Well wasn't that just a season's worth of drama in one episode? Only 'Game of Thrones' could begin with a funeral session and end with a beheading. Missandei, we hardly knew you, but you were one of a few who were instrumental in keeping our girl Dany in check. Now, well, this queen is about to unleash the wrath she has been holding in for so long.

As it stands, Team Daenerys is dwindling. She lost Jorah in The Battle of Winterfell, now Missandei has gone and yet another one of her dragon children (RIP Rhaegal). All she has left is Grey Worm - who no doubt will have just a thirst for revenge as she does after seeing his love murdered - and a doubtful Tyrion. It's safe to say Varys is now firmly on Team Jon and has likely told all his little birds about this latest revelation about him. In fact, Varys was probably given more dialogue here than in the past two seasons combined, so it seems certain his betrayal will play a pivotal role in the final two episodes.

Jon, then, is being painted more and more as the rational hero of the piece while Dany is leaning further into her mad king roots. In fairness though, these last few episodes have been cruel to her. She rocked up to Westeros with what was an undefeatable army, three kick-ass dragons, and a loyal entourage. Now she is a broken woman with barely an army to scrape together, one dragon, some followers giving her side-eye while the fella she was seeing turned out to be her nephew. She still only has one goal in mind - the Iron Throne - but who does she have left to even share this victory with now?

Jon remains loyal to her but for how long? If Daenerys decides to go gung-ho into the Red Keep with Drogon will he really stand by and let her kill innocent people? Although we don't even know who Jon is anymore after he didn't give Ghost a goodbye hug. That dog has been there from the start! Cold, Jon, very cold. It looked to be the end of the road for Tormund, Sam and Gilly too. We always assumed so many of these secondary characters would just be killed off, but nice to see them get a happy ending. Even if Tormund didn't get the girl.

Speaking of, we cannot believe Jaime just up and left Brienne high and dry like that. But you know what? Leave him off. She can do better. And while we're at it, so can you Gendry. Actually, sorry G, no you can't but surelook, you're a Lord now so every cloud and all that. Even if that was just Daenerys way of getting an in with the popular kids.

Jaime, in fairness, has unfinished business with that sister of his. It wouldn't have felt right to see her go down (which let's face it, one way or another, she will) without Jaime there. Could they go together? Or will, as theories suggest, Jaime be the one to kill her in a move similar to how he killed the mad king way back when? He will have to get in line as Arya is also King's Landing bound to tick Cersei's name off her list, and after last week, we wouldn't be surprised if she did.

Is it just us though, or would you like to see Cersei and Sansa encounter each other one last time? Sansa is now well able for her after all. Although she can't keep a secret for sh*t. Seriously, Ned Stark tells nobody for how many years and Sansa outs Jon's secret within all of five minutes. That lady knew full well what she was doing when she gave Tyrion that information though, as much as she might have wrestled with it.

So here we are. Facing the second-last episode ever of 'Game of Thrones'. Hard to believe and yet still difficult to predict how it could all go down. Next week's episode will be the last ever battle of 'Game of Thrones' and it's bound to be brutal. If there was a twist in store, it could be that Daenerys will die and the final episode will be solely about the Starks versus the Lannisters. That is where it all began after all.

If Dany does go, we hope it's ultimately in self-sacrifice as we have spent far too much time rooting for this character for her just to be struck down as some mad bint in the eleventh hour. This is 'Game of Thrones' though, and as Cersei's famous season one's words went, when you play the 'Game of Thrones', you win or you die. Or your owner just abandons you with strangers without so much as a "good boy". Dammit, Jon.

Final notes:

  • Bronn being Bronn and ultimately looking after number one, although we do hope that's not the last we see of him.
  • Yes. There was an actual Starbucks cup in this week's episode.
  • How did Daenerys not see Euron and his ships in the distance? You're on an actual dragon!
  • Why does Tyrion still think he can appeal to his sister's better side?
  • Shout out to Tormund for being that bloke at a session who convinces everyone to shotgun a can. He will be missed

 

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