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Game Of Thrones : Season Finale

Posted on May 20, 2019May 21, 2019 by Ankit Mishra

Game Of Thrones IS OVER. The world’s most watched show has aired its last episode.

It was satisfying as well as disappointing. David Benioff and D.B. Weiss wrapped up a show that’s spanned eight seasons, two continents, seven Houses and hundreds of thousands of corpses, and they did a decent job at it, but the last two seasons. In no way, the show was going to give us the perfect conclusion, not after it began rushing toward the conclusion.

It’s all over, with so much story left untold. If left to me, Season 7 should have been 10 episodes setting up the conflict with the Night King. Season 8 should have been another 10 episodes resolving that conflict and setting up the showdown with Cersei, as well as further establishing Daenerys as a dangerous, mentally unhinged conqueror. And Season 9 should have been the end of Cersei and King’s Landing and the fight against this new Queen, out to liberate all of humankind, through blood and fire. The first ten minutes of tonight’s series finale should have been the last ten minutes of this season’s finale, with another season in the offing detailing the fight of Jon Snow and the other rebel Lords and Ladies against Mad Queen. But this is not a perfect world… Trump is still the president…

“What about all the other people,” Jon Snow asks his queen, “Who think they know what’s good?”

“They don’t get a choice,” Dany responds.

A conversation that should have happened two episodes back to lead to the Mad Queen and her assassination.

“Love is the death of duty”: ” Duty is the death of Love”

This episode would have been truly great if we’d just gotten here more naturally. If Jon and Dany’s relationship had been even half as convincing as Jon and Ygritte’s, If he’d truly loved her, I would understand his unwillingness to hear Tyrion’s sermon of sense. But there’s nothing about Jon Snow’s character that would defend Daenerys in this situation. He clearly believed that what she did was wrong, that her speech to the Unsullied and Dothraki was distasteful, the words of a deluded megalomaniac. If the show had convinced me that he truly loved her with an undying passion, that his love would truly overshadow his reason, his duty, then okay. This scene would have felt earned.

Because Aegon Targaryen is Jon Snow, he does the right thing and kills Daenerys Targaryen, Mother of Dragons, Breaker of Chains and “Liberator of King’s Landing” before she can liberate another population.

Drogon had the best Character Arc!

The scene between Jon and Drogon was pretty intense. I thought for sure that Drogon would try to burn Jon and that the fire would have no effect and Jon would very obviously be a Targaryen that Drogon would defer to. I’m glad that didn’t happen. Instead, Drogon melted the Iron Throne, as if even he acknowledged that it was the symbol of power and the very source of evil. in extreme anger and grief, drogon chooses to mourn in peace. He protests to Jon, bowing before he flies away, clutching Daenerys in his talons, perhaps to Valyria.

Jon is imprisoned for killing Khaleesi and then there is a time-jump. Grey Worm and the Unsullied have kept the Imp and Jon Snow in chains ever since. The fate of the Seven Kingdoms must be decided, as well as the fate of Tyrion and Jon Snow.

Farewell Speech by the writers!

Tyrion comes before nobles from the archives and the present — the Starks, Davos and Ser Brienne of Tarth and a grown smug looking Robin Arryn, Edmure Tully and Sam Tarly and various others, including a new Dornish Prince.

Tyrion monologues about the game of thrones conclusion, sounding like a farewell speech by Martin, David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, talks about “Breaking the wheel” which they all wanted. The nobles decide, at Tyrion’s speech, that Bran is made king and that from now on kings are chosen by the noble Houses rather than by birth because kings’ sons are monsters more often than not. Everyone agrees, including Bran, and Bran The Broken is named king. “Why do you think I came all this way?” Bran says. This takes me back to episode 2 of this season when Tyrion spoke to Bran, the Job interview for the king.

Grey Worm Certainly is No Leader!

Bran names Tyrion Hand, plotted much in episode 2?. This seems to convince Grey Worm, weirdly. Grey Worm also agrees to Jon Snow being sent to the Night’s Watch, and for some reason everyone aagrees to this plan, even though Grey Worm and the invading armies all leave and they could just have Jon come back to Winterfell a few months later.

Queen in the North

Much Deserved. Sansa doesn’t bend the knee to her brother. She insists on the North maintaining its independence and Bran agrees (why though ??) and Sansa ultimately becomes Queen in the North.

Game of Thrones Season 8 Episode 806
(L to R) Maisie Williams as Arya Stark, Isaac Hempstead Wright as Bran Stark, and Sophie Turner as Sansa Stark
– Photo: Macall B. Polay/HBO

Girl is No One after Killing the Night King!

Literally no one after episode 3. Arya heads out West of Westeros on a crazy exploration adventure. She will eventually find the New World and Kill more people ??

Council of the Three-Eyed Raven

In King’s Landing, a new council is formed with Tyrion as Hand, Sam as Grand Maester, Bronn as master of coin ( high garden is his clearly) and Brienne as commander of the King’s Guard.

Brienne’s Love

She does write down nice things about the previous commander, Jaime Lannister, who “Died protecting his Queen”. She makes sure the world remembers Jaime as a good man.

Jon and the North In Him.

Jon was sent North to the Wall, We get a great moment between Jon and Ghost, who’s missing an ear but still makes Jon smile. Jon goes north of the Wall and lives with Tormund and Ghost,

probably Tormund reminded him again “You have the north in you, the real north.”

And we see a sprig of wild green grass coming up from beneath the snow.

Summer Is Coming!

Big Shout Out to Ramin Djawadi what an amazing Music to the one thing that did not disappoint at all.

Game of Thrones- DRACARYS: Fear It Is!!

