With another “Game of Thrones” season come and gone, this finale doesn’t disappoint. “Mother’s Mercy” is full of on-screen deaths, off-screen deaths, abandonment and atonement.
The episode takes off with Stannis and Melissandre. Icicles melt, and it seems Melissandre’s “Lord of Light” has made good on his promise,but hope quickly shifts to despair as Stannis learns that half his army has abandoned him, and his wife has hung herself. Melissandre, perhaps out of guilt for avertedly burning Stannis’ only daughter alive, or for inavertedly killing his wife, abandons Stannis as well to return to Castle Black. Left haggard and hopeless, Stannis takes what’s left of his army to Winterfell, where he is greeted with a vast army of flayed men on horses. The battle is shot from above, as Stannis’ army, half of whom run away, are surrounded like cattle, preparing for slaughter. And a slaughter it is, as Stannis is seen limping away from the dead only to be found by Brienne of Tarth, who gets a confession from Stannis of his shadow baby being the true cause of Renly’s death. Stannis’ lasts words, “Do your duty,” ring out just before Brienne’s sword swings down. The only catch? Stannis didn’t have an on-screen death, and all true “Game of Thrones” fans know- the dead are not necessarily dead unless you seem them die. And even then, they could come back as a White Walker.
With Brienne at the death bed of Stannis’ army, she misses Sansa’s distress call, a candle lit at the top of a tower. Sansa quickly realizes that no one is coming for her, and rushes back to her room as she watches the Boltons conquer Stannis. As she carefully makes her way back, she is confronted by Theon and Miranda. With a last hoorah, we see the sassy Sansa that we missed, telling Miranda she’s not afraid to die. Miranda, however, explains that Ramsay has other plans for her after she has produced a few heirs for him. At the last minute, before Miranda is about to release an arrow at Sansa, Theon comes to the rescue and pushes her off the wall, to a skull shattering death. Theon grabs Sansa and the two lock hands as they jump to their escape or their death.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, Arya’s story takes an unfortunate turn she didn’t foresee. Meryn Trant, killer of Arya’s water dancing teach, Syrio Forel, and official Sansa-beater to the late King-Joffrey Baratheon of season one and two, is seen with three young girls, beating them with a rod. When one of the young girls doesn’t cry out like Trant likes, he forces the other two to leave and is left alone with the third. The third child removes a fake face and reveals herself as Arya Stark. In a violent whirlwind, unlike anything you would come to expect from Arya, she stabs Trant and blinds him in both eyes with a small knife. Blood gushing everywhere, Arya explains to him his reason for dying and with a final triumphant speech, Ayra slits his throat, paralleling the death of her mother. Arya returns the face she borrowed and is confronted by Jaquen and the Waif, who has clearly been out to get her from the beginning. The Waif pins back Arya, as Jaquen approaches her with a small vile. “A life for a life,” Jaquen says, and just as everyone expects the end of Arya, Jaquen drinks the poison himself and falls to the ground. Ayra, with severe abandonment issues, seeing every important adult in her life die in front of her, rushes to the crumpled body. Jaquen appears alive behind her, however, and Arya removes face after face of the dead body until she reaches her own and is confronted with her actions. Her vision starts to blur and Arya’s chapter ends with a newfound blindness.
In Dorne, Myrcella, Trystane, Jamie and Bronn set sail for the Red Keep, where a reformed Ellaria Sand bids farewell to Myrcella with a kiss. Jamie and Myrcella are seen in the ship’s quarters, where Jamie prepares for his confession. Myrcella, however, already knows what Jamie wants to say and the two embrace as father and daughter. Just as it seems like it will be a happy ending for Jamie, Myrcella’s nose starts bleeding, just as Bronn’s did after Tyene poisoned him, and she falls to the ground.
Back at Old Town, Cersei has finally agreed to confess, after days of starvation and dehydration. She kneels before the High Sparrow and confesses her crimes of incest with Lancel Lannister, but denies any relation with Jamie. Her demeaning confession seems like the end to her punishment for her crimes, but she never could have anticipated what was in store. Naked and dirty, Cersei is washed down like a dog and her beautiful golden locks are carelessly sheared as blood drips from her neck. She stands in front of a congregation of people from Flea Bottom, people she ruled over with reckless abandon as the High Sparrow tells of her crimes. She is then stripped of her garment and is forced to walk naked to the Red Keep as a woman walks behind her chanting “shame.” It seems like Cersei is finally getting what she deserves as she walks through the crowd, but even viewers with the most hatred feel sorry for her. Cersei is punished in one of the vilest ways imaginable; her intimacy is violated by the entire city as people cry, “Liar! Whore! Slut,” and other loathsome names. Food and feces are thrown at her as men expose themselves to her with propositions. When she reaches the Red Keep, feet bloody and raw, she is greeted by her small council and finally begins to sob. Maester Qyburn reveals his secret experiments as a Frankenstein-like Mountain picks up Cersei, and promises to rid the evil of the city.
In Meereen, Daario Naharis and Jorah set off to find Daenerys, leaving Tyrion, Grey Worm and Messandei in charge of the chaotic city. Dany, stuck with Drogon who’s too tired to fly due to his wounds, sets off to find her way back and is confronted by a horde of Dothraki screamers, all on horses, who circle her like predators.
At Castle Black, Sam leaves for the Citadel with Gilly and baby Sam in order to become a Maester, leaving Jon alone in the midst of men who hate him. In the middle of reading scrolls, Olly barges into Jon’s quarters to tell him a wildling knows of Benjen Stark’s whereabouts. Filled with hope, Jon rushes outside through a small crowd of Night’s Watch men to meet the wildling, only to be confronted with a large wooden cross with the words “traitor” etched across. Jon turns to be confronted by Ser Alliser Thorne, who stabs Jon in the stomach “for the Watch.” Three more men stab him until Olly steps forward. All goes silent as Jon faces Olly and receives a final blow that leaves viewers with a close up on Jon’s face, blood trailing up to meet it in the snow.
With favorite characters dying and disappearing left and right, it’s no wonder many viewers are giving up on the series, but let’s not forget that the best has yet to come. Smaller plots are finally unraveling to reveal the ultimate plot, the fight against the White Walkers. The HBO show has finally caught up to the books, with Dany in an unknown land, a blind Arya, and what seems to be the end of Jon Snow, there is still much to look forward to. Jon is too much of a main character to die, his story won’t be finished until the origin of his birth mother is revealed, a theory that’s floating around known as R+L=J. As for Dany and her dragons, they’ll be back with a vengeance in season six since Valyrian Steel, made from dragon fire, is the only weapon left to defend against the Walkers. The greatest story has yet to be written, and I have a feeling it won’t disappoint.
Thus ends the season five, with revenge waiting around every corner, finally striking the victim. Valar Morghulis.
5/5 Stars
A Tale of Blood and Ire: Game of Thrones Season 5 Episode 10
June 15, 2015
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