GoT Ep 805 "The Bells"

Image via HBO

Before I get into my recap of "The Bells," I want to recant some of my introductory thoughts from my podcast recapping the episode. Whenever a show is in it's (planned) last season, I always feel like it gets a bad wrap. There are so many high and different expectations that viewers tend to complain about every little thing. So, I usually defend the writers and producers because I know it's a hard job and that it's impossible to meet everyone's expectations. That's what I did last night. And, while I'm not completely frustrated with the writers and producers on Game of Thrones, I am a little disappointed and having slept on last night's episode and having it sink in, I agree with many viewers that this season is extremely rushed and that Daenerys and Jaime's characters have paid the ultimate price for it. I'm not sure if I can sum it up any better than Paul Tassi does in this article, https://apple.news/AF00j-_oXSY-HwHGMi2OdkA, but I'll give my opinions at the end of my recap.

Varys has wholeheartedly decided to abandon Dany's cause and spread the word that Jon is actually Aegon Targaryen amongst the Westerosi lords by writing letters. In true Varys form, he has acquired "little birds" in and around Dany's people, one of whom is a little girl named Martha who works in Dragonstone's kitchens. She's been spying on Dany since her return from Kings Landing and Missandei's death. Dany is not eating or sleeping. The little girl is concerned that Dany's soldiers are watching her, but Varys assures her that it's not out of the ordinary and reminds her, "The greater the risk, the greater the reward." And, as Jon arrives at Dragonstone, Varys wastes no time by running to him (out in the open for everyone to see) and speaking with him. Varys tells Jon he is worried about the queen and Jon also says he is worried about her, however, Varys is concerned she is going mad and Jon is simply feeling bad for her after she loses Jorah and Missandei. Varys finally admits that he knows who Jon really is and he thinks he should betray Dany and lay his claim to the Iron Throne. Jon, being the honorable Stark he is, says Dany is his queen and he will follow her. When Varys blatantly accuses Dany of being mad it only encourages Jon to defend her and tell Varys he doesn't want the throne.

Tyrion sees the exchange between Varys and Jon from above, in the castle. He visits a very haggard Daenerys who isn't surprised by the betrayal. She just assumes that Jon is the betrayer until Tyrion tells her it is actually Varys who is plotting against her. She surmises that Varys found out about Jon from Tyrion, who in turn most likely learned it from Sansa. Daenerys wonders why Tyrion didn't tell her first before discussing it with Varys. Tyrion tries to deflect saying he is glad Sansa told him because he needs to know about any threats to her claim, but he concedes that he should've come to her before telling Varys. Daenerys knows Sansa manipulated Tyrion by giving him this information because she knew he would tell others. He then tries to defend Varys explaining he only wants a good and just world. None of that matters now though. The seed has been planted and Varys is another in the long line of betrayers Dany has come to know in her life.

Varys is continuing to spread the word when he hears the guards coming for him. He quickly burns the letter before Grey Worm enters and arrests him. He is taken before Dany, Jon, and Tyrion, where Tyrion admits that he is the one who told Daenerys of Varys's betrayal. Varys says he hopes he is wrong about Dany and that he deserves the death he's about to get. He and Tyrion share a final farewell as Tyrion copes with telling on the best friend he's ever had (other than his brother). Daenerys sentences Varys to die and Drogon's face comes out of the darkness as she says, "Dracarys."

Later that night, Grey Worm and Daenerys are talking about Missandei and Dany gives Grey Worm the only possession Missandei brought with her from Essos, her slave collar. Grey Worm throws it into the fire and then Jon enters. Grey Worm leaves them to talk. Daenerys reminds Jon that she warned him what would happen if he shared his true lineage with Sansa and says Sansa killed Varys just as much as she did. She basically gives Jon a cry for help that he is too ignorant to realize and the repercussions happen later in the episode. Daenerys's cry for help comes in the form of asking Jon for his love, in what I took as a marriage proposal so that the people of Westeros would follow her. She tells Jon she doesn't have the people of Westeros's love, only their fear. Jon can't get over the fact that she is his aunt and basically turns her down but reassures her he wants no part of the throne and that he is fully behind her being queen. So, Daenerys decides she will have to take Westeros through fear because there doesn't seem to be any other way.

