THE BATTLE OF HARDHOME (EPISODE 8)
A battle of epic proportions in episode eight was where every GoT fan thought the season had peaked; for some, in fact, it had. Jon Snow convinces some of the Wildlings to leave Hardhome but as they are being ferried to the ship, the White Walkers and their army of the dead attack. Skeletons leaping off cliffs, a giant stomping Wights, the Night’s King raising the dead... it was one jaw-dropping scene after another, but nothing could surpass the battle between Jon and a White Walker. The Dragonglass Sword is not at hand and Jon uses his Valyrian steel blade to not just stop the White Walker’s spear, which disintegrates normal blades, but also to kill the White Walker.
TYRION AND VARYS TALK POLITICS (EPISODE 1)
Tyrion Lannister escapes to Illyrio’s palace in Pentos with the help of Lord Varys. What ensue are numerous memorable conversations between the two; the one that stands out is where they discuss the fate of the Seven Kingdoms and Varys tries to convince Tyrion to help put a suitable heir on the Iron Throne.
Varys: The Seven Kingdoms need someone stronger than Tommen but gentler than Stannis. A monarch who could intimidate the High Lords and inspire the people. A ruler loved by millions, with a powerful army, and the right family name.
Tyrion: Good luck finding him.
Varys: Who said anything about ‘him’?
ARYA BEING BADASS (EPISODE 10)
Arya Stark disguises herself and goes to Meryn Trant, who canes her along with two other young girls but fails to get a response from her. Meryn dismisses the other two girls and continues to cane Arya till she takes off her disguise and stabs him in the eyes with her knife. She stuffs a rag in his mouth and proceeds to stab him everywhere, reminding him who she was, before calmly slitting his throat. We have seen Arya kill before but never in this planned or calculated way. It left us chilled.
QUEENS CLASH (EPISODE 3)
Margaery Tyrell is playing Cersei at her own game. She convinces Tommen to send Cersei back to Casterly Rock and challenges Cersei at every step. Nothing makes the clash of wills more apparent than this scene where Cersei interrupts Margaery’s tete-a-tea. While Cersei pretends to be happy that Margaery and Tommen’s marriage is working, Margaery uses the opportunity to taunt Cersei, whether it is about her alcoholism or about her place at court.
TYRION ESCAPES GREYSCALE, JORAH DOES NOT (EPISODE 5)
Tyrion is still a prisoner of Ser Jorah Mormont, who is taking her to Daenerys hoping it will redeem him in her eyes. They sail through Valyria where Tyrion sees Drogon flying overhead for the first time. The duo are attacked by the Stonemen giving viewers a few tense moments. You know if they touch any of them they will pass on the disease called greyscale. Fans held their breath to see if Tyrion was lying when he said no one touched him, he was dragged under the water by one of them after all, but we find out it is Jorah who gets the disease, which he decides to keep a secret.
SANSA’S BRUTAL WEDDING NIGHT (EPISODE 6)
In season four, it was Cersei’s rape that angered fans. This season, it was the brutal scene of Sansa Stark being raped on her wedding night by husband Ramsay Bolton that left fans shocked and fuming. As if the rape wasn’t traumatic enough, Ramsay made Theon Greyjoy stand and watch Sansa being raped saying, “You’ve known Sansa since she was a girl, now watch her become a woman.” The horror of it is reflected in the eyes of Theon who is forced to witness it all.
MOTHER OF DRAGONS TURNS DRAGON RIDER (EPISODE 9)
It was one of the most magical moments of this season and one of the few that gave fans a glimpse of hope. The fighting pits of Meereen have been reopened and Queen Daenerys is in attendance with Hizdahr zo Loraq, who she has decided to marry; her lover Daario Naharis; Tyrion and Missandei. She is attacked by the Sons of the Harpy, who have all of them surrounded, and just as it looks like we’ll be seeing the last of Dany and Tyrion, Dany closes her eyes and Drogon appears barbecuing the Harpies, before flying off with Dany on his back.
STANNIS SACRIFICES SHIREEN (EPISODE 9)
Stannis Baratheon was one of the few characters who, though not exactly good, was liked by fans. Yes, he was complicated but people did not hate him, till he burned his daughter Shireen alive as a sacrifice to the Lord of Light in order to smoothen his way to victory. The scene where he watches with a dispassionate face the Red Priestess (left) set Shireen on fire, while she screams at him to save her, turned him into one of the most hated characters, who got no sympathy when he died.
CERSEI’S WALK OF SHAME (EPISODE 10)
One of the most disturbing scenes in GoT history, Cersei Lannister’s “walk of atonement” is what nightmares are made of. After confessing that she had sexual liaisons outside her marriage, the High Sparrow allows Cersei to go home, but only after a walk of atonement. Her hair is brutally chopped and she is made to walk from the Baelor Sept to the Red Keep naked through a crowd and the chants of “shame, shame, shame”. People call her names, spit on her and make lewd gestures as she makes the excruciating walk holding her head high, breaking down only after the doors of the Keep close.
THE ASSASSINATION OF JON SNOW (EPISODE 10)
Olly tricks Jon Snow and makes him walk into an ambush by the Night’s Watch, and what unfolds will keep the fandom reeling for the next 10 months. Jon is repeatedly stabbed by the men of Night’s Watch, saying “for the Watch”, believing that assassinating Jon was the way to be free of the Wildlings. The fact that Olly, the boy Jon was training, landed the killing blow made it that much more pathetic. The shot of Jon lying dead in the snow will be imprinted on the mind.
Chandreyee Chatterjee
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