GoT Season 8, Episode 4: The Last of the Starks

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GoT Season 8, Episode 4: The Last of the Starks

Well, that was a bit more like it! Perhaps not scaling the heights we anticipated, but vastly better than Episode 3.

Episode 4 largely feels like another episode spent lingering in the (surprisingly intact) Winterfell, until our closing act hurtles us into action at Kings Landing. The change of pace toward the close is a pleasant return to the jolting variations we have loved previously, while the quality of dialogue in the opening instalment is on par with earlier season. It seems the writers have remembered the key to good conversation – it doesn’t have to judder the plot forward; it can simply be.

We pick up directly after Episode 3 – in the aftermath of the battle. Our remaining protagonists each saying goodbye to one they cherish atop a [conveniently pre-built] funeral pyre. Dany with a tender, tearful kiss to Jorah. A distraught Sansa places her Stark pin to Theon’s chest, in a beautiful way to say goodbye to a character who truly came full circle. And Jon, looking down on Lyanna. Not so much sorrow, but of rueful loss. He has put children to their death before [Olly bloody deserved it though!] and swore he wouldn’t do it again. Not he looks upon another who, though she fought of her own volition, was only there because of Jon.

As they pyres are lit, Jon laments their losses, with one of his classic Night’s Watch speeches [it’s pretty much just a rehash of the Night’s Watch vow].

And with that, the Battle for Winterfell is over. On to the celebrations for the survivors!

Feasting and drinking in the halls of Winterfell provides opportunity for our ensemble to share moments with one another in more intimate groups. Given the large number of named characters here currently, this is a bice way to divide them into manageable quantities, ones where we can have the more engaging conversations which have oft been lacking so far this season.

A pleasant touch is how these groups are linked in the scene, moving with a walk, as with Gendry, or following Dany’s gaze across the room to a relaxed Tyrion.

The majority of focus is (naturally) on the top table, where strained relationships and ongoing tension are rife. Gendry’s early exit from the frivolities provides Dany an opportunity to improve her had and show her smarts. Declaring him Lord Baratheon ensures his future loyalty to her, mitigating any threat he may have been to her, should Jon rise up. Yet, her comment to Tyrion immediately after is concerning: “You’re not the only one who can be clever.” With Jorah gone, Tyrion should be her key advisor and yet, Dany seems intent on casting him aside.

As the drinking continues, Tormund waxes lyrical about the King in the North to any and all that will listen. Jon seems to enjoy the adulation, albeit somewhat uncomfortably. As the drink flows. It would appear that he appreciates his audience more and more. Of course, all the time Dany is sat, watching in disapproval. [Next to her is one obviously uninvited guest – a Starbucks cup. Given she’d had a late night beforehand, it’s not shocking that Dany might want a caffeine hit, but you’d think she’d like it in some sort of flagon, rather than the single-use cardboard.] It is clear that, although none of Jon’s fans know of his lineage and claim to the throne, they truly want him to be their king (with Tormund even saying so much). 

Away from the top table, we get to touch base with some of our other favourites.
The Hound sits for the entire night, stoically sat, moving less than a beefeater with a bad back. His only desire is to drink himself into oblivion. Alone.

In the aftermath of the battle, and upon being declared a Lord, Gendry has but one thing on his mind: Arya. He finds her away from the feasting, practicing her archery (in what is honestly, a very dangerous place – down a corridor [she might know how to use these weapons, but clearly not how to practice with them]). His proposal is sweet, but thankfully Arya stays true to herself, delicately rejecting him. Does she love Gendry? 
Perhaps. Is she a lady? Absolutely not.

The final table we visit in the evening has Tyrion, Jaime, Brienne and Pod sharing drinks, tales and games. Tyrion [obviously very proud of his invention of I Have Never] has encouraged everyone, Brienne included, into playing “his game”. Naturally, though things start off softly, Tyrion forces things down an uncomfortable path, declaring Brienne’s virginity to all and forcing her to leave the table.

