With episode four releasing today, we are now halfway through the final season of Game of Thrones. The Battle of Winterfell was excruciating in the sense that it induced severe anxiety on my part that I could not care less that the Night King was defeated so quickly. I’m glad that’s all over and done with and the darkness added to the terror. But it begs the question: is it going to get even more terrifying? What will happen in the final three episodes?
I have a lot of thoughts (albeit over-analysed) on the final season so far , so I’ve compiled a list and I’ll be adding more as the season continues!
- We find out what happened to the character of ‘Eddy’ which Ed Sheeran played back in Season 7 in Bronn’s scene in the first episode. During the Field of Fire, Eddy’s eyelids were burnt off. This is interesting because D&D clearly gave us the scene of Arya and the Lannister soldiers to show us the reality of the lives of these soldiers. They just want to go home to their families. They’re unwilling participants of the wars that these nobles have raged on Westeros. It ties in to the Broken Man speech from the book as I talked about in a previous post. The common people that Daenerys wishes to serve are also the people she’s murdering in her pursuit of the Iron Throne. How Tyrion reacts in the aftermath, soldiers burnt to ashes, is the reaction of the audience – at least I hope so.
George R. R. Martin, though not a complete pacifist, questioned the unnecessary loss of lives in World War I in his South Bank documentary; whereas, WWII was the war that he “would have been glad to fight in.” Essentially, the battle against the White Walkers (notice that it is often abbreviated as WW?) is somewhat of a parallel because it was a war that could not be sat out. One could argue that Cersei v Daenerys will be somewhat loosely based on the aftermath of WWII – two superpowers fighting to become the numero uno superpower. However, I do expect our expectations to be subverted as this is Martin’s story after all. I will be surprised if the Iron Throne isn’t destroyed in the end. That’s the only effective way of truly “breaking the wheel.” I don’t see Jon nor Sansa wanting the throne. Establishing a Small Council would perhaps be one of the better solutions for the people of Westeros.
- The #FortheThrone Twitter campaign coupled with the Power is Power song is ominous in that it is a stark reminder of the glamorisation of power (also, a great song). Interestingly, it makes me wonder if the video is foreshadowing Jon killing Daenerys. Strangely, I don’t see Daenerys killing Jon. The line “only love can kill me now” is paired with Jon and Daenerys coupling as we saw in Season 7. In the books, Daenerys receives a prophecy that she shall know three treasons: once for blood, once for gold, and once for love. Many book readers believe that the final treason, the treason for love, is yet to happen and that it could be Jon who betrays Daenerys. Personally, I believe Tyrion could betray Daenerys for either Cersei or Jaime (or maybe even Sansa as she was kinda sorta hinting that he could still get it if he ditched Dany… right?). I think Jon could betray Daenerys for the good of the realm and for his family if Daenerys does descend into tyranny. Perhaps, she’ll know two treasons for love. Either way, I expect someone to betray Daenerys.
- Why did Bran urge Sam to reveal Jon’s parentage right after Daenerys revealed to Sam that she had murdered both his brother and father? Is there any significance to the reveal being made after Jon has ridden Rhaegal effectively becoming a dragonrider? I am somewhat torn here. But I’m leaning towards it not being a coincidence as Bran knew where exactly to park himself, so that he could meet his “old friend” Jaime – which, let’s be honest, was Bran’s best moment in the show’s history. He also gave Arya the dagger in the same spot that Arya defeated the Night King. I don’t believe it’s a mere coincidence. It has to be building up to something!
- I don’t think we’re completely done with the White Walkers yet. The mysterious messages left by the White Walkers, as we saw in Winterfell towards the end with Ned Umber, looks a lot like the Targaryen banner. I’ve thought for a long time that Ice and Fire are dualities, two sides of the same coin. Is this a warning that fire is as destructive as ice? I think there’ll be more to it and I’ll be frustrated if there isn’t a pay-off to Sam going on and on about stealing those books from the Citadel. There has to be something in one of those books. Or perhaps one of the books contains a record of the marriage of Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryen?
