Everything you are about to read is a spoiler. If you have not yet watched the season five finale, do not read this article. Go watch it and then come back. You have been warned.
Breathe.
Another year, another shot to the heart — or would it be more apropos to say knife to the chest?
As the “Game of Thrones” season five finale ended, I was startled. Some expletives may or may not have been said, perhaps some couch punches occurred and, of course, there was some blank staring into the abyss wondering why I put myself through this year after year.
Going into the episode, I knew that there was a great chance for a monumental death on the show. I mean, we had yet to get one this season and it only seemed right for someone beloved to be another pawn for George R.R. Martin and the showrunners, David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, to sacrifice.
But ... Jon Snow. This one truly hurts.
In a world filled with strife and heartache, it seemed that Snow (Kit Harington) was the one that would make it. He was the show’s link to the Wall and the White Walkers.
With that said, there’s a decent chance we have not seen the last of Ned Stark’s supposed bastard.
It has been hinted, quite a few times, he is possibly the child of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark, which would give him the royal blood Melisandre has been looking for. Thus, Melisandre perhaps knew of his eventual demise and came back to the Wall to save this integral character.
Furthermore, there is also the chance Snow warged into his direwolf, Ghost, before his death and will be back in some way next season.
That being said, this is just conjecture. We just have to wait and see what happens. As for now, Snow is as dead as Ned Stark.
As the season and this episode made clear, standing up for what you believe in will ultimately do you in.
Snow knew in his heart of hearts the only possible way to eventually stop the White Walkers would be to allow the Wildlings to make it past the Wall. This controversial stance ultimately led to his downfall, as his Night’s Watch compatriots would not stand for such an ardent position.
Fellow main characters also felt the wrath of doing what they thought was right.
Stannis Baratheon (Stephen Dillane), aspiring ruler of Westeros and awful father, also tried to accomplish a task many thought to be impossible. In this case, the naysayers were right and Stannis lost the battle and possibly his head.
Finally, Arya Stark’s (Maisie Williams) assassination of Meryn Trant was based in the same belief it was the necessary thing to do. The repercussions of her losing her sight for the time being were just another example of these karmic paybacks.
As the season ends and we wait for the subsequent one to start, it seems only right to look at the chessboard and think about which pieces are where.
The Wall is in disarray with the loss of their leader, Snow. Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) is surrounded by a horde of Dothraki. Cersei Lannister (Lena Headey) is out for revenge on the religious zealots who embarrassed her in front of the citizens. Brienne of Tarth (Gwendoline Christie) may have killed Stannis or is saving him to help her with a task. And, Sansa Stark (Sophie Turner) is either making snow angels with her old chum, Reek, or possibly dead.
Basically, there are as many loose threads at the end of this season as the scarf I once tried to knit.
Yet, one thing is for certain; “Game of Thrones” has certainly not lost its shock and awe factor. This show manages to sustain momentum in a way unheard of in the television landscape.
And now we wait for it to return once more.