Dany and her advisers make plans for attacking Kings Landing and Tyrion uses that as a chance to remind Dany that the people in the city are innocent, like the slaves in Mereen. Daenerys tells him that Cersei thinks mercy is her weakness but it is really her strength. However, the mercy may not be for the people in Kings Landing now, but those of future generations. Tyrion says the people will open the gates if they know the war is lost and gets her to agree that if the bells are rung, then her troops will not attack. She then tells Tyrion her men caught Jaime trying to sneak past her camp to enter Kings Landing, highlighting another bad judgment made on Tyrion's part. She's given Tyrion many chances and he has consistently failed her when it comes to him trusting his family. If she fails him again, it will be the last time.

Tyrion commands the guards to leave and he visits Jaime. He frees Jaime on the promise that he will convince Cersei to flee the city with him and sail to Pentos. Tyrion tells Jaime to convince her that their child is a reason to live but, Jaime tells Tyrion that their child will be the reason she will fight until the bitter end. Jaime's also not convinced that Dany will win and thinks Cersei still has a chance. Tyrion finally convinces Jaime to plead with Cersei to run and also has him promise to have someone ring the bells so the city won't burn. They have a tearful farewell (again) where Jaime tells Tyrion that Dany is sure to kill him for letting him go, but Tyrion thinks it's an even trade if it saves tens of thousands of innocent lives.

The Hound and Arya are also stopped by Jon's soldiers as they try to get to the gates of Kings Landing. Luckily, they come across a soldier that is not too bright and is unable to stand up to either of them. When he asks who they are, Arya tells him she is Arya Stark and she is there to kill Queen Cersei. The soldier is unable to make a decision and leaves to go ask his supervisor, so the Hound and Arya continue on their way while he's gone.

They make it into the gates the next morning and Jaime is close behind them. The Iron Fleet is getting ready for the battle and the Golden Company is getting into position outside the front gates of the city. Dany and Jon's men are preparing as well and Tyrion tells Jon not to attack if he hears the bells ring. Cersei watches from the safety of the Red Keep, seeming pleased with herself as always. The Hound and Arya barely make it in before the soldiers close the gates to the Red Keep, leaving many citizens stranded in the city. So much for Cersei protecting everyone. Jaime is one of the unlucky people who doesn't make it inside the gates of the castle. He tries to grab the guards attention with his golden hand, but there is too much going on for them to notice him. He fights against the crowd to find another way in.

All is quiet as Euron looks into the sky. He thinks he sees something but it's way above the clouds. Drogon is speeding towards him before he even realizes it. Dany is able to take out his scorpion and his ships in a matter of seconds and Euron jumps into the bay. Dany flies into the city from the bay and surprises the soldiers on the walls. Their scorpions are rendered unusable because she is able to burn them all before they can be turned on her.

The other side of the city, where Tyrion and Jon are having a staring contest with the Golden Company, is quiet until Drogon breaks down the gate and smothers most of the Golden Company in flame. The leader, Captain Strickland, tries to run but is killed by Grey Worm. Jon and Grey Worm's army enter the city ready to fight.

Qyeburn tells Cersei the walls have been breached and the scorpions are all destroyed. She's not worried because she thinks Euron can kill the dragon, after all, he killed one effortlessly just last week. Qyeburn tells her the Iron Fleet is destroyed as well and she really should fall back. Cersei is certain the Lannister army will continue to fight.

Jon and Grey Worm come across the Lannister army and they begin a stare off but as the Lannisters hear the dragon flying above they begin to drop their swords. Daenerys lands on part of the city and everyone (on Dany's side) waits to hear the bells ring.

The bells finally begin to ring and it almost looks like the battle is over and Dany is going to stand down but something happens in her eyes and an expression takes over her face. Dany has achieved what she wanted but somehow it's not enough so she takes to the skies again and begins laying waste to the city and all of the innocent people in it. As the Lannister soldiers are watching the dragon, Grey Worm throws a spear into ones back. The other soldiers take this as a sign that they can fight and also that anything goes. Jon's own men begin to fight and Jon tries to stop them but things get out of control. Jon even kills one of his own soldiers when he catches him trying to rape a woman. Jon then sheathes his sword and he and Ser Davos try to help people get out of the city.

