#my son Tormund deserves better

[briemund-tarthbane]

You know, I thought I’d be sad to see Braime become canon instead of Briemund (not that I was really expecting the latter ship to be, but one can dream, right?). But when Jaime left for Cersei once more (to probably kill her and die alongside her), leaving a crying Brienne behind, I was like “LOL, what are you gonna do now, Brienne? Go after Tormund?” She could have given the nice guy a chance, but she chose to lose her virginity to the popular guy only to be let down. It’s just like I saw on a tweet: “Do not be attracted by someone who hasn’t gotten over their ex.”

I only felt bad for my son Tormund, he was so heartbroken by Brienne’s rejection, and he still was the next morning. He could have forced his way over her, but instead he respected her choice anway, and seemed willing to move on. That’s what you gotta do!

And by the way, I found the words Jaime used to refer to their first night interesting. “Climb the montain”. Now imagine if Tormund had said something like that.

[thelawyerthatwaspromised]

Why Jon Snow Deserves Better

I've been knockin some thoughts around the ole noggin and I think I can finally explain the root of what bothers me about Jon going beyond the Wall with Tormund and gang for no real reason...it's just a totally (and oxymoronic) incomplete conclusion to his Hero's Journey...and here’s why Jon Snow deserves better.

Jon's been coping his whole life with the fact that he was born a bastard, that he will in actuality hold no influence (because of his birth), that he additionally deserves no place of influence or belonging (because he feels unworthy), and his future is destined for obscurity.

His ascension through the Night's Watch should represent a counter argument to all of his assumptions. He really is of noble birth. He is clearly leadership material. He is chosen for power because people believe in him. His fame grows even if his own opinion of himself does not.

Jon is unknowingly becoming the exact opposite of how he sees himself. So you might think "well then isn't it poetic that he ends up where he thought all along?" to which I'd say that symmetry does not always mean satisfying or, more importantly, fitting of a Hero’s Journey.

Jon staying in the far North is like some bizarro version of Benjamin Button - going backwards. It's not a conclusion. It's waking up from a dream sequence. He awakes from his self actualization only to find himself returning to what he always deeply feared - a life of insignificance and isolation.

Why I find this so unsatisfying is that the root of his self-doubt comes from two untruths: that he was bastard-born, and that he is unworthy...and to further make the point that his issues are an anchor on his soul and not just simply his personality - his deep seeded feelings of unworthiness are almost entirely explained by his melancholy over his origins (almost like a "survivor's guilt").

The truth of Jon Snow (noble, brave, charismatic, cunning, thoughtful, empathetic) is the complete opposite of the popular narratives surrounding his character ("bastard", "you know nothing", being murdered for "betraying" the Watch, etc.). His attachments to these untruths and false narratives cause him NOT to pursue his own desires because he believes his real desires are impossible and even wanting these things makes him feel immoral.

Jon Snow devoting himself to being Lord Commander of the Night's Watch is nothing more than a coping strategy. He is living out the "best case scenario" of his sadness every day by being a Night's Watchmen. They have noble goals, sure. They serve an important function, sure. But their lives suck up there. Bastards and 3rd born sons go there. Criminals go there. All are forced to surrender any hope for something more through their oaths.

Think of Batman. He is living every day stuck in the tragedy of the murder of his parents. He wears the suit. He fights crime. But he's pathologically obsessed with his trauma. That's what makes Batman so compelling. So how would it feel if Gotham was cleaned up, all villains defeated, and Batman's conclusion was to keep being Batman fighting low level thugs every night for the rest of his days?

This is how I feel about Jon returning beyond the Wall. There's no function to his actions anymore. He has an expressed (REPEATEDLY over and over in the books) desire to raise a family, to have a romantic love, to be like his *true* father, Ned. Instead, he falls backwards to something that was premised on his being undeserving of the life he would have envisioned. Obscurity, isolation (the wildlings are not his best friends no matter what the show tried to present), and without family. This was Jon's most depressing future, not his most desired.

The one hope I have for Jon Snow's conclusion in the books is that he is given a proper Hero's Journey. That he can overcome his obstacles both externally (represented by the clash of Ice and Fire) and internally (his own deep seeded self doubts brought on by the lies surrounding his birth) so that he can, for once, let go of that trauma. Because, yes, that trauma served a meaningful purpose in guiding him towards humility and empathy and made him stronger in dealing with those external threats.

The reminders of his trauma certainly helped him to live out the campaign charged to him by Jeor Mormont, the Halfhand, and company - but after those external threats are defeated the trauma no longer serves him. It only prevents him from actually living his life. He crawled up through the pile of bodies at the Battle of the Bastards because he had a desire to live, not to die, not to live indifferently. And he wants more than what the Watch and Wildlings can provide him at this point.

Self actualization is what I want for Jon. To find acceptance of himself. To find love. To surround himself with family. To finally, FINALLY feel at home. From my reader's eyes, Winterfell is the entirety of those wishes. This is where he belongs. He IS a Stark. Winterfell is his home. If, in the end, it turns out Jon is essentially a static character (one who practices self-denial from the beginning right until the end) I will view it with nothing but disappointment and dissatisfaction.

Jon Snow deserves better.

[lovely-cri]

I want to thank to my Stark children. Thank you for making me cry for you, for having entertained me for hours, but above all, for making me love each of you.

Robb

Robb was just a boy when he became King. He was a very good strategist, he won all the battles he fought, but he lost the war. He fell in love with the wrong girl. But Robb was good, he was a good brother, a good friend and a good King. I hope he could meet his son who was never born in the afterlife.

"There must always be a Stark in Winterfell.”  - Robb Stark

"Tell Lord Tywin, winter is coming for him.” - Robb Stark

"I've won every battle, but I'm losing this war." - Robb Stark

“Couldn't face Robb like a man so they stabbed him in the back.” - Jon Snow

Jon

Jon always did what he had to do. He fought, he lost, he fought again. He is my hero. He lost so much, he lost three brothers, he lost friends and he lost two women he loved. But he has protected hundreds of thousands of people. His ending may seem like a punishment, but in the North, in the true North, he can finally be happy. With Tormund and Ghost.

"You are a Stark. You may not have my name, but you have my blood.” - Ned Stark

“The Long Night is coming and the dead come with it. No clan can stop them. The Free Folk can’t stop them, the Night’s Watch can’t stop them and all the southern kings can’t stop them! Only together. All of us. And even then it may not be enough, but at least we give the fuckers a fight." - Jon Snow

“Kill the boy and let the man be born.” -  Aemon Targaryen 

"If I fall, don't bring me back." - Jon Snow

"He's never been a bastard. He's the heir to the Iron Throne."  - Bran Stark

Theon 

Theon has committed too many mistakes, and he has paid the consequences. He wanted to be a good son and a good man, and he died knowing he was. He was a good son to Ned and he died to defend his home and his family. I'm sure Robb hugged him as soon as he arrived in the afterlife, after having punched him.

“It always seemed that there was an impossible choice I had to make. Stark or Greyjoy." - Theon Greyjoy

 “Our father, was more of a father to you than yours ever was” - Jon Snow

“I chose wrong” - Theon Greyjoy

 “You don’t have to choose. You’re a Greyjoy and you’re a Stark.” - Jon Snow

“Theon, you're a good man” - Bran Stark

Sansa 

Sansa suffered a lot during the series. She has known and learned from the most manipulative people of Westeros. She has always fought for her family and her people. She is no longer a little bird, she is the Queen in the North now. Long life to the Queen!

"Or maybe he'll give me yours."  - Sansa Stark

"I am Sansa Stark of Winterfell. This is my home, and you can't frighten me."  - Sansa Stark

 "You're going to die tomorrow, Lord Bolton. Sleep well." - Sansa Stark

"I'm a slow learner. It's true. But I learn." - Sansa Stark

Arya

Arya has become one of the most dangerous killers in the world. She is strong, fast and lethal. But she is also good, she loves her family and she does everything to protect them. She defeated the Night King. Maybe she will never come back to his family, but finally she can be free, free from revenge.

"Not today." - Arya Stark

"Anyone can be killed." - Arya Stark

"A girl is Arya Stark of Winterfell, and I'm going home." - Arya Stark

"Leave one wolf alive and the sheep are never safe." - Arya Stark

"When people ask you what happened here, tell them the North remembers. Tell them winter came for House Frey." - Arya Stark

Bran

Bran is the new King of Seven Six Kingdoms. He traveled a lot to learn, to become the Three Eyed Raven. I am sure that he will be a great King and that peace will finally reign.

"I wasn't drowning. I was home." - Bran Stark

"Robert's rebellion was built on a lie" - Bran Stark

"You shouldn't envy me. Mostly, I live in the past." - Bran Stark

Rickon

Rickon was just a child. But he was brave, loyal and he loved his family. He was smart, he knew his mother and brother wouldn't come back. He wanted to protect Bran at all costs. I'm sure he is now with his family and his direwolf to watch over his brothers.

"They've all gone away."  -Rickon Stark

"I'm your brother. I have to protect you!" - Rickon Stark

And now I'd like to thank my precious direwolves.

Gray Wind

"I heard his wolf killed in dozen men and as many horses."

He has always been loyal and good and courageous. He deserved better, he died knowing he couldn't help his Robb. He would have preferred to die beside Robb, trying to protect him, than in a cage without the possibility of defending himself.

Ghost

"The runt of the litter. That one's yours, Snow."

He has always been the bravest. He has always protected Jon, but not only that, he has always protected Jon's friends and family too. He fought alongside Jon in numerous battles. I'm glad he can live in the north now, where he can be happy, with Jon.

Lady

"Lady didn't bite anyone! She's good!"

She was kind and innocent. She was the perfect direwolf for Sansa. She died so young. I hope she died without realizing she was killed by Ned.

Nymeria

"That's not you." 

Beautiful and deadly, she became the leader of her pack. She was not born to be in the company of human beings, but I am so grateful that she continues to love Arya.

Summer

"I saw Bran’s wolf tear out to man’s throat at Winterfell, and loved him for it."

He has always been at Bran's side, never leaving him. He always protected him. He died knowing he saved Bran, even if he died to do it.

Shaggydog

"He doesn't like chains."

He has always been at Rickon's side. Although distant from the rest of the family, they had each other. He didn't deserve to die, the only thing that comforts me is that he didn't have to see his Rickon die.

[multi-fandom-fanfiction]

Updated New Mobile Masterlist

X reader imagines

Game Of Thrones

Jon Snow

I’m sorry

Jon Snow x Reader

When Jon leaves for the wall he leaves everything behind including his lover what will happen when they reunite during the battle bastards but she is married.

What had to be done ft. Robb Stark (*Smut*)

Jon Snow x Reader x Robb Stark

Robb and his wife are unable to have children but need an heir. Jon is more than happy to help the young couple out.

Robb Stark

What had to be done ft. Jon Snow (*smut*)

Robb Stark x Reader X Jon Snow

Robb and his wife are unable to have children but need an heir. Jon is more than happy to help the young couple out. 

I am truly the luckiest man

Robb Stark x Reader

Robb and his wife spend a few moments together with there children and Robb realizes just how lucky he truly is.

Happy Ever After

Robb Stark x Reader

Robb and his wife have been trying to have a child for a while with no luck. They decide to give it one more try. That try turns into three babies.

The Start Of Something Beautiful

Robb Stark x Reader

Robb discovers some new feelings for his best friend.

Both Of You Or None Of You Ft. Theon Greyjoy (Smut)

Robb Stark x Reader x Theon Greyjoy

Robb and Theon are in love with there best friend. She is in love with both of them and can’t decide who she loves more.

Unexpected

Robb Stark x Baratheon Reader

The princess is betrothed to Robb Stark. She expects him to be like her father but one day she confronts him and is pleasantly surprised by his response.

I made it home

Robb Stark X Reader

Robb Stark’s best friend goes South with Ned and the girls. She is imprisoned  by Joffrey. Robb is told she was executed alongside his father. The hound helps her escape and she finds her way back to his camp. What happens when they’re reunited?

Romeo and Juliet

Robb Stark x Lannister Reader

In this World War II AU. The readers older brother introduces her to an American Soldier Robb Stark and his friends. She hates him and all his men because they’re the enemy but she is proved wrong when she spends time with her brother, Robb, and a Canadian soldier Theon, and an English soldier Jon. U.S’s Robb Stark and Italy’s Y/N Lannister fall for each other. What will happen to the two ill fated lovers? Will they be happily ever after? Or will they mirror Romeo and Juliet a little too much?

Sansa Stark

Saved me

Sansa Stark x Bolton Reader

The reader helps Sansa escape from her older half-brother Ramsay. When Jon and his men capture her to execute her after the battle of the bastards. Sansa free her and the two reunite.

Eddard Stark

Second Chances

Eddard Stark X Lannister Reader

After Catelyn’s death Ned vows to never wed again. What happens when the king forces him to marry Robert wife’s sister.

Daenerys Targaryen

I want to ride a dragon (*smut*)

Daenerys Targaryen x Reader

Daenerys and her best friend get drunk one night and upgrade their relationship.

The curious Little Dragon Ft. Sandor Clegane

Daenerys Targaryen X daughter reader x The Hound Sandor Clegane

Daenerys daughter arrives at the dragon pit with her. She runs off and meets the Hound.

Serving yer (serving you) (*Smut*)

Daenerys Targaryen x Reader x Khal Drogo

Khal Drogo calls for the pretty slave Y/N to pleasure him. Daenerys catches wind of there rendezvous. She joins in on the fun and they have a smutty night together.

Sandor Clegane

The little wolf and the hound

The Hound/Sandor Clegane x Stark Reader

Eddard Stark’s eldest daughter escapes Kingslanding with the hound.

The Curious Little Dragon Ft. Daenerys Targaryen

The Hound/Sandor Clegane x Daenerys Targaryen’s daughter reader x Daenerys Targaryen

Deanerys daughter arrives at the dragon pit with her. She runs off and meets the Hound.

I Choose You My Puppy sequal to the curious little dragon

The Hound/Sandor Clegane x Targaryen Reader 

After Daenerys dies her daughter becomes queen. Every queen needs a king. Her closest companion and her personal guard The hound is there with her every step of the way. Sandor Clegane has fallen for her and she has fallen for him. What will she do?

Tormund Giantsbane

I have fallen in love with my enemy

Tormund Giantsbane x reader

All there lives children are told scary stories about the Wildlings. What happens when a Northen lady sides with Jon Snow and meets the wildings, more importantly, Tormund Giantsbane. What happens when she befriends the free folk king and falls for him

Set You Straight (*smut*)

Tormund Giantsbane x reader

When Tormund and his lover go to her sister’s wedding and she spends the night flirting with Jon Snow. Her night ends in an argument and a sex-filled night.

Oberyn Martell

Lost and found

Oberyn Martell x Niece/Adopted daughter of Tyrion Lannister reader

One of Elia Martell and Rhaegar Targaryen’s children survived. There youngest daughter Y/N. She has been raised by Tyrion Lannister as his bastard daughter. What happens when your actual mother’s brother comes for you. What happens when he falls in love with you.

Cersei Lannister

You Deserve Better

Cersei Lannister x Baratheon Reader

Robert’s sister has fallen in love with the wife he mistreats. One night the lady has enough and goes to comfort the queen. The king’s sister comforts Cersei and they become friends until one night after Robert mistreats his wife again and the reader goes to her rescue once again and they admit there shared feelings.

Joffrey Baratheon

I see you

Joffrey Baratheon x reader

Joffrey has been friends with the reader since they were children. One day there attacked and Joffrey leaves his betrothed Sansa Stark for dead. His best friend sees Joffrey as a monster and decides to avoid him. What happens when he comforts her. Will their true feelings come out? Will their friendship end forever?

Ramsay Bolton

I love you

Ramsay Bolton x reader

Ramsay’s new bride just found out about her pregnancy when she is attacked. Her husband rescues her and confesses his love for there family.

You are mine (*Smut*)

Ramsay Bolton x Younger half-sister

Ramsay’s younger half-sister meets a suitor. Ramsay doesn’t like his secret forbidden lover spending the day with her possible husband so he shows her who he belongs to.

How did I get so lucky (*smut*)

Ramsay Bolton x Younger Half Sister

Ramsay and his younger half-sister have been together for years. Their father leaves and they finally get married and share a love-filled wedding night.

Too Little Too Late Ft. Theon Greyjoy

Ramsay Bolton x reader x Theon Greyjoy

Theon Greyjoy left his lover that was carrying there baby when he went to the  Iron Islands. The night before he left they got in a huge argument. She left and met Ramsay Bolton. They fell in love and got married. Ramsay has raised her son as his own after all these years. What happens when the reader’s husband returns home with the father of her child as a toy. What happens when she can’t stop thinking of the memories.

Theon Greyjoy

That Should Be Me

Theon Greyjoy x Stark Reader

Theon Greyjoy cheated on his betrothed Y/N Stark. She gets engaged to another lord. What happens when he relives there memories. Will he go after her? Will he let her go? (Based on the song That should be me by Justin Bieber)

Safe Haven

Theon Greyjoy x reader

Theon Greyjoy is sent by Eddard Stark to fetch the men the King sent to serve Ned Stark’s army from Kingslanding. Needing a good lay he headed to a brothel recommended by one of the soldiers. The reader was working her first night there and Theon was her first client. Theon saw how nervous she was and talked with her. The ward realized she was not happy, safe or here by choice. What will he do? Will he take her? Will he leave her?

Too Little Too Late Ft. Ramsay Bolton

Theon Greyjoy x reader x Ramsay Bolton

Theon Greyjoy left his lover that was carrying there baby when he went to the Iron Islands. The night before he left they got in a huge argument. She left and met Ramsay Bolton. They fell in love and got married. Ramsay has raised her son as his own after all these years. What happens when the reader’s husband returns home with the father of her child as a toy. What happens when she can’t stop thinking of the memories.

Both Of You Or None Of You Ft. Robb Stark (Smut)

Theon Greyjoy x reader x Robb Stark

Robb and Theon are in love with there best friend. She is in love with both of them and can’t decide who she loves more.

Khal Drogo

serving yer (Serving you) Ft. Daenerys Targaryen (*Smut*)

Khal Drogo x Reader x Daenerys Targaryen

Khal Drogo calls for the pretty slave Y/N to pleasure him. Daenerys catches wind of there rendezvous. She joins in on the fun and they have a smutty night together.

WWE

Dean Ambrose

I see the way you look at her

Dean Ambrose x Reader .

Dean and the reader are dating but the reader decides to break up with him after she sees that he is in love with Renee Young.

I only have eyes for you (Sequal to I see the way you look at her)

Dean Ambrose x reader

The reader has won the Raw Women’s championship from Alexa Bliss and is celebrating in the ring when her Ex- Dean Ambrose comes out. The lunatic Fringe congratulates her and then proposes. What will she say?

Jealousy looks good of you (*Smut*)

Dean Ambrose x reader

Dean and the reader meet up with reader’s best guy friend. Reader and her friend are quite flirty and Dean takes off. She goes after him. When she walks in the house Dean shows her that jealousy looks good on him.

Seth Rollins

Do you think that low of me

Seth Rollins x reader

Seth Rollins and his on-screen girlfriend/friend with benefit gets pregnant and then avoids him. One day he confronts and she admits the news. Will they get together? What will happen to the two now that they know they’re expecting?

Brie Bella

Age Doesn’t Define Us

Brie Bella x Reader

Brie has a girlfriend that is five years younger than her. It was a bad week for the two but Brie proves how much she loves her and cares for her through it all. First there was the hate in the internet, then a sleazy guy at the nightclub and last but not least Charlotte flair at Brie’s work.

13 Reasons Why

Justin Foley

You can’t blame yourself

Justin Foley x reader

Justin’s girlfriend gives him a little comfort after he breaks down from his guilt about Hannah’s suicide.

Sons Of Anarchy

Jax Teller

I am so sorry but you can’t leave us you can’t leave me I need you

Jax Teller x Winston Reader

Jax and Opie’s little sister got together after Tara’s death. They were together for a year when the reader finds out Jax slept with Wendy. The reader goes to leave Jax when he proposes. WIll she leave? Will she say yes?

Reign

Francis

I have made a lot of mistakes but your not one we are not one

Francis x Stuart Reader

When Mary takes off Francis and her sister fall in love. Mary returns and a bunch of madness occurs including her and Francis’s marriage. Feeling betrayed the reader doesn’t talk to Mary, Francis, or Lola until one day Francis and Kenna forces her to talk with him. He admits to loving her more than his wife. What will happen?

