Game of Thrones Season 5 Finale Recap: They Shamed, They Stabbed, They Conquered 

Imagine you’re the lead singer of a rock band playing a sold-out stadium — who’s made the unprecedented move of booking Lady Gaga and the Rolling Stones as your opening acts.

You’d be in a similar predicament, then, to the good folks tasked with writing

‘ Season 5 finale — following directly on the heels of the thrilling “Hardshome” (AKA that episode where the White Walkers rip up the free folk like so many losing Powerball tickets) and “The Dance of Dragons” (Khaleesi rides Drogon! King Spineless and the Red Beyotch burn an adorably poetic girl princess at the stake!).

I mean, how do you one-up those kinds of huge, impactful moments and ensure your finale isn’t met with a shoulder shrug and a droll, Olenna Tyrell-esque quip like, “You can smell the s–t from five miles away”?

I guess you could have Cersei beat that austere Faith prison warden to death with her ladle. Or you could devote the entire hour to Sansa Stark dismantling Ramsay Bolton with a paring knife. (“TV’s feel-good moment of 2015!” — TVLine.) The return of the Hound? A sunny, 85 degree day at The Wall? Melisandre calling the Long Island Medium for some psychic-friendly advice?

OK, this is why George R. R. Martin’s never Direct Messaged me on Twitter and asked for story ideas for that book that he’s definitely, probably, almost without a doubt, halfway sorta finished writing.

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So let’s put my speculative powers to bed — and cut to the most crucial developments from “Mother’s Mercy” (bearing in mind I’ll be back in an hour or so with a more fleshed-out take on the proceedings).

* Melisandre gets all smug when, in the wake of Shireen’s murder, the snow begins to melt. But things start looking a little less “Everything’s coming up roses!” when Stannis’ wife (name not worth mentioning, since she did

to protect Shireen) hangs herself, Stannis learns more than half his men (and horses) have deserted him in the wake of the Worst Bonfire Ever, and then Melisandre abandons camp on one of the last remaining steeds. (We can all agree now that she’s just a pyromaniac with unusually good powers of persuasion, right?) Apparently the Red Woman saw defeat in her king’s future? As Stannis proceeds with his plan — attack Winterfell at sunrise! — he gets another “Oh, snap!” surprise, as Ramsay and his much bigger army descend on him, and leave ’em all bleeding out in the snow. Stannis is staggering, badly wounded, when Brienne of Tarth arrives, seeking vengeance for Renly’s black-magic death, and she cuts him down with about 1,000,000 times less effort than she used to fight off the Hound about a year ago. This is how Stannis’ claim to the throne ends, not with the roar of a dragon, but with a “whatever.”

* Sansa plans her mid-battle escape from Winterfell, but is sidetracked by Ramsay’s terrible strumpet, wielding a bow and arrow and threatening mutilation. Reek intervenes, knocking the enemy to her death, and the tormented siblings leap off the castle wall, into the snow and into… freedom? broken bones? hypothermia? Only time will tell. I could’ve used a bigger win for Sansa to end the season, but hopefully she continues growing into her power — and learns the power of the sword/poison/noose in Season 6.

* Arya sneaks back into the brothel where Meryn Trant is abusing multiple underage girls, stabs him in the eyes, reveals her identity, then slits his throat with more mercy than he probably deserved. Back at the temple of the Many-Faced God, though, she’s told by Jaqen H’ghar she took the wrong life — and he poisons himself (because only death can pay for life, apparently). When he drops to the ground, though, it turns out it’s not him, not exactly, or else, more likely, it’s no one. (Got that?) Arya rips off his face, then another, then another, then sees her own — and goes blind. “What’s happening?

* Daario and Jorah decide to head out in search of Khaleesi — leaving Tyrion, Missandei and Greyworm to rule Meereen. Good thing, then, that Varys arrives in the nick of time, willing and ready to spy for the good guys. I’m glad Tyrion didn’t have to strangle someone he loved as a bookend to Shae’s Season 4 choke-out, but still, I won’t lie and say I didn’t want a little more Peter Dinklage awesomeness to cap off this all-too-brief

* Jaime admits to Myrcella that she’s the product of incest between her mother (Cersei) and himself (Cersei’s brother), and she’s all, “Whatevs, pops, LOL, it’s all good, Oh Em Gee.” That is until she begins bleeding from the nose, heading toward death, the victim of Ellaria’s poisoned kiss. (Not to worry, the weren’t-they-supposed-to-be-more-ferocious Sand Snakes’ mom takes an antidote to the deadly liquid, and will live to plot another day.)

* Cersei “confesses” to the high sparrow that she cheated on her husband, with her cousin, but lies and denies that her children are a product of an incestuous relationship with her brother. She’s subjected to the longest, nakedest, most gratuitous shaming imaginable — honestly, we only needed an eighth of the footage to get the point — then is met by a new (armored) knight who’s pledged a vow of silence til her enemies are vanquished. (Is it the Mountain? The Hound? Bran on a diet of Muscle Milk and one-eyed crow?)

