Game of Thrones: Tower of Babble Breakdowns

With GoT officially wrapped the full ToB crew sat down to catch up on all the stories we’ve been neglecting over the past couple months. Multiple casting confirmations, including a new Batman for both the small and big screens, Idris Elba joining Suicide Squad, and, somehow, James Gunn’s return to Marvel Studios. All this plus at least a million new movie trailers, and what seems like a never-ending stream of Star Wars news. Time to get back to business, enjoy.

For the past nine years we've shared a piece of our collective Sundays and we weren't quite ready for that to end. A week removed from the finale the ToB crew got together to record another Live show and discuss the season with the benefit of a couple nights' sleep. After a quick overview of the season, and series at-large, the conversation naturally turned to the characters; the people and interweaving events that made the show so endearing. The dour bastard boy with a white wolf and a secret destiny; the scrawny little girl changing names and faces until finding her own; the man without honour who had to lose his sword to earn his knighthood; the one they called a half-man who rose above the bitterness and shaped the history of Westeros; the crippled boy, full of dreams, who traveled to the end of the world and back again; the naive, enchanted young lady who became a formidable political force, commanding nations, demanding respect; the bitter lioness who held too tightly, smothered her cubs, and poisoned a country; and of course, the prodigal princess who ignited the world only to fall victim to the corruption she fought against  Turns out the show went longer than expected. Turns out it's hard not to. If you enjoy the show please to become one of our latest patrons.

Here we are at last: Journey's End. After nearly a decade of plots and betrayals, wars and magic, politics and prophesies the Song of Ice and Fire has come to an end, The final season has been nothing if not controversial, but still represents the culmination of a series that captivated countless fans around the world, and has irrevocably influenced all our lives. Tyrion searches for, hoping never to find, the remnants of his family; Jon comes to terms with the devastation of King's Landing; Grey Worm protects Dany's interests, with the unflinching Iron Fist of a zealot; the Mad Queen proclaims her final solution; Tyrion abandons his role as Hand of the Queen; Dany finally reaches her ancestral throne; Tyrion helps Jon see an unpleasant reality; and Jon Snow, the Prince who was Promised, sacrifices his true love to protect the realm.

The penultimate episode of each season is typically cataclysmic and, being the final season, S8E5 really took this trend and ran with it. While this will likely prove to be one of the most divisive and, to some, unforgivable episodes, it was nothing if not surprising. I don’t wanna get into it here, but the condensed nature of this season is having some serious repercussions. Dany is betrayed once again, the Northern army camps outside King’s Landing, Tyrion pleads for one last chance at peace, Arya and the Hound infiltrate the capital, the Lannister brother share a solemn farewell, Qyburn tries to protect his Queen, the Iron Fleet burns in Blackwater Bay, The Hound finally faces his fraternal nemesis (foe if you’re into alliteration), the Lannister army surrenders to the invaders, and the bells of King’s Landing ring desperately for salvation, before all hell breaks loose… Arya struggles to survive the calamity, the Northern army gives in to their bloodlust, a wounded Jaime comforts Cersei, while the city without honour crumbles, as Daenerys Targaryen, first of her name, Queen of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men, Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea, Breaker of Chains and Mother of Dragons, burns them all.

With the Long Night averted we all needed an episode to decompress, surviving characters included. The episode opens with the aftermath of the battle as the remaining characters light funeral pyres, hail the victorious dead, and prepare their depleted forces for one last fight. Jaime and Brienne play a drinking game, Daenerys recognizes Gendry’s usefulness, Tormund challenges basically anyone to a drinking contest, Dany demands Jon keep his true name secret, Sansa forswears herself in front of the Heart Tree, Arya reunites with the Hound, Tyrion defends Dany’s leadership qualities, the Northern armies honour their promises to Dany, Varys hatches a desperate plot, Cersei is offered a final chance at peace, and Dany is punished for her clemency.