Cleganebowl

Published May 13, 2019 · Updated July 6, 2022

Hi fellas

Have loved your Podcasts through the last two series – thank you for all the comments, arguments, tears (Gene) and WTFs…

I have to say I’m with Gene on this one. I enjoyed this episode and, unlike most it seems, though it made sense. Well, mostly.

The easiest way is to break it down by character.

Varys

Yeah – this was BS. Possibly this storyline is the best reason that the series should have been at least 8 episodes. Or, this plot should have started in episode 2. We went from Varys finding out about Jon in episode 4, discussing treason with Tyrion and then in episode 5, barely showing that he has started his plotting and scheming (writing the note then burning it), where he is discovered and then executed. Did he suggest that he was trying to poison Dani as his ‘little bird’ (who works in the kitchen) told him she (Dani) wasn’t eating and he suggests they would try again tomorrow? However, his scene with Tyrion was touching and indeed possibly prophetic. Will Varys turn out to be a martyr?

Arya and the Hound.

This I feel made perfect sense. Arya has been spurred on to kill by her hatred and her ‘list’. Yet she has forgiven some (the Hound, Beric) but rides south to kill Cersei.

The Hound, on the other hand, has spent his life nursing the hatred of his brother – devoting his life to getting revenge. As Arya (and possibly Sansa) have allowed The Hound to regain a little humanity, it was too little, too late. The Hound, when realizing the Red Keep was being destroyed, turns to Arya and persuades her to leave – he realizes that should she continue along her path of revenge then she will end up like him. Arya, although an assassin, still has humanity and cares for people (Jon, Sansa, Bran, Gendry and yes, The Hound) – she realizes that there is something to live for and that hatred leads to ruin (aka The Hound). The Hound continues with his quest as it is all he has had to live for and it is too late to change.

Arya chooses to live. The Hound chooses to die.

Cleganebowl

It had to happen. Of all the battles (Bastards, Winterfell, King’s Landing) the fans demanded this one.

However, the futility and pointlessness of this battle were on a number of levels. In amongst the carnage of the sacking of King’s Landing, two men fight each other for the pure reason they have hated each other all their lives. The fight serves no purpose to the outcome of the war and The Mountain, driven by such hatred, even when a zombie, leaves his duty to protect the Queen to fight. His hatred of his brother overrides his single purpose for existing. The Hound, on the other hand, realizes halfway through the battle of the futility of trying to kill a person who is already dead. The realization that he has wasted his life spurs him to sacrifice his own life, ending two largely pointless existences, The Hound having redeemed himself by saving Arya (and thus, as she was the one to kill the Night King, inadvertently, the world…) The final character arc that they both perish in fire is fitting.

Arya’s retreat

How good was Maisie Williams’ acting in this episode?

Arya, realising that there is no point to being in King’s Landing, tries to retreat. But, although she is an accomplished assassin, is no match for a crowd in full rout. In a series of scenes she is seen to being trampled and suffocating (like Jon in Battle of the Bastards), but this time is intercut with scenes of The Hound also being battered. Although both have chosen a different path they are suffering a similar fate. I liked the way she was saved by the young mother, and, a few scenes later as she tries to return the favour, causes the death of these two, once again reminding Arya that she is human and fallible. The end scene, where she wakes to find a white horse, was superb as she makes her retreat (possibly adding another person to her list? Dani?)

Jamie, Cersei and the Valenquor

Ok. This is a little bit more controversial.

Jamie, released by Tyrion (after all, a Lannister always pays his debts), finally gets into Kings Landing (helped by his little brother). There, he meets Euron – yes, this is too convenient, but, we need Euron to die to tie up that loose end and what better way than the two lovers of Cersei?

So, Cersei, after realizing that all is lost, flees. The Mountain leaves her and kills Qyburn (who cares?). Having lost all power, she reverts to a mother scared for her unborn child. For the first time since possibly the death of Joffrey, we see the human side of Cersei. Meeting Jamie, he tries to take her to safety but instead, leads her to her death, being trapped in the cellars and, with his arms wrapped around her, Cersei and her little brother die.

Valenquor? This is a difficult one as the TV series didn’t go into the same depth as the books (which is something I think viewers forget about a number of things in GoT). The prophecy, like most prophecies, is vague. Cersei was told she will die by the hands of the valenquor (roughly translated as ‘little brother’) wrapped around her throat. Perhaps not her throat, but her neck? And perhaps the death was not deliberate, but accidental, by leading her to her doom?

Grey Worm

Has become the Unsullied once more. Any feelings he once had has been replaced by one – revenge. He has bloodlust and disobeys his superiors (Jon) in the field, loyal only to his Queen and his thirst to avenge Missandei.

Jon

His loyalty to his Queen is shaken. He orders the retreat and appalled at his soldier’s behavior, turns on them to save a woman of King’s Landing. For him, it is his honour and duty. However, like Ned, has he misplaced this honor, duty, and loyalty to the wrong person?

Dani

OK. Here goes.

One of the biggest complaints in the Twitterverse is that there was no one reason to trigger Dani into madness. But I disagree. The pieces are there, we just need to put them all together.

1. She has lost many loved ones in a short space of time – Jorah, Missandei, Rhaegal and Jon.

1. In ep 4 she recognizes that no-one loves her in Westeros. In Essos, she was loved and feared in equal measure. But she inspired love and loyalty. In Westeros, her destiny, her throne; she only has fear. This is also identified in ep 5 where she confronts Jon about telling his sisters. They embrace of sorts, but then Jon pulls away, where Dani then states ‘Fear then’. She is now alone in Westeros.

1. Varys meets Jon on the beach and reminds Jon (and the viewers) that every time a Targaryen is born, the Gods flip a coin.

1. So, Dani has destroyed the Iron fleet, all the defenses of King’s Landing, the Castle Barbican and most of the Golden Company. She rests on a building as the Lannister army surrenders and ‘The Bells’ toll. However, she never told Tyrion that she would accept this surrender. She stares at the Red Keep, knowing Cersei is still there. And here is where the coin flips. And lands on dragon heads. Dracarys.

Wildfire

We see pockets of wildfire explode as Dani carpet bombs the city. Are these the caches of wildfire that Aerys the Mad King stored in his plan to make everyone burn (before his death by the Kingslayer)? Did Dani finally fulfil her father’s plans?

Ultimately, this wasn’t a battle of good and evil – that battle was episode 3. This was a battle of humanity. Those who lost it (Dani, Grey Worm, the Unsullied, the Northmen) and those who kept or regained it (Jon, Tyrion, Arya, Jamie and Cersei?, The Hound?)

Ep6 will be interesting as the brief taster shows Dani marching out to ranks of Unsullied – reminiscent of scenes of the 3rd Reich……

Next Monday (for us in the UK – 2am!) will be time to break out the best malt whisky and toast farewell to one of the greatest shows on TV

Valar Morghulis

Mike
Newcastle UK

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