I have mixed feelings about this episode.
Arya
Phenominal kill scene. Everything I probably wanted for her in her new assassin life. She was brutal, cold and even funny. The camera work was pretty perfect and there was no rape part of the scene, just enough terribleness from her target to know that he was deserving of whatever fate she handed him. And solid work of the face of the girl she poisoned at the well. But, it was also too fast and somewhat forced - which is my recurring problem with the episode. I would have liked a little more buildup to that moment as well as a little more on her change to a cold hearted killer. For as much as she was certainly going that way we really didn't see her grow into an actual assassin. As much as I was enjoying the psychological aspects of this season and with it a slight lack of actual action, I would have liked some continuation there. Looking back I don't know which of her scenes could have been sped up so it seems that 10 episodes just wasn't enough to give me everything there I wanted.
And then her punishment and the death of the faceless man. Awesome scene. Having kept up on the book thread I knew she was facing potential blindness of some sort so that didn't come off as a huge surprise. The full breadth of the faceless men though clearly hasn't even been touched yet. I'm going to assume that someone is going to go through the faces that she pulled off the dead guy to figure out if they were faces of people we have seen because they went by too quick for my brain to catch if they were.
Overal, she continues to be an amazing character. And is still 1A right behind Tyrion. IF they are really going with 7 seasons only I could see her story staying in Braavos all of next season as she truly becomes the noone she has to be.
Agree - we finally get a great payoff on that brutal murder of Trant. Good to see her list starting to be taken care of. I was wondering as well if these were faces of people she has seen, killed, or asked to be killed or if they were just random people. I couldn't remember - did she get trained on how to use the faces to kill the merchant, or was that just knowledge she just happened to "acquire". For me, she moves up to #1 as far as story potential going into season 7. Still not sure what the end game with her is - make her way back to Westeros, and end up offing someone important?
Tyrion
I am worried. As usual he was great in every scene, limited as they were. But if next season is going to be him running Myreen with Varys, Greyworm and hot translator chick, I fear he won't get nearly the amount of screen time he deserves. I also am having a hard time figuring out the end game of him leading that city. If it goes bad, I have no idea what happens. If it goes well, does that mean he stays there? Maybe the end game that MArtin has in mind and the writers are trying to toy with is that the entire west is destroyed one way or the other and only the east remains, and Tyrion becomes a major player for a new Iron Throne in the east? Typing it I really don't know if I like it. Still, Tyrion in charge a few seasons ago was awesome to watch, so hopefully we get a lot of his character next year.
Agree - he was a natural ruler in his brief time on the counsel. My concern is that they took my favorite character and put him in my least favorite storyline. I am hoping that Dany comes back quickly, this helps her trust him that much more, and they start getting Westward. Varys by his side >>>>>>> him bouncing ideas off those other two dolts who went after Dany.
Varys
Hated that he just showed up. Another it feels forced because we are stuck in 10 episode arcs. I don't know what I would have prefered with him showing up because I wanted him back in the story, but to just show up with no explanation at all was not my favorite part.
Jorah and Dany's boyfriend
I always forget his name. The throne room was a good scene overall so no complaints there, and I like both characters enough, but I'm really not in love any more with the 2 guys on a quest story line. So who knows what happens there. Frankly, I'm wondering why they have to go look for her at all? All they know is that she is saved by and controls her dragon. What can they do to protect her that her dragon can't?
Not sure here. Why was the assumption that she needs rescuing when she hopped on the dragon and took off?. My guess (and I hope I am wrong) is that this gets Jorah out of the city, in more contact with people, and he starts spreading his greyscale.
Dany
Enjoyed the Dothraki coming back in that scene. But if this turns into her roaming the countryside once again like the jews in the desert for 40 years I'm going to be annoyed. She either needs to get to the west or if she isn't going to the story tellers need to tell the viewer that somehow. I'm willing to go along for the ride, but at some point the ride gets boring if I don't know where I'm going. And not for nothing - but what's up with the other two dragons? Still locked up I know, but maybe someone should do something with them......
And, not for nothing, but the wheel that Dany wants to break? Baratheon's are pretty much wiped out and gone. The Starks are spread to the wind and no longer in Winterfell at all. The Lanisters will have no support at all inside King's Landing anymore in any way shape or form and will probably start killing a lot of people, the Tyrell's are, well, we don't know so maybe they have something, the Dorne storyline can go a billion different ways, the Boltons have an iron grip on the north now....... I don't know if that wheel is going to be able to spin any more regardless.
Maybe Tryion goes full How To Train Your Dragon and figures out how to tame the other two? Probably a book on that somewhere... Like I stated, I was frustrated that after a few seasons of her doing zilch, she is back where she started. MAYBE these Dothraki will see more strength in her now and be more willing to follow her across the sea, or at least help her fully take over Mereen and get on her way.
