Notes & Nuggets: "Game of Thrones" Season 8, Episode 5

When you were growing up, did you ever guess that as an adult you’d be glued to a TV show about dragons and ice zombies? Because I sure did! (Never mind – most of these things are gone!) Here are my thoughts on the last season of Game of Thrones. Um, spoilers!

· I just have fell asleep right before this episode came on – I had a dream that HBO was making a “Watchmen” series, but in Texas and starring Don Johnson

· Last week left us all wondering “Will Daenerys become the Mad Queen?” This week, right in the “previously on” opening – DAENERYS IS THE MAD QUEEN!!!

· Varys and Tyrion talked openly last week about Dany vs. Jon. Why would Tyrion turn him in? I know that he saw Varys talking about it to Jon, but Varys was pretty soundly rejected – I think Jon even did the Hakeem Olajuwon finger wag. You would figure as long as Tyrion kept in open communication with Varys everything could be handled quietly. And it probably makes sense to keep your options open, considering you work for the MAD QUEEN.

· Why would Dany only execute Varys? As she said, Jon told Sansa (disobeying a direct order), Sansa told Tyrion (obviously hoping she would switch sides), and Tyrion told Varys and not the queen he is the Hand of. Why not execute all of them?

· There’s a really cool visual while Tyrion is gingerly approaching Dany – based on the carving in the background it looks like he’s being eaten by a dragon

· If I were Tyrion, at this point I’d go on hiatus from easily admitting mistakes

· Again, Tyrion and Jon were standing RIGHT THERE at Varys’ execution, and they’re both responsible for him knowing – why not burn them all?

· I don’t think I’d be so congenial with the person who turned me in for a death sentence

· Dany gives Grey Worm Missandei’s chain, and Grey Worm throws it into the fire. I guess the queen isn’t the only one about to go around the bend.

· “All right…let it be fear.” This is probably the same leadership evolution used by Black Mamba-era Kobe.

· Tyrion brings up that they should quit the attack if King’s Landing starts ringing the bells. Noted.

· What is up with Jaime and getting captured?

· I love that scene where Tyrion tries to talk to the Unsullied in their language. “We speak the common tongue.”

· If I were Dany, I would have told the guards “Whatever you do, make sure Tyrion doesn’t try to see the prisoner alone.” Not hard to see that one coming.

· Tyrion mentions ringing the bells again, twice. Intriguing.

· Thinking of the progression Tyrion has made through this series, starting as clever but hard-living, it’s impactful to watch him offer to give up his life so that others will live. That’s some exemplary character development!

· So last week we found out that dragons can be killed by giant crossbows. This week we learned that you can take out the giant crossbows if you just come at them sideways. Was there a writer’s strike?

· Surprising to see Arya, the hero of all mankind, just walking through King’s Landing in plain sight. Guess they don’t have TMZ.

· Tyrion mentions the bells again to Jon and Davos. Do you think this might be important?

· And…Jaime can’t even get in the gates. Love how Tyrion’s plan falls apart immediately.

· Ironic to see the archers yell “Fire!” and immediately burn up

· Sure was worth it to have the show make so much of the Golden Company

· Really great work from Lena Headey – such a range of emotions while Cersei is just standing in the same place over the course of the battle

· The battle is reminiscent of when they would put Andre the Giant in the ring with two skinny pasty-white dudes with mustaches

· They’re ringing the bells! But what does it mean?!?!

· Dany’s heel turn felt like it came out of nowhere, despite being pretty well built up. Yes, it makes logical sense, but it still doesn’t 100% feel right. I could understand her attacking the Red Keep, but why the people? If you’re going to rule by fear, don’t you need people to be alive to fear you?

· You could see Jon Snow’s wheels starting to turn….

· Was that really the best time for Jaime and Euron to have a duel? Priorities!

· Does…does the Hound have highlights in his hair?

· Look at the Hound making sense when he tells Arya why she should leave! Somebody’s all growned up!

· CLEGANEBOWL!!! If there’s anything that this episode pulled off flawlessly, it was this! It had everything you could ask for: Fighting around a burning castle! Stabs with no effect! A quick and senseless death for Qyburn! I loved every second of it!

· Also loved how just before it began Cersei was all “Well, I’ll just be on my way….”

· “Yeah, that’s you. That’s what you’ve always been.” Classic line.

· How amazing is it that Jaime got stabbed twice TO THE HILT and still made it to Cersei? How many stairs was it from the beach? Resiliency!

· While I liked the idea of showing street-level chaos with a beloved character, I don’t think Arya was the right character for this. Arya is the ultimate survivor – while I could understand her choosing not to go after Cersei, I don’t understand her being scared in this situation.

· With all the ash floating in the air, it was starting to look like an episode of “Chernobyl”

· The Mountain pulled out another eye gouge! He should have yelled “Old school!” before he did it!

· Where was that wildfire coming from? Wasn’t that important? If they had wildfire, why didn’t they use it to defend the city?

· This just wasn’t Jaime’s day: Can’t get in the Keep, gets stabbed (twice!) by Euron, and then the tunnel to his boat is blocked. Sad trombone.

· While the ground-level Arya stuff didn’t work for me, her finding the mother and daughter burnt on the ground was heartbreaking

· Death rides a pale horse. Arya’s about to go all Night King on Dany.

· I’ll tell you I really wasn’t expecting “The Last War” to be a squash match. Certainly unexpected, and I understand the logic of it, but doesn’t give me the feels I figured I would have this close to the end of the show. Five out of ten hot dogs. Only one episode left – let’s see if they can go out on an upswing!