Game of Thrones Season 8 Episode 2: Thoughts

[Contains Spoilers]

First of all, adbfajkdfaghfbajldvsdmbjsj, what an episode.

I got to watch the leaked episode before it even aired on tv in the morning of 22nd April. It didn’t have the credit sequence so the beginning felt very abrupt and it was a good thing it started off with  Jaime Lannister’s guilt-ridden face rather than what I had thought it would start with (which is a scene at Last Hearth). The opening dialogue was what we had seen on the trailer already where Dany is berating her father’s murderer. What follows is pretty much predictable - Jaime’s intentions are questioned, Cersei’s intentions are revealed, Tyrion is made to look a fool, Brienne stands up for Jaime, Sansa vouches for Brienne’s word and voila, ser Jaime is free to fight for the Starks now. I mean, did anyone even think something else would happen? Jaime is to die in the arms of the woman he loves and it ain’t today. After Jaime is “forgiven”, sort of, for deciding to fight for the living, everyone makes a hasty departure for some reason.

I don't understand why Jaime gave that look when Bran said, "The things we do for love". He said that before he threw the kid off the window. But I guess, he thought Bran didn't remember anything. I'm glad Jaime got defended by Brienne, you see, that's what you get for doing good things to good people. And lol for Jon avoiding Dany at all costs, poor Dany, I feel for the girl, but given what she's spared from, it's a good thing she can live the life of blissful ignorance for however long she can.

Dany threatens Tyrion with replacement whilst looking at Varys and Jorah. To be honest, I'd much rather have Davos as her new hand. Question: Has Tyrion seriously lost all his political acumen or is he playing at something?

We go over to the Gendry work place where Arya eyes him over with that strange look. He looks up and flirt game is on. They talk some about weapons and Gendry gets some first hand look at how deadly this girl really is. She's like a professional who wants to get a measure of what she's up against but then she's also a little too cocky for her own good. She sends that man running, gets Gendry impressed and orders her way around to get her weapon prioritised.

Jaime walks over to Bran and apologises for what he did. Bran goes, that's all right mate. Anyways so at the end of the scene, Jaime asks what happens afterwards and I can tell everyone lost their shit when Bran, very ominously, said, how do you know there IS an afterwards? I think this Bran kid (GRRM and the show makers) is just playing with our minds. Then Tyrion and Jaime reunite properly and waste some time talking about Cersie. Tyrion seems to have lost some of his old sharp-mindedness and goes on depressingly about dying in Winterfell. He starts talking about evading being killed by Cersei when suddenly Jaime looks behind them rather worryingly and I swear to God, I thought he saw Bronn standing there pointing that crossbow at them ready to shoot. I liked how Tyrion still harbors the hope of marching down to King's Landing to destroy Cersei even after he's dead (there's our Valonqar).

Jaime walks down the battlement to the ground where they are preparing some impressive defence mechanisms with spikes and all. We see Podrick looking real good with his sword and running men down like we didn't know he couldn't even stay on his horse only a season ago (or was it two seasons?). Brienne looks on like a proud mother when Jaime joins her. They converse about her battle positions. Brienne clearly looks uncomfortable trying to make small talk with (the crush she didn't know she had) and bursts out by asking what they're doing. And after that banter, I honestly thought they were going to start making out (the tension in the very air!) When he asks to fight under her, she doesn't have any answer for him.

Then we have Jorah try and get Dany to forgive Tyrion, and then have her make her peace with Sansa. The second bit almost goes well until their egos refuse to hug it out. The two women have a really warm moment for about two seconds and I had almost melted and let out a sigh of relief when Sansa dares thinks about the "afterwards" when just 2 scenes ago, her brother had balefully put forward the idea of there being no afterwards. And that spell of bff breaks and at the same time, the Maester interrupts them to bring them to where Theon and the other ironborn are waiting. And oh my heart when Sansa embraces Theon. Now this is something I hadn't thought about. And I believe, people will be shipping these two. However, where will this go? Theon doesn't have his favorite toy anymore. I know, for people like these two, it shouldn't matter (since this hasn't stopped Grey Worm and Missandei) but one can wonder. GRRM has said this season will have a bittersweet ending and I had never once thought about the Sansa-dies possibility but after this scene (and the one that comes later) I'm not too sure anymore. May be these two will die together (possibly in each other's arms) and that's such a saddening thought.

Next scene: Davos serving men of the north and getting them ready for the war. Gilly instructing women to go down to the crypt when the time comes. Davos and Gilly helping the little girl feel good about protecting those down in the crypt. Does Gilly look plumper, or is it just me? Is she pregnant with Sam's child or is the actress pregnant? My thoughts are interrupted by a blast of a horn. I was glad to see Edd and Dondarrion alive. Sam goes and hugs Edd, and when Jon is striding to go hug Edd himself, he is nearly knocked off by Tormund (and tell me it wasn't only me who nearly peed their pants). They start talking about how the army of the dead will be there that very night. It's all serious talk until Tormund looks around and says, "The big woman still here?" This guy continues becoming my favorite.

