Game of Thrones: The Last of the Starks Review

Last night’s episode of Game of Thrones, the Last of the Starks, was mostly a transitional episode. It finalized many of the storylines in the north while still leaving enough intrigue and mystery to keep viewers glued for the last two episodes. To me, it felt very much like the end of a summer at Camp Winterfell. Friends make their goodbyes. New beginnings lead to new endings. And love ones experience tension as they move from one stage of life to another. All of this is punctuated by periods of important plot points and deepening character development.

If you have not seen the most recent episode of GOT: The Last of the Starks, you may want to turn back. This is going to be spoilery!

You’ve been warned.

A Time of Celebration

In the last episode–the Long Night–many of our favorite characters said goodbye as the sacrificed their life while fighting the legions on the undead. This episode starts with the living bidding farewell to those they lost. It’s a touching moment for viewers and characters alike. And what’s the best thing to do at a funeral? Live like it’s your last day on Westeros.

Those who survived the long night cram themselves into Winterfell and party like it’s the year 1099. What’s surprising about this episode is that while there are a few sex scenes, there is absolutely no nudity. Which is surprising for Game of Thrones. What’s the interesting about these scenes is that the lack of nudity actually highlights the importance of the character and the moment.

I won’t tell you who gets lucky and who doesn’t. I will leave that for you to find out on your own. But the lack of nudity makes me wonder why they couldn’t have done this through the last 7 seasons.

Emo Bran and His Emo Life

As we’ve seen in over the last few seasons, Bran grows more and more anxiety by the episode. Someone needs to make sure he stays away from the milk of the poppy and Valerian steel. We learn that while we don’t see much of Bran, he is spending more and more time in the past. Why he is going back and what he is doing there is still left a mystery. Leave it to Bran to not move the plot along.

But in this episode, we learn two important things about the Three-Eyed Raven. The first is that he has no intention of becoming the Lord of Winterfell. He knows Jon Snow–AKA Eagon Targaryeon– won’t take over and it will likely fall to Sansa to become Lady of Winterfell and Wardon of the North.

The second thing we learn about Bran is that he probably knows the future. There’s a moment in the Gods Wood where the last of the Starks discuss the Dragon Queen. Arya and Sansa don’t like her and don’t trust her. Brans broods too heavily to do anything. And Jon is too much in love to see his queen is a little on the crazy side.

It’s a very middle-school moment for the family.

Jon still believes that everyone can get along and not fight. He thinks that if his family knows who he really is, that they will have faith in Daenerys as he does. Jon swears his sisters to secrecy. Arya is likely to keep the secret. She might not have long to live anyway. Sansa, however, is the new Littlefinger and shouldn’t be trusted. Jon, looking for help, asks Bran what he should do. Not in so many words, but he does.

Bran says, “It’s your choice.” Again, not super helpful.

But this leads me to believe that Bran knows Sansa will betray Jon. Again, the Three-eyed Raven knows what he could do, but his apathetic nature leads him to not take action.

Further Plot Development

After what seems like a Tolkien-esque goodbye sequence, everyone leaves Winterfell. Arya joins the Hound as the two still have unfinished business in Kings Landing (Cough: The Mountain and cough, cough: Queen Cercie). Jon leads the remainder of the armies south, along the King’s Road, to Kings Landing. Daenerys takes her remaining dragons and fleet to Dragonstone and then on to King’s Landing to surround the capital. Jamie stays in Winterfell for some unspoken reason (cough: Brienne of Tarth.) And finally, Tormond and the true Northerners head north to do what Wildlings do: drink and fight.

Only not all goes as planned. On the way to Dragonstone, Euron Grayjoy ambushes the Dragon Queen and kills one of her children. It’s a pretty gruesome death. And with the capture of Missandrei, Daenerys starts to unravel. This causes Varys and Tyrion to discuss whether she is fit to rule the 7 Kingdoms, both of whom know the true identity of Jon Snow.

Thanks Sansa.

And finally, Jaime, after learning about his sister’s attack on the dragons, saddles off to ride for King’s Landing. Doing so leaves Brienne heartbroken. But is Jaime really going to return to his sister’s side or is he plotting something else?

Final Thoughts

We still don’t know what Bran is up to. I feel like either he is hiding some big reveal that will come in the final episode or his character will smugly end the series with a host of secrets the audience will never know. Varys is now at odds with Quee Daenerys. Jaime, The Hound, and Arya all head to the capital for one reason or another. The last of the Starks is also headed to King’s Landing with an army at his heels. And all hell is about to break loose.

Two episodes remain in the final season of Game of Thrones. Will a Targaryen sit on the Iron Throne. If so, which: Daenerys or Jon? Or will we see Cersei rising from the ashes? Only time will tell.