A Potpourri of Vestiges Review
By Murtaza Ali Khan
By Murtaza Ali Khan
I just finished watching 'The
Dragon and the Wolf', the Episode #7 of Game of Thrones, Season 7 and before I
share my views I must flash the mandatory SPOILER ALERT!
I would like to begin by
saying that 'The Dragon and the Wolf’ has to be the weakest of all Game of Thrones finales. None the less, some
interesting plot developments did take place and so it is
imperative that we analyze them one by one and try and figure out the different
possibilities that they have opened up for Season 8.
To be honest, Episode 7 somewhat disappointed me primarily because of the mayhem
of an episode that preceded it. I mean ‘Beyond the Wall’ was just out of this
world. In the previous season, the finale (Episode 10) was easily the best episode, next
to 'Battle of Bastards', of course and so my expectations were sky high with ‘The
Dragon and the Wolf’. Obviously, the episode failed to live up to them by all
means. Clocking at 77 minutes, this happens to be the longest episode of the
entire series so far. Firstly, the long awaited encounter between Cersei and
Dany in King’s Landing looks rather dull. I mean this is the big moment that we
all had been waiting for but finally when it happens we see minimal engagement between
the two queens. Far more engaging was the dialogue between Bronn and Tyrion. Also, the quick exchange of words between the Hound and Brienne was worth cherishing.
As per the course set
during the last couple of episodes, Team Jon having successfully captured a Wight (at what
cost?) come to King’s Landing to try and convince Cersei to join them in the
fight against the Army of the Dead. Cersei gets freaked out when the Hound lets
loose the Wight. But she is not the only one left stunned. Euron inquires Jon
if the Wights could swim and when Jon replies in a negative he is quick to
desert Cersei and leave for the Iron Islands. Cersei subsequently asks Jon to
swear his fealty to her in return of her support to his cause but Jon refuses
having already sworn his allegiance to Dany. Cersei is obviously not impressed
and she walks out of the discussion. This leaves Dany and everybody else in
shock. They expected Jon to be more manipulative in his conduct but as we all
know that honor comes first for Ned Stark’s son.
Just when everything begins to look futile it is Tyrion who takes it
upon himself to convince his sister. It is a tense moment when Tyrion finally
confronts her in her own bastion with the Mountain guarding her. Miraculously
Cersei doesn’t kill him as he solemnly regrets the death of her children whom
he says were very dear to him as well. He also tells us that if it wouldn’t have
for him Dany would have already raided King’s Landing with all her might. So Cersei
has a change of heart and she promises to join Jon and Dany in the battle
against the Night King’s army.
In Winterfell, Littlefinger continues to play his little games in a bid
to turn Sansa against Arya. And he finally succeeds in convincing her. So Sansa
summons Arya in the court and confronts her. But it turns out to be a trail not
for Arya but for Littlefinger instead who is exposed in front of everybody
(thanks to Bran “Three Eyed Raven” Stark). How he killed Lysa Arryn by
throwing her through the Moon Door. How he manipulated her to get Jon Arynn
killed in the first place. How he sowed the seeds of suspicion in Ned Stark’s
mind that it were the Lannisters who were behind Jon Arynn’s death and so on.
Poor Petyr Baelish begs Sansa for mercy after the Knights of the Vale refuse to
bail him out. In the end it is Arya who gets to slit his throat open as
everybody in the court look on. The fans had been predicting his death right
from the very onset of the season and it finally comes true in the season finale
which means that Varys has outlived Baelish. I, for one, was disappointed to
see Littlefinger go this way. At least, he should have got a chance to redeem himself
(after he did save the day for Jon and Sansa in the Battle of Bastards). Then again maybe
he was beyond redemption.
In Dragonstone we see Theon and Jon confront one another yet again. Only
this time Jon treats him with far greater respect, even going to the extent of
calling him a Stark. He reminds Theon of how he was always treated like a son.
This reignites a sense of purpose in Theon who is now more determined than ever
to find Yara. We see the influence of Jon’s words on him when he beats the hell
out of one of his men who refuses to help him find Yara.
Read: my review of Game of Thrones, Season 7, Episode 4
Back in King’s Landing Jamie learns from Cersei that she has no plans of
helping Jon and Dany in the war against the dead. We also learn that Euron has
not abandoned Cersei, after all. That he has only gone to Essos to raise an
army for Cersei with the help of the Iron Bank of Braavos. Jamie is left flabbergasted and abandons her
to join Team Jon after Cersei, in one of her weak moments, fails to let the Mountain lose on his handicap brother/lover.
Sam meets Bran in Winterfell and the duo together deduces that Jon isn’t
a bastard but is actually the legitimate son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark. That
his real name is Aegon Targaryen. As we grappled with this reality we get to
witness something we had been anticipating for some time now. Yes, you guessed
it right. Jon and Dany finally get physical. Now this leaves us with the all
important dilemma of yet another incestuous Targaryen union; Dany being Aegon’s
aunt, after all. It’s interesting how this relationship would evolve once both
of them learn about this reality. Also, it remains to be seen how Sansa and Arya react to this revelation.
The final development of the episode finale takes place at Eastwatch with
the Army of the Dead finally reaching the gates of the castle with Tormund on
the watch. But the dread just doesn’t end there. Another big fan moment follows
as we see the Night King riding on the back of a dragon. The dragon breathes
blue flames which are enough to bring down the wall of the castle. Clearly it’s impossible to
hold the Night King now that he has Viserion under his command. The manner in which
the finale ends has left Tormund’s fate undecided. I personally think that he
will live to narrate what he saw to both Aegon and Dany.
Read: my review of Game of Thrones, Season 7, Episode 2
Now that Eastwatch is
down it is Castle black that may be on the Night King’s radar. Also, it remains
to be seen how Cersei deals with the situation, now that Jamie has deserted
her. Perhaps, she will marry Euron or maybe she will first wait for the birth
of her child. But then again going by the prophecy of Maggy the Frog she may
not have another child, after all.
Read: my review of Game of Thrones, Season 7, Episode 1
Season 7 has been nothing short of a roller coaster of a ride. The plot has progressed by leaps and bounds. One can only hope that Season 8 will be even better. We may have to wait at least for a year
(or maybe even more) to find it out.
Readers, please feel free to share your opinion by leaving your comments. As always your valuable thoughts are highly appreciated!
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I am seriously tormented by the ending of Season 7. My husband and i have been watching it together since the start... we were most shocked by Jon and Dany's love coming out after Sam and Bran finding that theyre related... we had been thinking the whole time that Jon was Robert Baratheons illegitimate son... wow what a shock. This season was just a rollercoaster and did not end as we had been expecting.
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