King Tommen — wait, he’s actually KING? I keep forgetting! — doesn’t even greet Mommie Dearest at the palace gates, but we don’t need him anyway, do we? And while yeah, maybe she’s the villainess in all this, I still can’t wait to see Cersei exact the most horrific revenge on her power-grabby, hiding-behind-piety enemies this time next year. (Can you behead someone with the handle of a ladle? I sure as heck hope so!)

* In the closing 120 seconds, after Melisandre arrives at the wall (hrrmmmm…suspicious!), Jon Snow gets stabbed to death by his men (et tu, Olly?!)

. Good thing Sam, Gilly and baby have already left the building! It’s sad to see Jon bleed out on the pristine white ground, and yet, haven’t we learned that those who do good on

are doomed to meet a bad end? Don’t get me wrong: I’d have loved to see the dark-haired and very brave beauty fight on in Season 6 — hey, where was his new BFF Raymun Redbeard when ish went bad? — but I’d have been far more apoplectic if Daenerys or Arya had wound up dead. (Raise your hand if you concur!)

* Oh, and speaking of Daeny, when she finally lands with Drogon, she’s hoping he’ll take her back to Mereen and her pals, but he clearly needs a long, restorative nap. But just as I start wondering if she’s going to burst into “The Sound of Music” in her lush hillside retreat, we hear the thundering of hooves. Khaleesi drops a ring into the grass — honestly, the significance escapes me, so if you’re a better

historian, please drop your knowledge in the comments — and moments later, is surrounded by Dothraki on horseback. Are they hostile, jubilant, just in the midst of some equestrian exercise? We won’t find out ’til next spring, unfortunately.

Season 5 finale? Take our poll below, then sound off in the comments!

I can’t even..I don’t even know what to say…my Jon Snow. What the actual F!!! This is BS

He can be transferred (“warged”) to another body, or simply ressurected by Red-Murder-Kid-Woman.

And for everyone who said the Sand Snakes were useless… See how Ellaria, with a simple kiss of her “most beautiful” daughter’s viper venom, has singlehandedly started the war that will finally destroy Cersei & the Lannisters??? Not so inconsequential now, is she? Go Snakes!! :) :)

Oh, and the producers’ & Kit Harrington’s protestations that Jon Snow is “dead-dead, really dead” mean nothing… cause he can be RESURRECTED, duh! Either by the Red Lord of Murder Kids or the White Zombies or by his “brain-tourist” kid brother Bran…

He’s not gone for good. I haven’t read beyond book 3 in the series, so I’m not giving away any kind of spoiler. They’ll bring him back and it will be Kit Harrington who will continue to play him.

Although no one knows for sure yet, there’s zero chance Jon is dead if you’ve been reading the books because simply too much of the overall story is about him. The only real question is what exactly to happens to him next, now.

You know who else too much of the overall story was about? Ned Stark. That being said, I really hope that you’re right. Even my personal feelings aside, looking story wise, Jon’s death would leave the Wall with no one who we care about… Guess we’d have to root for the white walkers to butcher the Night’s Watch?

Not quite the same thing. Ned was a main character in a single book. When GRRM met with the show runners to decide if he’d greenlight the books for show fodder, he asked one question and it had nothing to do with Eddard unless you believe Eddard is really Jon’s father. :) The question was who was Jon Snow’s mother — and personally, if a guy’s parentage is a lynchpin like that, he takes on a little more importance than the guy that never made it out of book 1 alive. Jon’s been a PoV character. Jon’s parentage is key. Jon, if you abide by R+L=J is Ice an Fire.

Also when that stuff about Martin’s endgame came out about…I think 6-8 months ago, Jon was listed as one of the characters meant to survive the entire series.

I totally want the White Walkers to slaughter The Night’s Watch. Despicable what they did to Jon, who only wanted to save them all. But that’s the stupidity of the people in this show. They cannot see beyond their pride. Yes, I know that Olly suffered terribly at the hands of the Wildlings, but without their help, they ALL die. So beyond stupid to me. Just like with “Kingslayer” Jamie. They hate him for slaying a mad King who would have butchered them all. So dumb.

The red headed witch chick can or will bring him back to life…if he is to come back

Jon Snow will be brought back to life, but released from his vows (you serve until your death) to become the prince that was promised

Sir Stoneheart instead of Lady Stoneheart?That or he ends up being a White Walker but with some semblance of good?

spoiler go read interview at ew before making such claims

Eh. I won’t put stock in the interview until jon is on a pyre. He may be told he’s through but it ain’t season 6 yet. That said….as i re-read dance with dragons this week, I think back to the prologue as foreshadowing and an interview I read once that suggests jon surviving may not be the same as jon surviving in kit’s adorable body. . .

Yes!! I want to belive he comes back as a wolf..

I would not even believe it when he is on a pyre, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if he is resurrected in a different body.

Yeah, if he really is a Targaryen, then the fire wouldn’t burn him anyways, he would essentially be reborn. And if the other theory about him Warging into Ghost is correct, then he could return to his body afterwards. Or they could have a new actor come in to play ‘reborn’ Jon.

You never know. Mel didn’t rush back to the Wall just because she knew Stannis was going to lose. She could have went anywhere but she went there of all places? There’s a reason for that.

