WEEKEND BOX OFFICE: Review of Game of Thrones Season Finale

By Muhammad Ahmad Iliasu.

White or Black, Asian, European, Caribbean or African, Arabic, English, Hausa, Yoruba or Igbo, underage, ageing or aged; one seventh of the world’s population are fans of Game Of Thrones.

Despite criticism of the season finale by fans of the HBO show, the Game of Thrones continued to have record-breaking viewership, as the first episode of the final season, titled “Winterfell,” has now surpassed 38 million viewers, while the last episode amassed 19.3 million views, according to HBO.

The Game of Thrones, written by American novelist, George R. R. Martin is rated as one of the greatest story ever written, ever told and turned into motion picture in man’s living memory, uniting over one billion world population.

David Beniof and D. B Weiss also mustn’t be left behind. Their infamous application of logic has wrapped up the story, which its fluidity has the potential to flow until the last day, at an intensive, competent and adventurous pace.

The season finale has rationalized and solved many of the puzzles that have been in place since the inception of the show, from Episode one (Season one) – “Winter is coming”, to Episode five (Season 8) – “The Iron Throne”, in the most efficient, rational, logical and idealistic way possible.

The talking points:

1. Don’t bury your head under the sand of delusion, not everything comes through inheritance, the biggest determinant of materiality is fate, and one must accept what it throws at him, no matter why, when and how. Its just up to one to be ready before or when it arrives. The rightful-ness of everything lies in its righteousness, and for things to function in desired way, that which is rightful must be that which is righteous.

After all the political brouhaha amongst the prominent houses, the determination and the claims of bloodline lineages, and all the explanations and predictions; the person that gets to rule is a crippled son of Nedd stark who couldn’t lift his arm right to fire an arrow. Who would’ve thought? The boy, who was named after his uncle Bran, who was also named after Bran the builder travelled north of the wall to find the missing tape in the cassette of his fate. Robb Stark once said to lord Mandarley: “If Bran can’t be lord of winterfell before me, Renly can’t be king before Stannis” and I wish he was alive to see Bran as the king of Andals right in the sight of rightful heirs, and there’s nothing anyone of them can do about it. Isn’t that a great lesson?

2. No one should eat their cake and have it. No one should pass the sentence and refuse to swing the sword. No one should take a debt and refuse to pay. What this tries to prove is that people must take their words seriously if the world is to be any liveable environment for the living.

Daenerys Targaryen made promise of mercy, but fulfilled it with a wrath. She’s taken a debt of betterment, but paid it with aggravation. No one should get away with that. Jon snow on the other hand has been a consistent soldier of mercy, truth, honour and honesty. He’s the personification of that proverb: “truth is worth more than a pound”. The two lovers are complete opposite of each other, but still have so much affection for each other in a “love is blind” kind of way. Their characters define the ideals of human coexistence; take your word serious and be remembered as the greatest, but take it as a joke and be remembered as the worst.

Jon Snow as bigger name than Aeghon the conqueror, and Brandon the builder in history of Westeros would be a very fair argument. Within his short life, he had been a bastard, a steward, Lord commander, a prisoner, wildlings saviour, King in the North, rightful heir to the iron throne and saviour of the realm.

In all of the aforementioned, he was the greatest to ever bear the title. No man has served the realm closer to how much Jon did. He died and came back. He’s stupid, clueless and indecisive, but which honourable, honest and brave man is not? He has the blessings of prince Rhaegar, Nedd Stark, Lord Commander Mormont, Aemon Targaryen, Mance Rayder, Stannis Baratheon and Cercie Lannister. And for everyone who is against him being sent back to the wall, remember, there has to be a Stark and a Targaryen everytime in Black, and a man who is good at commanding, and very dear to the wildlings, Jon meets that criteria, in fact, he’s the only one that meets that criteria. Jeor mormont did give him the long claw for a reason. And Maester Aemon defined love to him for a reason. Ghost agreed to follow Tormund to the wall for a reason. Edd Cattelon refused the Lord Commander post for a reason. Its for Jon to guard the realm till eternity, and its fair to say the realm is safe till eternity. The greatest man that ever lived in Westeros. He indeed knows nothing, but who else knows something?

