Game of Thrones Season 7 Finale: My "Best of" List
I feel like I may have been the only person in the world who enjoyed Game of Thrones season 7, but what can I say? I'm a sucker for character reunions. It's a really good sign that I'm hooked when I can overlook spoiled reveals and poorly paced plot (though to be honest, when has GoT had well paced plot? It's either too fast or too slow, I feel like Goldilocks. Westworld on the other hand...). In all the wight-fighting, dragon-dying, fan-complaining action, it's easy to overlook some of the greatest moments of television history. So allow me to break down for you my top 10 moments from the Game of Thrones season 7 finale.
#10: Theon getting kneed where his junk used to be
Ok, I found this funny. Did no one else find this funny? Because I literally laughed out loud. Maybe I'm immature, but there was something strangely poetic that Ramsey's emasculation of Theon was what gave him the power to be a man again. Granted, if Ramsey hadn't created Reek, Theon may never have let Euron take Yara. But if he hadn't, they might both be dead right now so... pick your poison I guess.
#9: Sam did listen to Gilly after all!
I was genuinely shocked that Sam didn't seem to care at all that Rhaegar and Lyanna were legitimately married. But then I forgot that was because he didn't know Jon was their baby, so of course he didn't care. It's nice to know that he did listen, and that when he found out his good pal Jon was involved, he actually did care. Long live Samwell Tarly, gods know he's his family's only hope.
#8: RIP Littlefinger
Normally, something this tremendous would have a higher spot on the list, but to be honest Lord Baelish's death was a little anti-climactic and kind of pathetic. But maybe that's how it was meant to be. In his final moments he became the pathetic piece of vermin he truly was. At the end of the day he was just a boy who was in love with a girl who would never love him back. People do crazy things for love, and even crazier things for power. Though with Bran's little "Chaos is a ladder" quote a few episodes back you must've known Littlefinger's treasonous behavior was bound to be found out by the Stark sisters. Even if it wasn't until he was already condemned to death with the information Sansa didn't need her all-seeing brother to tell her. I have to admit, I'm not quite sure how he managed to survive this long. Even the best of liars would trip up on the web this non-Spider weaved. The fact that it took 7 seasons for someone to figure out his game (pitting allies against each other to create chaos) is beyond me. I probably won't miss him too much.
#7: Tyrion and Podrick
Season 7 was chalked full of reunions. From the "Magnificent Seven" (a seemingly pointless plot that brought about surprisingly refreshing and fun dialogue) to all the surviving Starks, it was really nice seeing some of these folks together again. Tyrion and Pod were no exception. The loyal squire finally came face to face with his old master, and it's clear their respect for each other has not diminished over the year(s?). It's nice to know that some relationships never have to change.
#6: The Hound and Brienne
Along the same reunion lines as the previous, this one was particularly satisfying as the two great adversaries turned allies discussed their former charge. I loved that Brienne was able to tell The Hound just how far Arya had come, and that she didn't really need their protection anymore. The best part? When the two smiled like a set of proud parents. Arya may have lost both her mother and father, but she sure knows how to find some worthy guardians/role models.
#5: "Fuck loyalty!"
Another lovely moment from our very own Brienne of Tarth. She fulfilled her duties and promises to protect the Stark girls and return them home long after Catelyn's demise. Somehow things get so dire in the dragon pit that the most loyal person on Earth tells Jaime Lannister to "fuck loyalty". Maybe I should really give this one to Cersei for being such a bitch that Brienne of Tarth decides loyalty isn't even worth it anymore.
#4: Cersei having the right priorities
Fun fact: Lena Headey and Peter Dinklage are actually really good friends. What does this mean? They do amazing work together when they share the screen, even if it takes a bunch of tries because they're having such a good time. I was particularly impressed by this most recent reunion between the Lannister siblings, especially because they're acting is so damn good. I mean, we all know Tyrion isn't going to die. Come on this can't possibly be the way Daenarys' hand goes, but for a split second, you actually think he might get offed by The Mountain.