This is only 1/10th of all my thoughts so far. I am in a strange zone currently where most of my attention has shifted to Game of Thrones and it’s getting really hard to pull out of it. Thankfully, this show is worth it and I choose to embrace the nerd in me.
What are your thoughts on the Night King being defeated so quickly? What did you make of the Battle of Winterfell? Is Ice and Fire two sides of the same coin? Does Bran know more than he’s letting on? Let me know in the comments!
Sophia Ismaa
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Sofearless 
I will refrain from writing an essay in response to your awesome points, and just point out that I too think that the White Walkers aren’t done yet.
I get that Cersei is now looked at as the big bad guy, and that it was a human story the whole time and all, but they didn’t build THE WALL, an absolutely massive structure, to keep Cersei out, so I think the Night King isn’t finished yet, or there is something else out there that’s worse
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D&D were on Jimmy Kimmel and they couldn’t answer whether the White Walkers were over and done with. And yep, not to mention they have to begin building the wall. Reconstruction should play a big part. The White Walkers were created because of the destructive war amongst the people, in that way, it was created to, I guess, unite people? Power divides people. And look where we are now. Back to Daenerys and Cersei fighting for power. Even more lives will be lost,
Is Cersei really the final boss? It looks that way, but I think the final boss is power.
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The White Walkers were created to stop the First Men, which in turn led the FM and the Children to team up to stop them. If you think about it, the Starks have lineage dating to the FM, and the Lannisters represent the Andals, a group that the FM were at war with, and symbolically are today too. Maybe the WW will be used to unite them like they did the Children and the FM.
And yes Cersei is, because she is the living embodiment of power. Her whole character has been about having, losing, gaining, and using power, so she is the final enemy…assuming there is no more WW
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Yes, and it makes me wonder what the real life analogy is – global warming, WWII? Similarly, like you said, the threat of the WW is a way to unite men. The 4th episode is interesting because Jon gives a speech urging those who have fought to remember the dead, it’s a reminder to remember what they fought against and what united them. The Iron Throne is a threat to that ultimate goal.
Not only Cersei, but Daenerys too. Daenerys was listed as a threat to Westeros (not as great a threat at the WW though) because Daenerys still embodies power – she just dressed it up real nice.
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These are some interesting thoughts that I’m very excited to see if it comes to fruition or not. Your point about the White Walkers not completely being gone is definitely a good one. Great post! 🙂
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If that was really all there is to White Walkers, then, wow, I hope the books are completed one day because that was not enough! And Tyrion did betray Daenerys for Jaime! Thank you, Ayunda. 🙂
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Some excellent points made here! I too agree with your theory of “White Walkers” – I certainly think there is more to them! 😉
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Let’s hope that’s not the end of the White Walkers, we need more! Much love 💕
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I’m embarrassed to admit I fell asleep on the Battle of Winterfell. Not because it was boring, but because I’m 48 years old, don’t get enough sleep at night, and lately have been wearing myself out in support of The Girl’s volleyball club. I’ll rewatch it when I get the chance. I don’t think the Night King was defeated too quickly at all; in fact, it’s about damn time they got rid of that threat, if indeed they did. I do think ice & fire are opposite sides of a coin. And I definitely think Bran’s deliberately secretive.
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I’m afraid I might as well have closed my eyes too because I could barely see anything, XD I was surprised that we didn’t get more backstory for the White Walkers, though I believe the book will cover that. My anxiety was… ugh, not great, so yes I agree I’m glad it’s over and done with. 😓 Yes, Bran knows that fire is just as much a threat as ice is. Kind of like global warming – too hot and too cold.
