After last week's Battle of Winterfell, you'd think that Game of Thrones would want to take a break from killing fan-favorite characters, but nope! This week's "The Last of the Starks," aka the fourth episode of the final season, took yet another beloved character from us in a brutal fashion. We should be used to this by now!
All throughout the final season of Game of Thrones, TV Time is going to update you on every single episode, what happened, who died and where this leaves us as the series finale approaches. Join us, won't you? This week: the fourth episode of season 8, "The Last of the Starks." [SPOILERS AHEAD]
What happened
The Battle of Winterfell aftermath was pretty amazing ... until it wasn't. Before it all went to hell, everyone who survived the war with the undead partied like it all of a sudden wasn't their last night on earth. Jaime and Brienne even slept together! That really happened! Gendry was so inspired by Arya (both by their night together and her saving the entire seven kingdoms in one fell swoop) and got down on one knee to propose to her after Daenerys officially legitimized him as a Baratheon. But Arya turned him down because she's never been a lady and she'll never be one. She then left for King's Landing with The Hound. Hearts were breaking everywhere, especially when Jaime ultimately left Brienne to go to King's Landing to ... either save Cersei or kill her? That's still up in the air. But Brienne was left alone, sobbing in the night as Jaime rode away. Their happiness was maybe the most short-lived on this show.
Now that the fighting was over, Dany and Jon Snow finally talked out their awkward differences ... namely that she's his aunt and he's got more of a claim to the throne than she does. First they made out a lot and talked about how much they loved each other (ew). She begged him not to tell anyone his real name, even his sisters, but he wouldn't agree to that. So now all the Starks know who Jon really is, and Sansa immediately told Tyrion who told Varys who probably told hundreds of his "little birds." It's safe to assume that Jon's real identity is no longer a secret. Sorry Dany!
Once the celebrations faded, things got real, and fast. Cersei told Euron he was the father of her unborn baby (but we all know it's Jaime's!) and he was so excited that he decimated Dany's first attack on King's Landing, killing one of her dragons in the process. He then captured Missandei, and despite Tyrion's heartfelt pleas to Cersei about how she doesn't have to be a monster, Cersei ordered The Mountain to chop off Missandei's head in front of everyone, including Grey Worm. The last battle of/for the Seven Kingdoms has officially begun!
RIP
Both deaths in this week's episode were brutal because we never saw them coming. By all accounts, Dany should have taken King's Landing easily. But Euron easily decimated her first assault and she lost Rhaegal in the process. She now has only one dragon left and Cersei's army has a bunch of dragon-killing weapons. Yikes.
The second death was just so much worse, because Missandei died literally in chains in front of all her friends and loved ones (including Grey Worm, who could only look on helplessly while the love of his life was beheaded). Honestly she deserved so much better. This death was unforgivable, and therefore Cersei is irredeemable.
What this all means for the endgame
We repeat: Cersei is irredeemable. She just signed her death warrant. Either Dany kills her, or Grey Worm, or even Arya. There's no way she makes it out of this season alive. With only two episodes left, we'll finally see who ends up on the Iron Throne but you can bet it won't be her.
Loose ends
Congratulations to Samwell Tarly and Gilly who are pregnant and probably going to name the baby Jon if it's a boy! What a sweet way for them to say goodbye to Jon as he headed off to war (again).
Predictions for the next episode
Arya's going for Cersei, finally crossing her off her list once she sneaks into King's Landing. Could she really take out both of the biggest threats on Game of Thrones? Go, girl, go! Plus The Hound is finally kicking off Cleganebowl so expect the showdown between him and his brother The Mountain at some point in the next two episodes. And based on how Varys was talking, he's maybe thinking of trying to have Dany assassinated so Jon could be King. Tyrion was not a fan of that plan! Expect to see these former BFFs continue to splinter as their allegiances to opposite contenders strengthen.
Game of Thrones airs Sundays at 9 p.m. on HBO.
