What I’m Watching: Game of Thrones

Game of Thrones: Season 7, Episode 6 “Beyond the Wall” (A-)

If I wasn’t already aware that this show’s season finale was the next episode, I think I would have known based on the high-intensity scale of this hour, which follows a historical trend of many shows and this show especially of being the craziest and most epic episode of the season. Starting with some seemingly aimless traipsing beyond the wall was deceptive since this was in I’d say all ways the most action-packed hour we’ve seen in a long time. I can see this episode being nominated and winning an Emmy for its directing, and I’ve had to imagine for those visual effects too. The dread that filled the air when the bear appeared and when they realized that the dead were coming was strong, and watching all the dead fall into the melting ice as they surrounded our human friends was chilling. Tyrion, who Daenerys praised for not being a hero, didn’t manage to talk Daenerys out of putting herself in harm’s way by flying beyond the wall with her dragons to save the day, and the only thing she appears to have lost is one of her children. I thought that the spear so carefully thrown by the white walker meant that they wouldn’t make it out alive, and Jon was heroic enough to turn down two attempts at salvation to stay behind and fight. Somehow, it looks like he survived too, since either you die once on this show or you’re pretty much invincible. What a triumphant return that was for Jon at the end of the episode, and you bet that Daenerys is happy to see him. She’s going to be pissed – and horrified – when she learns that the dead have reanimated one of her dragons! On a less action-oriented note, I was glad to see that Arya came right out with it and read Sansa her letter, and that they both got righteous and angry with each other for their actions. Arya took it pretty far with the creepiness, and I wonder if Sansa is going to strike preemptively knowing what a threat her sister has become.