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I’ve noticed the Internet, the blogosphere, and various other social media networks are up in arms in anger at various aspects of season 8. One of the things people are fuming about is what Danaerys did in episode 5. I don’t understand 1) why what she did surprises anyone; 2) why it makes them angry. My response to 1) is, she’s a freakin’ Targaryen!!! It’s the Targaryen curse, she was bound to be stricken by insanity at some point! I’m surprised it took this long. As for 2), it’s a freakin’ t.v. show!!! No real people or animals were hurt! It’s for entertainment purposes only!
I mean, for real, Soph, it’s fiction. Why do people get so worked up about it? If you don’t like it, just shut up and quit watching, right? Yeeeesh!
Sorry, rant over. How are you today, my distant friend?
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It was foreshadowed for a long time although I didn’t even think she would go that far, I thought she’d limit it to the Red Keep and the wildfire caches would explode as a result too, but once I saw the full wrath she wrought upon the innocent people… I didn’t question it. She really believed that they should free themselves from Cersei’s grip, but they don’t even know Daenerys and they’re not slaves either to be liberated. It was telling that her first instincts were to fly down to KL with her dragons and it was her advisors that stopped her, and just because she listened it still doesn’t negate that it was her first instinct. All to restore the wheel which she believes she’s breaking. Aegon built that wheel. But it really goes to show that everybody is a hero in their own story.
As for it being just a show, I have written many times that George R. R. Martin has based it on real historical events with a fantasy twist. The directors note for that episode was specifically in mind with the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki (I got that right, but it’s a hollow victory in light of the episode). More importantly, as I said in my recent post, it’s the audiences reactions that are also important. Very in line with how Daily Mail and Fox News would see it. Paint the white mass murderer as a victim instead. As a person of colour, and as a Muslim, my people receive hate for the actions of terrorists. But white terrorists? Oh they had a tragic backstory. It’s the same all over again. It might just be fiction to some white people because they haven’t been on the receiving end of oppression, but as Muslim woman, I see it as just another example of the white person getting away with something horrendous or being called badly written when, in reality, white imperialists have been known to do these very things.
It’s a show, but the social commentary it provides and the free psychology and sociology lessons it imparts (using the audience as a tool) is a great way to learn about the audience.
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In regard to your final paragraph: I just finished a very good book, Maybe You Should Talk to Someone: A Therapist, Her Therapist, and Our Lives Revealed, that makes that very point about how a show can be a national (or international) forum for free therapy. The author never explicitly states it the way you did, but that’s part of her closing argument.
By the way, of the 30 books I’ve read or audited so far this year, the 3 best were written by women, a fact I will celebrate here and on Goodreads whenever I finally getting around to posting my thoughts about them.
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It sounds like an interesting book. Do you have any interesting recommendations from POC authors or POC women, in general? If those three women are who I think they are (Sarah Perry, Tara Westover & I’m not sure about the final one), I’m not really interested because they are all white women (one must have a daily/weekly/monthly white people limit after all). I’ve read The Essex Serpent, very good, but not ‘omg super awesome.’
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The three are Tara Westover, Gail Honeyman (Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine), and Lori Gottlieb, author of the aforementioned Maybe You Should Talk to Someone. Add to that Jeannette Winterson who, though not a POC, is an out-and-proud lesbian. She was one of my favorite authors during grad school, and her book Christmas Days, which I read in December, is a delight.
As for recommendations by POC authors, if you haven’t discovered N.K. Jemisin yet, specifically her Broken Earth series, I highly recommend that. I think she’s right up your alley, and she’s created quite a firestorm of controversy in the sci-fi community.
Happy reading!
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Loved reading your thoughts on GOT, Sophia!!! You pointed out so many things I had not even considered- your white walker theory is super interesting & I think you’re on to something with that!!
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It’s looking they may never discuss them again. 😪 Thank you for reading! 🙂
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Wait… the season is only 8 episodes?? 😮 I thought it’d be longer since those books are so damn thick!
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Only 6 but 1hr 30 mins for some! Those books are worth the length, trust me!
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