Game of Thrones Season 6 Ep 10
Jun. 27th, 2016 05:22 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shapinglightBeen reading various reviewers' thoughts about this season of GoT, and the consensus seems to be that it hasn't been as good as previous ones.
This baffles me, because in my opinion, season 6 is way better than season 5, which was at times quite dull and at others (whenever a horrible Bolton was on screen), unnecessarily horrible.
Anyway, spoilers for the season finale behind cut.
That said, though we are clearly building up to the end-game, I can't help feeling that we've gone full-circle back to the beginning of season 2 in some ways.
To whit:
There's a nasty blonde psychopath on the Iron Throne, and invading armies, led by rival contenders, are approaching from all sides.
You've got to admire Cersei, I suppose. She's really tough. She took Tommen's death without a flinch. On the other hand, she's completely and utterly horrible, and I'm now wondering what Jaime was thinking when he was looking at her at the end there. Was he remembering how he broke his oath and killed the Mad King to stop him doing what Cersei has now actually done?
I'm not sorry to see the back of the High Sparrow, obvs, but I am pissed off about Margaery. I feel like, as with Osha, a great character has ultimately been wasted. I'm only glad that Margaery got to tell the High Sparrow to STFU about the gods, before they all got blown to smithereens.
Other storylines, concluded (for the season), more satisfyingly, with Dany and her dragons finally on the way to Westeros, and the north once more united under a Stark (or a Targaryen, actually, but who cares? And I loved seeing Jon and Sansa hug again. It's so good that they have each other), and -very, very satisfyingly for me, given what lame characters they are - with Granny Tyrell, hell-bent on revenge, telling the ridiculous Sandsnakes to shut up and let the grown ups talk.
I did think they could have done more with Uncle Benjen's brief return (after so effing long!), but no doubt he'll get a heroic death scene at some point before the end of the series. And who knows? Maybe Melisandre will too? I wonder what she'll do with herself now? If she really thinks Jon Snow is The One, she surely won't offer her services to Cersei, or whoever? We'll see, I suppose.
Likewise, we'll see if Arya makes it back to her siblings (her revenge on the Freys was a bit too grisly for me, have to say, but at least it's over), and if she meets up with the Hound on the way.
Then there's Bran, of course. Will he also make it back to Winterfell, and what will he do with his newfound knowledge that Jon isn't his brother but his cousin (which would make no difference round our way, but they might feel differently in Westeros)?
So anyway, yes, a strong season on the whole, I thought. The cast was whittled down considerably with the following casualties among the recurring characters:
All the Boltons (hoorah!
All the Freys (likewise)
Osha (boo! waste!)
Rickon Stark and Shaggydog the direwolf (sad)
Margaery and Loras (boo!and waste where Margaery's concerned)
Tommen (also sad)
The High Sparrow and Mrs Psycho Bell-Ringing Nun (hoorah!)
Hodor and Summer the direwolf (also sad)
The Waif (not going to miss her one bit)
The Giant (also, also sad)
Theon and Yara's dad (who cares?)
Tell me if I've forgotten anyone.
It also looks to me like Daario Wotsit is gone for good, and it's possible that Jorah Mormont may be too, but I think it's more likely we'll see him again than Daario.
Best new character: Little Lady Mormont.
So what did you all think?
ETA: Should have said, I think Tyrion fell in love with Dany in this episode. Everyone does in the end.
ETA: 2 I have thought of another regular character who was killed - Grandmaester Pycelle. Not going to miss him either.
This baffles me, because in my opinion, season 6 is way better than season 5, which was at times quite dull and at others (whenever a horrible Bolton was on screen), unnecessarily horrible.
Anyway, spoilers for the season finale behind cut.
That said, though we are clearly building up to the end-game, I can't help feeling that we've gone full-circle back to the beginning of season 2 in some ways.
To whit:
There's a nasty blonde psychopath on the Iron Throne, and invading armies, led by rival contenders, are approaching from all sides.
You've got to admire Cersei, I suppose. She's really tough. She took Tommen's death without a flinch. On the other hand, she's completely and utterly horrible, and I'm now wondering what Jaime was thinking when he was looking at her at the end there. Was he remembering how he broke his oath and killed the Mad King to stop him doing what Cersei has now actually done?
