And that’s it …Game of Thrones season 6 has come to a close, and what an ending that was. What a season that was. It had everything, heartbreaking deaths, unexpected returns, expected returns, breakout characters, and, of course, the revelation that fans are indeed smart enough to figure out where this is all going.
Or, at least parts of it.
But, before we try to look at the whole season six picture, let’s take a moment to discuss that last epic episode, and what it means for the rest of the series. So join us as we discuss “The Winds of Winter”
Rhaegar + Lyana DOES equal Jon! Confirmation at last. Were you surprised that the show finally explained its biggest mystery? Do you think Bran understands the enormity of what he’s learned? More importantly, do you think Jon will find out any time soon?
CHLOE
I would say I was relieved rather than surprised. They set it up early on in the season, so I would have been furious if it didn’t pay off – but I’m so glad that it did. I’m more excited for what this confirmation means than I was for the reveal itself, in a way. I will be very interested to see what Bran does with this knowledge… which hopefully will involve telling Jon sooner rather than later. That’s my hope for the next Stark family reunion. But still, what will be the implications of Jon’s true identity? The balance of power in Westeros has shifted so much that it’s hard to tell, beyond lifting him out of his bastard status. I look forward to finding out more next year.
CARYN
I wasn’t surprised because I knew that after they showed the first half of the Tower of Joy scene they would have to show the second half at some point in the season. I don’t think Bran fully knows how important Jon’s heritage is to his future but he knows that Jon being the daughter of Lyanna Stark means that there are a lot of secrets that are untold. I’m not sure when Jon will find out, maybe they’ll introduce Howland Reed next season to fill in some of the missing gaps?
LIZZIE
I figured it was coming this episode – they couldn’t introduce the Tower of Joy and then leave us hanging. I mean, they could, but that’s not the Game of Thrones way. I think Bran gets it, and yet he doesn’t. He gets that the baby is Jon. He gets that Jon’s not his brother. But I don’t know if he connected all the dots, not yet, at least. But he doesn’t need to. Others can do that. All he needs to do is get to Winterfell and tell Jon – though that, of course, would probably mean the Wall would come crumbling down and everything would go to hell in a hand-basket. But then again, this show has to end some day, right? They’re already setting up everything for a final battle. It made sense for this to be the final revelation of the season, and it makes sense for Jon to figure it out next season, especially if we only have about thirteen episodes left.
Jon Snow is King of the North, in no small part because of his sister Sansa and the words of Lyanna Mormont. How awesome have the women of Game of Thrones been this season? And, do you think Littlefinger got into Sansa’s head with his words about her being the only true Stark? Finally, did you get a Robb Stark kind-of excitement as Jon was proclaimed King?
CHLOE
The ladies killed it this season, and Lyanna Mormont is GOALS. I was half expecting Jon to turn down the King in the North role and offer Sansa the “crown,” maintaining his role as military leader. Still, can’t say I’m mad. We finally get to see Jon lead people who actually respect him, on the whole. I can’t wait to see what he accomplishes. The similarities to the Robb “King in the North” scene were both heartwarming and troubling – because we all know how that turned out. Jon has a different leadership style, a different background, and a different team by his side. He has a lot going for him, so I hope we’ll see him do what Robb couldn’t and restore the North to its former glory and more. Littlefinger being on the scene is the most worrisome thing for me. He still has some hold over Sansa, though she may not want to admit it – but I’ll keep hoping and believing that we’ll see her take him down before all is said and done.
CARYN
The women have been splendid this year on Game of Thrones, and I’m so grateful that they finally got the space in order to shine. I really hope that Sansa is smart enough not to let Littlefinger back into her head and she and Jon can work together against Littlefinger instead of competing against each other. Lyanna Mormont owned that ‘King of the North’ scene, I’ve listened to that speech so many times, and was so emotional with the parallels to the Robb scene, lets hope it ends better for Jon.
LIZZIE
I haven’t always been as happy as I am right now about how Game of Thrones treated it’s female characters, but I can let bygones be bygones considering this season the ladies killed it, all of them. They took back control, they were smart and they didn’t need no man to protect them or tell them what to do. And I loved it. I also loved the King in the North scene. I must have watched it like twenty times already, I’m not even kidding. I think we’re meant to see the similarities between the scene with Robb and worry, but I don’t think Jon’s destiny will be the same. Robb and Jon are not the same, and they didn’t get to this spot in the same way. Also, even if Littlefinger is there, trying to get his way, I think he overplayed his hand, he told Sansa what he wanted, and that’ll end up being his downfall. Sansa is no delicate flower, not anymore.
Cersei Lannister is the new Queen of Westeros? Did you see that coming? And, did you expect Tommen’s reaction to the death of Margery and all those people due to Cersei unleashing the hidden wildfire? For that matter, did you expect the wildfire? And, what do you think Jaime’s look at the end means for Cersei’s future?
CHLOE
The opening Kings Landing sequence was the best we’ve seen from that city in a long time. The music! The outfits! The wildfire! It was all pitch perfect. I definitely expected the wildfire, but beyond the Great Sept going up in flames – and the High Sparrow with it – I don’t think I fully considered the implications. I was pretty sure that Tommen would also die in the blaze – and I certainly expected him to die in some way in this episode, regardless of means. The tumble out the window was a surprise, but I liked that it was his choice, as sad as that is. He’s the only one of Cersei’s children who chose to die, and as the last one, her prophecy has taken a dramatic step forward. She got what she always wanted in the Iron Throne, but it took a heavy price. I figured we’d end the season with a new ruler, but for some reason the line of succession didn’t fully click for me, so seeing Cersei take Tommen’s place on the throne was a bit of a shock. As for Jaime – I think the golden age of the Lannister twins is over. He may try to reconnect with her, but she did exactly what he earned his Kingslayer reputation for trying to stop – and it cost them their last child. Trouble in paradise seems inevitable.