Inhumans

Maximus

My Queen

Maximus Boltagon x Amaquelin reader

Queen Medusa’s little sister and Maximus were together when he took over Attilian. He brought the princess to the throne room and told her their family abandoned them. He asked the reader to marry him an be his queen. What did she say?

Riverdale

Fp Jones

Serpents Stick Together

Fp Jones x Younger (Legal) single mom Fogarty Reader

Your a young single mom returning back to Riverdale to your sick mom, younger brother, the southside, the serpents, all of your old friends including the former serpent king Sheriff Jones. You both discover some feelings for one another. Will you act on them? Will you ignore them? Read to find out?

Marvel

Logan AKA Wolverine

Love At First Sight

Logan AKA Wolverine x Summers Reader

Havok and Cyclops little sister and Logan fall in love at first sight

The Originals

Niklaus Mikealson

A pleasant surprise (smut)

Niklaus Mikealson x reader

Klaus and his lover were turned into vampires together. They have loved one another for centuries. Klaus makes a mistake with a certain werewolf and gets her pregnant. The reader is upset but she forgives the original hybrid and they make love. But she gets a pleasantly shocking surprise.

Multi Chapter fics

Riverdale

The Dark Truth

Chapter 1: Fireworks

Scarlett Blossom x Winter-Rose Jones (Platonic)

Scarlett and Winter-Rose hear an unidentified bang that ends life as they know and kick starts there journey to discover the dark truth of Riverdale

[turdblossommm]

Home

Summary: You were stuck on the wrong side of the Wall, waiting for your perfect time to leave and get back to your family.

Pairing: Reader x Tormund Giantsbane

Word Count: 2,350

A/N: Hey guys since episode was so sad I thought maybe so fluff would be nice. I’ve never posted anything GOT wise so this is my first go at it, please be nice I’m still trying to figure out how to write for him.

masterlist

It was supposed to be simple journey to the other side of the Wall, a quick trip with a few raids here and there.The clans just need more supplies and things were scarce their side of the Wall. The group never suspected that there would be a larger force at the tiny village. While others were murdered or escaped you were caught. Pulled away from the fighting by a man in grey robes with chains hanging off his shoulders

“I can’t let a women with child die” Your hand shot to your stomach, you weren’t with child. You weren’t completely sure of it but you weren’t going to stop him, lying could save your life. He passed you off to women in a dress with an apron

“Take her to Winterfell, inform Lord Stark of her” You rode on the back of the women’s horse to this Winterfell where you met this Lord Stark and started working in the kitchens with a women the called Old Nan.

As you spent more time in Winterfell you found out that you were indeed with child, you cursed your man and his potent seed. Thinking of him caused you to miss him and your other children. You regret few things in life, but climbing over that was the biggest one in your life.

“You’re not from here are you?” Eddard Stark asked one night after supper

“I’m from the North m’lord” You hated having to called these people by their ‘titles’

“You’re a little south from home?” You turned to him

“You’re women may not be fighters but where I come from everyone learns fight. If you are threatening me I will kill you” The lord raised his hands

“My brother is man of the Night’s Watch, when he come here again I’ll have him take you with him and send you back home” You stepped back

“Why? Why would you help me?”

“Because your husband deserves to know his child” You placed your hand on your growing belly “And you deserve to raise your child where you’re from”

“Thank you” You left the kitchen, you head swimming with the idea of being back in your tent, covered in furs you stitched together rather than the dress you wore. The idea of see your children and your man again, hunting for dinner and teaching them the ways of your people and their ancestors.

You bonded with all the Stark children, they loved to come and hide from each other and have you tell them stories. Your favorite of the Stark children was Arya, she belong on the other side of the Wall where she could learn to fight. 

You also like Jon, he was different from the other children. Some nights when Lady Stark wasn’t kind to him he’d hide in the kitchens. You’d tell him stories of your home while feeding him the left over lemon cakes and other sweats. Jon always knew that you were a Wildling, you never said it but he figured it out as he grew.

Sansa was a kind girl who wanted to be a proper lady, she was always sewing things for your son, Bjorigar. You were there for Lady Catelyn when she birthed Bran and Rickon who always played with Bjorigar. Robb and Theon were kind boys but they stayed away from the kitchens, except for when they were sneaking sweats. 

You remembered your last conversation with Jon before he left for the Wall. He was distraught that he couldn’t go to the feast and the ‘imp’ talked to him. He came in to the kitchens and you made him a plate and sat next to him

“You know I have three other children” you tried to distract the boy “My oldest son is a year older than you and I have two daughters about Arya’s age”

“Where are they?” He asked 

“Home hopefully my man is taking care of them”

“What are their names?” He asked and you smiled 

“My son’s name is Valulas and my daughters are named Norna and Nolla”

“Do you miss them?” He asked 

“Everyday” You sighed “And I’ll miss you and Sansa and Arya and Bran now that you’ll all be gone” You squeezed his hand after every name. You grew sad thinking about not hearing the girls yelling at each other down the hall, or that Robb and Jon won’t teach Bran to use a bow in the courtyard.

In the morning you packed your bag for your journey to the Wall with Jon and Benjin. Benjin walked into the kitchen and you he had a distraught look on his face

“I’m sorry” You felt your heart drop

“You can’t leave me here” You whispered 

“The Lanister Imp is coming with us and I can’t risk anyone knowing of you” You closed your eyes

“Fine but next time I’m going no matter what” It had been a long ten years since you’ve been stuck this side of the Wall.

~

Tormund rose in the morning and fed the girls while Valulas packed his bag to go over the Wall for the first time. They were to leave in a few days, they were waiting for the scouting group to come back. The days seem to drag on without you, he wished that he had gone instead of you.

He missed your smile and the dirty jokes you’d make. You were the perfect women for him, no one was better equipped to handle him than you. Tomrund knew that Mance secretly wished you were still around to keep him from his outlandish and somewhat destructive decisions

Part of him knew that you were dead, gone from this world. But deep down another part knows that you’re still alive and trying to make your way back to them, back to him. The kids are starting forget what you looked like but he could never forgot your eyes or the way your hair looked against he snowy landscape.

That night in Mance’s tent they brought him a little Crow who bent his knee to Tormund who thought it was the funniest thing he’d seen in a long time, not having laughed like that since you’d been around to tell your story about the time you hibernated for many moons with the bears. Mance questioned the boy and the boy claimed to want to be Free Folk. 

The boy said there was a women in his village that was Free Folk who told him he’d be welcomed this side of the Wall. Mance let the boy stay despite Tormund’s protests. Ygritte seemed taken with the boy, it reminded Tormund of when he was young, so he let the argument go.

He watch the crow quiver at the thought of climbing the Wall. The night before he stayed awake around the camp fire while Ygritte slept on the ground next to the log Jon was on. Tormund sat next to him and sipped his sour goats milk

“Good women are hard to come by, you better fuck her right” Tormund chuckled while glancing back a Valulas, making sure the boy still slept. Little did Tormund know that he was still awake, just listening to the sounds of the fire. He was scared, when his mother climbed the Wall she never came back.

“Do you have a good women back at camp?” Jon asked and Tormund chuckled

“She was never one to stay in camp” Valulas perked up, his dad never spoke of his mom. Norna thinks he believe she’s still alive causing Nolla to hit her, claiming that it hurt him too much to talk of her.

“Was?” Jon asked

“Yes, she climbed the Wall and never came back” Jon suddenly became uncomfortable, the Night’s Watch probably killed his women

“She was the only person capable of keep Tormund in place” Another man said “My sister was the best thing to happen to Tormund” Tormund nodded, he missed her every day, sometimes he’d wake and pretend she was up and making food to break their fast.

~

When the Boltons took over Winterfell after the death of Robb and Catelyn Stark, now being called the Red Wedding. You mourned the loss of their family and Winterfell mourned the loss of all the Starks. 

Bran and Rickon killed by Theon and Arya was missing while Sansa is being held hostage in the capital. Lord Eddard beheaded and on display for everyone to see, his head on display for everyone to see. The only thought that gave you comfort was that Jon was safe on the Wall. 

House Bolton took Winterfell after being named Warden of the North. You thought some clans were ruthless your side of the Wall, but the Bolton men come close to being as disgusting as the Thenns. You kept Bjorigar inside, not letting him play with the other children in fear of him being caught in the crosshairs of Ramsey Snow.

You stood in the court yard as Lady Sansa walked through the gates with Lord Baelish next to her. Her hair a dark black, not the red it used to be, she didn’t have the glow she had as a child anymore. She solemly slid off her horse and walked to the castle where she was met by Ramsey Snow, now Bolton.

Sansa looked beautiful in her wedding dress, shame it wasn’t to a honorable man just a sick bastard. You had heard rumors of what a monster Ramsey is, the things he’d do to people. You didn’t dare call Theon by his name, the poor boy had been tortured into something else.

“I need your help” Sansa told you one night and that’s all you had to hear before planning to help her escape. You were going to wait until night to steal a horse and ride for Castle Black, where Jon is.

You were walking atop the walls with laundry and Bjorigar when you saw Sansa talking to Theon and Myranda approaching them with her bow in hand. She was reahcing for Sansa’s arm, all it took was to see fear in Sansa’s eyes to shoved Myranda over the opposite side of the wall towards the square. You leaned over and saw blood pooling around her head as towns people gathered around her body

“Go!” You whispered and you watched Sansa and Theon jump off the side into a snow bank. You quickly picked up Bjorigar and jumped with him in your arms. You dug yourself out of the snow and hurried them along and ran for the forest, the quickest place to lose the Bolton soldiers.

When it came to crossing the stream you held Bjorigar above you head in hope of him not getting wet, winter is almost here you couldn’t risk him falling ill. You lead the children behind a log to hide while the Bolton men caught up to them. You were ready to fight the animals until a big blonde women came form the woods with another man

“Sword!” You called to the big women as Bjorigar crawled into Sansa’a arms. The big women tossed you one of her two swords and as you caught the blade you drove it through the chest of a Bolton soldier.

“Who are you?” You stood in front of Sansa and Bjorigar

“It’s okay” Sansa touched your shoulder “We can trust her” You nodded, trusting the girl and handed the women back her sword. Theon refused to come to the Wall, insted he was going to find his sister Yara.

You rode behind Sansa, with Bjorigar in front of you in the saddle, Brianne lead the group and Podrick stayed next to Sansa. It was an odd group, a big lady, little man, young girl and two Free Folk. You never thought this was the way you were going to get back to your family. 

~

Tormund listen to Jon plan for Hardhome with Valulas next to him, he wanted his girls safe too. After Mance’s death Tormund took over the leadership position, he was going to be Jon’s in with the council, convince then to come this side of the Wall until the figure out the White Walker problem. One of the Crows called Jon, saying there was someone entering the gates for him.

Tormund watched a big women ride in front of the group with a girl kissed by fire behind her. Jon quickly crossed the court yard and hugged the girl. It was a moment he yearned for with you, if you were alive he’d never let you go again. Tormund watch his son’s eyebrows knit together and then shock crossed his features as a little boy with red hair crawled into Jon’s arms and a women hugged him

“Mom?” You whipped you head around, thinking Bjorigar called for you. You looked down at your son who was now being held by Jon, not looking at you. When you looked up you saw a pair of blue eyes watching you. You knew his, you knew a younger version of his face

“Valulas?” You whispered and stepped toward the man in Free Folk clothing. Jon watched you look at Valulas, looking between the two of you he was sent back to the conversation before he left for the Night’s Watch. You’re oldest son’s name was Valulas.

You stopped towards the boy and the closer the got you started to see him more clearly and the man who stood next to him. The boy pulled you into a bone crushing hug and you felt tears slip down you cheeks. You pulled back and placed your hands on either sides of his face

“My baby” You turned to the man next to your son, the only man you have ever loved. He took two large steps towards you and reached his hand for your cheek. You grabbed his hand and you felt more tears fall down your cheek

“It’s really you” You nodded and he pulled you into his body, never wanting to let go

“Mama?” You pulled away from Tormund and turned to Jon still holding Bjorigar. You took his from Jon and place him on your hip

“This is Bjorigar” You looked up to Tormund, his eyes asking the question and you nodded “This is your father” You whispered and Tormund took the boy from you and held him in his one arm as the other gripped your hand

“Carry on” Tormund waved the people off and everyone went back to their hustle and bustle

“Where do we go now?” Bjorigar looked up at Tormund

“We go home”

[adecila]

Game of Thrones – A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms - 8x02 episode analysis (kind of)

…or the episode we should have gotten last week.

And we’re back! I am not here to shit on last week’s episode I actually enjoyed it very much, if you just take it for what it was, but! I cannot help but remark how much better episode 2 has been to us… the writing was very very good and rich, and in character, and it finally feels like GoT and… I honestly don’t know what happened in episode 1. But moving on…

As you can already tell, this is going to my personal summary, thoughts and analysis of episode 02 of season 8. Going to put it all under a cut – spoilers, you have been warned.

Are you an Oathkeeper or on Oathbreaker? Or the Jaime Fucking Lannister Fest

Listen I am not calling this a trial, because it is not. Yes I know they call it a trial in the BTS and Inside the episode.

Dany’s speech about Jaime’s deeds against House Targaryen is very good. As I have mentioned in my preview analysis, this is the first time (third time is a charm ha) that Jaime and Dany speak to one another. She doesn’t know this man. This man tried to kill her and he killed her father.

I got right half of the stuff at least, for what it’s worth. Tyrion looks soooo sooo bad. LIKE YOU KNEW YOUR SISTER? Oh the glare!!! If looks could kill, Tyrion would be dust. LiStEn, Tyrion, honey. Sit down. Jeez, read the room, you are not making it better. Dany is right - why should she trust this man? And Sansa is right there with her… until Brienne speaks. 

Gwen called Brienne’s speech something “almost like a declaration of love” and I think that is so beautiful it hurts. Not a Braime fan, but hey you got fed fam, I am happy for you! I already mentioned in my live blogging that it was either incoherent or just plain retcon to forget that Sansa sent Brienne to KL because she thought Brienne would kill her if it meant a showdown with Arya. But I digress. 

I find it very interesting how Jaime didn’t apologise and his cojones to say so because “we were at war” - and I get it, my dude, Ser Hot Stuff, we all know all is fair in love and war, but I guess it would be ooc for him to apologise. Great delivery, I don’t particularly like NCW but this scene? Top notch. I rate it one doggy style fuck out of one, but so good your legs are wobbly and you can barely find the energy to plop on your bed afterwards. 

The things we do for love… and Bran is back with the fucking shit stirring drama. We stan Bran Starkashian. 

I find it interesting since this is also Dany’s chance to show how she rules - Lady Sansa says her opinion, which surprises Dany. Then she turns to Jon, who the entire time has been very very quiet. Like the kind of quiet you are when you have the biggest hangover and you are stuck in class and you just want it to be over with. So Jon says what he could say to get the fuck out of there. “We need every man we can get.” So Jaime is given his sword back after Grey Worm literally gives him the I AM WATCHING YOU BITCH glare. 

But Jon’s chair is not facing forward, it is slightly oriented towards Dany’s. Notice how he doesn’t look at her, even when she addresses him directly. She gets up and everyone does so afterwards FINALLY SOME FUCKING RESPECT and she turns to Jon… and he doesn’t even look at her… and my baby looks heartbroken because he just ignores her *coughs* As soon as the meeting ended, he rushed out, not giving her a chance to say a word. *coughs*

In defence of Jon… Know what, we’ll talk about Jon later, when we get to the reveal. 

Oh and Bran totes doesn’t care about Jaime enough to expose him in front of the entire Great Hall. Because ya know, he is a drama queen, but he keeps his cards close, he either already has a plan for Jaime or as he said, and as I have predicted from the preview, it serves no purpose to expose Jaime for what he did to Bran. Like just click on it and read it. Good that Bran called him out on his apology naaah bitch you don’t get to go holier than thou here. It is what it is. 

Me at Bran this episode:

Jaime and Tyrion’s conversation is very interesting, not only about Dany in general whether she is worthy or not, and Tyrion seems to be team Dany. Was it just me or Tyrion more like whispered the part where he talks about Cersei’s baby. Also also listen Jaime, unless you’re suddenly a gynaecologist how the fuck do you know she is not lying? I loved how Tyrion called Jaime out on the fact that he loved Cersei despite knowing full well what and who she was. Dude let’s call it what it was. Don’t play coy now. 

Ding ding ding Tyrion mentions marching to KL and killing Cersei … and that’s all I am gonna say about it.

Jaime x Brienne wow this ship is getting so fed - enjoy babies ! And I loved how Brienne was suddenly WHY ARENT YOU INSULTING ME I DONT KNOW HOW TO INTERACT TO YOU !!!! Brienne is leading the left flank and Jaime wants to be led by her. Keep in mind for next week’s episode! I am so proud of my son Pod, I am basically proudmom!Brienne tbh. 

The episode in which Dany gets a lot of counsel - because that’s also the type of ruler she is 

Tyrion x Varys x Jorah vs Dany - Dany gives the best scolding ever tbh. Moms, take notes, because look at Tyrion’s face. He knows this Christmas when the NK comes he will only get coal. No whores and wine for Tyrion. He was naughty boy.  

KHALESSI - Listen. I don’t like Jorah in the books, and my impression of show!Jorah has always been tainted by it. But this Jorah is redeemed and deserves to live I WILL RIOT IF HE DIES. The scene he has with Dany is one of my favourites because it just shows how much history they have together. I will sob if he dies because he is the only one left from S1E01 with her.  Jorah tells her to forgive Tyrion and seek out S.ansa to smooth things over. MY BEAR

S.ansa x Daenerys - First time I thought it was going well, they were bonding… and then S.ansa leaned forward and the hand placing seemed a bit too deliberate to me, too Margaery. What I am trying to say is that it is very hard to know if S.ansa is being genuine. It is a very good scene and it holds a lot of importance later on, more on that when I talk about the reveal in the last scene (and I this is what I wanted from episode 1 - cold but courteous.) 

S.ansa tells Dany Jon loves her and that “men do stupid things for the women they love, they’re easily manipulated” - which, fair point; she saw Cersei and Margaery do it. Buuuut she also had the counter-argument: she saw how Littlefinger manipulated her aunt. So it goes both ways, bby. 

“All my life I have known one goal: the Iron Throne […] until I met Jon 

INTERRUPTING THIS PROGRAMME TO FLAIL BECAUSE HOLY SHIT WE FINALLY HEAR DANY CALL HIM “JON” ON SCREEN YES YES FUCKING FINALLY THANK YOU BABY JESUS AND MARY AND THE ENTIRE TEAM OF 12 APOSTLES  

“Now I am here, half a world away, fighting Jon’s war alongside him. Tell me, who manipulated whom?”  - I love how Dany turns the tables here, because she is right; if Dany was manipulating Jon, then how come she is the one here, fighting with all her men and resources and dragons? Who gains from this more? SEE S.ANSA IT MAKES NO FUCKING SENSE IF YOU WOULD HAVE BEEN- 

FINALLY SOME GOOD FUCKING CONTENT. 

Then S.ansa goes for that smile ugh and agaaaain I am having soooo much trouble taking it for genuine. 

“I am here because I love your brother and I trust him and I know he is true to his word […]” I AM DEAD DEAD DEAD 

And then it goes to shite because S.ansa is now clearly drawing inspiration from Theresa fucking May since she has no fucking skills to bring up Brexit - is it Nexit? Dany retreating her hands tho - she feels played LIKE REALLY BITCH I WAS SPEAKING FROM MY HEART AND YOU WERE JUST BUYING TIME HERE. 

Theonsa everywhere - or the ship you never thought would happen in this show yet you can’t help but ship it 

That hug!!!! Wow I loved it!!! Sophie and Alfie killed it. Also watch Dany in the background - my baby!!! Do you know how hard it is being around people with big families when you’re… alone? It’s fucking depressing, and I just want to hug Dany and carry her to safety. 

We got 3 Theonsa moments (and one was a Jonerys parallel so you know the romantic undertones are strong) in this episode soooo yeah! Enjoy! I am afraid they are setting Theon up to die, especially since it would be poetic cinema.jpeg for him to die defending Bran after he took WF from him.

Also also feels like book!Theon and show!Theon are colliding again. 

