It’s hard to believe, but we’ve arrived at the end of season 7 of Game of Thrones. Of course, like all finales there’s a huge cliffhanger; still, it doesn’t quite feel like the end. That last scene was one hell of a beginning to something we do not want to wait for. On top of that, we might not see the final six episodes until 2019 (boo). So until then, let’s unpack this super-sized finale. It’s going to be a while until the next time we hear that sweet, sweet opening credits tune.
We start the episode at King’s Landing, where there are a lot of preparations for the meeting of Westeros’ leading minds. Literally anything could happen, and everyone is flexing big time as a reminder that both sides could kill each other at any minute. Charming. We see the sheer numbers Daenerys has amassed through the seasons, including this one. The unsullied stand organized as they do, and in contrast, the Dothraki come in as wild as ever. By sea, her many ships arrive, and it seems like everyone is there, including a fully mended Jon, but the Mother of Dragons herself.
It’s not long before we get confirmation that Cersei is not here to mess around; killing any of the people she’s hosting is fully on the table for her. She even has a list like Arya, and an order in which she wants her rivals killed.
The gang’s almost all here as all the sides converge towards the dragon pit. We get some reunions, a history lesson, and a reminder that this is probably a really stupid meeting because Cersei wants to chop everyone’s heads off. Everyone agrees, yet continues. Some of the cross-sides catching up really highlight how silly this big conflict can seem and how sides can change so fast. Looking at you, Pod and Tyrion. Can’t everyone just get along?!
Well, no. Everyone shares nervous glances as they wait for Cersei to arrive. It wouldn’t be the first time she collected everyone she wants dead in one place just to kill them all (remember last season’s finale?). She arrives after all, wearing her crown, and things get even more awkward. Our first sibling rivalry of many happens when The Hound comes face to face with his undead brother, The Mountain (Clegane bowl anyone?). Pirate Joshua Jackson—I mean, Euron is back and Cersei is not impressed by Dany’s late arrival…on dragonback.
Euron looks excited, and Dany doesn’t care that she pissed off the current Iron Throne resident. Pause for a second to reflect on the decision to bring the dragons. Yes, this was Dany’s personal version of flexing, but after last week, leave your babies at home! Who knows what Cersei has up her sleeve. Jaime has seen Drogon in action, and he can relay it all to Cersei without Dany showing off. Unpause.
Tyrion tries to recap the whole series of Game of Thrones as a reason why everyone is there but gets interrupted by a big Euron show asking Theon to come back or he’ll kill Yara. Both Jaime and Cersei come to Tyrion’s aid and ask Euron to sit down and shut up. At this, you wouldn’t be wrong to be curious about Cersei’s intentions. It’s not like her to defend Tyrion in any way. Jon jumps in to try to convey how serious the threat of the army of the dead is. Cersei treats it like a joke and even says as much. Not to mention the idea of a truce is nothing but amusing to her.
Enter The Hound with what looks like the most uncomfortable backpack of all time. In reality, his screeching zombie is inside but isn’t making a sound. Uh oh. It’s not until he opens it (slowly) and kicks it over that it lunges at Cersei, and too close for comfort. For once, our queen looks scared. They make a big show of cutting it to pieces to prove how hard it is to kill them. Jon gives a wight killing 101 seminar and they finally stop its fit. Cersei looks shaken by the whole thing.
Euron makes a show of cowardice and leaves everyone behind, hoping that he’ll survive on an island where the wights can’t get to him. Nothing has ever scared him before this. What seemed like a misguided plan appears to work. Cersei offers a truce in exchange for Jon’s loyalty to stay in the north and not fight her once the true enemy of the zombie army is defeated. Jon, Stark-ish as ever, says he can’t do that and Cersei is over it. She says the northerners can deal with the white walker army and see how that goes, she’s done. Everybody is pissed at Jon, but honestly less than he should be. As ever, Jon cannot tell a lie and stands by his honesty.