And the wording of the interviews where they claim Jon is dead are just seem worded to particularly. I mean, obviously they can’t openly admit he’s not dead without ruining everything. They are going try and make people believe he’s gone; including getting the actor and show runners/ep director to ‘confirm’ the death, Kit apparently cut his hair already (which he was under contract not to do)… What better ways to make everyone believe it’s true? This could all be a set up for a major shocker revealing he is still alive for people in season 6.

Then again he may dissapear for season 6 (and possibly reappear in season 7 or later) like Bran did this season.

Ashley, not every Targaryen is fireproof. Viserys is most certainly Targaryen and some hot molten metal did him in. . . but aside from that, there are kings in the Targaryen line who were convinced they were blood of the dragon and could survive a little fire — and then didn’t. I still don’t believe Jon is dead, dead. I think he’s either resurrected as is or via Ghost.

I know but if you go with the R+L=J theory, and Jon actually is one of the 3 heads of the Dragon as intended, wouldn’t that be enough of a possibility that he might be fireproof?

I still think Mel will ressurrect him though. Or they may bring in a new actor and say Jon’s soul wargged into Ghost and then into a new body (the show wouldn’t feel the same if they did that, though).

Like I said, they’re too pushy about saying he’s dead. Make’s me think it’s a lie to cover the story up. And just because he’s dead right this instant doesn’t mean he’ll stay dead.

I’m not putting much stock into that interview, or other interviews where he has bragged about taking a break now. Sure Kit is saying – repeatedly – that he isn’t coming back, but he’s being waaaaay to pushy about making it known. Seems a lot like a red herring. It screams of an attempt to make people believe he isn’t going to be there so when season 6 rolls around people will be shocked if/when he shows up. Plus there are too many hints and reasons for him not to be dead (both on the show and in the book and from GRRM; plus if you believe the R+L=J theory, Jon pretty much IS the ICE and the FIRE in the Song of Ice and Fire, you can’t kill of the embodiment of the series before the absolute end of the story … well you could but it wouldn’t make much sense doing so and it would make anything after pointless).

And it’s not like Kit would be alowed to out right tell people that he will be coming back for next season or it would completely ruin the major cliffhanger. So until I hear it directly from GRRM’s mouth that he is dead, I’m not buying it.

Plus there’s the fact that Kit Harington is under contract for next season. I’m not sure they’d sign him to a contract if, ya know, his character isn’t going to be around.

The contract that he signed never guaranteed that he would be back. What it guaranteed was that IF they wanted him back, he would be obligated to do so. It doesn’t mean that they definitely would want him back.

With that being said, I believe that he will be back too, despite his contrary words.

Tell that to Patrick Dempsey on Grey’s Anatomy who had a 2 year contract extension….

You don’t think the ICE might be the white walkers and the FIRE might be the dragons?

I’m not gonna say it’s impossible that that could be the case but personally, no I don’t think so. There’s plenty of other possibilities of who the Ice could represent and who the Fire represents (though Jon being both or Jon being Ice and Dany being Fire seem most likely and probable). Then again it could end up being a combination of all those theories, including the White Walkers and the Dragons.

I agree. Whitewalkers= ice, dragons=fire. Makes sense.

Couple things. One, all most people are saying is Jon is dead, dead, dead. That’s true. He’s dead. But he can be brought back to life. Two, Kit Harington has openly admitted he lies about GoT plotlines to confuse fans (http://pagesix.com/2014/06/12/kit-harrington-lies-about-game-of-thrones-plots-to-throw-fans-off/).

Basically, Jon will back, so don’t worry folks.

Exactly!! stannis is not the warrior of light as the red woman first thought, its actually Jon snow!! That was the mistake she made…Bolton flags burning, her walking on the winterfell battlements, etc, she thought it was Stannis who was the rightful king, she thought wrong!! thats all…You think its a coincidence the red woman shows up at castle Black the night Snow is killed?? She doenst have the power to ressurrect but she met someone who can!! Thorice of mIR!!!

She had to….in written fo she never left….and despite Jon’s story ending the exact same way in DwD, GRRM has said, slyly that he doesn’t know if Snow is dead.

I still remain pissed off that they gave Theon’s big line to Sansa, but we all knew that from the promo for this episode. At least I can be glad they kept the jump from the walls?

So many storylines butchered, I didn’t think they’d get around to all of them.

I’m not watching to watch D&D’s Amateur Writing Hour. I’m watching to see A Song of Ice & Fire adapted for television. That could involve altering storylines as needed, because when translating from a written to visual medium, it is sometimes (i.e. most of the time) required.

What I’m not here for is taking character names and attaching them to characters that barely even resemble the characters they’re based on.

I’m not here to see the big moments of the books, but none of the characterizations or plots that drive towards those moments or characterizations or plots that derive from those moments.

You’ve made this comment to several people. I think it’s says something that a show has loyal fans who continue to watch even if they aren’t completely happy with the way an episode went or a season ended. There have plenty of shows I’ve loved. And then a disappointing season comes along and I’ve been, well, disappointed. I keep watching because even though I didn’t like a certain episode, I can at least hope that the next one will be better. And it is worth mentioning that the poster of this article did ask our opinion. Did we like it? Were we unhappy with it? It’s only natural to assume that there will be some people who didn’t care for this episode. But that doesn’t “disqualify” them from watching next season…

Thanks for meaningless comments that add nothing to the conversation. Just like the “Many Faced God” progeny, looks like you are no one.

