There’s a thing that comes up in the final season or episode
of a long-running series, where they start packing in a bunch of references to or
recreations of scenes from the series premiere. Writers love to bring things full circle in
this way, and it can be rewarding for faithful viewers to
recognize such self-allusions, at least to a point. This type
of mirroring is undeniably artful in
its structure, but in a way that makes the artist’s hand more visible, which is generally
not something I find appealing. It feels
a bit solipsistic; like the story is buying into its own hype and indulging
itself by elevating random scenes or lines to mythic importance. But I tend to agree with Tony Soprano that “Remember When? is the lowest form of
conversation.” And I find I am especially
sensitive to it in GOT, where a huge part of the draw was how the visceral nature of
the storytelling created a tantalizing illusion that events were being carried
along with their own unpredictable momentum, rather than molded to the contours
of a traditional plot structure.
There was always a design, of course, and if anything, it
probably had to be crafted more carefully than a more traditional, linear
narrative. In any case, this final
season premiere is awash in callbacks to the first episode of the series. It opens with a boy climbing around
trying to get a better look at the royal procession, as Arya did when Robert
Baratheon’s train came to Winterfell all those years ago.
The music that plays is even the same as the more rigid royal theme that
played in the pilot, which stood out on my last rewatch as sounding like it
could have been a holdover from the mostly-scrapped original cut, before Ramin
Djawadi took the scoring in a moodier, more somber direction. There is an interrupted brothel visit. The Starks line up to greet the visiting monarch
in the courtyard, chat with each other in the godswood and their old friends in
the crypts. And of course, the episode
ends with Jaime being surprised to see Bran.
 |
| (insert fart joke here) |
The parallels are not as heavy-handed as they might have been,
and to non-obsessives they probably don’t even register as deliberate nods. But I do hope the show got it out of its system
with this episode. Partly because I
think it's done a good enough job establishing something like Ned Stark’s
legacy that it can get the point across just by dressing Jon like him, without
going to the lengths of having him recreate the exact blocking of a famous scene
or quote entire lines of his dialogue (the most strained callback of the episode involves Dany quoting Ygritte
directly on a romantic rendezvous with Jon, which felt like a non-sequitur for moment). But mostly it’s that, while some narratives
that have thematic reasons for highlighting a “the more things change…” motif, I tend to prefer endings that emphasis how
much has changed rather than
how much has stayed the same. Circular
plotting may be neat, but I prefer the sense that the events of the story had
actual weight and consequence for the world in which it takes place. Throughout
its life, GOT has distinguished itself
by committing to that type of consequence in a way that is exceedingly rare in
genre fiction. It took dark and bracing
turns that most fantasy would only tease at, and that’s what I loved about it.
But I picked a bad episode in which to wax on about what big moves
the series is willing to make, since “Winterfell” is oddly the most relaxed
episode since the early days of the first season. Despite Bran’s brief insistence that some
heavy shit was about to go down, the only people who seem to be acting with
any real urgency are the refugees from the Wall that have found themselves
behind the enemy’s lines. The most
significant plot development, Theon’s infiltration of Euron’s armada, goes off
without a hitch, or any real effort to wring suspense from the scenario or even
put much of the rescue mission on screen.
Dany has a weird non-reaction to the news that her dragon is a zombie
now and coming to kill them all. People
crack a lot of jokes, gossip about marriage prospects, and make time for
extended dragonback joyride dates.
The joyride was a bit much, technically very impressive but calling on a goofier side of Jon Snow that is definitely not Kit Harrington’s wheelhouse. And while it may be his first taste of
dragonflight, it is our ninth or tenth, so his excitement isn't really there for us. In a perfect world. I’d have
traded it for an actual action sequence with the Greyjoys, but I don’t want to be
an ingrate. For the most part, the episode had its head in the right space, as no matter how eager I am to get
on with the zombie apocalypse action spectacular, taking this last chance to
slow things down and focus on the justified sources of tension within the Targaryen-Stark
alliance is the right move. As last season pared the complex, multifaceted plot
of the earlier seasons down to two main threads, there was also a creeping sense
that the complex and multifacted
conflicts that arose from that plotting were also going to be sanded down or disregarded in
favor of adventures in zombie-fighting with our motley crew of Good Guys arrayed
against the clear-cut Bads. While it’s
still clear that we are rooting emphatically against the Night King, Cersei, and
Euron, there is still a lot of room for friction and animosity among
our heroes, which is something “Winterfell” steers directly into, to its credit.
