Season 6 Finales of The Walking Dead vs Game of Thrones: Should they be Compared?

Arguably two of the biggest shows on television at the moment, The Walking Dead and Game of Thrones finished their sixth seasons this year. The Walking Dead’s finale met with criticism from fans because of the cliffhanger the show decided to end on. Game of Thrones finale on the other hand hasn’t had any negativity thrown its way from the masses, or none that I have seen. Both shows have a fanatical following, but The Walking Dead has lost some of its luster with the choices they decided to make during its sixth season. Game of Thrones did nothing but continually satisfy by paying off nearly every storyline during its run. Why is this, and should the shows be compared?

I’m one of many who was left extremely disappointed with the cliffhanger The Walking Dead decided to end on. I thought the show should have paid off the climax they had been building too the entire second half of the season. The decision to end on the cliffhanger ruined the second half of the season, at least it did for me. I am now apathetic to who Negan killed. It could be Rick, Daryl, Carl, Maggie, or Glenn. In the moment of watching the show I was riveted and could look past all of the main characters strangely leaving Alexandria together. Instead of a small group taking a fast car to get Maggie to the doctor as fast as possible. All of the little moments in the episode building to one person leaving the show, now have little impact for me. The show will now start fresh instead of ending on a deeply emotional note. Ending on a cliffhanger is not the issue, it’s the fact the show did not pay off a story point they were building too.  

I’ve heard the reasons why the show decided to end the way it did, and I don’t agree with any of them. Seeing who Negan killed would not have taken away from his entrance, it would have added to it. People have said the show always ends on cliffhangers. Which I don’t agree with, look at how each season has ended. The first season ended with them leaving Atlanta, not really a cliffhanger. The second with them leaving the farm. The third, the battle with the Governor. The fourth with their arrival at Terminus. This is arguably the closest cliffhanger to end a season besides six, but I would argue the story paid off because they reached their destination. The people at Terminus turned out to be evil, and we didn’t know how the group would escape. If the group would have simply walked into Terminus and nothing shown about the people there then this would be more comparable to season six. Season five ended with the town having Walkers come in and Rick killing the doctor. So out of the six seasons only two have ended on cliffhangers, and only one without paying off a major story point.

My main point is the story they were telling and building too in season six was not finished. The Walking Dead used a gimmick to end their season so people would still talk about it. I think fans would have talked about how the group would try and get revenge for their fallen comrade if they showed who was killed. People would have talked about how life would change for the group being under Negan’s rule, and how they would try and strike back at him. How broken is Rick by leading his group into failure? This is what the story was leading and building too. Rick and his group felt unstoppable, and not paying this deconstruction off with a death was a mistake in storytelling. I haven’t watched anything about The Walking Dead since the finale, and I will continue not too. I’ll watch the premier, but I’m not sure I will continue to watch if they decide to end a season like this again.  

Compare this to Game of Thrones and how every single story, minus Arya’s, was paid off in fantastic fashion. Game of thrones took the first five seasons to deconstruct their heroes and put them in their current situations. The show this season either concluded a story, or set characters on new journeys. They allowed each story to develop and show the audience a natural conclusion. They didn’t try to drag out or misdirect the audience. You could make the argument for Jon Snow’s death and resurrection being drawn out, but it was perfectly paced for where his character ended the season. The sixth season started to pay off every major story and lead towards a climatic conclusion for the show overall.

This is one reason why I’m not sure we can really compare the two shows. Game of Thrones has an ending. Each character will have a conclusion to their story, and hopefully be in a satisfactory place when the show ends. On the flip side I can’t help but wonder if the show runners of The Walking Dead would have dragged out killing off Ramsey Bolton. Game of Thrones has a clear plan and a way they will end the show. I’m not sure if The Walking Dead has the same focus or if they even want too. The Walking Dead is about the character’s lives in a post-apocalyptic society, it could potentially go on forever until society is established again.

Should The Walking Dead have an endgame? Every show eventually goes off the air, would it be better for the show to pick a point to conclude? This would focus them on telling the most compelling story with our characters to that point. I think if they had a conclusion in mind for the show they wouldn’t have dragged out who Negan killed, or tried the bait and switch about Glen earlier in the season. I want the show to be great, but at the moment I don’t care about watching or about the story. On the other side I’ve watched the Game of Thrones finale four or five times and will be eagerly awaiting the shows return.

Which is the sad part about The Walking Dead’s conclusion. They tried something and it alienated some of their fan base. Not everyone, some people are okay with the finale and are excited for the return. I hope the story they tell in the seventh season gets me back on board. If it doesn’t, I’ll have to find something else to watch on Sunday nights during the fall.

What do you think? Can we compare the two finales of the shows? Did The Walking Dead leave you wanting more, or did it turn you off to the show? Did Game of Thrones leave you satisfied and wanting the show to start back in a few weeks instead of a year from now? Comment and let me know. 

Game of Thrones S6E10 The Winds of Winter Recap/Review: Only Thirteen Episodes Left

Tyrion had the best line to recap the season six finale of Game of Thrones: “How about the fact that this is actually happening.”

The Winds of Winter might go down as one of the greatest season finales for any television show. I don’t want to be hyperbolic, but the entire one hour and ten minute runtime was a masterclass on artful storytelling. The opening buildup for the explosion at the Sept of Balor was enough to make this a great episode. Everything about the sequence was as close to perfect as a television show or movie can get. No dialogue spoken, just a musical composition setting the perfect ominous tone for the episode. Kings Landing has been my least favorite story line all season, but this sequence alone redeemed the buildup to the conclusion.

It was perfect because they didn’t rush it, they let the tension build. The Sparrow seemingly in control, getting Loras to confess all his sins, and give up the right to his title and land. I thought during the trial the Sparrow would be able to control the Seven Kingdoms by rallying people to his cause by using Loras and Tommen. The showrunners quickly show us Cersei is in total control by having the Mountain stop Tommen at his door. Margery is the first to realize something is wrong at the Sept. If there is one misstep in the entire episode it might be here. I thought Margery had a plan to save Loras and herself. All she did was give The Sparrow power, and I expected something more from her. This is a miniscule nitpick, because of how Cersei played everyone.