Ashamed, Brienne leaves the party, only for Jaime to follow in her footsteps, stepping in front of Tormund in the process.

Tormund’s rejection here feels genuine, his pain real – the woman he is infatuated with appears to have shirked him. Granted, he bounces back fairly quickly, as he is whisked away by assorted women.

I won’t lie, the scene with Brienne and Jaime did genuinely surprise me. I thought that, yes, they did love one another but that it was something more platonic, rather than the physical.

I had always thought Brienne had loved Jaime from afar before she met him, yet his awful actions had pushed those feeling away, before winning an emotion pull back with his later behaviour. Conversely, Jaime had been largely repulsed by Brienne, mocking her physicality and her honour, everything she had held dear. Yet she earned his respect and helped him redeem himself – something he loved her for.

It’s a but of a cop-out that they found themselves rolling beneath the animal skins. Does everything need to end with sex here? Given the strides the show has taken, I thought perhaps not.

As the evening draws to a close, Dany and Jon have a quiet moment together. This scene is a telling one in the progress of both characters – Dany is left begging Jon not to reveal his true identity, not to anyone. She can feel the thing she ever wanted before any other – the Iron Throne – slipping from her grasp. Jon on the other hand, does not want the throne, but has learned too many lessons from Ned Stark – he feels honour bound to declare the truth, especially to his family. Each character is conflicted, despite wanting the same thing. Yet, Dany’s attitude changes when it becomes clear that Jon will do what he thinks is right, not what he is told. There is a wedge forming between the two, and Dany is not dealing with it well at all.

When it comes to plotting the coming attack on King’s Landing then, nobody is really too shocked when Jon backs Dany’s foolhardy plan to attack at once, rather then regroup, per Sans’s advice. What better way to show he’s on her side than to chuck a bucket load more of his men to their deaths straight away?

Of course, the Starks siblings see this idiocy as a betrayal – as far as they’re concerned Jon is merely sacrificing the Northern folk to Dany’s cause, a cause they don’t themselves support. As with any fully functional family, they decide to talk things through shortly afterward in the snow (not inside where it’s warm or anything like that, no, outside where it’s much more dramatic aesthetically).

It is here, in the grounds of Winterfell that Jon shares the truth about who he is with his sisters (well, cousins), making them swear to secrecy. Jon, the honourable and naïve man he is, believes this will be enough to keep everything quiet from here on in.

He clearly hasn’t accounted for just how Sansa’s love of a good gossip. It’s interesting that she decided to confide in Tyrion, especially with so little probing from him. Granted, they do have a history and a mutual respect for one another, but Sansa would clearly have known what she was doing, who she was telling. She’s deliberately ruffled feathers to try and upset an already disturbed apple cart.

And work it has – when we next see Tyrion, he is alone with Varys, talking through Jon’s claim, while en route to Dragonstone. As Varys says, when eight people know, it’s not a rumour anymore, it’s information. If anyone in Westeros knows the power of information, it’s Varys. It’s interesting to see how the seeds of doubt have been cast on these two previously loyal advisors now. As Dany becomes more hellbent on destruction and power, will they really seek to install her on the throne? After all Varys is loyal to only one thing – the realm itself. He could easily be on a collision course with full blown treachery, one which will likely see him executed as a result. But will it be one which ends Dany’s claim with it?


Prior to Tyrion’s departure from Winterfell, he is involved in what could have been a heart-warming, yet dramatic scene with Jaime and Bronn. As the Lannister brothers discuss Jaime’s blossoming relationship with Brienne, Bronn bursts in, crossbow in arm, promising Cersei’s revenge.

It was nice to see Bronn stay true (again) to who he is – a mercenary, and it was nicer still to see him leave without killing either brother. It was all a little tense and cumbersome,

with no-one really managing to take charge of the situation, while ending abruptly, Bronn rapidly appeased and walking into the night. But then, Bronn did always have more of a bond with Tyrion and held him to his promise to double the pay to kill him. It’s a little anticlimactic, but I felt palpable relief when it was all over.


