Please note: there are FULL spoilers for the seventh and final episode of season 7, as well as all preceding episodes.
Daenerys’ army has gathered outside the walls of King’s Landing, led by Grey Worm and the Unsullied, before the Dothraki cavalry ride over the hill to join them. Atop the walls, Bronn tells Jamie he would not fight in a war if he had no genitals (like the Unsullied). Jamie suggests he might fight for gold, or family, both of which are refuted by Bronn. They decide that maybe, in the end, everything is all about cocks. On a ship heading towards the gathering at King’s Landing, Tyrion and Jon discuss how many people are at risk if the dead invade. Tyrion puts the population at over a million, more than the entire population of the North. Below deck, The Hound confirms that the captured Wight is still active, and it is.
Tyrion leads Missandei, Davos, Theon, Jorah and Varys, along with the Hound and the captured Wight, and they are met by Bronn, who has already met Brienne and Podrick, sent by Sansa from Winterfell. Brienne is surprised, and pleased, to see the Hound alive, and he tells her she was the closest to kill him yet, but she didn’t get the job done, while Tyrion, Pod and Bronn exchange greetings, for the first time in a long while. Met by Jon, they all enter the former Dragonpit, where they are awaited by Queen Cersei, with Jamie, Qyburn, Euron, Ser Gregor.
The Hound goes face-to-face with his brother Ser Gregor, The Mountain, and promises him his true death will come before leaving the meeting. Cersei asks Tyrion where Dany is, and Tyrion says she is on her way. As if waiting for her introduction, Dany swoops down on the back of one of her Dragons, and takes her seat: for the first time, the three royal leaders are face to face to face.
Tyrion starts proceedings, before being interrupted by Euron, who promises Theon that Euron will kill Yara if Theon does not immediately surrender. Cersei tells Euron to stand down, and as Ser Gregor takes a step forward, Euron decides that the conversation is best to be continued at another time. Tyrion continues, and joined by Jon, they explain that the true threat to everyone in Westeros is not each other, but the Army of the Dead, marching South as they speak. Cersei is unconvinced, believing it all to be a trick to have her call back her armies before the Hound returns with the crate containing the Wight.
The captured undead soldier is let loose, and Cersei cannot believe her eyes. The Hound cleaves it in two, but it continues crawling around as just a torso. The Hound removes its hand, which Qyburn picks up to study, before Jon takes it from him and explains how to deal with the undead army: they can be killed by burning, or with dragonglass. Euron has seen enough, and upon learning they cannot swim, vows to return to the Iron Islands, and tells Dany she should return to Dragonstone. When Winter ends, he tells her, they will be the only ones left alive. Cersei tells Daenerys that until the dead are defeated, they are the true enemy, and Cersei accepts the truce… on the condition that Jon not take up arms against Cersei in the war to come. Jon tells Cersei, and everyone else, the can cannot accept those terms, as he has already pledged himself to Daenerys. Cersei not pleased, and leaves, and says he will deal with any who stand in her way, once the dead have thinned Daenerys’ ranks.
Brienne asks Jamie to reconsider, but Jamie says he is loyal to Cersei, and Brienne is loyal to Sansa and Jon. Brienne begs Jamie to think of the bigger picture, that this goes beyond houses, honour or oaths and that Jamie must talk to Cersei. Tyrion decides to talk to Cersei himself, alone, and leaves. On the way, he sees Jamie, who was just kicked out of Cersei’s room for asking the same thing. Tyrion enters and tries to convince Cersei, who almost has Tyrion killed for his crimes, but relents at the last minute. Tyrion deduces Cersei is pregnant.
In the Dragonpit, Daenerys is grateful that Jon upheld his oath, but thinks that maybe he should have lied to save some trouble. Tyrion returns, followed by Cersei, where Cersei says she will aid in the war to come.
In Winterfell, Sansa is discussing what to do with Arya with Littlefinger. Littlefinger suggests that Sansa assume the worst, and he leads her to decide that Arya is going to kill her to become the Lady of Winterfell.
At Dragonstone, Jon and Daenerys decide that they will sail for White Harbour together, despite a short warning from Jorah. Jon says it is important that he and Dany be seen together if the free folk are going to accept them as rulers. Theon meets with Jon later, and says he is sorry for his past transgressions, but needs to try and make up for them by rescuing his sister, Yara, from Euron. Theon wins the support of his men, and sets sail for the Iron Islands.
Back in Winterfell, Sansa has Arya summoned to the Great Hall, where it appears she will stand trial. Sansa then reveals it is Peter Baelish, Littlefinger, who is on trial for his role in the deaths of Jon Arryn, Lysa Arryn and betraying Sansa, Arya and Bran’s father, Eddard. Littlefinger says there is no proof, but Bran is able to recount Baelish’s exact words. Littlefinger begs Sansa to spare him, but Sansa refuses, and Littlefinger is killed by Arya.
