Game of Thrones, Season 5 Finale, Mother’s Mercy

This season has been a slow warm up to the explosive last three episodes.  Of the three, the season five finale almost felt a bit tame.  It seems completely unfair to have to wait another ten months to see what happens to our favorite characters. (The few who remain alive!) Nothing is ever certain in this world, no matter what the spoilers and social media try to preach. The Game of Thrones world is cruel and unpredictable and certainly this finale encompassed these elements.

The finale opens in the gray world of Stannis, especially since the “sacrifice” of his only daughter Shireen.  Melissandre gazes out at the melting icicles as she speaks to Stannis.  “The Lord of Light has melted the snow. He has shown me victory!”  But despite this reassurance, Stannis seems more defeated then ever.

Stannis leaves the tent to be informed half his army has deserted after Shireen’s execution.  The men led him to a tree where the Queen Selsye has hung herself. “Cut her down.”  But he doesn’t seem too surprised.  Melissandre takes to her horse and rides away.  Stannis commands his remaining troops to head to Winterfell and near certain defeat.

Jon and Sam share a quiet moment in the library at Castle Black.  Sam, being the intellectual, wants to know what can be done to better prepare for the upcoming battle with the White Walkers.  Jon is pessimistic, “All the dragon glass in the world won’t be enough.”  Sam is fascinated by the fact Longclaw killed a Walker.  Jon observes there is an unknown and quite finite quantity of Valaryian steel, using it won’t be practical.

Jon knows his recent actions have not helped his popularity as Commander.  Sam has a special request for his friend, to send him to Old Town to become a Maester. Sam observes his strengths are in research not fighting.  He asks if can take Gilly and young Sam with him.  Jon reluctantly agrees he wishes his friend luck with his relationship and studies.  “I’m glad the end of the world is working out for somebody!”

Stannis marches with his remaining horseless army towards Winterfell.  Sansa scurries around with her hair covered by a cloak.  In the hills above Winterfell, Poddrick spies the approach of Stannis’s rag-tag troops and alerts Breinne.  Sansa runs up the broken tower and places a candle in the window.

The Flayed-Men prepare for battle.  It seems they are going to leave Winterfell to bring the battle to Stannis. (Ramsay’s plan.)  Stannis leads the charge toward the Bolton troops.  In the next shot, we see the Baratheon banners in the dirt.  Stannis is wounded and stumbles around in a daze.  Two men approach the battered king. He still has enough grit to fight them off, but not before they seriously injury his leg.

Brienne of Tarth finds Stannis.  Stannis, sneers at her, “The Bolton’s have women fighting for them?”  Brienne explains she is not fighting for the Flayed Men but was a personal guard for his brother Renly.  Brienne recounts how she saw Renly murdered by a shadow with Stannis’s face.  Stannis confesses to killing his brother, and Brienne formally sentences him to be executed.  She asks him if he has any last words.  Stannis sighs, “Do your duty.”(It reminded me of Hank’s last words on Breaking Bad, “Do what you gotta do.”)  Brienne executes him, keeping her oath to avenge her dearly departed king.

Ramsay is busy at his favorite pastime, killing people. (This time on the battlefield.) Myranda finds Theon and Sansa running around the looking suspicious.  Myranda aims an arrow at Sansa and taunts how interesting Ramsay will make her torture.  Sansa seems to be daring Myranda to take her shot, “If I am going to die, at least kill me while there is some of me left!”  Theon throws the kennel master’s daughter off the high wall, killing her. (Death toll of characters with names is now at three!)

Ser Meryn Trant is busy at the brothel, whipping ten-year-old girls for fun.  It’s painful to watch, but one of the girls is resistant and he singles her out.  Arya is wearing another face and she starts to stab the man’s eyes out.  She tells him how he is responsible for killing her sword teacher then she stabs him in the heart with a sickly sweet smile on her face.

Returning to the house of Black and White, Arya puts the face back on the strange columns of faces.  Jaqar and Nan interrupt her.  Jaqar scolds her by saying she has taken the wrong life and she was acting not as “no-one” but as Arya Stark.  Nan sneers that she knew Arya wasn’t ready.  Jaqar says a debt is owed and drinks poison.  Arya beats his chest crying, and she looks up to see Nan now has Jaqar’s face.  The body that has fallen begins to morph into many faces before Arya finally sees her own face.  The standing Jaqar says, “You are still someone.”  With that, Arya screams she can no longer see.

Arya’s adventure this season to Braavos has been one of the more complicated story arcs.  Unlike Westeros, the Braavosi worship the “Many-Face God.”  In the many faces, he is no one.  Akin to Buddhism, the goal of their faith is to achieve “nothingness.”  By doing so, these faithful take action in the world to right injustice.  Arya has struggled with the concept of being “no-one.”  She seeks justice for those who have wronged her family, but not in an impartial way.  When she took the life of Ser Trant it is clear she enjoyed being the blade of justice and even identified herself as Arya Stark.  Jaqar had tried to teach her humility by having her play the “lying game” and wash the dead.  But as Nan observes, she still wasn’t ready to serve the Many-Faced God as she was still following the desires of Arya.  For this she needed to be punished, to challenge the identity which she still clings.