Tyrion insists on going to talk to his sister, knowing it’s probably a walk to his death. Jon jumps in and offers too, but it’s gotta be the Lannister. That leaves Dany, her cool dragon hair accessory, and Jon to talk about Dany’s family and her possible fertility in a cave-like inlet of the dragon pit. Dany mentions the downfall of her family while they pass a tiny dragon skull between them, and Jon notes that she’s not like everyone else, and that her family isn’t gone. Hmmm.
Tyrion has what seems to be an unsuccessful chat with his sister that’s charged with talk of family and how he destroyed theirs. She won’t hear his apologies, he pours some wine. Bold to think she wouldn’t poison it. She doesn’t care about anything but her family, or so she says. It seems pointless to fight over this kingdom, but she hints once again at her baby, building something new, and possibly following Euron’s lead of retreating.
Next thing we know, Cersei is back in the dragon pit offering up her forces to march north, and Tyrion is still alive. “The darkness is coming for us all,” she says. She also notes that she chose to send her men without promises or assurances from her enemies. Or did she?
Later, while Jaime strategizes with his men, Cersei calls him dumb and reveals that no, in fact she does not plan on sacrificing her army for certain death. The rest of the people can play their games with the white walkers while she and her growing family stay out of it in King’s Landing. Jaime is not thrilled with her trickery. Cersei reveals that Euron leaving was the plan all along, and as their father taught, money really is power. Euron is going to get all the resources money can buy because nobody walks away from Cersei. Once again, she uses her pregnancy as currency with Jaime, but he is appalled she would go back on her word. He’s legit concerned about their ability to win both against dragons and a dead army with huge numbers, and she is not so much. She noticed that Dany was down a dragon, but Jaime won’t hear it and tries to walk away. Cersei repeats that nobody walks away from her and threatens to sick The Mountain on him. For a moment, we truly thought this was how Jaime would die, but he tearfully escapes, only to find snow, and winter, have arrived in King’s Landing.
Speaking of winter, up in Winterfell, Sansa is still at odds with Arya’s behavior. Littlefinger is counseling her once again with the idea of Arya wanting to kill Sansa for betrayal and to take her power. He also suggests she kill Jon for pledging loyalty to Dany without consulting Sansa. After all, he can’t be unnamed King in the North. Like Arya last week, Littlefinger suggests Sansa play a game. Why would Arya want Sansa dead? Let’s list the reasons! He goes through a comprehensive list, and we’re thisclose to being convinced Arya is wearing Littlefinger’s face and just trying to get Sansa to prove she’s loyal to her family.
I’m not convinced this isn’t the case until Sansa calls Arya to a super awkward family meeting, and Littlefinger is also there. Arya appears to be on trial for a bunch of things she maybe was thinking, but after Sansa recites a long list of offenses (playing the game he taught her earlier), it turns out that they are actually aimed at Littlefinger. This whole time, the Starks have been working together. Yes!
It’s more satisfying than I could have ever imagined to see Littlefinger taken completely by surprise. For once, someone has out-planned him, and he has nobody to back him up. Sansa knows all of his offenses thanks to Bran, who sees everything. Even when Littlefinger thinks nobody saw what he did, Bran was there, in a way, and Sansa enjoys listing his many betrayals against her family. Littlefinger begs for his life, tries to be taken back to The Vale, but even his own men aren’t loyal to him.
Finally Arya gets her kill, it’s swift, in the neck, similar to how Catelyn died. Arya’s wearing her own face for this kill, on behalf of the Starks. Sansa says, “There’s no justice in the world, not unless we make it,” something he taught her. She thanks him for his lessons and watches him die, expressionless.
When Arya and Sansa recap, they’re back to playful sisters and all is right in the world. For a moment. The line from the trailer that Sansa remembers from Ned came true, “When the snows fall and the white winds blow, the lone wolf dies but the pack survives.” They are protecting themselves and looking after one another, all while missing Ned.