Cersei cleaned house and assumed the title of Queen. She took revenge on everyone who had wronged her, but in the end Tommen still died. Her actions resulted in the death of her last child. Her hatred and plans brought all of this upon her, but it was fun to see the High Sparrow meet his end. Cersei is cold hearted, and the torture scene with the Septa showed how evil she can be. Yes the women tormented and tortured Cersei, but what she has planned for The Septa is much worse.  I can only imagine how unhinged she will become because she no longer has any children to protect. Her actions hopefully will finally break Jamie and her up. The look in Jamie’s eyes as he came back to watch her crowned showed he was not on board with what she had done.

The only two scenes in the episode which might not be considered epic would be between Jamie and Walder Frey and then the scene with Sam at Oldtown. I enjoyed both, especially the scene at Oldtown. We finally get to see the famous Citadel. I just felt this scene should have happened much earlier in the season. They should have started Sam and Gilly’s story here instead of ending with it, but it was still great to finally see. In the list of fantastic events taking place in the episode this ranks towards the bottom. It should have been much bigger, and it being in an episode earlier in the year would have done it justice. The scene in the library was pure book porn for people who love to read.

This began the tie ups to many of the story lines. We flash to the North while the White Raven is flying to inform them winter has come. The scene between Melisandre and Davos was well acted and had a fantastic payoff. My only worry is that Jon is now vulnerable because we know who he is and he has become King of the North. Jon shows his mercy to Melisandre and keeps her alive, but forces her south. I think we may have seen the last of this Red Priestess, but others will take her place in the show. She may still play some part, it will be interesting to see if she does. A good exchange between Sansa and Jon show they are on good terms, and ends the first scene at the North.

A small scene in Dorn shows House Tyrell, House Dorn, and Varys aligning. Dany will have even more allies when she comes to shore. Ones who hate the Lannister’s and will be willing to help put her on the Iron Throne. The only strange thing about this scene is the timing of it. This would have to take place many weeks after the events in Kings Landing. The news would have had to travel to Dorn, along with Olenna. I think this is just proof that all of the story lines are operating during different time frames. We may flash forward and flash back depending on the place the story is showing us. This is very similar to how Martin wrote books four and five.  It makes sense for the show to do the same, but they probably should try to do a better job in explaining it.

The timing aspect can also be seen with how fast a certain Stark fed Walder Frey a Frey Pie. Arya found herself back in Westeros and back at the Riverlands quickly from two episodes ago. I feel the events in Bravos were a while back in the overall timeline and she picked Frey as her first target. This scene was perfect. Drawing on ancient myths to give the evil Walder a very fitting end. It was perfect to watch his horror, and then see Arya slit his throat the same way he had someone do to her mother.

Danny had two great scenes with Darrio and Tyrion. She doesn’t want to give up Darrio, but she knows she must because of Tyrion and his council. It was perfect to see Tyrion take the knee to Danny. Their scene was very well acted and the dialogue very well written. They know what is ahead of them, and are scared to undertake it, but know it must be done. Tyrion is at a loss for her making him the Hand of the Queen. She is the only person he has believed in. I admit I might have teared up just a bit when he kneeled before her. I wonder if we will see Danny falter next season and for his faith to be shaken in her. I don’t see how Danny fails to take the seven kingdoms with all of the forces she has behind her.

The ending for show started with the reveal of who Jon Snow really is. It has been a fan theory for many years and it was great to get confirmation. Jon is a Targaryen and a Stark. Fire and Ice merged into one, and he is now King of the North. It was a perfect reveal, and then the flash to him having the meeting with all of the Lords. Bella Ramsey who plays Lady Mormont is a fantastic child actress. She has an insane commanding presence and delivers her lines flawlessly. She took over the meeting and got all of the Lords to pledger their allegiance. It was a powerful scene (HE IS THE WHITE WOLF!), only to be followed up by the next powerful scene. I do worry about the look Sansa and Littlefinger share at the end. They will have some say on the fate of the North and Jon.

The ending with Danny and her ships was how I wanted last season to end with her on her Dragon. It was such a perfect way to show how the story will be moving forward next season. We only have thirteen episodes left before the show ends. I don’t want a seven and six episode season, but if that is all they need to wrap up the entire show, then hopefully every episode brings the same story telling power of this finale. 

Game of Thrones S6E9 Battle of the Bastards Recap/Review (Spoilers!): Satisfying

In a word the ninth episode, Battle of the Bastards, of season six on Game of Thrones was satisfying. Totally and completely satisfying with action and storytelling displayed. The two story arcs the episode focused on provided everything an audience could want. We started in Meereen with Daenerys and finished with Sansa in the North. Every part of the episode was well acted and intense, with little or no downtime. The last few weeks of Game of Thrones have been a little disappointing, but Battle of the Bastards made up for any shortcomings in the previous episodes with the amount of payoffs provided.

Everyone was expecting the epic battle in the North from the title of the episode, but I was equally excited to see Danny wreck the slavers army with Drogon. I thought last week we would get to see all three dragons in action, and I was not disappointed. The setup to the massacre by Daenerys was perfect with Tyrion cautioning her about what her father had planned to do in Kings Landing. This is also a great reminder about what lies underneath Kings Landing still, and may point to what Cersei will do in the finale. It was a great way for Tyrion to reign in Daenerys’ blood lust. He is paid to advise her, and he gave her wise council and gained her a fleet of ships.

The pure joy of watching Drogon fly over the slavers head, and Daenerys climb aboard to burn the fleet was pitch perfect. It is shock and awe at its finest. One dragon would probably be enough to cause the lines of the enemy to break, and she has three. We also got a flash of how terrifying a screaming horde of Dothraki warriors can be when they charged the Sons of the Harpy. It was perfect to show restraint, and not kill everyone. People will now start spreading rumors of how awe inspiring and terrifying Daenerys is with her Dragons. The one slaver they let live will tell everyone of the destruction the dragons can wreck, and that Danny has a horde of Dothraki to complement them.

They also cleared up the ship problem with capturing the fleet, and adding to it with the ones Theon and Yara brought to Meereen. If there was one part of the episode that felt misplaced it was this scene between the Greyjoy’s, Danny, and her council.  It just didn’t fit the rest of the tone of the episode. It was still a great scene, and I liked how they played on the similarities between Yara and Danny. They just could have saved the scene for the next episode and it wouldn’t have felt out of place. I think having one more scene with Danny and her council might have fit more with the tone of this episode. I still enjoyed the scene, but it would have had more weight leading into the next season.