I'm not sorry to see the back of the High Sparrow, obvs, but I am pissed off about Margaery. I feel like, as with Osha, a great character has ultimately been wasted. I'm only glad that Margaery got to tell the High Sparrow to STFU about the gods, before they all got blown to smithereens.
Other storylines, concluded (for the season), more satisfyingly, with Dany and her dragons finally on the way to Westeros, and the north once more united under a Stark (or a Targaryen, actually, but who cares? And I loved seeing Jon and Sansa hug again. It's so good that they have each other), and -very, very satisfyingly for me, given what lame characters they are - with Granny Tyrell, hell-bent on revenge, telling the ridiculous Sandsnakes to shut up and let the grown ups talk.
I did think they could have done more with Uncle Benjen's brief return (after so effing long!), but no doubt he'll get a heroic death scene at some point before the end of the series. And who knows? Maybe Melisandre will too? I wonder what she'll do with herself now? If she really thinks Jon Snow is The One, she surely won't offer her services to Cersei, or whoever? We'll see, I suppose.
Likewise, we'll see if Arya makes it back to her siblings (her revenge on the Freys was a bit too grisly for me, have to say, but at least it's over), and if she meets up with the Hound on the way.
Then there's Bran, of course. Will he also make it back to Winterfell, and what will he do with his newfound knowledge that Jon isn't his brother but his cousin (which would make no difference round our way, but they might feel differently in Westeros)?
So anyway, yes, a strong season on the whole, I thought. The cast was whittled down considerably with the following casualties among the recurring characters:
All the Boltons (hoorah!
All the Freys (likewise)
Osha (boo! waste!)
Rickon Stark and Shaggydog the direwolf (sad)
Margaery and Loras (boo!and waste where Margaery's concerned)
Tommen (also sad)
The High Sparrow and Mrs Psycho Bell-Ringing Nun (hoorah!)
Hodor and Summer the direwolf (also sad)
The Waif (not going to miss her one bit)
The Giant (also, also sad)
Theon and Yara's dad (who cares?)
Tell me if I've forgotten anyone.
It also looks to me like Daario Wotsit is gone for good, and it's possible that Jorah Mormont may be too, but I think it's more likely we'll see him again than Daario.
Best new character: Little Lady Mormont.
So what did you all think?
ETA: Should have said, I think Tyrion fell in love with Dany in this episode. Everyone does in the end.
ETA: 2 I have thought of another regular character who was killed - Grandmaester Pycelle. Not going to miss him either.
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no subject
Date: 2016-06-28 09:36 am (UTC)We also seem to have moved from "let's see lots of breasts!" and "women as victims" to incipient matriarchy across the board, which makes me happy.
I think Cersei is going to melt down on that throne pretty quickly but it was nice watching her blow the hell out of the tedious High Sparrow plot. I had the sense that Jaime is seriously reconsidering things, based on his expression at the coronation. He didn't exactly seem enthused at Riverrun, either. But yeah, that's not so much character development as "oh, we need to get him from here to there, let's show his disillusion."
I keep comparing Jon & Sansa to Theon & Yara. I'm a little uncomfortable with Jon as the Great Kingly Hope when he doesn't really even seem to want it . . .
And, just because I've been saying this in my own mind: Arya! Going all Titus Andronicus on his ass!
no subject
Date: 2016-06-28 04:18 pm (UTC)Heh! Well put.
And it's true. There's been an awful lot less nudity this season. The only scene that really springs to mind was Theon and Yara in the brothel, and even then it was all about the two of them.
I keep comparing Jon & Sansa to Theon & Yara. I'm a little uncomfortable with Jon as the Great Kingly Hope when he doesn't really even seem to want it . . .
Yes, Jon looked incredibly un-enthused by the whole thing. Not that I can blame him. Many of the people acclaiming him hadn't dared do so until Ramsey Bolton was dead. Plus, I expect he's remembering what happened to Robb. Plus, he just seems to be generally miserable.
I did like his little moment with Sansa, though - especially when she said, "Winter has come. Father did always promise," and the little smile they shared.