Game of Thrones: Season 8, Episode 4 “The Last of the Starks” – Recap, Review (with Spoilers)
Like many episodes of Game of Thrones, more time is spent on the build than combat. However, after what Cersei did… I just… I want her dead.
[Unless Said Otherwise] Spoiler Alert: This summary and review contains spoilers.
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Like many episodes of Game of Thrones, more time is spent on the build than combat. However, after what Cersei did… I just… I want her dead.
| Network | |
| HBO | |
| Director(s) | David Nutter |
| Writer(s) | David Benioff, D.B. Weiss |
| Air Date | 5/5/2019 |
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What To Do When One Of The Greatest Threats Are Killed?: Gendry, Arya, Daenerys, Jon, Sansa, Bron, Bran, Jamie, Tyrion, Varys, Clegene
With there now being peace in the north, so comes the question of what’s next? Well, for Daenerys, naturally it is marching south but are of course plans beyond hers. Though, in the case of Gendry, it seems some plans aren’t selfish – not entirely anyway. For example, she makes him Lord of Storm’s End and of course that leads him to think he can marry Arya and make her a lady. Problem is, as told repeatedly, she is no lady. In fact, despite being the hero of Westeros, if not the world, she decides it’d be better to go off with Clegene the following day than stay in Winterfell or anything similar.
But, before she leaves, against Daenerys’ advisement, she learns Jon is really Aegon Targaryen, as does Sansa. Which may very well be the beginning of the end of Daenerys’ possibility to reign for Sansa, like Arya, who does not trust Daenerys, tells Tyrion, and once Varys learns the truth, it pretty much is over for her. Especially since Varys is sensing Daenerys’ father in her.
Oh, but before moving on, we must mention Bron finally shows up and thanks to a negotiation from Tyrion, leaves without killing anyone. All for the price of Highgarden. You know, the place where a good majority of Westeros’ food comes from.
And before we move on, Jamie takes Brienne’s virginity.
Prepping For What’s Next: Daenerys, Sansa, Tyrion, Varys, Jon, Tormund, Samwell, Gilly, Euron
With Daenerys wanting no time between defeating the dead and taking King’s Landing, she heads south with haste. As this happens, Jon says bye to Tormund, who wants back north of the wall, as well as Sam and the now pregnant Gilly. Also, he says good-bye to Ghost who is going to go off with Tormund.
But, there are many problems with heading south. Specifically, Euron was in waiting and thanks to Qyburn’s invention, he kills Rhaegal. Leaving Daenerys down a dragon, and then losing many of the ships as Euron turns on them. Thus forcing many of Daenerys party to swim to shore, but not Jon since he decided to go by horseback.
However, before that happened, it becomes increasingly clear Varys is prepping to jump ship (no pun intended). For with hearing of Jon’s lineage, combined with Daenerys’ attitude, never mind the idea of lords of the 7 kingdoms bowing to a woman, he wants a change. One which has Jon be king. To which Tyrion tries to push the idea Daenerys and Jon could rule together, but between the aunt and nephew thing and recognizing Daenerys’ ego, Varys scoffs at Tyrion’s idea and his loyalty to Daenerys over the realm. Meaning these two may turn enemies sooner rather than later.
One Last Chance To Avoid War: Cersei, Missandei, Daenerys, Qyburn, Tyrion, Greyworm
With Daenerys still listening to Tyrion, trying to set aside her ego, sense of destiny, and rage, she decides to send her hand to offer peace. To let Cersei peacefully end her reign and let Missandei, a captive after Euron’s raid, go. This leads to, originally, Qyburn being sent to speak with Tyrion, but there comes the point Tyrion knows talking to Qyburn is a waste of time since he is but a mouthpiece.
So, he appeals to the soft side of Cersei. The one who cares about her kids and all that happens is Tyrion strengthening Cersei’s resolve. After all, Daenerys has but one dragon now, and a weary army. Also, a passive threat is still a threat so the mountain cuts off Missandei’s head and if you thought Cersei was pissed? HA! She may have nothing on Greyworm.
Question(s) Left Unanswered
- So is the space beyond the wall now Wildling territory or does that belong to Winterfell? Whether Daenerys or Cersei win, I’m sure with Whitewalkers gone, someone, even if just because, will want to claim that land.
Highlights
I Have Never Been So Infuriated Over A Show In My Life
While I wouldn’t call myself a fantasy nerd, I do recognize that in a lot of the big ones, either Black people don’t exist, play ludicrously minor roles or are used to boost a hero. Missandei’s death is one of those instances, and while I hate the writers, who want to make a show about if the south won the civil war, I feel most of my anger pointed at Cersei.
Granted, for a hot minute, I thought Missandei betrayed Daenerys for her head – and I would have gladly accepted that. But taking away the one Black woman with any power, who was with a Black man who loved her in a more healthy way than 98% of all relationships in this show!
Leading me to hope when, perhaps if at this point, Cersei dies it is on the level of the red wedding or the fall of the Targaryen reign.
Varys’ Rebellion
Daenerys thinks she is going to have the last war and win, and that is becoming increasingly comical. After all, dragons or not, making people lords or not, she doesn’t really have allies. As Tyrion noted, she mostly has fear. The kind which dissipates episode by episode since she is a terrible tactician. If not Tyrion is blinded so much by loyalty, Daenerys’ sense of destiny, that he is becoming foolish.
So I fully expect Varys’ to do as he thinks is needed which likely will be to either expose Jon’s lineage, even if it means death, or likely be the one who gets Daenerys killed.
Arya Is No Lady, And She Belongs To No One
Jokes aside about Gendry being a good friend, but terrible lover, I’m glad Arya isn’t deciding to become a lady to Gendry. Yes, I liked them together and hope they have a few trysts throughout their lifetimes. However, Gendry is small potatoes, and Arya is the killer of The Night King. Can you imagine her belittling herself to be some man’s wife?
With that said, I do hope she gives Gendry a chance to make up for his last performance in the end.
Things Are More Even Now
It is becoming harder and harder to say who will win the Iron Throne. Which is good in a way since it makes each episode more important than the last. However, with one dragon left, and Missandei dead, it also pushes you to believe the battle of King’s Landing is going to be bloody. Probably to the point that, with Daenerys feeling threatened, she is likely to kill Jon for the Iron Throne. Thus the one who believes herself to end the last war, will only find herself restarting the end of the Targaryen reign, picking up where her father left off.
Low Point
Jamie and Brienne
Maybe it is because I shipped Tormund and Brienne, or because Jamie seems only to be interested in Brienne now since she might be the only one who’d still have him? Either way, I find the idea of supporting their relationship difficult. No matter how much some may think it was building to them having sex and becoming something.
Bran
I’m still mad he has really done nothing this entire season. Not even talk to a maester, or call on one, to record everything he knows.
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