Game of Thrones Season 5
So the season finale aired last night. I wanted to write a post on my thoughts on this season so under the cut will be spoilers. I'm a fan of the show, and have highly enjoyed the first4 seasons. Definitely recommend them if this is the type of story you're into, and is ok with watching the amount of violence in the show. The 5th season covers the remaining parts of the published books, and even going beyond them. I have not read one book, but I have accidentally spoiled myself when I looked up the wiki so I took the plunge and read up all the book spoilers. From those I wasn't at all looking forward to this season at first, but the show made it slightly better.
The first episode opens up with a flashback of young Cersei hearing her prophecy about her future as a queen, and her children. Its a bit cryptically worded, and its really not the brightest of prophecies either. Last season ended with her father, Tywin Lannister, killed by her brother Tyrion. She now takes her father's place, and throughout the season finds ways to have control against Margaery who is now queen since she marries the young king Tommen, Cersei's youngest son. To achieve this she gets rid of those in the council that she does not trust, and then employs a religious cult group called the Sparrows. Cersei gave them weapons and let them punish the people according to their gods. They are a bit brutal and have destroyed Little Finger's prostitution house, and put Margaery and her brother in the dungeon cells. Cersei isn't the brightest, and did not foresee that she herself is not an exemption of judgement and punishment. She too was also put into a cell, and forced to confess her sins if she wants to get out. It took a few episodes before she finally confesses adultery with her cousin, and everything she denies. She is allowed to return to the palace after she walks naked through the streets. This takes place in the last episode, and its quite a powerful scene. Cersei may not be the most liked character and for good reason, but this scene might make you feel sorry for her. I personally think its done well. Behind the scenes, she has a Frankenstein in the making going on, and he seems to be completed at the end of her walk of shame. He's a giant wearing gold armor, and carries her. This is where her story ends in this season, and it definitely makes it exciting to see if she does anything with this monster she's made. Definitely look forward to it! Her story this season may not be the most interesting, but it did show Cersei in different ways than before so its refreshing I suppose. We do not know what happens after with Little Finger and Margaery unfortunely.
Now to another Lannister, Jamie. He's a great character, but this season gave him a lame quest to save her daughter, Myrcella, in order to appease Cersei. He's going on this rescue mission because the mistress of a man who died by trial of combat wants revenge for his death. Since her home houses their daughter, she wanted to threaten and her her. The book doesn't have Jamie himself go it seems. The mistress, Ellaria, has the support of her daughters to hurt/kill Myrcella since the Prince of Dorne, the brother of the man who died, is against such actions. Jamie eventually reaches Dorne in secret, but is quickly captured as well as Ellaria and her daughters. The prince make them have peace, by sending Myrcella and her fiance, the prince's son, back to King's Landing with Jamie. Ellaria has to submit to the prince's wishes if she wanted him to not make her life miserable, but she poisons Myrcella with a goodbye kiss before Myrcella boards the ship back home. Jamie and Myrcella has a nice bonding moment before the poison kicked in. I never really looked forward to Jamie's part of the show throughout this whole season, but the way they ended it did spike some curiosity as to what will happen to Jamie when he returns to the palace to report he failed to save Myrcella to Cersei.
The last Lannister, Tyrion. Last season he killed his father, and escaped the city. He's not alone though, he had the help of Varys to cross the sea with the goal to see Daenerys. For a few episode they will mostly be comic relief as they travel restricted in a box to lessen the risk of being found. Tyrion eventually couldn't stand it, and Varys finally gave in to let him out. This outcome gave way to Tyrion getting kidnapped by Jorah. Tyrion recognized him, and figured he must be doing this to win back Daenerys' favor. They travel together for a bit, and got a bit buddy buddy. Jorah unfortunately caught greyscale during the travel, and secretly hides it. They eventually had themselves get caught, and turned into slaves to fight in the fighting pits. This allowed them to see Daenerys so they can reveal themselves. Tyrion was able to get her to make him her advisor, but Jorah is kicked out. He gets himself into the fighting pits again since its the only way he can think of doing for her. He eventually gets into the finals, and has Daenerys watch him become the champion as well as saving her life. Things go terribly wrong as the whole colliseum is attacked. Jorah and Tyrion do manage to survive it. Their story ends with Jorah going out to find Daenerys and Tyrion staying in city to help manage it in the absence of the queen.
