Looking Back at Game of Thrones Season 7

By Avik Basak

Well, it has been more than three weeks since the finale of the seventh season of Game of Thrones premiered and I am assuming, by now, everyone has watched it. Still, if you have not seen it yet, I would recommend that you do not read any further and turn back from here as this article contains major spoilers.

I know I have written reviews without divulging much detail in the past but I cannot do that in this case because I believe as a fan of the show, I need to discuss it thoroughly. This is the very reason why I am writing it so long after the show’s conclusion.

There were huge expectations from this season, considering where they left things last year. Everyone knew that season seven would be based entirely on original materials because the TV show overtook George R.R. Martin’s book series, hence no one knew for certain what would happen to whom (As theories do not warrant any certainty). Moreover, the number of episodes was reduced to seven from the earlier traditions of ten and the season premiere got pushed from April to July, which made fans all the more eager to find out what the makers had in stock.

So, without wasting much time let’s take a look at the major highlights of this season, most of which we liked but there were some that we hoped had been handled differently.

!!!Spoiler Alert!!! !!!Spoiler Alert!!! !!!Spoiler Alert!!!

What We Liked

Daenerys Meeting Jon

After anticipating it for so long, the fans finally got to see the Ice and the Fire meet for the very first time in this seventh season of the series. I must say, it could not have been done more clinically as the chemistry between the duo generates gradually. At first, they engage in arguments, which is natural as both are crowned King and Queen by their people. Then they talk and persuade each other as we could see the sexual attraction and the mutual admiration rise that finally culminates at the end of the season when we find them making love to each other. We could not have asked for anything better.

Ser Jorah’s Cure

You have to admit, you must have felt bad when Jorah was diagnosed with Grayscale and hoped that he will be cured. Well, we get our hopes rewarded as Jorah not only receives the cure but also returns to Daenerys to help her and Jon in their war against the dead. It is also good to see that Jorah is in good terms with Jon even though the latter’s presumed father ordered the former’s execution.

Grey Worm and Missandei Consummating

Since we got to know about their affection for each other, we always hoped to see something spark between Grey Worm and Missandei. Yes, we had doubts because Grey Worm is an unsullied (You know what that means) but still we wanted them to get together. Finally, we see something blossom between the duo as they consummate to their feelings for each other right before Grey Worm heads for Casterly Rock to lead a battle against the Lannisters.

Olenna’s Confession to Joffrey’s Murder

One of the best bit of this season and if the social media reactions are to be believed, then almost everyone liked this reveal. Although we will surely miss this queen of sarcasm’s presence in the show, Lady Olenna’s confession to Joffrey’s murder was probably the best possible way for her to bid goodbye.

The Loot Train Attack

The confrontation between the Lannisters and the Targaryens had to happen at some point of time and the way it happens is just mind-blowing. Jaime’s expression is worth seeing a million times when he hears Drogon roar for the very first time. Then Drogon started barbequing the Lannister forces and destroying the looted carts. The whole sequence is crafted with matchless precision and makes the episode one of the best in the show’s history.

Gendry’s Return

I do not know about you but I missed this bastard of Robert Baratheon since his escape from Dragonstone. It is good to see him return to the main fold of things but the meeting between him and Jon is more than anyone could have asked for. It also signifies the pace, the show moved in this whole season which is a relief for many as it was known for moving at a snail’s pace in the earlier days.

The Battle beyond the Wall

Although the battle ends on a sad note, with the death of Daenerys’s beloved dragon, Viserion, you must admit that it has been one of the most epic sequences we have ever seen on the show. The way the three dragons work in unison as they burn and sink the wights, it is an amazing spectacle. Apart from that, the way Jon and his comrade fight before the Dragon Queen’s arrival is also admirable. Directed by Alan Taylor, who has been associated with the show from the very first season, this episode even surpasses the landmark set by “The Spoils of War”.

Jaime Deserting Cersei

Finally, Jamie does the most sensible thing by leaving Cersei; at least it seems that way at the end of the season. I grew quite fond of the ‘one-handed’ character in the last few seasons and used to sympathise with him for his twisted fate, which enforced him to fight for the wrong side. It is good to see that it would not be the case anymore, come the final season of the series. The standoff scene between the ‘siblings’ where Cersei almost threatens to order the Mountain to kill Jaimie is another treat of this season.

The Execution of Littlefinger

Well, you have to agree that Petyr Baelish had it coming for a long time. The conspiracies he had woven and the number of deaths he was responsible for making it quite satisfying to see when Arya slits his throat after Sansa judges him guilty. The best bit of that scene is when Bran says exactly what Littlefinger had said to Ned Stark before having the former Lord of Winterfell imprisoned.