While Dany and her men sail to Dragonstone, Jon chooses to ride south with his men (rather than flying [top decision there Jon, all considered]). As he prepares to depart, he says his goodbyes to his loved ones in probably the most underwhelming scene the show has ever produced.

Back then: I missed you boy...

Goodbye hugs for both Sam and Gilly, with Jon realising Gilly is pregnant [at last, I’m so glad they finally addressed the fact that she is obviously expecting], a full goodbye for Tormund, who plans to head North with the remaining Wild Folk. But with them, Jon sends a beaten and bruised Ghost, now missing an ear and carrying a sad expression. For him, the best friend Jon has had, the goodest boy in The Seven Kingdoms, nothing. A wry glance as Jon departs. All this for someone who Jon has called upon time after time. Jon’s former words of “I missed you boy” sit bitterly now. After everything they have shared together, Ghost deserved a better goodbye. It’s like the end of Life of Pi in reverse! Yes, he’ll be better off in the North than South, and Jon likely won’t be coming back up anytime soon, no matter what. This is likely the final time we’ll see either Tormund or Ghost now – I imagine this is the closest to a 'happy ending' we’ll really have – walking off to where you belong of your own volition. But it still sucks.

... to now

Disappointing goodbyes aside, Jon’s decision to ride, not fly proves a wise one, as Dany’s forces, supported by Drogo and Rhaegal is attacked from nowhere by Euron’s fleet, armed to the teeth with Scorpions. As I said a few weeks back, why wouldn’t they have built more of them if they could?

The attack is a proper GoT one, out of the blue and with brutal force. Three huge bolts strike Rhaegal from the sky with ruthless efficiency. No chance to realise what is happening before it’s too late. Unless… you’re on a dragon with a bird’s eye view of everything. I know it was misty out there, but they really should have spotted that coming. GoT is taking the concept of fog-of-war to a whole new level.

While Rhaegal’s death [I’m so sad to see him go, he was my favourite dragon, but I’m so glad that the ones with crazy hard names to spell are gone now, it’s going to save me hours!] was unexpected, there were hints that perhaps we should have seen. After all, Bronn was backing the dragons to win earlier and Jon was altruistically letting him fly unburdened. And come on, would they have really let us seen him getting to grips with his new wonky wings if they weren’t only using it to grab out emotion bones?

Dany, overcome by emotion, flies to assault the Iron Fleet, before wisely turning tail at her certain doom. A flash across her eyes though implies that she is planning to sack the capital, despite advice to the contrary, until she comes to herself and retreats.
In the aftermath though, her ships are eviscerated, her soldiers and advisors left overboard as Euron turns the Scorpions from the sky to them.

We see Grey Worm, Tyrion and Varys all wash ashore, but there is one significant loss – Missandei. Dany’s peaceful and innocent advisor has been captured, held to ransom by Cersei.

As easy as it is to dislike Cersei now, you have to hand it to her, she’s playing her game of thrones better than any of her competitors. Thus far everything so swigging in her favour too. She’s got the population of King’s Landing safely held hostage near her, preventing any direct attack on her. The Golden Company and a million Scorpions are protecting her too. And she’s convinced Euron that she is pregnant with his child, legitimising her security from him, for now at least (did Tyrion’s warblings give the game away here?).
As far as she is concerned at least, Cersei is on the verge of winning the game, without ever leaving the Red Keep. That she has now moved from wearing her black mourning attire, back to her traditional red (albeit a deeper shade) says it all. She’s got everything she wants back, security, power and family. The usurpers are gone, or about to be destroyed and her legacy is in place.

As Dany and her beleaguered force come to sue for peace, there’s a sense of predictability about it all. Familiarity. We’ve been down this road before. Missandei held hostage, her head on the line, with only wise words left to possibly save her from Cersei’s wrath. It harks back to Ned Stark’s execution, where his honour, wisdom and acceptance of defeat wasn’t enough to spare him. Equally, Tyrion’s pleas to his sister lead to only one outcome – a beheading. But as Ned’s death caused a full-scale war, this one may result in its climax, one way or another.