We all assume that the dragons have to end up in Westeros to fight the White Walkers, but this is show that likes to #### with our expectations, so I am in full on "I will believe it when I see it" mode as far as that goes.
Sansa & Theon
Obviously Reek is dead. Good for the character. They telegraphed him finally saving her, and the death of the nutjob girlfriend was awesome - funny. Just a splat. Solid. I am assuming that their jump was done knowing that there was enough snow at the bottom that they had a chance to live, with the back of their minds telling them that this death (if they die) is better than anything the Bolton's will do to them. Again, though, this whole setup felt forced. She had that corkscrew for days/weeks, and that's the day she picks to use it? I guess we have to assume that she chose that day because Ramsey and the army was out of the city so she figured less guards to deal with. I can buy that. But with no buildup to it it just felt a little force in the same - we have to get something done in the 10th episode - kind of way. Assuming they live, where they go will be interesting. Which leads me to...
I think both made it. I am still disappointed in the Sansa storyline. I've thought that since the time she was shown with the black dress/hair and being with Littlefinger, she would have started playing the game more, but that is not the case. I think they head for Castle Black since she knows Jon is there now with her husband in hot pursuit. I don't think what we witnessed was enough of a redemption with Reek, so I predict that he finally turns Ramsay's trick on him: he pretends to bring Sansa back to him and kills Ramsay and somehow sacrifices himself in the process. I also think that Brienne and Tripod catch up with them and end up at The Wall with Sansa. I also had questions about that scene - I assumed that the breakout timed with Ramsey being away, but what was so different that Reek stepped in? I guess that it's because it was Ramsey's girl and not Ramsey himself, and the true test is if he can go against Ramsey directly.
Littlefinger
Not having him show up at all for any reason was a loss. We know now that the Bolton's didn't really suffer much in that battle so it's not going to be so easy to just pick up the pieces and take Winterfell. If Sansa tried to get to the Vaile, will he be there? Will she get the Vaile to turn on Littlefinger or will she be happy to see him. No idea. And given that much of the reason that this whole story has taken place have been due to Littlefingers power plays, I would have liked to have seen something from him.
Agree 100%
Boltons
Ramsey is going to be so pissed. His storyline next season might end up being where all the action is for the most part. His girlfriend is dead, Sansa and Theon are gone and there is nothing to do in the north now since there is no more threat from the other royal families. He is going to have nothing to do but seek revenge.
Yes, Ramsey will be pissed. Seeing him in the field/in battle makes me think I underestimated him in combat. I think the Boltons still have a threat from Littlefinger, and I guess maybe other Northern Lords who have not committed to them if Sansa tries to form a contingency against them.
Stannis
I will give the writers credit. The moment that he sees the Bolton army coming at him and he has that look of acceptance of his fate - I actually felt a little pity for him. They did a good job of telling a story with those 5 seconds that books have pages to do. You could see the thoughts in his head as he realized this wasn't going to end well. That being said, he got off too easy for me. I would have liked him to suffer a little more, but maybe the point is that in that moment when the army was coming and later when Brienne was standing over him - he really did suffer from everything he did. Good riddance to him and his entire story line. Am I the only one that actually said, "Good," when I saw his wife hanging from a tree? I can't be, right?
Again, agree 100%. Such a great job of acting this year out of him, and as you said, that look he had when he saw the troops coming at him was brilliant acting. I don't like that they don't seem to be showing deaths anymore, but I am now leaning towards Stannis being dead. Just can't figure out what Stannis living will get Brienne.
Red Witch
I have no idea. I take her scene at the wall as an act but she obviously went there for a reason which gives some hope to Jon Snow next year. Some. But not much.
Yeah, I think Jon was/is her new target. She has not displayed the ability to bring people back, and seemed to be taken aback when she learned of Thoros doing it. Still debating if she lied to Stannis or if she thought what they did to Shireen would get them Winterfell and was genuinely freaked out that it didn't.
Sam and Gilly
I hope they just aren't in the show next season. Never liked anything about their story. And as soon as Sam left, and having read the Forbes spoiler and the book thread, I knew what was coming. Someone in this universe needs to come to the realization that you really should keep your friends as close as possible because every time they leave, bad things happen.
Again, I agree. Sam was better this season, but don't care about these two. I would be fine with them going the Bran route and not having these two in season 6. If Jon is gone, I am not sure what else can come of this story. Even if Jon is around, WTF can Sam learn in that short time to help them at the wall anyway?