The Merry Men and the Night’s Watch leftovers ; and Ghost for 3 seconds - you’re welcome ; the Hound and Beric; Missandei and Grey Worm

Tormund calling Jon “little crow” was fucking everything! did you catch Jon’s smile??? Precious baby!!! And then asking about Brienne!!!! But did you catch Jon’s face when he saw Sam was also there - like ugh you again - BYE 

Missandei x Grey - one of them is totally dead BYE I AM GONNA FLUNG MYSELF OUT THE WINDOW 

Sam x Jon on the battlements - ugh Sam really you are looking soooooo bad right now. Jon’s face is again precious. He is so over Sam atm and he is just like WHEN WILL THE NK COME FOR ME BECAUSE IF I HAVE TO STAY ONE MORE SECOND WITH THIS BITCH ISTG– Then I got emo when Edd came up. Damn. Watch Edd die too… I feel it in mah bones. That’s how the last of the NW dies. 

Arya x The Hound - I get soooo many dad feels from the Hound tbh and I love it. My guess the Hound makes it. Beric tho??? hmmm Idk about that. 

Tormund is fucking insane and I love him

THE BRIENNE KNIGHTING WAS EVERYTHING AND I CANT EVEN LOOK AT THE GIFS WITHOUT SOBBING MAH HEART - also!!! Dunk and Egg reference - Brienne parallel?? And the title of the episode! ugh Summerhall references? BRIENNE DO NOT DIE 

Sam gives Jorah Heartsbane - Good. It’s what Jorah deserves. *pushes Sam out of the shot*

Pod singing Jenny’s Song is tearing me apart and making me sob harder I FUCKING LOST IT AND I AM STILL GETTING CHILLS YALL THIS WAS FUN. SEEMS EVERYONE DIES. No, I jest. But I love how they paired up the couples for a tragic love song - Brienne x Jaime, Sam x Gilly, S.ansa x Theon, Arya x Gendry, Missandei x Greyworm, Jon x Dany. I wouldn’t look too much into the song choice tbh, since in Inside the episode they say they knew they wanted a song and they just picked this one and added more verses since it was incomplete. I know this is the second Summerhall reference, but ya know, I personally wouldn’t look too much into it.  Edit: I should have never trusted D&D - now go read these amazing posts made by @tomakeitbeautifultolive in which she explains the song and the significance for Jonerys. Also Ramin Djawadi spoke about the song and fed our fandom just today (April 25th).

The War Council or let’s gather around Bran Starkashian so he can spill some tea on the NK

Plan sounds basic imo, not that I had expected much about that, but in Miguel we trust and we know he will absolutely crash this battle in episode 3. 

Interesting how the casually dropped that apparently the NK’s goal is to destroy Bran. And the mention of the mark - so now basically Bran is chipped. Cool beans. Sam’s remark about “death is forgetting, being forgotten is very interesting. Memories don’t come from books, your stories aren’t just stories.” - interesting take here. I Sam writing the book about Jonerys? If so I am afraid he has A FUCKING BIAS OMG I AM GETTING HEATED AGAIN. Also my friend @iane-casey  was totally annoyed how much screen time Sam got which honestly same dude I am still pissed at you *joins Jon to brood and glare at Sam*

Dany publicly makes a point in that she still needs Tyrion aka he is forgiven so that there is no bad blood between them. 

Lmao my friend @zavocado says we should totes just tape Bran to Drogon’s belly and lure the NK away from WF *grabs the duct-tape* 

FINALLY A MAP: listen, they are outnumbered as fuuuuck… besides that it is clear that Dany’s forces will get the most hit since they are in the vanguard, Birenne on the left with the Knights of the Vale and some Stark forces, on the right we get the rest of the North, and the Mormonts are inside the gates! 

Jon walks on Dany a second time - Dany stops as the room clears out (Qhono and Jorah and Varys behind her), looks expectandly at Jon, he doesn’t look at her (MY BABY BOY HE LOOKS SO ROUGH DID HE EVEN SLEEP?), falters “Your Grace”, and bolts. She falters, her face is all WHAT THE FUCK IS HAPPENING and she clears the room too. More on that at the end.

Gendrya or the OTP you did not know you need and why you fucking need it

First of all, this fandom is so pure. I loooooved all the Gendrya on my dash from episode 1 and then this episode I got flooded and I am here for it bitch. Give me all the feels.

I cannot wait to see Arya with her new weapon!!! 

GENDRY IS SO SHOOKETH BY ARYA AND I LOVED THAT SHE TOPPED HIM

I HAVE A SON YOU HAVE A DAUGHTER LET’S JOIN OUR HOUSES

The gendrya - jonerys parallels??? EVERYTHING JUST WOW

Jonerys parentage reveal 2.0 or the reveal Jon also deserved not the travesty he got

I will do a play by play of the scene, but first. Why does Jon avoid Dany? Simple. He is hurting. Since we get the Jaime vs Bran stare down and then we get the Jaime trial, it is safe to assume that happens the morning after Sam blurted the truth to Jon about his mom and dad. 

So at Jaime’s fake trial, Jon had what? A few hours at best to process everything - and by that I mean: Dany is his aunt; Ned lied to him his entire life (no matter the reason, Jon has been raised a certain way and to hear the man who was so honourable was capable of the biggest lie in the realm… das huge! so this is shocking his entire moral compass and belief system built upon the education his dad gave him); his dad actually loved his mom and married her so he is no longer a bastard - ya know aka the thing that affected his entire life and the thing he wanted most; his mom died giving birth to him and she managed to think of him in her last moments, enough to make Ned promise her he will take care of her son; the fact that if Robert even caught a whiff of it, he would have been dead. SO that is a LOT LOT. 

Which explains why Jon was so out of it when he is asked about Jaime. Also explains why he bolts out of the room without looking at Dany - I think if he had even so much as looked at her he would have broken down. He isn’t ready for it.

Oh the stuff I mentioned he had to come to terms with? On top of all of it we must add the stress of finding a way of telling all of this to Dany in a way that he doesn’t hurt her. Also I bet your ass he thought there was a chance she may not believe him (he himself did not in the beginning)… and a chance she may think he wants the throne since Sam drilled this into his head so now he is afraid of that too. 

So when Jon is in the war room he had what? around 12 hours in total since Sam told him? 15? 20? Do you think that’s enough? Because I don’t. But this time he is doing much better. So he is still not looking at Dany, but he addressed her “Your Grace” and leaves - which means he is already in a better place than where he was in the morning, but not quite there yet. 

This is good angst. We should rejoice, it will hurt before it gets better. 

Moving on. Why didn’t he just directly go to Dany? I honestly don’t think it’s in Jon’s character to seek out comfort. This is a kid who had no one to go to when he would hurt himself. That shit stays with you. You don’t just flip a switch and start seeking out your other half. No, in moments of stress the brain reverts to things it knows bets, to muscle memory and old habits; it uses the energy to overthink itself to death so ain’t nobody got time for that new behaviours shit. At this point jonerys have been together for how long? 3? 4 weeks? That’s not that much. They are used to each other, but not enough to break old habits and past traumas. 

Now, the reveal: 

Dany stops, silently asking permission before she approaches Jon. Poor bean must be a bit hurt that he avoided her twice, so better make sure he actually wants her company. Jon actually smiles at her, even if it is a sad smile. It kills me how he is just staring at him mom’s statue. KILLS ME. Only then, she approaches him (look at her face, brief relief!). She stops next to him, he turns to her and nods, and only THEN SHE EMBRACES HIS SIDE, HOLDING HIS HANDS, CHIN TO HIS SHOULDER.

“Who is that?”

“Lyanna Stark.” Jon eventually says

Dany looks a bit like oh… shit, again my family yikes… I would say she looks apologetic. “My brother Rhaegar, everyone told me he was decent and kind. He liked to sing. Gave money to poor children. And he raped her” - ok but this is big, because Dany just in S7 recognised her own rape… So no wonder her opinion on Rhaegar is not that good atm. 

“He didn’t” 

Dany looks shook, but she is still holding onto Jon. Notice how his hand is on hers? 

“He loved her.” 

She doesn’t interrupt. Jon almost looks like he is feeling brave, so he keeps her hand into his and turns to face her. 

“They were married in secret. After Rhaegar fell on the Trident, she had a son. Robert would have murdered the baby if he ever found out and Lyanna knew it.”

Dany is surpised, but so far so good. Jon stares into her eyes.

“So the last thing she did as she bled to death on her birthing bed was give the boy to her brother” – camera on Emilia — oh shit for a split second it starts to show that she is putting two and two together – “Ned Stark” – her eyes widen and she blinks – “to raise as his bastard” – she exhales, breathing accelerates – “My name,” – breathing heavily on her part –  “my real name” -- she looks incredulous and nods a smal no – “is Aegon Targaryen” – she blinks, exhales, puls away her hand and turn halfway away from Jon. 

She looks away, then at him, he is almost leaning over her but still too far. “That’s impossible.”

Camera on Jonerys

“I wish it were.” (SEE THIS IS WHAT I AM SAYING MY POOR SON)

“Who told you this?”

“Bran. He was it.”

“He SAW it?” She sound clipped, the ARE YOU KIDDING ME tone clipped 

“And Samwell confirmed it.”He read about their marriage at the CItadel” – camera on Emilia —”without even knowing what it meant” (OK BUT FUCK OFF SAM GILLY READ THAT) - Dany’s face her, she is clearly restraining herself because this sounds insane.

“A secret no one in the world knew, except your brother and your best friend, doesn’t seem strange to you?” she shakes her head and it breaks my heart how you can see the wheels turning in her head going fuck here we go again, I laid my heart bare and that’s it. Yet another betrayal. 

Camera on Kit. He looks at her, takes a step forward “It’s true, Dany.” – camera on Emilia – “I know it is.” (UM HELLO DANY I AM HYPERVENTILATING BITCH)

Dany shakes her head, her face looks full with distrust. Then it goes to despair - her voice shaky “If it were true, it would make you the last male heir of the House Targaryen.” – camera on Kit HE FUCKING FROWNS LIKE WHAT – camera on Emilia – “You’d have a claim to the Iron Throne” – camera on Kit and his face goes again WHA— 

THEN THE FUCKING HORN SOUNDS. Jon turns his head towards the door, but Dany keeps staring at him and she looks heartbroken.

They go out and it’s all business. He nods to her and she leaves. Interesting though - she comes out first. Jon turned back towards the sound so if they were just running out he should have come out first. Either he remembered to be courteous or there is another small exchange we didn’t get to see. Or maybe I am reading way into things and it was a lame ass decision hahah. 

Ok so the reveal to Dany - you better fucking take notes Sam cuz this is how you do a reveal: being calm, level headed, explaining to the person as much as you can, answering questions.

On Dany’s reaction: my friend @oadara said it so so well in this post here. So, building on that, we need to put her reaction in context, just like I did with Jon’s cold shoulder. Dany’s discussion with S.asnsa is fresh in her mind, not just the part about who is manipulating whom, and that must drive her nuts now, but also the part in which S.asnsa did a 180 on her just when she thought she was making progress, so feeling like she was being manipulated. One of course must start asking questions. Has Jon just found out? Has he always known? Did he seduce her to take her armies and her dragons her her throne?? Moreover, Dany specifically tells S.ansa that her only goal in life has been the Iron Throne. Imagine that - having one goal in life, and suddenly someone comes in and can just rip it all away from you, poof just like that, they just need to say the word. Moreover, males have preference… and so many would rather follow a male than a female. And that’s a fact.  

Moreover… she still thinks herself barren… 

Like I am not saying Dany suddenly hates Jon or will cast him away (ok maybe she will initially I have a prediction/theory I will explain in a different post). I am saying… JUST GIVE DANY TIME. She just found out and now she gotta go save everyone’s ass. Let the girl breathe.

I was asking myself but why would Jon tell her now? If he himself wishes she had never known? I think it may be a very Ned Stark thing - he genuinely thinks he will fall, and he wanted to tell her the truth, because Rhaegar Targaryen may be his dad but Ned Stark is his daddy. 

What do you think? As always, dms and asks are open! 

Will make a preview post and another about my jonerys theory. 

All in all, this episode was incredible and I loved it. I am so not ready for the fight fuuuuuuuuuuuu-

[sailorshadzter]

The Last Dragon and the Lone Wolf. Jon Snow is the last Targaryen, the Last Dragon. As Maester Aemon once said, "A Targaryen alone in the world is a terrible thing. Sansa Stark is the Queen in the North but she is alone, for there must always be a Stark in Winterfell. She is the Lone Wolf. As Ned Stark once said, "The Lone Wolf dies but the pack survives." A Stark reminder. Also Bran has found Drogon in Essos burning cities. Grey Worm tries to tame him to no avail, he needs Jon Snow.

i seriously might consider doing a part 2 of this. thanks for the request! 

send me prompts

The lone wolf dies, but the pack survives.

And yet, where was her pack? Sansa sighs, rising up from where she sits upon her throne, the direwolves carved into the wood a reminder of who she is. The Red Wolf, they call her, The queen who never bends, the Queen in the North. She had been crowned some months before after the retaking of Winterfell from the Bolton's. She had schemed and fought and clawed her way back up from the bottom. It had taken nearly everything within her to win back her home, her birthright, but she had done it thanks to the houses that still yet remained loyal to her name and house. With the support of the North behind her, she reclaimed Winterfell in the name of House Stark and they had made her their queen in return.

"Sansa..." She turns at the sound of the voice, her distant brother rolling towards her in his chair. He was the only person who addressed her in such a way still, a reminder of the boy he had once been. For a moment, they were children again, and Sansa was watching him climb the towers, despite being told over and over again not to. For a moment, she could see his wide, childish grin as he waved down at her from the highest peak. But then it was gone and she sighs, her blue eyes finding his Stark gray eyes. "I must speak with you." He goes on and Sansa nods, coming around to grab the handles of his chair, pushing him towards the door she had been heading to.

They go in silence until they reach his chambers. "I've had a vision." Bran says when she's closed the door and settled herself into the chair nearest the fire. Her eyes widen, a brow arching slightly as she waits for an explanation. "Daenerys Targaryen has died in Essos," he says in his monotone voice, speaking a name she had heard little of lately. "And her dragon remains without a rider to tame him. He is burning cities even as we speak." He recalls the rush of fear he had felt standing in the unnamed city, watching as the great beast flew overhead, fire gushing from its mouth.

"There are no Targaryen's to tame him, though," Sansa says, recalling what she had learned a long time ago in King's Landing. "There must be a way to stop the creature. It will come this way, if we don't." It would only be a matter of time before the dragon flew west, towards Westeros, and then there was no telling the bloodshed it would cause.

Bran stares at her for a long moment before he nods. "There is a way, yes," he begins, watching his sister closely as he speaks. "There is still yet a living Targaryen that no one knows of." Her face changes as surprise takes root. "It is Jon Snow, our half brother." Jon Snow? That was a name she thought of often, a boy now grown into a man, though one she had not seen in several years now. She knew him to once be Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, but rumors swirled that he was now called the King Beyond the Wall. "Though our half brother he is not." Sansa leans back in her chair, blue eyes widening ever so slightly. "He is our cousin, born of the lawful marriage between Rhaegar Targaryen and our aunt, Lyanna Stark." Understanding is blooming in her eyes, as she realizes the story they had heard about the kidnapping and rape of their beloved aunt was but that... A cruel story. "You must go to him, you must tell him the truth of his birth and you must sail for Essos. Jon is the only person who can tame the dragon. He is the last living Targaryen."

It takes a moment, but Sansa finally gives a single nod. It was her duty as queen to protect her kingdom from those who would do it harm... And so protect it she would do.

[ x x x ]

"Your grace, riders... At the gate."

Jon looks up from where he sits at his desk, eyeballing the redheaded man that stands before him. "I told you not to call me that," he says with a shake of his head, returning to the scrolls upon the surface of the desk. "Let them in and feed them, warm them. I'm sure they'll be on their way then."

"Your grace- I mean, my lord, ah fuck. Little crow, it is a woman." Tormund says, his words bringing the younger man's attention back to him. "A redheaded woman." Jon draws back, the scrolls suddenly forgotten. He knows very few redheaded women. At once, he's thinking of the half sister he has in the Queen in the North, but surely it cannot be her that has come to him so far out into the North.

"I will go out to meet our guest, then." Jon rules as he rises to his feet, pulling on his fur lined cloak as he went across the room, Tormund following after him. The moment he had stepped out into the morning cold, he could see her there in the courtyard, knelt down in the snow with her arms around Ghost. The wolf was licking her face, nearly knocking her down in his effort to get close to her, his tail wagging with pleasure as her soft laughter carried along the breeze. As he approaches, Sansa lifts her face to him and he's pummeled with dozens of memories; its her, with a crown of flowers woven into her vibrant red hair. It's her, singing softly to Lady as she strokes her coat. It's the flash of her smile, radiant as the sun itself, a sight he thought he would never see again. Jon also recalls how the moment he had been brought back to life by the red priestess, in his ears had rung a laugh... A laugh he now knew to be hers, without a shadow of a doubt. His heart has begun to race as she rises from where she kneels beside Ghost, reaching up to pull back her cloak's hood, revealing to everyone there the red of her hair. Now, all of the castle knew who stood in their courtyard. "Sansa..." Her name is on his lips and she smiles, though tears gather in her eyes as she takes a step towards him.

Then, she's in his arms and he's never felt so at home.

[ x x x ]

"You can't be serious?"

They are tucked into his chambers with only Ghost between them, the wolf having laid himself at her feet. "I am, Jon," she says with sympathy, knowing it must be hard to accept what she's told him this night. They have spent the better part of several hours just talking... About everything. She told him about the death of their father and her abuse in King's Landing by Joffrey and his court. He told her about Ygritte and his need to fit in with whoever would have taken him. She told him about marrying Ramsay Bolton in hopes of securing her home, but was instead taken prisoner yet again and abused in ways she could not find words to explain. Jon told her about his men's betrayal and his death and resurrection. She told him about taking back Winterfell and ensuring Ramsay Bolton never could harm another soul.

And then... She had to tell him why she had come to him after all this time. She told him everything that Bran had told her and more. With her she had brought papers from King's Landing, sent to Bran by a maester in training there named Samwell Tarly, the very same man that had once stood alongside Jon in the Night's Watch. "I am sorry, but it's true." Sansa speaks softly, knowing what it must do to him knowing he is not who he thinks he is. All his life, Jon has wanted nothing more than to be a true Stark, be something beyond Ned Stark's bastard son... Now he's not even that.

From where he sits, Jon can only stare back at her, at this young woman he once called sister. "Targaryen..." He murmurs, leaning forward in his chair, hands coming to cover his face. His heart is in tatters. All he's wanted was to be known as Jon Stark and now he must be called a Targaryen instead? And then he feels it, the soft but warm touch of her hand to his shoulder. Jon looks up then, his eyes finding hers, the smile she offers him is as warm as her touch and even more comforting. "I just wanted to be a Stark," he admits brokenly, ashamed by the tears gathering on his lashes.

"You are to me," she responds as she rises up only to settle onto the floor at his feet. She presses her head against his legs and she feels his hand slide into her hair. They both have felt it, the strange spark between them, though neither will speak on it. Not yet. "Targaryen, Stark, Snow... You will always just be Jon." He feels warmth spreading through him like wildfire and he's thankful for her. Despite the years apart, despite the lack of a childhood connection, Jon feels closer to her than he's ever felt to anyone in all of his life. "And now you must rise to your destiny. You are the only one who can stop Drogon from burning all of Essos and even here. You are the only hope, Jon." He listens to her soft words and knows she is right. He cannot stand aside while a creature such as a dragon roams freely, not when he has the ability to stop it. Innocent people do not deserve to die because he doesn't want to face the truth of his birth.

And so he raises her to look up at him and then pulls her to her feet as he rises to his own. "You will come with me?" He asks to which she nods eagerly, another smile curving on her lips.

"I will go anywhere you go," she says, her heart beating faster than usual, her skin warm where his hand still remains on hers. Relief washes over him and he nods, his smile suddenly appearing as he gives her hand a squeeze. They return to their chairs a few moments later, Ghost still between them, and they talk. They talk about anything and everything they can until darkness falls and they realize neither of them have left the room in hours. Only then does Jon lead her from his own chamber to the one just down the hall he's ensured was prepared for her upon her arrival.

At the door, they pause, as if neither are truly ready to let the other one go. Sansa is amazed by the rush of feelings running through her and has no idea that Jon too is overwhelmed by the emotion he feels having her near. "Until the morning, then." He says, reaching up to run a hand through his wild curls, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. "Sleep well, Sansa." The sound of her name upon his lips is sweeter than anything, and Sansa smiles before she leans in, brushing a soft kiss against his ragged cheek.