Posted on May 13, 2019May 13, 2019 by Ankit Mishra

Episode five of the final season of “Game of Thrones” was carnage from beginning to end.

Danaerys follows the last words of her best friend and confidant: “Dracarys” and goes to town literally burning everyone.

Here is a summary of what happened through the episode.

Lord Varys Gets Roasted

After so much scheming, plotting and general back-stabbing, Varys met his end. He though whispered about Jon on to the Iron Throne; Daenerys found out; he is burned.

The end of lord of whisperers was much predicted by Melisaandre in season 7 and we saw it coming.

Tyrion pays his Debts

Tyrion not only betrays Varys but also the Dany. He sets Jaime, captured by Dany’s army, free.

“If it weren’t for you, I never would have survived my childhood,” Tyrion Lannister tells Jaime in the calm. “You were the only one who didn’t treat me like a monster. You were all I had.”

It’s a touching scene between these two survivors of the dysfunctional Lannister family, and it’s shot beautifully, Tyrion standing above the brother who loomed over his childhood in so many ways.

Mother of Dragons

In about five minutes of pure decimation, Daenerys, riding Drogon, made the Iron Fleet go up in smoke and blasted the Golden Company. All the gold by Cercei was for nothing. Maybe the elephants could have helped.

Jaime and Euron

The Lannister used his golden appendage to his advantage in taking out the petty, narcissistic Euron.

The fight didn’t last long, and Euron managed to get a couple stabs in, but ultimately he should have probably sailed back. Euron dies at the hands of the Kingslayer, who walks on injured into the Red Keep.

Cleganes Ball

The fight that we had been hyping for years finally happened. In a back and forth match, which began with the Hound revealing the Mountain’s face. The former realized that the only way to kill the latter was to take him down with him into the dragon fire, which was all over courtesy the Mad Queen.

Jaime and Cersei die as Lovers in Arms

When the brother and sister fled to the crypts of King’s Landing, they discovered that their final escape route has been blocked by the rubble caused by Daenerys and her dragon.

As the ceiling crumbles around them and Cersei suddenly realized that bending the knee might have been a safer bet, Jaime takes her into his arms for one final embrace.

Last words of Cersei being “I don’t want to die”. All her life she battled death to prove the prophecies wrong and she got scared of dying which in a way is inevitable.

My disappointment lies in her death. Cersei deserved a better death, a death like a queen. how we miss Mr Martin at this point.

Jon Aka Aegon Targaryen & Arya Stark

Walking through the streets Jon and Arya witness the wrath caused by the mad queen. Jon sees the madness of men even after the Lannister army surrendered and the bells were rung.

Both the Starks were just probably flabbergasted at the carnage, which was shot really well.

The Apple Doesn’t Fall Far From The Targaryen Tree

In the end, Daenerys proved to be just as mad and cruel as her father. The Queen that had been promised indiscriminately butchered the innocent people of King’s Landing for what seemed like half the episode, leaving very little of a kingdom to rule over.

The Mad Queen thing in itself isn’t shocking, nor is it a bad storytelling move. What we take issue with is how clumsily Dany’s transformation was portrayed—and that clumsiness, at this late stage in the show, with the stakes so high, feels unforgivable given how avoidable it was. But most frustrating is the fact that Daenerys, a character whose many virtues and moral blind spots *Game of Thrones* so skillfully sketched out over the years, suddenly lost her mind within the last couple episodes because of the Targaryens’ well-documented predisposition to mental illness, the death of her best friends, and the fact that her nephew no longer wants to sleep with her. In its rush to deliver a wild reversal—or if you want to be charitable, *subversion*—of everything the show had established about Dany’s deep-seated goodness and sense of justice, *Game of Thrones* all but destroyed her character. Where some viewers might see a satisfyingly awful upending of expectations about Dany’s supposed goodness, We see the tragic downfall of the identity she had spent years building for herself.

We are sad, disheartened and this a perfect example of how a TV show decimates a powerful character from a book so well written.

Season 8, Episode 6 preview

DRACARYS for More Dragons ??

Posted on May 12, 2019 by Ankit Mishra

DRACARYS for More Dragons ??

Amidst Leaks, Waiting for the Second last episode of Game of Thrones .. here is a fan theory

Much like most seasons of Game Of Thrones this season also has its share of leaks. latest being the videos leaked on Twitter and hence predicting the fate of the main characters of the show. But in the nerd-ish world, we have theories still doing the rounds.

In the past Game of Thrones has surprised us with trashing most fan theories, the biggest being the Azor Ahai. Most fan theories were better than the show itself. What happened to the writing ?? RR Martin possibly drank all of it. I m still going ahead with this one. I hope this turn out to be true, else I will be very disappointed.

Daenerys is losing dragons faster than she’s losing advisors. A few episodes after poor Viserion was killed, reborn as an ice-dragon, then re-killed, Rhaegar followed its sibling thanks to Euron Greyjoy.

Now, Drogon is the only dragon on Game of Thrones, period. We’ve been told over and over again that Daenerys’s dragons are the first the world has seen for 150 years, which means that Drogon, as far as we know, is the only dragon alive.

Daenerys Targaryen is facing her biggest dilemmas yet: whether to risk Drogon in combat and whether it’s worth seizing the Iron Throne quickly and ending her enemies if it means killing thousands of innocent civilians in the process.

But Is Drogon make it the last dragon?

The Theory claims to have more Dragons coming. Now if it turns out to be true, Cercei and Euron have no idea what they have in store.

The above theory is believed as the opening credits in this season have been in sync with the events of the show. Like the tiles turning blue with the advent of winter or fire pits around Winterfell. So if we look closely the ring in the credit roll has house insignias and events and we see 4 dragons embossed with a star. We all know Dany had three dragons and two died so that means there are more dragons coming to burn them all.