Everything in the North was spot on, and not one second was wasted. Jon and Ramsey’s first parley was intense with Sansa adding a unique element to the exchange. Her threat was not an empty one. Looking at the episode now, it seems she was the puppeteer behind the entire battle. Her next scene with Jon hinted at this. She warned him not to play into Ramsey’s hands. She warned Jon not to fall for the trap, but he did, and she knew he would. That is why she held back the information about the Vale. She knew Jon would want to use them the same way he used his current forces, but she knew holding something back would cause Ramsey to be overconfident and extend his forces. She planned for Jon to become entangled and then to bring in the Vale to save the day. She also knew Rickon was already dead, she knew Ramsey was just waiting for the right moment to kill him. Sansa has now become one of my favorite characters in the show on par with Danny, Jon, and Tyrion, because of her actions in tonight’s episode.

The actual battle was fantastic, with the action being intense and well shot up until the end. You never felt entirely certain if Jon was going to make it out of the battle alive. We knew Melisandre would try and resurrect him if he fell, but his survival was not a guaranteed. I also thought we would lose Tormund a few times during the battle, but ended up making it out alive. The only major loss was Rickon, and because he has never been a major character his loss doesn’t seem very impactful.  His death was used in the perfect way, because we knew Jon would have to try and save him, and set the battle off at a disadvantage. You still wanted Jon to save him, but knew he wouldn’t make it.

The episode at least gave us a satisfying end (see there is that word again) to Ramsey. He died with his dogs, and I can’t think of a more appropriate way for him to go. He was no better than a rapid dog himself, and he got taken out by his own pack.  He almost seemed to enjoy getting beat up by Jon, but in the end he was terrified, and the smirk Sansa gave while walking away proves how much the prissy girl from Winterfell has grown in six season of the show.

There are so many great scenes in this episode, but a few more are worth mentioning. Wun Wun and the way he tore through the entire Bolton army was fantastic. The one time he ripped a man in half was just perfect for the scene. The ending at Winterfell and the Bolton banners coming down and the Stark banners going up gave me chills. Yes silly television show, but it was just a great feeling seeing them fly in the fictional castle again.

I don’t know if this is the best episode of Game of Thrones ever, but it has to be the most satisfying. We didn’t lose anyone we are invested in, and we saw parts of two storylines reach epic conclusions. We know were Daenerys is going from here, but the question is what does the North do with Sansa sitting on the throne of Winterfell?  Do they rally to her, or do we see a civil war in the North as other houses try and seize power? With only two seasons left, I’m guessing they will unite and fight the white walkers together.

What did you think of tonight’s epic episode? Comment and let me know. 

Game of Thrones S6E8 No One Recap/Review (Spoilers): Wild Theories and Disappointment

The Game of Thrones episode No One might not have satisfied many fans of the show. There were things to enjoy in the episode, but the main focus of the night was a letdown. Arya’s story with the Faceless Men was anticlimactic, and could have ended episodes ago if this was all it was leading to. There were many wild theories about how Arya was actually The Waif, and that it wasn’t really her who got stabbed and fell into the water. Other’s predicted it was all a setup and she planned to lead The Waif to where she kept Needle and fight her in the dark, which is what happened, but it wasn’t a setup.

If Arya had wanted to set The Waif up then she did a very poor job of it. She got the person killed who was healing her, and then almost didn’t make it back to her hideout. Maybe it was all a plan and her plan went wrong because of the stabbing, but there should have been more clues to this within the last two episodes. Then we didn’t even get to see the fight between the two of them. Granted it was in the dark, but there are still ways they could have shown some action. Arya did learn many skills while she was in Bravos, but her time there ultimately feels wasted. It went on too long for the conclusion provided. Arya is one of my favorite characters because of how much she has had to endure and survive, and her adventures here didn’t seem to add anything to her overall struggle.  

Another anticlimactic showdown was in Kings Landing. We got a taste of what the new Mountain can do with his bare hands, which was an amazing scene, but then followed up by the decree outlawing trials by combat. This will force Cersei to come before the High Sparrow and be tried by his court, along with Loras. She must rely on the secrets Qyburn has found out, and hope that is enough to save her. Margery also has a plan to save her brother, which might also benefit Cersei, but her help can’t be relied upon. There is no one truly to root for in King’s Landing. I have no sympathy for Cersei, and I can’t stand the High Sparrow. Tommen is a sweet character who is stuck in the middle, but not someone you want to succeed. Cersei is the evil who will probably triumph, because it is her story the audience is following.

Jamie’s story was another disappointment on the night. The interactions he had with Brienne was great, but I want there to be more growth between them, and for him to finally stop pining for Cersei. 

This is from a love for his character in the books, and the transformation he goes through there. I still enjoy Jamie’s character in the show, but think they could play up his struggle to overcome his dishonor, and downplay his love for his sister. He doesn’t take pride in being The Kingslayer, and wants to try and become an honorable man. That is what I wanted from his interaction with Edmond. It was a great back and forth, and a powerful scene, I just wish they would have went a different way with it. All he can think of is getting back to King’s Landing, and I to see him struggling more with his conscience.

The lack of a fight for the castle was a bit of a letdown as well. It would have been nice to see some sort of battle. They could have at least shown us Blackfish fighting to the death. The only fighting we saw tonight was from The Hound, which was satisfying, but there should have been some more action in the episode. They had opportunities to show more, but they went away from it at every chance they could. Even when The Hound met up with the true brotherhood they could have let him hack a prisoner up, but they just hanged them. Still another good scene, but just a bit of a letdown. It would have been nice to see him fight some more with his axe.

We got a brief glimpse of what is going to happen in Meereen next week with Daenerys’ return. The scenes in Meereen just felt like they were waiting for her to get back. The scenes were entertaining, but unneeded. Hey, um yeah, we are still stuck in the city, and waiting for Danny to get back, while we wait lets tell some jokes. It was a good scene, and it was nice to see Tyrion starting to win the two of them over, but then to quickly lose them with the arrival of the slavers. It was great to see Danny show up, and the next episode will be nothing but action.  Danny fighting with her Dragons, and Jon vs Ramsey.

Tonight’s episode might be my least favorite of the season, because of the way they used Arya. It was her story they were wrapping up, and we may not see her again until the finale. Her time in Bravos feels wasted, but hopefully they recover and her story becomes more compelling again. Next week looks to be an epic episode with the Battle of the Bastards, and the battle for Meereen. Maybe we will get to see all three dragons in action, along with an amazing battle in the North. The last few episodes haven’t been as strong as the start of the season, but a fantastic final two episodes and this still could be one of the best seasons for the show.