CARYN
I expected the wildfire because they kept hinting at the wildfire under King’s Landing and Cersei was definitely running out of options. Tommen’s jump was a huge tragedy and in a way the rightful punishment for Cersei, she could not eliminate so many people without repercussions for herself. It seems as if Cersei has everything that she wants, but it cannot work out that way and I think even before Daenerys comes to challenge the throne, Jaime will throw a wrench into the matter, because Cersei’s actions caused the death of many people including their son, I hope this means that Jaime is growing into the way he currently feels about Cersei in the books.
LIZZIE
The wildfire, yes, I think we all saw that coming, but the sitting in the Iron Throne part was unexpected for me. I figured Tommen was going to die, and when Cersei left him alone in his room to watch the devastation, I figured it’d be by his own hand. But again, I didn’t expect her to end up with the Throne. I do think this is bad news for her, not only because Daenerys is coming, but because Jaime didn’t exactly look pleased. He took on dishonor just to keep a King from doing what she just did – and the things that bonded them together despite everything, their children, are gone. So what’s Jaime to do now other than try, once again, to be the honorable man he’s always wanted to be?
Daenerys named Tyrion Hand of the Queen, after an awesome speech where Tyrion confessed he believed in her. Do you think that, with an army at her back and Tyrion at her side Daenerys can truly conquer Westeros? Or will her journey be bittersweet, as Daario predicted?
CHLOE
This scene! I love how Daenerys recognizes all that Tyrion has to give, and how he has finally found a ruler that he can believe in. They are definitely the dream team. However, as sweet as the pin Dany had made for Tyrion was, I think it also sums up the lingering issue: she isn’t familiar with Westerosi culture. She’s trying to claim the throne in a land she’s never known, and though right now she has every advantage, it might not be enough. That said, Daenerys remains my favorite, so I’ll be optimistic about her odds til the bitter end. She’s rounding up the best of the best, and I can’t wait to watch them slay.
CARYN
Daenerys has been picking up their pieces of Lannisters mistakes since season 1, and now even besides her dragons, Dothraki, and Unsullied, she now has Tyrion, Varys, the Greyjoys, the Tyrells and the Martells and who knows who else will join her once she makes herself known in Westeros. I truly believe that she has the power and the allies to conquer, and Cersei is already sitting on a shaky throne.
LIZZIE
I don’t for a second believe it’s going to be as easy as Daenerys thinks it will be, but I do think she’ll get the Throne – just in time to possibly lose it thanks to the White Walkers. Truth is Daenerys is going to need more than just dragons, she’s going to need allies, people who know how to defeat the White Walkers, people like Jon. But that’s a story for another time – for now, I’m glad she’s heading for Westeros and I’m glad Tyrion’s at her side. This storyline has, in the past year, gone exactly where I wanted it to go, so I have no complains whatsoever.
Jon was hailed as the one who avenged the Red Wedding, but Arya Stark also got her little bit of revenge. Were you surprised to see her in the Riverlands instead of home? What was your favorite part, the pies or the fact that she killed Walder Frey the same way Black Walder killed Catelyn Stark?
CHLOE
This scene was a little bittersweet for me, because once again I was convinced we were about to meet Lady Stoneheart, and once again that didn’t happen. Putting that aside, it was perfect. Arya infiltrated the Freys’ home and did some major damage. It’s about time the Starks got some revenge (and the Frays’, their downfall). Arya also got to use Littlefinger’s magic teleportation powers to end up back in the middle of Westeros, so where she heads now is anyone’s guess. It’s good to see her back in the game.
CARYN
So many good parts, I don’t even know what to choose. I didn’t expect Arya to reach the Freys so soon, but the minute the girl said that the Freys were in the pie I knew that it was Arya with a different face. I love that they included the Frey pie, I love that Walder Frey finally got his own back, and I’m so proud that Arya finally got to avenge her mother and scratch another name off her list.
LIZZIE
I’m so happy. I speculated that this might be possible and this was, without a doubt, the most rewarding moment in a finale filled with them. I loved the pie thing, and I couldn’t care one iota about the fact that they changed the circumstances of that from the books, and I’m so glad we got back to back episodes where Ramsay Bolton and then Walder Frey got what was coming to them. It’s finally the time of the Starks again, and it feels good.
What do you think comes next? Give me three season premiere scenarios for Season Seven.
CHLOE
My mind is still spinning from the finale! I hope that the premiere will pick up straight away with the lingering questions from this episode. I would like to see (1) Jaime confronting Cersei about what went down in Kings Landing and realizing he doesn’t know his sister anymore, (2) Bran deciding what to do with the R + L = J knowledge (please, please don’t leave it hanging, HBO), and (3) a sizable amount of time spent in Old Town with Sam and Gilly, because a major new location is always a big deal (and I miss them). I also never thought I would be praying for more Dorne scenes, but I can’t wait to see Dany make port in Westeros and meet her new allies. That is going to be one interesting gathering.
CARYN
- Daenerys lands in King’s Landing and gets more allies.
- Jaime and Cersei are at odds
- Bran and Meera make it through the wall and that allows the White Walkers to be able to come through. Winter is coming, indeed.
LIZZIE
I think Daenerys will get to Westeros and head North for allies, I think Bran will bring down the wall thanks to the mark he carries, and then, of course, head home, and I think Jaime will be the one to end Cersei, not Daenerys.
Agree? Disagree? What did you think about Battle of the Bastards? Have any more pressing questions you want answered? Sound off in the comments below.
Game of Thrones airs Sundays at 9/8c on HBO.