"Good night, Jon." And then she's gone, disappearing behind the heavy wood door, though she would carry with her the feel of his hand in hers and the warmth of his skin when her lips had touched his cheek. Jon returned to his rooms and as he fell into his bed, he could think of little else besides the softness of her lips against his cheek and he could not help but to reach up his hand and touch the spot they had been. As he closes his eyes, it's her image that comes to mind and he realizes he's not felt this way ever before. So soft and warm, full of something strange yet comforting. He is happy, he realizes as he drifts off, happier than he's been since the day he left Winterfell all those years ago.

And it was all because of her.

[got-dances-with-dragons]

It Looks Like GOT’s Ending Is Going to Be More “Bitter” Than “Sweet”

I should have known better. 

After all, the author of A Song of Ice and Fire killed off the best character (Ned Stark) in the first book. 

And now everything is pointing to GRRM having set up an ending for Game of Thrones that is far more bitter than sweet.

One thing after another in episode 804 pointed to the possible “bitter” aspects of the final ending.

Because there were many “endings” in this episode but none that were particularly happy

The Funeral Pyre

Of course, the episode started with a funeral pyre for the many who died in the Battle of Winterfell including Jorah Mormont, Lyanna Mormont, Beric Dondarrion, Theon Greyjoy and Dolorous Edd.

No happy endings for them. (Although they all went out as heroes, so perhaps that was a “bittersweet” ending for each of them.)

Gendry and Aria Part Ways

In what looked like good news, Gendry was made the Lord of Storm’s End by Daenerys who also recognized him as Robert Baratheon’s true son.

He thought that would mean he could finally be worthy of Aria, so he proposed to her. But despite the fact that Gendry and Aria clearly love each other, theirs does not look like it will be a happy ending (at least not with each other).

Aria lets Gendry know he’s wonderful, but she will never be a “lady” of a great house. That’s just not who she is.

So Arya remains true to herself and I suppose that is a good thing. Still, it was sad that Arya and Gendry’s story appears to have come to an end.

When Your “Friends” Want to Kill You

Then the one “friend” that Jamie and Tyrion shared (Bronn) turns up--but not in a good way. Bronn lets them both know he was hired by Cersei to kill them. And it is clear he would probably do it except for the fact that he is worried that Cersei will lose and he won’t be paid.

So Tyrion offered him Highgarden as a counter to Cersei’s offer of River Run and Bronn took the offer. 

I guess it’s a good day in the Game of Thrones universe when your “friend” doesn’t kill you--because you bribed him sufficiently not to do so. 

Jon and Daenerys: Falling Apart 

A few weeks ago, before Jon told Daenerys that he was Aegon Targaryen, I wrote a parody where Daenerys still expected Jon to bend the knee anyway. My parody Jon and Daenerys worked out their differences but it looks like “show Daenerys” has even more character flaws than my parody has.

It doesn’t seem promising that Daenerys is meant to actually win the Iron Throne. It is heartbreaking to see her start to be torn internally by jealousy and self-doubt.

And of course the “open secret” that Jon is Aegon is now fueling all sorts of doubts about Daenerys in the community surrounding her, including in some of her most loyal supporters, like Tyrion.

Brienne and Jamie: Coming Together to Fall Apart

Well, it finally happened. Brienne and Jamie came together as a couple at long last.

And then Jamie left her to go to his sister, despite Brienne poignantly begging him to stay.

Jamie tells Brienne that he is not a “good man.” And he leaves her.

It seems that there is little hope for romantic happy endings in the world of Game of Thrones.

Ghost Deserved a Better Goodbye

What was going on with the animals in the Game of Thrones universe in this episode wasn’t much better. Yes, Jon nobly gave Ghost to Tormund because “a direwolf has no place in the South.”

I can understand that Jon had Ghost’s best interests at heart but couldn’t he have just given him a hug goodbye? He hugged Tormund and Sam goodbye. But no hug for Ghost?!

That just didn’t sit right with me.

But then again, it could have been worse.

Much worse...

My Heart Broke When Rhaegal Died

Rhaegal didn’t deserve that unexpected death. He was flying happily with his brother when he was cruelly shot down and fell into the sea.

This seems to be another sign of foreboding, especially for Daenerys’ chances of ascending the Iron Throne. 

Missandei’s Death Pushed Everything Over the Edge

Cercei used Missandei as a pawn in the hope that Daenerys and Grey Worm would behave rashly if she had her killed.

Once again we see true love not finding a happy ending. Missandei and Grey Worm had overcome so much and were finally finding happiness with each other.

But this is the Game of Thrones world, of course it couldn’t last.

Missandei’s last word was “Dracarys"  or “dragonfire.”

It seems to have been an apt word, since all hell appears about to break loose. 

Brace yourselves for the show’s final ending.

Forget about true love winning the day.

Forget about the “good guys” always acting like the good guys.

Forget about the “good guys” winning.

The next couple of episodes are probably going to be a very upsetting last act for this show. 

It was foolish of me to have thought otherwise.

After all, this is a universe where early on Ned Stark was unjustly and cruelly killed.

Did I really think everything would end very differently?

Posted 05.06.19; updated 05.08.19

All gifs and screencaps based on GOT s8e4 on HBO GO, except for funeral pyre gif which was based on this VIDEO and 2nd and 3rd Ghost gifs, which were based on this VIDEO.

[katlyn1948]

An Unexpected Journey: Part 14

An Unexpected Journey

Katlyn1948

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Chapter 14

: The Seed Is StrongSummary:

Arya and Gendry begin to pick up the pieces of their life and some news bring family together.

Notes:

AHHHH! I am so sorry that this took so long to get up!! I want to fully warn you that this is UNEDITED and there are a lot of mistakes. I have been writing this chapter for the last month and I just really wanted to get it out. I have one more chapter after this then the epilogue. Next chapter will be the wedding and it won't be a long one. I wanted to add the wedding to this one, but like this chapter was just DRAGGING. I was getting frustrated with it and I knew that it was just time to get it out there. Because it is unedited, there are some choppy bits and doesn't flow as well as I would like it to. I do plan on editing the entire story after I get it done, but that may take some time. Anyway, thank you all for your patience and enjoy!!

PS This counts as my AXG Week entry for "Don't Lie to Me," I will be grabbing the bit that I wrote in this story and post it as a stand alone because it can be, I just have to rewrite it a bit. Happy reading!!

Chapter Text

The sun gleamed through the thin curtains, spraying light heat across Arya’s aching body. The events from the previous night had left her sore and tired; her muscles felt like loose mud and the very thought of rising from the soft featherbed annoyed her. She was content on where she laid, with her very stubborn, very alive bull beside her.

He was gripping her tightly, her back to his front. They had fallen asleep like this, drowning so deep into slumber that neither had moved an inch while sleeping. Arya sank deeper into his still sleeping form and embraced the warmth that his body emitted. Although they had been apart for only several days, it felt like years had passed since she had been this close to him.

It was familiar feeling to have him cradle her in such a way and Arya could not help but smile as his hand rested over her stomach. She had not told him yet of the babe, but she was sure he would take the news with joy.

As swiftly and as quietly as she could, she turned her small frame to face his large one. She wanted to see his face while he slept. His eye was swollen still and his breathing was coarse; no doubt from the few broken ribs he had received from his beating by Lord Swann’s men. His lip sported a large cut and his nose was a shade of purple. Gendry had gotten the most beatings during their time captured, and Arya could tell on every inch of his body.

It panged her heart that she could not get to them sooner. Mayhap if she did, she could have spared him a few cuts and burses.

Arya wiggled her arm free from under Gendry’s and began lightly tracing his jawbone. She brushed her fingertips over his face, making small circles around his cheek. The light touches has stirred the sleeping bull from slumber. He cracked his good eye open and saw the face of the woman he loved staring back at him.

There was a comfortable silence between the two as he marveled at her beauty. Her gray eyes bore into his blue ones and her brown hair was disheveled in all kinds of directions. She had a small cut above her lip that was now healing, leaving nothing more than a small scar. Gendry also noticed how her face became rounder and fuller in the nearly four moons that she was had been there. Gendry reached up to brush a fallen piece of hair out of her face and leaned to press a small kiss atop her forehead.

“Good morning.” He said in a weak and groggy tone.

Arya smiled, “Good morning.”

Gendry groaned as he stretched his aching muscles, “Oh, I thought surely this was a dream and I was still held captive by Lord Swann, but alas, here you are wrapped in my arms.”

“Mmm, well I hope I am better company than the arrogant Lord Swann.” She mused as she gave Gendry a long kiss.

Gendry happily returned the kiss and enveloped Arya into a tight hug. He breathed in her scent; the smell wafting his nose with familiarity.

“Thank you, for saving me. For saving all of us.” He whispered into her ear.

Arya pulled back from the embrace and looked into Gendry’s eyes. There were welling with tears as she grasped his face in her hands.

“You do not need to thank me. I would have done everything twice over if it meant that you were safe. I love you and I cannot imagine my life without you in it any longer.”

Gendry smiled, “Good, because I do not think I would be able to give you up as easily as before.”

They laid in bed for a better part of an hour before a small knock stirred them from their embrace. Gendry rolled over and hobbled out of the bed, grabbing onto his side and wincing in pain as he did. His ribs were sore and the maester had warned him that the pain would be debilitating. He groaned as he trudged across his chambers; his feet feeling a hundred pounds heavier.

It took him longer than normal to reach the door and with a quick jest he released the latch and sung open the oak barrier.

Jon was standing in the doorway. He had yet to get used to the idea of his little sister having a man in her bed, but that could be discussed at another time.

He was standing with a tray of sweet bread and honey along with a pitcher of water. Gendry pushed the door open even further so that Jon could enter with ease. He shuffled to the small table in front of the fireplace and set the tray down, grabbing a chair to sit as he did so.

Gendry’s cheeks were flushed red and Arya could not help but smile at his slight embarrassment. This man had survived Gold Cloaks and Wights only to be scared out of his breeches by her brother. It was an amusing exchange as Arya glanced between the two men she loved most in the world. She could see the uncomfortable stance that Gendry was holding as he hesitantly sat across from Jon.

With a groan, she shifted out of bed and grabbed her nearby breeches, pulling them over her hips with a slight jump. They had become tight here of late and she knew exactly why. She drifted towards the table and drooled over the smell of the sweet bread. She was ravenous and could devour a whole cow if they would let her. She took the seat beside Gendry and grabbed a piece of sweet bread from the tray, lathering it up with honey. The bread was warm and smelled as if it had just come out of the hot stone oven. Arya shoved the sweet bread into her mouth and moaned with delight. It had been nearly 24 hours since she last ate and her body was craving sustenance.

“Hungry are we?” Jon questioned as he raised a thick eyebrow in her direction.

Arya grumbled, “I’m ravenous.”

She took another bite of her sweet bread and grabbed her goblet to water to wash it down. Gendry grabbed his own piece and nibbled at the baked good.

“I have received a letter from Dany. Lyra is doing well and has yet to question where you are. I think the twins have been keeping her occupied.” Jon states as he hands Gendry and Arya the letter.

Arya smiles at the sweet words Dany wrote. She jabbed Gendry in the shoulder and said, “I told you she would get along just fine.”

“Yeah, yeah, you were right.” He said as he rubbed her shoulder from her jab.

“Bran also sends his regards. He trusts that you will punish those accordingly.” Jon states.

Gendry swallowed and nodded his head.

“Speaking of…who do we have imprisoned?” Arya questioned.

Jon sat up in his chair. He pulled a piece of parchment from his jerkin and handed it to Arya.

“We have Lord Storm along with several of his banner men. Lord Swann’s sons are being held prisoner. His oldest claims full responsibility on behalf of his dead father, but I doubt he is telling the truth. Most of Lord Swann’s soldiers have laid down their arms, and have sworn fealty to Gendry.”

“Donnel is lying. He never wanted any part in this coup. If anyone deserves to be set free, it is he. As for the other son, I do not really know what his role was. Give the lands to Donnel; he will make an excellent lord.” Arya stated through chews.

“And what about Lord Storm? Is there anyone else who can rule over House Carion?” Gendry asked.

Arya shook her head, “Not that I am aware. As much as I want the man to rot, I do not think we should kill him. According to Rena, he was not a part of the original coup against you. I believe he got a little over zealous and followed a stupid Lord thinking he would get more land.”

“That still does not excuse what he did.” Jon stated matter of fact.

“Of course not, but must the man die?” Arya countered.

“What? The all-powerful Arya Stark does not want a man dead. What is this strange miracle?” Her brother teased.

Arya threw her fork at his head, which he narrowly missed. “On the contrary, Jon. I do not want all men dead. I am just…tired of all the killing and death. I have had enough of it.”

She spoke the truth.

What she did the night before was necessary but the feeling of taking a face had not set well with Arya. She hated that she enjoyed so much; that taking a life was a simple as a snap of the fingers. If was indeed with child, then she did not want them growing up around death. She did not want Lyra growing up around death. There were alternatives for men like Lord Storm and she would see to it that there was another option.

“We could send him to The Wall. If that is still a thing.” She suggested.

Jon scoffed, “Arya, the wildlings man The Wall. A man has not been sent north to take the black since it fell five years ago. Although….we could send him to live among the wildlings. Tormund can reform any man.”

Arya glanced at Gendry and he nodded in agreement.

“Good, that settles it then. We send Lord Storm to Tormund and Donnel can keep his family lands. If his brother was a part of this coup, then send him with Lord Storm. He’d never survive a day.” Arya said as she pushed from her chair. She circled around the table and headed towards the oak door, opening it for Jon to exit the chambers.

“We will be down in a few. Thank you for the food, now please leave.” She said to him as she waved her hand to gesture him out.

Jon chuckled and rose from his seat, giving Gendry a sturdy pat on the back, “We will talk later.”

Gendry gulped and gave a slight nod as Jon exited the room. Arya closed the door behind him, latching it for good measure. She did not want any more unwanted guests to interrupt their morning. She crossed the room and embraced Gendry into a tight hug.

“How long do you think we have until the maester comes to check on my wounds?” Gendry whispered against her lips.

She chuckled, “Not long. Besides, as much as I would love to take you to bed and rip your clothes off, we have to get ready to greet your castle. They have been through a horrific experience and they need their Lord Paramount to reassure them.”

“Don’t you mean ‘our’ castle? You will be their ‘lady’ soon enough, they should hear from you as well. After all, you did just save them.” He pulled back to look her in the eyes.

Arya groaned, “Gods, I hate talking to people.”

“You won’t have to do it much, just this once…and maybe after we marry.” He joked.

Arya scoffed, but could not help but have a smile on her face. The word ‘our’ felt nice against her lips and she truly could not wait to experience that life with the man that she loved.

They stayed embraced until another knock pulled them apart. Arya went to open the door, revealing the maester on his morning rounds.

She let the old man in and he immediately went to assessing Gendry’s fresh, but healing wounds. He applied another layer of salve over Gendry’s lip, protecting the gut from any dirt that may make its way inside the cut. He then began to bind Gendry’s abdomen to help relieve some of the pain from the broken ribs.

Arya watched the maester work on her injured lover and tried to suppress a laugh each time Gendry’s face twisted in pain. She did not take enjoyment at his pain, but rather the faces he made towards the maester every time he would jab something painful on Gendry’s body.

For nearly an hour, she watched the maester work. It was a remarkable sight; she had never actually seen a maester work and the intricacies and dedication that they put into their work was extraordinary.

“How long have you been a maester?” She asked as pressed a cold rag to Gendry’s eye.

“Nearly thirty years. I decided to join just shortly after my 21st nameday.” He responded.

Arya nodded, “So, you have seen quite a bit of things?”

“Aye, I have.”

“How many babes have you delivered?” She questioned.

She knew she was walking on hot coals. She did not want to shout she was pregnant, but more so imply just enough for the maester to understand her and for Gendry to be completely oblivious.

“Thirteen babes. All survived, as well as the mother. Why do you ask?”

Arya sighed. She wanted so badly to tell them that she thought she was pregnant. But, what if it turned out that she was not? She could not help but feel a slight panic rise in her chest. For years, she believed to be barren, but now there was a possibility that perhaps she was not. It was not the fear of not being with child that scared her; it was the disappointment that she would feel if she was not. With as much courage as she could muster she said, “Because, I think that I may be with child.”

Both men has swiftly lifted their gaze to her.

Gendry’s expression was that of shock, excitement, and confusion while the maester showed nothing but concern. He quickly finished up with Gendry and shuffled over to Arya’s side, instructing her to lift up her blouse. With some hesitation, she did as he commanded and the maester immediately went to pressing on her soft, yet firm abdomen. He did not seem to notice the scars that racked her abdomen. If he did, he did not mention it.  

“Hmmm, you may very well be. Your belly is firm and there is a slight roundness to it, but it is still too soon to tell. If you are, I can wager that you are maybe three or four moons along. Have you bleed recently?” The maester asked as he finished examining her belly.

Arya’s cheeks turned a bight shade of crimson. She had not talked to anyone; expect Sansa, about her moon bloods. It was an embarrassing topic for her, considering her last bleed was at the age of thirteen.

“I-I do not bleed, maester. I have not bleed since my thirteenth year.” She confessed.

The maester pursed his lips, “No doubt from your physical activities that you’ve endured in your younger years. I have seen it before, especially with young women who do more dutiful tasks than their men do. Not to worry dear, that does not mean that you are not with child. I have encountered at least three other women who did not bleed that had children of their own. Come to me later and I will conduct a few tests to see if you truly carry a babe.”

Arya nodded and escorted the maester out of their chambers. She clicked the door behind him and returned to her dumfounded bull still sitting on the bed with his mouth hung open.

“Why the look of surprise?” She asked him with a smirk and she returned to her chair at the table.

“You are with child? But I thought…you told me…how did this happen?” He stuttered.

Arya chuckled at his utter confusion, “Well, when a man and woman love each very much-”

“Do not patronize me. You know what I mean, Arya.” Gendry interrupted, with slight irritation in his voice. The excitement had worn off, leaving only the confusion and fear.

“I thought you said that you could not bear children. You said that The Waif…what she did to you, damaged your insides.” He looked at her with questioning eyes.

Arya sighed, “I truly thought that I could not. Between missing my moon bloods and the attack from The Waif, I was highly certain that I could not carry a child. I guess I was mistaken.”

She looked over towards Gendry. He is face was still mixed with confusion, but the surprise had now turned to fear. She could tell he was afraid. She was not sure of what, exactly, but it was evident that he was afraid.

“Talk to me. Do you not want this child?” She said in a small voice.

Gendry snapped his gaze to hers. He immediately stood from their bed and made his way to where Arya was sitting. He gently lowered onto one knee and grasped her hands into his.

“Of course I want the child! What would have you think otherwise?”

“You look terrified, Gendry! I thought…well I do not really know what you thought.” She confessed.

Gendry chuckled, “Seven hells, I am terrified! A new born babe is always scary, but we will face it together.”

Arya smiled and pulled Gendry to meet her lips. She kissed him longingly and fiercely and never wanted to let go, but he pulled from her and she suddenly missed his presence.

“Come, the people want to see us and I think we have hidden for far too long.” He said as he lifted her from her chair.

Arya groaned and reluctantly followed behind him.

The descended down the stairs and made their way to the Great Hall. Although the Round Hall would have been a more suitable place to address the loyal liege lords and people of Storm’s End, the wounds of what happened there were still too fresh.

A large crowd had gathered in the Great Hall. Everyone from the liege lords to the housekeepers were accounted for. Even a lowly merchant from the nearby town had made an attendance. Arya was surprised to see such a large gathering, but it was comforting to know that there were still plenty of people that believed in Gendry to be Lord Paramount.

As they entered, Arya noticed that Jon, along with Ser Davos, Lord Archie and his wife, Lady Rena were all seated at the main table atop the large dais. There were two chairs that laid empty, seated right in the middle of the table. Arya and Gendry stepped onto the large dais and took their seats amongst the rest of their party.

Gendry lifted from his chair and cleared his throat before speaking to the crowd before him.

“Thank you all for coming. I know most of you are here to see what will become of those that have betrayed no only me, as their Lord Paramount, but the crown as well. For those who do not know, Lord Swann is dead. He threatened me, my family, and my other liege lords causing me to take action. His own stupidity killed him. As for those who followed him, they have been dealt with accordingly. I know that most of you here felt the tyrannical force that Lord Swann had bestowed these last few days. I can say nothing but thank you. Thank you for your understanding and your cooperation.”

Gendry nodded and the crowd before taking his seat once more. He turned to Arya and smiled, lightly squeezing her thigh under the table. She grasped onto his hand and assured him that he did was what right.