Then comes the best part, when Cersei makes you (and Tyrion) believe that she actually cares for the dwarf because, after all, he is family. It's not until later that you realize Headey is acting on top of acting. It's hard to catch if you're not paying close attention, but you can just see the slightest glimmer of scheming during this entire scene.
Oh and the cherry on top is that you realize just how brilliant Cersei is. Not only does she completely fool Tyrion (which may actually be due to poor writing seeing as how awful his whole season has gone - let's not even talk about creeping outside Dany's door during #boatsex), but it's incredibly selfless and selfish at the same time. In order to get what she truly wants, she's willing to let her detested little brother live a little bit longer, figuring that once she has control of the Seven Kingdoms, his death is imminent. She's waited this long, what's another season or so? I'm a two-marshmallows-later kind of gal too, Cersei. The best things come to those who wait.
#3: Winter arrives in King's Landing (oh and Jaime leaves Cersei...finally!)
I'm not sure there's much to say about this except, winter is finally here! And Ramin Djawadi makes beautiful music.
#2: Jon and Dany getting it on to Bran's awkward narration
So... I kind of loved this scene. Not because I'm a weirdo who finds incestuous television relationships arousing, but because it was just done weirdly well. Let me explain.
We all know that there have been many Jon/Dany shippers out there (do they have one of those cutesy names yet?), and I'm willing to bet that many of them have been looking forward to this scene for a while now. But it begs the question of where we draw the line when it comes to incest. Most of us balked at Cersei and Jaime's relationship, which probably wasn't helped by the fact that Jaime shoved Bran out of a window to cover it up. Though if we're not ok with twincest, are we ok with aunt/nephew-cest (there's no good word for this)? It seems that many fans of the show are not uncomfortable with it. And this makes sense because they are much farther removed in relation, but does it make sense for them to be completely ok with it to the point that they're shipping them?
Bran's narration is so well overlaid here. It simultaneously aligns with the events ("he loved her, and she loved him"), but at the same time reminds you that this steamy scene is happening between an aunt and her nephew. The show creators will not let you forget about the Targaryen tradition of incest, they have to make you feel uncomfortable, and what better way to do it than with a monotone narration of Jon's true heritage and the reveal of his awful real name, which I won't dane to type out.
I think this scene highlights something great that Game of Thrones does to a person: it makes them question their morals. What is right and what is wrong get very blurry on this show. And despite the fact that there are characters who have done terrible things (e.g. pushed a child out of a window, burned a father and son alive with her dragons, murdered his father with a crossbow while he was on the toilet, sleeping with his son's whore which may have caused the crossbow on the toilet murder incident, ran down the butcher's boy, poisoned the king on his wedding day, raped his bride on their wedding night, etc.), we're willing to put that aside and claim their actions were justified because we love them. On this show, a good person can still make bad decisions. A bad person can make good decisions. And what's good or bad is no longer objectively defined but rather subjectively determined by the emotions we feel as we watch the show. Like the characters in the show, our morals shift, and #boatsex is a perfect example of that.
Before I reveal my favorite moment for the finale that will have to tide us over for another year (or maybe two!), here are some honorable mentions:
The look on Cersei's face when Jaime walks out on her. Because she is just floored that he would ever leave her, even though the rest of us saw this coming from a mile away. More props to Headey's acting skills.
The wall coming down. I mean this is a really big moment. Even if it didn't feel like it and the ice dragon was kind of meh, and you couldn't help but think, "hey if they didn't have an ice dragon, how were they going to get around the wall?". It's still a lot of plot advancement seeing as the white walkers have been pretty much marching for seven episodes straight.
And last but not least...
