On Danaerys -
When the show was faithfully adapting the books, there was ample and graceful foreshadowing that this was within Dany’s character from the word go. George R.R. Martin is a skilled writer when it comes to long arcs with his characters and foreshadowing their intents. This translates to the first four seasons or so of the show - her threats against Qarth in Season 2, crucifying and executing slave masters, burning alive Dothraki and Meerenese folks, all while talking a big game about her destiny as a ruler whether people wanted her to be or not, breaking the wheel, and letting people live in her new world or die in their old one, etc.
So really, this ending for her lines up for me. My only problem is that once the show outpaced the books and started relying on Benioff and Weiss as writers, almost all of the subtlety and nuance was gone. Dany was essentially portrayed as a white knight for the past few seasons, especially Season 7 and the beginning of Season 8. All of that served to make her actions last night seem a bit abrupt and rushed, which as a viewer, I can see causing quite a bit of narrative whiplash.
The show is still amazing to watch in many aspects. The actors all do a superb job. The directors (MVP award to Miguel Sapochnik), the CGI team, the production design, Ramin Djawadi on the music, all of them have contributed to make this some of the most epic television ever. It’s just too bad that the writing and plotting hasn’t matched that level of superiority. There have still been great moments in the past few seasons, but as has been pointed out by people more eloquent than myself, there have been a lot of narrative plot contrivances and conveniences to whisk the story along in the direction the showrunners want it to go. (Euron somehow killing Rhaegal last week, but everyone being absolutely eviscerated by Drogon’s daylight, head on charge this week, for example).
Anyway - I thought Cleganebowl, and Arya’s dash through the city were the highlights this week, as well as Tyrion and Jamie’s last moment together (although I’m terrified for Tyrion next week).
Lowlights were Jamie going back to Cersei, and Jon being given so little to do.
But all in all, a breathtaking hour plus of television. Legitimately have no idea what’s coming next - do we get a darkest timeline ending with Dany ruling over Westeros with an iron fist? Or does someone take her out?