The rest of day was spent speaking to the liege lords and informing them of the pressing matters that did not need to be spoken in front of common folk. Gendry was gone the better part of day, leaving Arya to roam around Storm’s End for the first time in days. She started off by going to the stables. Little Lyra’s horse had been burned with the rest of the dead, leaving only a handful of horses in the stables. Arya was glad to see that horse who have given birth not too long ago, was still kicking, along her babe.

“I am surprised to see you here.” Rena’s voice said from behind Arya.

Arya jumped and turned to see her friend. Her wounds were healing, thanks to the maester, but the glimmer that was once in her eyes were now dulled by the recent events.

“Rena! Seven hells, you scared me.” Arya said as she clutched her chest, trying to ease her racing heart.

Rena chuckled, “Now you know how it feels.”

Arya laughed and looked at her friend. She could tell that Rena was not the same Rena she left just five days ago. This Rena was quiet and reserved and had a weariness to her that Arya was not used to.

“How are you?” Arya asked her after a short period of silence.

Rena scoffed, “The physical wounds will heal, but the mental ones may take longer. What is worse about the whole thing is that my children had to endure it.”

Rena’s voice cracked and she could no longer hold her composure. The tears welled in her eyes and spilled along her cheeks. Her young son would never remember the whole ordeal, but little Ginger had awoken in the early morn with nightmares that plagued her young mind.

Arya could not stand to see her friend in such turmoil. She quickly reached over to Rena and embraced her into a tight hug, letting her own tears weep from her eyes.

Arya knew what it was like to have those mental wounds. Even years after what she endured, there were occasions she would wake in terror. Since she has been in Storm’s End, the nightmares were less frequent, and she likes to think it was because of Gendry.

The two women held their embrace even after their tears were dried. It was comfort for the both of them to have someone who understood what the other was going through. Arya squeezed Rena once more before letting her go. She wiped her tear streaked face and laughed at the fact that the second time she has cried was in Rena’s presence.

“On a better note, I have something to tell you.” Arya said.

Rena perked and Arya saw a glimpse of the old Rena she used to know. “What is it?”

“Well, I am going to the maester later to confirm, but I am with babe.” For the first time since knowing, Arya did not feel embarrassed or hesitant when speaking about her pregnancy. With Rena, it was different. There was an ease when it came to telling her. Perhaps it was because she was a young mother and someone that Arya could turn to if she had any questions, which she was sure she would have.

Rena’s eyes sparkled, and for the first time in several days, Arya saw the old Rena return. She quickly embraced Arya and laughed with joy.

“That is amazing…unless it is not?” She suddenly realized as she let go of Arya.

Arya shook her head, “At first it was terrifying. For as long as I could remember, I never wanted children and there was time where I thought I could not carry them. Then I find out that I may be with child and,” Arya shrugged, “I guess it had to do with who I created that child with. I am not going to lie I am still terrified. I still have some reserves, but I am hoping that you and my sister will be able to help me through that.” She confessed.

Rena gleamed, “Of course I will help!”

The two women laughed and talked for some time before Arya left the stables. Rena stayed behind to watch the horses and Arya thought that with time, she would be the same Rena as before.

The day was nearing an end and Arya had stayed in the stables longer than anticipated. Gendry should have been finished with his liege lords, but that was not the man she was looking for. Jon had stated that he would be headed to King’s Landing come the morn, and she needed to speak with him before he left on his journey.

She wondered the castle grounds until she finally came upon him in the Great Hall. Most of the early morning crowd had dissipated leaving just a few stragglers behind. Jon was seated at the head table munching on stale bread and more often than not, stale ale. She climbed the dais and took a seat beside her brother, who seemed lost in thought.

“Something on your mind, big brother?”

Jon jumped slightly, but chuckled when he realized it was Arya that had greeted him.

“Mmm, everything is on my mind. How’d you guess?” he asked as she shoved another piece of bread in his mouth.

“Because you are brooding.” She stated matter of fact.

Jon scoffed, “I do not brood.”

“Yes, you do. Do not make me ride all the way, to King’s Landing to ask your wife if you brood. I’m sure her answer would be ‘yes.’” Arya laughed.

Jon chuckled. He finished off his ale and turned to face his sister.

For the first time since she had been back from her travels, Jon really looked at Arya. He could see that she was no longer that little girl he had held so close to his heart. She was woman grown taking on responsibilities he never though she would. He could see how mature she had gotten in her time away, and although he hated the idea of her leaving Westeros in the first place, he cannot disagree that it helped her in many ways.

“Why are you staring?” Arya asked after sometime.

“I am just admiring how much you’ve grown in these last few years. I did not see it in King’s Landing, but here, I can tell.” He said as he pushed a strand of hair away from her face.

Arya smiled, “Thank you? I think. So…I hear you ride for King’s Landing in the morning. Are you coming back?”

“Aye, I am. Who do you think asked me to go? I am bringing back the whole troupe.” Jon said with a wide smile.

“Everyone? As in…everyone?” Arya asked, wide eyed.

“Yes, dear sister, everyone. Gendry had mentioned riding up to King’s Landing to retrieve Lyra, but I had a better idea. I think Sansa is tired of the capital and would enjoy an escape. The twins will love it and Bran needs a break from kingly duties. Since I offered to go, Gendry asked me to bring Lyra. It gives you two sometime to yourselves” Jon said matter of fact.

Arya did not miss how Jon mentioned her time with Gendry. She could tell that he still felt uneasy about their pairing and perhaps a little betrayed that Gendry did not mention to him sooner that he knew Arya. It made telling Jon all the more difficult. She knew that he was a man of honor, so his reaction to her being with child is one she does not look forward to seeing.

With a deep sigh and quick clearing of her throat she says, “I have something to tell you.”

“You’re with child.” He said before she could even muster her response.

Arya stared at him with wide eyes. She did not think that it was yet noticeable, but perhaps she was mistaken. She shifted uncomfortably in her chair, trying to avoid Jon’s gaze. She could feel his eyes dig into her skin and the lingering silence only made the situation tense.

“How…how did you know?” Arya finally asked after she mustered up whatever courage that was left in her small body.

Jon shrugged, “Gendry told me. ‘Bout killed him when he did. He was not thinking when he told me. Figured you would want to tell me, but it came out in a rush. I think he was just excited.”

“Well if you did not kill him, I certainly will!” She exclaimed.

Jon waved his hand dismissively, “Oh leave the poor boy alone. It was an accident.”

Arya furrowed her brows in confusion. She was oddly surprised at how well her brother was handling the news of her pregnancy out of wedlock.

“And you are okay…with all of this?” She asked as she gestured to her stomach.

Jon sighed, “If I am being honest, no, but I also know that if you did not want it then Gendry’s cock would be cut off. I also know that he loves you and you love him and you two would protect each other to the ends of the earth. As an older brother that is all I can ask for.”

“Thank you. Truly.” Arya said to Jon. She lifted from her chair and embraced her older brother.

He returned the embrace and tried to hold the tears that were threating to spill.

Jon released his sister and watched her sit back into the chair. He finished off his ale and began picking up the remnants of his meal when Arya asked, “Where is he?”

“Who?” Jon inquired.

“The bull headed man that spilled my secret?”

Jon shrugged, “Try the forge. He mentioned a scuffle with one of his liege lords and wanted to blow off steam.”

Arya nodded and watched as her brother departed.

She stayed at the grand table for a short time, munching on whatever left over bread there was. Dinner would not be served in the Grand Hall today, which meant her meal was most likely waiting for her in their chambers.

The sun was beginning to set and Arya had contemplated on going to Gendry in the forge, but the idea of the taste of honey and stew was consuming. Despite her better judgement, she went towards the forge where she could see Gendry hammering away at a hot piece of steel.

She could tell that each swing hurt more than the previous. With his injured ribs, she could not imagine that the task was an enjoyable one. She watched him swing and swing; the sweat pouring down his face. Even with the light breeze of night, the air was still sticky causing the forge to feel like an inferno. Arya could feel the heat wafting from the fires causing her leather breeches to stick to her skin.

Gendry was shirtless, aside from the leather apron that adorned his body. His focus was solely on the steel in front of him. Within the last several years, he had gotten better at drowning out the world around him. He knew that the only place that he would feel content was in the forge, hammering away. It reminded him of simpler times. Albeit, those times were dangerous, but at least he did not have a whole damned kingdom to run.

“I thought lords weren’t supposed to work in the forge?” Arya said as she creeped from the shadows.

Her sudden presence made Gendry jump with fright. He eased once he realized that it was just Arya.

“And I thought that princesses were not supposed to lurk in the shadows.” He quipped as he set his hammer down on the table beside him.

Arya smile and crossed the forge to where he was standing. She wrapped her small frame around his and breathed in deep, basking at the scent he was emitting.

“When have I ever been a proper princess?” She grumbled.

“Never. But when I have ever been a proper lord?” He countered.

Arya chuckled, “Never.”

They remained in silence as she embraced him. She was careful not to hug him too tightly, for his ribs were still bruised and broken.

“So, about Jon.” Arya chimed after some time.

Gendry’s face paled and he shifted uncomfortably in her embrace. He moved from Arya and returned to the fires, stoking them to burn brighter.

“What about Jon?” He asked innocently.

“You told him?” She questioned. He could see from the corner of his eye. Her arms were crossed and her stance was that of annoyance.

Gendry cursed silently under his breath, “Told him what?”

Arya grumbled in frustration, “Stop trying to deflect the question. You told him about the babe, did you not?”

Seven hells

“Mmmm, I do not recall.” He was digging a bigger hole for himself with every word that came out of his mouth. He should have known better than to believe Jon.

I will not tell her you told me, Gendry recalled their conversation. He had scoffed at the proclamation, knowing it was nothing more than a load of horseshit.

“Don’t lie to me, Gendry. It doesn’t look good.” Her hands were now placed on her hips and he knew that he was in trouble.

With a defeated sigh, he dropped his head and nodded, “Aye, I told him, but it was an accident! I swear!”

Arya burst into laughter, making Gendry’s scared expression turn into one of confusion.

“Oh, I know it was an accident. I just wanted to see what you would do if you were confronted. Now I know that you will never be able to lie to me.” She laughed.

Gendry scoffed, “I was never able to lie to you when we were children.”

She crossed the room and gave him a small pat on the chest, “It was a valiant effort. Now, please, come to bed.”

Gendry nodded and leaned down to peck her lips, “As milday commands.”

------------

Jon had left the following morning, leaving the couple to themselves. Although she wanted nothing more than to spend her time with Gendry, she knew that he was still a lord and had lordly duties to attend. She herself tried to keep busy with archery lessons to the small folk that worked in the castle. Most of her students were young women eager to learn the trade. Rena had even decided to learn how to shoot from the famed Arya Stark.

Between her archery lessons, she would practice her water dancing. She wanted to get in as much as she could before her belly swelled, preventing her otherwise.

As the night came, she would trudge up the stairs, muscles aching and stomach growling, only to be greeted with her stubborn bull half finished with his supper.

For nearly a week, they maintained this routine. It was becoming familiar to Arya, yet she still could not wait for her family to arrive. Storm’s End had been rather quiet without little Lyra causing a ruckus. Arya was sure that the little lady was enjoying her time, especially with her new found cousins. She was preparing herself for all the stories that Lyra would be telling her in the coming nights.

When the royal envoy was spotted just beyond the tree line, Arya became giddy. She was like a little girl again, running up to the gates to await their arrival. She stood for nearly an hour waiting for the envoy to enter the gates. Three large carriages came through, each for members of the royal family.

The workers around Storm’s End were scrambling to make the castle presentable. It had been ages since royalty had made their visit, exciting everyone from the young to the old.

Sansa was the first to exit her carriage. Podrick was right behind with their babe nestled in his arms. Arya nearly toppled Sansa over when she ran to embrace her sister.

“It’s good to see you too.” Sansa exclaimed with a chuckle.

The housekeepers began to loosen the trunks from the carriage, taking them to their respective rooms.

“Oh please do be careful with that one.” Sansa chastised to a young girl who had dropped one of her small trunks in the mud. The young girl blushed and nodded quickly as she retrieved the trunk.

Bran was the next to exit his carriage. Meera was close behind, along with Tyrion and, who Arya assumed to be, his wife.

“Lady Arya.” Tyrion bowed as he passed her.

“Lord Tyrion.” She bowed in return.

He and his wife went to stand behind the Lord of Storm’s End as they awaited the exit of Jon and Dany.

Just a few short moment later, the third and final carriage’s door burst open. A mop of brown curls jumped out and immediately ran to Gendry’s open arms.

“Papa! I missed you so! I had a lot of fun with the princesses. They are my new best friends. I cannot wait for Ginger to meet them!” She shrieked as Gendry lifted her up into a giant hug.

Gendry chuckled, “I am sure that Ginger will be enthralled with them.”

Lyra threw her arms around Gendry’s shoulders and hugged him fiercely. It did not take her long to realize that Arya was standing just a few short feet away. She wiggled out of Gendry’s arms and ran towards Arya with a toothy grin.

“Arry! Arry! Where were you?” She asked as Arya lifted her.

“Oh, sweetling, I had to come back her and help your father with things. You were having so much fun that I did not dare bring you back. I’m sorry if I worried you.” She whispered to the young girl. Tears were threating to spill from her eyes. If she had not been able to save Gendry, then she would not know what would happen to little Lyra. She was sure that her family would protect her, but there was the chance that Lyra would never truly be safe.

“‘sokay.” She shrugged. She quickly placed a snotty kiss on Arya’s cheek. Arya smiled and hugged her tightly, taking in the faint smell of lavender and coal that the child emitted.

She placed Lyra down and Lyra immediately when bouncing back to the carriage where Jon and Dany had finally emerged, their twins as their heels. Lyra grasp each of the twin’s hands and pulled them from their parents, running off towards the Great Hall.

Arya smiled as she saw the young children depart. She turned towards Jon and pulled him into a tight hug.

“Thank you.” She released him and turned her gaze to Dany, “Both of you.”

“I do not mean to interrupt our greetings, but we have a wedding ceremony to plan.” Sansa intervened.

Arya’s eyes widened and she glanced over to Gendry, whose face was full crimson.

“What do you mean?” Arya slowly asked as she looked around the courtyard at each of her family members.

“I told you it would be a surprise.” Jon had said from behind her. She shot him a glare before turning gaze to Gendry.

I am going to kill him.

[killthebxy]

a heap of headcanons: the last hours before the Battle for Winterfell

inspired + complemented by @needlcd & @zcldrizes own posts

first of all, all of these come following my personal take on the events of s08, as i am show!canon divergent. this can be found: HERE.

Jon has had A LOT to do, ever since Tormund, Edd, and Beric arrived with the news. as Warden of the North, it falls on him to supervise the setting up of defenses. just as much, he’s been trying to learn as much as he can about the Unsullied and the Dothraki, as to understand how to better place them in the battlefield. he’s also been keeping close talks with Gendry and the other smiths, and helping with distributing dragonglass weapons to everyone himself, in between everything else already stated. for all this, he doesn’t have much free time up until after the strategy meeting we see in episode 2.

even though he concludes such meeting with “let’s get some rest”, he doesn’t follow his own advice really. he’s very antsy and understandably so, and cannot bring himself to stay still --- so he goes on a final round to make sure everything and everyone are as prepared as they can possibly be. this is when he goes to check in on Sansa and Bran, to also ensure they are well and to try and reassure them a bit --- again, as much as possible in the situation.

after this comes the scene we see in episode 2 between Jon, Sam, and Edd. they reminisce about their times at the Night’s Watch, particularly the night that Mance Rayder stormed the Wall --- note that @tymptir and i headcanon Grenn as very much alive and at Winterfell. Jeor Mormont and Mance himself (ft. @starfrckled) just as much, so Jon spends some time with all of them as well. he also finds Tormund (ft. @talltalkr) in between his moments with Brienne & co, and they talk of how they did not survive Hardhome to let the Night King come kill them in their own home now. particularly, while he says nothing about this, Jon prays to the old gods that Tormund will not be made to see/fight his daughters who have been turned into wights at Hardome.

next, comes the scene at the crypts with Dany. based on my divergent background and on my own plot with @zcldrizes, the source of tension between them at this point is the fact that Dany did not tell Jon that she burned the Tarlys for treason. now... Jon does understand this. he’s a commander himself, he’s executed men (and boys) for similar reasons. so what’s driving him off, at the moment, is 1) how conflicted he is, because he does not wish to hurt her but he also does not wish to hurt Sam, and 2) based on my plot with @tymptir, one day before, Sam revealed to Jon in these same crypts that his mother was Ashara Dayne (ft. also my plot with @ashccra). ever since, Jon has been struggling to come to peace with the fact that Ned never told him of it --- and here comes into play the heightened paranoia he was left with after the mutiny at Castle Black and his revival (if you’d like details on how this affects my portrayal of Jon, you’re welcome to read: this meta). Jon has ever felt the need to prove himself, as per his bastard-born nature and the internalization of this stigma (again, a meta: here), but after his own men betray him this grows A LOT worse --- as in, that was an absolute failure on my end and i deserved what happened. at this point, he’s questioning himself if maybe this is why his father never told him anything --- if Ned was ashamed to have him as a son, if Ned saw him under the same light Cat (for example) did and only tried to hide it out of kindness. then, suddenly... he gets told that Dany also hid such a huge fact from him, and this goes even further downhill. it is important to note: right now, after Sam’s revelation (+ the current very stressful circumstances + his own physical and mental exhaustion, as he’s been barely eating and sleeping during the past couple of days), Jon is NOT in his right mind. he’s exhausted, he’s paranoid, he’s dealing with HUGE guilt for being unable to guarantee his loved ones and his people will live to see another day. this is why he’s been avoiding Dany, and this why, even if they do talk right now at the crypts, he’s still very much distant --- it’s a self-defense coping mechanism. Artie and i, therefore, headcanon that, while they do not really fight, they are unable to properly discuss everything, either --- so they agree that they cannot afford to go into this battle whilst angry at each other, and they agree to take some time apart and to finish this talk later --- both of them fully aware that, likely, there won’t be a “later” for either or both of them.

after this, Jon heads for the godswood for a good while. he’s spoken to the statues of Ned and Robb already ( @kingwholost you can be sure there IS a statue of Robb), and now he goes to speak to the old gods. for the most part, though, he does not pray --- not yet. he simply seeks their calm and their peace and their wisdom, and sits under the heart tree honing Longclaw’s blade as Ned so often used to do with Ice, himself. and it does bring him a little bit of comfort.

finally, he heads back to his room and begins donning his Stark armor. and listen. idc what episode 3 will bring, JON -IS- WEARING ARMOR BECAUSE HE IS NOT STUPID. also the stewards @thedolorous & @satincrow are welcome to come help for a bit if they want. eventually, @needlcd comes to join him and he wouldn’t have it any other way --- he’s spending his potential last hours alive with his little sister, his heart, light of his eyes, the person he loves most in this world and quite more than his own life. he doesn’t need more than a look to see how distressed she is and, if nothing else, he’s happy that he can finally be here to keep her safe after all the horrors she’s had to face on her own. there isn’t much talking, as there is not need to be, and he simply lets her snuggle into him as much and for as long as she needs --- he lets her cry if she needs and makes no comment, simply running his fingers through her hair. Jon himself does not cry, not yet, because this moment is for her.

eventually... Arya falls asleep in his arms, Ghost by now also joined into the little cuddle pile, and Jon spends the last hours before the sound of the warhorns with himself. he’s exhausted, but he cannot sleep --- and he does not want to sleep, not when this may be his last chance to have his little sister safe in his arms. he thinks about everything and everyone, at this point. and this is when he prays: gods of my father, protect my people. protect Arya and let her live to see brighter days, she’s been through so much. protect Bran and Sansa. protect Dany and allow her to give justice to her child. protect my good and loyal friends who’ve followed me to the end of the world. i beg you, give me strength and skill to keep them all safe or at least alive. guide my steps and let me save them. and this is when he cries... or as close to crying as Jon Snow ever comes; a few silent, tiny tears rolling down his cheeks, and that he promptly wipes away with the back of his hand. it’s not his first time waiting for the enemy to come, though even wildling hosts pale in comparison to literal Death. at this point, Jon has a very cocky relationship with the possibility of his own dying --- because he has gone through it (twice, as i headcanon that he died in that frozen lake). not as in “i am so tough and death can’t kill me”, no, but in a completely detached sort of toxic mindset --- i have died and they brought me back because they still had a use for me (Melisandre told him this, through different words) --- if i die again and they still need me, they’ll bring me back yet again. but you, Lord Snow, you’ll be fighting their battles forever. he does not feel bitter about it anymore, for the simple reason he has repressed that experience to the point of being numb to it. therefore, right now, Jon is not afraid to die --- his only huge, overwhelming fear is that he will be unable to keep his loved ones alive/ unharmed, especially this skinny little girl currently sleeping in his arms. so, when the time comes, this is why he does not feel any of his fatigue anymore --- a sort of parallel with the wights; our enemy does not tire. Jon himself has become a wight animated by fire, rather than ice. and he will not tire --- not while he has his family and his home and his people to defend, or die in the attempt.

one final note: if there is one thing i do not tolerate in the show, it is the lack of consequences when it comes to Jon’s actions (frozen lake, cough, just to cite the more blatant case). i do NOT write Jon Snow as an overpowered superhero who can recklessly do whatever he wants and does not pay the price for it. i don’t know how the battle will unfold --- for example, if he will be wounded during it --- but i know that, should this be the case and the show does not acknowledge it, i will. in post-battle scenarios, despite what happens, he will suffer physical consequences for his actions --- and, if nothing else, he’s going to crash VERY HARD and go comatose for at least some 24h because his body will have reached the limit of exhaustion.

