1) A new Targaryen
Plenty of people thought that it was actually Daenerys’ brother, Viserys, that featured in Bran’s flashback scene at the end of the episode. It’s not.
Ladies and gents, here’s our first look at Rhaegar Targaryen – Jon Snow’s legitimate father and the husband of Lyanna Stark.
If you need more information about his fascinating life then you can find it here.
This being said, that wig definitely makes the two characters look very similar, but as speculated previously, Welsh actor Wilf Scolding is Dany’s older brother.
When Rhaegar looks just like Viserys #GameOfThrones pic.twitter.com/12YhIyojUj
— Carson Parks (@CarsonVictoria) August 28, 2017
So that wig on Rhaegar was DEFINITELY the wig that they had used for Viserys, right? #GameofThrones
— Angela Wharton (@AngelaMWharton) August 28, 2017
2) “I did warn you not to trust me.”
Bran mentions a particular moment when Littlefinger pulled a dagger to Ned Stark’s throat. You have to love this sort of poetic justice.
https://twitter.com/_ethangregory/status/902064880911499264
Also, this moment when Lord Baelish’s schemes are unraveled is the very definition of ‘blink and you’ll miss it.’
We imagine that Littlefinger’s life was literally flashing before his eyes at this moment.
3) The best scene in the episode got even better
The scene between Theon and Jon at Dragonstone was arguably the finest one in that season finale. That’s really saying something.
In an episode where we got reunions between Jaime and Brienne, Podrick and Tyrion, The Hound and Brienne, Bronn and Tyrion and that epic scene at the Dragonpit, Alfie Allen and Kit Harington somehow managed to top them all.
The way Jon tells Theon that he doesn’t have to choose between being a Greyjoy and a Stark is clearly foreshadowing future events.
In Season 8 we’re certain that Jon Aegon will have to wrestle with the fact that he’s both a Stark and a Targaryen. With that knowledge in tow, this scene becomes so much more powerful.
It’s also worth noting a very odd twist of fate – due to the fact that Theon has no testicles, he ultimately won that fight on the Dragonstone beach and the respect of the Iron Born.
After that fight, we now know that Ramsay took Theon’s ‘pillar and the stones,’ but he no longer refuses to be a ‘cockless coward.’
That look from Theon after he was kicked in the balls was oddly inspirational.
4) The Night King will remain terrifying
At the Dragonpit, while speaking of the Night King and his army, Jon told Cersei that they were dealing with “a general you can’t negotiate with.”
He meant that literally.
In an interview with Deadline, the Game of Thrones creators said that “In some ways, it’s appropriate he (The Night King) doesn’t speak. What’s death going to say? Anything would diminish him. He’s just a force of destruction. I don’t think we’ve ever been tempted to write dialogue for the Night King. Anything he said would be anticlimactic.”
We’re massive fans of this.
By not talking, he’s far more terrifying.
5) This throwback
In the Dragonpit, Dany says a line in Valyrian that translates as “A dragon is not a slave” during her flirtatious chat with Jon Snow.
She previously said this exact phrase at Astapor when she took the Unsullied army (1:55)
6) Commotion in the ocean
Throughout this season, we’ve been frequently told that Dany is unable to have children after the blood magic ritual that Mirri Maz Duur performed to save Drogo’s life.
“When the sun rises in the west and sets in the east. When the seas go dry and mountains blow in the wind like leaves. When your womb quickens again, and you bear a living child. Then he will return, and not before,” she said.
Jon’s very ‘Northern’ way of debunking that was gold. “Has it occurred to you that she might not be a reliable source of information?” he says.
Anyone else think that the Mother of Dragons is now pregnant with Jon’s child?
7) Dothraki armour
Daenerys’ remarkable fighters are now wearing the broken and bloodstained armour that they found on the battlefield after defeating the Lannister forces.
The spoils of war are being worn with pride by the Dothraki.
Love that the Dothraki are all wearing scavenged bits of Lannister armor. #GameofThrones #TheDragonAndTheWolf
— Winter is Coming (@WiCnet) August 28, 2017
8) Maester Aemon’s remarkable farewell has a whole new meaning
“Kill the boy and let the man be born,” was the advice that Maester Aemon gave to Jon when they were both at Castle Black.