Did you feel letdown by Arya’s story? Did you want more action in tonight’s episode? Comment and let me know. 

Game of Thrones S6E7 The Broken Man Recap/Review (Spoilers!): 62

How many Broken Men can we count in episode seven of season six? Jon, Sandor, Theon, Jamie, and probably more. The episode should have been called The Broken Men instead of man, though I know this was nod to Sandor Clegane’s return. I’m not sure how we will play into the overall conclusion of the show, but he is a fan favorite from both the books and show, and it is good to see him back, even if it cheapens the show a tiny bit. Jon needed to be brought back because his story isn’t finished, Sandor’s was done, but I guess he can go and kill his zombie brother.

The other parts of the episode were all parley’s and maneuvers. Everything was well executed and added to the setup to the conclusion of the season, but it would have been nice to see more actual advancements in the stories. The main story which disappointed was Arya’s. She spent over a year training to be an Assassin and knows how the people operate. They can be anyone at any time, and they warned her she would be a target if she failed in her task. What does she do? She walks around Bravos without a care in the world, like no one can touch her. This made no sense to me with how the character has grown over the past three seasons. She is an extremely cautious person. Why would she let her guard down now? She should have been expecting a fight, and I thought she was with how the last episode ended. Her story has advanced at a snail’s pace, and it should have concluded tonight with her killing The Waif and heading back to Westeros.

No major action took place back in the seven kingdoms this episode either. The best parts were with Jon and Sansa and them building their army. We got a great scene with Jon and the Wildings. Jon did well in every encounter in the episode pleading his case well at each house he went too. Davos saved the day at House Mormont, but they didn’t gain much from their support. Maybe the 62 soldiers from Bear Island will become like the 300 Spartans to Westeros. In the end Sansa is forced to ask for help from The Vale and Littlefinger. She knew she might and is why she ultimately held back on telling Jon about him to begin with. She wanted to see how much support they could gain from the Northern houses first, before she was forced to rely on Littlefinger. She knew if she told everyone about The Vale’s support at first they would welcome it, but she doesn’t want Littlefinger’s help if it can be avoided. She is also counting on Brienne to gain the support of her Uncle in Riverrun.

The scenes at Riverrun with Jamie are some of the best of the episode. He puts the Frey’s in their place, to then be promptly put in place by Brynden Tully. They don’t really have any chance of taking the castle without great loss of life, and Jamie knows it. He’s in a bad position, because Brynden has nothing to lose by holding out. Jamie must secure the castle in order to return back to King’s Landing. Which is where even more political maneuvers are happening.

I was beginning to think Margery had bought into the faith with how she was acting at the start of the episode. We quickly learn she is still loyal to House Tyrell with the picture she slips to her Grandmother. Oleanna then plans to leave the city before the High Sparrow can capture her, which leads to a great interaction between her and Cersei. Oleanna leaves nothing out, and lays the entire blame for the current situation at Cersei feet. She is right to do so, because Cersei did cause the entire mess and now expects the Tyrell’s to help clean it up. I’m not sure where this is all heading, but hopefully it ends with the High Sparrow’s head on a pike. There were good interactions in King’s Landing, but still little actual movement towards the conclusion of the storyline. We are finally going to see some action next week since we get the scene from one of the initial trailers of the season.

The only other minor scene from tonight was with Yara and Theon. It was well done and showed how Yara was going to be loyal to Theon, but gave him a kick on the ass to either live his life or end it. They explain they are going to head to Meereen to try and join forces with Danny and take back the Iron Islands. I thought they may try to unite more people to their cause before heading to Meereen, but they are going to straight for the gold. We will see if it pays off. We know Danny needs the ships.

Overall the episode had great interactions and good setup, but it didn’t advance many storylines towards a conclusion, and introduced one more in Sandor Clegane. This has still been one of my favorite Game of Thrones Season’s, but hopefully the last three episodes cement it as the best. Hopefully they course correct with Arya’s storyline next week, and we finally see her take out The Waif and head back to Westeros.

What did you think of tonight’s episode? Did you like the interactions and the reintroduction of Sandor Clegane? Did Arya’s storyline fit with her character? Comment and let me know. 

Game of Thrones S6E6 Blood of My Blood Recap/Review (Spoilers!): Reveals and B Storylines

Blood of My Blood kicked off the second half of season six of Game of Thrones with some big reveals and catching up lesser storylines. Overall the episode was executed well, but after the gripping climax from last week this episode fell flat. The episode was trying to advance storylines which haven’t progressed much during the season.  The stories didn’t get far, and the ones that did where anticlimactic.

The biggest and best reveal of the night was North of The Wall with Bran and Meera. We picked up right from the conclusion of last week’s episode and saw a mysterious rider save the pair from the wights. It was a good action scene and the fire ball chain mace was a nice touch. The reveal of the rider’s identity solves a mystery from the first season and the first book, the fate of Benjen Stark. We learn Benjen was attacked by the White Walkers and would have died and turned into a wight if not for the Children of the Forrest. The writers of the show then confirmed after the episode Benjen is the same character as Coldhands in the books, which has long been speculated. It will be interesting to see what powers he has in the show, and how well he can protect Bran from White Walkers and wights, until his confrontation with the Night King. The two scenes north of the wall had the most impact on the overall story of the show. The other stories were anticlimactic, just more setup, or not needed.

The story with Sam and Gilly isn’t needed for the show. Sam making a trip to Horn Hill was pointless other than him taking his father’s sword. The only reason Sam took Gilly to his home was to leave her there, and he ended up leaving with her. Sam should have already been at Oldtown learning to be a Maester. They could have easily found a way for his father to visit him, and for Sam then to take the sword. This would have advanced the story of his schooling and wouldn’t have wasted twenty minutes of the episode on pointless humiliation of Sam. We know his father was horrible to him, we know Gilly loves him. There was no point in reinforcing these aspects of the story. The scenes were well acted, and shot well, they just weren’t needed for the show. Hopefully now we can actually see Oldtown and how people become Maesters. This could be another boring storyline, but I’m excited to finally see The Citadel.