[tachipaws]

so uhhhhh

I watched the Game of Thrones finale just a little bit ago

and I have some thoughts

spoilers under the cut.

Firstly, seeing Tyrion find Jaime and Cersei together had me almost burst into tears. As soon as he saw Jaime’s golden hand I kinda thought, oh this is a big gag, the hand will be there with Cersei and Jaime will come sidling out from somewhere, he lived thank god. But no. Jaime died in the arms of a woman he loved, taking all these years of beautiful character development with him. And I don’t say this solely as a Braime fan. I LOVED Jaime’s character. He always tried to do the right thing, and even when he was tempted by Cersei, even when he gave in, he still came back and tried to do what he thought was best. He saved thousands of lives when he killed the Mad King, and he suffered in silence for it. He stood with Brienne and with the Starks in the Battle of Winterfell, even when his own queen refused to send her help. He tried to save Cersei from certain death, and their child, tried to get her to leave and live with him in obscurity, because they would be safe and happy and their child would grow and live. But no. They die, and all it serves is to give Dany her win and Tyrion some last-minute angst. But god, seeing him crouch over his beloved brother and sister, I could feel that he felt responsible for their deaths, and it was heart wrenching to watch.

And then Dany. Oh, beautiful Dany. I’ve loved her character from the start, and all through her arc, even when she made choices that weren’t for the best, even when they put her on a White Savior complex, even when it became clear the writers had lied and were going to make her turn out just like her father. I knew she’d die this episode, but it didn’t make watching it any easier. I had so much hope watching through the series that Dany would be the one to dethrone the Lannisters, give the people a kind and just ruler, and be everything she set out to be. For her to lose so much, from her family to her friends, and then die with nothing as well, broke my heart and even as I sit here typing I have to hold back tears. I loved Danaerys’ character so much, and I’m disgusted that she was turned into a Mad Queen. The writers don’t know jack shit about character development and it really shows with her. She should have grown and realized that maybe she wasn’t best suited for a throne, at least not the one in Westeros, and either become an adviser or return to Mereen when all was said and done. I’m so glad Drogon destroyed the Iron Throne, because it’s nothing but a death sentence anyway. Fuck that throne and fuck the writers for making it so unnecessarily important. Danaerys Targaryan was meant to be different, was meant to break the wheel. But in the end, she was crushed by it like her father and so many others before her. The Targaryans die out after a legacy of incest, mental illness, fear, and death. A complete waste of an incredible character played by an amazingly dedicated actress.

Bran being named King of Westeros was something I knew was coming bc I’d asked for the spoiler, but it was still kind of a surprise in an “are they REALLY gonna do it” kind of way. I really fucking hate that his title is Bran the Broken, as if that’s the only B word that can possibly describe a man who defied death and became the Three-Eyed Raven, but again these writers are fuckin terrible so I guess that’s what we get. I didn’t like how Sam’s idea to have the people choose a ruler was sneered at so harshly. It just shows that everyone there enjoys having all the power, which goes against the characterization of at least half of them. But I guess all the upper-class have to be assholes at least a little, huh.  I don’t know if I do or don’t like Bran being the king, but I did like how it was brought up. He is the living history of the realm as Tyrion said, and now he will live on to be its future as well. For a kid who was tossed out of a window after seeing the former queen having sex with her brother, I’d say that’s a pretty good decent glow up of sorts. I almost wish there would be another season, if only to see how Westeros fairs under Bran’s rule with Tyrion at his side. I can only hope everyone lives to see the peace they finally deserve, after suffering so much under the rule of families hungry for fame and riches and titles.

Arya leaving is the one thing I’m just, really fucking bothered by. I don’t recall anywhere her having a desire to travel and see new parts of the world. When she left Westeros she did so because it was life or death. She came home to be with her family. And now she’s leaving them for god knows how long to go god knows where. I can’t believe after all the chaos and death these kids have faced and grown up around, she wouldn’t want to stay in Winterfell to be with Jon and Sansa. I just don’t like it. Arya is one of my top favorite characters and watching her grow from a stubborn child into a ruthless assassin was amazing, but somehow her ending off as an explorer just doesn’t feel quite right.

Jon being sentenced to live out his days in the Watch is the cruelest joke in this whole fucking show. Right back where he started, the bastard son of Ned stark, forced to live out his days in the cold and snow at Castle Black, never to have any family or land of his own. After all the attempts to hype up the R+L=J shit, which so many people figured out way too easily, after uncovering the mystery of his real lineage and discovering he’s one of the only two Targaryans left in existence, after all the struggle within himself of not wanting to take the throne from Dany even though he had a legitimate claim and her Mad Queen story line made her unfit to rule (and after having to listen to Varys insist only men can rule properly, tbh I’m not sad he died, I never liked him and he got what he deserved for that shit), he ends right back where he started. Jon was my first favorite character, and I always hurt for him, how he was raised with the Stark children as Ned’s bastard, how much Catelynn seemed like she wanted to love him like her own but just couldn’t, how much it must have hurt him knowing he was hurting her and her just by existing. I would have loved to see Cat find out the truth and their relationship become something different, as he was the son of her husband’s beloved sister and she would have embraced him with open arms and a thousand apologies. She just didn’t know any different, and by the time Jon knew, it was all too late. He’s lost almost all the family he’s ever known, and all the real family he ever had. His whole character arc amounted to nothing. NOTHING. My only hope is that he just goes off north with Ghost, Tormund, and the wildlings, because who’s gonna bother to make sure? Aegon Targaryan will have never existed.

AT LEAST, he finally gave Ghost the fucking pats that direwolf deserved. I was actually really happy to see Ghost and Tormund again, and even happier to see Jon acknowledge Ghost, who’d been by his side from the very start. I’m at least glad knowing they’ll still be together in the true north.

And now the grand finale, the one thing I was completely satisfied with.  Sansa Stark The Queen in the North Seeing the crown placed upon her head, seeing her take her rightful place, and hearing her men shout “THE QUEEN IN THE NORTH” made me feel swollen with pride. Sansa has been through hell and back. She watched her father die at the command of a king who tormented her, she was raped by another man who executed her youngest brother, she lost her mother and her oldest brother to a supposed ally, and spent so many seasons a hostage or a tool for other people. But she fought, and she grew, and she became shrewd and cunning at the table. Sansa calculated every step she made and it saw her to ascend the throne, and take her rightful place as the oldest Stark heir. She secured her people’s land and ensured their safety. I can only imagine how proud Ned, Catelynn, Robb, and Rickon would be if they could see Sansa now. No longer is she the scared, air-headed little girl who just wants to marry a noble man and live life in the luxury she’s always known. She’s a war veteran, a general, a wolf through and through.

I started watching Game of Thrones in season 5 I believe, with a group of friends in a stream. I knew about the show but had just never bothered to sit and watch it. After seasons 6 ended, I figured I may as well start at the beginning and have a better understanding of what’s going to happen in the last 2 seasons. I spent about three or four weeks slowly marathoning it around my oldest daughter’s schedule (she’s only six and there’s no way she’s watching it any time soon lmao) and I couldn’t help but fall in love with the characters, the world itself, and the stories being played out. I have to say though, along with so many others, I’m utterly disappointed at the ending, and season 8 as a whole. It felt unrefined, and rushed, and there was no sense that anything meaningful happened in the end. When I saw the writers so brashly say that story lines were for 8th grade books, I realized just how little they care about actually writing, and this season truly reflects that. The deaths were for shock value more than anything else, and the major conflicts were solved so easily it felt as if all the buildup for them had been for something else entirely. I don’t regret watching Game of Thrones by any means, but I do feel sad for Martin that his beautiful complex stories full of beautiful complex characters, were reduced to nothing more than a circle story. All this talk of breaking the wheel, and yet it just rolled right back around to see the unspoken main character end right where he began. Because what’s the point of a story when there’s CGI dragons and big fight scenes?

[choupetit]

GOT Recap: The Bells

Airdate: 5/12/19  Season 8, Episode 5

I know it’s not good form to start off a post with “What in the actual hell just happened?!” but that’s all I have at this moment. How do I phrase this, exactly, without giving away everything right at the beginning of my recap?  All I can say is that this past episode of Game of Thrones was an epic and visually stunning piece of work and it also left me livid and disappointed in the turn that the creators have taken for the show.  We knew big things were coming, and come they did.  So without further ado, let’s dive in to the recap of “The Bells”:

Lord Varys sits at his desk at Dragonstone penning some letters – we get a glimpse of the scroll he is working on and it appears that Varys is spreading the word about Jon Snow’s true lineage as Rhaegar Targaryen’s legitimate son.  Wowzers, the master of whisperers is wasting no time with his agenda to rally the kingdom behind Jon’s claim to the Iron Throne!

There’s a knock on the door, and Varys quickly stows away his stationary.   A little girl of about 9 years enters to inform him that Queen Daenerys still isn’t eating and Varys says they’ll try again at suppertime. Apparently it’s been two days now and Daenerys Targaryen has holed herself up in her room, refusing to see anybody and turning away all meals.  The girl expresses worry that the guards keep watching her and Varys says “What did we discuss?” – “The greater the risk, the greater the reward.”  He sends his little bird off to the kitchen where she works.  Hmmmm, the nuanced conversation makes it unclear, but I’m wondering if Varys is trying to poison Queen Dany.  After last episode, it wouldn’t surprise me.  Yikes, Varys the spider is weaving a dangerous little web here.  His days are numbered for sure.

Later in the day, Jon Snow arrives via boat at Dragonstone and Varys greets him at the shore – Tyrion Lannister watches from a distance with a mix of concern and trepidation on his face. As they walk together, Jon lets Varys know the Northerners are two days away from King’s Landing.  Varys hints that he thinks Dany may be going crazy, and that Jon would be a much better Targaryen ruler.  As usual, Jon rejects the notion of ruling the realm – the dude doesn’t want it, ok? -  and he professes his loyalty to his queen before he trots off, leaving Varys behind.

Tyrion manages to pay a visit to Daenerys in her room.  She looks out her window as she speaks in a disconcertingly detached and monotone voice. “Somebody has betrayed me.”  -“Yup.” Without turning around she says, “Jon Snow.”  When Tyrion corrects her that it’s actually Varys, Dany does some creative deductive reasoning:  Varys knows about Jon’s parents because Tyrion told him – and Tyrion in turn found out from Sansa Stark whom Jon told.  Boom! Jon’s the traitor.  Case closed. Only wait, it’s not closed, because guess what? Queenie ain’t happy that Tyrion spoke with Varys without consulting her first.  She also points out that Sansa was playing Tyrion because she knew she could count on him to blab the info to Varys, which may as well translate to leaking the news to the Westeros Enquirer.  Tyrion attempts to defend his actions – he asserts that, as Hand of the Queen, he needs to know about information that is a threat to his boss, and yes, he made an error in judgment by not consulting her first. When he points out that Dany’s advisors are all trying to do what’s best for the world – Varys more than anyone- he realizes it doesn’t really matter. Daenerys agrees, it doesn’t.  Ruh roh, Varys!  I think we all were pretty certain he was gonna bite it soon – especially after Melisandre told him last season that he’d die in Westeros.   Looks like his time has officially run out.

It’s evening and Varys sits in his chambers, once again composing rebellion letters to his Westerosi – and maybe even Essosi – pen pals.  He hears footsteps marching down the hall and hastily burns his letter, then calmly removes his rings.  Dude knows what’s coming.  Unsullied guards enter his room and Grey Worm holds manacles in his hands.

At the shore, Varys is escorted by armed guards to face Daenerys, Jon and Tyrion.  Tyrion gives him the decency of letting him know it was he who snitched on Varys – in response Varys just nods.  “Yeah, that tracks.  I just hope it turns out I was wrong about Dany and that I deserved this.” I’ve gotta say, Varys who used to be so good at stealth and sneaking around has done a horrendous job at keeping his intentions a secret, so none of this is terribly surprising, even to him.  He bids Tyrion farewell with a warm squeeze to his arm.  Man, it’s so bittersweet.  Varys and Tyrion’s friendship and banter was something that was always super enjoyable in earlier seasons.  It’s sad to see it end like this, but he did have it coming.  Daenerys steps forward, and in that same detached voice from earlier, she informs Varys that he’s been sentenced to death.  She drones, “Dracarys” and out of the pitch dark behind her appears Drogon’s giant face.  Her dragon steps forward, stretches himself up and takes a deep breath, baring his teeth.  Then, POOF! Varys is engulfed in flames.  Yowzers, that was tense.  Jon just looks at Dany like “Khaleesi, you’re scary.”

Later that night, Dany sits sullen in a chair by the fireplace in her room, as Grey Worm stands nearby.  Daenerys hands Grey Worm a slave collar and tells him it was the only possession that Missandei brought with her when they crossed the Narrow Sea to come to Grey Worm. With a stoic frown, Grey Worm takes the collar and tosses it in the fire.

Jon approaches and Daenerys dismisses Grey Worm so they can speak in private.  He waits for Dany to speak first, and the monotone words that pop out of her mouth are “What did I tell you would happen if you told your fam? Ya know, Sansa is just as much to blame for Varys’ death as I am, because she couldn’t keep her big mouth shut. She betrayed you.” She goes on to lament that she was beloved back in Essos and here nobody loves her – all she has is fear. Feebly, Jon hits his soundboard button that bleats out “I love you. You’re my queen.” But it’s not the kind of love Dany wants.  And somewhere in heaven Ser Jorah is probably saying “See what it’s like, Khaleesi???!!!  It ain’t fun, is it?”  She leans in to kiss him, but when Jon pulls back she scowls and mutters “Ok, fear it is.” What the heck?  May I ask why Jon even bothered to come back if he isn’t going to at least try to talk Dany down from the bad place she is in?    

Also, I’m thinking if Daenerys made more of an effort at Winterfell, she probably could have won some people over.  Really, she just needed to do a few shots with Tormund during the feast, dance with Jon in a Scottish reel and then balance on her tippy toes and I’m sure the entire North would’ve gotten behind her.  Maybe not everybody will get my Titanic reference, but for the 4 people who do, it was worth it.

The next day in the throne room at Dragonstone, Daenerys talks battle strategy with her only two remaining advisors:  Grey Worm and Tyrion.  After Cersei killed her bestie, and Grey Worm’s girlfriend, they both are ready to torch King’s Landing.  Daenerys even goes as far as to blame the people of King’s Landing for not turning on their queen, as a justification for wanting to burn the city.  In a last ditch effort to reason with her, Tyrion tells Daenerys that the people of King’s Landing are scared to fight Cersei, because she’ll kill them and their families.  “Lame excuse! Well, guess what, Cersei thinks she can exploit my mercy as a weakness, but she doesn’t realize that my mercy extends to mercy killing future generations so they don’t have to live under a tyrant.” “Ummmm, I’m pretty sure that’s not how it works, Crazy. Would you please consider a route that doesn’t involve killing thousands of innocent men, women, and children?  If they ring the bells,  that means they surrender.  Listen out for the bells, ok? Please???” Dany gives a grudging nod to Grey Worm and then tells them to wait outside the gates of King’s Landing until she gives them the signal to attack - they’ll know it when they see it.

Before Tyrion leaves the throne room, Dany goes “Oh, and by the way, my guards stopped your bro Jaime – he was on his way to King’s Landing.  So guess what, you were wrong AGAIN.  He hasn’t abandoned Cersei.  If you fail me one more time you’re toast. ” –“Ok, I got it.” –“No dude, like, literally. I will toast you with my dragon.” –“Yeeeeah…I got that part.” –“But really.  You’re gonna die.  With dragon fire.  M’kay, byyeee, see ya at happy hour!”

That evening, Jon and Tyrion arrive by boat to join Dany’s and Jon’s forces camped outside King’s Landing. The rear guard for the North won’t get there till morning and Tyrion says that Dany wants to fight asap, but Jon confirms, nothing’s gonna happen till daybreak.  Tyrion pulls Davos aside and asks “Davos, my man…I need you to do me a solid. You’re the world’s best smuggler, right?”  Davos knows he’s going to regret whatever comes next.

The Hound and Arya arrive outside King’s Landing that night and they make their way through the Northern camp.  When a soldier stops them, the Hound tells him it’s Arya Stark, the hero of Winterfell and she’s gonna kill Cersei. The confused soldier goes to talk to his manager - and the Hound and Arya just traipse past.

Meanwhile, Tyrion approaches a tent guarded by Unsullied soldiers – he pulls rank and dismisses them, then walks inside the tent to find Jaime Lannister tied up.  Tyrion tells his brother he’ll only free him if Jaime agrees to get Cersei out of the Red Keep.  He informs Jaime of a secret passageway that runs from the basement of the Red Keep outside to the shore, and he’s arranged for a boat for them to escape.  Tyrion makes a big deal about telling Jaime to be sure to ring the city’s truce bells before he and Cersei make a run for it.  When Jaime asks him why he’s risking his life, Tyrion tells him he’s repaying the favor, if his death means saving the lives of hundreds of thousands of innocent people, it’s a fair trade.  Then Tyrion gives us all the feels when he tells Jaime that he was the only person that was ever kind to him when they were kids.  They hug and Tyrion sobs.  Awww, this is a really touching moment! I may have shed a tear or two.

The next morning, Euron and his Iron Fleet, lay in wait in the bay and ready their dragon-killing spear launchers – fun fact: that weapon is called a Scorpion.  You learn something new every day, folks! Team Cersei’s army prepares for the battle and it’s an overall tense scene with people clearing the streets – lots of shots of small children and babies being whisked indoors.  Among the frenzied crowd, Arya and the Hound walk into town.  They join a mob of commoners frantically running to the gates of the Red Keep to seek safety inside its walls.  The Golden Army marches outside the city gates and stands in formation.

Across from the Golden Army are the Northerners and Dany’s army, ready for battle.  Tyrion reminds everybody again to listen for the bells, as that is the sign that King’s Landing has surrendered.

From her tower balcony in the Red Keep, Cersei smiles smugly as her courtyard fills with innocent citizens – aka dragonfire fodder.  The guards start to close the gates – Arya and the Hound manage to squeeze in before the gates are shut.  Jaime is among the crowd of people who didn’t make it in.  He waves his golden hand around like a backstage pass, hoping the Lannister guards will see it, but they don’t.  Finally, he ducks down an alley, presumably to find another way into the castle.

The suspense builds as we get multiple shots of people on both sides waiting silently for the fight to start.  All’s still as the Iron Fleet looks out to the horizon for a glimpse of Daenerys and her dragon.  Euron suddenly turns to look up into the sun and sees a dragon coming down in a divebomb. The Iron Islanders scramble to aim their Scorpions at Drogon, but they’re too slow and a stream of dragon fire obliterates a line of ships.  It’s incredibly satisfying to see Dany and her dragon lay waste to the entire Iron Fleet in a matter of seconds.  

Daenerys then switches course for the walls of King’s Landing.  It’s really nice to see her actually using some type of strategy here – she keeps her dragon low along the water, then pulls up suddenly, expertly avoiding any incoming spears and again, she takes out a ton of Scorpions.  

On the other side of town, the Golden Army stands at attention outside the city gates – Captain Strickland stares off at Grey Worm and the rest of the Unsullied, Dothraki, and Northerners across the way.  Everybody waits in anticipation.  The Golden Army hear distant explosions from behind them when suddenly: BLAST!!! Dragonfire obliterates the wall and engulfs the Golden Army.  Dany’s and Jon’s forces charge into the city.  