#1. "When the snows fall and the white winds blow, the lone wolf dies but the pack survives"
Like I said, I'm a sucker for character reunions, and the Stark siblings being together again is one that truly makes my heart fly. Of course they had to go and make Bran, well...not Bran anymore. And Sansa and Arya had to have their petty drama for most of this season. But this last scene, the two of them standing on the wall together in the same place Sansa was once standing alone, was just beautiful. It was a lovely way to honor Ned Stark's memory and to solidify the respect that these two amazing women have for each other. They're both formidable on their own but can you imagine what they can accomplish together (not to mention they've got the all-seeing Bran)? The rest of Westeros should do a better job listening to the Starks. After all, they were right in saying "Winter is coming", so clearly listening to their advice about sticking together is probably a good idea. Here's looking at you Cersei ;)
#10: Theon getting kneed where his junk used to be
Ok, I found this funny. Did no one else find this funny? Because I literally laughed out loud. Maybe I'm immature, but there was something strangely poetic that Ramsey's emasculation of Theon was what gave him the power to be a man again. Granted, if Ramsey hadn't created Reek, Theon may never have let Euron take Yara. But if he hadn't, they might both be dead right now so... pick your poison I guess.
#9: Sam did listen to Gilly after all!
I was genuinely shocked that Sam didn't seem to care at all that Rhaegar and Lyanna were legitimately married. But then I forgot that was because he didn't know Jon was their baby, so of course he didn't care. It's nice to know that he did listen, and that when he found out his good pal Jon was involved, he actually did care. Long live Samwell Tarly, gods know he's his family's only hope.
#8: RIP Littlefinger
Normally, something this tremendous would have a higher spot on the list, but to be honest Lord Baelish's death was a little anti-climactic and kind of pathetic. But maybe that's how it was meant to be. In his final moments he became the pathetic piece of vermin he truly was. At the end of the day he was just a boy who was in love with a girl who would never love him back. People do crazy things for love, and even crazier things for power. Though with Bran's little "Chaos is a ladder" quote a few episodes back you must've known Littlefinger's treasonous behavior was bound to be found out by the Stark sisters. Even if it wasn't until he was already condemned to death with the information Sansa didn't need her all-seeing brother to tell her. I have to admit, I'm not quite sure how he managed to survive this long. Even the best of liars would trip up on the web this non-Spider weaved. The fact that it took 7 seasons for someone to figure out his game (pitting allies against each other to create chaos) is beyond me. I probably won't miss him too much.
#7: Tyrion and Podrick
Season 7 was chalked full of reunions. From the "Magnificent Seven" (a seemingly pointless plot that brought about surprisingly refreshing and fun dialogue) to all the surviving Starks, it was really nice seeing some of these folks together again. Tyrion and Pod were no exception. The loyal squire finally came face to face with his old master, and it's clear their respect for each other has not diminished over the year(s?). It's nice to know that some relationships never have to change.
#6: The Hound and Brienne
Along the same reunion lines as the previous, this one was particularly satisfying as the two great adversaries turned allies discussed their former charge. I loved that Brienne was able to tell The Hound just how far Arya had come, and that she didn't really need their protection anymore. The best part? When the two smiled like a set of proud parents. Arya may have lost both her mother and father, but she sure knows how to find some worthy guardians/role models.
#5: "Fuck loyalty!"
Another lovely moment from our very own Brienne of Tarth. She fulfilled her duties and promises to protect the Stark girls and return them home long after Catelyn's demise. Somehow things get so dire in the dragon pit that the most loyal person on Earth tells Jaime Lannister to "fuck loyalty". Maybe I should really give this one to Cersei for being such a bitch that Brienne of Tarth decides loyalty isn't even worth it anymore.
#4: Cersei having the right priorities
Fun fact: Lena Headey and Peter Dinklage are actually really good friends. What does this mean? They do amazing work together when they share the screen, even if it takes a bunch of tries because they're having such a good time. I was particularly impressed by this most recent reunion between the Lannister siblings, especially because they're acting is so damn good. I mean, we all know Tyrion isn't going to die. Come on this can't possibly be the way Daenarys' hand goes, but for a split second, you actually think he might get offed by The Mountain.
Then comes the best part, when Cersei makes you (and Tyrion) believe that she actually cares for the dwarf because, after all, he is family. It's not until later that you realize Headey is acting on top of acting. It's hard to catch if you're not paying close attention, but you can just see the slightest glimmer of scheming during this entire scene.