With the climactic momentum having clustered all the
survivors in about 2.5 locations, the premiere decides to bide its time before
the zombie apocalypse action spectacular by staging a string of reunions. Theon reunites with Yara, and gets her
blessing to go fight at Winterfell.
Sansa and Tyrion speak for the first time since Joffrey’s wedding, and
she impresses him with how cool she has become. Sam meets Jorah again, and gets some bad news in the process. Edd meets Tormund at Last Hearth, and in adorable fashion, the two practically
fall into each other’s arms. Arya
reunites with Gendry, finding that a surprising note of sexual tension has crept
into their dynamic, while also running into the Hound and finding out that he’s
only gotten gruffer to cover up for how mushy he’s gone inside. She also reunites with Jon, who reunites with
Bran, who also, in the thrilling closing shot, reunites with the man who
crippled him all the way back in the pilot episode.
If the episodes is not the most exciting in terms of structure, where the writing excels
is in finding single, pithy lines that sum up the complex conflicts and dynamics
at play, and punctuate the scenes without sounding too neat and scripted. Dany and
Sansa side-eyeing each other after the former notes that dragons eat “whatever
they want” is one, and Sansa dismissing Tyrion by telling him “I used to think
you were the cleverest man alive” another.
Yara adding “but kill the bastards anyway” after exchanging the Greyjoy’s
religious motto about the dead not dying.
Varys noting that “Nothing lasts” while looking at the incestuous hope
for the future of the kingdoms. “First I robbed you.”
But the best came from Sam, who became the unlikely emotional
crux of the episode after Dany’s visit to thank him for curing Jorah turns to the awkward subject of how she kinda-sorta-a-little-bit burned
his father and brother alive. It drives Sam
to tell Jon about his secret heritage and superior claim to the throne, and ask
whether Dany could, as Jon did, give up a crown to keep her would-be subjects
safe. I had liked how the show had been
playing up the resentment of the Northerners to their brand new king immediately
kneeling to a foreigner, but it wasn’t until Sam puts that fine point on it
that the full narrative value for Jon’s secret birthright snapped into place. Until now, I had thought of it as almost a twist
for a twist’s sake, a secret that had been seeded into the books so early that
Martin was obligated to go through with it even though the internet had spoiled
the surprise a decade or two in advance and ultimately it would be rendered moot by Jon heroically sacrificing himself before he could sit on the Iron Throne.
The incestuous complications the reveal introduced seemed like a play
for some cheap shock value, and rather than make the romantic connection between
Dany and Jon more difficult, actually serve to makes us feel a little better
about his dying allowing us to sidestep the whole mess.
Previously, that familial revelation seemed like it would
make Dany and Jon sad, but not be cause to rupture the vital alliance on which
the future of the human race rests. But since
it has come to light now, after Jon has proven willing to abdicate for her, it
sets her up to have to make the same decision. Which is a twist with some
actual dramatic juice to it, and given
her characterization, I don’t see how she can do it. Jon is telling the truth when he insists he
never wanted a crown. But the idea of one was all that kept Dany alive throughout
a childhood on the run, and moving forward through years of hardship, bloodshed
and degradation.
| "Yeah, yeah, knife to the heart, Red Wedding, whatever. Talk to me about earning it when you've spent 3 years cooling your heels in MEEREEN, bro." |
That is a real conflict, a genuinely difficult situation
without a pure villain to blame it all on. It makes things messy and complicated, at an
exact time when the heroes can’t afford to deal with complications, in that
quintessential GOT way. And that is all before
Jaime Lannister shows up. The stricken
look on Nicolaj Coster-Waldau’s face when he sees Bran is as eloquent as any of
the other lines I highlighted in communicating the complex state of affairs
between two characters. In any other season,
a trial of Jaime Lannister would be a fine centerpiece for an episode, but
there is little time for that with the dead on the move.
