Season 6 is probably without much debate the best season of Game of Thrones or at the very least, showcasing the very best episode of the series with “Battle of the Bastards” and following that one with the beginning of the endgame with “The Winds of Winter” that aired this past Sunday night. Warning, spoilers ahead…
There were so many deaths in these last two, some like Ramsay Bolton (Iwan Rheon) was long, long overdue and was probably more eagerly awaited (and celebrated) than the death of Joffery (Jack Gleeson). While saying goodbye to Margaery Tyrell (Natalie Dormer) was more unexpected and painful to see.
“Battle of the Bastards” finally saw the long awaited showdown between Jon Snow (Kit Harington) and Ramsay Bolton. I guess in some ironic twist of fate, their showdown took place on Father’s Day. The clock had long been ticking for Ramsay’s demise from the first moment we met him. From his sadistic torture of Theon Greyjoy (Alfie Allen) to his tormenting of the eldest Stark daughter, Sansa (Sophie Turner). Not to mention, the countless men, women and babies he had murdered for the simple reason that he could and for his personal enjoyment.
With the odds completely against him, Jon was able to amass a small army to take back Winterfell and defeat Ramsay. In order to free his brother Rickon, Jon proposes a more peaceful confrontation, a fight between the two bastards. With the numbers clearly on his side, Ramsay dismissed the idea. Instead, he uses Rickon to bait Jon into a fool hardy attack. He kills Rickon in cold blood after releasing him. Jon uses to latest Stark death (four if we’re keeping score) to charge at Ramsay’s army. The army he did amass followed his lead and joined the attack.
Some of the very best fighting sequences that have ever been filmed were on display here. You would be hard pressed to find something better, that’s how good this was. Regardless of the gallant effort Jon and his men showed, the sad reality was they didn’t have the numbers to defeat Ramsay. That was until of all people, Littlefinger (Aidan Gillen) and the Knights of the Vale arrive to save the day thanks in large part by Sansa. In the end, the Stark coat of arms flies freely over Winterfell and Sansa gets her revenge on Ramsay by feeding him to his beloved hounds. It was a fitting end to a most vile character.
Now, this leads us to “The Winds of Winter”. It started with a big bang… literally as Cersei (Lena Headey) channels her inner Michael Corleone and unleashed her revenge against the High Sparrow and all those responsible for her public shaming. Her murderous plan also cost her last remaining child, Tommen. Tommen committed suicide upon seeing the horror his mother had orchestrated. With no one standing in her way, Cersei takes the Iron Throne for herself.
One of the great reveals of the night was Arya Stark (Maisie Williams) exacting her revenge against Lord Walder Frey for the Red Wedding incident that killed her brother Robb and her mother Catelyn. But of course the biggest reveal was the potential confirmation that Jon Snow is not Ned Stark’s bastard son as we had been led to believe, but his nephew. In the finale, Bran Stark completed his vision of the Raid on the Tower of Joy that started several weeks earlier. Bran sees that his father finding his sister, Lyanna who was bleeding to death. It is in that moment; Lyanna makes Ned promise to protect her newborn child. The baby is then handed to Ned who looks into its eyes and the picture fades from the child to the Jon Snow.
This is a big deal as it sets the course for GoTendgame with Jon as the heir to the Iron Throne. This would also make Jon the nephew of Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke). Ice and Fire now takes on a much deeper meaning. With Daenerys heading towards Westeros at the conclusion of Season 6, how long before Jon and Daenerys unite as one against not only the White Walkers but Cersei as well?
The spring of 2017 can’t arrive soon enough for this question and countless others to be answered.
May the Dork be with you,
JPB
The Dork Knight