The new small council is just a testimony of the past great councilors. Lord Tywin’s blood must always be there to be hand of the king, because no one had ever been better at it. Tyrion was sent by his father to serve in his place for a reason. Bronn of blackwater has the cunning of Petyr Baelish, and even bigger love for gold. He also knows what it takes to convert an empty bag into a bag full of gold. Samwell Tarly has learnt a great deal from Maester Aemon, and from Maesters in the citadel. He’ll make a better Maester than Pyrcell. Davos Seaworth is an experienced smuggler who survived every single battle without a shred of combat ability. No one is better at brokering a deal, he’ll be of great service as the master of the ships. Brienne of Tarth as lord commander of kingsguard would allow Jaime to sleep peacefully in his grave. With the only vacant post remaining is Master of Whisperers. But who in this life or another do you think could resemble Varys, let alone replicate his job? RIP Lord Varys, may the soul of Dany rot in hell for taking you away from us.

Yoval Noah Harari is apt; “never underestimate the power of human stupidity.” When – Lord Commander Mormont forbade Samwell Tarly to die, Mance Rayder died while being burned alive for refusing to kneel, Craster marrying his daughters to himself, the Hound threatening soldiers to rape their corpses if they run, Stannis Baratheon admitting to murder while being helpless, Robbin Arryn sucking his mother’s breast while been at the age Brandon stark was ruling winterfell in place of Robb, and Edd Catellon saying his mother farted while dying that the whole bed shook, – I thought I heard it all. I thought I’ve seen it all. Then boom!!! Lord Edmure Tully stood right there in front of lords with hope for them to endorse him as the king of six kingdoms. Wow! I think this is the greatest insult an entity has ever suffered, and I was there asking God to offer me a chance to give Edmure the greatest flogging he has ever received. What a dunce! And he truly meant it.

The north is finally a recognised independent dominion. North has always been an arena for extraordinary stubbornness. They worship old gods in trees instead of fire and new, stay in snowflakes through the winter and bowed only to the dragons. The fury of northern lord matches the fire of a dragon. Greatjon Umber couldn’t agree for Lord Glover to lead northern banners until he got his fingers eaten by a Direwolf. Lord Karstark murdered three lannister boys because Lady Catelyn set Jaime free, which cost him his head and he didn’t regret. Lyanna Mormont killed a giant in such a young age, and once wrote a reply to Ramsay saying her house recognises no king but the king in the north whose name is stark, and we all know Ramsey. These people shall never bend before anyone who is not a northerner, and they got one in Queen Sansa, a brilliant lady with experience, with a fine lineage and beautiful face. I am that northern soldier who bend when she was done getting crowned. Our Queen! Arya Stark on the other hand refused to be the lady of Stormends, instead wants to see the boundary of storming ends. “Cold little bitch”, as the Hound puts it. That girl can’t live in a world where there’s no people like Nedd stark, Sandor Clegane, Blackfish and Jaken H’gar. The Hero of the realm!

In the end, there are some missing stuffs in the season finale that needs to be accounted for such as:

1. How did they rebuild kingslanding within days?

2. How did they rebuild the wall in such little period?

3. Samwell Tarly still has the bows of nights watch, how did he become a grand Maester with bows, when did they pardon him?

4. It has been seen when the unsullied sailed to Narth, but what happened to the Dothraki, where did they go?

5. What happened to or where is Ellaria Sand and her daughter? Are they still rotting in the dungeons of kingslanding? Did the girl die from Cercie’s poison, did Ellaria watch her rot? Is she alive or dead?

 

Look out for more reviews next Saturday………

MA Iliasu is INSIDER’s box office reporter.

muhada102@gmail.com