Jon Snow
I hope he survives somehow. I've been open in my lack of entertainment for his entire story line and the entire Knight's Watch story line up until the battle of Castle Black last year. And everything since has been awesome. It will be a shame to lose that character. I will assume that the wildlings will not take well to his murder which could set up what I always expected which was a complete destruction of the wall somehow. I can envision the knights watch being overtaken by the wildlings and them becoming the new watchers on the wall or destroying the wall somehow either purposely or as a final attack on the coming threat. Who knows. But for now the only thing standing in the way of the coming winter of death is...... Winterfell. And the Boltons will have no chance.
I don't think we have seen the last of him, but really don't know what is next if that is the case. Red Witch ressurrects him? Then what - are the Night's Watch going to listen to him any more? Maybe he heads to Winterfell with the Wildlings since he probably doens't have ties to The Watch anymore. Maybe he just survives the stabs and that causes a civil war amongst the Watch once his supporters find out what happend, leading to the White Walkers getting through. Maybe they take his body north to be with the wildlings he loved, are attacked by the undead army, and is brought back by the White King dude.
Cersei
Phenominal scene in every aspect. The acting was superb, the camerawork was perfect. Just everything about it was great. The High Sparrow has something else up his sleeve. I don't know what yet. I actually had the thought that when Cersei finally got inside the castle gate, that the High Sparrow would be standing there with Tommen - and we get the sense that Tommen was working with him or converted or made a deal or something to save his wife by torturing his mother. It would have really thrown Cersei for a loop and it would have given Tommen some teeth for next season. As it is now, Cersei is done as a power player save for her mutant bodyguard I'd think and Uncle Kevan is probably running the crown whether Tommen knows it or not.
We have the set up that her walk is one thing, but she still will stand trial, and that is where FrankenMountain comes in. She wins, goes more nuts, and probably makes most people wish Joffrey was at the helm. Starting to wonder how much power the Lannisters have anymore. Marcella will bond her and Jamie more, but Kevan doesn't want anything to do with her. Not sure what her move will be, but it will be entertaining.
Brienne
I get that we didn't see Stannis die, but Brienne has literally no reason to allow him to live so she killed him and kept her first oath. She has to go find Sansa now once she is told that she escaped.
Maybe she meets up with Sansa and Theon and they all do....... something. I feel like her character is either wasted or uselss and I'm not sure which.
I think she ends up at the wall with Sansa and Pod. Don't know from there - maybe Sansa sends her off on another Stark quest and she goes looking for her brothers? Just as likely is her sacrificing herself to save Sansa somehow.
Dorne
The ship was still close to the shore. Why they wouldn't just turn around I don't know. Unless that is the plan next season. Maybe Jamie joins the prince in the civil war that the poison lady is going to start. Maybe Jamie becomes the ruler of Dorne. Who knows. Maybe Jamie realizes that there is nothing back at home for him anymore and stays in the east and travels to............ Myreen, to meet up with his brother. Myreen being run by Tyrion, Jamie, Greyworm, Varys and Bronn would be interesting. If Jamie doesn't kill him first. Frankly, I have no idea what to think about this entire story line. I didn't hate it like some, but still.....
Yep, Dorne was dumb. Now just Tommen left in the line to the throne. This will send Cersei even more over the edge. Maybe she convinces Jamie to take Tommen somewhere for protection, giving her the ability to rule in his place. The Dornish will have to pay, but not sure how. It's not like she is likely to ask the Tyrells for help in this either. Maybe she kidnaps/kills the Dornish prince and we get Sand Snakes in Kings Landing?
Overall, I enjoyed it but felt like they just forced too many things because they had to. Another 30 minutes probably would have helped alot. But in the end, I think I have to put this season up there with my favorites of the 5. Great stuff all the way around. If they are really keeping it to 7 seasons then there is a crap ton of stuff that has to happen in the next season to make way for a final season that has to be just all out war. I'd think. I'm still wondering if the final story here isn't the complete destruction of the west and the east becoming the new center of the world of the story.
Overall, still enjoying the show, but wished they could have spread out the good stuff this season somehow. Dragged for 7 episodes and then got good. Proably my least favorite season, but not sure about this vs. season 2. What makes me nervous going forward is that they have killed off too many good characters for my liking. Still a few left I love, but last season was brutal in that department. Also not fully digging that they are not showing deaths and that a few things have been introduced to make us think nobody can be killed - FrankenMountain, Lord of Light ressurecting people, White Walkers, etc.. Starts to take away the tension if people start coming back more and more. Still confident that they can more this forward and rebound next season.
My top storylines going forward:
1. Arya - that scene was great, and I am wondering where this is going
2. Cersei - I think she is going to bonkers, and it is going to be fun to watch!
3. The Wall - #### is going to hit the fan in an epic way
4. Littlefinger - seems to have his hands in everything, and really want to see what he has up his sleeve
5. Tyrion/Varys - these two are just too good together
Lost interest in:
1. Sam and Gilly
2. Dorne
3. Dany - could do something good with her, but I have a very short leash with this story.
