Episode 8 of Season 6 left many fans with an odd taste in their mouth. Theories didn’t go to plan, a main character became even more morally ambiguous and there was a general sense of ‘meh’.
Then again, Game of Thrones is designed to screw up your hopes and dreams just when you thought you were safe.
The big issue this week was of course Arya Stark’s anticlimactic departure from the Many Faced God storyline. It turns out she was most definitely stabbed by the Waif, although she didn’t die. Fight Club scenarios were scattered to the wind when Arya was found and stitched up by lovely Lady Crane.
Cue Lady Crane’s murder, a big chase scene and a long-awaited face-off with the Waif. My question is, who is able to run that fast with several stab wounds to the stomach and assumedly broken bones or at least some serious bruising? Not convinced.
Luckily, thanks to Needle and Arya’s ability to fight in the dark, she killed the Waif and basically told Jacq’an Hagar to go stuff his No One business because she was off home to Winterfell.
Was it all a big waste of time? There’s got to be more to this story and it definitely didn’t sit right with a lot of Throne’s fans.
We were all getting pretty bored of Tyrion, Missandei and Grey Worm waiting around for Daenerys to return to Meereen, and this week pushed that awkward lingering up a gear when Tyrion tried to get the pair drunk. It was funny, in a way. Awkward and a bit random, but a welcome light-hearted break from more serious scenes to come…namely the Masters returning to take back their slaves and Queen Dany arriving back on her dragon just in the nick of time. It seemed to be a drop-and-fly as far as Drogon was concerned…which is bad because they sort of need him right now…
Cersei Lannister is playing with fire again and refused to meet with the High Sparrow. We finally got to hear ‘I choose violence’ from her, but the scene fell a bit flat when the only violence that ensued was The Mountain ripping off the head of one of the Sparrows. I was sort of expecting a mini bloodbath.
But it wasn’t all bad. It turns out King Tommen abolished the Trial by Combat law, meaning Cersei really is up the creek without a paddle. There are plenty of fan theories regarding the “rumour” her little birds were investigating, some suggesting it could be about her obtaining Wild Fire.
Is she going to demolish King’s Landing in a fiery blaze and be done with it? I suppose that could solve a lot of problems.
It does mean, however, that Cleganebowl is dead in the water. Fans had theorised that The Hound would face his brother, The Mountain, in the trial for the ultimate sibling fight but it looks like it’s not going to happen. The Hound looks to be set to joining The Brotherhood Without Banners after they found and hanged the Brothers who killed all his hippy mates. Sandor Clegane did get some great one-liners in though, and his storyline looks set to get more exciting from here.
Brienne and Pod made it to the Riverlands where the reunion of the Season took place. I’m still rooting for Jaime and Brienne, she brings out the good in him and you could cut the sexual tension with a knife.
Jaime’s complex character flitted back and forth between his obvious fondness for Brienne and an intense conversation with the captive Edmure Tully. Jaime reiterated his only motive, to please Cersei and be with her at any cost. “The things we do for love” line tied in with the first Season and him shoving Bran off a wall, which basically started all this drama in the first place.
This preceded the Siege That Wasn’t, where Edmure was convinced to take back Riverun for his family and hand it over to the Lannisters. The Blackfish mysteriously died off screen (although there’s a theory for that as well) and apart from that there wasn’t any bloodshed.
Jaime let Brienne and Pod escape, even giving her a wave as she went which I’m sure she just loved. It probably won’t be the last time we see them together, a Jaime/Brienne/Tormund love triangle would be magnificent.
Overall, a few loose end were tied up in “No One” but many aspects of the plot left lingering questions and a sense that things had been dealt with a bit carelessly. Maybe it’s because producers Benioff and Weiss are deviating so much from the books.
Having said all that, and being an unashamedly dedicated GoT fan, all of this can be forgiven in light of next week’s Battle of the Bastards which is set to be nothing short of epic. We’ve been waiting too long for Ramsay and Jon to meet in the battlefield and here’s hoping the Stark’s will come out on top.
Watch Battle of the Bastards Sunday 19 June on HBO. #ThroneWatch
