Spoilers Ahead!
2013. I’m still a fresh little uni student who’s just gotten his first student loan. Tesco’s. I find myself in their books aisle; it’s certainly no Waterstones. My eyes linger on A Song of Ice and Fire: Game of Thrones. I’ve heard good things. Nay, I’ve heard excellent things. And I’m the kind of smug literary cretin who likes to read the books first, and perhaps gloat a little about it. And so I pick it up, take it to the front desk, and the lady asks me, “Have you seen the show?”
“No,” I reply. “Is it good?”
“It’s amazing. And the books are even better. You’re in for a treat.”
And so I was. About halfway through my extraordinarily long reading of the series (I’ve become quite the slow reader since I started uni), I got impatient from hearing all of the hype and began watching the show in tandem with my reading experience. And, as part of the read-the-book-first club, I reveled in the similarities and differences in my expectations of what people and places were like. I hailed season one with open arms, praising the casting of some (such as Viserys) and having to grow to love others. I can’t believe that I ever thought Peter Dinklage as unworthy of the title of Tyrion. He soon put me straight on that front. I applauded the Red Wedding, found myself loving Oberyn far more than in the books, and continue to praise the well-managed divergence from the books in the last few seasons. Out of all of them, I’d have a hard time choosing a favourite season.
Until now.
Season 6 was spectacular. It saw the culmination of a wide range of storylines, rewarding viewer investment over the last few years with long-speculated and awaited scenes and storylines. This series finally put to rest rumours of Jon Snow’s parentage and ability to become ZombJon; it gave us BastardBowl 2k16, a certain Khaleesi actually setting foot outside of Essos, it got Arya out of Braavos (admittedly a little long-windedly), complicated and reversed a little of Jaime’s textbook redemption arc, answered some long-standing mysteries about the White Walkers and finally, finally turned Sansa into an independent character.
My favourite moment from the series, though – aside from pumping my fist into the air at Jon’s resurrection, aside from Bran’s visions and Hodor’s sacrifice, apart from Sansa talking down Petyr Baelish in episode 2 – apart from all of that, was the scene in the finale. You know the one I’m on about, bonfire night come early, the Great Green Dungeon Keg Rave. That Sept of Baelor scene was brutal, and a day later I’m still thinking about the myriad of complexity behind the Mad Queen Cersei’s failure as a mother, and Jaime’s inevitable utter horror at what she’s become. (Did somebody say Volanqar?) Tommen’s complete lack of hesitation in walking out of that window still haunts me, and that soundtrack which acted as the foundation for the entire sequence is, to me, more of a masterpiece than even the Rains of Castamere. I’m listening to it as I type this. It’s one of those soundtracks that I’m going to have to caution myself from listening to too much, for fear of disassociating it from the scene itself.
But, to assess this from a more critical point of view as opposed to simply fanboying out, this entire season has been full of superb acting, brilliant cinematography and directing decisions, beautiful locations (Bear Island, anyone?) and the same high standards of narrative complexity we’ve all come to expect from the show and the books. I don’t think I’ve spent a single week since April not gasping for the next episode, as opposed to last year’s season where only episodes 8 and 9 were particularly spectacular (not to talk down the masterpiece that was Hardhome.) The hidden symbolism that can be found woven throughout can make you jump to your feet, such as the faith and the crown being two pillars which fall together (as seen framing Tommen’s window), and Tommen’s downfall bringing us full circle to Jaime’s attempted murder of Bran. It’s hard to pick from the brilliant performances found throughout the season but if I had to pick three actors, they’d be Carice van Houten (Melisandre), Sophie Turner (Sansa Stark) and Iwan Rheon (Ramsay Bolton), and in my mind’s eye I can immediately see a dozen other actors equally deserving of praise.
Overall, season 6 was a treat and I wouldn’t be sorry or surprised at all if the subsequent seasons don’t quite manage to hit the mark that this year’s did. I’m not sure any future season will have as much narrative payoff as season 6, which concluded seasons-long story arcs, resurrected a few fan favourites and confirmed multiple fan theories, not to mention finally confirming the significance of Hot Pie and his off-camera baking lessons with Arya.
Perpetually Perturbed 