Before Daenerys met Tyrion, she decided to stay and rule the city to gain experience as a Queen. She has trouble though with the sons of the harpies trying to take her down. They've attacked her soldiers, and even killed her most trusted advisors, and injured her most trusted and best warrior. Because of that, she gives in into opening the fighting pits that goes against her beliefs in hopes to appease the sons of the harpies. This didn't happen as they attacked the colliseum and nearly killed her till Drogon came, wreck havoc on them, and flew Daenerys away. Her story ends this season with her stranded somewhere since Drogon refuses to bring her back. She goes to find food, and is quickly surrounded by thousands of khalasar. She drops her ring like Pippin dropped his brooch for their friends to find. I haven't been too interested in her story till she meets Tyrion. Tyrion is really the best one in this whole season mostly due to the very enjoyable to watch and listen character that he is that really contrast the rest of the characters. I very much look forward to his story especially when Varys finally finds him again, and will help him rule the city. Daenerys seem to be a bit hated by people to which I am not exactly sure why. She is the typical "destined goody goody hero of all" character. It is quite apparent in this season with Varys and Jorah saying she's the one to be the true ruler and savior, and Tyrion believing it at the end. I do not hate her, but I do not find her very interesting so I'm a bit indifferent towards her. I was hoping to see her with Tyrion more.
Now to the Starks. First is Arya, who last season left the Hound to die and left on a ship to become a nobody. She was denied at the house of black and white, but refuses to leave their doorstep. She finally leaves for food, but was almost attacked till one of the faceless scared the attackers away. He took her inside the house of black and white finally, and thus starts her training. For some episodes its quite dull to watch since her chores were dull. She fist just sweeps the place till she gets the task of washing the dead bodies of the people who visit there. Arya has no idea what she's getting into. She has to strip away her whole identity in order to be a nobody, but she has a very hard time doing that. Arya had dumped all her things but Needle, and eventually was able to do a mission to kill a person. However she sees a man on her kill list, Meryn Trant who killed her "dancing" teacher. Now things get disturbing as this show made him a sadistic pedophile. Arya took this advantage, but disguising herself with one of the faces in the black and white house. She brutally kills the man, but when she returns she is punished for taking a life that isn't hers to take. Arya fears that she will die, but cries when the man that guided her takes the poison himself. She gets a reality check as she pulls away multiple faces off her "friend" till its her own face and then she goes blind. Her story in this season is pretty different from what we're use to see from her. Though it has made her less interesting. I'm not entirely sure where it will go for her here as I'm not happy to see that she lost her sight. Whether it be permanent, or not is hard to know. Its already hard to see her needing to be a nobody through this training.
For the other female Stark, Sansa, she had a nice character development as she changes her appearance to a full black dress and have a better handle on situations than before. However, this season has backpedaled her back to being helpless again. She follows Little Finger as they leave the Eyrie. Brienna and the squire boy were finally able to meet Sansa, but Sansa refused their service. Brienna does not believe she is safe so she follows them, and waits till Sansa needs them. I love Brienna, but sadly she has very little screen time due to her waiting. Sansa gets a surprise when she arrives in Winterfell where the Boltons now live, and gets the news that she is to wed Ramsay Snow. Little Finger does get the upper hand here as all of the parties kind of rely on him. Though Little Finger has to return to King's Landing. Sansa is able to stand on her own amongst the Boltons, though she is alone. She does eventually met Theon, and hated him since she thinks he killed her young brothers. When she eventually marries Ramsay, things get really uncomfortable as this bastard is the one to take her first. Its really disturbing that its the third time she's in a unwanted marriage, and things get even worse for her. She is locked in her room all day and she begs Theon to help her despite her hatred of him. He is her only ally in the whole place really. Though Theon did sold her out when she asked to place a candle in the tower. This made Ramsay display the dead body of the old woman who told her to do this if she needs help. Theon explained to Sansa that he told Ramsay because he didn't want her to end up like him when he tried to escape. When Stannis' army finally arrives at Winterfell, the Boltons army leave the castle and this gave Sansa the chance to lit the candle. When she returns she is caught and was about to be hurt till Theon threw the attacker over and died. Since the Boltons were going to see that, they decided to take the risk and jump off the castle wall. Whether they make it out alive or not remains to be seen. I really dislike Ramsay for than anyone in the show mostly because of what he did to Sansa. In the book, Sansa was left at the Eyrie and a girl posing as Arya is the one that marries Ramsay, and jumps with Theon. I just hope things will get better for Sansa. It was really hard for me to watch her this season, and I wouldn't judge anyone who stopped watching the show because of what happened to her.