Me too!!?! After watching one big bad thing happen then there’s something worse…and again…and again?!? :0

I stopped reading the recap when I read the word “Lady” and it wasnt the Lady I wanted.

It seems crazy, right? I thought he’d be one of the final characters left.

Well obviously since a certain Red head lady who can conveniently bring people back to life just arrived at The Wall.

My thought exactly. She has no one one left so why not bring back Jon to seek revenge?

If she had the power… wouldn’t she have used it on Stannis? She led him to doom by promissing stuff she didnt deliver.

Not necessarily. Melisandre isn’t specifically focused on Stannis because he’s Stannis. She was all all about Stannis because she was convinced he was the Prince that was Promised and the 2nd coming of Azor Ahai. They don’t set it up in the show as they do in the books – there’s indication in the books that Melisandre’s visions are showing her a lot more Snow than Stan while she’s at the wall and she starts to look a little closer at Jon. If she’s back at the wall now thinking Stannis was a false lead – that R’holler abandoned him and didn’t grant him victory, she may also be looking at “ok, then who is it?” And there’s Jon with his trusty valarian steal sword (aka, perhaps, Lightbringer.) and it’s all “Yeah, come on let’s do this thing and get you all breathing again.” There’s such fuss that the look back at previous episodes highlighted Ben Jen Stark…. why not notice the fact that Sam and Jon have this weird, seemingly useless chat about the sword that took down a white walker when it shouldn’t have. (except that it was valeryian steel.)

I remember reading that before George gave the writers the go ahead to do the series he asked them who they thought Jon’s parents were – and they got it right. For someone to be so important that knowing that person’s parents was the key to get the rights to do the show… I think it’s safe that he’s coming back. And I like the interpretation that death would release him from his vow, with Melisandre right there to raise him from the dead now that his vow is fulfilled (maybe THIS is the true reason Shireen was murdered? To save the rightful heir?)

I used the exact same logic to believe that Jon was going to make it until the very end. Time to finally read the books and hope that GRRM gets the next two done in the next decade or two.

Seriously this was the worst season of the show, ever!! Other than a couple memorable episodes mentioned in recap, this whole season has been painful to even keep watching.

I have to disagree, this is the best season yet. Especially the last 3 episodes! So much is happening and changing. I cannot wait to see what happens next! Jon Snow’s death(?), Sansa finally doing something about her situation and not just passively watching and waiting for someone else to help her, Dany’s precarious situation, etc. I have not read the books so I have no expectations of where this is heading even if the producers are switching action and characters from what happened in the books. It is holding together very well as a standalone epic story. To me it’s all new. I don’t know if I’ve every watched anything on TV that is more engaging and unpredictable.

Qyburn has been doing experiments on the mountain since he was poisoned by Oberyn Martell. I think big scary armored guy is the mountain too.

It is indeed the Mountain. In the “Previously” scenes, we were reminded that Qyburn has given him the Frankenstein treatment.

No, he was dying. The man who embraced Cersei was “healing” him. Then he says (and I’m paraphrasing “he’s adapting to the medicine, its changing him” or something like that. That’s a Frankenstein Mountain.

I was never a Jon Snow fan (the character just never registered with me) but I assumed Melisandre would bring him back. I just read EW’s interview with Kit and he clearly states Jon is dead (I.e, he isn’t returning next season). I don’t know if it’s definitive (I would wait for HBO’s official statement before sounding the alarms)

That’s actually an interesting idea. Melisandre is indeed there and probably itching to latch on to a new “king” to further her agenda.

I think stoneheart plot is jons plot now, instead of thoros of myr giving up life, it will be red lady.

I keep seeing this “Jon will get the Stoneheart plot.” No. Jon will get Jon’s plot. (spoilers……)We don’t know what happens to Jon in the book series after the Cesar-scene. He blacks out and the chapter ends. The very things people are speculating about “TV-Jon” are the things people have been speculating about “book-Jon.” Melisandre is at the wall. There’s some indication that she’s starting to wonder if he may not be Azor Ahai…it is completely plausible to think the resurrection plot is Jon’s own and not ‘taken from’ Stoneheart. It’s also plausible that he wargs into Ghost – the show has done a miserable job at showing that Bran is not the only Stark that roams free within their direwolf… the books make it very clear. Even if you don’t want to read the series, give a read to the prologue of Dance w/ Dragons. Just sayin’

Just because Kit says he isn’t coming back, it doesn’t mean Jon isn’t still alive in one form or another. One theory I’ve heard focuses on Jon’s “death” from the book, where his finals words are something to Ghost and it says that he doesn’t even feel the fourth knife…just cold. A lot of people think he’s going to warg into Ghost’s body.

Jon is so not dead. You forget to mentioned Jamie talk with his daughter just for her to died. Drogon took Dany to the firth place they call home, I supposed.