These were also the same words that he spoke to his brother, Aegon, when he became king.
This scene becomes even more heartbreaking now that we know Jon Snow’s true name is actually Aegon Targaryen.
The quote from the book is as follows: “Allow me to give my lord one last piece of counsel, the same counsel that I once gave my brother when we parted for the last time. He was three-and-thirty when the Great Council chose him to mount the Iron Throne. A man grown with sons of his own, yet in some ways still a boy. Egg (Aegon) had an innocence to him, a sweetness we all loved. Kill the boy within you, I told him the day I took ship for the Wall. It takes a man to rule. An Aegon, not an Egg. Kill the boy and let the man be born. You are half the age that Egg was, and your own burden is a crueler one, I fear. You will have little joy of your command, but I think you have the strength in you to do the things that must be done. Kill the boy, Jon Snow. Winter is almost upon us. Kill the boy and let the man be born.”
On his deathbed, he even calls out for ‘Egg.’
Really moving.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2FuZKth-TM
Clip via – jenjaesx
9) The poetry of this shot
After dispatching of Littlefinger, Sansa and Arya are standing in the exact same spot where Jon and Sansa were at the end of Season 6.
House Stark stands together.
10) He had one job
After leaving his post as Lord Commamder of the Night’s Watch, Jon said this to Dolorous Edd.
To be fair, nothing could stop the Night King.
11) The Hound has less bark
Aside from swearing at people and delivering an epic verbal warning to his brother ahead of Cleganebowl, the scene where he’s taking about Arya with Brienne showed us a completely different side to The Hound.
In fact, he even smiled…sort of.
You couldn’t help but get the feeling that these two were like proud parents when talking about their kid, Arya.
https://twitter.com/gamofphoto/status/902051993849659392
12) Oathkeeper
In a clear sign that the Night King’s arrival has caused the shit to hit the fan in Westeros, Brienne has uncharacteristically abandoned all talk of honour, loyalty and oaths.
There was something cathartic when she said to Jaime that he should “Fuck loyalty! This goes beyond houses and honour and oaths. Talk to the Queen.”
Compare this moment to their last meeting in the Riverlands.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l27hU9MNaPY
To lighten the mood, here’s what Liam Cunningham and Gwendoline Christie did in between takes.
https://twitter.com/gamofphoto/status/902042661594570752
13) What’s in a name
Khal Drogo killed Viserys and now it appears that Drogon needs to kill Viserion.
Apt.
14) Flip the attack
The same image was used twice during the scene when the army of the dead are approaching the Wall.
They just flipped the image around and created two separate sequences.
Cool, eh?
15) Bran’s visions are becoming clearer
As we saw in his conversation with Sam, the Three-Eyed Raven is not instantly omnipotent of every event that happens in the past and present. Crucially, Bran still thought that Jon was a bastard until Sam helped him to fill in the blanks.
It appears that Bran has to actually ‘experience’ the vision to fully understand it, meaning that he has to be aware of it in the first place.
If Sam never mentioned the note in the High Septon’s book, it’s very likely that Bran would not have known the truth that Robert Rebellion was built on a lie and that Jon is the true heir to the Iron Throne.
16) Euron Greyjoy is a lunatic
Here’s how Pilou Asbaek (Euron Greyjoy) reacted to the season finale.
That kinky line has now taken on a life if its own!
17) Quyburn is up to no good.
In the Inside the Episode segment, the Hand of the Queen admits that he’s utterly fascinated by the wight.
“That’s where his head is. You know the world could end in five minutes , but he’s absolutely focused on the zombie hand. This is amazing. I could really do things with this!” he admitted.
After perfecting his macabre and ghoulish craft with The Mountain, are we about to see Quyburn perfect his most gruesome experiment yet?
Cersei does need all the help she can get.
18) The Dragon and the Wolf.
“All hail His Grace, Aegon of House Targaryen, Sixth of His Name, King of the Andals and the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms, and Protector of the Realm.”
We previously knew that Jon Snow was a legitimate Targaryen but his new title is incredibly interesting. We’ve done a deep dive on it here.
19) The Night King
Wondering how he managed to bring down the Wall? Have a read here.
