Game of Thrones Episode 4 Review: “The Last of The Starks”
Game of Thrones Episode 4 Review: “The Last of The Starks”
“The Last of The Starks,” brought back the political struggles, shocking developments, and complex conversations of earlier seasons without losing the massive scale and sprawling tales of Season 8.
Episode 4’s breakneck race to the “Game of Thrones” finish line might seem like sloppy writing and impatience, but Gene and Dick believe there’s a method to the madness. Hear about that as we weigh the strengths and weaknesses of the two remaining factions: Team Cersei and Team Daenerys.
Speaking of Dany, Big D lays out an impressive argument pointing to the Breaker of Chains as the next Mad Queen. Gene predictably plays devil’s advocate and defends Dany as a born ruler who has suffered from being too lenient.
Wondering how the hell Euron knew the good guys were sailing toward Dragonstone? We’ll dive deep into the lightning speed of information in Westeros and examine whether there’s a spy in Dany’s camp.
And of course we’ll preview this season’s last remaining bit of dazzle: The Golden Company. Who are they, and why might they be the key to defeating Cersei?
Storyline for Episode 4: “The Last of The Starks”
The North begins burning all their dead on funeral pyres. During the celebrations, Daenerys legitimizes Gendry as a Baratheon and names him the new Lord of Storm’s End. Jaime and Brienne have sex. Daenerys asks Jon to not reveal his Targaryen claim. Tormund decides to lead the Wildlings back north of the Wall. Bronn, concerned Cersei may not win, spares Jaime and Tyrion in exchange for the lordship of Highgarden. During a war council, Daenerys insists on leaving the North and attacking King’s Landing soon. Jon and Bran reveal his Targaryen claim to Sansa and Arya. Sansa goes on to share the secret with Tyrion who then shares it with Varys. The Targaryen fleet moves for King’s Landing while Northern soldiers travel on foot. The fleet is ambushed and destroyed by Euron Greyjoy, Rhaegal is killed and Missandei is taken captive, leading Daenerys to decide to seize King’s Landing at any cost, even if she must slaughter the civilians taking shelter inside. Varys and Tyrion discuss Daenerys’ state of mind, with Varys concerned that she might not be fit to rule and suggesting they replace her with Jon instead, though Tyrion rejects the idea. Hearing of Rhaegal’s death, Jaime leaves for King’s Landing. Daenerys arrives at King’s Landing and demands Cersei surrender, but Cersei remains defiant and publicly executes Missandei.
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I want to see more of Jamie’s Lannister in Cersi’s cannister!
Where is the SWAT analysis from Tom in Chicago?
You can see the SWOT assessment here. https://shatontv.com/king-landing-battle-opponents-and-analysis-swot/
I keep hearing people concerned about Jon Snow not saying goodbye to his wolf. I feel like since the beginning, Jon has never really had a real identity. The closest thing he had to that was his believed relationship to Ned Stark. In season 8, I think this is the first time Jon has a real cemented identity now that he finally knows his parentage. I think now he’s sort of letting go of the whole “Stark” thing. The wolf, all of that was part of his life prior to knowing the truth. Can’t go back. Nice work on your podcasts, guys.
Thanks for your unique and insightful take, Mattrix. Makes sense to me.
It would disappoint me deeply as a fan of the show if Qyburn’s character introduction to the show were not given any meaning. The Song of Ice and Fire is known and beloved for its storyline credibility. Therefore, to dismiss the Harrenhal mass wipe out by Lannisters in an earlier season, and to disregard that Qyburn would have been dead if it wasn’t for Talisa and Robb would make Stark’s involvement in Qyburn’s saving scene purposeless. It would rob the show of its credibility, at least for me, especially given the level of the show’s famous patient revenge utilization.
It bothers me so much that no one even mentions how Qybirn came to be
It would be a significant storyline plot-hole to give sooo much meaning and screen-time to the character and never to not to make anything of how that character came to be. All major characters seem to have appropriate callbacks to their origins, giving the meaning in how they came to be what they are at a present moment of the show.
What do you think guys, will Qyburn surprise us all in the endgame of GoT?
Thanks.
Zarina.
Bay Area
I think its equally likely that GOT will make saving Qyburn a mistake. We’ve seen it before in the series: Sparing someone leaves him to hurt you later.
You got THAT right amigo. Look at what happened to Miguel in Cobra Kai when he had Robbie down and showed him a little mercy… Robbie kicked Miguel over the railing and now he’s in a coma with a broken neck. They’re going to have to fly in Ali with an “i” from Colorado to save his ass. Sensi Kreese had it right when he said, “No Mercy!”. If you get a shot at Quburn, you take his ass out or Quburn will take your ass out with a Long Farewell kiss.