I thought it sucked.. this whole season was actually quite BLAH if you ask me

Your trolling bores me..Just like this season.. nevertheless.. here you are.. loser..

First, I agree, the shaming scene went on way too long. Two, what was the point of the whole Dorne debacle if in the end they killed Myrcella (if indeed she’s dead). What a waste. The Dorne plot from the books was far more interesting. And it turns out Ygritte was right: You know nothing, Jon Snow. Hhmm, if it turns out Jon is really dead, and from other interviews I’ve read tonight it may be true, it completely blows my theory about Jon and Daenerys coming together in the end.

Daenerys and Tyrion. Tyrion is a member of the strongest, most hated family in Westeros. Obviously, he betrayed them but he is still a Lanister. Dany needs him to fully rule Westeros. Everyone hates the Lannisters but will accept Tyrion cause he killed/ ruin their lives. He is her best choice. Not to mention, the writer did say Tyrion is his favorite character. Who else would he marry to the women “everyone loves” and want.

Maybe the other Targaryen that we know is still alive…Oh wait, they completely wrote him out of the entire series….ugh!

This has moved so far from the books that its really something… What the heck has happened to Margaery this whole time? Is she still in the dungeon? Why doesnt Jon keep his damn wolf with him at all times? It’s a shame that they made Stannis so irredeemable that he had to be put down…. his character was more respectable in the books… Gonna be a long YEAR until the next episode.

I agree with you, but it was always going to be a tough task to get all the story lines in the book into the TV show. The show cuts off a lot of the excess fat of the books, but I am surprised that certain story lines in the book didn’t make it to the show. I guess I should have expected it after last week, but I was quite surprised at how meekly Stannis went out. A very different character on screen than in the books. It’s going to be a long wait for the new season, but likely an even longer wait for the next book ;)

Ca…Ca…Can’t…… Sp…..speak. I…. I…… I just don’t know. Dang you, TVLine, for not letting me swear in these comments!

Really?! Nothing on Dany’s predicament? And OMG this finale was jam-packed. As a non-book reader I was floored and excited to see what’s next. I will be incredibly disappointed in Jon doesn’t survive though!

I thought the final Danerys scene was huge… Literally. That’s one monstrous Dothraki army there…enough to do something that a lot of us probably was envisioning the first go around.

So many things shown off-screen and left up in the air…I wonder how much of this finale will “stick” come next season? Stannis killed off-screen? Sansa and Theon jumping to….their deaths? A big comfy pile of snow? A frozen moat? Dany surrounded by foes or friends? And Jon Snow bleeding out??!!! I can only pray to the gods (old and new) that Melisandre arriving back at the wall when she did will save Jon somehow. Until I see a “Post Mortem” interview with Kit Harrington. Of course over on EW there is an article that has him saying that he was told that his character is REALLY dead, and the news story that leaked about his salary being negotiated up through season 7 was a lie, and that he is really gone. *sob*

Now that Jon Snow has been unnecessarily eliminated I do not need to even consider watching Season 6.

There was no need for his death and this show needs at least one hero.

Happens in the books, so necessary in some way. And I suspect that Dany and/or Tyrion might be the hero in the end

Admittedly, I have not read any of the books so I never have any idea what to expect. I thought it was really good but I am freaking devastated right now! Jon Snow! Nooooooooooo!!!

I really thought most of the season was kind of boring but wow those last 3 episodes all rank among the best episodes of the entire show. What a way to end a season!

Jon Snow is also a skinchanger like Bran and Arya… He can go to Ghost’s body. Right?

Yup. Not sure how well they have established that in the shows though. It’s very clear in the books. Not so much in the show

right now I just want the White Walkers kill everybody in Westeros

I just wanna see Ramsey suffer looong n hard..piece by piece!

kit says his “character” is dead but is still supposedly on the pay roll for season 6, so he could come back as someone new or something new. This is my hope, Jon raises from the dead with a new strengthened bond with ghost, his warm powers realized, released from the watch to become something more than night commander, the spirit of rhallor inside guiding him to be the chosen one, and his lineage to be king.

Jon Snow is also a skinchanger like Bran and Arya. He can go to Ghost’s body. Right?

Yes, but they haven’t really touched on that in the show, like they do in the books. Except Bran and the three eyed crow, it hasn’t been brought in.

It will though, especially since Arya just went blind (she’s going to start seeing through Nymeria) & it would even make sense for him to maybe look through Ghost’s eyes while he’s dead before he comes back…because he’s totally coming back…he’s coming back.

Jon Snow is also a skinchanger like Bran and Arya. He can go to Ghost’s body. Right? Then Melissandre can bring his real body back to life. That could be possible…

Stop killing all the good people. You have nothing left for us to love!

Everyone is so shocked by Jons death and I feel like Im the only one traumatized by Cercei’s walk of shame. Like … shame though, even though she was a bi-tch at best. Never read the books but was struck completely guard. Lets the controversy begin.

So if Jon is dead will we ever find out his actual parentage?