In King’s Landing, Cersei interrupts Jamie planning the expedition North and tells him that she has no intent of sending any soldiers to help. It is her intent to wait for the Jon/Daenerys and undead armies to wipe each other out before she picks up the pieces. Jamie is disgusted, and leaves, but not before Cersei threatens to have him killed by Ser Gregor. Jamie calls her bluff, and rides out, as it finally starts to snow.
Samwell Tarly arrives in Winterfell, and goes to talk with Bran about Jon. Bran tells Sam that he has had a vision of Jon being born at a tower in Dorne, a bastard to Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark named Jon Sand. Sam tells him that Rhaegar and Elia Martell’s wedding was annulled, and Rhaegar and Lyanna were married in secret. Bran recalls this memory, and confirms that Jon Snow is in fact the rightful heir to the Iron Throne, and his real name is Aegon Targaryen. On a ship heading North, Jon and Daenerys have sex for the first time, as Tyrion lurks outside their cabin.
At Eastwatch, Tormund and Beric see the undead Army emerge from the trees, before the Night King swoops overhead on top of the reanimated Viserion. Viserion burns a massive chunk of The Wall out, as numerous soldiers atop The Wall are killed. The undead army files through the hole, heading South for the first time, led by the Night King and his new undead mount. Winter is here. Winter is coming.
+ I loved all of the little nods from characters who have been friends (or at least allied) in the past. Brienne has had run ins with both Jamie and The Hound, at different times, and Tyrion and Bronn were very close for a time.
+ Qyburn’s fascination at the Wight’s hand can’t be a good sign. Jon rightfully so takes it from him, and burns it, lest Qyburn get any more ideas about reanimating the dead
+ I’ll admit, for a split second at the end there I though Cersei would have Gregor kill Jamie, just so we could get a good visual of his blood washing over the map on the floor, in a sort of ‘blood will cover the land if this war goes ahead’ dealio
+ what is it about the Lannister actors that makes them so good? Tywin was the MVP in almost every single one of his scenes, and Tyrion is consistently fantastic to watch. The internal conflict of Jamie to go with Cersei, his family and lover, or against her, as a mad Queen, has been fascinating, and Cersei has been made to be simultaneously the most evil and tragically good character of the show. Even Joffrey and Tommen fit their roles perfectly. Those damn Lannisters – I hate that I like them all so much
– so was all the threats and jibes between Arya and Sansa last episode all an act? They would have no reason to talk like that in private, especially as we were not given any indication that Baelish was watching. Maybe I am missing something
– I can’t believe that everyone in Winterfell was cool with Littlefinger being executed like that. Of course he is a slimeball, but just because Bran says he can see everything, that is hardly evidence. Baelish was consistently one of the most interesting characters because of his shades-of-grey morality, so I can’t say I am overly pleased they killed him off. Even moreso, we never got a final meeting between Littlefinger and Varys
– those final few moments were almost shot for shot the World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King trailer. Like, seriously: undead dragon, blue eyed monsters, shot of it hovering overhead the marching army…
– have we seen Grey Worm since he was stranded at Casterly Rock? It was a bit jarring to have him randomly appear at the head of Dany’s army, since we last saw him in a relatively hopeless situation. I recall it being mentioned that the issue at Casterly Rock was resolved, but that still seems awfully convenient
– am I the only one who found the exchange between Bran and Samwell to be ridiculous? “I know everything, past and present. Oh, wait, why are you here?”. It was like that old joke “Psychic convention called off due to unforeseen circumstances”
> so if Jon is Aegon, does that mean Rhaegar just named two of his sons Aegon? Did he run out of names, or because one of them was dead (or was he not dead at the time?) did he want a son name Aegon so badly he just reused it?
> was Benjen in the group shot of the Wights at the end there? I didn’t see him myself, but my viewing partner thought he was there
Final thoughts: This was a pretty good episode, but I’m pretty unhappy that Littlefinger was killed, especially as he mostly deserved it. I didn’t think that this show had bad things happen to bad people; usually it’s bad to good. The meeting between all the power players was great, but I’m a bit annoyed there was no shot of Jon, Dany and Cersei on screen at once. The undead army finally breaking through the wall makes things interesting, and it made for a good visual, even if that was stolen from a vidoe game trailer from almost a decade ago.
Season 8 Predictions:
1. Jamie is going to die, which will cause Cersei to miscarry their child, fulfilling the prophecy of having three children with golden crowns and golden shrouds.
2. Ser Gregor will not be targeted by the Wights as he is already technically dead (or will be properly “turned” to a Wight for the same reason) which will be the catalyst for The Hound having to kill his brother. Cleganebowl is confirmed. Get hype.
3. The Night King will attempt to burn Jon with Viserion, but the fire will have no effect on him, proving his Targaryen status to the rest of the characters.
4. We are definitely not getting a happy ending to the series. I imagine something like Cersei takes the thrones just in time to be swarmed by undead, until sometime in the future we see dire wolves and dragons have inherited the now free-of-human world. Seriously, if the final shot is something like Jon and Dany raising a child, side by side on two thrones or something I might just vomit.
MoshFish Reviews 