Game of Thrones: 6.10 - Winds of Winter

[ctg]

No Synopsis

The episode will be 69 minutes long as opposed to the near 54 minute average.

 

[REBerg]

I can't remember a GoT season finale that had so many possible dramatic endings.

When Cersei brought the House of the High Sparrow ( AKA the Sept of Baelor) down, sending all his faith militant minions and anyone else who might get between her and the Iron Throne up in wildfire flames during the opening minutes, I wondered how the actual ending could possibly top that.

I thought the end had arrived when Jon was being proclaimed the new King of the North. Nope.

When Arya, employing her new faceless girl skills, slit Walder Frey's throat? Nope.

When Cersei ascended to the Iron Throne? Nope.

When young Ned is holding baby Jon; Nope.

When a zillion ships, Dany and three dragons are on their way to Westeros? Yep, finally. Not quite as hell-raising as the Sept of Baelor being reduced to a smoking hole in the ground, but still very impressive.

 

[The Imp]

Great, great, GREAT episode.

I almost feel a tiny bit sorry for Septa Unella.

But I don't .

Long days and VERY unpleasant nights Septa.

 

[sinister42]

Many many rounds of applause for this season. Can't wait another year, bugger it.

FINISH THE DAMNED BOOK, GRRM!

 

[Needle]

Wow, just wow!! Still processing

 

[Ursa major]

I've only read the "Unsullied's recap on Winter is Coming, and I have to go along with that "Wow, just wow!"


Roll on 2017 and the Blu-ray release....

 

[Culhwch]

Yup. Wow. That is all.

 

[Gnrevolution]

Amazing episode and a fine end to what has been possibly the best season to date! I think we all knew what was coming with Cersei (Tommen aside) but the way it built up, particularly the musical score, was damn phenomenal. Cersei single-handedly (well almost) wiped out everyone of note in KL and somehow has ended up on the throne. Not sure she exactly be an even and just queen though, rule through fear and the 'mad queen' will be order of the day. Great to finally see Dany on the move as well, although I will admit the time jumps are really grating, seems everyone is using Littlefinger's teleportation booth now! Not sure what to make of the look between Sansa and LF, everyone seems to think she was happy for Jon Targaryen Snow being raised to King of the North (and that LF was mightily pissed off), but I kinda got the feeling that Sansa was also annoyed that everyone had chosen a ******* over her, the true Stark?

Slight criticisms (or questions):

1. How did Arya get where she was (teleportation aside)? And how did she get a mask, can she make them herself, or did Jaqen give her one?
2. Not sure where Sam's story is going, the library looked dauntingly large, and he's not going to be able to sit around for 20 years reading up on stuff...
3. Jaime made it back in rather coincidental timing, is he going to turn on Cersei, he certainly didn't look happy

But really, those little things aside and this was possibly the best episode of GoT to date.

 

[Culhwch]

Not sure what to make of the look between Sansa and LF, everyone seems to think she was happy for Jon Targaryen Snow being raised to King of the North (and that LF was mightily pissed off), but I kinda got the feeling that Sansa was also annoyed that everyone had chosen a ******* over her, the true Stark?

Yeah, I can't decide which it was. Oh well, only a year until we find out...

How did Arya get where she was (teleportation aside)? And how did she get a mask, can she make them herself, or did Jaqen give her one?

If you look at a map, Braavos is actually closer to the Twins than Winterfell is.

Not sure where Sam's story is going, the library looked dauntingly large, and he's not going to be able to sit around for 20 years reading up on stuff...

Hope they have a good card catalogue!

I don't think I mentioned on previous threads, but Lyanna Mormont has totally stolen this season for me. The show has dealt shabbily with some great book houses, like the Umbers and Manderlys, and even Maege Mormont, but Lyanna goes some way to redeeming those ills.

 

[REBerg]

Cersei single-handedly (well almost) wiped out everyone of note in KL and somehow has ended up on the throne. Not sure she exactly be an even and just queen though, rule through fear and the 'mad queen' will be order of the day.