Complete Revelation of Jon’s Parentage

After waiting for so long, it was finally revealed at the end of the last season that Jon is the son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark. What we did not know was if he is an illegitimate child or indeed a true born son of the couple as Rhaegar was married to Elia Martell at that time. It is in this penultimate season when we discover that Rhaegar had his marriage with Elia annulled and married Lyanna in a secret ceremony, hence making Jon a legitimate son of the crowned prince and the true heir to the Iron Throne. It will be interesting to see how Jon reacts when he comes to know of this fact and how it affects his relationship with Daenerys, to whom he had sworn his allegiance. It will also be interesting to watch how Daenerys responds to this whole scenario.

The Fall of the Wall

Since the earlier seasons of GoT, I always wondered how the Wall would look when it falls. Finally, my question has been answered in this season when the Night King uses the undead Viserion to destroy a part of the Wall at Eastwatch so that his army can march into Westeros. Not only it is a spectacle to watch, it also brings new significance to the story so far. It also makes us wonder about what happened to Tormund and Beric when they were trying to escape the castle.

What We Didn’t Like

The Fate of the Sand Snakes

I do not know about you but I liked the Sand sisters and their willingness to enact revenge on the killers of their father. They were not only pretty but also fierce in the action scenes. So, it was sad to watch when Obara and Nymeria are killed by Euron Greyjoy and Tyene is captured along with her mother.

Standoff between the Stark Sisters

Everyone was basking in happiness when most of the Stark children reunited after being separated for so long but that did not last for long as we see the Stark sisters blaming and doubting each other. I personally found it a forced issue to fill in the time gaps between other important sequences at other places. The standoff scene, where Sansa finds the faces in Arya’s satchel and then the latter threatens the former with a knife, was a little too much to digest and believe.

The Ed Sheeran Scene

In a season, which was so compact and every scene, every second mattered, this one special appearance by Ed Sheeran felt like a joke. Though the song he sang was soothing, it does not justify wasting valuable screen time to set up an unnecessary scene so that he could make a musical cameo. If it was a publicity stunt by the makers, it was not that well camouflaged.

Bran’s Farewell to Meera

I understand that Bran has become the “Three-Eyed Raven” which means he is not the little boy anymore who embarked on a journey beyond the wall but that does not give him the license to be a complete jerk. Meera was with him the entire time; she also lost her brother on that journey, something that promises an emotional bonding between them but instead Bran bids farewell to Meera in the most disappointing manner possible. I would blame the writers for this one as they could not capitalise on what seemed like a promising prospect.

Benjen Stark’s Sacrifice

I agree that if Benjen had gone with Jon, the horse’s pace would have been slowed and there would have been nothing else to distract the dead army’s attention. Still, it is very hard to digest that Benjen went on to take on the dead without any proper planning or an escape strategy. I mean, when he was shown alive after these many years, I thought he would play a role in The Great War but instead what we get is a poorly crafted demise. Still, it cannot be said for sure if he has really died or not, given the show’s reputation of bringing back the dead but if he had, it was an indulgence that the show-runners could have avoided.

More Weirdness from Bran

Let’s get back to Bran again as his weird behaviour does not end with Meera’s farewell. When Samwell Tarly arrives at Winterfell, Bran does tell him that Jon is the son of Rhaegar and Lyanna but does not clarify that he is not a bastard because he did not know at that point and instead he says that Jon’s last name should be “Sand”, instead of “Snow”, due to the Dornish tradition. It is after Sam’s suggestion that he goes on to see the marriage of Rhaegar and Lyanna to deduce that Jon is the true heir to the Iron Throne. It is very hard to accept Bran to be this much judgemental and dumb, especially now when he is the “Three-Eyed Raven” and could have taken a peek at the secret wedding anytime he wanted. It is another writing loophole that stings a little.

The Casting of Rhaegar

If social media reactions are something to go by then I am not the only one who feels the makers did not do justice by casting some ‘nobody’ in the character of Rhaegar. The character is so well-defined in the books and the TV series that it needed a charismatic known face such as Jude Law’s casting in the role of Dumbledore in the Fantastic Beasts sequel. I personally believe that they could have cast Hayden Christensen of the Star Wars fame, while many were rooting for Orlando Bloom for the role of the Targaryen crowned prince.

Too Many Aegons

Am I the only one who is getting confused by the number of Aegons in the Targaryen dynasty after the revelation of Jon’s true name? Seriously, in the books, Rhaegar had another son with Elia Martell who was named Aegon (Who is supposed to be Jon’s half-brother). So, if we go by this logic, Rhaegar has two sons; one of them is named Aegon VI and the other one is named Aegon VII. Does this make any sense? No, it does not to me.

The Disappearance of Ghost

Where is the four-legged ally of Jon Snow? We kept asking ourselves this question as Ghost is missing from the action during the whole season. Apart from Nymeria, he is the only alive dire wolf that the Stark children adopted; hence he is a crowd favourite. So, many fans of the show, such as me, did not find it a good thing that the makers chose to completely ignore our white friend. I hope they come up with a pretty good explanation in the next season; otherwise, it will be counted as a big plot loophole.

Do you have anything else that you would like to add to the above list? How did you like this penultimate season? Do let me know in the comments section.