The Fans React!

(Photo Courtesy of HBO)

We asked some of our readers and GOT superfans to react to this week’s finale. Here’s what they had to say about how Season 7 came to an end.

Ted – Brooklyn, NY

“The Ultimate Tease-Fest”

For me, Game of Thrones has always wavered unsteadily between a badass fantasy epic and a stale soap opera for LARPers. Though I can appreciate both, this season seemed predominantly stuck in the soap, with the rare speckle of action. Especially in the finale, as literally the entirety of the main cast was crammed together and there were ZERO heart-wrenching deaths. Really?! Really. Instead, we got to enjoy Jon Snow and his Aunt eye-hump each other the whole season. Until Snow finally went for the silent, we’re-on-a-boat-let’s-do-it move, while his younger brother narrates the whole thing — and obviously watches with his raven eyes — to the eternally-dumbfounded Samwell, while Tyrion silently creeps outside the door. Honestly, I was always lukewarm on the whole Jon and Dany romance, it all seemed too easy for me, and the payoff felt like a bastardized-version of THE best scene in modern cinema. And why is Tyrion the only one creeping outside the door? I feel like the whole sequence would have been slightly better if Jorah was in an adjacent room weeping into a pile of tissues, maybe even a celebratory fist clench from Ser Davos.

Also, I’m ok with the fact that we’re not worried about travel times anymore, but then why do we have to spend 42 mins in The Dragonpit watching everyone arrive and depart, and then arrive again? And sure, The Hound and Euron just couldn’t hold back their expositional reminders, but no one stopped them? And Jon and Dany were able to steal away unnoticed into a rocky crevice for one last eye-hump, while everyone else just kicked pebbles around in the background?

The only real payoff was the extremely long-awaited Lord Baelish execution, which felt good, but wasn’t exactly surprising. I guess I’m interested to see what happens with the White Walkers, but at the same time a little turned off by the unstoppable foe syndrome. It seems a little too War of the Worlds to me. I’m worried we’ll get to the finale and Morgan Freeman will come in to conveniently narrate, “In the end, it was bacteria that killed the army of the undead.” Also, why doesn’t the Night King fly ahead and freeze-fry everybody with the zombie-dragon? Boom, done, winter’s over. Also, I’m only slightly worried/hopeful that the creators will end this whole thing with freeze frames and massive amounts of “where are they now” text for each character that is still alive.

Bryan – Brooklyn, NY

After last week’s impressive but poorly conceived spectacle (I’m going to need a better explanation for why Daenerys couldn’t have just taken that day-trip dragon ride to the wall in the first place), it was nice to have a more contemplative finale that highlighted authentic character moments and brought everyone’s final trajectories into focus. The writers seem to have an implicit understanding of everyone’s motivations when they are bargaining/arguing (barguing?) face-to-face that eluded them in the quest to set up a big, thrilling battle sequence. The Hound’s completely nonplussed reaction when he first lays eyes on his zombified brother was a definite highlight, along with Jamie’s long-awaited rejection of Cersei, solidified in one of the episode’s – maybe the series’ – tensest moments.

And for that rare “satisfying” death, we got Littlefinger’s exit from this mortal coil. With a show that tends to exist in the moral grey areas, it was both jarring and oddly thrilling to watch the Stark women righteously chastise a blubbering Lord Baelish with his worst misdeeds before sending him off. Even the schadenfreude of Joffrey’s murder was tempered by the tragic effects it unleashed on everyone around him, but there’s none of that here. Frankly, it wasn’t necessary – everyone’s sick of Littlefinger and he deserved it.

I’m wholly confused about where the show is going with Jon Snow & Dany’s relationship. As an audience, we’re all aware that they’re related (closely! so closely!), so rooting for their success feels gross. At the same time, they’re just so obviously doomed – it’s inevitable that they’ll find out about their familial connections, or one of them will die, or both – that it won’t sting all that much when they’re over. Maybe the writers will think of something wildly unexpected here? MAYBE??

Finally – that ice dragon. Man, did I know it was coming, but man was it still frightening when he glided out of the fog and unleashed that blue fire. A great, epic cliffhanger to send us into the final episodes.

(Photo Courtesy of HBO)

Sean McDonough – Buffalo, NY

This episode, like much of the season, really seemed to sacrifice good writing in order to move the plot in the way that the showrunners needed it to go.

Why would Bran reveal Jon’s parentage, which he hadn’t told anyone about, to a chubby blabber-mouth who happened to help him out one time? Because the showrunners needed to put together a mechanism for Jon to find out the whole story.

Why would The Hound travel back to King’s Landing (which he hates) on an incredibly sensitive diplomatic mission with a group of people he doesn’t know very well and, frankly, doesn’t like very much? Because the showrunners wanted him to get some screen time with Ser Gregor.

I’ll admit, there were plenty of satisfying moments. This was the only time in my life that I was actively rooting for incest (or Auntcest, as I’ve heard it called). Few things have warmed my heart lately like watching Littlefinger get his throat slit. But it’s important to remember that this show gained its popularity by building a reputation for excellent writing, not for its feel-good moments.

Paige Kelschenbach – Buffalo, NY

Well that was a roller-coaster! First things first, I am so proud of my Stark girls. Good riddance Littlefinger. I was seriously concerned that Sansa was going to fall for his snake-like ways and banish Arya from Winterfell or something stupid like that. Thank the gods she’s grown enough to see through his tricks and stand by her family. That was some serious sister power and I LOVED it.