The writer contradicts himself every time. It never fails. They want to make it seem as if they’re making a revolutionary story, where the good guys don’t always win, and that there are no good and bad characters (“bad” guys have redeeming qualities ex. Jaime), but the lines are clearly drawn to show bad from good, and then the good guys get completely screwed. That’s not revolutionary, Homer did it thousands of years ago. Their desire to be “different” and have a story that aligns heavily with reality, ends up becoming a work that is no different from anybody who has read a book has seen, and thus the show ends up being very fantastical, not very close to reality. *now come the geeky GOT fans*

“Not close to reality”…it’s based on the Medieval Ages. The only thing that is not fantasized are the dragons & the warging, and that is because that is George RR Martin’s choice of genre. You’re like one of those people who says the Disney movies aren’t original because they’re derived from the Grimm Brothers, seriously!?!? Obviously everything is derived from something else, THERE IS NO ORIGINALITY! Every idea is formed from some other idea that combines with another idea from someone else’s idea! But the real question is…are you going to keep watching? Yeah, I thought so.

In 20th and 21st century popular entertainment it’s fairly novel. Not many people reading Homer these days.

Can you vote “Awesome except the last scene”? I spent the last scene screaming “Edd, Ghost where are you?”

No! Not Jaqen!!! Phew, don’t scare me like that faceless men!

And this series had sucked on the writing and directing fronts.

Everyone is missing the point with regards to Jon. It doesn’t matter if he’s dead. Melisandre is at the wall. Whether he dies from his wounds or he manages to hang on and live she’ll bring him back to life anyway. This interview that ran doesn’t say he’s dead and he stays dead– it says he’s dead. He isn’t lying. He’s just not telling the entire truth.

Exactly! And people keep ignoring the fact that Kit wouldn’t be allowed to say he’s coming back yet because it would ruin the cliffhanger. Seems to me like they are trying way to hard to convince people he is dead with all the ‘I’m dead, I’m not coming back.’ interviews to make people let their guard down about it and not expect it.

Oh God…when you read the comments, you may find yourself sympathizing with some of these…”people”. People who don’t get the show-and claim they’ve read the books but really just read online forums-but alas, they have their “feelings” about what we’ve witnessed thus far from Game of Thrones. Let me just say this…I have read EVERY SINGLE BOOK, GRAPHIC NOVEL, PREQUEL (Dunk & Egg, Hedge Knight, etc.) written by Mr. George R.R. Martin that pertains specifically to “A Song of Ice and Fire”, but even if I DIDN’T (which I did), I’d still have to say that this episode was nothing less than stellar!

If you have read the books & still think it wasn’t “that good” or “this season was the worst of the series”…then you do NOT get the point of ASOIAF and you really need to sit down and think. First of all, to all of you traitorous dissenters, GRRM has TOLD THE PRODUCERS (D.B. Weiss & David Benioff) exactly what he plans to happen at the end of his book series..now, with that in mind these creators only have so much time to put in all the IMPORTANT content in each season (10 hours for 10 episodes of each season, people), they have to keep it interesting & as close to the source material as possible.

I don’t know if many of you have produced a television show as loved and endeared as Game of Thrones, but I’m sure it’s not the easiest of jobs! They have to cut certain stuff, but at the end of the day, though their paths may take different roads, the producers are heading for the EXACT same ending as GRRM! With that being said, I believe the show has done very well, if not outstanding, in the way of staying true to the books–when necessary of course. I would not be surprised if certain characters were dropped (as many have been) because their arcs may be fun to read on pages, but in general have no overall point to ending…which this show is primarily building towards!

Aegon & Griff can be cut in my opinion (I think he’s a fake & he wasn’t interesting); and I know I may get more heat than Balerion’s hot breath, but guess what…Dorne was exactly thrilling in the books! The only thing that was fun about Dorne in the books was Oberyn, Quentyn(only because of one event in particular–which can be planned out by someone else), and Arianne (which may very well be played out by someone else…possibly Trystane). Other than that…..c’mon this was no surprise, maybe it was for the non-book readers bc of the way that the promo gassed the Sand Snakes & Dorne, but they should not have fooled book readers, maybe made us a little irked, but we knew Dorne was pointless already when they said there wouldn’t be an Arianne! Bran’s chapters were soo boring in the book(in the beginning & even after he lost the use of his legs), they were walking & treading through snow, then some warging, then more walking, more pointless talking(some of the time-can’t say were it was important without spoilers), yada yada…in the show they made Bran way more interesting by speeding his story up & making him meet BR quicker. They have to change certain things to fit for the timeline of the show, the show’s efficacy in showing the moral ambiguity of the characters, as well as keeping EVERYONE on their toes…not just non-book readers! I mean, if everyone knew what was going to happen in every single show–there wouldn’t be that edge, that excitement, that thrill?!? That is one of the reasons I’m happy GRRM isn’t done with the books yet, because I actually want to wait for the series to be over & then pick up where I left off in the books to see where the path got different. GRRM is my spirit animal & I’ll love his version I’m sure, but watching it all unfold is something totally different. Fantastic!

All in all, this episode was great! I can’t wait for SEASON 6!!!!

