Game of Thrones Finale Recap: Top 10 Moments of Season 5, Episode 10: Mother’s Mercy

Last week I mentioned that the previous episode broke the internet, let’s re-phrase that to it almost did. This week’s finale episode of Game of Thrones, DEFINITELY broke the internet. Now book readers only know very little more than TV viewers. The show is almost caught up, but there a few stories still left from A Dance with Dragons. Season 6 will encompass  the rest of that novel and the new one, if it ever comes out. This week’s episode was awesome, sad, crazy and chaotic all wrapped into one and left fans hanging on a thin thread of hope for what is to come.

Let’s talk about what happened on the final episode of the season.

1. When Stannis realized all hope was lost. After Shireen was sacrificed to the Red God, much of Stannis’ camp was in shambles. The good part of all of this is that the some of the snow melted, which was a sign that what they did worked. Melisandre looked very smug kind of saying in a way, “see I told you so.” Half of his men ran off with their horses and deserted him. Sacrifing kids never works! He then finds his wife Selyse, has hung herself. I am sure she could not live with having had a part in Shireen’s death. Melisandre then decides to go back to Castle Black when shit starts to hit the fan. Now his hope for anything good happening has quickly melted away.

 

2. Brienne exacted her revenge on Stannis. Say what you will about Stannis, but he never gives up. Ramsey sends his army to ambush them and attack. Stannis tries to fight them and ends up hurt lying in the snow against a tree. In the distance, Brienne and Pod see what is happening and rush over to try see what they can do. When Brienne runs into Stannis, she lays down the law and does her duty. She tells him that she knew it was him who killed Renly and that she will kill him and do Renly justice. She stabs him and flows from his body. I don’t think anyone was sad about seeing him die, not one person. In the books, we did not get this far, so this may or may not happen in the books. I wonder if he really is dead?

 

3. Sansa and Reek’s big escape. Ramsey and his army leave Winterfell to fight Stannis. When he leaves, Myranda tries to kill Sansa, but Reek steps in and throws her over the fence to her death. Finally, we see Reek do something good for the Starks. Reek knows at this point after killing the girl, he cannot stay. Reek leads Sansa to the edge of the castle and they take a leap of faith, literally and jump off. How exciting I can’t wait to see how her story unfolds next season.

4. Ellaria poisoned Myrcella. King Doran said in the beginning of the season, that Dorne does not hurt little girls. I think that was a little foreshadowing for us. Doran sends Myrcella and Tyrstane home with Jamie. Ellaria gives Myrcella a kiss good-bye on her lips, which was kind of weird. On their voyage Myrcella admits to Jamie that she knows he is her father and gives him a hug. This profound moment of acceptance, something audiences have been wondering for years, finally comes to true and it turns out to be a heartwarming moment. Then history repeats itself and Myrcella starts get a bloody nose like Joffrey did when he died and she starts convulsing and dies. In the first epsidoe, we saw Cersei going to a fortune teller, Maggy the Frog, as a young girl. She told her, “Gold shall be their crowns and gold their shrouds,” which meant they would bear a golden house color and be shrouded in them when they die. What an omincious prophecy that has now come true again.

 

5. When Arya took off her face and killed Ser Meryn Trant. Again Meryn has taken to the brothels, but this time he has a cane and has decided to beat his chosen three girls. He goes so far as to punch one in the stomach. When the girl doesn’t seem phased by the abuse, he looks at her in confusion. She looks up at him and removes her face, it is Arya and she goes full force on him. She takes his eyes out and stabs him like crazy, torturing him and asking him, “who are you”? When she finally slices his throat she says “you are nothing.” Finally another name can be crossed off her list. That was one of the coolest moments of the whole show! #redemption

   

6. Arya’s punishment for killing Meryn. Jaqen did not tell Arya to kill Meryn. She killed him without his permission and for doing so, she must have to learn her lesson. Jaqen tells her for the life she took, it must be replaced with another one. He quickly takes out a bottle of poison and drinks it. Poof, he is gone and Arya goes nuts for him. The waif then turns into Jaqen. Omg what the hell is going on here! She goes to where Jaqen’s robe is and starts pulling different faces, one after another and another, until she gets to her own face starting back at her. The CG on this was really cool, GOT has really stepped up their CG game. Then her vision starts to go and she is suddenly blind. Poor Arya! In the books, Arya is made blind as part of her training to learn how to use her hearing skills better. Which is all part of her training to become a superior assassin.

