Next in the Queue: Game of Thrones Season 8 Review

The ashes have yet to settle and it may be months if not years until people can really think back on

season 8 of Game of Thrones and the show as a whole. Many online are up in arms about not only

Sunday’s finale but the entire season, so much so some are claiming they wasted the last decade

of their lives, sending threats to creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, and even building a petition

to re-create the final season. Get over yourselves, this show is already cultural landmark - one of

the most influential shows of all time - these viewers and fans made it that way, the same fans

that are so pissed. Endings are the hardest part of any story, the majority of finales have left fans

perplexed at first, as the case with the “Seinfeld” final episode - largely met with disdain yet years

later put on the pantheon of many fans’ favorite shows. Of course you’re allowed to critique

and express your opinions on what you love but let’s have a peaceful and thoughtful debate.

Personally, I loved this season and there isn’t a season of Game of Thrones I don’t like. Is it perfect? Absolutely not, it should’ve undoubtedly been at least eight episodes along with a 9-10 episode season seven. I’m not one to put too much stock into nitpicks and plot holes, only few bother me. Thus a lot of the ones pointed out these past six weeks don’t bother me after putting thirty seconds of thought into it. Plus that’s part of the fun. Needless to say two more episodes would’ve put clear logic to a lot of simple issues.

Onto to the many reasons I really enjoyed this six-week ride. First off, after our great rebinge

coming into this season you’re just so sucked into the emotional build-up of the fifty storylines

mainstreaming into the true key few; Dany’s conquest, Jon’s preparing for Winter, Cersei’s reign, etc.

Of course there were the plethora of ‘member berries’ moments sprinkled in like seeing the

Stark children all back together for the first time since the start of season one or Bran deciding

to sit in the same spot for hours just to see Jaime’s ‘oh shit’ face. Funny how episodes one and

two caught a lot of outrage for just being build-up then after “The Long Night” many of those same

people say the last three episodes are too quick. Anyway, the build-up had so many high moments

from - the campfire scene, Podrick taking the mic, Ser Brienne Knight of the Seven Kingdoms,

Sam telling Jon about his lineage and in turn confessing to Dany (there isn’t an appropriate incest

joke, I tired five or six), and who can forget Arya! I bet that played differently for different age groups!

Into the “The Long Night” or the Battle of Winterfell, I’ll go straight into the cinematography;

it was excellent and I mostly didn’t mind the lighting especially for the effect it had on a lot of

individual scenes but as a whole I’ll agree with most in saying it needed to be brighter,

many shots would’ve been even more powerful without squinting. Miguel Sapochnik does a

great job (as always) crafting new elements for his battles blending  grand-scope action with

slow suffocating horror scenes ala Arya in the library. Theon Greyjoy, man you deserve an article

of your own, that’s a redemption story! Too bad you were protecting Bran who was doing

god-knows-what during the battle. There’s a plot issue I had! Give me one good reason you

didn’t get Nymeria...I’ll wait. Anyway that Night King guy, man he’s got so little time for anyone’s

shit, no matter how much Jon caught his eye since Hardhome he said ‘Bye Felicia,’ because

he is a man(?) on a mission to get Bran. Was that actually his whole purpose? I choose not to

believe so and there’s another plot hole I don’t like but there’s a chance this gets explained in the

first spin-off (which George let slip is the original Long Night). Arya being the badass assassin

she is skipping pass the White Walkers and pulling a ‘TLJ Rey’ on Big Blue was awesome.

And it didn’t bother me one bit as it was set up she could sneak up on anyone. What I gathered

online it seems many viewers’ enjoyment of this episode hinged on whether or not you thought the

Night King was the big bad. I personally did as he was built up to be but like Bran he was more of a

device than a character and luckily I had a book reader suggest to me that they thought Cersei was

more of a villain so I had already braced myself that Icy Darth Maul wasn’t the end-all. Totally

understandable where disappointment spawned here.

The second half of this season is where the pacing gets wonky and admittedly “The Last of the

Starks” while entertaining isn’t one of the best episodes. Although in the writing I found it to be very

George-esque, especially the way Rhaegal goes out. But here it comes because I’m a staunch

defender of “The Bells” and “The Iron Throne.” Being filmed more cinematically than any other

episodes (maybe slide Battle of the Bastards in there too) and while not liking or condoning what she

did, I completely empathize with Dany and what she did, when it was happening. Combining her

growing depression and loneliness with her Targaryen heritage, no bueno. A lot of the blame needs

to be shifted to Cersei as she knew Dany was known as a compassionate ruler whose agenda was

heavily towards making the world better for all people and that is where Cersei placed her bets, the

people. The people were her backup plan! Stop complaining. And guess what? If she doesn’t kill

Missandei then she wouldn’t have completely botched her gamble. Moving on, POV of Arya running

through Kings Landing were heartbreaking and gripping while cutting between back to the fun as hell

Cleagane Bowl (!!), what a rush of emotions.

We posted our reactions to the finale (read here: https://tgykblog.blogspot.com/2019/05/what-is-dead-may-never-die.html) and I stand by them firmly. Tt’s a Top 10 episode. To recount: I loved allusions to death with The Pale Horse and the Dragon Wings on Dany, Tyrion breaking oath, Jon staying loyal to a fault until choosing duty before love, and Dany’s final scene. Main issue being both halves of this episode deserved full hours as the establishing of the oligarchy needed some fleshing out. Plus as avid hater of Bran I, like most, didn’t like his appointment as King but I also don’t hate it as the crown’s meaning is not of a monarch but an elected leader, acting more as a legacy position than the ‘Ruler of Men and Protector of the Realms.’ I recommend taking a step back to evaluate what the position means now and ignore who actually bears it. I’ll reiterate emphatically loving where the Stark kids all end up, including Jon, as the only thing being a Targaryen got him was a broken heart and not fearing dragons.

Here is the part where I, and all of us, should raise a drink to all responsible for this groundbreaking

nine year journey: from the creators (Benioff and Weiss), to the crew who built incredible sets and

costumes, composer Ramin Djwadi who has made some of the greatest music of our lifetime and is

well on his way deserving to be in the legendary tier of Hollywood composers. Of course we can’t

forget the cast who, mostly unknowns in 2011, grew into the best ensemble cast in TV history. Many

of whom went from hated and wooden to fan favorites well deserving of the crown, looking at you

Sophie Turner. Thousands of people built this show and put their heart and souls into creating Game

of Thrones. Building the fantasy world that millions have wanted their whole lives and had only

succeeded in the Lord of the Rings franchise. Being the most cinematic, most talked about, and at

times monopolizing social media most polarizing topic. Feelings about season eight aside, it is still

better than 90% of TV we get today and if you feel so strongly that means you, at one point loved it

too. This lone wolf may die for this review but the pack will survive. I leave with this - What is dead

may never die.

- Ryan, Valar Morghulis