Jaime decides to enter the castle through the exit he was going to take with Cersei. Euron swims ashore just in time to fight him though. Euron tells Jaime he is the king now and that he and Cersei have slept together. Jaime and Euron fight. Euron wounds Jaime but Jaime is finally able to kill Euron.

Now that most of the city is on fire, Dany has turned her sights upon the Red Keep and she starts burning that down. Caches of wildfire left over from the Mad King and the Battle of Blackwater are erupting all over the city as well. Qyeburn tells Cersei that they really must pull back to Maegor's Holdfast now (the inner castle) and the castle begins to fall, literally.

The Hound and Arya make it to the map room, intent on their destinies. When the Hound sees the castle falling apart he urges Arya to leave and go home. Arya is intent on killing Cersei but the Hound tells her his whole life has been devoted to revenge and warns her that she doesn't want to be like him. She is still young and has plenty to live for and all that lies ahead is death and destruction. She finally heeds his warning and decides to live. She calls him by his real name, Sandor, and thanks him.

The Hound runs into Qyeburn, Cersei, and the Mountain while they are coming down a staircase. The Mountain recognizes his brother and wants to fight him. When Qyeburn tells him he should guard the queen, the Mountain backhands him, killing Dr. Frankenstein. Funny that he was killed by his own creation. Cersei decides to leave them to it and slinks away. Cleganebowl begins. The Hound stabs the Mountain through the gut but the Mountain just pulls out the sword and keeps fighting. The Mountain throws the Hound around like a sack until finally going to his signature move and poking the Hounds eyes out. The Hound stabs a dagger into the Mountains eye and when he steps back to remove the dagger, Sandor (aka the Hound) runs towards his brother pushing him through what is left of the wall down into the fiery depths below. Sandor falls and dies with him.

Jaime finds Cersei in the map room. She is crying and they hug. She can't believe he came back for her. (None of us could either). Jaime tells Cersei he has a way out and leads her to the beach exit but it's blocked by debris. Cersei finally decides she doesn't want to die and shows some vulnerability. Jaime can't find a way out so he holds her in his arms as the keep collapses around them.

Arya is trying to make her way through the city but is getting trampled. She finds some people hiding and tries to usher them to safety but Drogon gets most of them. Arya finds a mother and daughter burned to a crisp and clinging to each other. As rubble falls she is knocked out. She wakes up a bit later and is surrounded by death and destruction. A single white horse is standing nearby. It's not wounded, though it's covered in someone's blood. She walks up to it quietly and mounts it, riding out of the city.

Now, for my opinion. The episode itself was beautiful in terms of acting, music, and cinematography. I agree with most fans that Dany's arc was completely rushed. While I admit that there have been small notes of her rage over past seasons, she seemed to make a complete 180 in this episode after years of being one of the good guys. I really needed to see more of her downfall and feel like she was just treated as crazy because she was a woman. I mean, she's had a lot happen to her in the last few episodes and I was pissed at her advisers for turning or almost turning on her simply because there was now a man with the last name of Targaryen. She is one of my favorite, if not my favorite, character and seeing her decline would always have been hard for me. Emilia Clarke did a great job of acting Dany's story out and the acting wasn't the problem. I feel that her arc was rushed and that her outcome was due to her gender. Now onto Jaime. What the hell were the last two seasons for? He wants to be a better man, leaves his sister whom he finally seems to write off, he sleeps with Brienne, (I still don't understand why) and then rushes back to Cersei. It's not like he didn't know Cersei was about to die before the armies left the north. He knew they were going to fight her and seemed perfectly content to stay in the north with Brienne and leave Cersei to her fate. Now, all of a sudden, in five seconds, he decides he has to teleport to Kings Landing to be with his lying whore of a sister. What was his alleged redemption for? And what the hell was that death? Why did Cersei get an almost heroic and non-torturous death? We've all been waiting years for Cersei to die at the hands of the prophecy, and all of you saying the prophecy was fulfilled, I say nay. Jaime's hands were not around her neck. They were hugging each other and I felt no emotion from her crocodile tears when she decided at the last minute that she wanted her and her child to live. She had plenty of chances and she brought her brother down with her. As for the Golden Company, they got what they deserved. After all, they were founded by a bastard Targaryen so fighting with a Lannister (Cersei) made them my enemy.

One episode remains and I'm sure we will all have our opinions. My one ask is just to respect the opinions of others.