Daenerys takes flight (season 5, episode 9)

9 June 2015 by Catherine Holdsworth in Business and finance, Entertainment, Game of Thrones on Business

WARNING SPOILERS

Usually with episode nine, Game of Thrones likes to throw us a curve-ball, think Red Wedding or Ned’s death. However, given the mastery of last week’s episode, the writers were hard-pressed to come up with something as shocking and exciting as the final twenty minutes north of the wall.

I would say that the first half of last night’s episode was just terrible. Not in a badly-made kind of way but in a what-the-hell-are-you-doing-Stannis kind of way. Can someone please tell me why his daughter had to burn to death? The Red Witch certainly has a lot to answer for and she proved last night that she is more influential and dangerous than Stannis hopes to be. I would say that after last night’s performance we learnt that Stannis is now the least attractive man in the show and that Sansa should look on the bright side, I doubt that Ramsay has plans to burn her at the stake any time soon. Stannis’ actions, aside from being wholly abhorrent and disgusting, show him to be a leader that is easily influenced by his subordinates, who cannot think tactically or effectively and does not take advice easily. Melisandre is too powerful, she is the real driving force behind Stannis’ army and the North is in danger of being ruled by her, a woman with no legitimate claim to the Iron Throne and poor Shireen will have died for Melisandre’s sport.

We also learnt last night that it is now snowing a lot in the North, either that or Jon needs a good wash with some Head and Shoulders. Though Jon and the Wildlings managed to make it to Castle Black, not even Sam’s optimism was enough to make Jon crack a smile or forget that the worst is still to come. We may not have seen any White Walkers last night but their presence was not forgotten. Jon needs help and quickly. They are coming.

So where will the help come from, you ask? After the highly upsetting first half of the episode, the second half was much more enjoyable. I’m sure that Arya will get some use out of Needle before the series is ended, after heading to Braavos she seems to have had very little to do in the way of blood lust and she hasn’t been able to cross any more names off her list. However, it wasn’t Arya’s oysters that got us all excited. Over in Meereen, it wasn’t just wonderful Jorah who proved himself worthy in the fighting pit.

After almost five series of showing her potential, Daenerys finally proved that she is worthy of taking back the Iron Throne. After a nail-biting fight in the pit, we think (and desperately hope) that Jorah is now not only accepted back into the Queen’s council, but heading out of the Friend Zone. We knew that he would win, his time is not yet up. However, after a spectacular hijack by the Sons of the Harpy it looks like it is time for Daenerys to finally leave Meereen. Now, I haven’t read the books so I am unfamiliar with the backstories of many of the characters, as well as missing out on key details, nevertheless, when Daenerys mounted Drogon for the first time and flew out of the arena, I was aware that this was a game-changing moment in the series. She finally took flight, both physically and metaphorically. If the look on Tyrion’s face was anything to go by, this is the woman to follow, this is the true heir to the Iron Throne. Now, while Drogon was great fighting off all those Harpies, he is really needed back over in Westeros, at the Wall. We’re not sure quite yet what part the Dragons have to play in the story, nor how or even when all the characters will meet, but it seems critical that Daenerys and Jon finally team up. For what can undo ice if not fire?

So we have one episode to go before we have to wait another year for season 6. We have come further than the books and now all the fans are in unexplored territory. Our key predictions for episode 10: Cersei’s time is up, she has lived at the top too long and made too many enemies to come back from her current predicament. I don’t see her getting out of it unscathed. Where is Bran? Will he finally make an appearance and contribute something to Jon’s fight? I’d like to see more of Brienne and Pod, what part will they play in the clash between Stannis and House Bolton. Honestly, I really don’t know who I would rather win that fight, they’re both pretty bad people. There are too many good/bad wars going on, but we’re sure that the finale will be as gripping as ever. We would like Jon, Daenerys and Jorah to stay alive please and thank you!