I thought we were going to finally see the High Sparrow put in his place, but he outmaneuvered everyone and manipulated poor Tommen. Margery had a hand in his manipulation, because she didn’t see anyone coming to her rescue. I don’t blame her for finding a way out of the walk of shame, but it proves the High Sparrow is out for power, the same as everyone else. It was an anticlimactic way to finish the storyline. It would have been nice to see some fighting, but it had the effect of moving Jaime’s story forward. Jaime’s story has been a departure from the books, and one I’ve most disappointed in. His growth in the books is phenomenal, going from someone you loathe, to someone you want to succeed and overcome his trails. He is now going to the Riverlands to help The Frey’s which is where he spends his time in the books. With him and Brienne going to the same spot the show could introduce a character from the books which has been lacking. The story pointing to this reveal was my second favorite part of the episode.

The other storyline briefly touched on before the conclusion was with Arya. It was good to see her make a decision, and leave the temple of the Many Faced God. She doesn’t want to be an assassin for hire, she still wants to be Arya Stark and take revenge on those who did her wrong. It would have been nice to actually see the conclusion to the story tonight and have her fight. She will surprise them when she puts Needle to use with all she has learned. Her story wasn’t pointless, but it would have been nice to see her reach this conclusion sooner. She has been trained the entire season to this point, and now threw it all away.  I was hoping for her to stay in the order, but trick them into thinking she was truly one of them.

The ending of episode was a great conclusion. It was fantastic to see Danny riding her dragon and inspiring the Dothraki. I liked her speech and glad they kept it in Dothraki, but what was the point? She already has united the Dothraki.. She did this when she walked out of the fire and everyone bowed to her. Flying Drogon down and uniting the Dothraki was how I wanted the last season to end. I’m glad we got a Dragon moment, but it wasn’t really needed for the show. We know what she is planning to do, and that the Dothraki are going to follow her. It was still an amazing scene, but was still not necessary with how they have advanced her story to this point.

This episode was my least favorite of the season. It was anticlimactic from where the show was building from last week. The show had setup a great confrontation in King’s Landing, and didn’t deliver. Arya’s storyline could have finished tonight, but didn’t because a chunk of the episode was watching Sam have dinner with his Dad. Still, even with the issues it was still an entertaining hour of television, and most of the problems are nitpicks. A great show can’t be epic every episode. I just wish tonight had more payoff.

What did you think of tonight’s episode? Were you letdown or did you enjoy all the storylines showed tonight? Comment and let me know. 

Game of Thrones S6E5 The Door Recap/Review (Spoilers!): Hodor

Game of Thrones The Door had a powerful ending. The risk they took by introducing a time traveling element which can affect the overall story is a big leap for Game of Thrones to take. When introducing how changing an event alters timelines it throws paradoxical scenarios into the story. How can this event happen if the person doesn’t do this one thing in the future? Does this mean the future is set in stone for the Game of Thrones world? What if Bran wants to try and alter events which have already happened? The show stepped through a large door when they had Bran affect the past for a future event. It was a bold choice, and it will be interesting to see how it affects the show moving forward.

The rest of the episode while not as powerful or as alerting as the ending was extremely well done. Sophie Turner has been fantastic this season, and continues to impress. It may be her character just requires this commanding of a performance now, but she has played it masterfully. Sansa’s interaction with Littlefinger to start the show was brilliant. She let Littlefinger know she is no longer a pawn he can move in his game. Sansa has now become a player on the board, and a powerful one. She will still need the Knights of the Vale to overtake Ramsey in the end, and Baelish will be able to provide them for her. She can never fully trust him again, but he will still find a way to manipulate himself back into her good graces. He is slimy, but I don’t think he truly realized how monstrous Ramsey can be. He still probably would have married her off, but he might have found some way to protect her.

Arya has had no one to protect her since the end of the first season. She has had help from numerous sources, but has also had to learn, grow, and adapt in order to survive. We see her still struggling to beat the girl trainer, yet she is given another assassin assignment. She questions why she must kill the woman targeted, stating she seems to be a good person. The Many Faced God does not care for good or evil people. A price was paid, and a woman must die. Will Arya do the act? She must if she wants to survive, but I have a feeling she will find a way to turn the situation into the best possible outcome. She won’t fail in her task, but she will find a way to alter her task. Arya still is Arya Stark, based on the reaction she had to the play. She still cares about killing the ones who have hurt her. It was a great piece of storytelling for the show to use the play to demonstrate how she truly feels. She still wants revenge, but is biding her time until she can break away.

The Iron Islands storyline broke in the episode. The connection was made with how they will play into the overall story. They will become a Dothraki boat taxi service to Westeros. The book storyline is very different from the show, but it in the end it will garner the same result. The Ironborne will take the Dothraki hordes over the sea to invade Westeros with Danny at the head of the army with her three dragons. Yara will be the one to convince Daenerys to form an alliance, not Uncle Euron. Dany isn’t really fond of people who think they can bed and wed her to their cause. Daenerys may eventually marry for political reasons, but it won’t be to Euron. An alliance with Yara for the show makes perfect sense with how strong the female characters are and how they lead others. With Euron becoming King of the Iron Islands, Yara and Theon fled, sailing away to start a war with their Uncle. I don’t think they will go straight to find Daenerys. They will try and battle their Uncle, and then form and alliance with House Targaryen.

Danny had great scene tonight with Jorah. It was powerful and touching for her to command him to find a cure for the greyscale. She has finally accepted him again, and realizes how much he loves her. She realizes how much she needs and wants his friendship. Jorah cannot let his Queen down, and I fully expect him to find a cure and travel across the sea with Danny to retake Westeros. Daenerys may find things troubled in Meereen when she gets back. A tenuous peace has formed in the city, but Tyrion wisely knows that the peace must be accredited to Daenerys, or why have her as a leader?  Tyrion is playing a dangerous game on many fronts, and adding another element in the form of the Red Preistes may not be the smartest thing he has ever done. One thing I didn’t buy in the episode is the interaction between Varys and the Priestess. His character has obvious hatred to their kind, but Varys wouldn’t openly show it. He would find a way to keep them in check, and know everything about them, not openly confront her and disagree with Tyrion. It was out of character and was one of the very minor missteps in the episode.

There was only one other major mistake this episode made. The killing of yet another Direwolf in the climax of the episode. The animals play pivotal roles in the books, and have been relegated to minor ones in the show who can be killed off for no reasons. There was no reason to kill Summer in the episode along with Hodor. He could have ran out with them. His last stand wasn’t needed. He didn’t buy them any more time, the last Child of the Forrest did this with her sacrifice. The death of Summer should be a major event, and it was overshadowed by the ending. Overall it is a minor complaint for the episode as a whole.  