Oh and the cherry on top is that you realize just how brilliant Cersei is. Not only does she completely fool Tyrion (which may actually be due to poor writing seeing as how awful his whole season has gone - let's not even talk about creeping outside Dany's door during #boatsex), but it's incredibly selfless and selfish at the same time. In order to get what she truly wants, she's willing to let her detested little brother live a little bit longer, figuring that once she has control of the Seven Kingdoms, his death is imminent. She's waited this long, what's another season or so? I'm a two-marshmallows-later kind of gal too, Cersei. The best things come to those who wait.
#3: Winter arrives in King's Landing (oh and Jaime leaves Cersei...finally!)
I'm not sure there's much to say about this except, winter is finally here! And Ramin Djawadi makes beautiful music.
So... I kind of loved this scene. Not because I'm a weirdo who finds incestuous television relationships arousing, but because it was just done weirdly well. Let me explain.
We all know that there have been many Jon/Dany shippers out there (do they have one of those cutesy names yet?), and I'm willing to bet that many of them have been looking forward to this scene for a while now. But it begs the question of where we draw the line when it comes to incest. Most of us balked at Cersei and Jaime's relationship, which probably wasn't helped by the fact that Jaime shoved Bran out of a window to cover it up. Though if we're not ok with twincest, are we ok with aunt/nephew-cest (there's no good word for this)? It seems that many fans of the show are not uncomfortable with it. And this makes sense because they are much farther removed in relation, but does it make sense for them to be completely ok with it to the point that they're shipping them?
Bran's narration is so well overlaid here. It simultaneously aligns with the events ("he loved her, and she loved him"), but at the same time reminds you that this steamy scene is happening between an aunt and her nephew. The show creators will not let you forget about the Targaryen tradition of incest, they have to make you feel uncomfortable, and what better way to do it than with a monotone narration of Jon's true heritage and the reveal of his awful real name, which I won't dane to type out.
I think this scene highlights something great that Game of Thrones does to a person: it makes them question their morals. What is right and what is wrong get very blurry on this show. And despite the fact that there are characters who have done terrible things (e.g. pushed a child out of a window, burned a father and son alive with her dragons, murdered his father with a crossbow while he was on the toilet, sleeping with his son's whore which may have caused the crossbow on the toilet murder incident, ran down the butcher's boy, poisoned the king on his wedding day, raped his bride on their wedding night, etc.), we're willing to put that aside and claim their actions were justified because we love them. On this show, a good person can still make bad decisions. A bad person can make good decisions. And what's good or bad is no longer objectively defined but rather subjectively determined by the emotions we feel as we watch the show. Like the characters in the show, our morals shift, and #boatsex is a perfect example of that.
Before I reveal my favorite moment for the finale that will have to tide us over for another year (or maybe two!), here are some honorable mentions:
The look on Cersei's face when Jaime walks out on her. Because she is just floored that he would ever leave her, even though the rest of us saw this coming from a mile away. More props to Headey's acting skills.
The wall coming down. I mean this is a really big moment. Even if it didn't feel like it and the ice dragon was kind of meh, and you couldn't help but think, "hey if they didn't have an ice dragon, how were they going to get around the wall?". It's still a lot of plot advancement seeing as the white walkers have been pretty much marching for seven episodes straight.
And last but not least...
#1. "When the snows fall and the white winds blow, the lone wolf dies but the pack survives"
Like I said, I'm a sucker for character reunions, and the Stark siblings being together again is one that truly makes my heart fly. Of course they had to go and make Bran, well...not Bran anymore. And Sansa and Arya had to have their petty drama for most of this season. But this last scene, the two of them standing on the wall together in the same place Sansa was once standing alone, was just beautiful. It was a lovely way to honor Ned Stark's memory and to solidify the respect that these two amazing women have for each other. They're both formidable on their own but can you imagine what they can accomplish together (not to mention they've got the all-seeing Bran)? The rest of Westeros should do a better job listening to the Starks. After all, they were right in saying "Winter is coming", so clearly listening to their advice about sticking together is probably a good idea. Here's looking at you Cersei ;)
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