We find out Sam was headed to Winterfell to figure out what to do about the white walkers with Jon. His re-introduction to Bran is pretty funny, but turns serious real quick. Bran reveals for the first time what he knows about Jon’s parents, and he turns out to be telling it to the exact right person. Sam can confirm he’s not a bastard after all, and Bran puts himself at Lyanna and Rhaegar’s wedding. He’s neither Snow nor Sand because of Gilly’s finding. Together, they establish that, “He’s never been a bastard,” Jon is the rightful heir to the Iron Throne—and his real name is Aegon Targaryen! Oh, and that’s not even the most delicious part. This all is being narrated while JON AND DANY STRAIGHT UP GET IT ON. Important to note: Tyrion sees it happen. It’ll be interesting to see how Jon receives this news that his steamy new love is actually his aunt.
We visit Dragonstone briefly (before said getting it on) while the group strategizes how to get to Winterfell. Jorah suggests Dany fly because the north remembers, and they’re not too thrilled with the Targaryens. But Jon says the north needs to see them unified, that they’re there to help and she sides with him. They will sail north together.
Before they go, Theon has a heart to heart with Jon about loyalty. Jon basically forgives Theon for being sort of the worst to his family after all they did for him, and Theon, after seeing his uncle (seemingly) retreat like a coward is inspired to Do The Right Thing. His sister was the only one there for him when he was being flayed and castrated by Ramsay, and she needs him now. Jon gives him his blessing to go save her, that he doesn’t have to choose between Starks and Greyjoys and can be loyal to both. The Greyjoy men aren’t so sure, and he gets beaten to a pulp before beating one of them to a pulp. That changes the rest of the group’s mind, they’re here for Theon and his new mission. He cleanses himself with water, true to the Greyjoy name, and they sail into the sunset…in a way.
The episode ends back at Eastwatch. Some of the men are still there, and they’re looking out beyond the wall. Instead of nothingness tundra, they see the army of the dead start to come out of the forest in very large numbers. Such large numbers that you don’t really notice that the night king is missing. Then, like Dany, he makes an entrance on (dead) dragonback and we know what we’re dealing with. The dragon shoots icy fire that is much more powerful than ice. Guess what the wall is made of? Ice. Not good. While the men at the wall put two and two together and start yelling at everyone to run, dead Viserion starts breathing away at the wall. It’s not long before that sucker comes down, taking some of the men at Eastwatch with it (but we can’t be sure who quite yet). The thousands of years old wall comes down like nothing, and we end the season with the giant army stepping right into Westeros towards the only partly suspecting humans south of the wall. Winter, indeed, is here.
This season was cinematic in more than just impressive CGI, big battles, and extra-long episodes. Our heroes mostly made it out of sticky situations alive when in the past they might not have. We had some perfectly timed saves with dragons and family reunions that warmed our hearts (if only temporarily). Fans have accused the show of giving in to fan service, but amidst dark times, I can’t always complain about getting a little bit of what I want, even if it’s cheesy. TV is an escape and sometimes our favorite characters wins are our wins. Plus, I’m never going to be mad about Jon Snow living to see another day.
Some stray observations since SO MUCH HAPPENED in this episode:
-Dany’s cape in King’s Landing looked like a dragon egg, which was super cool.
-Jon’s comment about stuffing a million people into a city not being for him was funny. He’s fully a northerner and a country boy.
-When Cersei says, “I know Ned Stark’s son will be true to his word,” that leaves it open to a major loophole, given he’s not Ned Stark’s son. He hopefully will learn that soon for himself.
-Sweet of Sam to react nicely to Bran saying he was the Three Eyed Raven instead of just looking at him like he is crazy. It’s been a while since we’ve seen Sam at peak Sam. Welcome back!
-Before we go, an in memoriam for our season 7 major character losses. It was a relatively low death count when considering what it could have been, but all deaths sting. Sorry, there’s no slideshow like at the Oscars. RIP Petyr “Littlefinger” Baelish, Lady Olenna Tyrell, Thoros of Myr, Benjen Stark (probably), Tyene, Obara and Nymeria Sand, Dickon and Randyll Tarly, and last but the opposite of least, Viserion. You will not be forgotten.
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