How do dragons reproduce?

In George R.R. Martin’s books, dragons are described as being gender fluid. So even though Drogon, Rhaegal and Viserion were all named after men, they may be biologically capable of gestating and laying eggs. So in theory, one —or several — of those dragons could have laid eggs long ago.

What’s more likely is that Drogon already laid eggs earlier in the show. Drogon disappeared for a while when Dany was in Essos. It’s possible that the creature went over to Valyria to lay eggs. That would certainly make for a big surprise at the end of the season.

There could be more eggs hidden in the Shadowlands.

Illyrio Mopatis, the man who arranged Dany’s marriage to Drogo, gifted Daenerys her petrified dragon eggs in the very first episode of season 1. He told her that the eggs came from the Shadowlands beyond Asshai and implied that they were the last of their kind. But there’s a small chance there are more dragon eggs hidden somewhere in the Shadowlands.

Maybe above all is false. But, with more Dragons or Not the mother of dragons looks pretty angry after Mesaandei was executed and we know she is going to go all out Dragon style following the last words of Messandei “DRACARYS!!”.

“Game of Thrones”- The Last of the Starks

Posted on May 6, 2019May 6, 2019 by Ankit Mishra

The Last of the Starks

Queens and their Loyals

The fourth Episode of Season 8 moves on quickly from the Great War to the final war for throne.

With setting up stage for a war, the foundations for betrayals and loyalties are also set.

The Dust is settling down the Great War is over, Thanks to Arya .Okay before begin a big shout to Arya Stark yet Again!

The episode begins with saying final goodbyes to people lost in the Great War. leading to a celebration of the win.

Arya is finally Hailed by Daenerys herself, who in order to build allies with the House Baratheon makes Ghendry the Lord of Storm’s End.

With the merry making there is Love making and heartbreaks, Tormund at the hands of Ser Brienne and Ghendry by our Nightking Slayer, Arya Stark.

While we thought Ser Brienne & Jamie had a platonic exchange is episode 2, it goes to next level of breaking Virginities of different kinds. The two Knights get together, may be finally Jaime will have kids that won’t die.

The Biggest Secret in Westeros

Even though Jones not want the Iron Throne, Dany is anxious with the kind of support he has from the people.So to be with the Dragon Queen, Jon is given a condition by Dany, that his secret must always be a secret and he must not tell it to even his Family. Jon is a Stark too and he the words family resonate with him, so in no time he tells it to Arya and Sansa in secrecy. But Sansa who is more of a queen than anyone else right now in the show quietly leaves the information with Tyrion. who later tells it to Varys. So till now 8 people know about the biggest truth of the series: Bran, Sam, Jon, Danearys, Arya, Sansa, Tyrion and Varys.

Image result for the biggest secret of westeros

Sansa the Queen

With no regrets about her past Sansa is strong and has better judgements than all queens in westeros. She advices Dany to let the armies rest a little to recover from the war but in vain. Using wordplay that she fed Ramsey to the hounds, Sansa enforces her no regrets to the Hound. She takes Charge of winterfell and makes it clear to Jon that she does not trust Daenerys. Sansa is most Suited for the Queen in my opinion than anyone.

Arya the Assassin

Being Lauded and Proposed does not deter Arya from her path. She leaves Winterfell yet again, with the Hound, to complete her list.

Cersei has Plans for everyone.

She with Euron Greyjoy await the tired army’s return.

And yet so, Mother of dragons loses Raeghal to Qyburn’s dragon killer used by Euron. the Big crossbows by Qyburn not only kill the dragon but also destroys the Targaeryan ships. the tired Army is made to Run for life. The Mother of Dragons is incandescent with rage at losing her baby, and to make matters worse Cersei has captured Missandei.

Daenerys’s plan is to take her remaining dragon, the Dothraki, and the Unsullied and lay waste to King’s Landing, kill Cersei, rescue Missandei, and seize the Iron Throne. Tyrion and Varys, who have both spent much of their lives suffering under ultra-violent tyrants in King’s Landing, very much want her to reconsider. They finally persuade her that it would be prudent to give Cersei the opportunity to surrender, knowing she won’t, because then the people will blame her for the carnage that follows. That buys the advisors a little time, if nothing else.

Back in Winterfell, Jaime hears the news of all this and reconsiders his decision to spend the rest of his days sleeping in Brienne’s room while she keeps watch over Sansa and Arya.

In front of the gate at King’s Landing. Daenerys’s army is … not large. The decision to rush off instead of resting and regrouping appears to have been not so prudent. Cersei is at the top of the wall with Missandei, The Mountain and more of those gigantic crossbows. Tyrion explains that Daenerys demands Cersei’s unconditional surrender. Qyburn counters that Cersei demands Daenerys’s unconditional surrender. Tyrion is reduced to making his case directly to Cersei, which does not work. He still seems to think this pregnancy is somehow going to cause her to act like another person, and he is still wrong. Cersei tells Missandei it’s time for her last words. “Dracarys!” she shouts. Which, yeah, is High Valyrian for “Burn these bastards to the ground with dragon fire.” As if telling Dany to go all out and triggering in her The Mad King. And then the Mountain comes forward, swings his sword, to Kill Messandai.

Loyalties

As the Living have won, Jaime gets back to his loyalties which are Cercei and the Lanisters.

Let’s be honest Bronn never was going to kill the Lannister brothers and bargains his deal to become Lord of High Garden. His Loyalties are pretty much same as always, the money and castles.