Cersei didn't seem nearly as grief-stricken by the death of Tommen as she was by the deaths of Joffrey and Myrcella. She did spare him by blocking his appearance at the trial, but took no more than a glancing look at his body before ordering him burned and having the ashes added to the rest at the Sept of Baelor. Perhaps she already considered Tommen a lost cause.

Jaime made it back in rather coincidental timing, is he going to turn on Cersei, he certainly didn't look happy

Jaime might be more distressed at the death of his third and last child than Cersei. I don't think he would ever turn on her.

Not sure what to make of the look between Sansa and LF

I can't see Sansa ever buying into Little Finger's vision of the pair of them ruling the kingdoms. He knew what he was doing to her when he delivered her to the Boltons, and she knows that he knew. Any future alliance between the two of them would last only as long as it took for Sansa to achieve her goal.

How did Arya get where she was (teleportation aside)? And how did she get a mask, can she make them herself, or did Jaqen give her one?

Characters regularly seem to get from one location to another with much greater speed than one would expect. I do appreciate not having to take all the journeys with them. Maybe Arya snagged a few faces on her way out of the assassin's academy. I hope she didn't simply murder a girl to get one. I still have hope that Arya has not become just a cold-blooded killer.

I don't think I mentioned on previous threads, but Lyanna Mormont has totally stolen this season for me. The show has dealt shabbily with some great book houses, like the Umbers and Manderlys, and even Maege Mormont, but Lyanna goes some way to redeeming those ills.

The girl's got more backbone than all the other bannermen combined.

 

[Ursa major]

Just a question, leading to a (I hope) not-too-crackpot theory (at least in the context of the show)....

Noticing -- remember: I've only read the recaps and won't be seeing the show for at least nine months -- that Pycelle was killed by little "birds", is this a hint that Qyburn is one of Varys's allies?

 

[REBerg]

Just a question, leading to a (I hope) not-too-crackpot theory (at least in the context of the show)....

Noticing -- remember: I've only read the recaps and won't be seeing the show for at least nine months -- that Pycelle was killed by little "birds", is this a hint that Qyburn is one of Varys's allies?

It looked like Qyburn was handling the Little Bird Spy Network in the absence of Varys, although I don't know if that was authorized
Pycelle's assassination was brutal -- made even more so by children wielding the knives. Qyburn oversaw the event, but his "out with the old, in with the new" apology to the grand maester didn't do much to clarify the reasons behind the murder to me.
Presumably, Qyburn was acting under the direction of Cersei.

 

[DarrellR]

1. Jaime made it back in rather coincidental timing, is he going to turn on Cersei, he certainly didn't look happy.

I'm curious on this point as well. Despite what many characters think, Jaime has more to him. The main reason we know this is because we know exactly the reason he did take on the mantle of kingslayer. Well...Cersei just did (in less proportions) exactly what Jaime was seeking to prevent in slaying the Targaryen king by utilizing the wildfire is such a destructive way. Citing that and the death of their last child in such a manner and you can't help but wonder if their ties will be severely strained if not broken.

 

[ctg]

If Jaime has any honour left and more than two brain cells, he will ride to North and take his place next to Jon. There is nothing left for him at the Red Keep. All his sons and a daughter has died. But I'm afraid that Cersei has wrapped him around her little finger, and she's not going to give up on him. Just like she's not let Septa out from dungeons.

In fact, I think Cercei will burn the whole Red Keep in her madness before she yields it to either Daenery's or anyone else. But for some reason I don't think Jon will ever come down from North. He will stay by the Wall and keep the south safe from the dead. Which makes things interesting, especially as Bran's uncle revealed that his kind has trouble crossing the boundary and if they do, something tragic will happen.

But that raises the question, what will actually happen, and can the living keep the dead from advancing to South to take the throne, and possibly most of the living at Westeros? Not that there are going to be many of them left after the clashes to claim the Iron Throne. And that is tragic, because if Night King has anything in his possession to take down the Wall, who going to stop him?

