Our thoughts on the best season finale that they’ve ever done.
As always, SPOILER ALERT! Here are some of our favourite moments from this week’s incredible season finale, The Winds of Winter.
Master of Quotes – Best Line
“You’re in the great game now – and the great game is terrifying.”
Game of Thrones fans have almost become pre-programmed to believe that episode 9 of every season can never be topped and after seeing last week’s stellar ‘Battle of the Bastards’, it’s nearly impossible to disagree with that statement.
How do you follow-up an episode that was massive in scale while managing to strike the perfect balance between jaw-dropping visuals, fan pleasing moments and character development? Well, ‘The Winds of Winter’ ensured that Season 6 ended with a colossal wildfire-induced bang but in a wonderful narrative turn, it all started so quietly.
Seriously, how good was that haunting score by composer Ramin Djawaid?
https://twitter.com/beauty_jackson/status/747402605605818368
In a stunning episode that saw blood, revenge, death, scores being settled, new alliances formed and fan theories confirmed, let’s begin at the very start.
Loras Tyrell may have been broken and scarred by the Faith Militant but there was no way that Cersei was going to go that way. Her destruction of King’s Landing was like a wonderfully constructed mafia hit that incorporated Qyburn’s blood-thirsty little birds, cold-blooded precision and wine. Lots and lots of wine.
Blows up a building…..sips wine 🍷#Cersei #GameofThrones
— Tee (@nikietee) June 27, 2016
The sheer glee that she took from torturing Septa Unella before remarking that “your gods have forsaken you, this (The Mountain) is your new god” was so maniacal that it would make the rule of the Mad King Aerys Targaryen look mild by comparison.
Not everything was hunky dory for the newly appointed Queen of the Seven Kingdoms though. Maggy the Frog’s prophecy regarding the death of her three children came true this week and the lingering look that she had with Jamie at the finale would suggest that the Kingslayer is beginning to question his allegiances, further proof that an endorsement from Walder Frey is just like the devil saying that you’re a decent dude.
Speaking of the recently deceased Lord of the Crossing, we couldn’t help but think that Arya’s pie-tastic revenge borrowed from Eric Cartman’s ability to make Scott Tenorman eat his own parents in South Park. Remember that?
https://twitter.com/GinoTheGhost/status/747256176220340224
There’s probably no eating in the library for Sam though as he embarks on his bid to become a Maester. Didn’t he just look like the picture of happiness after seeing all of those books?
Elsewhere, we genuinely got goosebumps when Dany appointed Tyrion to the newly created position of Hand of the Queen and when Sansa told Jon that ‘Winter is here’. We haven’t even mentioned the moment when Varys convinced Houses Martell and Tyrell that their best options for revenge involved ‘fire and blood’. Next season must see an inevitable showdown between Dany and Cersei.
New alliances have also been created in The North – can we just give the Iron Throne to the incredibly badass Lyanna Mormont after she once again proved to be the best public speaker in the Seven Kingdoms? – but we’ve a sneaking suspicion that Jon and Sansa might not be seeing eye-to-eye in Winterfell.
Can arch schemer Littlefinger somehow drive a wedge between Lady Stark and the newly appointed King in the North?
BTW I don't know about you, but I can't say "The King in the North" in a normal voice. Even in my head, I'm shouting it.
— A Dream Of Spring (@Arya_No1) June 27, 2016
Ser Davos and Liam Cunningham’s quintessentially Irish values continue to make him the show’s most relatable character.
Did anyone else well-up a little bit when he screamed at Melisandre that “She (Princess Shireen) was good, she was kind and you killed her”.
This season saw Game of Thrones move beyond George R.R. Martin’s novels and the Season 6 cliffhanger will surely make fans start counting the days until April 2017. Yes, it finally happened. Daenerys has crossed the Narrow Sea.
Fair play to Varys for managing to make the boat also. He must have a great travel agent to get from Dorne to Mereen in double-quick time.
Anyone know where Varys bought his teleporter? #GameofThrones
— Torrance Coombs (@torrancecoombs) June 27, 2016
Mmm, we’ve a feeling that we’re missing something….
The North Remembers – Best Scene
R+L = fecking JJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJ!
https://twitter.com/dianawh0/status/747252176917954561
https://twitter.com/DanaSchwartzzz/status/747446591439638528
Valar Morghulis – Best Death
Take your pick(axe)
Maester Pycelle getting stabbed to death and Lancel being blown up by wildfire set the tone. The explosion in the Great Sept took the lives of Margaery and Loras Tyrell in addition to Kevan Lannister, the High Sparrow, the entire Faith Militant and ultimately King Tommen.
There’s only one winner though.
https://twitter.com/mandystadt/status/747246730631061505
https://twitter.com/Chiqui_Urdaneta/status/747255060460089344
Mother of Dragons – Best Beast Scene
If you’re going to take the Iron Throne then you need to arrive into Westeros in style.
The moment we've been waiting years for! #GameofThrones pic.twitter.com/BKeFXFx6Fu
— Daenerys Targaryen (@Daenerys) June 27, 2016
Sticks and Stones and Swords – Best Insult
Let’s be honest, the storytelling in Dorne is easily the worst part of Game of Thrones which is why we genuinely felt that the Queen of Thorns was speaking on behalf of every fan when she disparagingly dismissed the Sand Snakes by saying”Anything from you? Good, let the grown women speak”
She’s superb.
A short guide on how to shut down the Sand Snakes: pic.twitter.com/qbdbplaIQA
— Olenna Tyrell (@LadyOlenna) June 27, 2016
You Know Nothing – The WTF Moment
Finally.
So R + L = J #CONFIRMED #GameofThrones
— The Night King (@WightsKing) June 27, 2016
Stealing The Throne – This Week’s Best Character
We’ve often heard Cersei threaten to burn King’s Landing to the ground but when it finally happened, it was glorious. We all know that she’s destined to die – everyone that sits on the Iron Throne ultimately does – but her reign could be terrifying.
https://twitter.com/ruidz_/status/747335215203254272
From Wicklow to Westeros – Where did Aidan Gillen’s Irish accent land?
He’s perfected that lingering ‘I’m looking at you from the back of the room but you don’t know it’ look but he still needs a little bit more charm/evil in his efforts to marry Sansa.
Will he be successful?
You’ll have to wait until April to find out.
Yep, this sums up how we all feel about that wait.
https://twitter.com/uglyassvirgin/status/747265748637212672
LISTEN: You Must Be Jokin’ with Aideen McQueen – Faith healers, Coolock craic and Gigging as Gaeilge
