**WARNING GoT SPOILERS AHEAD, DO NOT PASS GO, DO NOT COLLECT $200**
Season 8 of Game of Thrones pretty bizarre. I feel like it’s rushing through (or completely throwing out the window) the storylines of all the characters and arcs that we care about most, in ways that are neither satisfying or justified. Not going to go into every episode of the season so far; I’m gonna focus on this week’s Episode 5. I’ve been hearing a lot of people saying this was a terrible episode yada yada, but I think most of that comes from what seemed like unfitting ends to some of the most odious characters in the series, as well as the failure of the series’s most beloved. The deaths of Cersei, Qyburn, the Mountain, and Euron, were all so lackluster, especially given the show’s history of dramatic deaths. The failures of Dany and of Jaime to maintain who they have become over the past 7 seasons, left a bad taste in my mouth.
Yes I was looking forward to a badass dragon scene, but not 28 shots a dragon decimating building and people. It feels like the writers are set on a specific ending and can see the finish line, and are just trying to get to there with no regard for how they get there.
BUT to play devil’s advocate, I could see that perhaps they didn’t want to give the crowd pleaser deaths and heroic finales because that would be too idealistic. Power corrupts, even those who we believe to be good in heart and intentions. Humans are fallible and can only be pushed so far, after all Dany did lose Viserion, Rhaegal, Jorah, and Missandei in the span of weeks, if that (not super clear on the timeline, so correct me if I’m wrong), and was also betrayed in her eyes by the person she loves most and the people she trusted most. Maybe Dany is going to end up giving up the throne to Jon after realizing what she’s done. Maybe a giant comet will hit Westeros and destroy everything. Who knows.
I’m not a film and tv expert, or an expert on anything for that matter. Maybe this was the greatest set-up for the greatest ending the world has ever seen. All I know is right now I’m not happy and don’t see a way for things to end satisfyingly… and like Varys (RIP), I hope I’m wrong.
nANIMOv 