Game of Thrones Episode 6x10 Debrief: THE ONE WITH THE MOTHERS
Valar Morghulis, dear readers, and welcome back to our Game of Thrones debrief series, where we analyse and discuss the latest goings-on in Westeros and help you make sense of this crazy, wintery, world. But mostly we fawn over Jon Snow's glorious locks. Today we are joined by usual TV writer and book-reader, Angie and her Mum, Fiona!
This week we look at the final episode of Season 6, and what a wild wintery wonderland of post-Wun Wun fun it has been!
Angie: Let’s kick our chat off Mum by asking how many fist pumps you’ve engaged in the past two episodes?
Feefs: I really thought it was great with Arya back to being her resilient self. She’s reemerged stronger and she has visited vengeance on… I don’t know who's that dude?
Angie: Walder Frey.
Feefs: That was good, that was good that she did that. Well what’s your fistpump moment Angie?
Angie: Well I agree about Arya single-handedly giving the Freys their humble pie (heh)! But I also think that another amazing young heroine is Lyanna! It is so interesting to me to note that Lyanna was the first one to stand up for King in the North2.0… fitting as she is named after Jon’s mother. (and I breathed a sigh of relief that R + L = J has FINALLY BEEN REVEALED!) I would vote for Young Lyanna for Australian PM any day of the week.
Fierce, fabulous and under fourteen.
Shall we move our chat to other women seeking vengeance? It seems to be a common theme for this episode.
Feefs: Well Cersei lost the plot basically hasn’t she? See the thing is, the price of her vengeance was ridiculous, it was at too great a cost. She actually lost the last two people that she loves, she's killed one and alienated the other! Her actions precipitated her son’s death and I would say she has lost Jamie too.
Angie: Absolutely. Tommen’s death was due to his mother not truly knowing his nature… or perhaps knowing but going through with it anyway because it ’felt good’ - how symbolic that he plummeted from a window a la ‘the things I do for love’, but instead of being pushed by Jamie, he was metaphorically pushed by Cersei. I think the burning of King’s Landing was very much foreshadowed thanks to Cersei claiming a few episode before that she would ‘raze cities to the ground’ for her children. Oh and I have to say that I absolutely love that score kicking things off in such a dramatic tone!
Off her rocker but on the throne
I agree with you Mum about Jamie too. I think we have seen the moment that Cersei goes crazy and Jamie stops loving her. She has basically become the Mad King by burning down part of King's Landing - the very thing that Jamie became an oath breaker to protect! Therefore I think Jamie is the murdering 'valonqar' ('Little Brother') in the prophecy and will consequently kill Cersei! That being said I hope we see a bit more of her amazing new outfit before she kicks the bucket, although wasting good wine through waterboarding a nun? SHAME!
Feefs: Oh but that nun was revolting wasn’t she? It was actually quite a dark episode… sometimes they do use light and colour to underline what’s going on but it didn’t really seem like that this episode. I actually didn’t know what else they could have added after the penultimate episode Battle of the Bastards but now I see that they’ve really tidied things up going into season 7. The convergence of Danaery's forces sailing from the East and Jon Snow consolidating his stronghold in Winterfell has set things up nicely for the next season.
Angie: Yes let’s talk about Danaerys! I find the parallels between Dany and Jon so striking. It is fitting that the episode we find out that they are in fact aunt and nephew is when these similarities emerge. They are both natural leaders and have a way with people, they instill confidence and loyalty from trepidacious to steadfast supporters alike. The scene where Tyrion was made Hand of the Queen almost managed to revive all of the boring Tyrion-Grey Worm-Missandei scenes (along with the dragons obviously). I love that Jon and Dany both see people for their true worth, not for their social capital or standing. And me oh my, if Daario and Jorah run into each other the whole world may implode due to the sheer force of friend-zone schadenfreude.
TFW you ask your Queen to 'give you a hand' and she does
Feefs: I thought it was a beautiful scene between Tyrion and Dany. She sees him for his true worth which is what he has been craving from his family all along. It was such a touching moment!
Angie: Yes and she has inspired support from Dorne and Highgarden because she can see that vengeance against the Lannisters is what these 2 Houses want. And oh my gosh how fantastic is Olenna? Even after losing her whole family in a devastating attack, she can still throw mad shade. Obara = Barbra confirmed. Perhaps D & D have also uncovered the key to keeping the Sand Snakes in an episode without it spoiling everything?
Any parting words about this episode or season Mum?
Feefs: Not really I think I’ve said enough.
Angie: Well, there may have been a few mishandled storylines and a couple of deeply underwhelming episodes this seasons, but The Door, Battle of the Bastards (in spite of its bile-inducing on the nose title) and now Winds of Winter - we have truly seen D and D in full stride.
I’m off to visit the library in Oldtown! Until next season - Valar Morgulis
