I’ve been terrible keeping up with my Game of Thrones reviews this season. The truth is I don’t really have time to go into in-depth reviews unless I’m getting paid for it — and as priorities go — writing fiction and other such nonsense really does take center stage. But. BUT. I feel like it would be awful of me, disrespectful even, not to give my two cents on last night’s finale. So here goes… (Also, I’ve now read the books. So, some book information might be hinted at here. But no book spoilers.)

Note*** Spoilers a head!

A quick recap:

Pretty much all of the story lines that we’ve loved and adored have ended in cliff-hangers. (Well, with the exception of Stannis who I could, quite frankly, do without!)

***In Dorne, Jaime has finally recovered his “niece” and they are on their way home. After a heartfelt scene, where Myrcella tells Jaime that she’s known all along that he was her father, she starts bleeding from her nose. Lady Ellaria had given her a kiss goodbye, but her lips were smeared with poison. We don’t know that the young princess is dead, but it is certainly assumed that Dorne finally has their revenge for Oberyn’s death.

In Meereen, Tyrion, Jorah, and Daario all sit around the throne room trying to decide what to do now that their Khaleesi is probably wandering around the countryside some where. They decide that Tyrion will stay and try to rule Meereen with the help of Missandei and Grey Worm, while Jorah and Daario go off in search of Dany. Oh, and Varys shows up to help Tyrion.

Meanwhile, Dany is indeed stuck in the middle of no where with her black dragon, Drogon, who doesn’t want to go anywhere he doesn’t want to. Getting desperate, Dany takes off on her own, but she is discovered by a Dothraki horde who immediately surround her.

Meanwhile, caught in the hell hole he’s now found himself in, (kharma’s a bitch, eh Stannis?) “The one true King” did not find favor with the Lord of Light by sacrificing his daughter. (The sweetest character in the show so far!)  His wife has committed suicide, half of his men have deserted and the red woman has abandoned him. On their march to Winterfell, the Boltons meet them halfway and it is a massacre.

Wounded and alone in the woods, Stannis is discovered by Brienne of Tarth, who believes it is her duty to avenge the death of Renly Baratheon. The scene ends with Brienne swinging her sword, and we are left to assume that this is the end of Stannis. (This is not something that is confirmed in the books, but I say: good riddance!)

Arya steals a face from the hall of many faces, so she can cross another name off her list. Disguised as some random girl, she attacks Meryn Trant gruesomely; gouges out his eyes and stabs him repeatedly, and slits his throat. She reminds him that she is Arya Stark and that his death is for Syrio Forel, her sword-fighting instructor.

Naturally, she gets punished because the many faced god did not ask for this life, and Arya is not the no one she claims to be. Jaqen H’ghar, takes Arya’s eyesight.

On a more positive note, Sansa decides to take her life into her own hands while the Boltons are away in battle. She lights a candle in the tower that Brienne tells her to, but she is confronted by Myranda, Ramsay’s mistress.

FINALLY, Theon finds some redemption as he stops Myranda from harming Sansa. Theon and Sansa grab hands and race to the wall, where they jump into the snow and to freedom.

Meanwhile, Cersei has finally decided to confess. She admits to sexual relations with her cousin, but nothing else. The high sparrow says that she can return to the red keep…after her atonement. Cersei walks naked through the street; through shit and blood and who knows what else. We’ve seen her remain strong, but near the end of her long walk, filthy and bloody, she finally breaks down.

Qyburn is there to comfort her at the red keep and presents her with her new, mysterious champion, (who we can assume is the Mountain in zombie form.) He swoops her into his arms, and Cersei’s tears disappear.

But, it wouldn’t be a finale on Game of Thrones without some kind of tragic death.

We learn in earlier scenes that Sam desires to be a maester to be helpful to Jon and to keep Gilly safe. He and Gilly leave for Old Town. Tricked into thinking that his uncle Benjen has returned, Jon is cornered by men from the night’s watch who think he is a traitor because of the alliance that he has formed with the Wildings. They stab him repeatedly, but the most heartbreaking is from the young Olly, who delivers the finally blow.

The finale ends with Jon’s sightless gaze, and his dark, red blood seeping into the white, white snow.

My Thoughts?

Not Jon Snow! He is one of my favorite characters, and I choose to remain hopeful. It doesn’t make sense to me to end Jon’s storyline at the wall, and it is my opinion that the red woman, will bring Jon back to life. If not…well…I can’t see the sense of his death. As he is a great character.

Anyone have a Julius Ceasar moment while watching Jon’s death. Et tu Brute?

We’ve seen Cersei at her worst, and although you feel like you should feel sorry for her, you still remember she has done terrible things. Wonder what Jamie ever saw in her?

I was very pleased with Stannis’ death, as I never really was a great fan of him in the first place. And after the last episode, with his daughter’s death…I think it is much deserved, to be honest. I also can’t wait until Ramsey Bolton gets what is coming to him!

I think there is a lot that we can’t take for granted here, though; readers of the books know that just because you are dead in Game of Thrones, doesn’t mean you can’t rise again.

Oh! Well, lets hope the red woman get’s to Jon’s body before they decide to burn him…

Any thoughts on last nights finale?