Game of Thrones Season 8, Episode 6 Review: Brutal and Bittersweet!

As excited as my Mondays get, I woke up to watch the last episode of Game of Thrones that started back in 2011, as the sun started to shed it’s light through my windows. After today, Monday mornings will never be the same. If you have not watched the episode yet, then I must let you turn back and read further only if you want to know how it ends. This article contains spoilers and they are pretty disturbing.

The show is on; it is titled “The Iron Throne” and it picked up right where it was left last week; the city of King’s Landing turned to ashes by Queen Daenerys Stormborn, riding over her dragon and being true to her heritage of Targaryens. Amidst the celebrating Dothraki and the unsullied army, we see Tyrion Lannister and Arya Stark gauzing the destruction that was left in the wake of the Mad Queen. While Tyrion mourns over the death of his siblings in Maegor’s Holdfast, strangled under the deluge of the Red Keep, Arya walks over to Jon Snow and gives him counsel as a representative of Stark family. Tyrion finally gathers courage and takes a stand against his Queen and is immediately imprisoned for treason.

Jon Snow is the only one who can handle his Mad Queen. He is counselled by Tyrion who has best of the interests for the realm, Arya speaking for the North and also Sansa, the unsullied headed by Grey Worm who is loyal to the Mother of Dragons and yet Jon needs to know in his heart that his Queen, the woman he loves, to whom he has bent his knee has some humanity left in her or not.

Daenerys’s vision in the House of the Undying has come true and we see her walking towards the Iron Throne and she is euphoric as her childhood fantasy is about to come true. Taking over Westeros and protecting the realm, freeing the people from a tyrant and breaking the wheel has been her destiny. An intense conversation between Jon and Dany showcases the two versions of protecting the realm and freeing the people; while Dany wants to create a new world with good, her version of freeing means liberating people of their lives and Jon has always been the one to do the right thing, finally sees the truth behind her megalomaniac ideology, which has always been destructive.

“Duty is the death of love” quotes Jon remembering Maestor Aemon and prioritizes his duty, sacrificing his love, as a true Stark.

Jon kisses her one last time and drives a knife through her heart, thus bringing an end to her tyranny and freeing the world of Targaryens. A distraught cry from Drogon makes us realize that he was her only ally all this while. Drogon, in a fit of agony burns the Iron Throne, made of more than 1000 swords, melted so easily symbolizing the end of tyrant rule in Westeros. A beautiful moment between Mother and child is caught when Drogon tries to wake his dead mother but accepts her demise, gently carries her in his talons and flies off, probably to Valyria.

A few weeks later, a trial is conducted for Tyrion and Jon for treason; Tyrion as usual with his sharp tongue comes out with wise words and the remaining Lords and ladies of Westeros including Edmure Tully, Yara Greyjoy, Samwell Tarly, Sansa Stark, an unnamed Lord from Dorne, Ser Davos, Briennce of Tarth and Bran gather in Dragonpit to decide their fate. Tyrion chooses Bran as the rightful king and Bran chooses Tyrion as Hand of the King vice versa. Sansa speaks for the North and claims the North to remain independent and we see everyone hailing the King of Westeros, Bran the Broken ruling only six kingdoms as opposed to seven previously.

Jon, the Queenslayer, much to his delight, is sentenced to the Night watch, who rejoins with Tormound and Ghost at Castle Black. Arya heads to west of Westeros on an adventurous exploration. Sansa is crowned as the Queen of the North and takes the Throne in Winterfell.

Related: Game of Thrones Season 8, Episode 5 Review

While most of the character arcs are tied precisely it is rather rushed and seems artificial. Had this happened over a period of two seasons, there was a good chance that audience might be at peace with the ending but alas! In a span of 80 minutes, the show creators have wrapped all storylines to the best of their capabilities, that spanned for 8 years, across two continents, seven Houses and hundreds and thousands of corpses. This would happen in an ideal world, but this is Game Of Thrones we are talking about – everything is unpredictable here.

Verdict

The finale of Game of Thrones was rather good. As described earlier, the ending was bittersweet. Few majestic scenes were Drogon ruffling its wings from ice then agonizing over his mother and carrying her to a place from where she hailed.

Thank God that we see a just King ruling the Kingdom who has a tinsy bit of humor left in him; thank God we see the Council formed by Tyrion bickering just as they are meant to. Bronn got his castle, now he can rest. Thank God we finally see Jon petting ghost and heading the wilding’s herd. Well, there won’t be another Targaryen born ever for the fantasy world people to hold their breath for.

Peter Dinklage’s (Tyrion) acting was as good as ever and he does justice to his character, delivering wise words. Kit Harrington (Jon Snow) can finally get newer haircut as his contract finally ended; Emilia Clarke (Daenerys) tops everyone else with her intense acting, blood red eyes filled with devotion to her lover as well as to her dream and her perception of good as it blended perfectly with somber music score.

It breaks my heart that our beloved Queen is dead, many unanswered questions remain, Jon is back at Castle Black and many other character arcs built over seven seasons  were ended abruptly. But, the most traumatic thought is that next week, we won’t have anything to crib about. Hit me up with your fan theories, parallel universe proceedings for Westerosy politics and other probable character arc diversions that could be much more satisfying and rather cool.

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