Fuckin’ SPOILER ALERT!
A night strike against the scorpion batteries? Are you insane? Sure, Drogon will get off the first shot but once he spews fire, all the scorpion batteries we just saw will be able to launch a firestorm of scud missiles at him just by shooting in the direction of the fire AND… he won’t won’t be able to see any of them coming. Imagine say 30 incoming and Drogon NOT seeing any of them… he’ll take MULTIPLE hits EVERY time he opens his mouth and spits fire. They need to armor him or short of that take out some of those batteries before Daeny can utilize dragon fire.
I can’t believe we’re about to argue the physics of Scorpion batteries, but the idea is to hit Kings Landing in vulnerable areas and dip out after one strafing run. The gunners wouldn’t have time to re-orient the batteries. The ones on the wall, for instance, can’t turn around. If any are inside the city, they would have nearly impossible firing angles and would still need to be aimed. Also, a Scorpion fired within the city most likely would just damage the city itself.
Also, dragons have darkvision.
You bet we’re going to argue dark tactics…
Drogon can have all the night vision he wants but as soon as he opens his mouth and spits fire all the other Scorpions just need to turn to his general direction and launch all those deadly projectiles. You’ve got to remember, it didn’t take much effort for Bron to reorient his Scorpion in the Loot Train battle and that was still the beta version. Qyburn has since perfected his killing machine and mass produced them. Now, it looks like they’re all on lazy Susan’s and can spin around and around 360-degree style at a moment’s notice. I haven’t seen this kind of swivel action since Doolittle’s Raiders on their B-25’s after Pearl Harbor. Daeny’s down to one dragon, she better be smart about it or she’s going to lose it.
Homie, them shits can’t turn 180! The guys shooting them would need wings or jetpacks to float as they hung 8 feet outside the walls of King’s Landing. Look at the size of em!
How slow do you think a dragon flies? Several GOT fans have calculated around 300 mph. Scoring a lethal kill at night on a 300 mph black flying thing is basically impossible.
>basically imposssible
Dude, what are you talking about?
>300 mph
After Bronn let loose his first shot that second shot was about 40 seconds later and that was just one dude with no training on a Beta Scorp. Now, imagine a well trained 2-3 man Scorp Team working together… one shooting while the others reload. The reload/relaunch time has been drastically cut down to about 10-15 seconds per shot, maybe less. Now, imagine like 10-12 Scorpion Teams working in tangent ready to spin around in any direction all letting loose at the same time at the first sign of dragon fire. I hope Drogon has some Matrix bullet time moves like Neo because he’s going to need it to dodge all those Scorpion incoming missiles. Is that what you’re saying? Are you saying Drogon is THE ONE?
With regards to them not being able to turn 180, if that was the case then the game would be over pretty easily. All Daeny has to do is drive Drogon up their backsides and catch ’em from behind right… because you’re saying they couldn’t spin to protect their blindside.
But what-if… some of the Scorpions are pointing North while the adjacent Scorp is pointing South each with a certain amount of turn ratio thereby as a 2-Scorp team being able to cover a whole 360-degrees field.
Oops… Happy learned how to putt.
They’re all facing the same direction! You can see it on screen!
I’d buy this if the Scorps all had mule teams or Hodors to whip ’em around.
I agree with you Gene!
Also, I introduced my brother to you SHAT boys and now he has a man crush!
Big D’s massive arms make all the boys melt, regardless of which way they swing.
Hey guys great show.
Do you think Jon will go to Kong’s Lansing to try to make a compromise with ceros, but cersi will kill him and turn him into a zombie knight but as a stark with skin changing abilities will be able to warg the other undead zombie knights in the same way the night king did after he was changed and Dany will then have to kill Jon and zombie army before they destroy Westeros?
Dude, how many times do we have to say it: CERSEI IS PREGNANT. How is she gonna kill Jon and turn him in to a zombie knight but as a Stark with skin-changing abilities to warg the other undead zombie knights in the same way the Night King did WHEN SHE IS PREGNANT?
What doesn’t Bran just warg Cersi and have her jump from a castle wall?
‘Cuz she’s pregnant.
I want to see more of Jamie’s Lannister in Cersi’s cannister!
Just saying,
That shit was HOT!
Kerri says if you want more incest, you should watch her favorite show: “Law and Order: SVU”
I’ll take Cary up on that. Thanks for the solid.
You guys are a one stop shop!