But unlike Jaime, Tyrion and Varys seem to doubt their old loyalties and may switch to a new one. With Dany more leaning towards the Mad king traits they are left with not much choice and Jon’s Truth is only helping the cause. They have detailed discussions about it and they realise they are loyal to the realm and want the good of the people and so when the time comes they will probably take no time and switch sides to the Male Heir to the throne.

For me it all was over last episode, but then we have 3.. err just 2 more to go!

Valar Morghulis!

‘Game Of Thrones:’ The Catspaw’s Dagger

Posted on May 6, 2019May 6, 2019 by Ankit Mishra

So the Dragon-fire did nothing to The Night King, and he even found a way to evade Jon Snow, but the demonic creature was eventually taken down by a tiny Valyrian Steel dagger, carried by Arya Stark.

Arya Stark (Maisie Williams) tries to kill the Night King on Game of Thrones

That fateful dagger has had an enormous impact on this story, first making an appearance in season one episode two, when Bran is bedridden, injured after Jaime Lannister pushed him out of a window.

A mysterious catspaw assassin attempts to murder Bran with the dagger but is stopped by Catelyn Stark, who practically cuts her fingers to the bone trying to disarm the assassin. Bran is saved by his direwolf, Summer, who tears the assassin’s throat out. When the dagger is examined later, it is found to be made of Valyrian steel, with a dragonbone hilt, indicating a royal, possibly Targaryen, heritage.

Catelyn holds a secret meeting with Maester Luwin, Ser Rodrik, Robb, and Theon — Ser Rodrik concludes someone gave the dagger to the assassin. Maester Luwin concludes the dagger being too valuable a dagger to belong to the lowly assassin, is Catelyn’s first clue that the assassination attempt came from someone of great wealth and importance. Thus, Catelyn takes the blade to King’s Landing, where Littlefinger reveals that the dagger once belonged to him, before he lost it in a bet to Tyrion Lannister. Of course, Littlefinger is telling lied, as usual, but the lie provokes Catelyn into arresting Tyrion, sparking tension between House Stark and House Lannister, eventually exploding into the War of Five Kings.

Ned Stark holds the dagger temporarily but loses it to Littlefinger after he betrays him. Littlefinger quietly keeps the dagger until he arrives at Winterfell, several seasons later, and gifts the dagger to Bran Stark, who at this point, knows the history of everything, including the blade possibly. Bran then gifts the dagger to Arya, in the exact same spot where she later killed the Night King.

But Arya’s first use of the Catspaw’s dagger is to slice open Littlefinger’s throat. It isn’t quite clear, but it seems likely that the dagger was Littlefinger’s all along, and that he was behind the assassination attempt, though this has never been confirmed; his motivation is a little murky. Little Finger also denied any ownership of the dagger to Bran.

Later, Arya uses the dagger to spar with Brienne of Tarth, and she uses the “dagger drop” move which later proved effective against the Night King.

At the Citadel, Samwell Tarly studies a book about the Long Night, the ancient victory over the White Walkers. While studying, Sam happens to linger on a page detailing the use of dragonglass to forge weapons, the page also features a prominent drawing of the Valyrian Steel dagger. It’s a great foreshadow to the outcome of the Battle of Winterfell, and possibly, a clue to the importance of the dagger to the ancient nobility of Westeros.

Here’s what that page says:

The Valyrians were familiar with dragonglass long before they came to Westeros. They called it “zīrtys perzys” which translated to “frozen fire” in Valyrian and eastern tales tell of how their dragons would thaw the stone with dragonflame until it became molten and malleable. The Valyrians then used it to build their strange monuments and building without seams and joints of our modern castles.

When Aegon the conqueror forged his Seven Kingdoms, he and his descendants would often decorate their blades with dragonglass feeling a kinship with the stone. The royal fashion for dragonglass ornamentation soon spread throughout the Seven Kingdoms to those wealthy enough to afford it. Hilts and pommels were and are the most common decoration for dragonglass if too brittle to make a useful crossguard. Indeed, its very brittleness is what relegates it to the great houses and the most successful merchants.

Of course, Arya eventually uses the dagger to take down the Night King, destroying his entire army in one efficient stab.

The future role of the Valyrian Steel dagger is unknown, but hopefully, Arya will soon find a way to insert it inside Cersei Lannister.

Perhaps it was Cersei who was behind that fateful failed assassination; her motive is solid (to ensure Bran’s silence), and she’s certainly the type to murder a small child.

THE LONG NIGHT, The Battle Of Winterfell, Defies Every Expectation Of Greatness

Posted on April 29, 2019April 29, 2019 by Ankit Mishra

THE LONG NIGHT,

The Battle Of Winterfell, Defies Every Expectation Of Greatness

Left Reeling, Dizzy, All my Expectations shattered.

We will need to watch this episode two times over to figure things.

This was one of the best episodes not only of HBO’s fantasy drama but of any television show ever.

Not even sure where to begin. Shattered, like my expectations, the Night King was turned into a thousand pieces of ice. by Ahor Ahai. That prophesied hero’s name was always the letter “A” after all (and the number of letters in the name)

Arya Stark = Azor Ahai.

She may have never added the Night King’s name to her kill list, but in the end, when Melissandre asks “What do we tell the god of death?”

“Not today,” Arya says.

“The night is always darkest before the dawn.”

Before we move on, let’s talk a bit about the battle itself, it was dark and heavy. The episode begins with the anticipation of a war where everyone is trying to hide the fear of death. With Melissandre coming in and touching up the weapons of the Dothraki fills us with hope. She lights the Dothraki’s swords aflame, we felt this is going to be awesome, but its the Game of Thrones and they are fighting the dead. The might of the fire bearing Dothraki ended in just 5 SECONDS, and they are forced to retreat, Dany realises it and comes in with her dragons.