Also I’m proud of poor Theon, who was finally able to stand up for himself, and his sister. Maybe Reek is finally in his past. He’s been shit on so much the past few seasons, and it’s truly heartening to finally see him doing something good. Thanks to Ramsay he sure knows how to take a beating…

Pride is apparently the running theme of my feelings on this episode because I’m so proud of Jamie as well! Finally standing up to that cold bitch he so unfortunately loves. Cersei is off her rocker and can basically die any time now please. And Tyrion! So brave to stand in front of her like that and try to convince her to change her mind. That was an emotionally charged scene for sure.

Of course, you can’t talk about this episode without talking about that good old bit of Targaryen incest. The two hottest characters on the show (and the two most morally decent I might add), finally hook up and we can’t even properly celebrate because surprise! They’re related. Truly a tragedy. They would be the best power couple Westeros has ever seen.

Last but not least, I am heartbroken to see the Night King controlling my dragon baby, although that was truly an impressive display of power. I shudder to think of poor Dany and her dragons having to face off against one of their own. Why am I so emotionally invested in these dragons? Unclear. But I have shed a tear over them before and I have no doubt that there will be more waterworks to come.

(Photo Courtesy of HBO)

Molly Farber – Buffalo, New York

Now, I don’t know about you guys, but I strictly remember a famous line that states that when you play the Game of Thrones, you win or you die. Thus far, that’s been pretty accurate. However, what happens when you put the game on pause for a better cause? I see quite a few get-out-of-jail-free cards getting passed around the table, and I wouldn’t mind a loophole that allowed the one person still playing the game to die a slow and miserable death. Go Jaime for finally gaining some backbone and leaving.

The Starks, on the other hand (sorry, Jaime), have had a fantastic season. What a treat it was to watch Littlefinger squirming on his hands and knees for mercy. This show has really made sadists of us all. Was I the only one who found it ironic that Littlefinger died in a similar fashion as his lady crush, Catelyn? It was almost poetic. Since the beginning, I’ve wanted nothing more than for Arya and Sansa to have a sisterly reunion and, boy, was I satisfied halfway through the season to have that. And to see them secretly working together to kill Littlefinger? I was simply ecstatic. Thought I would never scream “YES!!!!” so loud and so many times at the screen until about fifteen minutes later when their brother from another mother finally re-woke his dragon with his Auntie Dany. How clever and gross of the showrunners to montage the past and present for the biggest reveal (thank you, Gilly) that we were all expecting. I can’t wait for them to find out the truth.

Saddest realization: Dany is going to have to kill her dragon (Viserion) and Theon’s death is long overdue.

Happiest realization: The White Walkers are soooooo slow. The way time advanced this season, everyone south of the wall accomplished so much compared to those zombie skeletons. Other than Jaime and Bronn escaping Dany and her dragon during that fire battle, the lack of victory for the White Walkers has been the most unbelievable and unrealistic aspect this season. But hey, I’m not complaining. Take your time, Night King. Also, my bet for his identity is totally Targaryen, he’s a little too mad to be anything else.

Bob Doyle – Buffalo, New York

It’s. About. Damn. Time. I’ve waited years for this, and many others have waited decades. The Army of the Dead, marching towards the wall since the series began, finally reached The Wall. The Night King road in on Viserion and treated the wall like Daenerys treated the good masters of Astapor. Goodbye, wall. I hope Tormund survived.

This episode gave me everything I wanted. Sure, that’s one of the main critiques of many viewers. We got everything we wanted. Not to worry – there’s still one more season, and if we know Game of Thrones, not everyone we want to live will see the end of this war. For now, they do. And a few I’d love to see become a corpse.

For starters, I’m loving the Stark girls together. Did they even need Bran? Sansa is WOKE, and I’m glad Arya is only a murderous creep when it comes time to take out another murderous creep. RIP Littlefinger. I was hoping to see him verbally spar with Varys one more time, but his time was up and his death did not disappoint. Points to Sansa for making those of us who aren’t green seeing wargs or top notch assassins believe we can still be badass.

Speaking of badass, Daenerys sure knows how to make an entrance, and the scene in The Dragonpit finally brought Tyrion and Cersei face-to-face again. I was hoping these characters would meet again. My only regret is Cersei lived. At least she was visibly terrified. Also, The Hound and Brienne talking about Arya. I can’t wait to see this crew all reunite in Winterfell. I hope they make it. Points to Cersei for playing the game perfectly, sending Euron to ferry the Golden Company to Westeros and solidify her hold on the crown, even as the world may be ending. Leave it to her to continue to scheme while the country is overrun by an army of white walkers and zombie wights. More points to Jaime for being a man of his word and heading north. And THEON. Redemption. What is dead may never die. Get it.

Sam came back, if only to join Bran in awkwardly narrating the incest we’ve all been waiting for. I could’ve done without their commentary as Jon crept into Dany’s cabin, but I don’t care. They are going to save Westeros. Or die because of his stubborn need to be honorable and her tendency to make irrational and weak decisions when she’s distracted by love (see: marching north of the Wall to capture a walker, attacking the Bolton army heavily outnumbered, bringing a crazy witch to perform black magic on a wounded husband, casually ignoring ruling for late night trysts with a sell-sword…). How will this work when Bran and Sam spill the beans? Dany’s only goal in life has been to reclaim her father’s throne, and Jon’s claim will be stronger. This could be bad.

We’ve heard more than one Stark repeat these words: “When the snows fall and the white winds blow, the lone wolf dies, but the pack survives.” Our only hope is these words ring true once more when the Night King and his army descend on Westeros.