Prince Doran and Ellaria Sand and her daughters have come to bid Jaime, Bronn, Myrcella and Tyrstane goodbye.  Tyne bites Bronn’s ear and whispers something naughty.  The sea shines beautifully and the scene seems too happy an ending for Game of Thrones.  Inside, Jaime and Myrcella have a heart to heart talk.  Jaime is trying to steer the conversation towards “unconventional” love.  Myrcella dons the necklace her mother gave her which was stolen.  She laughs, and says she had long suspected Jaime was her father and she is glad he’s her father.  As she utters these words, her nose begins to bleed and it’s clear she’s been poisoned.  (How? Maybe the silly necklace she has just put back on? Never loan your jewelry to the Sand Snakes!)  On shore, Ellaria’s nose begins to bleed and she smiles and swigs some antidote.  That was it?  All the storyline this season in Dorne seems to be as superficial as Tyene’s personality…

Dario, Tyrion and Jorah sulk in Khalesi’s throne room in Myreen.  They are sad and confused about what they should do.  Tyrion observes nobody can take Khalesi’s place.  Grey Worm and Missandei enter.  Grey Worm is angered by Jorah’s presence and by the fact Jorah saved her life, not him.  The “warriors” among them want to go find Daenery’s and bring her back.  Tyrion is the natural choice to stay back and govern.  Grey Worm must remain as he’s too injured and he needs to lead the Unsullied to keep order in the city.

Tyrion goes outside and there is his old friend Varys!  The Master of Whispers is a little upset at his old friend for being kidnapped.  Tyrion reports things went well with Daenery’s as evidenced by her not executing him.  Varys offers to help Tyrion govern Myreen.

Drogon lies listless on a green and rocky shore.  It looks as though all those Harpy masks have given him indigestion.  Dany is alone and desperate to get back to civilization.  She walks away from Drogon and suddenly she sees men on horseback.  A tribe of Dhothraki circle around the Queen of Dragons.  What will they make of her?

Cersei is visited again in her cell by the nun and given the opportunity to confess.  This time, Cersei decides she is ready to, stating, “I want absolution.”  She is given an audience with the High Sparrow.  Cersei asks for “The Mother’s Mercy”. (The Mother being one of the Seven Gods.)  But, Cersei only confesses to the affair with Lancel which is a small sample of her sins.  The High Sparrow warns her not to lie anymore and states there will still be a trial.  Cersei asks again for the “Mother’s mercy” to reunite her with Tommen.  The High Sparrow grants her wish to go home, after her “atonement.”

The nuns prepare Cersei by giving her a rough scrubbing and shear her hair into an unflattering “crazy lady” haircut.  The High Sparrow addresses the crowd, “A sinner has come before you.  She has confessed to falsehood and fornication.”  Cersei is stripped of her gown and forced to walk naked through the streets back to the Red Keep.  Each step she takes is punctuated by the nun’s mantra of “Shame, shame, shame!”  The commoners throw garbage, urine and feces and spit on her as they make rude gestures and taunts.  She cries, but its in reaction to her punishment, not out of real change in her character.  Personally, I don’t feel there is one bit of regret or humility in Cersei. Like most sociopaths, she only cares she was caught.

When she finally makes it to the Red Keep, Qyburn introduces her to the “Newest member of the King’s Guard.”  There only could be one man in the history of Westeros of his stature.  The shady necromancer Qyburn has resurrected the Mountain to assist with taking down her enemies.  All those people who just threw poo at the Queen Mother better watch out!

Jon Snow and Ser Davos quarrel as Melissandre approaches Castle Black.  Davos anxiously asks about the fate of Stannis and Shireen. (Note he doesn’t ask about the Queen.) Melissandre nods her head “no” and walks away.

Theon and Sansa walk along the high walls of Winterfell.  They look at each other and jump. (Is this suicide or escape? Is there enough snow to break their fall?) I’m choosing not to presume their deaths until we know for sure.  It’s certain they are desperate enough to do anything to get away from Ramsay.

Jon is alone in his study looking at messages when he is interrupted by Olly reporting there is some new information about his long missing uncle Benjen Stark. Jon hurries outside to meet the Wildling who supposedly knows the details.  He looks up to see a sign with the word “Traitor”.  Ser Alliser leads the gathered crowd, stabbing Jon in the gut and yelling, “For the Watch!”  About five more men stab Jon this way until Olly finishes the job with the final thrust into Jon’s gut.  (It reminded me of Omar’s death from the Wire.)  Jon bleeds out onto the snow and the season has ended.

It was not clear from the books if Jon survives this attack.  Spoilers abound that this is the end of Kit Harrington’s tenure with the show.  He made the same mistakes as his father Eddard, he thought he could do what was right and hope the people would come to respect his decisions.  But, you can’t govern without soiling one’s hands with the deceit of politics.  That is why Varys and Tyrion and Littlefinger will probably outlive all the fools who are scrambling for the Iron Throne.  Even our beloved Daenerys couldn’t get the common people to embrace her vision of a world without slavery or fighting pits.

Overall, it seemed too short of a season to cover all the stories without the familiar feeling of Game of Thrones whiplash.  I do embrace some of the shows editing of the meandering books but there were several instances in which they change the fundamental personalities of the original.  Stannis doesn’t murder his daughter in the books and after he does on screen, it’s hard to care about him anymore.  If Jon is dead, it is a huge loss for the series.  Many have expressed hope Melissandre will resurrect our hero, but why would she?  Where is Jon’s dire wolf Ghost?  Ghost saved Sam, but not his master?  Will they burn Jon’s body?  Will he become a commander in the White Walker’s army?  Will Bran enter his body? He’s just sitting under the frozen ground anyway, and he could animate the hell out of his older brother’s body!   Ten months to ruminate, marinate and forgive those bastards who killed our favorite bastard!