The last episode of GOT Season 4 airs here in the UK this evening. To say I am giddy with anticipation would be an understatement. Every season of Game of Thrones gets stronger and stronger, and R.R.Martins sadistic tendencies and his take on historical realism become clearer and clearer. I fear for my favourites... I also don't expect them to make it. At least that is my sincere thoughts after Episode 8...
One point to note - I have not read the books. I have a huge collection of books to work through, and very little time to do it, so this is a fresh take from someone being served up the Song of Ice and Fire series through the gogglebox. (I hate that term...)
So, if like me, you are up to date on this season - below is how my brain is anticipating the final episode. There is SO much to tie up, I hope they make the next series be more than ten episodes, but so far it is a winning format. I considered walking through all 9 released episodes but there is a LOT of story arc to cover. Instead, I pick up below, from the end of episode 9 - The Watchers on The Wall.
So, with that in mind. Where does that leave us for the final episode?
Firstly, we need to find out what happens to Tyrion! I hope he makes a break for it, and I hope Bron or even Jaime will assist or join him. Tyrion has long been my favourite character, and after Ep7 and the majority of Ep8 I was hopeful his duel would pay off. And then, despite shouting at the screen to not get too close, the inevitable happened... I anticipated the duel would end with The Red Viper and The Mountain potentially killing each other, but Oberon's skills proved him the most skilled warrior, sadly to the point of arrogance *sadface*. The Mountain is clearly crippled. He looked like the killing blow on Obe might have been his last ghasp, but I don't think we have seen the last of him. I do anticipate his remaining screen time may be short and painful considering Oberons duel history... hopefully tonight will shed some light.
To continue points from there, will we see any more of Bron? He was another of my favourite characters. I would like to see him pair up with Tyrion again, or perhaps have his own spin off story line. I would also like, as mentioned above, Jaime to ditch his sisters company and pair with Tyrion to help him out. However it works out - gonnae no gut Tryion Mr Martin?!
What happens with Arya and The Hound? Will she reunite with her sister? Arya I have liked from the day she started getting trained using Needle, who doesn't like an Underdog story. (Except maybe President Snow) I have grown to really like The Hound - I don't want to see him moonwalking if they let them through the gates, although if he was to be snuffed out - I hope it would be Arya, and so do you :p. Actually, I would like to see them go back out into the wild and for him to continue her training, taking him under his slightly darkened wings...
Sansa - after her showing in Ep8 - I am now, for the first time, curious about her outcome. There is a great potential for her plot (although the last thing I want to see is her cosying up with Little finger. Ooh, fun twist - potential hound v finger conflict?... do it! I wouldn't expect it to turn violent, but I wouldn't put it past the hound to just Gregor the crap out of him. Little fingers saving grace is disposing of some of my lesser liked characters this series.)
Brienne and Poderick - where will their adventures take them? Oh no. Brienne V Hound? but I like them both... they know where Sansa went, and last we seen of them they were horseback riding to The Eeyrie. I suspect they are a good half a series behind Arya and The Hound though.
Will Margaery and Tomlin get married? It's a creepy seduction so far, but I have always been a huge fan of Dormer. /Drool, and want to see more of her. (Not that we didn't get that in her recent photo-shoot)
Danerys. To be honest, I don't feel much for that end of the plot at the mo. I has been a 2 series long trek through desert with a few epic moments thrown in. I am not sure what will happen here, but I would like to see her send for Mormont after realising he has been at her side 100% (I think...) Missendi and Grey Worm are a cute couple though. We are all hoping that Grey Worm lives up to his namesake are we not?
What about the watchers at the wall? I have a sneaky suspicion, that after Jon showing his sub-par swordless fighting skills in Ep9 that he is wandering off to a rather bubbly end.
Bran - I am unsure about this arc. At the minute I am not all that into it, there are interesting aspects and they keep stumbling across others, but as I understand it, even the plot we are seeing is brought forward from a later book or freshly fabricated for the series. Not expecting much.
Theon. The greyjoys are once more a story arc I dont follow with great interest. It served to introduce some characters we really want to see die, and has shown just how dark some areas of this show will go with torture and treachery, and it is always interesting, but I have no idea where it is going. Roose now holds the gateway to the North with 2 large armies, so where will this go I wonder?
Oh, Stannis. Another arc I have not been following with great interest. I probably should have. I may have had some things Stannis side spoiled for me, that I won't mention here, but it could get more interesting if what I accidentally read is true :)
Ok, I have talked about arcs, but not what I expect to actually be in the final episode. My expectation is:
We will see where Arya and The Hound end up, we will find out what is going to happen to Tyrion, we will find out if The Mountain is going to survive his multiple impalings, Jon Snow will walk off, I reckon, to his doom. I expect Sam is going to vacate his nights watch position to take Gillie somewhere safer. Danerys will make another 'cameo' - only I suspect she will make a big decision to continue marching on Kings Landing so she has something to do next series other than play Slaver-Sim City. Stannis may finally start things rolling now he has funding, and we will likely be shown his path. Sansa and Peeta may make an appearance if Arya and The Hound pass through the murder gate(?) but I think the plot lines for Sansa, Roose, Stannis, Theon and Bran are wrapped up, and everyone else is just waiting for their cliffhanger to be shown. finally - The white walkers always wrap up the seasons - where are they now. (Mayhaps they will pop up behind wildling lines and start killing them all saving Jon. Who knows!)
I would summarise this series, and the theme of the whole show in the following paragraph.
The good guys never get an easy time, the best combatants usually fuck up something leading to their end (I think Bron broke the 4th wall on that one!) the best thinkers lead the way - but are often out manoeuvred by the other thinkers. It boils down to Brawn v Brawn, Brain V Brain, a slight mingling in the middle with the thinkers manoeuvring the fighters to do their bidding and dying. The assholes seem to have a protracted shelf life, but when they meet their end, it is GLORIOUS. Sadly, some of them win us over first (I thought Oberon was a bit of an ass for most of his screen time, but a fun one). Martin also seems to have some favourites. Characters that just pop, and are awesome, or make huge advances, but its almost like he is rolling dice for the results and pulling them from some sort of Gygax table. Like >This< but for gory endings, or glamorous encounters. As the saying goes: Trust no one. Don't trust their competence, or their incompetence, their friends, family, neighbours, priests or the weather. It can all turn in an instant - and often does.
I love this show.
-V