The action plays out like a horror movie as we see glimpses of a dragon’s tail followed by more dragon fire and scorpions being torched.  It’s chaos in the streets as civilians run in a panic.  Cersei’s soldiers fight the advancing Dothraki, Northerners and Unsullied.  

Cersei watches it all from her balcony and her smug confidence wavers just a smidge.  Things aren’t going quite as expected.  

Tyrion makes his way through the burning carnage outside the city walls. 

 Meanwhile, Qyburn fills Queen Cersei in on the state of the city and it ain’t pretty:  All the Scorpions have been destroyed.  The Iron Fleet can’t defend them because…they don’t exist anymore.  And that fancy Golden Army?  They’re dunzo. Qyburn suggests they move on to Plan B and get the hell out of Dodge, but Cersei refuses and states that the Red Keep has never fallen before, and it won’t today.

Grey Worm, Jon Snow, and Ser Davos Seaworth lead the charge of men through the city until they come upon Cersei’s army barring the way.  Both sides stand in tense silence – neither one makes the first move.

Tyrion’s desperate gaze is fixed upon the bell towers in the distance.  They stand still and silent.  Jaime Lannister, in the meantime, has found a back way around the castle walls.

Daenerys and her dragon swoop over King’s Landing as the civilians below gasp in fear.  Drogon lands on a wall and lets out a ferocious roar. The crowd below is terrified. Dany waits.  After a long moment, Cersei’s army drop their swords.  A voice calls out “Ring the bells!”  Then another voice.  Over and over, people call out “Ring the bells!”  Cersei looks out at the city, she doesn’t give word.

From Dany’s perch on her dragon, she looks down across King’s Landing and then up at the Red Keep where she just knows Cersei is looking back.  It’s a 5-mile stare-off y’all and it’s super intense.

After what feels like an eternity, the truce bells finally chime.  Jon heaves a huge sigh of relief, as does Tyrion.  Dany glares at the Red Keep.  She sobs and there’s a brief internal struggle.  Hatred burns in her eyes and her dragon takes to the sky and flies toward the Red Keep.  Cersei watches as the dragon swoops overhead a crowd of civilians scrambling  in a panic.  And then…Drogon unloads a stream of fire, torching men, women, and children. Are you effin’ KIDDING ME?!  How is this happening???

What ensues is a senseless massacre as Dany and her dragon continue to burn street upon street of innocent citizens.  Back where Grey Worm and Jon Snow stand, the Lannister army hears a commotion behind them. The captain looks at them like, “Hey, what load of crap are you guys pulling?”  As the Lannister soldiers look behind them to see what’s going on, their captain turns back to face his enemies and Grey Worm launches his spear into the unarmed man’s chest.  Whoa, this is some serious foul play.

The Unsullied and Northerners charge into the unarmed soldiers.  Slow mo Jon Snow is NOT down with what’s happening.  I feel ya, Jon.  I feel ya.  He stops his guys from advancing and Grey Worm shoots him major stinkeye “You’re gonna betray your Khaleesi like that?” and continues onward with the Unsullied army.

The rest is a 40 minute long sequence of unspeakably horrific and brutal genocide as Dany and her dragon lay fiery waste to King’s Landing.  The streets have been turned into rivers of fire.  Cersei is STILL in her tower and looks on with the nervous realization that things are looking pretty bad for her.  Ya think?

On the ground, Ser Davos helps to steer the panicked crowd in a safe direction.  Women are raped and murdered in front of their children as Northerners, Dothraki and the Unsullied ravage the city.  Jon is still watching everything around him on the slow mo channel. What is even going on here?!

Dany’s dragon reaches the Red Keep and takes out a tower.  Meanwhile, Jaime has made his way to the secret entrance into the Red Keep, but guess who’s also there for absolutely no reason whatsoever?  Euron Greyjoy.  Yeah.  All Euron wants to do is be a d-bag and fight Jaime.  The two go at it, and eventually Euron critically wounds Jaime with a stab to the gut.  Spurred on by love, adrenaline, and lame writing, Jaime manages to fight back with a fatal blow to Euron and then Jaime continues on his way to save Cersei.  As Euron bleeds out on the ground he cackles like a madman  that he got Jaime good.  Really? We can’t spare any screen time for Daenerys’ descent into total madness but we can show this pointless scene?  Ok.

Even though the Red Keep is under fire, Cersei is holds on to the notion that things aren’t totally over for her – ahhh, denial!  Qyburn finally gets her to go with him to try their chance at escaping into exile.  As they head down the winding stairwell, we see the burning city and intermittent green explosions go off.  Wildfire reserves?  Were these remnants from the Mad King’s rule or did Cersei plant them as booby traps throughout the city?  I guess we’ll never know!!

While Drogon makes his rounds over the Red Keep, the Hound and Arya have snuck inside the castle and are in the map room where the walls are crumbling down. The Hound gives Arya a quick chat about revenge and what it does to people – he’s been after it his whole life. “Do you want to turn out like me?  If you go with me, you’re going to die here.” His words strike a chord and Arya realizes she chooses life.  She thanks him and hightails it out of the Red Keep.  Wait, what?  I was promised some Arya-Cersei revenge killing, with the possibility of face swaps, are you telling me that’s not going to happen?

Cersei and Qyburn scramble down the staircase with the Frankenmountain while the roof falls in around them.   As large boulders crash down, Cersei presses up against the wall and she is miraculously unscathed.  As the rubble and dust clear, they notice the Hound blocking the way.  It’s Cleganebowl time, y’all!  The Mountain is suddenly in Hound fighting mode – he doesn’t even listen to his queen’s commands and he smacks Qyburn out of the way, instantly killing him.  As both men stare each other down, Cersei nervously walks past them. “So…I can see you two have some unfinished business, Imma just squeeze by here and leave you to it. K, bye!”

When she gets to the map room, Cersei looks around with no direction.  She’s on her own.  But wait…no she’s not because…ta daaaaa, there’s Jaime!  Cersei falls into his arms, a sobbing mess.  Ugh!!

The Hound and the Mountain go at it while Arya navigates her way through the chaos of King’s Landing. She encounters crumbling buildings, hysterical mobs and burn victims at every turn.  At one point, Arya loses her footing and is trampled by the panicked crowd as dragon fire continues to sweep across the city.  We get a lot of cutaways between Arya and the Hound – both seemingly going through the same pain.  Everytime the Hound gets in a blow to the Mountain, it has no effect whatsoever. He manages to knock off Frankenmountain’s helmet in the fight and it’s like Darth Vader unmasked. As the Hound is brutally beaten by his big brother and pushed down to the ground,  Arya is squashed by the running mob.  She fights in vain to get back on her feet.  Maybe the cutaway technique is supposed to be poetic storytelling, but at this point I just feel so manipulated by the showrunners that I can’t even appreciate it. A woman helps Arya get back up again.

The Mountain simply will not die, despite numerous wounds that would have killed anybody else.  And then we are treated to his signature move:  boring his fingers into his adversaries’ eyes.  It’s so grotesque and I’m praying he doesn’t squish the Hound’s skull like a watermelon a la Oberin Martell.  The Hound fights Frankenmountain off with a dagger to his skull – it barely phases the bigger, badder Clegane.  In a last ditch effort, the Hound lunges at his big brother and they both tumble over the wall into the burning wreckage below.  RIP Hound, we loved you!  Sorry your bro is a weird undead zombie that can’t be killed!  Sorry you didn’t actually stand any chance whatsoever of winning that fight!  And sorry the writers suck!

On the ground, Jon Snow takes in the devastation around him.  Explosions of wildfire go off here and there and he commands his men to fall back.

Elsewhere in the burning city, Arya has passed out from falling debris.  She comes to, very likely concussed, and gasps for air. White ash is everywhere. More buildings crumble to pieces as she continues her escape out of the city. 

There’s a short-lived attempt to rescue some cowering women and children – the only one who follows her is the same woman  who helped her up earlier when she was being trampled.  Hold on, hold on…might this woman be…Jaqen H’Gar in disguise??? They’ve been giving her a lot of screen time.  But no, she’s just a random person we’re suddenly supposed to care for.   She and her daughter get charred to smithereens in the next scene when Dany’s dragon unleashes another blast of fire – Arya ducks out of the way in the nick of time.  Of course.

As the Red Keep continues to cave in and crumble around them, Jaime and Cersei head down to the basement only to find all exits blocked by rubble. There’s no way out.  Cersei finally realizes this is the end.  She blubbers that she wants to live and wants her baby to live and begs Jaime “Don’t let me die! Don’t let me dieee!” Ugh. Too little, too late, Cersei. Jaime holds her in his arms and comforts her.  He tells her nothing else matters besides the two of them.  The tune of The Rains of Castamere plays over the action and the ceiling crashes in on them. Ugh!  That’s how they die?  Lovingly in each other’s arms? No prophecy where her younger bro strangles her? Maybe I’m a spiteful jerk, but Cersei deserved much worse of a death.  And also, it seems pretty inconsistent that Cersei of all people has been reduced to a sobbing damsel in distress looking for a man to rescue her.  I’m so over this episode and the abominable writing that is going on throughout.   Arya should have killed Cersei, wearing Jaime’s face.  That’ something I think we all could have gotten behind.  Not this lame death where we’re supposed to feel sorry for queen biatch Cersei.

Hey guess what?  It’s time to watch Arya once again attempt to make it out of King’s Landing alive.  She sees the burnt remains of the mom and daughter she was helping, and a tear falls down her cheek.  As she looks around her, there stands a white horse just feet away.  She carefully approaches it and takes the reigns. Maybe this is supposed to be some heavy-handed symbolism, but I’m not feeling it.  Arya gallops off – presumably to safety.  Roll credits.

Wow.  What a heaping pile of you know what.  The aren’t enough question marks or expletives in the world to capture the incredulity and disappointment I feel about this episode.  Really, I was hoping this was just an elaborate Snickers commercial and at the end, Crazy Dany bites into a candy bar and turns normal again while a voiceover goes “You’re not you when you’re hungry.”  

But seriously, what the eff? Screw you, Weiss & Benioff!  What a betrayal of the viewers – the creators took years of complex character development and threw it all in the toilet with a cheap, lazy plot twist to turn Daenerys into a super villain with ZERO explanation of how she got there.

And making the audience watch 40 minutes of brutal slaughter and suffering was completely unnecessary. I’m so mad.  In the past, with these sprawling epic battle scenes, the viewer always had an investment and a side they were rooting for.  Just watching the genocide of an entire city with no chance of victory did not need to go on for as long as it did.  Clearly the creators wanted to drive home the point that there is no coming back from this for Daenerys.  We all have to hate her now and there is nothing redeemable about her.

Mostly I’m pissed because there was no transition from the Dany we saw to this monster who – after the city surrenders – torches all these people who are now her own subjects.  It doesn’t compute.  Sure, there were hints in the past that Dany could take brutal measures at times, but they at least had some kind of logic or rationalization behind them.  Killing a bunch of innocent people after you have been handed over the city and the throne that you so badly wanted…I don’t get it.  And it’s not my job as a viewer to fill in the huge gap of additional character development that needed to happen in order to get Dany from an angry, mourning queen, out for vengeance against Cersei into a psychopathic Hitler, killing everybody.  This is the same woman who locked her dragons up for who knows how long because they killed a little child when they were hunting for sheep.  Give me at least some way to understand how she could have changed other than just saying “She’s crazy everybody!!” Also, it ticked me off that they didn’t show Dany’s face even once after she went crazy. Hey, maybe Bran is actually evil after all and he warned into Drogon and did this all just to make Dany look bad!

All right, I’ll quit my whining.  This episode has kinda ruined the show for me and I don’t have high hopes for the ending. My guess is that Daenerys has to be killed now.  I don’t care if or how they do it.  Maybe Bran will warg into Drogon and kill her?  Maybe she’ll try to torch Tyrion and we’ll find out he’s a secret Targaryen and she’ll go even more crazy wondering just how many damned Targaryen sleeper cells are out in the world.

If Varys ever got any of his letters delivered, my assumption is those people will now back Mr. Jon “I hate responsibility” Snow.  He’ll probably also bite it or run off to the North to become a Wildling.  Then everybody will decide to put Sansa and Tyrion in charge, or better yet, they’ll break up into separate countries and Sansa can rule the North.  It’s not like there is actually a capital left in Westeros to rule from.  

At this point I’d also be totally fine with a Wizard of Oz ending where Bran wakes up after falling from the tower and tells everybody about his fabulous dream.  Sorry to end this all on a downer, but as Mad Queen Dany would say “It’s not my fault. It’s the writers’. They have betrayed you, gentle reader, not I.”  Just know, you’re not alone in your feelings.  Hang in there and I’ll see you next week, my friends. It’s gonna be a doozy.

[douxreviews]

Game of Thrones - ‘The Iron Throne’ Review

And now their watch has ended.

In what was supposed to be Supernatural's final episode – but turned out to be a full ten years too early – writer Chuck bemoaned the fact that 'endings are hard'. And they really, really are. I can think of so many finales that have disappointed me in various ways over the years. And just this week, I've watched two endings that have been a long time in the making (the other one was the end of twelve years of The Big Bang Theory, which I quite liked, for the record).

And in the end, I think I'd put this in a fairly favourable spot in my all time Worst - Greatest Finales ranking list. It wasn't perfect (only Sex and the City has managed to stick a perfect ending, and they wrecked that with the movies). But it was pretty good, generally speaking, and there were moments of true greatness.

Daenerys and Jon

So, I didn't hate last week's episode for its developments in Daenerys' storyline. I haven't exactly loved her descent into the Mad Queen, for all the same reasons as everyone else – the show is dangerously close to implying all female rulers are lunatics, Dany's descent into madness and tyranny has been rushed and doesn't quite feel earned, and it's a bit saddening to watch a character we've loved so much for so long become a villain instead of the powerful, wise ruler we all hoped she would be.

Having said that, I do think the seeds for this have been planted since the beginning – it may be rushed, but it hasn't come out of nowhere. Daenerys has been promising the Dothraki that they will pillage the Seven Kingdoms, raping, burning and killing (which we have been told numerous times is what they do) ever since Season One. We all loved Khal Drogo because he was cool, but he was not a fluffy bunny and nor is Dany. She crucified the Masters in Meereen, and while her execution of Sam's father and brother could be justified on the grounds that they refused to bend the knee, it wasn't her only option, nor did she have to do it immediately, on the battlefield, by dragon fire. So while it makes me a little sad – and makes my "I'm not a Princess, I'm a Khaleesi" shirt a bit dubious – I can see that this has been where Dany's story has been heading all along, and I can understand it, and I'm OK with it.

I was a bit disappointed that Jon ended up killing Daenerys though. I was sure Arya was going to do that – it almost feels like their big kills ended up the wrong way around, with Jon the soldier denied the chance to kill the Night King and Arya the ninja assassin denied the chance to kill the dangerous tyrant. But Jon is truly a son of Ned Stark (by adoption) and if he has decided someone has to die he will swing the sword himself – though perhaps it's the tricksy Targaryen side, or the trained undercover agent of the Night's Watch, who does it by taking advantage of her (and Drogon's) trust.

Drogon's reaction was interesting. It felt like perhaps even Drogon thought what he had done with Dany went too far, and that his mother had been corrupted by her desire for this hunk of metal. (When she touched it, I said out loud I thought she should sit in it quickly if she wanted to - we were denied a shot of her actually on the throne, after all that!). Presumably that's also why Drogon let Jon live. Of all the individual character endings we saw in this episode, I think Drogon and Grey Worm's were the saddest - they've both been through so much, and they're both totally alone.

Tyrion and King Bran

I don't like the 'Bran the Broken' title, as appropriate as it might be for a pseudo-medieval society, so I'm just gonna call him Bran.

I have to confess, I really didn't see this one coming. Since he became the Three-Eyed Raven, Bran has been emotionless and rather difficult for either audience or in-universe characters to connect with. His warging ability hasn't really come into play since the death of Hodor, so the power he has doesn't seem to have played much of a role in the last stages of the wars, and the implication that he has some knowledge of the future makes him kind of a dick for letting the entire population of King's Landing get torched (was this a Dr Strange-style one chance in 14 million situation? If so, we haven't been told that).

From a books-reading point of view there's a certain sense to this. The first book in the series, A Game of Thrones, opens (as they all do) with a Prologue from the point of view of a character who immediately dies, then shifts to the first main character point of view chapter – Bran's. Bran, like Jon, is such a traditional fantasy character it almost hurts – a noble but disabled boy who suffers and undergoes lots of hardship, but discovers he has magical abilities which give him an advantage over his enemies and eventually allow him to triumph.

But the television show – oddly, considering Benioff and Weiss have known the ending all along - has never really focused on Bran's story in that way. He's an important character, sure, but not all that significant - he disappears for an entire season! And whatever happened to "I can never be Lord of anything, I'm the Three-Eyed Raven", Bran's statement to Sansa in Season Seven? Now he's King of all the remaining kingdoms? Really? I will defend their attempts to sow the seeds of Daenerys' madness throughout, however clumsily, but the television series really hasn't prepared us for this one, and it really doesn't feel earned.

The most satisfying aspect of the resolution to the leader of the Now-Six Kingdoms, though, is the new Small Council, which is a thing of beauty. The new political set-up – essentially an oligarchy with a lifelong selected leader – is Tyrion's creation, finally fulfilling the political and diplomatic promise he showed way back in Season Two. Tyrion is Hand of the King once again, but this time without dragons or his psychotic family around him, and that gives us hope that he will do a good job. Brienne as head of the Kingsguard makes me very, very happy, almost as much as Bronn, Lord of Highgarden and Master of Coin. Davos as Master of Ships makes perfect sense and it's great to see him survive too, while the only possible objection to Sam as new Archmaester is that Maesters are supposed to be celibate and Sam has a partner and nearly two children to support - but perhaps, as Archmaester, he can change that rule.

The only sad part about this scene is the huge space where Varys ought to be. There is no Master of Whispers for the moment, and his absence is really felt. Plus it would have been awesome to see Varys serving under yet another King as the eternal survivor. Of all the deaths this season, Varys is the one I would change if I had the power. He deserved better, Tyrion.

The Starks

The most satisfying moment of this episode by far for me was seeing Sansa, looking like Elizabeth I (long red hair, white dress), crowned Queen in the North. For one thing, this was absolutely essential to avoid the implication that women with power are all utter lunatics who need to be assassinated. But it was also a truly fitting and satisfying end to not just her character arc, but that of the Stark siblings in general. The Starks belong in the North and Robb's crowning as King in the North was one of the great punch-the-air moments of Season One. Jon kinda made a mess of the job, but to see Sansa take up the reigns was a great moment. And whereas a war with Daenerys would likely have ended in disaster, with her brother on the throne in the South, we can hope the two kingdoms will work closely together from now on.

Arya's ending was probably the least satisfying of the three (Bran is barely human any more, never mind a Stark). There was nothing wrong with it, exactly - she's gone off to discover America, we guess. (Let's hope this universe *has* an America and she's not just going to keep sailing until she starves to death!). It just came a bit out of nowhere, and seemed rather a shame after she went to so much trouble to recover her identity as Arya Stark. Jon's was the most predictable, but no less satisfying for that. He belongs in the true North, with Tormund. I think it's safe to say, from the look on his face as they rode away, that Jon won't be returning to Castle Black (and I don't think he ever intended to stay there – that's why he told Tyrion he would never see him again). He and Ghost will run wild in a land without kings or titles and be much happier for it.

And so there we have it – it's been a wild ride, but now it's all over. Some endings were great (Sansa, the Small Council), some were fine (Jon, Arya) some were baffling (Bran) and some frustrating (Drogon, Grey Worm) but while the series may not have entirely stuck the landing, for me, it hasn't crashed and burned either.

Coming up with an ending everyone was going to be happy with was always going to be completely impossible, so while I may not agree with all their decisions, I want to give a shout out and all our thanks to Benioff and Weiss. They've created a phenomenal series with a great cast, fantastic production values and absolutely amazing music. (Seriously, go back and listen to both the musical score and the sound design on this season. It is phenomenal. Ramin Djiwadi's music is as beautiful and astonishing as ever and the eerie, disconcerting sounds that play as Daenerys attacks King's Landing are incredible. The use of the series' themes has been great too, from playing out Cersei's downfall with 'The Rains of Castamere', to the theme tune playing as Daenerys approaches the Iron Throne in this episode).