In any case, is it next week yet?
RANDOM NOTES
- Cersei wanted elephants in her army. I did too, girl.
- Captain Strickland of the Golden Company doesn’t make a very unique impression, but should provide for a handy subboss for, oh let’s say Brienne, to kill when shit goes down.
- One thing I didn’t need was another scene of Tyrion making eunuch jokes at Varys, who huffily underlines the irony that he takes offense at dwarf jokes. I actually like how petty it makes Tyrion look, but I don't like that it tends to make him look as un-clever as everyone who ever cracked the same joke about his height.
- I like the warped bit of symmetry that both Cersei and Dany are dealing with what earning loyalty means to a queen. Euron argues that he has delivered an army, a navy and her daughter’s killers to Cersei and has seen nothing in return, whereas in the North Dany also feels that bringing an army and dragons proves her bona fides to the point where further shows of respect to the natives are irrelevant.
- The new credits sequence is pretty sweet, reflecting the narrowed geographic scope by taking us inside the only two locations that really matter anymore, Winterfell and King’s Landing. Also a very nice touch that they updated the carvings on the revolving bands, to represent the current war against the dead rather than Robert’s rebellion.
- The first thing Jon says upon learning his Targaryen heritage is to defend Ned Stark’s honor. That’s a direct hit in the feels right there.
- Bronn being hired to kill Jaime and Tyrion is a good twist, less because it puts the brothers in real danger than because it puts Bronn at a slight risk of getting himself killed trying to pull it off.
Season Morghulis: Ned
Umber.
Prophesies: I’m going to throw out my predictions for how
things will go from here for each character and strike them out each week as they are
proved wrong.
Jon – Becomes king, dies defeating
Night King, leaving Dany pregnant
Dany – Refuses to step down for
Jon, thinks better of it after losing more dragons and advisors in the battle
at Winterfell, but winds up back on the throne after he dies heroically, with a
proper incestuous Targaryen heir on the way.
Cersei – Gets to little Robin
Arryn and lays a trap at the Eyrie before the survivors of Winterfell can reach
it, which is mostly foiled by wariness of Sansa/Arya/Tyrion. King Jon still feels compelled to offer her a
pardon to fight with them for realsies this time. She can’t help but try to backstab them one
last time and Jaime mercy-kills her before Queen Dany can burn her alive.
Bran – Dies/leaves human body
warging into Drogon as a sacrifice play allowing the living to escape Winterfell.
Sansa/Tyrion – Renew their
marriage to rule the North and Westerlands.
Arya – Provides assist to take out
Mountain in Cleganebowl. Hooks up with
Gendry but refuses to be tied down as his wife, last seen hitting the road for
more merry adventures, but with an ominous note that a Faceless man is trailing
her.
Gendry – High Lord of the Stormlands.
Sam – High Lord of The Reach.
Gilly – Lady Of the Reach.
Jaime – Appointed/Sentenced to reconstitute
the Night’s Watch as new Lord Commander.
Brienne – Commander of the
Queensguard.
Davos – Small Council, Master Of
Ships.
Missandei – Small Council.
Jorah – killed by Walkers.
Tormund – Ruler of new Wildling nation
in the Gift.
Yara – Ruler Of Iron Islands.
Theon – dies heroically.
Euron – dismembered by Mountain.
The Hound/Mountain – killed together
in Cleganebowl.
Drogon/Rhaegal – die in battles
with Night King.
Grey Worm – killed by Walkers.
Varys – killed in Cersei’s trap.
Melisandre – killed by Varys.
Robin Arryn – killed in Cersei’s
trap.
Yohn Royce – Lord of the Vale.
Berric Dondarrion – killed by
Walkers.
Edd – killed by Walkers.
Qyburn – killed by Mountain.
Bronn – refuses to kill Jaime/Tyrion,
gets a castle.
Lyanna Mormont – Rules Bear Island.
Podrick – killed by Walkers.
Ghost – killed by Walkers.