Before Stannis arrive to Winterfell, he was at Castle Black. Stannis will be there for the majority of the season trying to recuit the watch and the wildlings into his army. He didn't get either of them, so he marches to Winterfell however the weather made it very difficult for them. The Boltons burnt their horses and food one night which left the army in a dire situation. Melisandre says that Stannis' daughter will need to be sacrificed in order to gain victory. He was very against at first, and even had a scene where he assures his daughter that he fought for her life to have her greyscale heal. However, his dream to have his "destiny" be fulfilled is higher than his daughter that he eventually gave in. A disturbing scene of her getting burnt alive follows. Despite all of her visions, Melisandre failed to make it happen for Stannis as things got worse than before. Some of his army left, his wife hanged herself, and Melisdanre herself even left. Stannis has only one thing to do which is to march towards Winterfell. They were defeated easily, and he lays against a tree wounded. Brienna appears before him saying that she served Remly, his brother that he killed. She readies to kill him with Stannis accepting his fate, and she swings her blade. I never really was into his story line since the beginning, and whether or not it will continue is hard to say at the moment.
Last is Jon Snow at Castle Black. Stannis asks Jon to convince the Wildings to fight for him in return for pardoning them. Jon tries, but Mance Rayder and the wildlings kneel for no one. Mance is then burnt alive, and Jon gives mercy by shooting an arrow. Stannis offers Jon to be lord of Winterfell and be named Jon Stark in order to get the north on his side. Its what Jon had always wanted, but has to refuse because of his vows to the night's watch. Jon is voted to be the next lord commander. After refusing Stannis, Jon focuses on making peace with the watch and the wildlings because of the white walkers. He convinces Tormund to lead the wildlings, and make them make peace in order to get them over the wall. Stannis lends them boats as they sail to the frozen city of wildlings. When they reach there, Tormund has the elders gather. and have him and Jon convince them to board the ships to go over the wall. Most of the wildlings are in favor of putting aside their hatred for the men of the watch in order to get away from the white walkers. However, as they board the army of white walkers comes crashing in like an avalanche. This fighting scene is amazing and terrifying. Definitely the best scene in this season, and probably the whole show so far. Jon has now faced white walkers, and it probably is worse than he imagined. He returns to castle black, with Maester Aemon death, and Sam taking Gilly to learn to be a maester, Jon is practically alone in terms of friends. He has enemies in the watch mostly due to his decision to make peace with the wildlings. He gets tricked to come outside and sees a sign that says traitor. He is then stabbed Casear style, and he collapses onto the snow covered ground that slowly gets colors by his blood. He gets stabbed in the book as well, and probably no hope that he even make it alive which is really sad. This is where the last episode ends too. I do have this strange hope he will make it somehow which doesn't make that scene sad for me. Though once season 6 arrives and he's not there, it will probably hit me.
This season isn't as good as the previous seasons mostly due to the rapes, and a couple bad episodes. The parts of the books this season is based on isn't that interesting when I read about it in the wiki, and its still isn't that interesting even with the improvements on some part of the stories. Sansa's arc put a huge damper on the show for me, and now Jon Snow. We haven't met any new major characters either so for once the characters are getting less. I'm not that excited for season 6 but I will watch it when its comes. Now sure when the next will be out, but season 6 is going to be pretty new for book readers as well. Not sure how many are even left watching the show since it seems many are disliking the changes.
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