So, I actually really liked most of the episode. I think it would have been a fantastic episode had they not rushed this final season so much. Two or three episodes preceding this one to let us see more of Dany's (full disclosure - I've never liked Dany much) leap into madness and understand more about Jamie's decision to return to the man he was would have made those outcomes more emotionally important. Frankly, they both just showed us the person they really always were but none of us wanted to believe. Instead, it was all so rushed.
We needed more time for Varys to plot and scheme (what he does best) before his final death. I thought Tyrion's betrayal of him was actually a surprise and their final scene together was great. Loved Varys' line about hoping he is wrong. All good stuff, but they didn't earn the pay off. We needed more time for Jon to clearly be worried about Dany's mental health. For him to understand how watching a second dragon die and her best friend beheaded and her new-found lover turning out to be a nephew and threat to her throne all pushed her to the edge. Pushed her and Grey Worm frankly. Ultimately, Jon may be a Targaryen but he suffers from the same fatal flaw his uncle/father, Ned, did - assuming that others are noble and have pure intentions. If we'd had more of that, then I think this episode would have been near-perfection. It was a brutal onslaught and while the Mad Queen thing was expected, we can't say they haven't been setting it up for basically the entire series. Dany has always demonstrated a certain inhumanity and insanity when facing enemies. It just was always somewhat restrained - mostly due to wise counsel that she heeded. It was not at all surprising that she did what she did and yet, I was left just sort of stunned that she actually DID it. I mean, the destruction was inescapable.
Cleganebowl was great I thought. I loved that the Hound threw himself into FIRE to kill himself and his brother. Now, HIS was an amazing character arc. Loved that Arya called him by name at their parting. Admittedly, that strained credulity quite a bit. Hard to believe that Arya would have left like that. But it obviously allowed her to survive (which one must presume is necessary for whatever happens next week) and seeing the destruction of the city from her perspective made that battle that much more impressive. I was completely enthralled during those scenes - it really brought the horror home. Using that mother and daughter the way they did in those scenes was just good TV frankly. I swear I was holding my breath at times. And, corny as the blood-soaked "pale horse" thing was, it still made for an epic shot of her riding out on it through the destruction and rubble.
Jamie and Cersei deserved better deaths than that though. although I suppose some poetic justice that they died together under the rubble of the Red Keep. And, Lena Headey did some amazing acting watching that dragon destroy the city. Watching the slow realization hit her as Qyburn delivered more and more bad news. That was extraordinarily satisfying. It almost made up for that lame death scene - almost. She was a fool and watching her realize it was pure gold. And, her tiptoeing past dead Qyburn and the Hound was sort of hilarious.
And, I'll say this, I legitimately have NO CLUE what is going to happen next week, so I suppose they did accomplish that although I'm guessing we'll have a scene of Dany walking into the throne room covered in ash - what most had presumed was snow in her vision in the house of the undying way back in Season 2. I don't know how long the last episode is, and that's my main concern. So much to wrap up and so little time. Basically the whole problem with this final season.
Meh...you’re over-thinking it.