Bringing these sprawling books to the screen has been a huge achievement, and carrying on when the books ran out to give us a conclusion to this story is no less an achievement for the fact that it hasn't entirely satisfied everybody. Perhaps it's unfortunate that this aired within a month of Avengers: Endgame, which managed the end of a saga a little better - but Endgame has its detractors too. I'm not sure any of us will really know how we feel about this ending until we've had time to let it sink in, but for now, I say thank you Benioff, Weiss and Martin - thank you for the ride, and thank you for all the gory, sexy fun we've had along the way. More than anything, thank you for making an epic fantasy show one of the biggest on television! For someone who still remembers when reading The Lord of the Rings in school made you a social outcast, that means a lot.

Grumpkins and Snarks:

- RIP: Daenerys Targaryen, Stormborn, Queen of the Seven Kingdoms, of the Andals, the Rhoynar and the First Men, Protector of the Realm, Lady of Dragonstone, Mother of Dragons. Sniff.

- I didn't expect the scene where Tyrion finds Jaime and Cersei's bodies – that was truly heart-breaking (and kudos to Peter Dinklage, as ever). Oh Jaime, my love, I so wanted you to die a hero. At least you didn't die a villain, which is something.

- Grey Worm was really under-served by this finale, and this whole season. At least he lived, I guess?

- The final straw that really drove Jon to kill Dany was his desire to protect his sisters, both of whom would have been dragon meat in the long run because he had told them about his parentage. Just how much of what happens on this show has been caused by attempts to protect Arya and/or Sansa? And sometimes Bran. Which worked out, I guess?

- The two noblest, most honour-obsessed characters (Jon and Brienne) both became Kingslayers (Daenerys and Stannis). Which, unlike rain on your wedding day, is truly ironic.

- I'm so happy that Brienne didn't turn out to be pregnant. If the most awesome female character on the show ended up reduced to Lannister baby mama in the finale, I'd have been really pissed off.

- Look how much Robyn Arryn has grown up! I'm absolutley amazed his character made it to the finale, and seeing the kid who first appeared on screen being breastfed as an adult is definitely disconcerting!

- I was disappointed by the lack of Hot Pie, but choose to assume that means he's still alive and happily cooking pies in the busiest inn in Westeros.

Final analysis: Hey, it's still less divisive than How I Met Your Mother's ending! Three out of four dragons.

Thanks to all who've read our Game of Thrones reviews and articles and joined in the endless conversation and speculation over the years. It's been epic!

Juliette Harrisson is a freelance writer, classicist and ancient historian

[jackoshadows]

Jon Vs Sansa

My issue with the Jon-Sansa feud is not that Sansa keeps disagreeing with everything Jon does – but that she is not open and straightforward with him about her problems. She thinks that she should be QITN because she won the BOTB? Why not confront Jon about this and ask him why he accepted the KITN position when she got them their victory?  She can tell Arya that Jon lost and they got back WF only because of her. Why not tell Jon the same thing?

Her passive aggressive behavior with Jon is what is annoying.  She demands that he fight for Rickon and then on the eve of the battle tells him that Rickon is dead. She openly and freely speaks up at previous meetings with Davos, Tormund and co. and yet chides Jon for not specifically asking for her opinion when they meet again before the BOTB. She compares him to Joffrey and then tells him that he’s good at ruling. 

Here’s the thing – Sansa deliberately keeps information about the Vale army from Jon because she wants the credit for the victory and is then resentful that Jon becomes KITN when she won them the BOTB – that’s literally the plot of last season. Overly sensitive Sansa fans, who are able to make all these gifs and write long metas on how Dany is a power hungry tyrant and Jon is an evil seducer seem to be unable to acknowledge that their fave disliked Jon being in charge last season. These are Sophie Turner’s comments on last season:

“There’s always a bit of sibling rivalry between Sansa and Jon; there has been since they were very young,” Turner said. “I think that look between Sansa and Littlefinger is her kind of acknowledging that his points are somewhat legitimate, and she’s kind of intrigued as to that pretty little picture that he painted of him on the Iron Throne and her by his side.”

“She’s kind of thinking, ‘Well, he’ll give me the credit that I deserve,’” Turner continued. “But it’s very interesting to see where her loyalties will now lie—whether she’ll go with Jon or Littlefinger.”

“Sansa doesn’t think [Jon Snow] has the intellect, knowledge, experience that she has, and I concur.”

“Sansa didn’t tell Jon (about the Vale knights) because she wanted all the credit and it was a more dramatic moment when they all showed up. And it made for better television” “ -Sophie Turner #SDCC

In Inside the episode, David and Dan talk about how Sansa feels resentment because she does not get the credit for winning the BOTB and she thinks that Jon is naive. The episode scripts mentions here and there about how Sansa is tempted by power and she is even glad that Bran has no designs on ruling:

"Jon's been declared King in the North. But you are father's only trueborn son," Sansa says, carefully trying to mask her disappointment, "You're lord of Winterfell now."

Sansa looks at him for a beat. On the one hand, there's a measure of relief that Bran doesn't seem to have any designs on ruling the North. - Season 7 Outline dated 4/26/16

And when LF manipulates Glover and Royce into openly discussing treason with Sansa – she thanks them and then tells them that Jon is king and therefore doing what he thinks is right!  She should have said that Jon was doing what was best for all of them, for the North and that she fully supports him. This is how Robb dealt with a lord who disagreed with his decisions:

That’s why Arya was pissed at Sansa. If Lyanna Mormont had been there, Glover and Royce would not have the guts to speak so openly against their king.

The issue here is not that Sansa dissents with Jon – she can do so privately or when they are with their loyal allies - Davos and Tormund and Brienne. As she has done before. But if she genuinely supported Jon as King and genuinely believed he was a Stark then both she and Jon should have presented an united front in front of the Northern houses as Ḥouse Stark. Instead they were squabbling in front of the lords making Davos and Brienne side eye them.

Sansa openly dissents with him and questions his decisions in front of the Northern lords when he has been king for only a week, he is a bastard and his grip on power was weak. If Jon had done as she demanded with respect to the Umber and Karstark children, he would have been finished as King. His authority then and there would have been nil.  Which is why he firmly shuts her down and requests that she not do it again – wherein she compares him to Joffrey.

It was pretty much only in the last episode, that Sansa decides to chose family over power, executes LF instead of her sister and then has a moment with Arya where she talks about the pack surviving while the lone wolf dies.  

So when Sansa/Jonsa fans are cheering for Sansa to undermine Jon because she’s the lady of Winterfell and has the rights to question him and all that – that’s fine. But then don’t go on about Sansa being Jon’s best supporter or his most influential adviser etc. She was not. She wanted to be the person in charge of ruling the North. And since Bran was being the 3ER, she had the legal right to it on the show. She just should have openly confronted Jon about wanting to be QITN instead of showing her resentment by passive aggressively undermining him and not supporting him against the lords.

That’s why I think Sansa will be the one to suggest that Jon/Dany get married next season. With Jon gone from WF, Rickon dead, Bran reduced to the 3ER and Arya reduced to a killer on the show – that leaves Sansa to rule the North. She can now make her own decisions as leader of the North without Jon getting in the way.  

In the books all this is going to be moot, considering Jon will be both the legitimate Lord of WF and KITN as per Robb Stark’s will. And he will also have Ghost with him. So hopefully, if any of the Lords give him shit for his decisions, Jon pulls a Robb Stark and those whiny lords end up losing a few of their fingers. In fact since the show has confirmed that Ghost is back next season, I hope we see this on the show if the lords complain about Jon  bending the knee!

[adecila]

Game of Thrones 8x02 - Live blogging

So I watched the leak (I still have it...) and I took notes. Walk away while you can, babies, for this shit is the real shit. 

Aaaaaand CUT

Jaime vs Dany

Omg one man with one hand. 

LMAO I LOVE the look Dany gave Tyrion. Bye Tyrion fuck off.

“THE THINGS WE DO FOR LOVE” BITCH KILL ME

“This goes beyond loyalty” omg Brienne pls don't. Fuck this lame ass hoe.

”You vouch for him?” “I do.” Jaime's small smile OMG. 

Lmao Sansa trusts Brienne with her life bahahahah when last season she send Brienne away afraid she'd side with Arya. Inconsistent writing.

What does the Warden of the North say?? Omg someone hug Jon pls.

I loooove Grey Worm!!! Yas I love how when Dany gets up everyone else does too. Finally some fucking respect for the fucking Queen. 

Omg Jon leaving tho???? Omg omg did I low key predict this in my drabble?

Tyrion vs Dany

Lmao a fool? Fuck off Tyrion. You done fuck up dude. You fucked up so badly my dude.

Gendrya

Fuck yeah STRONG ENOUGH.

Gendry's dick is so fucking hard right now.

Jaime vs Bran

Ohhh apologising. Good. LMAO “YOU WEREN'T SORRY THEN”

No oh hell now did he just pull the “I wouldn't be the person I am now...” fuck this. 

Haaaa told ya Bran wouldn't tell them he pushed Bran. Boom called it confirmed!

Tyrion x Jaime

“She didn't seem so sure about you”. LMFAO bitch get rekt. 

“WAS SHE LYING ABOUT THE BABY TOO???” Tyrion's face tho... mhmm

“You.loved.her.anyway.” - gurl ain't that the truth.

Season 1 callback! Uh oh what did Jaime see??? Ah Brienne!

Dragonglass on the battlements to stop wights from crawling up on the wall.

Jaime x Brienne

YAY POD AND PROUD BRIENNE

Uuu some actual battle prep fuck yeah!

Jorah x Dany

So so sweet mah heart. Oh Jorah!!! Broke my heart!!! You're breaking mine now omg. I am so emooo.

What suggestion??? Did he tell her to speak to Sansa? Fuck Royce. OH WAIT at least he bowed lmao. HE GOOD FINALLY SOME FUCKING RESPECT

Dany vs Sansa

Lmao inconsistent writing... Sansa trusting Brienne suddenly...

“He loves you, you know that.”

Yes !!!! Sansa apologising. Thank you. Finally recognising she was wrong. Thank you Sansa for proving my point.

Cute bonding. Hands holding. DAENSA FUCKING RISE 

Omg that Brexit mindset tho. Smh. Bye. AINT NOBODY GOT TIME FOR TORIES

Theonsa????

OMG WE GOT THEONSA WHAT WHAT WHAT OMG THEON YOU BETTER FUCKING SURIVE

Gilly!!! Davos!!! Some people!!!

So they are moving all the women and children to the crypts.

Omg that little girl. I bet Davos gets serious Shireen vibes. MAH HEART JUST GIVE DADVOS BOATIE SO HE AN BE A GRANDADVOS

Tormund x Edd

Jon's smile OMG JONMUND OMG MAH HEART

The Umbers? :sob: 

The big woman still here? LMAO

Battle prep - war council

Loved the entire scene. 

Bran omg Bran... and the NK? Interesting. Interesting. So he says he will act as bait. Ok nice. Also I loved the Starks interactions. 

Did I predict Jon hastily leaving the war meeting? You know I did bitch. LMAO at this point I am 2 for 2 with my drabble and Jon avoiding Dany. Although we know we ain’t getting any jonerys smut now.... but still bitch, did I call it or what??? 

Missandei x Grey Worm

Omg poor Missandei wtf racists fucks Omgggg plsss yess take her there.

Jon vs Sam then Edd

Yes Ghost finally. Fuck you Sam. Fuck you. Lmao I am Jon and Jon is me. 

“And Now our watch begins.”

Ugh bye Sam. Really wtf sam that was fucking shitty bff act. Jon’s reaction was top notch. 

Jaime x Tyrion again then Brienne x Pod x Davos x Tormund aka the Merry Band

Nice stuff, not too long. I loved it. Lovely !

Arya x The Hound x Beric

I love this. Bahah Miserable old shits. Ohhh so that's when Arya gets ideas hehe.

Gendrya

Arya shooting arrows again. God bless. 

That spear thoooo amazing. MY FUCKING FEELS. 

I AM ROBERT BARATHEON'S SON !!! 

“Your first time with a woman???” Arya wtf omg omg. 3. Omg ARYA YES BABY.

ARYA WHAT????? SHE WENT IN FOR IT OMG ARYA 

OMG HER SCARS OMG GENDRY BABY. 

“I AM NOT THE RED WOMAN. TAKE YOUR OWN BLOODY PANTS OFF.” *PROCEEDS TO TAKE PANTS OFF*

The Merry Band again

“AT LEAST WE'LL DIE WITH HONOUR.” 

Interesting that Tyrion thinks they'll all survive. He called her “Ser Brienne of Tarth”!!!! Fook tradition. Yes she did!!! Lmao Pod staring into the camera like he's on the office.

Yes yes Ser Brienne I love this song. 

Jorah vs Lyanna x then Sam

Omg my baby Lyanna 

“I WILL NOT HIDE UNDERGROUND I PLEDGED TO FIGHT FOR THE NORTH” :sob::sob::sob: 

“I WISH YOU GOD FORTUNE COUSIN” FUCK MEEE

Heartsbane - lmao Sam you think your father taught you that??? ME THINKS JON TAUGHT YOU MORE THAN YOUR DADDY YA SHIT.  I was wrong Sam is referring to Jeor! He says to Jorah “Your father taught me... ”

Fucking hell why didn't Jorah say more?

The Merry Band again

Jenny's song... wow wow wow chills fuck me I have so many chills. The couples!!!! Very much Lord of The Rings!!! LOVED IT!!!! 

Jonerys finally

Who's that? Lyanna Stark!!!!

THE REVEAL WE DESERVED. 

OMG OMG. “MY NAME MY REAL NAME IS AEGON TARGARYEN.” 

“THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE.”

Nooooo omg I know where this is going....

The horn interrupts them. The WW are here. No sign of the NK yet. 

Ready for battle.

I AM SO FUCKING READY EPISODE 3 HERE WE FUCKING COME !!!!

[heavyshoegaze-blog]

The stan wars will never end

Yup. Even after S8E6, after we know the ending of Game of Thrones and roughly the ending of A Song of Ice and Fire, we’ll still be bickering and complaining and being altogether too nasty towards each other over the love lives of fictional characters. 

“Now, HeavyShoegaze, you dashing-yet-bewilderingly-named Adonis”, you might say, “the story’s gonna end. Either Jon Snow is going to marry his sister/cousin or his aunt! One side is going to win and the other side is going to be relegated into the trash heap of not-canon crackiness!”

Oh, you sweet summer child.

Here’s my prediction: No, Daenerys Targaryen is not going mad. If she was, she would have burned King’s Landing and Cersei. If she was, she wouldn’t have lost her dragon to save Jon Snow (As much as I love Jon, literally no one in the North is anywhere near as important to Daenerys as her son, a literal dragon. Dany took the L to save Jon, no bones about it). And no, Jon isn’t playing Daenerys. He genuinely believes in her cause, having seen her at her best, selflessly putting the well-being of her people ahead of her personal desires.

The truth-bomb of RLJ gets dropped by Sam after Jon takes Dany’s side in the deaths of Randyll and Dickon. Sam will be upset and want Jon to take the Throne from Dany, and in doing so will spill the beans without realizing just how big of a deal it is for Jon. Cue Jon being horribly depressed, taking the revelation in the worst possible way. He and Dany will be estranged by the news as Jon struggles to decide who he is if everything he knew about himself, even his own damn name, is a lie. Eventually, he and Dany reconcile over the fact that she’s miraculously pregnant, and they get married. Jon would want to give a child of his the home life he never had, after all. 

There will be tension and friction as multiple people with grievances and family histories struggle to work together. Winterfell will fall, forcing the survivors to accept that being petty assholes has consequences during the apocalypse! Jon, Dany, and Sansa lead their people South, having to now deal with Cersei and her Golden Company in addition to the White Walkers. Shenanigans happen and the Golden Company switches sides, since “Some contracts are writ in ink, and others in blood”. Blackfyres or Targaryens, the Golden Company is a brotherhood of exiles, founded by a faction of House Targaryen that lost a civil war. Like Dany. So they switch sides. They fight for the living. Cersei tries to blow up King’s Landing but Jaime kills her.

Ultimately, the final battle against the Night King will be fought, Jon and Dany sacrifice themselves in order to defeat him for good, and Sansa rules for their kid. House Stark and House Targaryen are united and live on through this new song of Ice and Fire, and a war-ravaged Westeros looks towards the future, towards Spring, with hope.

And that’s how Game of Thrones ends. Bittersweetly, I think. Jon and Daenerys have this beautiful, star-crossed romance, but they have to sacrifice not just their lives but their chance of experiencing the future they’re fighting for. They go out together, as the greatest heroes Westeros ever sees, but they don’t get to know their kid. It’s tragic, but it also feels like an ending they deserve. Yeah, their arcs as leaders are brilliant and you could make the case that without an endgame where they apply those hard-learnt leadership lessons what’s the point (and seriously, read Jon’s arc in A Dance With Dragons and tell me it’s not all about leading, learning, failing, and doing better. Like, if Martin wanted to write how Aragorn learned to rule “wisely and well”, that’s how he’d do it), but even still. I think that this would feel bittersweet without being either too sappy or too depressing. I’ll cry, but I’ll also be happy.

As for Sansa, I think her ruling as regent bookends her story nicely. The beginning of the series sees her dreaming of being Queen, marrying a beautiful Prince and having beautiful children. In the end, she becomes the leader. She doesn’t marry, she doesn’t have kids, but she’s the one calling the shots and guiding Westeros through this new Dawn. I have a lot of problems with the way the show handled Sansa’s arc and the way that they changed her characterization, but I feel that both in the books and in the show this is where her story is building. Again, it’s bittersweet. On one hand, Sansa becomes the ruler of Westeros! Woohoo! On the other hand, that’s the last thing she wants. It means she’ll never see Winterfell again, that she has to stay in the Capitol and rule instead of returning to her idyllic family home. That she can never reclaim that lost innocence ever again. It’s like the Scouring of the Shire, which Martin is hugely influenced by. The Hobbits have to accept that they can’t just return to their ways before the events of Lord of the Rings. Similarly, Sansa gets this bittersweet ending.

(Also, she might be a little sad that her brother is dead. Just a little. At least, I hope. Maybe she won’t give a damn.)

But most importantly, this is an ending that gives everybody something without satisfying anyone. I don’t think that pleasing everyone should be a storytelling goal, but if you wanted to ensure that the community literally never stops fighting pointlessly between Sansa and Dany, this would be how you’d do it. Jonerys stans are going to say “ha! see?! Daenerys and Jon were OTP, the Song of Ice and Fire who fell in love, had sex, saved the world, and left Westeros in capable hands. Their kid is gonna rule the Seven Kingdoms, and the future is bright... because of them. Hahaha. You wish you stanned the Mother of Dragons. #CANON-SHIP, boiiiiiiiiiiiiii!!!” Meanwhile, Jonsa stans will turn around and say “No, Sansa is obviously the most important one. She won the Game of Thrones! Dosido and that whore Jon Snow died like scum and now Sansa is in charge! And she lost nothing! She’s totally happy, no tragedy here! If only Jon was smart and picked Sansa, then he would be alive instead of dead like he deserves for picking the other girl >:(.” 

Both sides can find ways to claim that they won and the other side were all deluded fools, and both sides can also rage impotently at the show and claim the books will give them the true (read: their preferred) ending. We’ll constantly pick apart every tiniest detail looking for proof that our favorite was the real winner and the true hero instead of accepting that maybe the series is full of imperfect, human, characters who try their best to do what’s right, and that multiple people are responsible for saving Westeros.

And we’ll never get to enjoy this brilliant series of books and the wonderful, complex, compelling characters without getting sucked it to endless bickering over who’s boning who and who should have boned who. Hooray.

In all truth, I’m excited to see how it ends. I have mixed feelings about the show as an adaptation of my favorite book series, and I wish Martin had told the ending himself, but I’ve been waiting to learn the fates of my favorited characters for so long. I’m hyped. I don't actually know what happens in Season 8, obviously, but I can’t wait to cheer, cry, angst, and find Tumblr a disaster like always.

And while I’m here making predictions that all but ensure everyone justifiably hates me and no one ever takes me seriously ever again... Arya and Bran also die leaving Sansa and the Starkaryen kid as the last Starks, Tyrion blows up King’s Landing and is executed for it, Jaime dies, Cersei dies, Theon dies, Grey Worm and/or Missandei die, Jorah dies, Bronn dies (he should have died in Season 7 tbh), Varys dies (God, without Aegon there’s like no point to him). Tormund dies, Brienne... Not a damn clue. Gendry maybe lives? Hell, maybe Arya lives? 

Seriously, I have no idea how this ends.