From a narrative perspective, that played out much as I expected it to. I'm not sure that's a bad thing, though. Part of the reason we escape to these fantasy worlds (be they fantasy, drama, sci-fi, or other) is that this occasional predictability is a comforting thing.
Would I have been happier with the episode if Jon had been mowed down by cavalry, Sansa captured and murdered, and the Stark storyline snuffed out? Would I be satisfied with a downer ending for the simple sake that a happy ending was predictable?
I enjoyed the episode for the spectacle that it was. The cinematography, the choreography, and the stunt work were just leagues ahead of anything else you traditionally see on television.
While the Mereen content - especially Theon and Yara's visit - were rushed a little, it was one of the few times I've actually cared about (and cheered for) something Daenerys was doing. It was immensely satisfying to finally see the dragons in true action and to see what was a boring plotline both in the books and in the show to some kind of ending. The Dothraki horde riding in almost felt like an afterthought, especially given the paltry number of Sons of the Harpy at the gates.
I loved that shot of a disheartened and heartbroken Davos standing by Shereen's pyre as the sun rose, even if I feel like Davos should perhaps have already put two and two together on this. How did he think Shereen had died?
That battle scene...
Jon was an emotional idiot, but that's precisely what he needed to be. This was his brother's killer and his sister's rapist. This was his first real pitched battle and I don't mind that he acted like an impetuous fool. That's the cloth that he was cut from, and it was certainly thrilling watching as he survived first a cavalry charge, then a melee, and then a hail of arrows through dumb luck.
One of the more visceral battle scenes I've seen. The impacts and the mud and that f**king intense scene where you watched via uncomfortable shaky-cam as Jon was crushed between a muddy, bloody pile of bodies was just grim.
The arrival of Baelish was Helm's Deep predictable and perhaps a bit too conveniently timed, but given the brutality of what we'd sat through - I don't necessarily hate that. I'd have liked it to be less convenient, but that's the way the cookie crumbles.
Wen Wen dying to beat down the gate, Jon making such short work of the smug merkin, and Sansa feeding Ramsay to his own dogs were all satisfying.
I would have liked it if somebody important had died simply to up the stakes, but I don't know who that would have been. Davos is a favourite from the books and has unfinished business, Tormund is an immense amount of fun, and any other Night's Watch/Wildling characters that could have eaten it were long ago killed off, written out, or sent away.
And don't you dare tell me they could have killed the Lady Mormont.
Vale Rickon. Vale Ramsay.
I think next week's episode might be a little explosive.
