EEEEEEEAAAAAAAAHHHHHHAAAAAHHAAAAAA------

Yeah, that's a pretty accurate description of my feelings on this episode.

The obvious out of the way first. Dat battle. Jamie and Bronn (especially Bronn) on one side, Dany on the other. I cheered when Bronn made the shot and lamented Drogon getting shot. Jamie's charge was stupid and brave and really the only thing he could have done. This is a man who lost his honor for killing the madman who wanted to burn King's Landing and now he sees the Mad King's daughter realizing the horror Jamie had once averted, of course he will take the slim chance to kill her. Bro-Bronn saving Jamie's ass - again. On the other hand, Jamie still supports Cersei, who had done exactly what he had killed the Mad King to prevent. So fuck Jamie, but Bronn is my dude.

Dany is like "sure, I'll help but BEND DA KNEE". Can you and Jonny-boy just bone already and get over yourselves?

But while the dragon had me grinning like an idiot, I think Arya takes the gold for my favorite moment of S7 so far. "Who taught you how to do that?" "No one." AHAHAHAAHAA I'm fucking fanboying over here. Though I have to say, I also greatly enjoyed how Bran just fucking shut Littlefinger down. "Chaos is a ladder", way to go, quoting Littlefinger from like 4 seasons ago to Littlefinger. BETTER GET SOME BURN SALVE FOR THAT MATE

I'm still high on the dragon overload, but I think I can say this was one of the best GoT episodes ever. Three relative snoozefests and then they pull this. Holly hell but this was incredible.

 

I had a bit of a similar reaction to ScottPress to the battle, but it included a few more choice words. Something along the lines of: "HOLYFUCKINSHIIIIIIIIIIIIIITFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCKINFUCKLIKEWHATTHEFUCK".

That was probably one of the best battle scenes in the show so far. Not just because of the visuals (which were GLORIOUS), but because I think it's the first time in the show I couldn't actually root for either side, because I didn't want either of them to lose. We've had battles between main characters before (Battle of Blackwater for one), but this was the first one that felt personal on both sides, and had people on both sides I love. That attachment to both sides made everything that happened so much MORE. When Bronn hears the Dothraki you both want them to tear through and take the fight to Cersei, and for Jaime and Bronn to turn them back. When Bronn makes the shot you want to cheer him on and make him stop. And Jaime's charge? Damn. As far as he can see, Daenerys is the second coming of the Mad King, who he gave up his dreams and honor to stop. I'd honestly place it up there with Hardhome, though I think that one remains at the top of my list.

Sansa's scenes with Arya were equally amazing for me though. Their initial meeting was very nicely done. They were never on good terms, and having them both be happy to see each other yet not fully know how to interact was wonderful. They key part for me though, was Sansa's reaction to Arya's comment about her list. She seemed to think it was either a joke or a wish list instead of a to-do list. It's not until Bran's comment about the Crossing that she starts getting the idea that Arya may be serious about it, and not until she the scene with Brienne that she comes to realize Arya just may be capable of it. The first win could possibly be written off as Brienne underestimating her, but Arya continues to match her after that, making it impossible to doubt Arya's potential for violence and murder.

Overall, by far the best episode in the season, and imo one of the best ones in the series. I find myself really impatient for the next episode for the first time this season. Can't wait to see the fallout of the battle and the Starks continuing to realize just how crazy all their lives have been.

 

I like Jaime, but I was fully behind Dany, and got quite anxious when I thought Bronn might make his mark. Still, I hope they come out of it.

By far the more interesting scenes for me were the scenes at Winterfell, and the interaction between Dany and Jon. Those are the things I'm really looking forward to seeing fleshed out.

 

On the other hand, I was actually hoping for the Lannisters to win. Never thought that would happen. Fuck the Dothraki.

That sideways shot of the dragon burning shit was spectacular. Also would've been totally fine with Jaime dying and killing the dragon at that moment.

Edit: Also this.

 

Loved this entire episode but damn that battle was insane. Watching Jaimie's face when he realizes he's watching the thing he tossed away his honor to prevent happening right in front of him, a crazy Targaryen having a dragon burning fuckloads of people alive, is sad. You can see how desperate he is to stop what I'm sure he thinks is Aerys round two when he makes his final charge.

Also Arya is a goddamn ninja now and I love it.