Through the episode, we find all strategies of the living failing and the dead decimating everything in their way, only the bait for Night King works. The two Dragons feel worthless against the Night King’s Wight Dragon. There are amazing shots of the fight between the dragons. In the battle of the living and the dead its truly the dance of Ice and Fire, with a Snow Storm, the Lit Winterfell fire pits & the dragon fires ( both blue and red).

Each character battles death some die heroically while others survive.

The Survivors

Tyrion survived, and even had a nice moment with Sansa down in the crypts.

Daenerys survived. She and Jon Snow both failed more than they succeeded, and I’m happy about that. And I’m happy both survived. She was brave and loyal and fierce and even displayed true sadness when Jorah fell and revived my hopes with the good still in her.

Everyone beside the Fire in the previous episode Survived, as Tyrion had “prophesied”.

Jaime and Brienne both save one another in the midst of all that bloodshed and horror, more than once. Both survive. Davos survived because when all others in Westeros have fallen, Davos will remain standing. Podrick survived, to sing more. Tormund survived, because there is a god, and his name is R’hllor.

Gendry survived because the Girl needs to be Kissed again.

Samwell survived. There were moments I wondered if he was being killed.

Varys survived, down in the crypts where so many others perished.

The Hound survived, despite his terror of fire. He and Beric helped save Arya. He had to survive so that he could face his brother, the Mountain.

The Fallen Heros of the Episode:

The deaths here were almost all poetic.

Jorah Mormont, saving his queen one last time.

Lyanna Mormont in her own words “We are not a large house, but we are a proud one. And every man from Bear Island fights with the strength of ten mainlanders.”

Theon Grey joy, in yet another redemptive moment of true heroism against the Night King himself.

Melisandre, who we never know did things for good or for the bad.. but was definitely a hero in this Episode. She bought in hope and helps Arya realise her purpose.

Beric, fulfilling his destiny.

Dolorous Ed, who saved Sam, god bless him.

A bunch of people in the crypts, almost the Dothraki, so many brave fighters and survivors.

The Night King and his F*cking Army, killed by the best Assassin. (come on he is a hero in his smile after he defies the dragon fire )

About the episode :

The episode tied together seven and a half seasons of story and lore, bringing Littlefinger’s dagger back to the forefront of the story as the fatal blade that ended the most existential threat to all the Seven Kingdoms and to humankind itself, and it finally revealed who Azor Ahai was—neither Jon nor Dany, but Arya all along.

David and Daniel did an amazing job. They managed to kill off many great characters without ending it in a huge bummer that we’re left deflated. Rather, we finish the episode elated, pumped, flooded with adrenaline.

With the stunning finale, the revelation of who exactly Arya is and what her purpose was all this time, and the purpose of those around her. Beric, Brienne and Jaime and Bran and Jon and all the rest. She was the one who, in the end brought down the greatest Night King.

Breaking the last bit as it happened :

As Theon breathed his last and the Night King walked slowly toward Bran, who sat there so calm and so confident and so unperturbed.

The Night King reaches for his blade, but Bran doesn’t mind. He’s calm. He’s ready. His trap is sprung. Then there she is . . . Arya . . . Azor Ahai, the princess that was promised, leaping through the dark. The Night King turns, grabs her by the throat, she drops the dagger from the left-hand catches it in her right hand and plunges it into the Night King. And just like Bran hoped, when he falls so does his army. Just when all seems lost, when the odds become impossible and the dead keep rising and rising and the night is dark: the army of the dead, falls.

No one saw Arya as the perfect assassin who would, in the end, kill our epic fantasy villain.

Both Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen were, in the end, sidelined in a way. Their dragon-riding, fire antics did very little in stopping the dead.

The Real Battle is for the Iron Throne.

Martin’s A Song Of Ice And Fire, in one sense, it’s a Fantasy filled with magic and villains, of legend and magical swords. In another sense, it’s a story about knights and kings and peasants, petty betrayals.

And now Cersei will come back to the forefront. She and Qyburn and zombie-Mountain and the Golden Company and Euron Greyjoy. Not terrifying enough yet smarter enough.

The Long Night and the death of the Night King were never supposed to be the climax. We have three episodes left, and there is a lot to come.

What to watch when you don’t have tickets to Avengers Endgame and the Game of Thrones Episode is Far away…

Posted on April 25, 2019April 25, 2019 by The Matchbox

In Anticipation for the Battle of Winterfell

Something to engage over the weekend…

AVENGERS : The Endgame… Did not manage the tickets? Thanos was right to snap his fingers I guess ?? 😉

Not team Thanos still?

Well, You can keep supporting your Avengers’ Stark (Tony Stark).

Here is a list of what to watch when you don’t have tickets to Avengers and the Game of Thrones Episode is Far away…

1. You vs Wild

Netflix’s next stage in interactive TV following Black Mirror: Bandersnatch. Gear Grylls leads an adventure series where you get to decide how to keep him safe. Good luck in the wild.

2. Unicorn Store

The show centres around a down-and-out painter who moves back in with her parents and is invited to a shop that will “test her ideas of what it really means to grow up”. The directorial debut of Brie Larson which also stars Larson and her fellow Captain Marvel actor Samuel L Jackson is now streaming on Netflix.

3. Queer Eye season 3

Karamo Brown, Jonathan Van Ness, Antoni Porowski, Tan France and Bobby Berk are all back for season three. Did some say .. YAAASSS QUEEEENN!!

4.Homecoming – a film by Beyoncé

Coachella to your television, on Netflix.

Beyoncé’s headlining performance at Coachella in 2018.