P.S. you might say I dick-ride GoT & ASOIAF, but you’re wrong…I don’t just dick-ride, I SLURP and BATHE in it’s cum, because it’s delicious and it never fails me! It’s the drink of the gods lmaooo jk…but not jk. :l

Snore…..did George write this? I fell asleep reading this like I did with his books.

I agree. I think as book to screen adapations GoT is actually as close to faithful as one can get when adapting a gazillion pages of written manuscript to 10 hours a season. :) I don’t think most of what has veered off this season is as dramatically different as some suggest. I think much of what veers off (aside from Sansa taking on Jeyne’s role w/ Ramsey) likely comes about in the “will it ever get published before I die” book 6. If I recall, things weren’t look so good for Barristan end of Book 5. right? The Night’s Watch mutiny is straight from the book (change out a few of the NW players for other players.) The written word ends right where the show does – and yet as readers, we still wonder what Jon’s fate will be… It’s what makes it all worth following. No one watches and/or reads GoT & ASoIaF for it’s predictibility. No one reads or watches it for it’s danity approach to Westorosi powerstruggles. What makes it so horrible to witness sometimes is the same thing that makes it worth watching and reading. (Or reading and watching as the case may be.)

My heart….my heart …*sniffles* I knew Jon was in trouble, but it still hurts. He was my eye candy. Will the wall still be featured on the show? (I kind of hope not). Anyway, this season could of been a lot better. The finale was awesome, but the season as a whole was blah. As for the finale… Cercei walking through the streets was satisfying, but I agree too long. The scene with Jamie and his niece/daughter was sweet (despite the creepiness of incest), but heartbreaking. Was nice to see Reek/Theon in action. Arya was bada… tonight, but I really hope she doesn’t become permanently blind. Bad enough Bran is crippled. Excited for Dany’s storyline. Glad Stannis is dead. I hope The Red Hag is next. Well it would be nice if she saves Jon. I think that’s it. Again I’m devastated and I barely have anyone to root for now. Everytime I get attached to someone or crush on them , they kill them and it hurts. I’m traumatized yet again.

She dropped the ring so Jorah and Daario could find it, to prove she had been there.

How about she dropped the ring so the Dorthraki soldiers wouldnt know she married somebody else. She is still Kal’s widow …

i think it was dany’s wedding ring she dropped to the ground…how about brianne as the larger than anyone “helper\'”

So … Sansa and Theon … are they dead or what?

Anybody out there as confused as I am about Arya’s seemingly pointless many-faced storyline stumbling blindly into next season? (pun intended).

And am I the only person who’s worried about the other two dragons still chained in the catacombs of Mureen, starving to death because Mummy isn’t there to feed them Dragon Chow?

Since we’ve now strayed from the books, here’s what I’d love to see next year …

Jaimie and Brienne reunited. I only like him when he’s around her.

Tyrion and Danys back together. They’re a good team.

The white walkers destroy the wall and every member of the Night’s Watch … because after murdering the best looking guy on the show, they all deserve to bite it.

I think Arya’s storyline suffers a little from the condenscended telling. To be a faceless man she’s got to let go of her past. She’s got to let go of her desire for vengence and let go of being Arya Stark. And yet she can’t. When it’s written out, it seems to go on and on — and yet’s more clear the purpose of that. I wasn’t a big fan of the Arya chapters in DwD…but I get it.

As for the other stuff — there’s this big idea out that that we’ve “strayed” from the books. We haven’t. We’ve moved ahead in some lines to a point that hasn’t been published yet. There’s enough foreshadowing in the current books and enough hints at whatnot in interviews to think that much of what we see that we consider “off” will come to be one way or another in Book 6, 7 or, if rumors be true, 8— assuming Martin isn’t requiring Melisandre to call on the god of light to resurrect him so he can finish writing post-death.

The HBO Go commentary at the end said the ring is a bread crumb for if anyone comes looking for her, inc ase she is taken away by the Dothraki.

Knew it, very Hansel and Gretel of them. Didn’t even see that part of the show

Yeah, but how the hell in the whole Meereenese countryside would they have the faintest idea where she might have gone? It could be anywhere for scores of miles. They’ll never find that ring.

Um, maybe the dragon left sleeping on the other side of the hill or the scorched circle he slept in will lead them to her? Just a hunch. I’m going to guess the Dothraki are not too upset with her… She was married to Khal Drogo and ate that heart and survived Khal’s pyre… With her dragon babies. Pretty sure word got around on that one.

what, there’s HBO Go commentary? for each episode?? only on HBO, or could i find it online?

On Comcast, the commentary is at the end of every episode if you watch it on-demand. The only place to find it on-line it on HBO’s website as far as I know.

They put those up on the official Game of Thrones Youtube channel.

Jon added nothing to the show but being pretty and his story lines were practically nonexistent so who really cares?

Bring Jon snow back.. it’s was dreaming the whole death thing

We’re going to see Kit Harington with a haircut in the next few weeks and then we’ll know for sure that Jon Snow is dead

Because hair doesn’t grow back? (yeah, I know in past seasons, Kit was told no hair cutting…but since hair grows back, it’s hardly proof of anything other than, they close a season with his character bleeding out in the snow looking pretty dead. I would think the quickest way to ruin a cliffhanger like that would be to have the actor walking around saying “Oh, no worries, it’s all good folks, I’ll be back next season….See, didn’t even get my hair cut ’cause I have to have it all nice and pretty in time for filming. (and we know it’s cut, he’s in some war movie with lovely short hair.)