Although there's a possibility that with "The winter being coldest in thousand years, if Meister's are to believe" that the sea will freeze and open a new avenue for the dead to find their way behind the Wall. And if that happens there's no way for Jon to stop the most tragic thing from happening, and that is losing the South, while he holds a camp at the North.

Anyway, what a great episode and what a brilliant series. There hasn't been anything like it for a long time and nobody has come close to making something like this in the small screen. I hope Game of Thrones will get at least couple of Emmy's and Golden Globes for going boldly forward and showing in these troubled times that new things can come from the ashes of the old rulers.

I giggled madly, when the wildfire engulfed Sept, and I cheered out loud, when Jon was raised as new King of the North. What a brilliant series. Cheers.

 

[The Imp]

My take on the episode

First off, the music was amazing. It added so much to the story.

I think the finger in the pie might be not so subtle forshadowing. I loved the whole scene, especially how she killed him in the same way her mother was killed.

Cersei blowing up the Sept eas predictable, but the body count wasn't. Loras, Lancel, Sparrows High and low, Margaery, Mace, etc.

Lady Olenna owning the Sand Snakes was priceless

The King in the North scene had me weeping like a baby. Lyanna stole the season.
Dany FINALLY leaving Meereen. Thank the Gods, old and new.

Baby Jon 'turning into' grown Jon was a great transition. No, she did NOT have twins.

To be honest I could have done without Sam's entire scene.

Long days and unpleasant nights to you Septa Unella. I ALMOST feel sorry for her, but not quite.

Cersei taking the Iron Throne. Comeback player of the year. Will Jaime end up being a King AND Queen slayer?

More talk about the magocal protection the Wall has. I think Bran being marked will allow the Others to follow him through

Magnificent episode

 

[Keldaris]

The King in the North scene had me weeping like a baby. Lyanna stole the season.

I know the feeling, I was fine until she said "Promise me"...this was the only time the series has moved me to actual tears. I've gotten a little teary eyed before, but this broke me.

Cersei blowing up the Sept eas predictable, but the body count wasn't. Loras, Lancel, Sparrows High and low, Margaery, Mace, etc.

Can't forget that Kevan Lannister was in there as well!

To be honest I could have done without Sam's entire scene.

I was actually rather excited to finally see Old Town. And as a bibliophile the scene in the library put the same smile on my face as the one Sam was wearing... New life goal: Become rich enough to build that library

Cersei taking the Iron Throne. Comeback player of the year. Will Jaime end up being a King AND Queen slayer?

I've always believed that Jamie is the Valonqar. The most Heroic thing Jaime ever did was putting a sword through Aerys II's chest. He broke his vows, threw away his honor, and lived through twenty years of ridicule never once regretting his decision. Cersei has now thrown that all away.

In fact Cersei has pretty much singlehandedly brought down their family. She had Robert Killed, which started the whole conflict. She enabled Jofferey, allowing him to grow into the monster he became. Her hatred of Tyrion led to his trial and wrongful conviction, which led to Tywin and Myrcella's deaths. Tommen's death was caused by both her actions and neglect. If she had told Tommen the truth, explained that if she was found guilty it could mean his death as well. If she had been there for him instead of preparing to take control, he may not have killed himself.

Jaime has lost everything, his father, his brother, his children, his abilities as a swordsman, and now his lover. Cersei is no longer the same woman he fell in love with, she isn't even the same woman we saw in season/book one. Her actions have slowly taken everything he cared about from him. His own personal moral code and honor is all he has left. He always felt his Kingslaying was honorable, it was the right thing to do. He stopped The Mad King, he will also stop The Mad Queen.

 

[WaylanderToo]

I've only read the "Unsullied's recap on Winter is Coming, and I have to go along with that "Wow, just wow!"

not bad - I do prefer Ozzyman's reviews though. Again I'm not linking here as it is exceeding sweary!!!!

 

[JaeDarcy]

Lyanna stole the season.

Hell yes, she did. That little Lady Mormont is the bomb.
I loved the self-satisfied but slightly surprised smile on her face when they all followed along after she schooled them.

 

[WaylanderToo]

 

[Heather Myst]

Team Badass

Arya Stark and Lyanna Mormont.