’m glad the end of the world’s working out for someone.” Foreshadowing for how the world is going for Jon.
In Winterfell, Sansa (Sophie Turner) is trying to save herself from the grips of Ramsay (Iwan Rheon). Fans were probably hoping for Ramsay’s death in the finale, unfortunately not tonight. Sansa finally lights the candle in the tower for Brienne (Gwendoline Christie) to come and save her. Though it is not Brienne that does the saving, there is a fantastic moment for Theon/Wreak. Though he does not stand up to Ramsay, he does save Sansa from Ramsay’s equally psychotic, bow and arrow wielding lover. Theon and Sansa end up jumping from the high walls of Winterfell into the snow to escape. The last time a Stark fell from those heights he was paralyzed. Here’s hoping one thing goes right for Sansa this season and she can run away unharmed.
Though Brienne isn’t the one to save Sansa, she did avenge her dear Renley Baratheon (Gethin Anthony). She finds Stannis beaten, leaning against a tree waiting for death after his defeat. She sentences him to death in the name of Renly and there we say goodbye to Stannis Baratheon, the “obviously never going to be” king. Hello, death number two.
The other Stark girl roaming the other side of the world has become a total badass. Remember that list of names of people she wants to kill. The first name gets crossed off in a brutal way, completely void of emotion. She uses another face to get to the man and then brutally stabs him. Her training all season and the hardships over her life have lead up to this moment. She has transformed from that little girl who wanted to learn to swing a sword to a woman out for revenge and violence. Don’t think she just gets to kill him; she has to pay for the life she took. Arya (Maisie Williams) might be dead but more likely just blind. Either way, it was not a great day for the lioness.
Back in Dorne, Jaime (Nikolaj Coster- Waldau) is finally leaving with his daughter/niece. After Jaime and Myrcella (Aimee Richardson) acknowledge that he is in fact her father she then has to die, poisoned by a kiss from Oberyn’s scorned lover, the same poison they used on Bronn. Their whole conversation is supposed to be sweet but it has an air of creepy. Myrcella is totally cool with Jaime being her dad. No offense, but you’re taking this incest thing way too lightly. Just as the thought of being one happy, honest family comes to light she of course dies. Sorry Myrcella, you seemed like a cool chick. Say hi to Joffrey for us.
After last week’s dragon in flight, many fans are wondering how Dany (Emilia Clarke) is. Well, she seems to be in more danger now than she was in the fighting pit. Perhaps Drogon could have flown her pretty much anywhere but this mountain. Her night in shining scales of a Dragon is now acting like a teenager and won’t take her home. Thus she walks into a storm of what looks like the Dothraki army. This is where next season will probably start. As for her kingdom, it is now in the hands of Tyrion and Lord Varys along with Grey Worm and Dany’s loyal friend, Missendai. No one on that side of the world dies tonight so, hooray!
There are no hoorays for Cersei (Lena Headey) whatsoever. She pleads to the High Sparrow guilty of adultery and incest with her cousin but denies vehemently to incest with Jaime. She’s convincing enough to be allowed to go home. First she must “atone” for her sins. This is probably the hardest scene to watch. Cersei is stripped naked and her hair is cut off. She then has to walk through all of her people, naked while a lady rings a bell behind her and exclaims “shame”. The people then start yelling and throwing things at her.
Beautiful, raw acting by Lena Headey but those were probably real tears and emotions. She is walking through a sea of extras completely naked and they’re yelling profanities at her. That scene must have been so real for her; at least that’s how it feels from this side of the screen. For the first time in 5 seasons, Cersei has finally hit rock bottom and a Lannister may always pay her debts but this one, this one she might not come back from.
You can’t talk about the finale without talking about Jon Snow. To the old gods and the new, may he rest in peace. Jon Snow: the Julius Caeser of Castle Black. Each Brother in Black stabbed him before saying “For the watch”. Last to stick him is young Olly (Brenock O’Connor). He is the one who set Jon up so he must have the last word. They walk away and leave their Lord Commander to die in the snow. The camera stays on Jon for the last 20 seconds of the show before the credits. As the blood seeps out of him, it feels like a part of us has bled out too. Another beloved character has met his end.
This is why we hate the show but love it too. We were lucky to have a character to love so deeply. George R. R. Martin is a cruel genius but winter is still coming. Until next season, folks.
Overall Grade: A