The revelation that the Children of the Forrest created the White Walkers to kill men and Hodor’s death, overshadowed any missteps. It makes sense for the Children of the Forrest to have created the White Walkers, but they lost control of their creation. They feel responsible and now want to help right the wrong, by assisting Bran become something special. Bran must assume the mantle the man in the tree has, because of his mistake. Bran killed them all with his defiance. He caused Hodor to become Hodor by entering his mind in the past instead of the present. It was an extremely sad and powerful moment watching the boy lose his mind, but also save Bran in the present. Everyone has rightly made fun of the phrase Hodor, but its new meaning has made it powerful. I’ll never think of the phrase Hold the Door, without now thinking of Hodor.

This was truly an amazing episode and a fantastic midpoint to the season. Without trying to think too much about the time travel logic introduced, it ended on an emotional and powerful note. The rest of the season is setup for a fantastic final five episodes. What did you think of tonight’s episode? Did Bran affecting events in the past bother you, or are you on bored with how the story is progressing? Comment and let me know.

Game of Thrones S6E4 Book of the Stranger Recap/Review (Spoilers!): Trial by Fire

Who didn’t tear up at the start of the episode?

Game of Thrones: Book of the Stranger started and ended with emotional events. The fourth episode of season six was filled the slow advancement of plots in all the stories. We are now almost half way through with the season and while events have happened, it feels like little has actually taken place.

This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The stories have been setup and they are going to advance in what seems a logical fashion, but with some unexpected twists. The episode overall felt like it was needed to advance all the stories, but we are still waiting to experience the major events of the season.

The start of tonight’s episode gave fans of both the books and show what they have wanted since the end of season one. The reuniting of two of the Stark children. I guess Jon isn’t technically a Stark, but he counts. It was a touching and powerful moment within the show and acted extremely well. Sophie Turner was impressive tonight with her portrayal of Sansa Stark. She has grown with the character on the show. Sansa gave Jon a much needed kick in the ass, and he knows he must face Ramsey Bolton and retake Winterfell. The letter sealed Ramsey’s fate, and it should make for an epic and satisfying conclusion when the bastards of the show face off. Yes I think Jon will be the end of Ramsey, but the showrunners still may throw a twist at us. Every scene at The Wall in the episode was well done, and also had a bit of much needed humor with how Tormund was eyeing Brienne. I couldn’t stop laughing, and I want to see them get together.

Littlefinger is back in the mix and bringing the Vale with him. He has played his hand and now thinks it is time to try and retake the North. I can only imagine he sees himself marrying Sansa, and then killing off the kid to unite the North and Vale. He then would have enough of an army to try and take the rest of the Seven Kingdoms. Littlefinger’s maneuvering has always been an intriguing part of the show, and it’s not really known what he is truly after. He is after power, but does he actually see himself as the King? I’ve never been able to see his end game, but it is fun to watch him position himself to take more power.

Tyrion on the other hand is a master politician and see’s the angles, but doesn’t care about seizing power. Tyrion is someone who seems just to do his duty in his own peculiar way. It is one reason why he is so popular, he doesn’t want to accumulate power or rule. He just doesn’t want to see the entire world burn. I’m not sure he knows what he is doing in Meereen, he knows the politics of Westeros, not here. Grey Worm could have provided a very ominous warning about how the Masters will use them, and not the other way around. Tyrion is smart, but I have a feeling the other two have valid concerns. It’s all going to be a moot point once Danny comes back with all of the Dothraki at her back. Though I’m hoping she doesn’t get bogged down in trying to retake the other cities and travels across the sea.

Once Danny comes across the sea what will she find in King’s Landing? A religious civil war is about to break out in the city and Cersei has orchestrated it. She allowed the High Sparrow to rise to power, and now she is going to cause a rift by trying to removing him. Allowing the Tyrell army into the city will backfire, but at least we will see some advancement in this story. I feel this is one part of the show which has bogged down. All the players have been in place all season, and we are just now starting to see some movement. I think the takeover will fail, and Margaery or Loras will die when the army invades the city. I liked the scenes with Margaery tonight, and showing she is the one who has not broken and giving Loras strength.  Hopefully this is one of the main focuses of the next episode and the story will advance quickly.

A couple of scenes tonight seemed out of place. Theon returning to the Iron Islands and talking with his sister could have been skipped. I’m not sure why he didn’t stay with Sansa, yes Jon would have tried kill him, but with Sansa there she could have stopped Jon. He has no purpose on the Iron Islands either. He can’t do anything to help his sister take power. I’m not sure what they plan to do with him, hopefully more than stand in the background. The other scene was Ramsey being evil again. We know he’s evil, and everyone hates him, no more proof of the point is needed. Why even bring the actress back who played Rickon’s protector just to kill her off?  I’m sure she was happy to be in a couple of more episodes, but it would have been nice for her to stick around longer. Her death served no purpose, or hasn’t to this point.

These scenes were quickly overshadowed by the ending. I have been critical of how they have handled Danny’s story so far this season. I didn’t like the departure the show took from the books. I have been waiting for her Dragon to show up and help her unite the Dothraki, but she didn’t need her Dragon. She only needed one person to help her lock the Khal’s inside so she could burn them alive. It was a fantastic scene and great to see Daenerys regain her authority. I’m still not sure it is believable for all of the Dothraki to bow to her just because she stood in the flames, but it was a powerful image. I would have just preferred it be with a Dragon at her back, but I like the twist of her not needing the Dragon to unite the Dothraki. Now she is the ultimate Khal and will go back to Meereen and then onto Westeros.

Overall the episode had a touching beginning and a powerful ending.  The middle was still mostly setup of what is to come, but I like how each story is advancing. There are so many moving parts it doesn’t seem like an hour is enough time to devout too each episode. Each storyline could get its own show, and I would be happy. I look forward to watching next week and I think we will get some major action by the end of the episode.

What did you think of tonight’s episode? Did you tear up at the start, and love the ending? Comment and let me know. 

Game of Thrones S6E3 Oathbreaker Recap/Review (Spoilers!): My Watch has Ended!

Was it too slow?