We see the north preparing for their impending battle and the important men (and women) convene to finalise their battle plan, which is to kill the Night King by baiting him using Bran. And we find out what Night King wants - for the long night to come over Westeros and wipe out the men's memory by killing Bran (this Bran fellow has some high self regard). Theon is the to be Bran's personal bodyguard, Davos is to give the signal and Tyrion is to hide in the crypt. The pieces are set on the board and Tormund dear goes, "We're all going to die", looks at Brienne, turns into a goof and smiles "but at least we die together". Oh big man, don't remind me just yet.

Everyone leaves. Jon runs away from Dany again and the look on her face just breaks my heart. That leaves Tyrion and Bran together. I would've loved to see Tyrion download all the information from the human hard drive. Outside, Grey Worm and Missandei make plans for their future which...please don't. And upstairs, the Nights Watch reminisce about good old times. Oh and we get half a second of Ghost. And I have a serious question -  when we saw Grey Wind back when they had captured Jaime Lannister, he was humongous. Then we saw Nymeria in last season, and she had been massive. Why is Ghost still a normal wolf? He's the only remaining direwolf fighting with men and one would be forgiven to expect him to be as large as a baby elephant by now. Anyways, so the scene ends with the three brothers watching over the ramparts (I'd be fucked if I were posted there, in fact, everyone would be fucked because I couldn't see shit).

We get to the Lannister brothers remembering good old times who are then joined with Brienne and Podrick. Tyrion is well and truly drunk by now. Then Davos and Tormund are in the mix and things get interesting. Tormund tells about the story no one wanted to hear about how he got strong and starts drinking from his horn tankard making everyone uncomfortable. (to be continued..)

Arya - the mean, the Hound - the bitter and Dondarrion - the bright share some ale and small talk before Arya heads off to get some with Gendry.

(..continued) The best scene of the entire episode hits the screen when Jaime Lannister knights Brienne of Tarth. It is emotional on so many levels - Brienne gets what she has always wanted, she gets it from Jaime, they might not live to see the next day, Tormund see nothing beyond the pride he feels for Brienne and I think - this happiness won't last (more than a week for us).

Sam witnesses Jorah being schooled by Lyanna Mormont and gives him the valyrian blade he had stolen from his family (I had seen that coming from miles away). So Ned Stark's sword is divided among Brienne and Jaime, the Mormont sword is with Jon Snow and the Tarly sword is now with Jorah Mormont. Okay.

Okay, now we go back to the warm hearth where Tyrion suggests someone sing. Everyone refuses but Pod the rod has other ideas. He starts singing (is there nothing that this guy can do anymore?) beautifully and we start seeing haunting montage of people living their final moments as best as they can - Sam with little Sam and Gilly (Titanic old couple style), Theon and Sansa havin a meall together looking at each other warm and lovingly at the same time (aww, you guys), Gendry fast asleep with Arya wide awake beside him, Grey Worm and Missandei kissing passionately before Grey Worm leaves without a glance back, Jorah readying the troops at the front, and Dany joins Jon down in the crypt and Oh My God, here we go.

These two beautiful people are so much in love. I like the way she walks towards him warily, the way he looks up at her and tries to smile (which looks like a grimace) knowing full how their relationship has changed. When I was reading the books, which was long before I started watching the series, I somehow shipped these two even when they were in different continents and were in love with other people. Somehow they felt "destined to be together". Yes, Dany is this ambitious queen who lets her dream of sitting on the Iron Throne make great decisions (some awe inspiring, and some reminiscent of her father - the mad king) but she has come to love Jon in a weird way and that seemed tofit perfectly well with the story. Jon is a true hero with the right amount of valor, honor, righteousness and love for this woman. Jon's father is Dany's brother which makes her his aunt, but this is a fantasy world where Targaryens wed brother to sister, Jaime and Cersei have had children together, dragons fly and night king raises the dead to fight for him. In the grand scheme of things, I allow this relationship to stand. Unless. Unless Dany still wants the Iron Throne which she has been moaning about how it is righfully hers. Well, now that it is righfully, Jon aka Aegon's, what will she do?

We'll not know yet because the night is here. Three blasts of horn for white walkers. They both walk out and Jon gives Dany a knowing nod after which they both leave (to ready their dragons, I suppose). I hope this won't affect their battle with the dead next episode. I know I'm hoping against the odds here, but I'm hoping for strength to endure the death of many of my favorite characters. And it makes me realise, I like all of these people standing to fight in Winterfell. I know the next episode is going to hurt like a bitch.

Next episode: Battle for Winterfell starts (and possibly ends). It is said to be the longest battle sequence in the television history. I only know that the longer it runs, the more people die. Why is Dany shouting at Jon that "the dead are already here". Is this woman fighting with her man during the battle? ffs.