New York Times called it “a gobsmacking marvel of choreography and musical direction”.

Now, you can watch the show in full, with some behind-the-scenes from the queen herself spliced in for good measure.

Leaving you with these right now

Game of Thrones: “The Things I do for Love.”

Posted on April 22, 2019April 23, 2019 by Ankit Mishra

“The Things I do for Love.”

Wish Fulfillment, Big And Small

In the fifth-to-last Game of Thrones episode ever, Everyone prepares for war. That now includes Jaime Lannister, somewhat ironically, officially rivals Bran for most pronounced character graph. Few have changed as much as Jaime Lannister, and this episode highlighted that at every opportunity, from his apology to Bran, to his knighting of Brienne of Tarth.

Game of Thrones Season 8 Episode 2 Review: A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms

Season 8’s 2nd episode was yet another build-up, anticipation and the promise of something monumental waiting just over the horizon. It’s not just the Battle of Winterfell we have to look forward to: Dany and Jon didn’t get to finish their conversation in the crypt, and that’s arguably even more important. It’s the story behind the story.

The episode opens with Danaerys confronting Jaime she talks about how he killed her father and is threatening, despite knowing full well that her father was a murderous psychopath who needed to be killed. She doesn’t trust Jaime, and that makes sense given his past. Sansa doesn’t either, but Brienne vouches for him and she relents. Jon thinks they need every man they can get. And Tyrion says he believes him also. Jaime reveals of Cersei’s Plans of no intention of helping them and has a massive army that can wipe them all out once the Night King is dealt with.

Hard-Headed Women in the North

Daenerys takes out her frustration on Tyrion despite having gone along with his plan without question herself. Later Jorah takes her aside in private and speaks for Tyrion. He also urges her to make amends with Sansa though that doesn’t go quite as well as she hoped. When they’re speaking the ice does begin to thaw, but then Sansa brings up the fate of the North, asking Dany what happens when she takes the Iron Throne. Khaleesi inclining towards the madness like his Father does not wish to relieve the North.

Arya constantly in pure badass mode. She’s so tough, she’s such a great fighter, she can throw daggers with deadly accuracy, she tells Gendry to take off his own bloody pants because . . . it’s better to be tough than romantic or sexy? I’m not quite sure. It feels a little forced. I miss the old Arya.

Of the three strong women currently moving and shaking things at Winterfell, the favourite is Sansa. She’s smart and practical, stubborn and eloquent. She’s a good ruler and would make an excellent Queen in the North. I also like the young Lady Mormont, who is always putting someone in their place, this time, her cousin Ser Jorah.

The Dark Night forever.

This episode also revealed some of the Night King’s motivations, which has been a question since the very first scene of the show’s first episode. Bran tells the White Walkers are heading south so the Night King can kill him. “He wants to erase this world, and I am its memory.” Sam concurs with it and says that there would be no history left about anyone and all anyone would know of is the night kings existence.

As we head into the final battle of Winterfell, a plan has taken shape: The non-combatants will cower in the crypts (which might not be so wise if the theory about the Night King resurrecting all the corpses stored down there turns out to be right) while the army of the living holds off the dead long enough for Bran to lure the Night King to the Godswood.

Reunions still..Theon is greeted by Sansa rather emotionally as finally, he is fighting for what he is a Stark, by upbringing. Tormund and Beric Dondarrian arrive at Winterfell with the Nights watch.

‘One Wish Before Death’

The episode provided plenty of wish fulfilment for longtime Game of Thrones Characters and fans.

A Girl is Human

Arya actually getting together with Gendry was much anticipated but for me, it was a little eeky. Arya will always be a child for me so maybe I could not accept it.

Ser Brienne of the Seven Kingdoms

Jamie Knights Brienne, as we found out that a knight can knight another. Sitting around a fire crew of the show’s surviving characters: Tyrion (Peter Dinklage) and Jaime (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau), Brienne (Gwendoline Christie) and Podrick (Daniel Portman), Davos Seaworth (Liam Cunningham) and Tormund Giantsbane. Jaime knighting Brienne fulfils their relationship, although in a very different way. Brienne had inhibitions and denies any of such wish she has. but it all comes a full circle with Podrick’s valedictory nod. With characters present in the room make emotions run high.

At this point, Podrick starts singing, Jenny’s Song at the wish of Tyrion. The Song for me is everything about the episode, the dreams & death and it had an eeriness about it. In the books, all we’ve ever seen of the song is one line: “High in the halls of the kings who are gone, Jenny would dance with her ghosts.” Florence + the Machine performed the song over the episode’s closing credits.

The song with Pod singing, plays over shots of some of our heroes and the people that matter most to them—Sam/Gilly, Theon/Sansa, Arya/Gendry, Grey Worm/Missande, and, finally, Jon/Daenerys—should make us very worried for our favorites, and for the people who will live to mourn them.

“My name is Aegon Targaryen,”

After Jon did his best the entire episode to avoid Daenerys, she finds him down in the crypts. He’s standing in front of Lady Lyanna Stark, and Dany muses about her brother, Rhaegar, and how she can’t reconcile the good man from the stories with someone who could rape Lyanna. “He didn’t,” Jon tells her. “He loved her.” And the truth comes spilling out. He tells her how Rhaegar and Lyanna were wed in secret, and how after Robert’s rebellion was successful and Rhaegar slain, Lyanna made her brother Ned swear to raise their baby as his own bastard in order to protect him from Robert and the Lannisters.