 

7. Cersei’s walk of shame. Cersei will do anything to get out of the prison. Qyburn hinted earlier in the season, that there is one way to get out of the cells. She takes hold of one of the septas and tells her she is ready to confess. The High Sparrow asks about her sins and tells her there will have to be a trial to absolve her of her crimes. He tells her she can leave and go home, but she first must atone for her sins. Her punishment is to walk from Baelor’s Sept to the Red Keep completely naked. This scene was awesome! We see her first walk out with her head held high and slowly her dignity and grace diminishes. The people of the city yell to her nasty names, throw food, slop and spit on her face. Behind her the Septa rings a bell and says “shame” out loud with every step she takes. There is nothing she can do, but keep walking. I liked how they showed how far the Red Keep is from where she was, that was a long and tortuous walk for her. Every step she took left her dirtier and even more shamed. When she finally makes it to the Red Keep, she breaks down in tears. Qyburn brings a large man dressed in armor who he says will help her destroy all her enemies. I am going to say that was the Mountain, back from his sleep and I am sure even more angrier than before.

 

8. Tyrion and Jorah are left to fend for themselves. Sitting on the Meereen steps, Jorah, Tyrion and Daario are trying to figure out what to do to get their Queen back. Jorah and Daario, the most unlikeliest of pairs decide to team up and go find Dany. Jorah suggests Tyrion stay behind and help rule Meereen. Grey Worm then appears (yay he’s not dead) and Missandei, who will stay and help rule. Later on, out of the blue, Varys comes back and tells Tyrion in more ways then one that he would actually be a perfect candidate to rule Meereen. He needs to learn the in’s and out’s and Varys will let him use his team of spiders to help take down the Sons of the Harpy.

 

9. Dany left Drogon and bumped into the Dothraki. Last week, we saw Drogon come in and fly Dany away in the midst of chaos. In the books, she is always reminisncing and wondering where Drogon has gone. Every once in a while there is a sighting or she finds out he burned a crop or two, so when he saved her that was a big surprise for her. When he takes her back to his lair, she realizes this is where he has been hiding out all this time. His secret faraway place where he can rest after a long day of hunting. I am sure it was a better life for him, then chained in the dungeon with Viserion and Rhaegal. But this time after flying Dany away and being pierced with spears, he is hurt. He moans and groans like a little puppy. All around them are animal carcasses and there is nothing left for them to eat. She tries to order him to fly away, but it is to no avail. She decides right then, that she has to go home. As she is walking she leaves her ring, almost like a bread crumb for anyone who comes to look for her. All of a sudden a giant group of Dothraki surround her and of course they will take her with them. Remember these were the guys who Khal Drogo’s crew before he died. The leader of those guys is actually the guy she used to hate, so it should be interesting to see how it plays out. Seeing that dragon look sad and weep and Dany trying to climb him was pretty exciting.

 

10. When Jon Snow got stabbed to death. In the beginning of the episode, Sam tells Jon that he wants to go to Oldtown and learn how to become a maester and if allowed, he will take Gilly and the baby with him. In the books, Jon orders him to go, not the other way around and Mance Rayder’s baby goes with Gilly not her own. Also Maester Aemon is onboard and dies at sea. When Sam leaves, Jon is left with not many confidants. At the same time, Melisandre comes through the gates, looking beat down and sad. She breaks the new to Davos, that Shireen is gone. Something does not feel right, and it is obvious, especially with Olly that many men of the Night’s Watch are harboring resentment for Jon having let the Wildlings through Castle Black. As Jon is in his room, he is alarmed by Olly that a Wildling has come with information about his Uncle Benjen Stark’s whereabouts, this excites Jon who goes running outside. When he comes down there is a cross with the word traitor on it and he suddenly begins to get stabbed by men of Night’s Watch. Olly delivers a fierce stab at him with great anger. Each time they stab him they say “for the watch.” We have to remember that Jon is just like his father, Ned was honorable to a fault. They both have put themselves in situations that could mean bad news for them, but do it anyways because they believe it is their duty. It’s what got Ned killed and what has just killed Jon. The blood seeps out of Jon in a strange ominious way. The character that fans have been rooting for so long, the man who has an unfinished story is dead. BUT is he going to stay dead for long? I think Melisandre will resurrect him back to life and the new Jon Snow will be a changed man, one who will take even more faulty chances then his previous self and do anything to preserve the honor of his lineage. We shall see, and hopefully GRRM will release his book soon, so we can all know the truth about Jon Snow’s story.

 

What did you guys think of this season? Was it one of your faves? And of course I am including all the memes that have been running rampant on the internet.

}}Melissa