Who run the world? GIRLS. David Benioff and D.B. Weiss must have been immersing themselves in the teachings of Queen Bey, because by the end of Season 6 of “Game Of Thrones,” women are ruling basically every land. The show, which has been described as “just tits and dragons” by guest star Ian McShane, just upended its patriarchy and placed women in almost all the seats of power and in crucial point positions. If “Game of Thrones” is a historical fantasy show that reflects contemporary political struggles, it’s no surprise that they’ve absorbed and reflected the historical Democratic nomination of Hillary Clinton. Benioff and Weiss appear to be #WithHer, at least when it comes to ‘GoT.’
But regardless of political parallels, “The Winds of Winter” is one of the best season finale episodes of the series — a shocking yet satisfying, suspenseful coda to season six. While going off book this season has had its ups and downs, some episodes more successful than others, the finale pulls all the strings together and sets the stage for a vastly different Westeros.
Miguel Sapochnik, after pulling off the insane, thrilling, and gory “Battle of the Bastards,” directs “The Winds of Winter” with the same sense of impeccable meticulousness, but with a completely different approach. The first 20 or so minutes of the episode, in King’s Landing during the trial of Loras Tyrell (Finn Jones), feels delicately feather-light, and yet taut as a drum with tension — a sequence that is bloody and surprising and eerie at once.
What we expected has come to pass. Cersei (Lena Headey) does use the Mad King’s stash of wildfire to vanquish her enemies. Just call Cersei the Waco ATF cause she’s ready to set those culties ablaze. While everyone who has wronged Cersei (or at least the ones in King’s Landing) are gathered in the Sept of Baelor to watch Loras get his forehead carving, Cersei dons a chic war jacket — trés Joan of Arc — and prepares for her new career move.
The Mountain scoops up Tommen (Dean-Charles Chapman) while a bunch of creepy little street urchins stab up Maester Pycelle (Julian Glover)and then lure Lancel (Eugene Simon) to the underground wildfire lair where pools of the green stuff are about to be lit up like a Christmas tree. Listen Lancel, there’s a secret to this ooze. The massive green wildfire explosion takes out everyone in the sept and probably within a mile radius, including: The High Sparrow (Jonathan Pryce), Loras, Kevan Lannister (Ian Gelder), Mace Tyrell (Roger Ashton-Griffiths), and most sadly, Margaery. RIP beautiful queen, I am just going to assume Natalie Dormer had other film and TV obligations.
Also RIP to Tommen, who tilts himself face first out of a window when he sees that his mom blew up his wife and church friends. Cersei, high on vengeance and wildfire fumes, gleefully wineboards Shame Nun while extolling the virtues of brother fucking, and then leaves her to the whims of the Mountain. The whole sequence is just gorgeously done, with creepy children choral singing, and very little dialogue. Just quiet and still, breathtaking in the simple presentation of such destruction.
Winterfell
In the North, where everyone has constant PTSD from murdering all the time, the Starks are trying to sort things out. Jon Snow (Kit Harington) offers Sansa (Sophie Turner) their parents’ room because she’s the true lady of Winterfell, having saved his ass with the Knights of the Vale and all. She’s all “my b I forgot to tell you about them!!!!” But they kiss and make up, no hard feelings, and Sansa mentions a white raven has arrived from the Citadel, which means WINTER IS HERE! Dad was right! Baby it’s cold outside, let it snow, etc. etc.
Later, she brutally rebuffs Lord Baelish (Aiden Gillen), who’s whispering sweet nothings about his fantasies of HIM sitting on the Iron Throne while she sits by his side. She’s like “um no thanks,” and with that, Sansa releases herself from the bonds of obligation to controlling men.
Jon has a chat with Melisandre (Carice Van Houten) about how he used to have to sit at the kid’s table during feasts and she’s like, shut up at least you had a feast, rich boy. Basically this conversation sets the stage for Jon to witness Davos (Liam Cunningham) tearfully dress down Melisandre for burning Shireen at the stake, and demand she be executed. With his typical impulsive, please everyone style of diplomacy, Jon decides that he won’t do that, but she can ride South and never come back.
Juuuuust outside the walls of Winterfell, Zombie Uncle of the Year Benjen Stark (Joseph Mawle) drops off Bran (Isaac Hempstead-Wright) and Meera (Ellie Kendrick), claiming he can’t take them any further because there are magical spells that stop the dead from getting into the castle (good to know…). Without so much as a toboggan or animal skin, he just unceremoniously dumps Bran under a tree and is like, “peace out, lil homies, got mercenaring to do.”
Bran spies a Weirwood and finally we all get to see the end of The Young Ned Stark Chronicles. Bran time travel wargs into the Tower of Joy, where Ned finds his sister Lyanna dying from the worse C-section ever (like, what on earth happened there? The lower half of her body is sliced to ribbons). She whispers some secrets into his ear, makes Ned promise to take care of him, and then he’s handed a lil baby Jon Snow.
It’s kind of ironic then, when Jon presides over a feast with all the Northern families, including the ones who stayed home during the Battle of the Bastards, and who are already sick of it and ready to ride back to their castles. Fierce little Lyanna Mormont (Bella Ramsey) stands up, calls them all out one by one and says that with Ned Stark’s blood, Jon is the rightful King of the North and they should stand behind him in fighting whatever enemy he decides. The big Northern dudes accede that the little lady speaks harshly but truly, so they all chant “King in the North” for a good bit.
“…somehow Varys got waylaid on the way to Westeros and ended up in Dorne…”
Um… Dorne is in Westeros.
I have a theory on the face shifting, its a acting joke the ability to become anyone to such a extent as to take on their physical appearance, the joke of becoming no one as they often say of actors that they lose their own identity over time, the faces are not something they physically have to put on its a role they take on and are so convincing as to become that character. The hall of faces is like a library of characters that can be played. Its acting with a little magic.
It’s bullshit, smarmy writers like Katie Walsh that have cause the mass exodus of Playlist readers (notice how few comments there are these days), of which I will likely now be one. I have no issue with an author’s opinion of a movie or show if they can intelligently express their reasons for their opinions. But the childish, insipid editorializing is appalling for an outlet that wants to be taken seriously and demonstrate a level of credibility.