Daenerys doesn’t believe him. After all, it’s his brother and best friend who came to him with this revelation. The conflict between Jon and Dany–the one caused by her life’s only mission the Iron Throne, should be easy to resolve. Where their conversation ended, I can hear what should have been the next line in my head: “But I don’t want the Iron Throne.” For Jon to respond in any other way would be unlikely; he’s always been reluctant to accept power, and quick to give it up once he gets it. Jon probably does not want the crown despite having the best claim, probably making him a better ruler.

Leaving that resolution as an open question throughout the upcoming battle was a fantastic narrative choice. Dany has become annoying, lashing out at Tyrion and exhibiting an alarming unwillingness to consider any alternative to her absolute rule. More than one character has expressed concern that Dany is more like her father and if she goes full Mad Queen or does something extreme in the coming battles, Jon might take the throne for Honor!

The Episode ends with the arrival of the whitewalkers outside Winterfell, setting the stage for an epic Battle of Winterfell. The Jenny Song in my head and the cinematography the show makes me feel for the characters. The music sets up the stage for heartbreaks in the next episode. Some dreams will be shattered, some Men will be lost.. Signing off with the song as the episode does…

“High in the halls of the kings who are gone

Jenny would dance with her ghosts.

The ones she had lost and the ones she had found

And the ones who had loved her the most.

The ones who’d been gone for so very long

She couldn’t remember their names

They spun her around on the damp cold stone

Spun away all her sorrow and pain

And she never wanted to leave

Never wanted to leave.

Never wanted to leave. “

With Winter Came the Reunions!!

Posted on April 17, 2019April 17, 2019 by Ankit Mishra

Spoilers are here!

The episode 1 of Season 8 premiered on 14th April in the US and 15th April in India.

The episode, named Winter fell, begins with the same old tune but new wooden miniatures where the pieces roll over white & blue from brown, bringing in winter. Elaborate titles in Winterfell castle make way for the upcoming war in the region around the castle.
This leads to the citadel and then kings Landings, where the first time the iron throne takes form.But on to the drama from the season premiere itself.

There were reunions, introductions, dragons, Swords and a little bit of cheese.

The journey to conclusion kicks off with a boy running and making way through the crowd, Arya style from season 1 episode 1, in Winterfell to get a glimpse of the Unsullied and Dothraki entering Winterfell for the first time.
Arya makes way for the boy, as Jon aka Aegon enters with Queen Khaleesi & her 2 dragons by his side.
Renuion of the Starks is hurried through with Bran informing about the wall being broken and Night king riding the dragon.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3YjXrEbCEs

Flattery doesn’t get you anywhere in the North. Sansa greets Danerys with Ned Stark’s words “Winterfell is yours, your Grace” welcome to King Robert Baratheon back in season one.
Sansa, like all of the other Northern Lords and Lady Mormont, is sceptical of Daenerys and displeased with Jon’s decision to bend the knee and give up his title as King in the North.
The episode makes way clearly to pitch the Stark and Targaryen women against each other, with mistrust on both sides and Dany being smart senses that.

Sansa is probably the new Cersei in Westeros.

Sansa is reunited with Tyrion, they speak about Cersei sending her army to help their cause and she is shocked that he actually believes that his sister would do that.
Perhaps Sansa’s below the belt “I used to think you were the cleverest man alive” comment will make him question himself. Sansa is dead right, we know that as Cersei has absolutely no intention of doing such a thing, Sansa also calls into question whether Jon was swayed by his love of Daenerys in his decision to bend the knee. She has learned a lot from the masters of manipulation and deception, Little finger.

Jorah brings Daenerys to meet Sam, the man who cured him of his greyscale

During the episode, Daenerys meets Sam and what started out as a lovely first meeting turns bitter when he learns that she executed both his father and brother as they refused to bend the knee to her.
He later questions Jon on whether he would’ve shown them mercy had it been his decision. He also reminds Jon that he gave up his crown to save his people, but would she do the same? Doubtful.
Clearly Bending the knee is not getting Mother of Dragons any respect.

Sweetest reunion of the episode, Arya and Jon hug and compare swords – he is moved to see she still has the Needle, he gave her.

There is a touching moment between the siblings. Jon asks her to help with Sansa and Daenerys, but Arya has her loyalties with the starks. She reiterates that the Starks loyalties lie with the Starks and Jon is one too. Laying base to make Jon question his sides when the right time comes.
Arya is reunited with key figures from her past with Arya coming face to face with The Hound and Gendry again. She has a special weapon request from Gendry too.

The reunions were really well done; there was warmth, emotion, humour, and Surprise
For me the mother of all reunions was: Bran meets Jaime at the episode’s close, the old friend he had been waiting for. Because it all began with them in season 1 episode 1,
when Jaime pushed Bran from the tower when he had seen something he should have not. Possibly an indication that Bran will see things and we did not read it back then.

Jon and Daenerys go on a dragon date. It felt a bit cheesy to have a big romantic kiss by a waterfall thrown in the mix. The protective looks from her dragons was also a bit of an odd. It was refreshing to see Jon riding Rhaegar, especially considering his Targaryen bloodline, probably the only thing that the scene established in the minds of the viewer and Tyrion & Varys.

“Never been a Bastard… But the true heir to the Iron Throne”
Words which made me teary-eyed in season 7 are uttered again.. by Sam.
Sam, at the directions of Bran, tells Jon the truth about him being the son of Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryen, and that his real name is Aegon. Jon is left confused, and in true Jon Snow style, he seeks refuge in Ned Stark’s Honor.
The scene focuses on Jon, but I think it could have been better executed.

White Walkers make conquer their first house.
A message from the dead brings us back to the horrors that are coming when Tormund, Beric and co. find the young Lord Umber left for them with body parts of his men placed around him in that familiar shape the Night King has used before.