The third episode of Game of Thrones sixth season, Oathbreaker, was a little slow, but it was still filled with great scenes. We still haven’t gotten into actual plot advancement for the season, and that needs to change by the next episode for the season to feel like it is moving. At this point the stage is fully set for the rest of the season. All of the major players are in place for the adventures they will have until the conclusion.

Jon Snow awakening was the logical place to start the episode. It was an impactful scene, and handled extremely well. I thought Kit Harrington did a great job of conveying the confusion Jon Snow had awakening from the dead. He knew he shouldn’t be back, and was at a loss for how he was. Melisandre wanted to know what it was like on the other side, but Jon disappointed her by saying there was nothing. Now does that mean there was truly nothing, or that he just couldn’t remember? Death it seems will still remain a mystery even for the people of Westeros. Jon’s thinking there is nothing after death might have an impact on him now. He knows he must live a full life, because darkness waits for him on the other side. This is why he walked out on the Night’s Watch at the end of the episode. He doesn’t want to be tied down there, and his watch did end the first time he died. I think he probably will come back, but first he will lead the Wildlings to retake Winterfell and instill Rickon as the new King of the North.

Jon’s scene bookended the episode well, but the next best scene for me was with Arya. Her small training montage and regaining her eyesight showed great determination. She is becoming a true assassin. What is interesting is that we don’t know her motivation. Is she just saying she is no one so they will continue to train her, or does she now truly believe it? In the books we have the advantage of knowing her true thoughts, but I’m not sure if the character in the show feels the same way. She may be completely embracing the Many-Faced God. I still think deep down she wants to avenge the people on her list and has just learned to bide her time. She is learning from the masters until she can leave on her own. She has always been a wildcard for me. I don’t know how she will play into the story overall in the end, but her transformation and growth is compelling to watch.

More setup was seen in Meereen. It was great to see Varys at work. He threatened the informant so subtlety and with sweetness instead of terror, and still made it creepy.  He is the supreme good cop, and you can tell why he gets what he wants. Now they know the other slaver cities are fronting the Sons of the Harpy. My thought is that the other cities will start to march on Meereen like they did in the books and lay siege to the city. Danny will conquer all of the Dothraki hordes when her Dragon or Dragons show up to rescue her. Then she will go back to Meereen lay waste to it, and march on to Westeros for next season.

When she gets to Kings Landing what will she find? Tommen is getting pulled in three different directions. One by his mother, one by his small council, and now by the High Sparrow. The High Sparrow is obviously a master manipulator. He might believe some of what he says, but for the most part he is playing the same game as everyone else, gaining power. Cersei is still on the warpath and will not rest until everyone who has wronged her is killed. This is the one story were I think we should see some movement. Everyone is in place for action to happen, it is just a matter of the plot advancing.

The only scene in the episode that seemed out of place was with Sam and Gilly. It wasn’t needed and didn’t really add anything to the episode, other than show us they are on their way to Oldtown and Sam wants Gilly to go stay with his parents. One could probably argue the scene showing a young Ned Stark fight didn’t add much either, other than fuel the flame of the fan theory that Jon Snow isn’t Ned’s son, but his nephew. It certainly sounded like a woman in labor outside of the castle. Now who is to say that this is was Jon, but it implies it. I liked the scene, and it was the only action we saw tonight.

Overall the episode was still well acted and well done. There does need to be some more plot advancement next episode or the show is going to feel like it is slowing to a halt and nothing is happening. Pieces are still being settled into place, but they are all their now. This probably would be considered a filler episode, but it was well done filler. This show is more like a ten hour long movie, we just have to wait seven days to get the next hour piece of the film.

What did you think about tonight’s episode? Was it too slow? Are you ready for the stories to start advancing at a faster pace? Was it still done well enough to keep you entertained? Comment and let me know. 

Game of Thrones S6E2 Home Review/Recap (Spoilers!): Worst Kept Secret

For a slower moving episode Home still might be one of my favorites. We are still being setup for the season overall. Only getting more than a few minutes with each major storyline could get frustrating, but what they are giving us is moving the plot along. Each scene tonight, for the most part, was excellent and filled with story elements which gives the viewer enough information to move things along. Do I want more time with Tyrion and the Dragons? More time with Bran? More time with Arya and her training? More time in Kings Landing? Yes! Every scene was a small taste, and I want more of what is to come.

Opening with Bran was a great way to start the episode. To actually see Lyanna and her interact with her brothers was a great way to bring us into what Bran has been doing. He has been traveling through time with the trees. He wanted to get lost in this moment, spend time with his family, and feel like he belongs again. This is a great way for us to know more backstory on the Starks and what happened before the events of the show. We may get to see Lyanna run away with Rhaegar, and find out if the popular fan theory about Lyanna being Jon’s mother is actually true. This scene could just be seen as fan service, but I think it is going to set events up for Bran’s story. Bran is going to have a major role to play in the war against the white walkers, and his reintroduction tonight was well done.

Then to flash to the wall and have a minor fight with the Wildings and Night’s Watch was great way to pick up the pace of the episode. The giant smashing the guy who shot him was fantastic. The restraint the Wildings showed was impressive. They didn’t attack and kill everyone, they held back and only did what was needed to be done to take control of the situation. I think killing Thorne would have served the Knights Watch better overall, but I’m sure there is still a story to tell with him in the coming episodes. Thorne’s execution will be handled by the true Lord Commander in due time. What will be interesting to see is the fate of the young boy. I’m going to guess if Jon has changed any from his time spent in the afterlife this will be one of the first signs of a change.

The only two parts of tonight’s episode that might have been lackluster were the scenes in King’s Landing and with the Ironborne. I personally really liked both scenes. The scene between Jamie and the High Sparrow was tense and is setting up a fantastic confrontation between the two groups. Tommen asking his Mother for help is like asking a jackal into the hen house. He wants her to make him strong, and all she is going to do is start a war that could destroy King’s Landing. I don’t like the High Sparrow, but Cersei isn’t much better. Tommen has never been a bad character, you don’t want the kid to be caught up in this mess, but I think the prophecy about Cersei’s children will come true in the end.

The other Lannister brother had a fantastic short scene with the two dragons. I loved getting the backstory of the dragons with him. Telling us Dragons are extremely smart and can sense who is their friend or foe. He still was either extremely brave or extremely stupid for going in and unchaining them. The question this raises for me is, why did the dragons kill the shepherd girl? Was it an accident, or did the dragon even really kill her? I think this question might be answered, and I’m now hoping all three dragons show up to save Danny and unite the Dothraki.