 

Arya's ninjaskillz are especially sweet, because we've seen her journey, from stick fighting with the butcher's boy, through Syrio, wandering with the Hound and the training at the House of Black and White. That shit was earned. I loved Brienne's WTF face when Arya held Needle to her neck.

 

I felt really terrible for Meera this episode. It's clear she loves Bran, maybe not romantically but she's sacrificed so much and went through this horrible experience for him and he's just like, "Cheers for that, see ya later."

I get the scope of him seeing everything that's ever happened and how that must make everyday interpersonal relations seem fairly unimportant but Jesus. Throw the chick a bone.

 

I do like the character growth theyve given Jaime, he knew he would get roasted if he killed Dany, but he tried anyway to try and stop it, massive character growth imo, but also similar to how he killed the Mad King

Seen conflicting opinions about Bronn, he fired the arrows/saved Jaime to make sure he got his gold, or because at this point he is actually a friend to him, probably the first one, but the latter would be pretty awesome

Jon and Davos obviously spent last episode with some chalk in the caves

Arya is a fucking boss. "Most of them are dead" Sansas face when she realised. I notice how Arya seems more happy when Jon is mentioned than she is with Sansa though so that should be an awesome reunion

ScottPress - you thought the first 3 episodes were snooze fests? What show have you been watching?

 

I agree that this episode was easily one of the best.

Not only because of the battle, which was spectacular, but Stark siblings reunion. Add to that Bran messing with Littlefinger and Arya challenging Brienne, and I must say that I enjoy the North a lot more than I expect after Jon left it.

Bronn easily ruled the most of the episode, even when he was getting his ass kicked by Dothraki version of himself, but Jaime's final charge wins it all. While I don't expect almost anything from the show to actually be in the books, a variation of that scene should definitely happen.

 

I think it's more the latter. At this point, all the gold they took from Highgarden is fucked and the sack of gold Bronn got from Jaime was on his horse, which also got fucked. If he were really as cutthroat as he makes himself out to be, he would have run the moment Jaime gave him the order to shoot down the dragon. At the point, the battle was pretty much over but he stayed and fought anyway.

Anyway, loved the episodes and everything involving the Starks. I'd say the same for Jaime and Bronn, but their loyalty to Cersei makes it hard to root for them. At least Cersei's big plan to pay off the bank in full is fucked. Looking forward to seeing her expressuon when she heaes the news.

Edit: Damn. I guess I won't get see her plans blow up and to think I bought all that lube for nothing.

 

Didn't she get all the money? It's the food that was destroyed.

 

Aye. They said the gold was safely through the gates at King's Landing. But all that grain is toast for sure.

 

Might try and find a high quality version of that Jaime image for a wallpaper

 

Are you sure? Not rewatching for this, but I remember the Bravosi banker saying something like "we will support you, as soon as the gold actually arrives of course!"

 

I don't really have sympathy for this view of Jaime's character, since he's ignoring Cersei's similar moment of burning people to the ground. Say what you will about Daenerys's suitability to rule, she hasn't burnt her allies and family, nor driven her son to suicide.

Jaime riding at Drogon was badass though.

 

They had Randyll Tarly say that all the gold had made it to Kings Landing, and now they were just transporting food. Which I think is supposed to be intentionally showing how rash/stupid Dany is - because a couple scenes previously she was claiming that her army was potentially going to starve because Cersei was talking all the food from the Reach, and then Dany spend the entire battle burning all that food.

Speaking of, Missandei's speech about how Dany is super awesome because they all chose her to be queen kind of works to undermine her, since the North chose Jon and Dany is pointlessly refusing to respect that. Still hoping the show makes her into the outright villain, even if I can't see that being what happens in the books.

 

As awesome as the scene with a dragon firing up all these wagons was, it wasn't her best decision in that battle even if she assumed it's just gold.

It all depends on her reaction to Jon's parentage. Is she going to bend her knee to the rightful ruler, which she should based on her own arguments when he refused, or is she going to believe that after everything she should be the one to sit on the Iron Throne?

That said, with only nine episodes, I doubt we will get major fight between Jon and Dany's allies. Rather I expect we will get one more wedding scene, the White/Snow Wedding, as a way to resolve this problem and for all major characters to enjoy, no twists in this one, before the big battle with the White Walkers where no one will be safe.