Another warning sign ?? and another sword to our fancies. The humour about Tormund’s blue eyes makes the horror later further scary.

Reunions in North but Introductions in the South
King’s Landing Cersei has been busy.
She meets the captain of the Golden Company, an army of sellswords founded by Ser Aegor Rivers, a ‘legitimised bastard’ of King Aegon IV Targaryen, who was brought to her by Euron Greyjoy.
The Lannister Queen is left annoyed by not receiving elephants in return of the gold. Does she think elephants are her reply to Dany’s Dragons?? Errr I don’t think so.

She gives in to the private meeting request of Euron after her classic Cersei style banter: ” You buy a whore… A queen is earned”. Maybe she is too desperate to win and scared that Euron might turn against her if she did not give in to his demands. The scene ends with her drinking again teary-eyed … Miscarriage, as expected by fan theories, has already happened ??
The Queen has sent Bronn to kill Tyrion, with Qyburn handing him a crossbow to do it with as revenge for killing their father, Tywin with one.Finally maybe Bronn rise to honour than gold.

Theon and his remaining Iron Island brothers sneak aboard the ships and rescue Yara. Yara goes back home, but Theon heads North to Winterfell. Probably the words from Jon from last season have left a lasting impact.

It was a good episode with a couple of great scenes, but I had hoped that all six episodes to be like the Winds of Winter or Rains of Castermere – Kinds.
The episode establishes the season neatly making way for the greatest battle of Westeros.
Till then I take leave with finally Winter & Warmth in Westeros.

Promo of second episode –

AWESOME TV SERIES THAT EVERYONE SHOULD WATCH

Posted on July 31, 2016July 31, 2016 by Shreya Sikarwar

Gone are the days when every channel on your TV used to show crappy soap operas day in and day out( okay, Indian channels are still stuck up on those and will be so for like another millennium!)

But now we have so many great alternatives out there….There’s a whole plethora of awesome TV series that you should not miss. So here I am listing some of my favourite ones…

FRIENDS
This had to be on top. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that it is probably the most beloved show ever created. The story of six friends in Manhattan continues to be the most popular even after 12 years of its finale. Chandler, Joey, Ross, Monica, Rachel and Phoebe are the characters that will continue to be loved for decades. FRIENDS is the best!!!

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Image: emaze.com

GAME OF THRONES
Well the series doesn’t need an introduction. It’s the most expensive and grand show of all times. Based on George R. Martin’s novels, the show depicts the struggle of noble houses fighting for the throne and power over the seven kingdoms. GOT fandom is huge. The series has every element of entertainment and you should definitely not miss it.

Image: winteriscoming.net

THE BIG BANG THEORY
This one is one of the most popular and critically acclaimed TV shows right now. The story revolves around socially awkward physicist Sheldon Cooper and his friends.

"The Hesitation Ramification" -- When PennyÃ¢Â€Â™s big acting break on NCIS is a bust, Leonard struggles to help her, which results in Penny asking Leonard a bold relationship question. Meanwhile, Sheldon tries to learn how to be funny and Raj tries to work on his Ã¢Â€ÂœgameÃ¢Â€Â before talking to girls, on THE BIG BANG THEORY, Thursday, Jan. 2 (8:00 Ã¢Â€Â“ 8:31 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Pictured left to right: Johnny Galecki, Simon Helberg, Kaley Cuoco, Jim Parsons and Kunal Nayyar Photo: Michael Yarish/Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Ã‚Â© 2013 WBEI. All rights reserved. — *Image: hollywoodreporter*

HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER
Set in 2030 Ted recounts to his daughter and son the events that led him to meeting their mother. Similar to FRIENDS in many ways, this one is a pure delight to watch.

Image: lespassortables.com

SHERLOCK
The title speaks for itself. The show revolves around the cases solved by the famous detective Sherlock Holmes and his friend and aid Dr.Watson. Thrilling is the word.

Programme Name: Timeshift: How to be Sherlock Holmes - The Many Faces of a Master Detective - TX: n/a - Episode: Timeshift: How to be Sherlock Holmes - The Many Faces of a Master Detective (No. n/a) - Embargoed for publication until: n/a - Picture Shows: Benedict Cumberbatch - (C) BBC - Photographer: Matthew Thomas — *Image: theconsultingdetectivesblog*

THE VAMPIRE DIARIES
All you vampire and fantasy romance lovers!!! This one is for you. The show is based on the novel of same name and the plot revolves around Elena who is in love with Stefan Salvatore but later falls for his older brother Damon Salvatore. Unknown to her is the fact that both the brothers are vampires. Ian Somerhalder plays Damon and really you don’t any reason other than him to watch this one.

Image: ign.com

SILICON VALLEY
Well this one has had just three seasons and is getting popular day by day. Based on the struggles of six young men who found a startup in silicon valley , this show is sure to appeal to all the youngsters.

silicon-valley-season-1-episode-1-01-e1405618671273

Image: upaiyun.com

BREAKING BAD
It is a crime drama and tells the story of Walter White, a high school chemistry teacher diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer who turns to a life of crime to secure his family’s financial future before he dies.

breaking-bad-end-times-aaron-paul-bryan-cranston-tv-show-image-01

Image: collider.com

DEATH NOTE
These are for the anime fans. Greatly popular and entertaining.

Image: imgur.com

Well that’s not all. There are a lot of other great shows too- ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK, SUITS, HOUSE OF CARDS, ARROW-to name a few. And readers are free to share their favourite ones too in the comments section.

So these were the TV series but there are some web series too that really good like TVF’s PERMANENT ROOMMATES and PITCHERS. Happy watching!!!

Feature Image: pixelstalk.net