Game of Thrones -- The End Game

I'm still in a bit of shell shock--sword shock?--over last night's episode of Game of Thrones. Holy Mother of Dragons, was that intense! But wow! Just wow.

I don’t think I’ll ever love a show more than this one. What a night! #GOT pic.twitter.com/Ra6cYUdkpI

— kallie anna (@itsmekeek) April 29, 2019

I'm glad it was 80 minutes instead of the usual 50-ish, but even with that extra half an hour the episode flew by. All-in-all it was the perfect amount of time to generate all the feels--dread, amazement, horror, sheer terror, intense suspense and that final HELL YEAH!--without letting it turn into an endless grind of swinging blades and splattering blood.

I'm sure there will be a lot of hurrahing and whinging (to quote a character) in the next few days. So let me just offer a few thoughts--in as non-spoilery a format as possible.

I loved all the tense preparation and waiting for the hammer to fall, as well as the moments during the battle when things started to look hopeful--right before they turned very, very bad.

I love the final blow and who delivered it. It was unexpected (which I loved) and spontaneous, but really--it was THAT MOMENT! The one where you jump up and yell. And it made every kind of sense for the character who landed it, and for the weapon of choice, when all things are considered. Think about the history of how that weapon factored in and how it was used in the end game, and I think you'll see what I mean.

By the way. Nice move, __________!

There was one scene that was very reminiscent of Kylo Ren's attempt to take out Luke Skywalker--with the forces of good and evil reversed. Unlike Luke's scene, the outcome wasn't quite so unexpected. For me, it was sort of a "Yeah, I've been here before" moment. All that was missing was someone brushing soot off their shoulder.

As anticipated, the death count was high--and I seriously doubt we have the full tally yet--and I'm going to miss some of these characters. And a few entire armies. They helped make this series what it was, and what it has become. We knew this battle was going to take a toll on the cast, and it certainly did that.

As a viewer I literally feel like I've been through a war with them, which speaks to how artfully everything unfolded. But I was but a bystander in my cozy recliner. The actors and cast had no such comforts and had to be borderline superhumans to pull this off. The conditions they overcame to film these scenes speak to their dedication to the excellence that is GoT. Here's a great article if you'd like to get the behind the scenes story on what it took to film The Battle of Winterfell:
Entertainment Weekly: GoT Inside the Brutal Battle to Make Season 8

But even though the Battle of Winterfell is done, as one character remarked it won't be the last battle. Things have not yet been tied up with a bright, shiny bow. There's a whole lot of questions yet to be answered and conflicts yet to be resolved, or ended permanently.

I expect these next three episodes are going to be mesmerizing. I hope the Game of Thrones connections can pull off the ending to top all endings. I realize that's an impossible dream. You just can't please all of the people, all of the time. But I hope I'm one of the happy campers.

Yet when it's all said and done, I'm going to be sad. This has been such a fantastic series and I'm going to miss those GoT Sunday Nights terribly.

Game of Thrones has added some phrases to popular culture that will probably be around as long as the 40-year reign of the popular Star Wars lines.

Winter is Coming

The North remembers.

Blood and fire.

The night is dark and full of terrors.

What is dead may never die.

A Lannister always pays their debts.

The lone wolf dies, but the pack survives.

Stick 'em with the pointy end.

Not today.

And then there's the iconic theme and opening dioramas that change with the events of each season. It's now probably one of the most recognized scores of all times, with the possible exception of Star Wars. 

But just like a great novel, all good things must come to a close and that end is getting near. I think Game of Thrones raised the standard for Fantasy on the small screen the way The Expanse did for Science Fiction. Both series introduced compelling characters, awe-inspiring sets, conflicting personal and political commitments, and sky-high stakes with a threat that could wipe out humanity.

Hopefully there will be a lot of great fare going forward that will strive to meet the same standards. The good news is there may already be a GoT spin-off or two in the works. Well played, HBO. Because the fans remember.

Have a great week.