As of Thursday night when he was on James Corden’s show, Kit still had the Jon Snow look going on. He likely filmed the period war movie during the last hiatus, and his hair did indeed grow back just fine to film this season of GoT.

He was also on kimmel and his hair was discussed. “Shorter.” And then something to the effect of, it grows….

In Testament of Youth he wore a wig, He didn’t cut his hair. I do think its kinda strange that Kit Harrington has said for years, he cant wait to cut his hair once GoT is over, yet he now says he can’t imagine cutting it. Yes I am grasping at straws and yes I want Jon Snow to come back, but it all seems a little strange.

The story goes that his contract stated he wasn’t allowed to cut his hair short while he remained on the show. The week after filming finished Kit was seen with a haircut. It could mean he is indeed off the show but it could also mean he had just signed a new contract that let him cut it.

You are horrible for using this as a headline. Shame on you for spoiling the finale.

Why are you on a tv blog when you know GOT is on? It’s kind of a big tv deal especially being a season finale and all. Obviously it is going to make headlines and people are going to want to talk about t. My advice to you is to avoid tv blogs until you watch the shows you don’t want spoiled and try to watch them asap.

Well…. George Martin said he wasn’t aware that Jon Snow is dead so there is hope. Surely they wouldn’t kill of Jon Snow… surely not..

Dany could have been sent packing and I would not have blinked an eye. Her storyline is yawn city. The only tolerable parts are her surrounding entourage and only sometimes. Also, why do the season finale’s always end on a boring Dany moment?? Valuable time wasted! Am I missing the entertainment/importance of her storyline?? She is the Zoolander of this show- she only has one look, one facial expression.

I must of missed Dany being there when Jon Snow was stabbed and bleeding out in the snow. That was how the finale ended in the version I watched. Dany’s important because she is the last known living Targaryen and has a legitimate claim to the throne. You might find her growing power and potential game changer in King’s Landing as being boring. I find it intriguing. Until the last night at least, she seems to be a major contender for the throne.

after hardhome, I look at that field of dead-Baratheon troops and I think to myself “Someone better light those folks up on fire because there just aren’t enough pieces of dragonglass left to tackle that mess….”

speaking of. . . the ‘history’ of ASoIaF indicates the Nights’ King is a former Lord Commander who went to the dark sise – sort of Darth Vader with a side of chill. Maybe he hops over the wall and takes on Jon as his new apprentice. Does a dead-blue-eyed zombie guy need an heir?

I think Dany dropped the ring so that the khalasar wouldn’t know that she remarried after Khal Drogo passed away, if they were friendly, or because she figures someone will be looking for her and she wants to leave a trail, or it could be both reasons.

GRRM has said the leader of the White Walkers is not the same character as the Night’s King in his books.

True that the first 7 episodes definitely were setting up the final 3 and were noticeably slower, however, it was worth the payoff of the final 3 episodes.

I agree with the theory that The Red bitch is there to bring Jon back to life. And I believe he will be himself, just like Beric Dondarrion seemed to be himself even after being brought back to life 3 times. Stoneheart, however, was dead too long and thus damaged. There likely will be some changes, especially once Jon realizes he was dead and brought up, but for the most part, I think he will be true to himself.

Dang, would have liked to see Stannis’ head roll. Hopefully he’s dead and not taken for a hostage or prize or something like that. He deserves whatever he gets and more. It was good to see him a broken man, betrayed by the Witch and god he thought he could trust. Talk about losing everything. He takes the cake.

Season 6 wishes: Ramsey – tortured slowly, painfully, then dies; Cersei gets her come uppance (though it looks like she’s going to make a lot of people pay before that ever happens.) i thought she was done for, but apparently not. Man, she’s gonna be some nutjob mothertrucker after all that.

And we know nothing of Margaery and her brother. Hope they get out of there scott free to conitinue the Margaery/Cersei battle for control of Tommen.

Loved seeing Varys and Tyrion back together. I assume those Dothraki will follow Dany eventually.

I think everyone knew what was going to happen to Myrcella when Ellaria kissed her. Too bad. I liked the king. She was gutsy girl who knew what she wanted and wasn’t afraid to say so. It only figures she’d end up dying of course.

That walk of shame. Can you say ‘OVERKILL’ boys and girls. 1/2 or 1/4 of that whole scene STILL would have made the point. She’s shamed. And she’s pissed. And she’s got a new Zombie Mountain Guard who is determined to kill all her enemies. It was a very strong scene but they really beat a dead horse with the length of it. No wonder the darn clerics of the church where that was filmed were not happy with that scene. Looks like they comprised by just filming the nudity on the church steps inside of inside the church.

Have we seen all the different ways Benioff and Weiss can think of to beat/rape/humiliate/torture/shame/burn little girls and women this season or will they come up with even more in Season 6? Yeah, you just know they will. They’re so creative. It would just be nice if it could be less frequently. Hopefully.

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