As Missandei’s body hits the floor, there are two faces we focus on. Grey Worm, the man who loved her, cannot look. He may have dealt in death all of his life, but never before in love. When it comes to losing it, he can’t bear it. The second face is, of course, Dany’s. Not sorrow at the loss of her closest friend. Not even a tear shed. Just a cruel focus. Dany seems to know exactly what her next move is, and it will likely be destructive.
This death could be the final nail for the Dany we know and love. 

After all, in the space of two episodes she lost her two closest friends and one of her children. Who wouldn’t be affected by that kind of loss?

Her truest advisors are all gone, those who are left aren’t ones she relies on now, preferring her own council. They themselves have divided loyalties now, unsure if she is the ruler they want anymore anyway. There is nobody left who will be able to convince Dany that a peaceful resolution is the best bet. Grey Worm is only going to vie for war, and even Missandei did with her final words; the only other person who may have been able to convince her otherwise, Jon, is her direct rival for the Iron Throne. I feel the red Targaryen mist may be about to descend.

But what force will she have to attack with? Drogon will be virtually useless against the Scorpions and her forces has taken such heavy losses it could barely hold a small keep, let alone take King’s Landing.

Unless Drogon is not alone. After all, he did disappear for an entire season, and GoT dragons can apparently change their gender at will. Perhaps Drogon was away rearing young dragons. What if they too have fully grown, away from all this hustle and bustle? If that were the case, then the scales may just tip back in the favour of our Khaleesi.

Finally, we close back at Winterfell, with Jaime and Brienne.

Despite my surprise at their romance, it was nice to see Jaime choose to be with somebody who makes him a better person, someone who he wouldn’t gossip about behind her back. When we hear that Jaime is to stay in Winterfell, I did hope that this would be a different Jaime to previously, one ready to just settle down and protect what he has.
Yet, when he hears of the coming final war, he instantly jumps to his horse. He rides away, telling a distraught Brienne that Cersei is a hateful person and so is he. Brienne’s response (crying in the courtyard) is such a departure from the one we are used to that it is almost shocking. For the first time, she has truly let someone in emotionally and has been badly hurt because of it, Jaime seemingly choosing his sister over her.

But I don’t think that this is the case. It’s left ambiguous enough for me that, I think Jaime may be going to execute Cersei. I feel he is tired of her and her games, using those seemingly beneath her as toys to suit her. Now he has experienced something good, something pure and wants to ensure that the constant draw to Cersei is gone. Kill her off and gain closure.

An honourable mention needs to go to the reunion of The Hound and Arya – the pair of lone killers now bound together to King’s Landing, neither expecting to return. They could each take some bloody steps in these final episodes and see the culmination of their father/daughter arc.

Episode 4 is a step back in the right direction, but does still suffer from some serious gaffes. Written quality this season has suffered, which is a shame, given that the writers have had time to prepare for this. The presence of the coffee cup was silly, this was a daft mistake. The fact that Ghost wasn’t given a proper goodbye because of animation costs is ridiculous. The very least we deserve is effort levels to be ramped up in the final season. The fact they referred to Gendry’s bastard name as “Rivers”, not “Waters” is unforgivable. Errors like this are basic and sloppy, and have no place in this great show.
There are still two episodes left to bring everything to a grand close and to salvage this season. After all, this season will be the final taste we get of Westeros, so let’s hope it is a sweet one.

The penultimate episode is more often than not 'the big one', the one where it all kicks off. This season, like never before, it needs to deliver. I hope there will be battles and bloodshed, but hopefully a whole load of twists and turns too. I’m expecting a whole raft of big characters to meet their conclusions here, with some of our big names meeting their end. Everything is piled in Cersei’s favour, so I’m predicting some significant and “unexpected” defeats for her to bring about her demise. Probably Jaime. Perhaps abetted by Bronn? After all, he’s still got a few killing days left in him.

Until next time, valar mughulis.

You can find my review of Episode 3: The Long Night here.

If the future is more of your things, you can find my review of Episode 5 here.