The other small scene we got tonight was with Arya and her being brought back into the temple of the many faced god. It’s a good to see her accept her fate, and her story and character are so well done, I just want more of it. I hope I want more of the story on the Iron Islands.

The Iron Islands storyline was one of my favorite from the fourth book. It is extremely well written and adds yet another layer to the rich world Martin created. I just hope it doesn’t become another Dorne from last season, with very little value to the main story. Dorne still hasn’t been woven in with any main plot, and I worry the Iron Islands won’t either. They are the Viking warriors or Westeros, and their story should be told. I enjoyed the scenes with them tonight, but I’m still worried they may feel lost in the main stories we have seen so far to date. We have gotten small pieces before, but they have always been minor.  The story they are starting to tell is a major plot in the books. It will be interesting to see where they take it and how it is received. There is so much going on at the moment I think the audience may wonder why more characters are being introduced and more story elements added when the show is starting to wind down.

The main reveal of the night was saved for the end. I didn’t know if they were going to drag out Jon’s fate much past tonight. They couldn’t have dragged it out much longer or his body would start to decompose regardless of how cold it is at The Wall. Plus they would want to bury or burn him. Melisandre bringing Jon back was a forgone conclusion to me. I have thought since I read the fifth book and watched season five that he would not stay dead. Now Martin may not bring him back in the same way, but he will still come back. There is no one else at The Wall which can carry the story forward, and there are too many unanswered questions about Jon Snow.  It will be interesting to see how much of Jon comes back and how much he has changed. I wonder how much more story we are going to get at The Wall this season. I am guessing the main fight will be with the Bolton’s’ and Jon will make Ramsey pay for hurting Sansa.

Ramsay’s part was cruel and vicious. He is a character you love to hate. When he finally is killed off a cheer will go out around television sets around the world, it might even be audible outside of houses. He is worse than Joffrey, and that is saying something. His pride will be his downfall, and I am excited to see what happens when he tries to attach Castle Black and finds it well provisioned and staffed with Wildlings from beyond The Wall. Sansa will unite the North and retake Winterfell with the help of Jon, which will then setup the ultimate confrontation with the White Walkers.

The puzzle pieces are all starting to fit together. This was another episode of lining pieces up, but it was so well executed plot movement wasn’t necessary. This was the perfect mix of setup and advancement which will keep me excited for next week. Bring on the next episode. I am really starting to wish the entire season was available to binge and watch at once.

I’ve rambled enough about this fantastic episode. Let me know your thoughts if you made it to the end of my ramblings. 

Game of Thrones S6E1 The Red Woman Review/Recap (Spoilers!): What’s in a Title?

Do you think the showrunners chose this title just to mess with fans of the show? The worst kept secret during the hiatus of Game of Thrones is Jon Snow’s death. Everyone on the show maintained Jon was in fact, dead which lead fans to say, yeah but he’s not going to stay dead. The theories have abounded about how Jon will come back from the grave, with the most popular being Melisandre bringing him back to life. The showrunners teased this with the title of the episode, but no resolution is given.

Very little actually happened in this episode. The board was setup for the season and the opening moves made for each storyline. I still think Jon will eventually be resurrected by Melisandre. We know she has some major magical powers, with how she truly looks. We also know other acolytes from the Red God have brought people back to life. I still think her prophecy will come true and we will see Jon fighting at Winterfell by the end of the season. We don’t have a major character at The Wall to relate and root for. Davos is a good character, but not someone who can carry a major storyline. Brienne is also bringing Sansa to the wall. I think two siblings of Ned Stark will finally be reunited.

I’m not sure where else Brienne would take Sansa. She knows Sansa should have at least one friend at The Wall who can offer protection. Maybe they will be in for a surprise when they get to The Wall finding Jon dead, but I don’t think that will be the case. It won’t be a happy reunion, but we will finally get two Stark children in the same place again. Who knows, maybe Jon won’t be in the show, and he will stay dead, but I just don’t see that being plausible with how the story has been setup to this point. It might just be my wishful thinking, but Jon is supposed to play a major part in the conclusion of this tale, along with Daenerys.

We last saw Daenerys getting captured by Dothraki. This was one of the departures from the books which seemed off to me. In the books we last see Daenerys attacking the Dothraki with Drogon, and them approaching her with him at her back. This was the ending of the season I wanted. With her then taking control of a Dothraki Horde this season. This is still where the story is headed, we are just getting more Dothraki time before Drogon swoops down to save Danny again. I would have preferred she take control from the start, but it looks like Daenerys will have to grow some more as a character before she unites the Dothraki to her cause.

To speculate I think Daenerys will take control of this Horde, and then unite all Dothraki. She then will sale across the sea to Westeros and concur the Seven Kingdoms, just in time to ride north to fight the White Walkers with her Dragons. This should be the overriding arch of the show with many other fun storylines thrown in with the characters we love. Daenerys will be able to unite Westeros easily because of how torn the country has become. She has the name, and will have the army and will only find broken houses in her way, like the Lannister’s.

Cersei will consume herself and the Lannister name. All she can now think about is revenge. Revenge on the High Sparrow and revenge on Dorne for killing Myrcella. She will usher in the destruction of King’s Landing and her house because she cannot look past what has happened to her. Jamie hopefully will wise up and join with someone else. He has in the books, and I hope he does in the show as well. His character transformation in the books is by far my favorite and it feels like he hasn’t grown as much in the show. He needs to be over Cersei, but that has not happened yet.

We got glimpses of other storylines. A brief bit with Tyrion, a small moment with Arya, and the Vipers taking over Dorn and then hour was over. I wanted more out of this episode, but it set the stage for the season nicely and I was entertained. I wanted the resolution of the Jon Snow’s death, but I assume we will get that in the next episode. I also would have liked to have finally seen Bran and what has happened to him. I am thinking we might have an entire hour devoted to him once he makes an appearance.

Overall I would have liked more advancement in the opening episode, but as long as the pieces begin to move quickly the season has a vast amount of promise. There are things that haven’t been covered from the books, but the main storylines are a complete mystery to everyone now. It will be a fun ride to see where the story takes us and eventually see how much Martin’s vision differs once he releases the next book.

What did you think of the season premiere? Did it leave you wanting more? Do you think the showrunners were having some fun at the fans expense with the title of the episode? Comment and let me know your thoughts.