Hello fellow Game of Thrones enthusiast, if that sentence does not describe you or you are not caught up on the newest episode of season 8, I suggest you stop reading. There will be spoilers!
I reckon pretty much everyone have, in one way or another witnessed the fad that this season has been and the split opinions it has caused. From my perspective, most of the people who enjoy this season are very "casual" fans, they enjoy the show and that's pretty much it, they don't look to deeply in to it. Maybe I'm wrong. However, I feel like that is the situation and that more driven fans, that's been looking into the lore for years now, loving the show and practically worshipping George R. R. Martin's ground are left pretty disatisfied and frustrated, and with a big whole in the chest left there by this seasons writers D & D.
Ah. I can't think of a more iconic phrase to sum up the writing of this season.
I fit somewhere in between these groups. Yes, I love Game of Thrones, I haven't read the books yet (but bought them prior to this season started) but I've been a stan and I love some characters and the sickening, unexpected twists that is at this point, expected for a show of this grandiousity. And that just is the issue for me, the season appears or pretends to be grandious. But in reality, it fails to live up to this expection. I was forgiving on this season up until episode 4, that was my point of no return, the show has utterly failed the fans this season. Episode 5 was even worse. I could forgive episode 1, 2 and even 3, because I expected that much more the following episodes. I mean, I pretty much expected a bigger twist/reveal than the "Hodor - Hold the door" and oh boy, does the show not live up to that same standard. Let me pinpoint my bigges issues with this season:
First of all, as I briefly discussed there is the lack of grandiousity. This is the final(!) season, it should have been a bloodbath that made the red wedding seem like a modern day babyshower in comparision. What we get instead is a terrible attempt to shock the viewers, by killing, mostly nameless and small/uniteresting characters. Honestly, I think the season should have just ended with episode 3 and just make it more grand, at this point. It was a solid episode, that I had minor issues with. Kill a few more characters, bring the walkers to Kings Landing and you would have had a pretty good finale. Instead they decided to continue on, and make episode 5 the greatest battle. I was okay with that, until I saw the episode.
That brings me to my second issue, as I like to call it "the complete waste of awesome characters with loads of potential". All ruined this season. Let's start of with Sansa. She was finally starting to seem cool and bring good points to the table, only to be ruined yet again, as a b-word that doesn't trust Daenerys for any apparent reason? Even though, in Missandei's words (RIP): if not for her we'd all be dead already. I understand that the show is TRYING to foreshadow the "Oh, Danerys is the mad queen" and should not be trusted.... The problem is just that they really haven't been leading up to that point at all, or certainly at least done a terrible job doing so. So yes, both Sansa and Dany ruined. Who's more is Jamie, Cersei, Tyrion and Varys. Jamie's arc of redemption, becoming a better man independent of Cersei? Utterly thrown out the window and made completely pointless. Cersei going from the greatest and toughest villain, killing Danerys dragon so easily and seemingly, having the upper hand went down far too easy in order for this to be a great "battle", it was just a pointless slaughter that made no sense and made Cersei seem like a non-cunning woman with no battle strategy or back up plans. The same woman who blew up the chapel with wildfire, mind you. Tyrion is another character, suddenly naive beyond belief and the worst adviser of the seven kingdoms. Varys death was also unstatisfying, and in my opinion the "Cleganebowl" fight was far too underwhelming compared to Kings Landing left in ashes all around them. I think the only character they haven't ruined for me at this point is Arya.
A third issue that I have is how poorly unleft lore was handled. What really was the deal with the Night King and the white walkers, what was Bran doing during the Battle of Winterfell and what was the point of his entire story arc, why aren't important characters like Yara and Daario Naharis making a final appperance, are probably the most important questions remaining without any real answer. It's like these characters are just forgotten and the entire season is rushed. Oh, also remember Euron? How he went from a big threat suddenly introduced to pointlessly fighting with Jamie instead of Yara, and then just die? Yep, I rememeber that too. The Azor Ahai profecy is still left unhandled.
No review would be fair without bringing up what's good about the season. So, let me just say that the directicing is good, the visuals are stunning, the actors are doing amazing jobs. For me I think Lena Headey (Cersei) and Alfie Allen (Theon) has stood out the most. I think the twist ending with Arya killing the Night King was great, though I understand other's people's issues with how he went down "too easily". However I believe the show has always been about the humans and how they are the greatest threat to each other, so I like how that was handled for the most part. I thought the sceneografi in that episode was equally great, showcasing the dark terrors of fighting the undead, the confusion, blurry/lack of vision etc. really contributed to that feeling of anxiety and high pulse I experienced throughout the entire episode. I though Theon, Jorah Mormont and Lyanna Mormont's deaths were among the best and saddest on the enitre show, and the destruction of pretty much the enitre Dothraki army at the very beginning of the episode was brilliant and really helped set the mood for the entire episode.
The real and only winner of this season. Last seen carrying the heaviest plot armor ever witnessed in episode 5.
There is just one episode left, and it's a predictable mess. Dany dies by the hand of Jon or Arya for her "madness", Sansa rules the north, Tyrion is executed for his betrayal. Jon probably goes back to Nights watch or the wildlings/is reunited with Ghost, and left to sit on the throne is... at this point probably Bran or Sam? Maybe Gendry? It doesn't matter anymore really. I gave the show the benefit of doubt for the first three episodes, I certainly won't make the same mistake for the last remaining one.
So, in conclusion, what do we say to the writers D&D?
I am still a big fan of the series, and look forward to reading the books, especially the final ones. I just really needed to vent out my thoughts on my favorite show, and hope you enjoyed my review. Let me know what you agree/disagree with in the comments below.
- Mai 💗
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